# verses

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Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.


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God called the light "day," and He called the darkness "night." Evening came, and then morning: the first day.


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So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above the expanse. And it was so.


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Then God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so.


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God called the dry land "earth," and He called the gathering of the water "seas." And God saw that it was good.


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Then God said, "Let the earth produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit with seed in it, according to their kinds." And it was so.


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The earth brought forth vegetation: seed-bearing plants according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it, according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.


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Then God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night. They will serve as signs for festivals and for days and years.


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God made the two great lights-- the greater light to have dominion over the day and the lesser light to have dominion over the night-- as well as the stars.


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to dominate the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good.


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Then God said, "Let the water swarm with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky."


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So God created the large sea-creatures and every living creature that moves and swarms in the water, according to their kinds. [He also created] every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.


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So God blessed them, "Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the waters of the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth."


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Then God said, "Let the earth produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that crawl, and the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds." And it was so.


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So God made the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and creatures that crawl on the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.


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Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth."


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So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female.


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God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth."


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God also said, "Look, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the surface of the entire earth, and every tree whose fruit contains seed. This food will be for you,


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for all the wildlife of the earth, for every bird of the sky, and for every creature that crawls on the earth-- everything having the breath of life in it. [I have given] every green plant for food." And it was so.


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By the seventh day, God completed His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done.


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These are the records of the heavens and the earth, concerning their creation at the time that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.


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No shrub of the field had yet [grown] on the land, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the LORD God had not made it rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground.


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Then the LORD God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.


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The LORD God caused to grow out of the ground every tree pleasing in appearance and good for food, including the tree of life in the midst of the garden, as well as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.


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A river went out from Eden to water the garden. From there it divided and became the source of four rivers.


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The name of the first is Pishon, which encircles the entire land of the Havilah, where there is gold.


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The name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows to the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.


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but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die."


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Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is like him."


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So the LORD God formed out of the ground each wild animal and each bird of the sky, and brought each to the man to see what he would call it. And whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name.


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The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the sky, and to every wild animal; but for the man no helper was found who was like him.


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So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to come over the man, and he slept. God took one of his ribs and closed the flesh at that place.


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And the man said: This one, at last, is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh; this one will be called woman, for she was taken from man.


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Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You can't eat from any tree in the garden'?"


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But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, 'You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.'"


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In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."


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Then the woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate [it]; she also gave [some] to her husband, [who was] with her, and he ate [it].


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Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.


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Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and they hid themselves from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.


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Then He asked, "Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree that I had commanded you not to eat from?"


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Then the man replied, "The woman You gave to be with me-- she gave me [some fruit] from the tree, and I ate."


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So the LORD God asked the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "It was the serpent. He deceived me, and I ate."


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Then the LORD God said to the serpent: Because you have done this, you are cursed more than any livestock and more than any wild animal. You will move on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life.


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I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.


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He said to the woman: I will intensify your labor pains; you will bear children in anguish. Your desire will be for your husband, yet he will dominate you.


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And He said to Adam, "Because you listened to your wife's voice and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'Do not eat from it': The ground is cursed because of you. You will eat from it by means of painful labor all the days of your life.


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You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground, since you were taken from it. For you are dust, and you will return to dust."


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The LORD God said, "Since man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil, he must not reach out, and also take from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever."


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He drove man out, and east of the garden of Eden He stationed cherubim with a flaming, whirling sword to guard the way to the tree of life.


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Adam knew his wife Eve intimately, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, "I have had a male child with the LORD's help."


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Then she also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of a flock, but Cain cultivated the land.


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And Abel also presented [an offering]-- some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The LORD had regard for Abel and his offering,


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If you do right, won't you be accepted? But if you do not do right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must master it."


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Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.


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Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's guardian?"


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So now you are cursed [with alienation] from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood you have shed.


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If you work the land, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth."


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Since You are banishing me today from the soil, and I must hide myself from Your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me."


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Then the LORD replied to him, "In that case, whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over." And He placed a mark on Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him.


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Cain knew his wife intimately, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain became the builder of a city, and he named the city Enoch after his son.


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Irad was born to Enoch, Irad fathered Mehujael, Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech.


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Zillah bore Tubal-cain, who made all kinds of bronze and iron tools. Tubal-cain's sister was Naamah.


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Lamech said to his wives: Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; wives of Lamech, pay attention to my words. For I killed a man for wounding me, a boy for striking me.


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Adam knew his wife intimately again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, for [she said,] "God has given me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him."


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A son was born to Seth also, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the LORD.


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These are the family records of the descendants of Adam. On the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God;


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Adam was 130 years old when he fathered [a child] in his likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth.


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And he named him Noah, saying, "This one will bring us relief from the agonizing labor of our hands, caused by the ground the LORD has cursed."


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the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were beautiful, and they took any they chose as wives for themselves.


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And the LORD said, "My Spirit will not remain with mankind forever, because they are corrupt. Their days will be 120 years."


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The Nephilim were on the earth both in those days and afterwards, when the sons of God came to the daughters of man, who bore children to them. They were the powerful men of old, the famous men.


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When the LORD saw that man's wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every scheme his mind thought of was nothing but evil all the time,


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Then the LORD said, "I will wipe off the face of the earth: man, whom I created, together with the animals, creatures that crawl, and birds of the sky-- for I regret that I made them."


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These are the family records of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among his contemporaries; Noah walked with God.


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Then God said to Noah, "I have decided to put an end to all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; therefore I am going to destroy them along with the earth.


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Make yourself an ark of gofer wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it with pitch inside and outside.


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You are to make a roof, finishing [the sides of the ark] to within 18 inches [of the roof.] You are to put a door in the side of the ark. Make it with lower, middle, and upper [decks].


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Understand that I am bringing a deluge-- floodwaters on the earth to destroy all flesh under heaven with the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will die.


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But I will establish My covenant with you, and you will enter the ark with your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives.


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You are also to bring into the ark two of every living thing of all flesh, male and female, to keep them alive with you.


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Two of everything-- from the birds according to their kinds, from the livestock according to their kinds, and from every animal that crawls on the ground according to its kind-- will come to you so that you can keep them alive.


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Then the LORD said to Noah, "Enter the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you [alone] are righteous before Me in this generation.


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You are to take with you seven pairs, a male and its female, of all the clean animals, and two of the animals that are not clean, a male and its female,


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and seven pairs, male and female, of the birds of the sky-- in order to keep offspring alive on the face of the whole earth.


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Seven days from now I will make it rain on the earth 40 days and 40 nights, and I will wipe off the face of the earth every living thing I have made."


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So Noah, his sons, his wife, and his sons' wives entered the ark because of the waters of the deluge.


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In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the sources of the watery depths burst open, the floodgates of the sky were opened,


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On that same day Noah along with his sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, Noah's wife, and his three sons' wives entered the ark with him.


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They [entered it] with all the wildlife according to their kinds, all livestock according to their kinds, every creature that crawls on the earth according to its kind, all birds, every fowl, and everything with wings according to their kinds.


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Those that entered, male and female of all flesh, entered just as God had commanded him. Then the LORD shut him in.


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The deluge continued 40 days on the earth; the waters increased and lifted up the ark so that it rose above the earth.


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The waters surged and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water.


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Then the waters surged even higher on the earth, and all the high mountains under the whole sky were covered.


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All flesh perished-- creatures that crawl on the earth, birds, livestock, wildlife, and all creatures that swarm on the earth, as well as all mankind.


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He wiped out every living thing that was on the surface of the ground, from mankind to livestock, to creatures that crawl, to the birds of the sky, and they were wiped off the earth. Only Noah was left, and those that were with him in the ark.


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God remembered Noah, as well as all the wildlife and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the water began to subside.


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The sources of the watery depths and the floodgates of the sky were closed, and the rain from the sky stopped.


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The water steadily receded from the earth, and by the end of 150 days the waters had decreased significantly.


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The ark came to rest in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat.


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The waters continued to recede until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were visible.


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but the dove found no resting place for her foot. She returned to him in the ark because water covered the surface of the whole earth. He reached out and brought her into the ark to himself.


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When the dove came to him at evening, there was a plucked olive leaf in her beak. So Noah knew that the water on the earth's surface had gone down.


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In the six hundred and first year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the water [that had covered] the earth was dried up. Then Noah removed the ark's cover and saw that the surface of the ground was drying.


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Bring out every living thing of all flesh that is with you-- birds, livestock, creatures that crawl on the ground-- and they will spread over the earth and be fruitful and multiply on the earth."


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All wildlife, all livestock, every bird, and every creature that crawls on the earth came out of the ark by their groups.


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Then Noah built an altar to the LORD. He took some of every kind of clean animal and every kind of clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.


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When the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, He said to Himself, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, even though man's inclination is evil from his youth. And I will never again strike down every living thing as I have done.


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As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night will not cease."


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The fear and terror of you will be in every living creature on the earth, every bird of the sky, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are placed under your authority.


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Every living creature will be food for you; as [I gave] the green plants, I have given you everything.


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I will require the life of every animal and every man for your life and your blood. I will require the life of each man's brother for a man's life.


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and with every living creature that is with you-- birds, livestock, and all wildlife of the earth that are with you-- all the animals of the earth that came out of the ark.


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I confirm My covenant with you that never again will all flesh be wiped out by the waters of a deluge; there will never again be a deluge to destroy the earth."


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And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between Me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all future generations:


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I will remember My covenant between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh: water will never again become a deluge to destroy all flesh.


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The bow will be in the clouds, and I will look at it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh on earth."


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God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant that I have confirmed between Me and all flesh on earth."


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Then Shem and Japheth took a cloak and placed it over both their shoulders, and walking backwards, they covered their father's nakedness. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father naked.


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These are the family records of Noah's sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. They also had sons after the deluge.


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The coastland peoples spread out into their lands. These are [Japheth's sons] by their clans, in their nations. Each [group] had its own language.


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He was a powerful hunter in the sight of the LORD. That is why it is said, "Like Nimrod, a powerful hunter in the sight of the LORD."


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The Canaanite border went from Sidon going toward Gerar as far as Gaza, and going toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.


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These are Ham's sons, by their clans, according to their languages, in their own lands and their nations.


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And Shem, Japheth's older brother, also had children. Shem was the father of all the children of Eber.


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Eber had two sons. One was named Peleg, for during his days the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan.


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These are Shem's sons by their clans, according to their languages, in their lands and their nations.


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These are the clans of Noah's sons, according to their family records, in their nations. The nations on earth spread out from these after the flood.


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They said to each other, "Come, let us make oven-fired bricks." They had brick for stone and asphalt for mortar.


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And they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky. Let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise, we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth."


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The LORD said, "If, as one people all having the same language, they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.


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Come, let Us go down there and confuse their language so that they will not understand one another's speech."


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So the LORD scattered them from there over the face of the whole earth, and they stopped building the city.


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Therefore its name is called Babylon, for there the LORD confused the language of the whole earth, and from there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.


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These are the family records of Shem. Shem lived 100 years and fathered Arpachshad two years after the deluge.


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These are the family records of Terah. Terah fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran, and Haran fathered Lot.


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Abram and Nahor took wives: Abram's wife was named Sarai, and Nahor's wife was named Milcah. She was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milcah and Iscah.


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Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (Haran's son), and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram's wife, and they set out together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there.


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The LORD said to Abram: Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father's house to the land that I will show you.


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I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.


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I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.


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So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran.


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He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated, and the people he had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,


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Abram passed through the land to the site of Shechem, at the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.


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But the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "I will give this land to your offspring." So he built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him.


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From there he moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and worshiped Him.


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There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine in the land was severe.


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When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, "Look, I know what a beautiful woman you are.


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Please say you're my sister so it will go well for me because of you, and my life will be spared on your account."


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He treated Abram well because of her, and Abram acquired flocks and herds, male and female donkeys, male and female slaves, and camels.


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So Pharaoh sent for Abram and said, "What have you done to me? Why didn't you tell me she was your wife?


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Why did you say, 'She's my sister,' so that I took her as my wife? Now, here's your wife. Take her and go!"


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He went by stages from the Negev to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly been,


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But the land was unable to support them as long as they stayed together, for they had so many possessions that they could not stay together,


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and there was quarreling between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land.


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Then Abram said to Lot, "Please, let's not have quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, since we are relatives.


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Isn't the whole land before you? Separate from me: if [you go] to the left, I will go to the right; if [you go] to the right, I will go to the left."


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Lot looked out and saw that the entire Jordan Valley as far as Zoar was well-watered everywhere like the LORD's garden and the land of Egypt. This was before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.


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So Lot chose the entire Jordan Valley for himself. Then Lot journeyed eastward, and they separated from each other.


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Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot lived in the cities of the valley and set up his tent near Sodom.


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After Lot had separated from him, the LORD said to Abram, "Look from the place where you are. Look north and south, east and west,


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I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if one could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted.


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So Abram moved his tent and went to live beside the oaks of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the LORD.


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In those days Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim


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waged war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, as well as the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).


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In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim,


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Then they came back to invade En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they defeated all the territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.


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Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and lined up for battle in the Valley of Siddim


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against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar-- four kings against five.


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Now the Valley of Siddim contained many asphalt pits, and [as] the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, [some] fell into them, but the rest fled to the mountains.


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They also took Abram's nephew Lot and his possessions, for he was living in Sodom, and they went on.


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One of the survivors came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was at the oaks belonging to Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and the brother of Aner. They were bound by a treaty with Abram.


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When Abram heard that his relative had been taken prisoner, he assembled his 318 trained men, born in his household, and they went in pursuit as far as Dan.


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And he and his servants deployed against them by night, attacked them, and pursued them as far as Hobah to the north of Damascus.


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He brought back all the goods and also his relative Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the [other] people.


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After Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).


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and give praise to God Most High who has handed over your enemies to you. And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.


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But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand in an oath to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,


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that I will not take a thread or sandal strap or anything that belongs to you, so you can never say, 'I made Abram rich.'


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I will take nothing except what the servants have eaten. But as for the share of the men who came with me-- Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre-- they can take their share."


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After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield; your reward will be very great.


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But Abram said, "Lord God, what can You give me, since I am childless and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?"


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Abram continued, "Look, You have given me no offspring, so a slave born in my house will be my heir."


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Now the word of the LORD came to him: "This one will not be your heir; instead, one who comes from your own body will be your heir."


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He took him outside and said, "Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them." Then He said to him, "Your offspring will be that [numerous]."


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He also said to him, "I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess."


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He said to him, "Bring me a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon."


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So he brought all these to Him, split them down the middle, and laid the pieces opposite each other, but he did not cut up the birds.


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As the sun was setting, a deep sleep fell on Abram, and suddenly a terror and great darkness descended on him.


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Then the LORD said to Abram, "Know this for certain: Your offspring will be strangers in a land that does not belong to them; they will be enslaved and oppressed 400 years.


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In the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure."


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When the sun had set and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the divided [animals].


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On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "I give this land to your offspring, from the brook of Egypt to the Euphrates River:


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Sarai said to Abram, "Since the LORD has prevented me from bearing children, go to my slave; perhaps I can have children by her." And Abram agreed to what Sarai said.


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So Abram's wife Sarai took Hagar, her Egyptian slave, and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife for him. [This happened] after Abram had lived in the land of Canaan 10 years.


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He slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. When she realized that she was pregnant, she looked down on her mistress.


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Then Sarai said to Abram, "You are responsible for my suffering! I put my slave in your arms, and ever since she saw that she was pregnant, she has looked down on me. May the LORD judge between me and you."


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Abram replied to Sarai, "Here, your slave is in your hands; do whatever you want with her." Then Sarai mistreated her so much that she ran away from her.


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The Angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur.


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He said, "Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?" She replied, "I'm running away from my mistress Sarai."


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Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, "You must go back to your mistress and submit to her mistreatment."


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The Angel of the LORD also said to her, "I will greatly multiply your offspring, and they will be too many to count."


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Then the Angel of the LORD said to her: You have conceived and will have a son. You will name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard your [cry of] affliction.


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This man will be [like] a wild ass. His hand will be against everyone, and everyone's hand will be against him; he will live at odds with all his brothers.


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So she named the LORD who spoke to her: The God Who Sees, for she said, "Have I really seen here the One who sees me?"


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That is why she named the spring, "A Well of the Living One Who Sees Me." It is located between Kadesh and Bered.


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When Abram was 99 years old, the LORD appeared to him, saying, "I am God Almighty. Live in My presence and be devout.


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Your name will no longer be Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I will make you the father of many nations.


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I will keep My covenant between Me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, as an everlasting covenant to be your God and the [God] of your offspring after you.


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And to you and your offspring after you I will give the land where you are residing-- all the land of Canaan-- as an eternal possession, and I will be their God."


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God also said to Abraham, "As for you, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations are to keep My covenant.


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This is My covenant, which you are to keep, between Me and you and your offspring after you: Every one of your males must be circumcised.


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You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskin to serve as a sign of the covenant between Me and you.


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Throughout your generations, every male among you at eight days old is to be circumcised. This includes a slave born in your house and one purchased with money from any foreigner. The one who is not your offspring,


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a slave born in your house, as well as one purchased with money, must be circumcised. My covenant will be in your flesh as an everlasting covenant.


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If any male is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that man will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant."


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I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will produce nations; kings of peoples will come from her."


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Abraham fell to the ground, laughed, and thought in his heart, "Can a child be born to a hundred-year-old man? Can Sarah, a ninety-year-old woman, give birth?"


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But God said, "No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac. I will confirm My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.


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As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will certainly bless him; I will make him fruitful and will multiply him greatly. He will father 12 tribal leaders, and I will make him into a great nation.


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Then Abraham took his son Ishmael and all the slaves born in his house or purchased with his money-- every male among the members of Abraham's household-- and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskin on that very day, just as God had said to him.


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And all the men of his household-- both slaves born in his house and those purchased with money from a foreigner-- were circumcised with him.


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Then the LORD appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting in the entrance of his tent during the heat of the day.


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He looked up, and he saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed to the ground.


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I will bring a bit of bread so that you may strengthen yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant's [way]. Later, you can continue on." "Yes," they replied, "do as you have said."


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So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, "Quick! Knead three measures of fine flour and make bread."


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Meanwhile, Abraham ran to the herd and got a tender, choice calf. He gave it to a young man, who hurried to prepare it.


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Then Abraham took curds and milk, and the calf that he had prepared, and set [them] before the men. He served them as they ate under the tree.


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The LORD said, "I will certainly come back to you in about a year's time, and your wife Sarah will have a son!" Now Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent behind him.


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So she laughed to herself: "After I have become shriveled up and my lord is old, will I have delight?"


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Is anything impossible for the LORD? At the appointed time I will come back to you, and in about a year she will have a son."


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Sarah denied it. "I did not laugh," she said, because she was afraid. But He replied, "No, you did laugh."


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The men got up from there and looked out over Sodom, and Abraham was walking with them to see them off.


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Abraham is to become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him.


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For I have chosen him so that he will command his children and his house after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just. This is how the LORD will fulfill to Abraham what He promised him."


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Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is immense, and their sin is extremely serious.


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I will go down to see if what they have done justifies the cry that has come up to Me. If not, I will find out."


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What if there are 50 righteous people in the city? Will You really sweep it away instead of sparing the place for the sake of the 50 righteous people who are in it?


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You could not possibly do such a thing: to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. You could not possibly do that! Won't the Judge of all the earth do what is just?"


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The LORD said, "If at Sodom I find 50 righteous people in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake."


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Then Abraham answered, "Since I have ventured to speak to the Lord-- even though I am dust and ashes--


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suppose the 50 righteous lack five. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?" He replied, "I will not destroy [it] if I find 45 there."


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Then he spoke to Him again, "Suppose 40 are found there?" He answered, "I will not do [it] on account of 40."


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Then he said, "Let the Lord not be angry, and I will speak further. Suppose 30 are found there?" He answered, "I will not do [it] if I find 30 there."


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Then he said, "Since I have ventured to speak to the Lord, suppose 20 are found there?" He replied, "I will not destroy [it] on account of 20."


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Then he said, "Let the Lord not be angry, and I will speak one more time. Suppose 10 are found there?" He answered, "I will not destroy [it] on account of 10."


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The two angels entered Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting at Sodom's gate. When Lot saw [them], he got up to meet them. He bowed [with his] face to the ground


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and said, "My lords, turn aside to your servant's house, wash your feet, and spend the night. Then you can get up early and go on your way." "No," they said. "We would rather spend the night in the square."


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But he urged them so strongly that they followed him and went into his house. He prepared a feast and baked unleavened bread for them, and they ate.


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Before they went to bed, the men of the city of Sodom, both young and old, the whole population, surrounded the house.


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They called out to Lot and said, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Send them out to us so we can have sex with them!"


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Look, I've got two daughters who haven't had sexual relations with a man. I'll bring them out to you, and you can do whatever you want to them. However, don't do anything to these men, because they have come under the protection of my roof."


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Get out of the way!" they said, adding, "This one came here as a foreigner, but he's acting like a judge! Now we'll do more harm to you than to them." They put pressure on Lot and came up to break down the door.


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They struck the men who were at the door of the house, both young and old, with a blinding light so that they were unable to find the door.


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Then the angels said to Lot, "Do you have anyone else here: a son-in-law, your sons and daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of this place,


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for we are about to destroy this place because the outcry against its people is great before the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it."


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So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were going to marry his daughters. "Get up," he said. "Get out of this place, for the LORD is about to destroy the city!" But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.


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At the crack of dawn the angels urged Lot on: "Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city."


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But he hesitated, so because of the LORD's compassion for him, the men grabbed his hand, his wife's hand, and the hands of his two daughters. And they brought him out and left him outside the city.


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As soon as the angels got them outside, one of them said, "Run for your lives! Don't look back and don't stop anywhere on the plain! Run to the mountains, or you will be swept away!"


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Your servant has indeed found favor in Your sight, and You have shown me great kindness by saving my life. But I can't run to the mountains; the disaster will overtake me, and I will die.


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Look, this town is close enough for me to run to. It is a small place. Please let me go there-- it's only a small place, isn't it?-- so that I can survive."


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And he said to him, "All right, I'll grant your request about this matter too, and will not overthrow the town you mentioned.


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Hurry up! Run there, for I cannot do anything until you get there." Therefore the name of the city is Zoar.


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He overthrew these cities, the entire plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and whatever grew on the ground.


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He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of the plain, and he saw that smoke was going up from the land like the smoke of a furnace.


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So it was, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, He remembered Abraham and brought Lot out of the middle of the upheaval when He overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.


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Lot departed from Zoar and lived in the mountains along with his two daughters, because he was afraid to live in Zoar. Instead, he and his two daughters lived in a cave.


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Then the firstborn said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is no man in the land to sleep with us [as is] the custom of all the land.


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Come, let's get our father to drink wine so that we can sleep with him and preserve our father's line."


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So they got their father to drink wine that night, and the firstborn came and slept with her father; he did not know when she lay down or when she got up.


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The next day the firstborn said to the younger, "Look, I slept with my father last night. Let's get him to drink wine again tonight so you can go sleep with him and we can preserve our father's line."


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That night they again got their father to drink wine, and the younger went and slept with him; he did not know when she lay down or when she got up.


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The younger also gave birth to a son, and she named him Ben-ammi. He is the father of the Ammonites of today.


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From there Abraham traveled to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he lived in Gerar,


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Abraham said about his wife Sarah, "She is my sister." So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.


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But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, "You are about to die because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman."


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Now Abimelech had not approached her, so he said, "Lord, would you destroy a nation even though it is innocent?


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Didn't he himself say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' I did this with a clear conscience and clean hands."


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Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience. I have also kept you from sinning against Me. Therefore I have not let you touch her.


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Now return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, know that you will certainly die, you and all who are yours."


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Early in the morning Abimelech got up, called all his servants together, and personally told them all these things; and the men were terrified.


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Then Abimelech called Abraham in and said to him, "What have you done to us? How did I sin against you that you have brought such enormous guilt on me and on my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done."


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Abraham replied, "I thought, 'There is absolutely no fear of God in this place. They will kill me because of my wife.'


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Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife.


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So when God had me wander from my father's house, I said to her: Show your loyalty to me wherever we go, and say about me: 'He's my brother.'"


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Then Abimelech took sheep and cattle and male and female slaves, gave them to Abraham, and returned his wife Sarah to him.


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And to Sarah he said, "Look, I am giving your brother 1,000 pieces of silver. It is a verification of your honor to all who are with you. You are fully vindicated."


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Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female slaves so that they could bear children,


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for the LORD had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech's household on account of Sarah, Abraham's wife.


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Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time God had told him.


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She also said, "Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age."


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So she said to Abraham, "Drive out this slave with her son, for the son of this slave will not be a co-heir with my son Isaac!"


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But God said to Abraham, "Do not be concerned about the boy and your slave. Whatever Sarah says to you, listen to her, because your offspring will be traced through Isaac.


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Early in the morning Abraham got up, took bread and a waterskin, [put them] on Hagar's shoulders, and sent her and the boy away. She left and wandered in the Wilderness of Beer-sheba.


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Then she went and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she said, "I can't [bear to] watch the boy die!" So as she sat nearby, she wept loudly.


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God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What's wrong, Hagar? Don't be afraid, for God has heard the voice of the boy from the place where he is.


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Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the waterskin and gave the boy a drink.


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At that time Abimelech, with Phicol the commander of his army, said to Abraham, "God is with you in everything you do.


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Now swear to me here by God that you will not break an agreement with me or with my children and descendants. As I have kept faith with you, so you will keep faith with me and with the country where you are a resident alien."


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Abimelech replied, "I don't know who did this thing. You didn't report anything to me, so I hadn't heard about it until today."


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He replied, "You are to accept the seven ewe lambs from my hand so that this act will serve as my witness that I dug this well."


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After they had made a covenant at Beer-sheba, Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, left and returned to the land of the Philistines.


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Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba, and there he worshiped the LORD, the Everlasting God.


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Take your son," He said, "your only [son] Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."


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So early in the morning Abraham got up, saddled his donkey, and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He split wood for a burnt offering and set out to go to the place God had told him about.


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Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we'll come back to you."


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Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac. In his hand he took the fire and the sacrificial knife, and the two of them walked on together.


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Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, "My father." And he replied, "Here I am, my son." Isaac said, "The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"


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Abraham answered, "God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." Then the two of them walked on together.


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When they arrived at the place that God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar, on top of the wood.


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But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" He replied, "Here I am."


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Then He said, "Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from Me."


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Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son.


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And Abraham named that place The LORD Will Provide, so today it is said: "It will be provided on the LORD's mountain."


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and said, "By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD: Because you have done this thing and have not withheld your only son,


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I will indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the gates of their enemies.


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And all the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring because you have obeyed My command."


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Abraham went back to his young men, and they got up and went together to Beer-sheba. And Abraham settled in Beer-sheba.


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Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.


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Listen to us, lord. You are God's chosen one among us. Bury your dead in our finest burial place. None of us will withhold from you his burial place for burying your dead."


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He said to them, "If you are willing [for me] to bury my dead, listen to me and ask Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf


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to give me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him give it to me in your presence, for the full price, as a burial place."


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Ephron was present with the Hittites. So in the presence of all the Hittites who came to the gate of his city, Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham:


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No, my lord. Listen to me. I 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."


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and said to Ephron in the presence of the people of the land, "Please listen to me. Let me pay the price of the field. Accept it from me, and let me bury my dead there."


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My lord, listen to me. Land worth 400 shekels of silver-- what is that between you and me? Bury your dead."


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Abraham agreed with Ephron, and Abraham weighed out to Ephron the silver that he had agreed to in the hearing of the Hittites: 400 shekels of silver at the current commercial rate.


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So Ephron's field at Machpelah near Mamre-- the field with its cave and all the trees anywhere within the boundaries of the field-- became


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After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field at Machpelah near Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.


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Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his household who managed all he owned, "Place your hand under my thigh,


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and I will have you swear by the LORD, God of heaven and God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I live,


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The servant said to him, "Suppose the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land? Should I have your son go back to the land you came from?"


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The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from my native land, who spoke to me and swore to me, 'I will give this land to your offspring'-- He will send His angel before you, and you can take a wife for my son from there.


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If the woman is unwilling to follow you, then you are free from this oath to me, but don't let my son go back there."


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So the servant placed his hand under his master Abraham's thigh and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.


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The servant took 10 of his master's camels and departed with all kinds of his master's goods in hand. Then he set out for the town of Nahor, Aram-naharaim.


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He made the camels kneel beside a well of water outside the town at evening. [This was] the time when the women went out to draw water.


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LORD, God of my master Abraham," he prayed, "grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.


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I am standing here at the spring where the daughters of the men of the town are coming out to draw water.


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Let the girl to whom I say, 'Please lower your water jug so that I may drink,' and who responds, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels also'-- let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master."


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Before he had finished speaking, there was Rebekah-- daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor-- coming with a jug on her shoulder.


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Now the girl was very beautiful, a young woman who had not known a man intimately. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came up.


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When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I'll also draw water for your camels until they have had enough to drink."


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She quickly emptied her jug into the trough and hurried to the well again to draw water. She drew water for all his camels


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After the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing half a shekel, and for her wrists two bracelets weighing 10 shekels of gold.


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Whose daughter are you?" he asked. "Please tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?"


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and said, "Praise the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not withheld His kindness and faithfulness from my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master's relatives."


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As soon as he had seen the ring, and the bracelets on his sister's wrists, and when he had heard his sister Rebekah's words-- "The man said this to me!"-- he went to the man. He was standing there by the camels at the spring.


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Laban said, "Come, you who are blessed by the LORD. Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels."


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So the man came to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and feed were given to the camels, and water was brought to wash his feet and the feet of the men with him.


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A meal was set before him, but he said, "I will not eat until I have said what I have to say." So Laban said, "Speak on."


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The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female slaves, and camels and donkeys.


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Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master in her old age, and he has given him everything he owns.


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My master put me under this oath: 'You will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I live


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He said to me, 'The LORD before whom I have walked will send His angel with you and make your journey a success, and you will take a wife for my son from my family and from my father's household.


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Then you will be free from my oath if you go to my family and they do not give [her] to you-- you will be free from my oath.'


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Today when I came to the spring, I prayed: LORD, God of my master Abraham, if only You will make my journey successful!


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I am standing here at a spring. Let the virgin who comes out to draw water, and I say to her: Please let me drink a little water from your jug,


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and who responds to me, 'Drink, and I'll draw water for your camels also'-- let her be the woman the LORD has appointed for my master's son.


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Before I had finished praying in my heart, there was Rebekah coming with her jug on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her: Please let me have a drink.


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She quickly lowered her jug from her [shoulder] and said, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels also.' So I drank, and she also watered the camels.


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Then I asked her: Whose daughter are you? She responded, 'The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.' So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists.


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Then I bowed down, worshiped the LORD, and praised the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who guided me on the right way to take the daughter of my master's brother for his son.


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Now, if you are going to show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; if not, tell me, and I will go elsewhere."


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Rebekah is here in front of you. Take [her] and go, and let her be a wife for your master's son, just as the LORD has spoken."


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Then he brought out objects of silver and gold, and garments, and gave [them] to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and her mother.


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Then he and the men with him ate and drank and spent the night. When they got up in the morning, he said, "Send me to my master."


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But he responded to them, "Do not delay me, since the LORD has made my journey a success. Send me away so that I may go to my master."


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They blessed Rebekah, saying to her: Our sister, may you become thousands upon ten thousands. May your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.


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Then Rebekah and her young women got up, mounted the camels, and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.


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and asked the servant, "Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?" The servant answered, "It is my master." So she took her veil and covered herself.


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And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah to be his wife. Isaac loved her, and he was comforted after his mother's [death].


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And Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines, but while he was still alive he sent them eastward, away from his son Isaac, to the land of the East.


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He took his last breath and died at a ripe old age, old and contented, and he was gathered to his people.


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His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite.


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This was the field that Abraham bought from the Hittites. Abraham was buried there with his wife Sarah.


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These are the family records of Abraham's son Ishmael, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's slave, bore to Abraham.


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These are the names of Ishmael's sons; their names according to the family records are: Nebaioth, Ishmael's firstborn, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,


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These are Ishmael's sons, and these are their names by their villages and encampments: 12 leaders of their clans.


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This is the length of Ishmael's life: 137 years. He took his last breath and died, and was gathered to his people.


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And they settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt as you go toward Asshur. He lived in opposition to all his brothers.


text:
Isaac was 40 years old when he took as his wife Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram, and sister of Laban the Aramean.


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Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife because she was barren. The LORD heard his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.


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But the children inside her struggled with each other, and she said, "Why is this happening to me?" So she went to inquire of the LORD.


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And the LORD said to her: Two nations are in your womb; two people will [come] from you and be separated. One people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.


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After this, his brother came out grasping Esau's heel with his hand. So he was named Jacob. Isaac was 60 years old when they were born.


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When the boys grew up, Esau became an expert hunter, an outdoorsman, but Jacob was a quiet man who stayed at home.


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He said to Jacob, "Let me eat some of that red stuff, because I'm exhausted." That is why he was [also] named Edom.


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Then Jacob gave bread and lentil stew to Esau; he ate, drank, got up, and went away. So Esau despised his birthright.


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There was another famine in the land in addition to the one that had occurred in Abraham's time. And Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Philistines, at Gerar.


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The LORD appeared to him and said, "Do not go down to Egypt. Live in the land that I tell you about;


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stay in this land as a foreigner, and I will be with you and bless you. For I will give all these lands to you and your offspring, and I will confirm the oath that I swore to your father Abraham.


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I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky, I will give your offspring all these lands, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring,


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because Abraham listened to My voice and kept My mandate, My commands, My statutes, and My instructions."


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When the men of the place asked about his wife, he said, "She is my sister," for he was afraid to say "my wife," [thinking], "The men of the place will kill me on account of Rebekah, for she is a beautiful woman."


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When Isaac had been there for some time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked down from the window and was surprised to see Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah.


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Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, "So she is really your wife! How could you say, 'She's my sister'?" Isaac answered him, "Because I thought I might die on account of her."


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Then Abimelech said, "What is this you've done to us? One of the people could easily have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us."


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So Abimelech warned all the people with these words: "Whoever harms this man or his wife will certainly die."


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Isaac sowed seed in that land, and in that year he reaped a hundred times [what was sown]. The LORD blessed him,


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The Philistines stopped up all the wells that his father's slaves had dug in the days of his father Abraham, filling them with dirt.


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Isaac reopened the water wells that had been dug in the days of his father Abraham and that the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died. He gave them the same names his father had given them.


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But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac's herdsmen and said, "The water is ours!" So he named the well Quarrel because they quarreled with him.


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He moved from there and dug another, and they did not quarrel over it. He named it Open Spaces and said, "For now the LORD has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land."


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and the LORD appeared to him that night and said, "I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your offspring because of My servant Abraham."


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So he built an altar there, worshiped the LORD, and pitched his tent there. Isaac's slaves also dug a well there.


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Then Abimelech came to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army.


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They replied, "We have clearly seen how the LORD has been with you. We think there should be an oath between two parties-- between us and you. Let us make a covenant with you:


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You will not harm us, just as we have not harmed you but have only done what was good to you, sending you away in peace. You are now blessed by the LORD."


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They got up early in the morning and swore an oath to each other. Then Isaac sent them on their way, and they left him in peace.


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On that same day Isaac's slaves came to tell him about the well they had dug, saying to him, "We have found water!"


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When Esau was 40 years old, he took as his wives Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite.


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When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could not see, he called his older son Esau and said to him, "My son." And he answered, "Here I am."


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Then make me the delicious food that I love and bring it to me to eat, so that I can bless you before I die."


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Now Rebekah was listening to what Isaac said to his son Esau. So while Esau went to the field to hunt some game to bring in,


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Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "Listen! I heard your father talking with your brother Esau. He said,


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'Bring me some game and make some delicious food for me to eat so that I can bless you in the LORD's presence before I die.'


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Go to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, and I will make them into a delicious meal for your father-- the kind he loves.


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Jacob answered Rebekah his mother, "Look, my brother Esau is a hairy man, but I am a man with smooth skin.


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Suppose my father touches me. Then I will seem to be deceiving him, and I will bring a curse rather than a blessing on myself."


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So he went and got them and brought them to his mother, and his mother made the delicious food his father loved.


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Then Rebekah took the best clothes of her older son Esau, which were there at the house, and had her younger son Jacob wear them.


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When he came to his father, he said, "My father." And he answered, "Here I am. Who are you, my son?"


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Jacob replied to his father, "I am Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game so that you may bless me."


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But Isaac said to his son, "How did you ever find it so quickly, my son?" He replied, "Because the LORD your God worked it out for me."


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Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Please come closer so I can touch you, my son. Are you really my son Esau, or not?"


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So Jacob came closer to his father Isaac. When he touched him, he said, "The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau."


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He did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he blessed him.


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Then he said, "Serve me, and let me eat some of my son's game so that I can bless you." Jacob brought it to him, and he ate; he brought him wine, and he drank.


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So he came closer and kissed him. When Isaac smelled his clothes, he blessed him and said: Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed.


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May God give to you-- from the dew of the sky and from the richness of the land-- an abundance of grain and new wine.


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May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. Be master over your brothers; may your mother's sons bow down to you. Those who curse you will be cursed, and those who bless you will be blessed.


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As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob and Jacob had left the presence of his father Isaac, his brother Esau arrived from the hunt.


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He had also made some delicious food and brought it to his father. Then he said to his father, "Let my father get up and eat some of his son's game, so that you may bless me."


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Isaac began to tremble uncontrollably. "Who was it then," he said, "who hunted game and brought it to me? I ate it all before you came in, and I blessed him. Indeed, he will be blessed!"


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When Esau heard his father's words, he cried out with a loud and bitter cry and said to his father, "Bless me-- me too, my father!"


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So he said, "Isn't he rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me twice now. He took my birthright, and look, now he has taken my blessing." Then he asked, "Haven't you saved a blessing for me?"


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But Isaac answered Esau: "Look, I have made him a master over you, have given him all of his relatives as his servants, and have sustained him with grain and new wine. What then can I do for you, my son?"


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Esau said to his father, "Do you only have one blessing, my father? Bless me-- me too, my father!" And Esau wept loudly.


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Then his father Isaac answered him: Look, your dwelling place will be away from the richness of the land, away from the dew of the sky above.


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You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. But when you rebel, you will break his yoke from your neck.


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Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. And Esau determined in his heart: "The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob."


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When the words of her older son Esau were reported to Rebekah, she summoned her younger son Jacob and said to him, "Listen, your brother Esau is consoling himself by planning to kill you.


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until your brother's rage turns away from you and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send for you and bring you back from there. Why should I lose you both in one day?"


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So Rebekah said to Isaac, "I'm sick of my life because of these Hittite women. If Jacob marries a Hittite woman like one of them, what good is my life?"


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Go at once to Paddan-aram, to the house of Bethuel, your mother's father. Marry one of the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother.


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May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you so that you become an assembly of peoples.


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May God give you and your offspring the blessing of Abraham so that you may possess the land where you live as an alien, the land God gave to Abraham."


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So Isaac sent Jacob to Paddan-aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.


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Esau noticed that Isaac blessed Jacob and sent him to Paddan-aram to get a wife there. When he blessed him, Isaac commanded Jacob not to marry a Canaanite woman.


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so Esau went to Ishmael and married, in addition to his other wives, Mahalath daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son. She was the sister of Nebaioth.


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He reached a certain place and spent the night there because the sun had set. He took one of the stones from the place, put it there at his head, and lay down in that place.


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And he dreamed: A stairway was set on the ground with its top reaching heaven, and God's angels were going up and down on it.


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The LORD was standing there beside him, saying, "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your offspring the land that you are now sleeping on.


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Your offspring will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out toward the west, the east, the north, and the south. All the peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.


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Look, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. I will bring you back to this land, for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."


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When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it."


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He was afraid and said, "What an awesome place this is! This is none other than the house of God. This is the gate of heaven."


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Early in the morning Jacob took the stone that was near his head and set it up as a marker. He poured oil on top of it


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Then Jacob made a vow: "If God will be with me and watch over me on this journey, if He provides me with food to eat and clothing to wear,


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This stone that I have set up as a marker will be God's house, and I will give to You a tenth of all that You give me."


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He looked and saw a well in a field. Three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it because the sheep were watered from this well. A large stone covered the opening of the well.


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When all the flocks were gathered there, the [shepherds] would roll the stone from the opening of the well and water the sheep. The stone was then placed back on the well's opening.


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Jacob asked the men at the well, "My brothers! Where are you from?" "We're from Haran," they answered.


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Is he well?" Jacob asked. "Yes," they said, "and here is his daughter Rachel, coming with his sheep."


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Then Jacob said, "Look, it is still broad daylight. It's not time for the animals to be gathered. Water the flock, then go out and let them graze."


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But they replied, "We can't, until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone is rolled from the well's opening. Then we will water the sheep."


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While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess.


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As soon as Jacob saw his uncle Laban's daughter Rachel with his sheep, he went up and rolled the stone from the opening and watered his uncle Laban's sheep.


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When Laban heard the news about his sister's son Jacob, he ran to meet him, hugged him, and kissed him. Then he took him to his house, and Jacob told him all that had happened.


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Laban said to him, "Just because you're my relative, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be."


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Jacob loved Rachel, so he answered Laban, "I'll work for you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel."


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So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.


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When morning came, there was Leah! So he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Wasn't it for Rachel that I worked for you? Why have you deceived me?"


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Laban answered, "It is not the custom in this place to give the younger [daughter in marriage] before the firstborn.


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Complete this week [of wedding celebration], and we will also give you this [younger] one in return for working yet another seven years for me."


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And Jacob did just that. He finished the week [of celebration], and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.


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Jacob slept with Rachel also, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.


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Leah conceived, gave birth to a son, and named him Reuben, for she said, "The LORD has seen my affliction; surely my husband will love me now."


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She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, "The LORD heard that I am unloved and has given me this [son] also." So she named him Simeon.


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She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, "At last, my husband will become attached to me because I have borne him three sons." Therefore he was named Levi.


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And she conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, "This time I will praise the LORD." Therefore she named him Judah. Then Leah stopped having children.


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When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob [any children], she envied her sister. "Give me sons, or I will die!" she said to Jacob.


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Then she said, "Here is my slave Bilhah. Go sleep with her, and she'll bear [children] for me so that through her I too can build [a family]."


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Rachel said, "God has vindicated me; yes, He has heard me and given me a son," and she named him Dan.


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Rachel said, "In [my] wrestlings with God, I have wrestled with my sister and won," and she named him Naphtali.


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When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she took her slave Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife.


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Reuben went out during the wheat harvest and found some mandrakes in the field. When he brought them to his mother Leah, Rachel asked, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes."


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But Leah replied to her, "Isn't it enough that you have taken my husband? Now you also want to take my son's mandrakes?" "Well," Rachel said, "you can sleep with him tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes."


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When Jacob came in from the field that evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, "You must come with me, for I have hired you with my son's mandrakes." So Jacob slept with her that night.


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God has given me a good gift," Leah said. "This time my husband will honor me because I have borne him six sons," and she named him Zebulun.


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After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, "Send me on my way so that I can return to my homeland.


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Give me my wives and my children that I have worked for, and let me go. You know how hard I have worked for you."


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But Laban said to him, "If I have found favor in your sight, [stay.] I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you."


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For you had very little before I came, but now your wealth has increased. The LORD has blessed you because of me. And now, when will I also do something for my own family?"


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Laban asked, "What should I give you?" And Jacob said, "You don't need to give me anything. If you do this one thing for me, I will continue to shepherd and keep your flock.


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Let me go through all your sheep today and remove every sheep that is speckled or spotted, every dark-colored sheep among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the female goats. [Such] will be my wages.


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In the future when you come to check on my wages, my honesty will testify for me. [If I have] any female goats that are not speckled or spotted, or any lambs that are not black, they will be considered stolen."


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That day Laban removed the streaked and spotted male goats and all the speckled and spotted female goats-- every one that had any white on it-- and every dark-colored sheep among the lambs, and he placed his sons in charge of them.


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He put a three-day journey between himself and Jacob. Jacob, meanwhile, was shepherding the rest of Laban's flock.


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Jacob then took branches of fresh poplar, almond, and plane wood, and peeled [the bark], exposing white stripes on the branches.


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He set the peeled branches in the troughs in front of the sheep-- in the water channels where the sheep came to drink. And the sheep bred when they came to drink.


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Jacob separated the lambs and made the flocks face the streaked and the completely dark sheep in Laban's flocks. Then he set his own stock apart and didn't put them with Laban's sheep.


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Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, Jacob placed the branches in the troughs, in full view of the flocks, and they would breed in front of the branches.


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As for the weaklings of the flocks, he did not put out the branches. So it turned out that the weak sheep belonged to Laban and the stronger ones to Jacob.


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Now Jacob heard what Laban's sons were saying: "Jacob has taken all that was our father's and has built this wealth from what belonged to our father."


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Then the LORD said to him, "Go back to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you."


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He said to them, "I can see from your father's face that his attitude toward me is not the same, but the God of my father has been with me.


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If he said, 'The spotted sheep will be your wages,' then all the sheep were born spotted. If he said, 'The streaked sheep will be your wages,' then all the sheep were born streaked.


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When the flocks were breeding, I saw in a dream that the streaked, spotted, and speckled males were mating with the females.


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And He said, 'Look up and see: all the males that are mating with the flocks are streaked, spotted, and speckled, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.


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I am the God of Bethel, where you poured oil on the stone marker and made a solemn vow to Me. Get up, leave this land, and return to your native land.'"


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Then Rachel and Leah answered him, "Do we have any portion or inheritance in our father's household?


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In fact, all the wealth that God has taken from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has said to you."


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He took all the livestock and possessions he had acquired in Paddan-aram, and he drove his herds to go to the land of his father Isaac in Canaan.


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But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night. "Watch yourself!" God warned him. "Don't say anything to Jacob, either good or bad."


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When Laban overtook Jacob, Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban and his brothers also pitched [their tents] in the hill country of Gilead.


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Then Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done? You have deceived me and taken my daughters away like prisoners of war!


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Why did you secretly flee from me, deceive me, and not tell me? I would have sent you away with joy and singing, with tambourines and lyres,


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I could do you great harm, but last night the God of your father said to me: 'Watch yourself. Don't say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.'


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If you find your gods with anyone [here], he will not live! Before our relatives, point out anything that is yours and take it." Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen [the idols].


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So Laban went into Jacob's tent, then Leah's tent, and then the tents of the two female slaves, but he found nothing. Then he left Leah's tent and entered Rachel's.


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Now Rachel had taken Laban's household idols, put them in the saddlebag of the camel, and sat on them. Laban searched the whole tent but found nothing.


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She said to her father, "Sir, don't be angry that I cannot stand up in your presence; I am having my monthly period." So Laban searched, but could not find the household idols.


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Then Jacob became incensed and brought charges against Laban. "What is my crime?" he said to Laban. "What is my sin, that you have pursued me?


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You've searched all my possessions! Have you found anything of yours? Put it here before my relatives and yours, and let them decide between the two of us.


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I've been with you these 20 years. Your ewes and female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams from your flock.


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I did not bring you any of the flock torn by wild beasts; I myself bore the loss. You demanded [payment] from me for what was stolen by day or by night.


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For 20 years I have worked in your household-- 14 years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks-- and you have changed my wages 10 times!


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If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, certainly now you would have sent me off empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and my hard work, and He issued His verdict last night."


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Then Laban answered Jacob, "The daughters are my daughters; the sons, my sons; and the flocks, my flocks! Everything you see is mine! But what can I do today for these daughters of mine or for the children they have borne?


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Then Jacob said to his relatives, "Gather stones." And they took stones and made a mound, then ate there by the mound.


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Then Laban said, "This mound is a witness between me and you today." Therefore the place was called Galeed,


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and [also] Mizpah, for he said, "May the LORD watch between you and me when we are out of each other's sight.


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If you mistreat my daughters or take other wives, though no one is with us, understand that God will be a witness between you and me."


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This mound is a witness and the marker is a witness that I will not pass beyond this mound to you, and you will not pass beyond this mound and this marker to do me harm.


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The God of Abraham, and the gods of Nahor-- the gods of their father-- will judge between us." And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.


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Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat a meal. So they ate a meal and spent the night on the mountain.


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Laban got up early in the morning, kissed his grandsons and daughters, and blessed them. Then Laban left to return home.


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He commanded them, "You are to say to my lord Esau, 'This is what your servant Jacob says. I have been staying with Laban and have been delayed until now.


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I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male and female slaves. I have sent [this message] to inform my lord, in order to seek your favor.'"


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When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, "We went to your brother Esau; he is coming to meet you-- and he has 400 men with him."


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Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; he divided the people with him into two camps, along with the flocks, cattle, and camels.


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Then Jacob said, "God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD who said to me, 'Go back to your land and to your family, and I will cause you to prosper,'


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I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness You have shown Your servant. Indeed, I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two camps.


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Please rescue me from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid of him; otherwise, he may come and attack me, the mothers, and their children.


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You have said, 'I will cause you to prosper, and I will make your offspring like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.'"


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He spent the night there and took part of what he had brought with him as a gift for his brother Esau:


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He entrusted them to his slaves as separate herds and said to them, "Go on ahead of me, and leave some distance between the herds."


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And he told the first one: "When my brother Esau meets you and asks, 'Who do you belong to? Where are you going? And whose [animals] are these ahead of you?'


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then tell him, 'They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift sent to my lord Esau. And look, he is behind us.'"


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He also told the second one, the third, and everyone who was walking behind the animals, "Say the same thing to Esau when you find him.


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You are to also say, 'Look, your servant Jacob is right behind us.'" For he thought, "I want to appease Esau with the gift that is going ahead of me. After that, I can face him, and perhaps he will forgive me."


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During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female slaves, and his 11 sons, and crossed the ford of Jabbok.


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When the man saw that He could not defeat him, He struck Jacob's hip as they wrestled and dislocated his hip socket.


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Then He said to Jacob, "Let Me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me."


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Your name will no longer be Jacob," He said. "It will be Israel because you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed."


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Then Jacob asked Him, "Please tell me Your name." But He answered, "Why do you ask My name?" And He blessed him there.


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Jacob then named the place Peniel, "For," [he said,] "I have seen God face to face, and I have been delivered."


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That is why, to this day, the Israelites don't eat the thigh muscle that is at the hip socket: because He struck Jacob's hip socket at the thigh muscle.


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Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming toward him with 400 men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female slaves.


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When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he asked, "Who are these with you?" He answered, "The children God has graciously given your servant."


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Leah and her children also approached and bowed down, and then Joseph and Rachel approached and bowed down.


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So Esau said, "What do you mean by this whole procession I met?" "To find favor with you, my lord," he answered.


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But Jacob said, "No, please! If I have found favor with you, take this gift from my hand. For indeed, I have seen your face, [and it is] like seeing God's face, since you have accepted me.


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Please take my present that was brought to you, because God has been gracious to me and I have everything I need." So Jacob urged him until he accepted.


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Jacob replied, "My lord knows that the children are weak, and I have nursing sheep and cattle. If they are driven hard for one day, the whole herd will die.


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Let my lord go ahead of his servant. I will continue on slowly, at a pace suited to the livestock and the children, until I come to my lord at Seir."


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Esau said, "Let me leave some of my people with you." But he replied, "Why do that? Please indulge me, my lord."


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but Jacob went on to Succoth. He built a house for himself and stalls for his cattle; that is why the place was called Succoth.


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After Jacob came from Paddan-aram, he arrived safely at the Canaanite city of Shechem and camped in front of the city.


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He purchased a section of the field from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, for 100 qesitahs, where he had pitched his tent.


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He became infatuated with Dinah, daughter of Jacob. He loved the young girl and spoke tenderly to her.


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Jacob heard that Shechem had defiled his daughter Dinah, but since his sons were with his cattle in the field, he remained silent until they returned.


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Jacob's sons returned from the field when they heard [about the incident] and were deeply grieved and angry. For Shechem had committed an outrage against Israel by sleeping with Jacob's daughter, and such a thing should not be done.


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Hamor said to Jacob's sons, "My son Shechem is strongly attracted to your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife.


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Then Shechem said to Dinah's father and brothers, "Grant me this favor, and I'll give you whatever you say.


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Set for me the compensation and the gift; I'll give you whatever you ask me. Just give the girl to be my wife!"


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But Jacob's sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully because he had defiled their sister Dinah.


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We cannot do this thing," they said to them. "Giving our sister to an uncircumcised man is a disgrace to us.


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Then we will give you our daughters, take your daughters for ourselves, live with you, and become one people.


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The young man did not delay doing this, because he was delighted with Jacob's daughter. Now he was the most important in all his father's house.


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These men are peaceful toward us," they said. "Let them live in our land and move about in it, for indeed, the region is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters as our wives and give our daughters to them.


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But the men will agree to live with us and be one people only on this condition: if all our men are circumcised as they are.


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Won't their herds, their possessions, and all their livestock become ours? Only let us agree with them, and they will live with us."


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All the able-bodied men listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and all the able-bodied men were circumcised.


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On the third day, when they were still in pain, two of Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took their swords, went into the unsuspecting city, and killed every male.


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They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with their swords, took Dinah from Shechem's house, and went away.


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Jacob's [other] sons came to the slaughter and plundered the city because their sister had been defiled.


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Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have brought trouble on me, making me odious to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites. We are few in number; if they unite against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed."


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God said to Jacob, "Get up! Go to Bethel and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau."


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So Jacob said to his family and all who were with him, "Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Purify yourselves and change your clothes.


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We must get up and go to Bethel. I will build an altar there to the God who answered me in my day of distress. He has been with me everywhere I have gone."


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Then they gave Jacob all their foreign gods and their earrings, and Jacob hid them under the oak near Shechem.


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When they set out, a terror from God came over the cities around them, and they did not pursue Jacob's sons.


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Jacob built an altar there and called the place God of Bethel because it was there that God had revealed Himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother.


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Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died and was buried under the oak south of Bethel. So Jacob named it Oak of Weeping.


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God said to him: Your name is Jacob; you will no longer be named Jacob, but Israel will be your name. So He named him Israel.


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God also said to him: I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation, indeed an assembly of nations, will come from you, and kings will descend from you.


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The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you. And I will give the land to your descendants after you.


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Jacob set up a marker at the place where He had spoken to him-- a stone marker. He poured a drink offering on it and anointed it with oil.


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They set out from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth, and her labor was difficult.


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During her difficult labor, the midwife said to her, "Don't be afraid, for this is another son for you."


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With her last breath-- for she was dying-- she named him Ben-oni, but his father called him Benjamin.


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While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father's concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had 12 sons:


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The sons of Leah's slave Zilpah were Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan-aram.


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Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed.


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He took his last breath and died, and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. His sons Esau and Jacob buried him.


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Esau took his wives from the Canaanite women: Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite, Oholibamah daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite;


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and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These were Esau's sons, who were born to him in the land of Canaan.


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Esau took his wives, sons, daughters, and all the people of his household, as well as his herds, all his livestock, and all the property he had acquired in Canaan; he went to a land away from his brother Jacob.


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For their possessions were too many [for them] to live together, and because of their herds, the land where they stayed could not support them.


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These are the names of Esau's sons: Eliphaz son of Esau's wife Adah, and Reuel son of Esau's wife Basemath.


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Timna, a concubine of Esau's son Eliphaz, bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These were the sons of Esau's wife Adah.


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These are Reuel's sons: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons of Esau's wife Basemath.


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These are the sons of Esau's wife Oholibamah daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon: She bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah to Edom.


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These are the chiefs of Esau's sons: the sons of Eliphaz, Esau's firstborn: Chiefs Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz,


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Korah, Gatam, and Amalek. These are the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom. These are the sons of Adah.


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These are the sons of Reuel, Esau's son: Chiefs Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These are the chiefs of Reuel in the land of Edom. These are the sons of Esau's wife Basemath.


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These are the sons of Esau's wife Oholibamah: Chiefs Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the chiefs of Esau's wife Oholibamah daughter of Anah.


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Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These are the chiefs of the Horites, the sons of Seir, in the land of Edom.


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These are Zibeon's sons: Aiah and Anah. This was the Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness while he was pasturing the donkeys of his father Zibeon.


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Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These are the chiefs of the Horites, according to their divisions, in the land of Seir.


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When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad ruled in his place. He defeated Midian in the field of Moab; the name of his city was Avith.


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When Baal-hanan son of Achbor died, Hadar ruled in his place. His city was Pau, and his wife's name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred daughter of Me-zahab.


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These are the names of Esau's chiefs, according to their families and their localities, by their names: Chiefs Timna, Alvah, Jetheth,


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Magdiel, and Iram. These are Edom's chiefs, according to their settlements in the land they possessed. Esau was father of the Edomites.


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These are the family records of Jacob. At 17 years of age, Joseph tended sheep with his brothers. The young man [was working] with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives, and he brought a bad report about them to their father.


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Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons because Joseph was a son [born to him] in his old age, and he made a robe of many colors for him.


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When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not bring themselves to speak peaceably to him.


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There we were, binding sheaves of grain in the field. Suddenly my sheaf stood up, and your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf."


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Are you really going to reign over us?" his brothers asked him. "Are you really going to rule us?" So they hated him even more because of his dream and what he had said.


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Then he had another dream and told it to his brothers. "Look," he said, "I had another dream, and this time the sun, moon, and 11 stars were bowing down to me."


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He told his father and brothers, but his father rebuked him. "What kind of dream is this that you have had?" he said. "Are your mother and brothers and I going to bow down to the ground before you?"


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Israel said to Joseph, "Your brothers, you know, are pasturing [the flocks] at Shechem. Get ready. I'm sending you to them." "I'm ready," Joseph replied.


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Then Israel said to him, "Go and see how your brothers and the flocks are doing, and bring word back to me." So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem.


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I'm looking for my brothers," Joseph said. "Can you tell me where they are pasturing [their flocks]?"


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They've moved on from here," the man said. "I heard them say, 'Let's go to Dothan.'" So Joseph set out after his brothers and found them at Dothan.


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Come on, let's kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal ate him. Then we'll see what becomes of his dreams!"


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Reuben also said to them, "Don't shed blood. Throw him into this pit in the wilderness, but don't lay a hand on him"-- intending to rescue him from their hands and return him to his father.


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When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped off his robe, the robe of many colors that he had on.


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Then they sat down to eat a meal. They looked up, and there was a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying aromatic gum, balsam, and resin, going down to Egypt.


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Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him, for he is our brother, our [own] flesh." His brothers agreed.


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When Midianite traders passed by, they pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for 20 pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took Joseph to Egypt.


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They sent the robe of many colors to their father and said, "We found this. Examine it. Is it your son's robe or not?"


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His father recognized it. "It is my son's robe," he said. "A vicious animal has devoured him. Joseph has been torn to pieces!"


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All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. "No," he said. "I will go down to Sheol to my son, mourning." And his father wept for him.


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Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard.


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Then Judah said to Onan, "Sleep with your brother's wife. Perform your duty as her brother-in-law and produce offspring for your brother."


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But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother's wife, he released his semen on the ground so that he would not produce offspring for his brother.


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Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Remain a widow in your father's house until my son Shelah grows up." For he thought, "He might die too, like his brother." So Tamar went to live in her father's house.


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After a long time Judah's wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had finished mourning, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went up to Timnah to the sheepshearers.


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So she took off her widow's clothes, veiled [her face], covered herself, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had grown up, she had not been given to him as a wife.


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He went over to her and said, "Come, let me sleep with you," for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, "What will you give me for sleeping with me?"


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I will send you a young goat from my flock," he replied. But she said, "Only if you leave something [with me] until you send it."


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What should I give you?" he asked. She answered, "Your signet ring, your cord, and the staff in your hand." So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she got pregnant by him.


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When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite in order to get back the items he had left with the woman, he could not find her.


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He asked the men of the place, "Where is the cult prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim?" "There has been no cult prostitute here," they answered.


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So the Adullamite returned to Judah, saying, "I couldn't find her, and furthermore, the men of the place said, 'There has been no cult prostitute here.'"


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Judah replied, "Let her keep [the items] for herself; otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send this young goat, but you couldn't find [her]."


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About three months later Judah was told, "Your daughter-in-law has been acting like a prostitute, and now she is pregnant." "Bring her out!" Judah said. "Let her be burned [to death]!"


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As she was being brought out, she sent her father-in-law [this message]: "I am pregnant by the man to whom these items belong." And she added, "Examine them. Whose signet ring, cord, and staff are these?"


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Judah recognized [them] and said, "She is more in the right than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah." And he did not know her intimately again.


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As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand, and the midwife took it and tied a scarlet [thread] around it, announcing, "This one came out first."


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But then he pulled his hand back, and his brother came out. Then she said, "You have broken out [first]!" So he was named Perez.


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Now Joseph had been taken to Egypt. An Egyptian [named] Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there.


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The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.


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Joseph found favor in his master's sight and became his personal attendant. Potiphar also put him in charge of his household and placed all that he owned under his authority.


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From the time that he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house because of Joseph. The LORD's blessing was on all that he owned, in his house and in his fields.


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He left all that he owned under Joseph's authority; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome.


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But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Look, my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has put all that he owns under my authority.


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No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God?"


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She grabbed him by his garment and said, "Sleep with me!" But leaving his garment in her hand, he escaped and ran outside.


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she called the household servants. "Look," she said to them, "my husband brought a Hebrew man to us to make fun of us. He came to me so he could sleep with me, and I screamed as loud as I could.


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When his master heard the story his wife told him-- "These are the things your slave did to me"-- he was furious


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and had him thrown into prison, where the king's prisoners were confined. So Joseph was there in prison.


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But the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him. He granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.


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The warden put all the prisoners who were in the prison under Joseph's authority, and he was responsible for everything that was done there.


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The warden did not bother with anything under Joseph's authority, because the LORD was with him, and the LORD made everything that he did successful.


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and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined.


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The captain of the guard assigned Joseph to them, and he became their personal attendant. And they were in custody for some time.


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The cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, each had a dream. Both had a dream on the same night, and each dream had its own meaning.


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So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were in custody with him in his master's house, "Why are your faces sad today?"


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We had dreams," they said to him, "but there is no one to interpret them." Then Joseph said to them, "Don't interpretations belong to God? Tell me [your dreams]."


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On the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms came out and its clusters ripened into grapes.


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Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh's cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand."


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In just three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position. You will put Pharaoh's cup in his hand the way you used to when you were his cupbearer.


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But when all goes well for you, remember that I was with you. Please show kindness to me by mentioning me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this prison.


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For I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing that they should put me in the dungeon."


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When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was positive, he said to Joseph, "I also had a dream. Three baskets of white bread were on my head.


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In the top basket were all sorts of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head."


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In just three days Pharaoh will lift up your head-- from off you-- and hang you on a tree. Then the birds will eat the flesh from your body."


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On the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, he gave a feast for all his servants. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker:


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he restored the chief cupbearer to his position as cupbearer, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand;


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After them, seven other cows, sickly and thin, came up from the Nile and stood beside those cows along the bank of the Nile.


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He fell asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven heads of grain, full and good, came up on one stalk.


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The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven full, good ones. Then Pharaoh woke up, and it was only a dream.


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When morning came, he was troubled, so he summoned all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.


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Pharaoh had been angry with his servants, and he put me and the chief baker in the custody of the captain of the guard.


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Now a young Hebrew, a slave of the captain of the guards, was with us there. We told him our dreams, he interpreted our dreams for us, and each had its own interpretation.


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It turned out just the way he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged."


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Then Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and they quickly brought him from the dungeon. He shaved, changed his clothes, and went to Pharaoh.


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Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said about you that you can hear a dream and interpret it."


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After them, seven other cows-- ugly, very sickly, and thin-- came up. I've never seen such ugly ones as these in all the land of Egypt.


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When they had devoured them, you could not tell that they had devoured them; their appearance was as bad as it had been before. Then I woke up.


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The thin heads of grain swallowed the seven full ones. I told this to the magicians, but no one can tell me what it means."


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Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "Pharaoh's dreams mean the same thing. God has revealed to Pharaoh what He is about to do.


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The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads are seven years. The dreams mean the same thing.


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The seven thin, ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven worthless, scorched heads of grain are seven years of famine.


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After them, seven years of famine will take place, and all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. The famine will devastate the land.


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The abundance in the land will not be remembered because of the famine that follows it, for the famine will be very severe.


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Because the dream was given twice to Pharaoh, it means that the matter has been determined by God, and He will soon carry it out.


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Let Pharaoh do this: Let him appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth [of the harvest] of the land of Egypt during the seven years of abundance.


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Let them gather all the [excess] food during these good years that are coming, store the grain under Pharaoh's authority as food in the cities, and preserve [it].


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The food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine that will take place in the land of Egypt. Then the country will not be wiped out by the famine."


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Then Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find anyone like this, a man who has the spirit of God in him?"


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So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as intelligent and wise as you.


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You will be over my house, and all my people will obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you."


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Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, clothed him with fine linen garments, and placed a gold chain around his neck.


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He had Joseph ride in his second chariot, and [servants] called out before him, "Abrek!" So he placed him over all the land of Egypt.


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Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, but without your permission no one will be able to raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt."


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Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah and gave him a wife, Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest at On. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.


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Joseph was 30 years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph left Pharaoh's presence and traveled throughout the land of Egypt.


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Joseph gathered all the [excess] food in the land of Egypt during the seven years and placed it in the cities. He placed the food in every city from the fields around it.


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So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance-- like the sand of the sea-- that he stopped measuring it because it was beyond measure.


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Two sons were born to Joseph before the years of famine arrived. Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest at On, bore [them] to him.


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Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, meaning, "God has made me forget all my hardship in my father's house."


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And the second son he named Ephraim, meaning, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."


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and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in every country, but throughout the land of Egypt there was food.


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Extreme hunger came to all the land of Egypt, and the people cried out to Pharaoh for food. Pharaoh told all Egypt, "Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you."


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Because the famine had spread across the whole country, Joseph opened up [all the storehouses] and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.


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When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why do you keep looking at each other?


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Listen," he went on, "I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us so that we will live and not die."


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But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he thought, "Something might happen to him."


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The sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.


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Joseph was in charge of the country; he sold grain to all its people. His brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.


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When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke harshly to them. "Where do you come from?" he asked. "From the land of Canaan to buy food," they replied.


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Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said to them, "You are spies. You have come to see the weakness of the land."


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But they replied, "We, your servants, were 12 brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no longer living."


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This is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.


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Send one of your number to get your brother. The rest of you will be imprisoned so that your words can be tested to see if they are true. If they are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!"


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If you are honest men, let one of you be confined to the guardhouse, while the rest of you go and take grain [to relieve] the hunger of your households.


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Bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be confirmed; then you won't die." And they consented to this.


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Then they said to each other, "It is plain that we are being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw his deep distress when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this trouble has come to us."


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But Reuben replied: "Didn't I tell you not to harm the boy? But you wouldn't listen. Now we must account for his blood!"


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He turned away from them and wept. Then he turned back and spoke to them. He took Simeon from them and had him bound before their eyes.


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Joseph then gave orders to fill their containers with grain, return each man's money to his sack, and give them provisions for their journey. This order was carried out.


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At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his money there at the top of the bag.


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He said to his brothers, "My money has been returned! It's here in my bag." Their hearts sank. Trembling, they turned to one another and said, "What is this that God has done to us?"


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When they reached their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them:


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We were 12 brothers, sons of the same father. One is no longer living, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan.


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The man who is the lord of the country said to us, 'This is how I will know if you are honest men: Leave one brother with me, take [food to relieve] the hunger of your households, and go.


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Bring back your youngest brother to me, and I will know that you are not spies but honest men. I will then give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the country.'"


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As they began emptying their sacks, there in each man's sack was his bag of money! When they and their father saw their bags of money, they were afraid.


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Their father Jacob said to them, "You have deprived me of my sons. Joseph is gone and Simeon is gone. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything happens to me!"


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Then Reuben said to his father, "You can kill my two sons if I don't bring him back to you. Put him in my care, and I will return him to you."


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But Jacob answered, "My son will not go down with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left. If anything happens to him on your journey, you will bring my gray hairs down to Sheol in sorrow."


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When they had used up the grain they had brought back from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go back and buy us some food."


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But Judah said to him, "The man specifically warned us: 'You will not see me again unless your brother is with you.'


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But if you will not send him, we will not go, for the man said to us, 'You will not see me again unless your brother is with you.'"


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Why did you cause me so much trouble?" Israel asked. "Why did you tell the man that you had another brother?"


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They answered, "The man kept asking about us and our family: 'Is your father still alive? Do you have [another] brother?' And we answered him accordingly. How could we know that he would say, 'Bring your brother here'?"


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Then Judah said to his father Israel, "Send the boy with me. We will be on our way so that we may live, and not die-- neither we, nor you, nor our children.


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I will be responsible for him. You can hold me personally accountable! If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, I will be guilty before you forever.


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Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and take them down to the man as a gift-- some balsam and some honey, aromatic gum and resin, pistachios and almonds.


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Take twice as much money with you. Return the money that was returned [to you] in the top of your bags. Perhaps it was a mistake.


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May God Almighty cause the man to be merciful to you so that he will release your other brother and Benjamin to you. As for me, if I am deprived of my sons, then I am deprived."


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The men took this gift, double the amount of money, and Benjamin. They made their way down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.


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When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his steward, "Take the men to [my] house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they will eat with me at noon."


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But the men were afraid because they were taken to Joseph's house. They said, "We have been brought here because of the money that was returned in our bags the first time. They intend to overpower us, seize us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys."


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When we came to the place where we lodged for the night and opened our bags of grain, each one's money was at the top of his bag! It was the full amount of our money, and we have brought it back with us.


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Then the steward said, "May you be well. Don't be afraid. Your God and the God of your father must have put treasure in your bags. I received your money." Then he brought Simeon out to them.


text:
The man brought the men into Joseph's house, gave them water to wash their feet, and got feed for their donkeys.


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Since the men had heard that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph's arrival at noon.


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When Joseph came home, they brought him the gift they had carried into the house, and they bowed to the ground before him.


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He asked if they were well, and he said, "How is your elderly father that you told me about? Is he still alive?"


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They answered, "Your servant our father is well. He is still alive." And they bowed down to honor him.


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When he looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, he asked, "Is this your youngest brother that you told me about?" Then he said, "May God be gracious to you, my son."


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Joseph hurried out because he was overcome with emotion for his brother, and he was about to weep. He went into an inner room to weep.


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They served him by himself, his brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who were eating with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, since that is abhorrent to them.


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They were seated before him in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest. The men looked at each other in astonishment.


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Portions were served to them from Joseph's table, and Benjamin's portion was five times larger than any of theirs. They drank, and they got drunk with Joseph.


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Then Joseph commanded his steward: "Fill the men's bags with as much food as they can carry, and put each one's money at the top of his bag.


text:
Put my cup, the silver one, at the top of the youngest one's bag, along with his grain money." So he did as Joseph told him.


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They had not gone very far from the city when Joseph said to his steward, "Get up. Pursue the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid evil for good?


text:
Isn't this the cup that my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wrong!'"


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They said to him, "Why does my lord say these things? Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.


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We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money we found at the top of our bags. How could we steal gold and silver from your master's house?


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The steward replied, "What you have said is proper, but only the one who is found to have it will be my slave, and the rest of you will be blameless."


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The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest, and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.


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When Judah and his brothers reached Joseph's house, he was still there. They fell to the ground before him.


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What is this you have done?" Joseph said to them. "Didn't you know that a man like me could uncover the truth by divination?"


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What can we say to my lord?" Judah replied. "How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed your servants' iniquity. We are now my lord's slaves-- both we and the one in whose possession the cup was found."


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Then Joseph said, "I swear that I will not do this. The man in whose possession the cup was found will be my slave. The rest of you can go in peace to your father."


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But Judah approached him and said, "Sir, please let your servant speak personally to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, for you are like Pharaoh.


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and we answered my lord, 'We have an elderly father and a young brother, the child of his old age. The boy's brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother's sons left, and his father loves him.'


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But we said to my lord, 'The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave, his father would die.'


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Then you said to your servants, 'If your younger brother does not come down with you, you will not see me again.'


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We told him, 'We cannot go down unless our younger brother goes with us. But if our younger brother isn't with us, we cannot see the man.'


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If you also take this one from me and anything happens to him, you will bring my gray hairs down to Sheol in sorrow.'


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So, if I come to your servant my father and the boy is not with us-- his life is wrapped up with the boy's life--


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when he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. Then your servants will have brought the gray hairs of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow.


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Your servant became accountable to my father for the boy, saying, 'If I do not return him to you, I will always bear the guilt for sinning against [you,] my father.'


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Now please let your servant remain here as my lord's slave, in place of the boy. Let him go back with his brothers.


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For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the grief that would overwhelm my father."


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Joseph could no longer keep his composure in front of all his attendants, so he called out, "Send everyone away from me!" No one was with him when he revealed his identity to his brothers.


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Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still living?" But his brothers were too terrified to answer him.


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Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Please, come near me," and they came near. "I am Joseph, your brother," he said, "the one you sold into Egypt.


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And now don't be worried or angry with yourselves for selling me here, because God sent me ahead of you to preserve life.


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For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting.


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God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.


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Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.


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Return quickly to my father and say to him, 'This is what your son Joseph says: "God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me without delay.


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You can settle in the land of Goshen and be near me-- you, your children, and grandchildren, your sheep, cattle, and all you have.


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There I will sustain you, for there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise, you, your household, and everything you have will become destitute."'


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Look! Your eyes and my brother Benjamin's eyes can see that it is I [, Joseph,] who am speaking to you.


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Tell my father all about my glory in Egypt and about all you have seen. And bring my father here quickly."


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When the news reached Pharaoh's house, "Joseph's brothers have come," Pharaoh and his servants were pleased.


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Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Tell your brothers, 'Do this: Load your animals and go on back to the land of Canaan.


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Get your father and your households, and come back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you can eat from the richness of the land.'


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You are also commanded, 'Do this: Take wagons from the land of Egypt for your young children, your wives, and bring your father here.


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The sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had commanded, and he gave them provisions for the journey.


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He gave each of the brothers changes of clothes, but he gave Benjamin 300 pieces of silver and five changes of clothes.


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He sent his father the following: 10 donkeys carrying the best products of Egypt, and 10 female donkeys carrying grain, food, and provisions for his father on the journey.


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So Joseph sent his brothers on their way, and as they were leaving, he said to them, "Don't argue on the way."


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They said, "Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!" Jacob was stunned, for he did not believe them.


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But when they told Jacob all that Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to transport him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.


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Israel set out with all that he had and came to Beer-sheba, and he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.


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That night God spoke to Israel in a vision: "Jacob, Jacob!" He said. And Jacob replied, "Here I am."


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God said, "I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there.


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I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you back. Joseph will put his hands on your eyes."


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Jacob left Beer-sheba. The sons of Israel took their father Jacob in the wagons Pharaoh had sent to carry him, along with their children and their wives.


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They also took their cattle and possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan. Then Jacob and all his children with him went to Egypt.


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His sons and grandsons, his daughters and granddaughters, indeed all his offspring, he brought with him to Egypt.


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These are the names of the Israelites, Jacob and his descendants, who went to Egypt: Jacob's firstborn: Reuben.


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Judah's sons: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. Perez's sons: Hezron and Hamul.


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These were Leah's sons born to Jacob in Paddan-aram, as well as his daughter Dinah. The total number of persons: 33.


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Asher's sons: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. Beriah's sons were Heber and Malchiel.


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These were the sons of Zilpah-- whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah-- that she bore to Jacob: 16 persons.


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Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt. They were born to him by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, a priest at On.


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These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel. She bore to Jacob: seven persons.


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The total number of persons belonging to Jacob-- his direct descendants, not including the wives of Jacob's sons-- who came to Egypt: 66.


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And Joseph's sons who were born to him in Egypt: two persons. All those of Jacob's household who had come to Egypt: 70 persons.


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Now Jacob had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to prepare for his arrival at Goshen. When they came to the land of Goshen,


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Joseph hitched [the horses to] his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel. Joseph presented himself to him, threw his arms around him, and wept for a long time.


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Then Israel said to Joseph, "At last I can die, now that I have seen your face [and know] you are still alive!"


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Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, "I will go up and inform Pharaoh, telling him: My brothers and my father's household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me.


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The men are shepherds; indeed they raise livestock. They have brought their sheep and cattle and all that they have.


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you are to say, 'Your servants, both we and our fathers, have raised livestock from our youth until now.' Then you will be allowed to settle in the land of Goshen, since all shepherds are abhorrent to Egyptians."


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So Joseph went and informed Pharaoh: "My father and my brothers, with their sheep and cattle and all that they have, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in the land of Goshen."


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Then Pharaoh asked his brothers, "What is your occupation?" And they said to Pharaoh, "Your servants, both we and our fathers, are shepherds."


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Then they said to Pharaoh, "We have come to live in the land for a while because there is no grazing land for your servants' sheep, since the famine in the land of Canaan has been severe. So now, please let your servants settle in the land of Goshen."


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the land of Egypt is open before you; settle your father and brothers in the best part of the land. They can live in the land of Goshen. If you know of any capable men among them, put them in charge of my livestock."


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Jacob said to Pharaoh, "My pilgrimage has lasted 130 years. My years have been few and hard, and they have not surpassed the years of my fathers during their pilgrimages."


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Then Joseph settled his father and brothers in the land of Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.


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And Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father's household with food for their dependents.


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But there was no food in that entire region, for the famine was very severe. The land of Egypt and the land of Canaan were exhausted by the famine.


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Joseph collected all the money to be found in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan in exchange for the grain they were purchasing, and he brought the money to Pharaoh's house.


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When the money from the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan was gone, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, "Give us food. Why should we die here in front of you? The money is gone!"


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But Joseph said, "Give me your livestock. Since the money is gone, I will give you food in exchange for your livestock."


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So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for the horses, the herds of sheep, the herds of cattle, and the donkeys. That year he provided them with food in exchange for all their livestock.


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When that year was over, they came the next year and said to him, "We cannot hide from our lord that the money is gone and that all our livestock belongs to our lord. There is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land.


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Why should we perish here in front of you-- both us and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food. Then we with our land will become Pharaoh's slaves. Give us seed so that we can live and not die, and so that the land won't become desolate."


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In this way, Joseph acquired all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh, because every Egyptian sold his field since the famine was so severe for them. The land became Pharaoh's,


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The only land he didn't acquire was that of the priests, for it was their allotment from Pharaoh. They lived off the allotment Pharaoh had given them; therefore they did not sell their land.


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Then Joseph said to the people, "Understand today that I have acquired you and your land for Pharaoh. Here is seed for you. Sow it in the land.


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At harvest, you are to give a fifth of it to Pharaoh, and four-fifths will be yours as seed for the field and as food for yourselves, your households, and your dependents."


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And they said, "You have saved our lives. We have found favor in our lord's eyes and will be Pharaoh's slaves."


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So Joseph made it a law, still in effect today in the land of Egypt, that a fifth [of the produce] belongs to Pharaoh. Only the priests' land does not belong to Pharaoh.


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Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the region of Goshen. They acquired property in it and became fruitful and very numerous.


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When the time drew near for him to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, "If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh [and promise me] that you will deal with me in faithful love. Do not bury me in Egypt.


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When I lie down with my fathers, carry me away from Egypt and bury me in their burial place." Joseph answered, "I will do what you have asked."


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And Jacob said, "Swear to me." So Joseph swore to him. Then Israel bowed [in thanks] at the head of his bed.


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Some time after this, Joseph was told, "Your father is weaker." So he set out with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.


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When Jacob was told, "Your son Joseph has come to you," Israel summoned his strength and sat up in bed.


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He said to me, 'I will make you fruitful and numerous; I will make many nations [come from] you, and I will give this land as an eternal possession to your descendants to come.'


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Your two sons born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt are now mine. Ephraim and Manasseh belong to me just as Reuben and Simeon do.


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Children born to you after them will be yours and will be recorded under the names of their brothers with regard to their inheritance.


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When I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died along the way, some distance from Ephrath in the land of Canaan. I buried her there along the way to Ephrath," (that is, Bethlehem).


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And Joseph said to his father, "They are my sons God has given me here." So Jacob said, "Bring them to me and I will bless them."


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Now Jacob's eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly see. Joseph brought them to him, and he kissed and embraced them.


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Israel said to Joseph, "I never expected to see your face [again], but now God has even let me see your offspring."


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Then Joseph took them both-- with his right hand Ephraim toward Israel's left, and with his left hand Manasseh toward Israel's right-- and brought them to Israel.


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But Israel stretched out his right hand and put it on the head of Ephraim, the younger, and crossing his hands, put his left on Manasseh's head, although Manasseh was the firstborn.


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Then he blessed Joseph and said: The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,


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the Angel who has redeemed me from all harm-- may He bless these boys. And may they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow to be numerous within the land.


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When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim's head, he thought it was a mistake and took his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's.


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Joseph said to his father, "Not that way, my father! This one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head."


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But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know! He too will become a tribe, and he too will be great; nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his offspring will become a populous nation."


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So he blessed them that day with these words: Israel will invoke blessings by you, saying, "May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh," putting Ephraim before Manasseh.


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Then Israel said to Joseph, "Look! I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you back to the land of your fathers.


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Over and above what I am giving your brothers, I am giving you the one mountain slope that I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and bow."


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Then Jacob called his sons and said, "Gather around, and I will tell you what will happen to you in the days to come.


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Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength and the firstfruits of my virility, excelling in prominence, excelling in power.


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Turbulent as water, you will no longer excel, because you got into your father's bed and you defiled it-- he got into my bed.


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May I never enter their council; may I never join their assembly. For in their anger they kill men, and on a whim they hamstring oxen.


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Their anger is cursed, for it is strong, and their fury, for it is cruel! I will disperse them throughout Jacob and scatter them throughout Israel.


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Judah, your brothers will praise you. Your hand will be on the necks of your enemies; your father's sons will bow down to you.


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Judah is a young lion-- my son, you return from the kill-- he crouches; he lies down like a lion and like a lioness-- who wants to rouse him?


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The scepter will not depart from Judah, or the staff from between his feet, until He whose right it is comes and the obedience of the peoples belongs to Him.


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He ties his donkey to a vine, and the colt of his donkey to the choice vine. He washes his clothes in wine, and his robes in the blood of grapes.


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Zebulun will live by the seashore and will be a harbor for ships, and his territory will be next to Sidon.


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He saw that his resting place was good and that the land was pleasant, so he leaned his shoulder to bear a load and became a forced laborer.


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He will be a snake by the road, a viper beside the path, that bites the horses' heels so that its rider falls backwards.


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Yet his bow remained steady, and his strong arms were made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, by the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,


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by the God of your father who helps you, and by the Almighty who blesses you with blessings of the heavens above, blessings of the deep that lies below, and blessings of the breasts and the womb.


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The blessings of your father excel the blessings of my ancestors and the bounty of the eternal hills. May they rest on the head of Joseph, on the crown of the prince of his brothers.


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Benjamin is a wolf; he tears [his prey.] In the morning he devours the prey, and in the evening he divides the plunder."


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These are the tribes of Israel, 12 in all, and this was what their father said to them. He blessed them, and he blessed each one with a suitable blessing.


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Then he commanded them: "I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite.


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The cave is in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre, in the land of Canaan. This is the field Abraham purchased from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site.


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Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried there, Isaac and his wife Rebekah are buried there, and I buried Leah there.


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When Jacob had finished instructing his sons, he drew his feet into the bed and died. He was gathered to his people.


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They took 40 days to complete this, for embalming takes that long, and the Egyptians mourned for him 70 days.


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When the days of mourning were over, Joseph said to Pharaoh's household, "If I have found favor with you, please tell Pharaoh that


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my father made me take an oath, saying, 'I am about to die. You must bury me there in the tomb that I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan.' Now let me go and bury my father. Then I will return."


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Then Joseph went to bury his father, and all Pharaoh's servants, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt went with him,


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along with all Joseph's household, his brothers, and his father's household. Only their children, their sheep, and their cattle were left in the land of Goshen.


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When they reached the threshing floor of Atad, which is across the Jordan, they lamented and wept loudly, and Joseph mourned seven days for his father.


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When the Canaanite inhabitants of the land saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, "This is a solemn mourning on the part of the Egyptians." Therefore the place is named Abel-mizraim. It is across the Jordan.


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They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave at Machpelah in the field near Mamre, which Abraham had purchased as a burial site from Ephron the Hittite.


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After Joseph buried his father, he returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone with him to bury his father.


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When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said to one another, "If Joseph is holding a grudge against us, he will certainly repay us for all the wrong we caused him."


text:
'Say this to Joseph: Please forgive your brothers' transgression and their sin-- the wrong they caused you.' Therefore, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father." Joseph wept when their message came to him.


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You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result-- the survival of many people.


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Therefore don't be afraid. I will take care of you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.


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He saw Ephraim's sons to the third generation; the sons of Manasseh's son Machir were recognized by Joseph.


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Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die, but God will certainly come to your aid and bring you up from this land to the land He promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."


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So Joseph made the Israelites take an oath: "When God comes to your aid, you are to carry my bones up from here."


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But the Israelites were fruitful, increased rapidly, multiplied, and became extremely numerous so that the land was filled with them.


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Let us deal shrewdly with them; otherwise they will multiply [further], and if war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country."


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So the Egyptians assigned taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. They built Pithom and Rameses as supply cities for Pharaoh.


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But the more they oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites.


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and made their lives bitter with difficult labor in brick and mortar, and in all kinds of fieldwork. They ruthlessly imposed all this work on them.


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Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah,


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When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them as they deliver. If the child is a son, kill him, but if it's a daughter, she may live."


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The Hebrew midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live.


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So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, "Why have you done this and let the boys live?"


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The midwives said to Pharaoh, "The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife can get to them."


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Pharaoh then commanded all his people: "You must throw every son born to the Hebrews into the Nile, but let every daughter live."


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The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son; when she saw that he was beautiful, she hid him for three months.


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But when she could no longer hide him, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with asphalt and pitch. She placed the child in it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile.


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Pharaoh's daughter went down to bathe at the Nile while her servant girls walked along the riverbank. Seeing the basket among the reeds, she sent her slave girl to get it.


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When she opened it, she saw the child-- a little boy, crying. She felt sorry for him and said, "This is one of the Hebrew boys."


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Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Should I go and call a woman from the Hebrews to nurse the boy for you?"


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Then Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will pay your wages." So the woman took the boy and nursed him.


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When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, "Because," she said, "I drew him out of the water."


text:
Years later, after Moses had grown up, he went out to his own people and observed their forced labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people.


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The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, "Why are you attacking your neighbor?"


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Who made you a leader and judge over us?" the man replied. "Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses became afraid and thought: What I did is certainly known.


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When Pharaoh heard about this, he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in the land of Midian, and sat down by a well.


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Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came to draw water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.


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Then some shepherds arrived and drove them away, but Moses came to their rescue and watered their flock.


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They answered, "An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock."


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So where is he?" he asked his daughters. "Why then did you leave the man behind? Invite him to eat dinner."


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She gave birth to a son whom he named Gershom, for he said, "I have become a stranger in a foreign land."


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After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned because of their difficult labor, and they cried out; and their cry for help ascended to God because of the difficult labor.


text:
Meanwhile Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.


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Then the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire within a bush. As Moses looked, he saw that the bush was on fire but was not consumed.


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When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from the bush, "Moses, Moses!" "Here I am," he answered.


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Do not come closer," He said. "Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground."


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Then He continued, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.


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Then the LORD said, "I have observed the misery of My people in Egypt, and have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I know about their sufferings.


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I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and to bring them from that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey-- the territory of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.


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The Israelites' cry for help has come to Me, and I have also seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them.


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Therefore, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you may lead My people, the Israelites, out of Egypt."


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But Moses asked God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"


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He answered, "I will certainly be with you, and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will all worship God at this mountain."


text:
Then Moses asked God, "If I go to the Israelites and say to them: The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, 'What is His name?' what should I tell them?"


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God replied to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you."


text:
God also said to Moses, "Say this to the Israelites: Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever; this is how I am to be remembered in every generation.


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Go and assemble the elders of Israel and say to them: Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has appeared to me and said: I have paid close attention to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt.


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And I have promised you that I will bring you up from the misery of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites-- a land flowing with milk and honey.


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They will listen to what you say. Then you, along with the elders of Israel, must go to the king of Egypt and say to him: The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us go on a three-day trip into the wilderness so that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.


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However, I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go, unless [he is forced] by a strong hand.


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I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My miracles that I will perform in it. After that, he will let you go.


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And I will give this people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that when you go, you will not go empty-handed.


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Each woman will ask her neighbor and any woman staying in her house for silver and gold jewelry, and clothing, and you will put them on your sons and daughters. So you will plunder the Egyptians."


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Then Moses answered, "What if they won't believe me and will not obey me but say, 'The LORD did not appear to you'?"


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Then He said, "Throw it on the ground." He threw it on the ground, and it became a snake. Moses ran from it,


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but the LORD told him, "Stretch out your hand and grab it by the tail." So he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand.


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This will take place," He continued, "so they will believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you."


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In addition the LORD said to him, "Put your hand inside your cloak." So he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, his hand was diseased, like snow.


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Then He said, "Put your hand back inside your cloak." He put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, it had again become like the rest of his skin.


text:
If they will not believe you and will not respond to the evidence of the first sign, they may believe the evidence of the second sign.


text:
And if they don't believe even these two signs or listen to what you say, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the Nile will become blood on the ground."


text:
But Moses replied to the LORD, "Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent-- either in the past or recently or since You have been speaking to Your servant-- because I am slow and hesitant in speech."


text:
The LORD said to him, "Who made the human mouth? Who makes him mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?


text:
Then the LORD's anger burned against Moses, and He said, "Isn't Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, he is on his way now to meet you. When he sees you, his heart will rejoice.


text:
You will speak with him and tell him what to say. I will help both you and him [to speak], and will teach you both what to do.


text:
Then Moses went back to his father-in-law Jethro and said to him, "Please let me return to my relatives in Egypt and see if they are still living." Jethro said to Moses, "Go in peace."


text:
Now in Midian the LORD told Moses, "Return to Egypt, for all the men who wanted to kill you are dead."


text:
So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey, and set out for the land of Egypt. And Moses took God's staff in his hand.


text:
The LORD instructed Moses, "When you go back to Egypt, make sure you do in front of Pharaoh all the wonders I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that he won't let the people go.


text:
I told you: Let My son go so that he may worship Me, but you refused to let him go. Now I will kill your firstborn son!"


text:
On the trip, at an overnight campsite, it happened that the LORD confronted him and sought to put him to death.


text:
So Zipporah took a flint, cut off her son's foreskin, and threw it at Moses' feet. Then she said, "You are a bridegroom of blood to me!"


text:
So He let him alone. At that time she said, "You are a bridegroom of blood," referring to the circumcision.


text:
Now the LORD had said to Aaron, "Go and meet Moses in the wilderness." So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him.


text:
Moses told Aaron everything the LORD had sent him to say, and about all the signs He had commanded him [to do].


text:
The people believed, and when they heard that the LORD had paid attention to them and that He had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.


text:
Later, Moses and Aaron went in and said to Pharaoh, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Let My people go, so that they may hold a festival for Me in the wilderness."


text:
But Pharaoh responded, "Who is the LORD that I should obey Him by letting Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and what's more, I will not let Israel go."


text:
Then they answered, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go on a three-day trip into the wilderness so that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God, or else He may strike us with plague or sword."


text:
The king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why are you causing the people to neglect their work? Get to your labors!"


text:
Pharaoh also said, "Look, the people of the land are so numerous, and you would stop them from working."


text:
Don't continue to supply the people with straw for making bricks, as before. They must go and gather straw for themselves.


text:
But require the same quota of bricks from them as they were making before; do not reduce it. For they are slackers-- that is why they are crying out, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.'


text:
Impose heavier work on the men. Then they will be occupied with it and not pay attention to deceptive words."


text:
So the overseers and foremen of the people went out and said to them, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I am not giving you straw.


text:
Go get straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but there will be no reduction at all in your workload.'"


text:
The overseers insisted, "Finish your assigned work each day, just as [you did] when straw was [provided]."


text:
Then the Israelite foremen, whom Pharaoh's slave drivers had set over the people, were beaten and asked, "Why haven't you finished making your prescribed number of bricks yesterday or today, as [you did] before?"


text:
So the Israelite foremen went in and cried for help to Pharaoh: "Why are you treating your servants this way?


text:
No straw has been given to your servants, yet they say to us, 'Make bricks!' Look, your servants are being beaten, but it is your own people who are at fault."


text:
But he said, "You are slackers. Slackers! That is why you are saying, 'Let us go sacrifice to the LORD.'


text:
The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, "You cannot reduce your daily quota of bricks."


text:
May the LORD take note of you and judge," they said to them, "because you have made us reek in front of Pharaoh and his officials-- putting a sword in their hand to kill us!"


text:
So Moses went back to the LORD and asked, "Lord, why have You caused trouble for this people? And why did You ever send me?


text:
Ever since I went in to Pharaoh to speak in Your name he has caused trouble for this people, and You haven't delivered Your people at all."


text:
But the LORD replied to Moses, "Now you are going to see what I will do to Pharaoh: he will let them go because of My strong hand; he will drive them out of his land because of My strong hand."


text:
I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty, but I did not make My name Yahweh known to them.


text:
I also established My covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land they lived in as foreigners.


text:
Furthermore, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are forcing to work as slaves, and I have remembered My covenant.


text:
Therefore tell the Israelites: I am Yahweh, and I will deliver you from the forced labor of the Egyptians and free you from slavery to them. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and great acts of judgment.


text:
I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. You will know that I am Yahweh your God, who delivered you from the forced labor of the Egyptians.


text:
I will bring you to the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD."


text:
Moses told this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their broken spirit and hard labor.


text:
But Moses said in the LORD's presence: "If the Israelites will not listen to me, then how will Pharaoh listen to me, since I am such a poor speaker?"


text:
Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them commands concerning both the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt.


text:
These are the heads of their fathers' families: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. These are the clans of Reuben.


text:
The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. These are the clans of Simeon.


text:
These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their genealogy: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137 years.


text:
The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites according to their genealogy.


text:
Amram married his father's sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.


text:
Aaron married Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon. She bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.


text:
Aaron's son Eleazar married one of the daughters of Putiel and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the Levite families by their clans.


text:
It was this Aaron and Moses whom the LORD told, "Bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt according to their divisions."


text:
Moses and Aaron were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt in order to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.


text:
But Moses replied in the LORD's presence, "Since I am such a poor speaker, how will Pharaoh listen to me?"


text:
The LORD answered Moses, "See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother will be your prophet.


text:
You must say whatever I command you; then Aaron your brother must declare it to Pharaoh so that he will let the Israelites go from his land.


text:
Pharaoh will not listen to you, but I will put My hand on Egypt and bring out the ranks of My people the Israelites, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment.


text:
The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I stretch out My hand against Egypt, and bring out the Israelites from among them."


text:
When Pharaoh tells you: Perform a miracle, tell Aaron: Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh. It will become a serpent."


text:
So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD had commanded. Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent.


text:
But then Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers-- the magicians of Egypt, and they also did the same thing by their occult practices.


text:
Go to Pharaoh in the morning. When you see him walking out to the water, stand ready to meet him by the bank of the Nile. Take in your hand the staff that turned into a snake.


text:
Tell him: The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to tell you: Let My people go, so that they may worship Me in the wilderness, but so far you have not listened.


text:
This is what the LORD says: Here is how you will know that I am the LORD. Watch. I will strike the water in the Nile with the staff in my hand, and it will turn to blood.


text:
The fish in the Nile will die, the river will stink, and the Egyptians will be unable to drink water from it."


text:
So the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron: Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt-- over their rivers, canals, ponds, and all their water reservoirs-- and they will become blood. There will be blood throughout the land of Egypt, even in wooden and stone [containers]."


text:
Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded; in the sight of Pharaoh and his officials, he raised the staff and struck the water in the Nile, and all the water in the Nile was turned to blood.


text:
The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad the Egyptians could not drink water from it. There was blood throughout the land of Egypt.


text:
But the magicians of Egypt did the same thing by their occult practices. So Pharaoh's heart hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.


text:
All the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink because they could not drink the water from the river.


text:
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh and tell him: This is what the LORD says: Let My people go, so that they may worship Me.


text:
The Nile will swarm with frogs; they will come up and go into your palace, into your bedroom and on your bed, into the houses of your officials and your people, and into your ovens and kneading bowls.


text:
The LORD then said to Moses, "Tell Aaron: Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, canals, and ponds, and cause the frogs to come up onto the land of Egypt."


text:
When Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.


text:
But the magicians did the same thing by their occult practices and brought frogs up onto the land of Egypt.


text:
Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Ask the LORD that He remove the frogs from me and my people. Then I will let the people go and they can sacrifice to the LORD."


text:
Moses said to Pharaoh, "Make the choice rather than me [by saying] when I should ask for you, your officials, and your people, that the frogs be taken away from you and your houses, and remain only in the Nile."


text:
Tomorrow," he answered. Moses replied, "As you have said, so you may know there is no one like the LORD our God,


text:
the frogs will go away from you, your houses, your officials, and your people. The frogs will remain only in the Nile."


text:
After Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, Moses cried out to the LORD for help concerning the frogs that He had brought against Pharaoh.


text:
But when Pharaoh saw there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.


text:
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron: Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, and it will become gnats throughout the land of Egypt."


text:
And they did this. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff, and when he struck the dust of the earth, gnats were on the people and animals. All the dust of the earth became gnats throughout the land of Egypt.


text:
The magicians tried to produce gnats using their occult practices, but they could not. The gnats remained on the people and animals.


text:
This is the finger of God," the magicians said to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh's heart hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.


text:
The LORD said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh when you see him going out to the water. Tell him: This is what the LORD says: Let My people go, so that they may worship Me.


text:
But if you will not let My people go, then I will send swarms of flies against you, your officials, your people, and your houses. The Egyptians' houses will swarm with flies, and so will the land where they live.


text:
But on that day I will give special treatment to the land of Goshen, where My people are living; no flies will be there. This way you will know that I, the Lord, am in the land.


text:
And the LORD did this. Thick swarms of flies went into Pharaoh's palace and his officials' houses. Throughout Egypt the land was ruined because of the swarms of flies.


text:
But Moses said, "It would not be right to do that, because what we will sacrifice to the LORD our God is detestable to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice what the Egyptians detest in front of them, won't they stone us?


text:
We must go a distance of three days into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as He instructs us."


text:
Pharaoh responded, "I will let you go and sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness, but don't go very far. Make an appeal for me."


text:
As soon as I leave you," Moses said, "I will appeal to the Lord, and tomorrow the swarms of flies will depart from Pharaoh, his officials, and his people. But Pharaoh must not act deceptively again by refusing to let the people go and sacrifice to the LORD."


text:
The LORD did as Moses had said: He removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, his officials, and his people; not one was left.


text:
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh and say to him: This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let My people go, so that they may worship Me.


text:
then the LORD's hand will bring a severe plague against your livestock in the field-- the horses, donkeys, camels, herds, and flocks.


text:
But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing of all that the Israelites own will die."


text:
The LORD did this the next day. All the Egyptian livestock died, but none among the Israelite livestock died.


text:
Pharaoh sent [messengers] who saw that not a single one of the Israelite livestock was dead. But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he did not let the people go.


text:
Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Take handfuls of furnace soot, and Moses is to throw it toward heaven in the sight of Pharaoh.


text:
It will become fine dust over the entire land of Egypt. It will become festering boils on people and animals throughout the land of Egypt."


text:
So they took furnace soot and stood before Pharaoh. Moses threw it toward heaven, and it became festering boils on man and beast.


text:
The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians as well as on all the Egyptians.


text:
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh. Tell him: This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews says: Let My people go, so that they may worship Me.


text:
Otherwise, I am going to send all My plagues against you, your officials, and your people. Then you will know there is no one like Me in all the earth.


text:
By now I could have stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with a plague, and you would have been obliterated from the earth.


text:
However, I have let you live for this purpose: to show you My power and to make My name known in all the earth.


text:
Tomorrow at this time I will rain down the worst hail that has ever occurred in Egypt from the day it was founded until now.


text:
Therefore give orders to bring your livestock and all that you have in the field into shelters. Every person and animal that is in the field and not brought inside will die when the hail falls on them."


text:
Those among Pharaoh's officials who feared the word of the LORD made their servants and livestock flee to shelters,


text:
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven and let there be hail throughout the land of Egypt-- on man and beast and every plant of the field in the land of Egypt."


text:
So Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the LORD sent thunder and hail. Lightning struck the earth, and the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt.


text:
The hail, with lightning flashing through it, was so severe that nothing like it had occurred in the land of Egypt since it had become a nation.


text:
Throughout the land of Egypt, the hail struck down everything in the field, both man and beast. The hail beat down every plant of the field and shattered every tree in the field.


text:
Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron. "I have sinned this time," he said to them. "The LORD is the Righteous One, and I and my people are the guilty ones.


text:
Make an appeal to the LORD. There has been enough of God's thunder and hail. I will let you go; you don't need to stay any longer."


text:
Moses said to him, "When I have left the city, I will extend my hands to the LORD. The thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, so that you may know the earth is the LORD's.


text:
Moses went out from Pharaoh and the city, and extended his hands to the LORD. Then the thunder and hail ceased, and rain no longer poured down on the land.


text:
When Pharaoh saw that the rain, hail, and thunder had ceased, he sinned again and hardened his heart, he and his officials.


text:
So Pharaoh's heart hardened, and he did not let the Israelites go, as the LORD had said through Moses.


text:
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may do these miraculous signs of Mine among them,


text:
and so that you may tell your son and grandson how severely I dealt with the Egyptians and performed miraculous signs among them, and you will know that I am the LORD."


text:
So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and told him, "This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may worship Me.


text:
They will cover the surface of the land so that no one will be able to see the land. They will eat the remainder left to you that escaped the hail; they will eat every tree you have growing in the fields.


text:
They will fill your houses, all your officials' houses, and the houses of all the Egyptians-- something your fathers and ancestors never saw since the time they occupied the land until today." Then he turned and left Pharaoh's presence.


text:
Pharaoh's officials asked him, "How long must this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, so that they may worship the LORD their God. Don't you realize yet that Egypt is devastated?"


text:
So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. "Go, worship the LORD your God," Pharaoh said. "But exactly who will be going?"


text:
Moses replied, "We will go with our young and our old; we will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds because we must hold the LORD's festival."


text:
He said to them, "May the LORD be with you if I [ever] let you and your families go! Look out-- you are planning evil.


text:
No, only the men may go and worship the LORD, for that is what you have been asking for." And they were driven from Pharaoh's presence.


text:
The LORD then said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt and the locusts will come up over it and eat every plant in the land, everything that the hail left."


text:
So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD sent an east wind over the land all that day and through the night. By morning the east wind had brought in the locusts.


text:
The locusts went up over the entire land of Egypt and settled on the whole territory of Egypt. Never before had there been such a large number of locusts, and there will never be again.


text:
They covered the surface of the whole land so that the land was black, and they consumed all the plants on the ground and all the fruit on the trees that the hail had left. Nothing green was left on the trees or the plants in the field throughout the land of Egypt.


text:
Pharaoh urgently sent for Moses and Aaron and said, "I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you.


text:
Please forgive my sin once more and make an appeal to the LORD your God, so that He will take this death away from me."


text:
Then the LORD changed the wind to a strong west wind, and it carried off the locusts and blew them into the Red Sea. Not a single locust was left in all the territory of Egypt.


text:
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven, and there will be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be felt."


text:
So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness throughout the land of Egypt for three days.


text:
One person could not see another, and for three days they did not move from where they were. Yet all the Israelites had light where they lived.


text:
Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, "Go, worship the LORD. Even your families may go with you; only your flocks and your herds must stay behind."


text:
Moses responded, "You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings to prepare for the LORD our God.


text:
Even our livestock must go with us; not a hoof will be left behind because we will take some of them to worship the LORD our God. We will not know what we will use to worship the LORD until we get there."


text:
Pharaoh said to him, "Leave me! Make sure you never see my face again, for on the day you see my face, you will die."


text:
The LORD said to Moses, "I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you go from here. When he lets [you] go, he will drive you out of here.


text:
Now announce to the people that both men and women should ask their neighbors for gold and silver jewelry."


text:
The LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. And the man Moses was feared in the land of Egypt, by Pharaoh's officials and the people.


text:
and every firstborn [male] in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne to the firstborn of the servant girl who is behind the millstones, as well as every firstborn of the livestock.


text:
Then there will be a great cry of anguish through all the land of Egypt such as never was before, or ever will be again.


text:
But against all the Israelites, whether man or beast, not [even] a dog will snarl, so that you may know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.


text:
All these officials of yours will come down to me and bow before me, saying: Leave, you and all the people who follow you. After that, I will leave.'" And he left Pharaoh's presence in fierce anger.


text:
The LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh will not listen to you, so that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt."


text:
Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let the Israelites go out of his land.


text:
Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month they must each select an animal of the flock according to [their] fathers' households, one animal per household.


text:
If the household is too small for a [whole] animal, that person and the neighbor nearest his house are to select one based on the combined number of people; you should apportion the animal according to what each person will eat.


text:
You must have an unblemished animal, a year-old male; you may take it from either the sheep or the goats.


text:
You are to keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembly of the community of Israel will slaughter the animals at twilight.


text:
They must take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat them.


text:
They are to eat the meat that night; they should eat it, roasted over the fire along with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.


text:
Do not eat any of it raw or cooked in boiling water, but only roasted over fire-- its head as well as its legs and inner organs.


text:
Do not let any of it remain until morning; you must burn up any part of it that does remain until morning.


text:
Here is how you must eat it: dressed for travel, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You are to eat it in a hurry; it is the LORD's Passover.


text:
I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night and strike every firstborn [male] in the land of Egypt, both man and beast. I am the LORD; I will execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt.


text:
The blood on the houses where you are staying will be a distinguishing mark for you; when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No plague will be among you to destroy [you] when I strike the land of Egypt.


text:
This day is to be a memorial for you, and you must celebrate it as a festival to the LORD. You are to celebrate it throughout your generations as a permanent statute.


text:
You must eat unleavened bread for seven days. On the first day you must remove yeast from your houses. Whoever eats what is leavened from the first day through the seventh day must be cut off from Israel.


text:
You are to hold a sacred assembly on the first day and another sacred assembly on the seventh day. No work may be done on those [days] except for preparing what people need to eat-- you may do only that.


text:
You are to observe the [Festival of] Unleavened Bread because on this very day I brought your ranks out of the land of Egypt. You must observe this day throughout your generations as a permanent statute.


text:
You are to eat unleavened bread in the first [month], from the evening of the fourteenth day of the month until the evening of the twenty-first day.


text:
Yeast must not be found in your houses for seven days. If anyone eats something leavened, that person, whether a foreign resident or native of the land, must be cut off from the community of Israel.


text:
Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, "Go, select an animal from the flock according to your families, and slaughter the Passover lamb.


text:
Take a cluster of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and brush the lintel and the two doorposts with some of the blood in the basin. None of you may go out the door of his house until morning.


text:
When the LORD passes through to strike Egypt and sees the blood on the lintel and the two doorposts, He will pass over the door and not let the destroyer enter your houses to strike [you].


text:
you are to reply, 'It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, for He passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and spared our homes.'" So the people bowed down and worshiped.


text:
Now at midnight the LORD struck every firstborn [male] in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the prisoner who was in the dungeon, and every firstborn of the livestock.


text:
During the night Pharaoh got up, he along with all his officials and all the Egyptians, and there was a loud wailing throughout Egypt because there wasn't a house without someone dead.


text:
He summoned Moses and Aaron during the night and said, "Get up, leave my people, both you and the Israelites, and go, worship the LORD as you have asked.


text:
Take even your flocks and your herds as you asked, and leave, and this will also be a blessing to me."


text:
Now the Egyptians pressured the people in order to send them quickly out of the country, for they said, "We're all going to die!"


text:
So the people took their dough before it was leavened, with their kneading bowls wrapped up in their clothes on their shoulders.


text:
The Israelites acted on Moses' word and asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing.


text:
And the LORD gave the people such favor in the Egyptians' sight that they gave them what they requested. In this way they plundered the Egyptians.


text:
The Israelites traveled from Rameses to Succoth, about 600,000 soldiers on foot, besides their families.


text:
An ethnically diverse crowd also went up with them, along with a huge number of livestock, both flocks and herds.


text:
The people baked the dough they had brought out of Egypt into unleavened loaves, since it had no yeast; for when they had been driven out of Egypt they could not delay and had not prepared any provisions for themselves.


text:
At the end of 430 years, on that same day, all the divisions of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.


text:
It was a night of vigil in honor of the LORD, because He would bring them out of the land of Egypt. This same night is in honor of the LORD, a night vigil for all the Israelites throughout their generations.


text:
It is to be eaten in one house. You may not take any of the meat outside the house, and you may not break any of its bones.


text:
If a foreigner resides with you and wants to celebrate the LORD's Passover, every male in his household must be circumcised, and then he may participate; he will become like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat it.


text:
On that same day the LORD brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt according to their military divisions.


text:
Consecrate every firstborn male to Me, the firstborn from every womb among the Israelites, both man and animal; it is Mine."


text:
Then Moses said to the people, "Remember this day when you came out of Egypt, out of the place of slavery, for the LORD brought you out of here by the strength of [His] hand. Nothing leavened may be eaten.


text:
When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which He swore to your fathers that He would give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you must carry out this ritual in this month.


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For seven days you must eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there is to be a festival to the LORD.


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Unleavened bread is to be eaten for those seven days. Nothing leavened may be found among you, and no yeast may be found among you in all your territory.


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On that day explain to your son, 'This is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.'


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Let it serve as a sign for you on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead, so that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth; for the LORD brought you out of Egypt with a strong hand.


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When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as He swore to you and your fathers, and gives it to you,


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you are to present to the LORD every firstborn male of the womb. All firstborn offspring of the livestock you own that are males will be the LORD's.


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You must redeem every firstborn of a donkey with a flock animal, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. However, you must redeem every firstborn among your sons.


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In the future, when your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' say to him, 'By the strength of [His] hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.


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When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn [male] in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of man to the firstborn of livestock. That is why I sacrifice to the LORD all the firstborn of the womb that are males, but I redeem all the firstborn of my sons.'


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So let it be a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead, for the LORD brought us out of Egypt by the strength of His hand."


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When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them along the road to the land of the Philistines, even though it was nearby; for God said, "The people will change their minds and return to Egypt if they face war."


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So He led the people around toward the Red Sea along the road of the wilderness. And the Israelites left the land of Egypt in battle formation.


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Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, because Joseph had made the Israelites swear a solemn oath, saying, "God will certainly come to your aid; then you must take my bones with you from this place."


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The LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to lead them on their way during the day and in a pillar of fire to give them light at night, so that they could travel day or night.


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The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night never left its place in front of the people.


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Tell the Israelites to turn back and camp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you must camp in front of Baal-zephon, facing it by the sea.


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Pharaoh will say of the Israelites: They are wandering around the land in confusion; the wilderness has boxed them in.


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I will harden Pharaoh's heart so that he will pursue them. Then I will receive glory by means of Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD." So the Israelites did this.


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When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about the people and said: "What have we done? We have released Israel from serving us."


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he took 600 of the best chariots and all the rest of the chariots of Egypt, with officers in each one.


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The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the Israelites, who were going out triumphantly.


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The Egyptians-- all Pharaoh's horses and chariots, his horsemen, and his army-- chased after them and caught up with them as they camped by the sea beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.


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As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and saw the Egyptians coming after them. Then the Israelites were terrified and cried out to the LORD for help.


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They said to Moses: "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you took us to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?


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Isn't this what we told you in Egypt: Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness."


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But Moses said to the people, "Don't be afraid. Stand firm and see the LORD's salvation He will provide for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again.


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As for you, lift up your staff, stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.


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I am going to harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them, and I will receive glory by means of Pharaoh, all his army, and his chariots and horsemen.


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The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I receive glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen."


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Then the Angel of God, who was going in front of the Israelite forces, moved and went behind them. The pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and stood behind them.


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It came between the Egyptian and Israelite forces. The cloud was there [in] the darkness, yet it lit up the night. So neither group came near the other all night long.


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Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The LORD drove the sea [back] with a powerful east wind all that night and turned the sea into dry land. So the waters were divided,


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and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with the waters [like] a wall to them on their right and their left.


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The Egyptians set out in pursuit-- all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen-- and went into the sea after them.


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Then during the morning watch, the LORD looked down on the Egyptian forces from the pillar of fire and cloud, and threw them into confusion.


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He caused their chariot wheels to swerve and made them drive with difficulty. "Let's get away from Israel," the Egyptians said, "because the LORD is fighting for them against Egypt!"


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Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back on the Egyptians, on their chariots and horsemen."


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So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea returned to its normal depth. While the Egyptians were trying to escape from it, the LORD overthrew them in the sea.


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The waters came back and covered the chariots and horsemen, the entire army of Pharaoh, that had gone after them into the sea. None of them survived.


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But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground, with the waters [like] a wall to them on their right and their left.


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That day the LORD saved Israel from the power of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.


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When Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and believed in Him and in His servant Moses.


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Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD. They said: I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; He has thrown the horse and its rider into the sea.


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The LORD is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise Him, my father's God, and I will exalt Him.


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He threw Pharaoh's chariots and his army into the sea; the elite of his officers were drowned in the Red Sea.


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You overthrew Your adversaries by Your great majesty. You unleashed Your burning wrath; it consumed them like stubble.


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The waters heaped up at the blast of Your nostrils; the currents stood firm like a dam. The watery depths congealed in the heart of the sea.


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The enemy said: "I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil. My desire will be gratified at their expense. I will draw my sword; my hand will destroy them."


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LORD, who is like You among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?


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You will lead the people You have redeemed with Your faithful love; You will guide [them] to Your holy dwelling with Your strength.


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Then the chiefs of Edom will be terrified; trembling will seize the leaders of Moab; the inhabitants of Canaan will panic;


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and terror and dread will fall on them. They will be as still as a stone because of Your powerful arm until Your people pass by, LORD, until the people whom You purchased pass by.


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You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of Your possession; LORD, You have prepared the place for Your dwelling; Lord, Your hands have established the sanctuary.


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When Pharaoh's horses with his chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the LORD brought the waters of the sea back over them. But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.


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Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing.


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Miriam sang to them: Sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; He has thrown the horse and its rider into the sea.


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Then Moses led Israel on from the Red Sea, and they went out to the Wilderness of Shur. They journeyed for three days in the wilderness without finding water.


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They came to Marah, but they could not drink the water at Marah because it was bitter-- that is why it was named Marah.


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So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he threw it into the water, the water became drinkable. He made a statute and ordinance for them at Marah and He tested them there.


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He said, "If you will carefully obey the LORD your God, do what is right in His eyes, pay attention to His commands, and keep all His statutes, I will not inflict any illness on you I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you."


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Then they came to Elim, where there were 12 springs of water and 70 date palms, and they camped there by the waters.


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The entire Israelite community departed from Elim and came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had left the land of Egypt.


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The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the LORD's hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat and ate all the bread we wanted. Instead, you brought us into this wilderness to make this whole assembly die of hunger!"


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Then the LORD said to Moses, "I am going to rain bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. This way I will test them to see whether or not they will follow My instructions.


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On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days."


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So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites: "This evening you will know that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt;


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in the morning you will see the LORD's glory because He has heard your complaints about Him. For who are we that you complain about us?"


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Moses continued, "The LORD will give you meat to eat this evening and abundant bread in the morning, for He has heard the complaints that you are raising against Him. Who are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the LORD."


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Then Moses told Aaron, "Say to the entire Israelite community, 'Come before the LORD, for He has heard your complaints.'"


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As Aaron was speaking to the entire Israelite community, they turned toward the wilderness, and there, in a cloud, the LORD's glory appeared.


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I have heard the complaints of the Israelites. Tell them: At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will eat bread until you are full. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God."


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So at evening quail came and covered the camp. In the morning there was a layer of dew all around the camp.


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When the layer of dew evaporated, there on the desert surface were fine flakes, as fine as frost on the ground.


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When the Israelites saw it, they asked one another, "What is it?" because they didn't know what it was. Moses told them, "It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat.


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This is what the LORD has commanded: 'Gather as much of it as each person needs to eat. You may take two quarts per individual, according to the number of people each of you has in his tent.'"


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When they measured it by quarts, the person who gathered a lot had no surplus, and the person who gathered a little had no shortage. Each gathered as much as he needed to eat.


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But they didn't listen to Moses; some people left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and smelled. Therefore Moses was angry with them.


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They gathered it every morning. Each gathered as much as he needed to eat, but when the sun grew hot, it melted.


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On the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, four quarts apiece, and all the leaders of the community came and reported [this] to Moses.


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He told them, "This is what the LORD has said: 'Tomorrow is a day of complete rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you want to bake, and boil what you want to boil, and everything left over set aside to be kept until morning.'"


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So they set it aside until morning as Moses commanded, and it didn't smell or have any maggots in it.


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Eat it today," Moses said, "because today is a Sabbath to the LORD. Today you won't find any in the field.


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Understand that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day He will give you two days' worth of bread. Each of you stay where you are; no one is to leave his place on the seventh day."


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The house of Israel named the substance manna. It resembled coriander seed, was white, and tasted like wafers [made] with honey.


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Moses said, "This is what the LORD has commanded: 'Two quarts of it are to be preserved throughout your generations, so that they may see the bread I fed you in the wilderness when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.'"


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Moses told Aaron, "Take a container and put two quarts of manna in it. Then place it before the LORD to be preserved throughout your generations."


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The Israelites ate manna for 40 years, until they came to an inhabited land. They ate manna until they reached the border of the land of Canaan.


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The entire Israelite community left the Wilderness of Sin, moving from one place to the next according to the LORD's command. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.


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So the people complained to Moses: "Give us water to drink." "Why are you complaining to me?" Moses replied to them. "Why are you testing the LORD?"


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But the people thirsted there for water, and grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you ever bring us out of Egypt to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?"


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Then Moses cried out to the LORD, "What should I do with these people? In a little while they will stone me!"


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The LORD answered Moses, "Go on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Take the rod you struck the Nile with in your hand and go.


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I am going to stand there in front of you on the rock at Horeb; when you hit the rock, water will come out of it and the people will drink." Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.


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He named the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites complained, and because they tested the LORD, saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"


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Moses said to Joshua, "Select some men for us, and go fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with God's staff in my hand."


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Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought against Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.


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While Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, but whenever he put his hand down, Amalek prevailed.


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When Moses' hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put [it] under him, and he sat down on it. Then Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down.


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The LORD then said to Moses, "Write this down on a scroll as a reminder and recite it to Joshua: I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek under heaven."


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He said, "Indeed, [my] hand is [lifted up] toward the LORD's throne. The LORD will be at war with Amalek from generation to generation."


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Moses' father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything that God had done for Moses and His people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.


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along with her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom (because Moses had said, "I have been a stranger in a foreign land")


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and the other Eliezer (because [he had said,] "The God of my father was my helper and delivered me from Pharaoh's sword").


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Moses' father-in-law Jethro, along with Moses' wife and sons, came to him in the wilderness where he was camped at the mountain of God.


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He sent word to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons."


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So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and then kissed him. They asked each other how they had been and went into the tent.


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Moses recounted to his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardships that confronted them on the way, and how the LORD delivered them.


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Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the LORD had done for Israel when He rescued them from the Egyptians.


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Blessed is the LORD," Jethro exclaimed, "who rescued you from Pharaoh and the power of the Egyptians, and snatched the people from the power of the Egyptians.


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Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods, because He [did wonders] at the time the Egyptians acted arrogantly against Israel."


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Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses' father-in-law in God's presence.


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The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and they stood around Moses from morning until evening.


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When Moses' father-in-law saw everything he was doing for them he asked, "What is this thing you're doing for the people? Why are you alone sitting as judge, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?"


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Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I make a decision between one man and another. I teach [them] God's statutes and laws."


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You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can't do it alone.


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Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and God be with you. You be the one to represent the people before God and bring their cases to Him.


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But you should select from all the people able men, God-fearing, trustworthy, and hating bribes. Place [them] over the people as officials of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.


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They should judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you every important case but judge every minor case themselves. In this way you will lighten your load, and they will bear [it] with you.


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If you do this, and God [so] directs you, you will be able to endure, and also all these people will be able to go home satisfied."


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So Moses chose able men from all Israel and made them leaders over the people [as] officials of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.


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They judged the people at all times; the hard cases they would bring to Moses, but every minor case they would judge themselves.


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In the third month, on the same day [of the month] that the Israelites had left the land of Egypt, they entered the Wilderness of Sinai.


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After they departed from Rephidim, they entered the Wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness, and Israel camped there in front of the mountain.


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Moses went up [the mountain] to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain: "This is what you must say to the house of Jacob, and explain to the Israelites:


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You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to Me.


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Now if you will listen to Me and carefully keep My covenant, you will be My own possession out of all the peoples, although all the earth is Mine,


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and you will be My kingdom of priests and My holy nation. These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites."


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After Moses came back, He summoned the elders of the people, and put before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him.


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Then all the people responded together, "We will do all that the LORD has spoken." So Moses brought the people's words back to the LORD.


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The LORD said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you and will always believe you." Then Moses reported the people's words to the LORD.


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And the LORD told Moses, "Go to the people and purify them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes


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and be prepared by the third day, for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.


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Put boundaries for the people all around the [mountain] and say: Be careful that you don't go up on the mountain or touch its base. Anyone who touches the mountain will be put to death.


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No hand may touch him; instead he will be stoned or shot [with arrows], neither animal or man will live. When the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they may go up the mountain."


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Then Moses came down from the mountain to the people and consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.


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On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and a loud trumpet sound, so that all the people in the camp shuddered.


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Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.


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Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke because the LORD came down on it in fire. Its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently.


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As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in the thunder.


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The LORD came down on Mount Sinai, at the top of the mountain. Then the LORD summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and he went up.


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The LORD directed Moses, "Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the LORD; otherwise many of them will die.


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Even the priests who come near the LORD must purify themselves or the LORD will break out [in anger] against them."


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But Moses responded to the LORD, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, since You warned us: Put a boundary around the mountain and consider it holy."


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And the LORD replied to him, "Go down and come back with Aaron. But the priests and the people must not break through to come up to the LORD, or He will break out [in anger] against them."


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Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth.


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You must not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the fathers' sin, to the third and fourth [generations] of those who hate Me,


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Do not misuse the name of the LORD your God, becauswhite, and tasted like wafers [mo misuses His name.


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but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. You must not do any work-- you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the foreigner who is within your gates.


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For the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.


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Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.


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Do not covet your neighbor's house. Do not covet your neighbor's wife, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.


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All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain [surrounded by] smoke. When the people saw [it] they trembled and stood at a distance.


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You speak to us, and we will listen," they said to Moses, "but don't let God speak to us, or we will die."


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Moses responded to the people, "Don't be afraid, for God has come to test you, so that you will fear Him and will not sin."


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And the people remained standing at a distance as Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.


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Then the LORD told Moses, "This is what you are to say to the Israelites: You have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven.


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You must make an earthen altar for Me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats, as well as your cattle. I will come to you and bless you in every place where I cause My name to be remembered.


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If you make a stone altar for Me, you must not build it out of cut stones. If you use your chisel on it, you will defile it.


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When you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to serve for six years; then in the seventh he is to leave as a free man without paying anything.


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If he arrives alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrives with a wife, his wife is to leave with him.


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If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children belong to her master, and the man must leave alone.


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But if the slave declares: 'I love my master, my wife, and my children; I do not want to leave as a free man,'


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his master is to bring him to the judges and then bring him to the door or doorpost. His master must pierce his ear with an awl, and he will serve his master for life.


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If she is displeasing to her master, who chose her for himself, then he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners because he has acted treacherously toward her.


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Or if he chooses her for his son, he must deal with her according to the customary treatment of daughters.


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If he takes an additional wife, he must not reduce the food, clothing, or marital rights of the first wife.


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And if he does not do these three things for her, she may leave free of charge, without any exchange of money.


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But if he didn't intend any harm, and yet God caused it to happen by his hand, I will appoint a place for you where he may flee.


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If a person willfully acts against his neighbor to murder him by scheming, you must take him from My altar to be put to death.


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Whoever kidnaps a person must be put to death, whether he sells him or the person is found in his possession.


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When men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or fist, and the injured man does not die but is confined to bed,


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if he can [later] get up and walk around outside [leaning] on his staff, then the one who struck [him] will be exempt from punishment. Nevertheless, he must pay for his lost work time and provide for [his] complete recovery.


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When a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod, and the slave dies under his abuse, the owner must be punished.


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However, if the slave can stand up after a day or two, the owner should not be punished because he is his [owner's] property.


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When men get in a fight, and hit a pregnant woman so that her children are born [prematurely], but there is no injury, the one who hit her must be fined as the woman's husband demands from him, and he must pay according to judicial assessment.


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When a man strikes the eye of his male or female slave and destroys it, he must let the slave go free in compensation for his eye.


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If he knocks out the tooth of his male or female slave, he must let the slave go free in compensation for his tooth.


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When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox must be stoned, and its meat may not be eaten, but the ox's owner is innocent.


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However, if the ox was in the habit of goring, and its owner has been warned yet does not restrain it, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox must be stoned, and its owner must also be put to death.


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If instead a ransom is demanded of him, he can pay a redemption price for his life in the full amount demanded from him.


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If the ox gores a male or female slave, he must give 30 shekels of silver to the slave's master, and the ox must be stoned.


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When a man uncovers a pit or digs a pit, and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,


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the owner of the pit must give compensation; he must pay money to its owner, but the dead animal will become his.


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When a man's ox injures his neighbor's ox and it dies, they must sell the live ox and divide its proceeds; they must also divide the dead animal.


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If, however, it is known that the ox was in the habit of goring, yet its owner has not restrained it, he must compensate fully, ox for ox; the dead animal will become his.


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When a man steals an ox or a sheep and butchers it or sells it, he must repay five cattle for the ox or four sheep for the sheep.


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If a thief is caught in the act of breaking in, and he is beaten to death, no one is guilty of bloodshed.


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But if this happens after sunrise, there is guilt of bloodshed. A thief must make full restitution. If he is unable, he is to be sold because of his theft.


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If what was stolen-- whether ox, donkey, or sheep-- is actually found alive in his possession, he must repay double.


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When a man lets a field or vineyard be grazed in, and then allows his animals to go and graze in someone else's field, he must repay with the best of his own field or vineyard.


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When a fire gets out of control, spreads to thornbushes, and consumes stacks of cut grain, standing grain, or a field, the one who started the fire must make full restitution for what was burned.


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When a man gives his neighbor money or goods to keep, but they are stolen from that person's house, the thief, if caught, must repay double.


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If the thief is not caught, the owner of the house must present himself to the judges to determine whether or not he has taken his neighbor's property.


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In any case of wrongdoing involving an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or anything [else] lost, and someone claims: That's mine, the case between the two parties is to come before the judges. The one the judges condemn must repay double to his neighbor.


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When a man gives his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any [other] animal to care for, but it dies, is injured, or is stolen, while no one is watching,


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there must be an oath before the LORD between the two of them to determine whether or not he has taken his neighbor's property. Its owner must accept [the oath], and the other man does not have to make restitution.


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If it was actually torn apart [by a wild animal], he is to bring it as evidence; he does not have to make restitution for the torn carcass.


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When a man borrows [an animal] from his neighbor, and it is injured or dies while its owner is not there with it, the man must make full restitution.


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If its owner is there with it, the man does not have to make restitution. If it was rented, the loss is covered by its rental price.


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When a man seduces a virgin who was not promised in marriage, and he has sexual relations with her, he must certainly pay the bridal price for her to be his wife.


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If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must pay an amount in silver equal to the bridal price for virgins.


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You must not exploit a foreign resident or oppress him, since you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.


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My anger will burn, and I will kill you with the sword; then your wives will be widows and your children fatherless.


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If you lend money to My people-- to the poor person among you, you must not be like a moneylender to him; you must not charge him interest.


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For it is his only covering; it is the clothing for his body. What will he sleep in? And if he cries out to Me, I will listen because I am compassionate.


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You must not hold back [offerings from] your harvest or your vats. Give Me the firstborn of your sons.


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Do the same with your cattle and your flock. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but on the eighth day you are to give them to Me.


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Be My holy people. You must not eat the meat of a mauled animal [found] in the field; throw it to the dogs.


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You must not follow a crowd in wrongdoing. Do not testify in a lawsuit and go along with a crowd to pervert [justice].


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If you see the donkey of someone who hates you lying [helpless] under its load, and you want to refrain from helping it, you must help with it.


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Stay far away from a false accusation. Do not kill the innocent and the just, because I will not justify the guilty.


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You must not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and corrupts the words of the righteous.


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You must not oppress a foreign resident; you yourselves know how it feels to be a foreigner because you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.


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But during the seventh year you are to let it rest and leave it uncultivated, so that the poor among your people may eat [from it] and the wild animals may consume what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.


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Do your work for six days but rest on the seventh day so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female slave as well as the foreign resident may be refreshed.


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Pay strict attention to everything I have said to you. You must not invoke the names of other gods; they must not be heard on your lips.


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Observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you are to eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, because you came out of Egypt in that month. No one is to appear before Me empty-handed.


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Also [observe] the Festival of Harvest with the firstfruits of your produce from what you sow in the field, and [observe] the Festival of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather your produce from the field.


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You must not offer the blood of My sacrifices with anything leavened. The fat of My festival offering must not remain until morning.


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Bring the best of the firstfruits of your land to the house of the LORD your God. "You must not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.


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I am going to send an Angel before you to protect you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared.


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Be attentive to Him and listen to His voice. Do not defy Him, because He will not forgive your acts of rebellion, for My name is in Him.


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But if you will carefully obey Him and do everything I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes.


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For My Angel will go before you and bring you to [the land of] the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out.


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You must not bow down to their gods or worship them. Do not imitate their practices. Instead, demolish them and smash their sacred pillars to pieces.


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Worship the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. I will take away your illnesses.


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I will cause the people ahead of you to feel terror and throw into confusion all the nations you come to. I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you in retreat.


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I will send the hornet in front of you, and it will drive the Hivites, Canaanites, and Hittites away from you.


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I will not drive them out ahead of you in a single year; otherwise, the land would become desolate, and wild animals would multiply against you.


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I will drive them out little by little ahead of you until you have become numerous and take possession of the land.


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I will set your borders from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates River. For I will place the inhabitants of the land under your control, and you will drive them out ahead of you.


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They must not remain in your land, or else they will make you sin against Me. If you worship their gods, it will be a snare for you."


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Then He said to Moses, "Go up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and 70 of Israel's elders, and bow in worship at a distance.


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Moses alone is to approach the LORD, but the others are not to approach, and the people are not to go up with him."


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Moses came and told the people all the commands of the LORD and all the ordinances. Then all the people responded with a single voice, "We will do everything that the LORD has commanded."


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And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. He rose early the next morning and set up an altar and 12 pillars for the 12 tribes of Israel at the base of the mountain.


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Then he sent out young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed bulls as fellowship offerings to the LORD.


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Moses took half the blood and set it in basins; the [other] half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.


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He then took the covenant scroll and read [it] aloud to the people. They responded, "We will do and obey everything that the LORD has commanded."


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Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you concerning all these words."


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and they saw the God of Israel. Beneath His feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire stone, as clear as the sky itself.


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The LORD said to Moses, "Come up to Me on the mountain and stay there so that I may give you the stone tablets with the law and commands I have written for their instruction."


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He told the elders, "Wait here for us until we return to you. Aaron and Hur are here with you. Whoever has a dispute should go to them."


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The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day He called to Moses from the cloud.


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Moses entered the cloud as he went up the mountain, and he remained on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights.


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Tell the Israelites to take an offering for Me. You are to take My offering from everyone whose heart stirs him [to give].


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You must make [it] according to all that I show you-- the design of the tabernacle as well as the design of all its furnishings."


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Cast four gold rings for it and place [them] on its four feet, two rings on one side and two rings on the other side.


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Make one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end. Make the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at its two ends.


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The cherubim are to have wings spread out above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and are to face one another. The faces of the cherubim should be toward the mercy seat.


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I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the testimony; I will speak with you from there about all that I command you regarding the Israelites.


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You are also to make its plates and cups, as well as its pitchers and bowls for pouring drink offerings. Make them out of pure gold.


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You are to make a lampstand out of pure, hammered gold. It is to be made of one piece: its base and shaft, its [ornamental] cups, and its calyxes and petals.


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Six branches are to extend from its sides, three branches of the lampstand from one side and three branches of the lampstand from the other side.


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There are to be three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a calyx and petals, on the first branch, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a calyx and petals, on the next branch. It is to be this way for the six branches that extend from the lampstand.


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There are to be four cups shaped like almond blossoms on the lampstand [shaft] along with its calyxes and petals.


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For the six branches that extend from the lampstand, a calyx must be under the [first] pair of branches from it, a calyx under the [second] pair of branches from it, and a calyx under the [third] pair of branches from it.


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Their calyxes and branches are to be of one piece. All of it is to be a single hammered piece of pure gold.


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You are to construct the tabernacle itself with 10 curtains. You must make them of finely spun linen, and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with a design of cherubim worked into them.


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The length of each curtain should be 42 feet, and the width of each curtain six feet; all the curtains are to have the same measurements.


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Make loops of blue yarn on the edge of the last curtain in the [first] set, and do the same on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set.


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Make 50 loops on the one curtain and make 50 loops on the edge of the curtain in the second set, so that the loops line up together.


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Also make 50 gold clasps and join the curtains together with the clasps, so that the tabernacle may be a single unit.


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The length of each curtain should be 45 feet and the width of each curtain six feet. All 11 curtains are to have the same measurements.


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Join five of the curtains by themselves, and the [other] six curtains by themselves. Then fold the sixth curtain double at the front of the tent.


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Make 50 loops on the edge of the one curtain, the outermost in the [first] set, and make 50 loops on the edge of the [corresponding] curtain of the second set.


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Make 50 bronze clasps; put the clasps through the loops and join the tent together so that it is a single unit.


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As for the flap that is left over from the tent curtains, the leftover half curtain is to hang down over the back of the tabernacle.


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The half yard on one side and the half yard on the other of what is left over along the length of the tent curtains should be hanging down over the sides of the tabernacle on either side to cover it.


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Make a covering for the tent from ram skins dyed red, and a covering of manatee skins on top of that.


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Each plank must be connected together with two tenons. Do the same for all the planks of the tabernacle.


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and make 40 silver bases under the 20 planks, two bases under the first plank for its two tenons, and two bases under the next plank for its two tenons;


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They are to be paired at the bottom, and joined together at the top in a single ring. So it should be for both of them; they will serve as the two corners.


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There are to be eight planks with their silver bases: 16 bases; two bases under the first plank and two bases under each plank.


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five crossbars for the planks on the other side of the tabernacle, and five crossbars for the planks of the back side of the tabernacle on the west.


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Then overlay the planks with gold, and make their rings of gold as the holders for the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold.


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You are to set up the tabernacle according to the plan for it that you have been shown on the mountain.


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You are to make a veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen with a design of cherubim worked into it.


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Hang it on four gold-plated posts of acacia wood that have gold hooks [and that stand] on four silver bases.


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Hang the veil under the clasps and bring the ark of the testimony there behind the veil, so the veil will make a separation for you between the holy place and the most holy place.


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Place the table outside the veil and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle, opposite the table; put the table on the north side.


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For the entrance to the tent you are to make a screen embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen.


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Make five posts of acacia wood for the screen and overlay them with gold; their hooks are to be gold, and you are to cast five bronze bases for them.


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You are to construct the altar of acacia wood. The altar must be square, seven and a half feet long, and seven and a half feet wide; it must be four and a half feet high.


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Make its pots for removing ashes, and its shovels, basins, meat forks, and firepans; make all its utensils of bronze.


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Construct a grate for it of bronze mesh, and make four bronze rings on the mesh at its four corners.


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The poles are to be inserted into the rings, so that the poles are on two sides of the altar when it is carried.


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Construct the altar with boards so that it is hollow. They are to make it just as it was shown to you on the mountain.


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You are to make the courtyard for the tabernacle. [Make the hangings] on the south of the courtyard out of finely spun linen, 150 feet long on that side.


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Then [make the hangings] on the north side 150 [feet] long. There are to be 20 posts and 20 bronze bases. The hooks and bands of the posts must be silver.


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[Make] the hangings of the courtyard on the west side 75 feet long, including their 10 posts and 10 bases.


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[Make] the hangings on one side [of the gate] 22 and a half feet, including their three posts and their three bases.


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And make the hangings on the other side 22 and a half [feet], including their three posts and their three bases.


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The gate of the courtyard is to have a thirty-foot screen embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. It is to have four posts including their four bases.


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All the posts around the courtyard are to be banded with silver and have silver hooks and bronze bases.


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The length of the courtyard is to be 150 feet, the width 75 [feet] at each end, and the height seven and a half feet, [all of it made] of finely spun linen. The bases of the posts must be bronze.


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All the tools of the tabernacle for every use and all its tent pegs as well as all the tent pegs of the courtyard are to be made of bronze.


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You are to command the Israelites to bring you pure oil from crushed olives for the light, in order to keep the lamp burning continually.


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In the tent of meeting outside the veil that is in front of the testimony, Aaron and his sons are to tend the lamp from evening until morning before the LORD. This is to be a permanent statute for the Israelites throughout their generations.


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Have your brother Aaron, with his sons, come to you from the Israelites to serve Me as priest-- Aaron, his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.


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You are to instruct all the skilled craftsmen, whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make Aaron's garments for consecrating him to serve Me as priest.


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These are the garments that they must make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a specially woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make holy garments for your brother Aaron and his sons so that they may serve Me as priests.


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They are to make the ephod of finely spun linen embroidered with gold, and with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn.


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The artistically woven waistband that is on the ephod must be of one piece, according to the same workmanship of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen.


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six of their names on the first stone and the remaining six names on the second stone, in the order of their birth.


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Engrave the two stones with the names of Israel's sons as a gem cutter engraves a seal. Mount them, surrounded with gold filigree settings.


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Fasten both stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the Israelites. Aaron will carry their names on his two shoulders before the LORD as a reminder.


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and two chains of pure gold; you will make them of braided cord work, and attach the cord chains to the settings.


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You are to make an embroidered breastpiece for decisions. Make it with the same workmanship as the ephod; make it of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen.


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Place a setting of gemstones on it, four rows of stones: The first row should be a row of carnelian, topaz, and emerald;


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and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They should be adorned with gold filigree in their settings.


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The 12 stones are to correspond to the names of Israel's sons. Each stone must be engraved like a seal, with one of the names of the 12 tribes.


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Attach the other ends of the two cords to the two filigree settings and in this way attach [them] to the ephod's shoulder pieces in the front.


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Make two [other] gold rings and put them at the two other corners of the breastpiece on the edge that is next to the inner border of the ephod.


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Make two [more] gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the ephod's two shoulder pieces on its front, close to its seam, and above the ephod's woven waistband.


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The craftsmen are to tie the breastpiece from its rings to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue yarn, so that the breastpiece is above the ephod's waistband and does not come loose from the ephod.


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Whenever he enters the sanctuary, Aaron is to carry the names of Israel's sons over his heart on the breastpiece for decisions, as a continual reminder before the LORD.


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Place the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece for decisions, so that they will also be over Aaron's heart whenever he comes before the LORD. Aaron will continually carry the [means of] decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the LORD.


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There should be an opening at its top in the center of it. Around the opening, there should be a woven collar with an opening like that for body armor so that it does not tear.


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Make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn on its lower hem and all around it. Put gold bells between them all the way around,


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The robe must be [worn by] Aaron whenever he ministers, and its sound will be heard when he enters the sanctuary before the LORD and when he exits, so that he does not die.


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Fasten it to a cord of blue yarn so it can be placed on the turban; the plate is to be on the front of the turban.


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It will be on Aaron's forehead so that Aaron may bear the guilt connected with the holy offerings that the Israelites consecrate as all their holy gifts. It is always to be on his forehead, so that they may find acceptance with the LORD.


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You are to weave the tunic from fine linen, make a turban of fine linen, and make an embroidered sash.


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Put these on your brother Aaron and his sons; then anoint, ordain, and consecrate them, so that they may serve Me as priests.


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Make them linen undergarments to cover [their] naked bodies; they must extend from the waist to the thighs.


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These must be [worn by] Aaron and his sons whenever they enter the tent of meeting or approach the altar to minister in the sanctuary [area], so that they do not incur guilt and die. This is to be a permanent statute for Aaron and for his descendants after him.


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This is what you are to do for them to consecrate them to serve Me as priests. Take a young bull and two unblemished rams,


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with unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers coated with oil. Make them out of fine wheat flour,


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Then take the garments and clothe Aaron with the tunic, the robe for the ephod, the ephod itself, and the breastpiece; fasten the ephod on him with its woven waistband.


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fasten headbands on them, and tie sashes around both Aaron and his sons. The priesthood is to be theirs by a permanent statute. This is the way you will ordain Aaron and his sons.


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You are to bring the bull to the front of the tent of meeting, and Aaron and his sons must lay their hands on the bull's head.


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Take some of the bull's blood and apply [it] to the horns of the altar with your finger; then pour out all the [rest] of the blood at the base of the altar.


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Take all the fat that covers the entrails, the fatty lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat on them, and burn [them] on the altar.


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Cut the ram into pieces. Wash its entrails and shanks, and place [them] with its head and its pieces [on the altar].


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Then burn the whole ram on the altar; it is a burnt offering to the LORD. It is a pleasing aroma, a fire offering to the LORD.


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Slaughter the ram, take some of its blood, and put it on Aaron's right earlobe, on his sons' right earlobes, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Sprinkle the [remaining] blood on all sides of the altar.


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Take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle [them] on Aaron and his garments, as well as on his sons and their garments. In this way, he and his garments will become holy, as well as his sons and their garments.


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Take the fat from the ram, the fat tail, the fat covering the entrails, the fatty lobe of the liver, the two kidneys and the fat on them, and the right thigh (since this is a ram for ordination);


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take one loaf of bread, one cake of bread [made] with oil, and one wafer from the basket of unleavened bread that is before the LORD;


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and put all of them in the hands of Aaron and his sons and wave them as a presentation offering before the LORD.


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Take them from their hands and burn [them] on the altar on top of the burnt offering, as a pleasing aroma before the LORD; it is a fire offering to the LORD.


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Take the breast from the ram of Aaron's ordination and wave it as a presentation offering before the LORD; it is to be your portion.


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Consecrate for Aaron and his sons the breast of the presentation offering that is waved and the thigh of the contribution that is lifted up from the ram of ordination.


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This will belong to Aaron and his sons as a regular portion from the Israelites, for it is a contribution. It will be the Israelites' contribution from their fellowship sacrifices, their contribution to the LORD.


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The holy garments that belong to Aaron are to belong to his sons after him, so that they can be anointed and ordained in them.


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Any priest who is one of his sons and who succeeds him and enters the tent of meeting to minister in the sanctuary must wear them for seven days.


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Aaron and his sons are to eat the meat of the ram and the bread that is in the basket at the entrance to the tent of meeting.


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They must eat those things by which atonement was made at the [time of] their ordination and consecration. An unauthorized person must not eat [them], for these things are holy.


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If any of the meat of ordination or any of the bread is left until morning, burn up what is left over. It must not be eaten because it is holy.


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This is what you are to do for Aaron and his sons based on all I have commanded you. Ordain them for seven days.


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Sacrifice a bull as a sin offering each day for atonement. Purify the altar when you make atonement for it, and anoint it in order to consecrate it.


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For seven days you must make atonement for the altar and consecrate it. The altar will become especially holy; whatever touches the altar will become holy.


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With the first lamb offer two quarts of fine flour mixed with one quart of crushed olive oil, and a drink offering of one quart of wine.


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You are to offer the second lamb at twilight. Offer a grain offering and a drink offering with it, like the one in the morning, as a pleasing aroma, a fire offering to the LORD.


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This will be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance to the tent of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet you to speak with you.


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I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar; I will also consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve Me as priests.


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And they will know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, so that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.


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It must be square, 18 inches long and 18 inches wide; it must be 36 inches high. Its horns must be of one piece.


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Overlay its top, all around its sides, and its horns with pure gold; make a gold molding all around it.


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Make two gold rings for it under the molding on two of its sides; put these on opposite sides of it to be holders for the poles to carry it with.


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You are to place the altar in front of the veil by the ark of the testimony-- in front of the mercy seat that is over the testimony-- where I will meet with you.


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When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he must burn incense. There is to be an incense [offering] before the LORD throughout your generations.


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You must not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt or grain offering; you are not to pour a drink offering on it.


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Once a year Aaron is to perform the purification rite on the horns of the altar. Throughout your generations he is to perform the purification rite for it once a year, with the blood of the sin offering for atonement. The altar is especially holy to the LORD."


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When you take a census of the Israelites to register them, each of the men must pay a ransom for himself to the LORD as they are registered. Then no plague will come on them as they are registered.


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The wealthy may not give more, and the poor may not give less, than half a shekel when giving the contribution to the LORD to atone for your lives.


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Take the atonement money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting. It will serve as a reminder for the Israelites before the LORD to atone for your lives."


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Make a bronze basin for washing and a bronze stand for it. Set it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it.


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Whenever they enter the tent of meeting or approach the altar to minister by burning up an offering to the LORD, they must wash with water so that they will not die.


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They must wash their hands and feet so that they will not die; this is to be a permanent statute for them, for Aaron and his descendants throughout their generations."


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Take for yourself the finest spices: 12 and a half pounds of liquid myrrh, half as much (six and a quarter pounds) of fragrant cinnamon, six and a quarter pounds of fragrant cane,


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Prepare from these a holy anointing oil, a scented blend, the work of a perfumer; it will be holy anointing oil.


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It must not be used for [ordinary] anointing on a person's body, and you must not make anything like it using its formula. It is holy, and it must be holy to you.


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Anyone who blends something like it or puts some of it on an unauthorized person must be cut off from his people."


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The LORD said to Moses: "Take fragrant spices: stacte, onycha, and galbanum; the spices and pure frankincense are to be in equal measures.


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Grind some of it into a fine powder and put some in front of the testimony in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It must be especially holy to you.


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As for the incense you are making, you must not make [any] for yourselves using its formula. It is to be regarded by you as sacred to the LORD.


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I have also selected Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to be with him. I have placed wisdom within every skilled craftsman in order to make all that I have commanded you:


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the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, the mercy seat that is on top of it, and all the [other] furnishings of the tent--


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the specially woven garments, both the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests,


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the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense for the sanctuary. They must make [them] according to all that I have commanded you."


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Tell the Israelites: You must observe My Sabbaths, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, so that you will know that I am the LORD who sets you apart.


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Observe the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Whoever profanes it must be put to death. If anyone does work on it, that person must be cut off from his people.


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For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there must be a Sabbath of complete rest, dedicated to the LORD. Anyone who does work on the Sabbath day must be put to death.


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The Israelites must observe the Sabbath, celebrating it throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.


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It is a sign forever between Me and the Israelites, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed."


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When He finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave him the two tablets of the testimony, stone tablets inscribed by the finger of God.


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When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, "Come, make us a god who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt-- we don't know what has happened to him!"


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Then Aaron replied to them, "Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring [them] to me."


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He took [the gold] from their hands, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf. Then they said, "Israel, this is your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!"


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When Aaron saw [this], he built an altar before it; then he made an announcement: "There will be a festival to the LORD tomorrow."


text:
Early the next morning they arose, offered burnt offerings, and presented fellowship offerings. The people sat down to eat and drink, then got up to revel.


text:
The LORD spoke to Moses: "Go down at once! For your people you brought up from the land of Egypt have acted corruptly.


text:
They have quickly turned from the way I commanded them; they have made for themselves an image of a calf. They have bowed down to it, sacrificed to it, and said, 'Israel, this is your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.'"


text:
Now leave Me alone, so that My anger can burn against them and I can destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation."


text:
But Moses interceded with the LORD his God: "LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people You brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a strong hand?


text:
Why should the Egyptians say, 'He brought them out with an evil intent to kill them in the mountains and wipe them off the face of the earth'? Turn from Your great anger and change Your mind about this disaster [planned] for Your people.


text:
Remember that You swore to Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel by Yourself and declared to them, 'I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and will give your offspring all this land that I have promised, and they will inherit [it] forever.'"


text:
Then Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides-- inscribed front and back.


text:
When Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is a sound of war in the camp."


text:
But Moses replied: It's not the sound of a victory cry and not the sound of a cry of defeat; I hear the sound of singing!


text:
As he approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses became enraged and threw the tablets out of his hands, smashing them at the base of the mountain.


text:
Then he took the calf they had made, burned [it] up, and ground [it] to powder. He scattered [the powder] over the surface of the water and forced the Israelites to drink [the water].


text:
Then Moses asked Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you have led them into [such] a grave sin?"


text:
They said to me, 'Make us a god who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt-- we don't know what has happened to him!'


text:
So I said to them, 'Whoever has gold, take it off,' and they gave [it] to me. When I threw it into the fire, out came this calf!"


text:
Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them get out of control, so that they would be vulnerable to their enemies.


text:
And Moses stood at the camp's entrance and said, "Whoever is for the LORD, [come] to me." And all the Levites gathered around him.


text:
He told them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says, 'Every man fasten his sword to his side; go back and forth through the camp from entrance to entrance, and each of you kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.'"


text:
Afterwards Moses said, "Today you have been dedicated to the LORD, since each man went against his son and his brother. Therefore you have brought a blessing on yourselves today."


text:
The following day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a great sin. Now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I will be able to pay for your sin."


text:
So Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Oh, this people has committed a great sin; they have made for themselves a god of gold.


text:
Now if You would only forgive their sin. But if not, please erase me from the book You have written."


text:
Now go, lead the people to the place I told you about; see, My angel will go before you. But on the day I settle accounts, I will hold them accountable for their sin."


text:
The LORD spoke to Moses: "Go, leave here, you and the people you brought up from the land of Egypt, to the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying: I will give it to your offspring.


text:
I will send an angel ahead of you and will drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.


text:
[Go up] to a land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you because you are a stiff-necked people; otherwise, I might destroy you on the way."


text:
For the LORD said to Moses: "Tell the Israelites: You are a stiff-necked people. If I went with you for a single moment, I would destroy you. Now take off your jewelry, and I will decide what to do with you."


text:
Now Moses took a tent and set it up outside the camp, far away from the camp; he called it the tent of meeting. Anyone who wanted to consult the LORD would go to the tent of meeting that was outside the camp.


text:
Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would stand up, each one at the door of his tent, and they would watch Moses until he entered the tent.


text:
When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and remain at the entrance to the tent, and [the LORD] would speak with Moses.


text:
As all the people saw the pillar of cloud remaining at the entrance to the tent, they would stand up, then bow in worship, each one at the door of his tent.


text:
The LORD spoke with Moses face to face, just as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his assistant, the young man Joshua son of Nun, would not leave the inside of the tent.


text:
Moses said to the LORD, "Look, You have told me, 'Lead this people up,' but You have not let me know whom You will send with me. You said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.'


text:
Now if I have indeed found favor in Your sight, please teach me Your ways, and I will know You and find favor in Your sight. Now consider that this nation is Your people."


text:
How will it be known that I and Your people have found favor in Your sight unless You go with us? I and Your people will be distinguished [by this] from all the other people on the face of the earth."


text:
The LORD answered Moses, "I will do this very thing you have asked, for you have found favor in My sight, and I know you by name."


text:
He said, "I will cause all My goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim the name Yahweh before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."


text:
and when My glory passes by, I will put you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by.


text:
The LORD said to Moses, "Cut two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.


text:
No one may go up with you; in fact, no one must be seen anywhere on the mountain. Even the flocks and herds are not to graze in front of that mountain."


text:
Moses cut two stone tablets like the first ones. He got up early in the morning, and taking the two stone tablets in his hand, he climbed Mount Sinai, just as the LORD had commanded him.


text:
Then the LORD passed in front of him and proclaimed: Yahweh-- Yahweh is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in faithful love and truth,


text:
maintaining faithful love to a thousand [generations], forgiving wrongdoing, rebellion, and sin. But He will not leave [the guilty] unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers' wrongdoing on the children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation.


text:
Then he said, "My Lord, if I have indeed found favor in Your sight, my Lord, please go with us. Even though this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wrongdoing and sin, and accept us as Your own possession."


text:
And the LORD responded: "Look, I am making a covenant. I will perform wonders in the presence of all your people that have never been done in all the earth or in any nation. All the people you live among will see the LORD's work, for what I am doing with you is awe-inspiring.


text:
Observe what I command you today. I am going to drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.


text:
Be careful not to make a treaty with the inhabitants of the land that you are going to enter; otherwise, they will become a snare among you.


text:
Instead, you must tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, and chop down their Asherah poles.


text:
You are to never bow down to another god because the LORD, being jealous by nature, is a jealous God.


text:
Do not make a treaty with the inhabitants of the land, or else when they prostitute themselves with their gods and sacrifice to their gods, they will invite you, and you will eat of their sacrifice.


text:
Then you will take some of their daughters [as brides] for your sons. Their daughters will prostitute themselves with their gods and cause your sons to prostitute themselves with their gods.


text:
Observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread. You are to eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib as I commanded you. For you came out of Egypt in the month of Abib.


text:
The firstborn male from every womb belongs to Me, including all your male livestock, the firstborn of cattle or sheep.


text:
You must redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a sheep, but if you do not redeem [it], break its neck. You must redeem all the firstborn of your sons. No one is to appear before Me empty-handed.


text:
You are to labor six days but you must rest on the seventh day; you must even rest during plowing and harvesting times.


text:
Observe the Festival of Weeks with the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and the Festival of Ingathering at the turn of the [agricultural] year.


text:
For I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your territory. No one will covet your land when you go up three times a year to appear before the LORD your God.


text:
Do not present the blood for My sacrifice with anything leavened. The sacrifice of the Passover Festival must not remain until morning.


text:
Bring the best firstfruits of your land to the house of the LORD your God. "You must not boil a young goat in its mother's milk."


text:
The LORD also said to Moses, "Write down these words, for I have made a covenant with you and with Israel based on these words."


text:
Moses was there with the LORD 40 days and 40 nights; he did not eat bread or drink water. He wrote down on the tablets the words of the covenant-- the Ten Commandments.


text:
As Moses descended from Mount Sinai-- with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands as he descended the mountain-- he did not realize that the skin of his face shone as a result of his speaking with the LORD.


text:
When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face shone! They were afraid to come near him.


text:
But Moses called out to them, so Aaron and all the leaders of the community returned to him, and Moses spoke to them.


text:
Afterwards all the Israelites came near, and he commanded them everything the LORD had told him on Mount Sinai.


text:
But whenever Moses went before the LORD to speak with Him, he would remove the veil until he came out. After he came out, he would tell the Israelites what he had been commanded,


text:
and the Israelites would see that Moses' face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil over his face again until he went to speak with the LORD.


text:
Moses assembled the entire Israelite community and said to them, "These are the things that the LORD has commanded you to do:


text:
For six days work is to be done, but on the seventh day you are to have a holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the LORD. Anyone who does work on it must be executed.


text:
Take up an offering for the LORD among you. Let everyone whose heart is willing bring this as the LORD's offering: gold, silver, and bronze;


text:
the altar of incense with its poles; the anointing oil and the fragrant incense; the entryway screen for the entrance to the tabernacle;


text:
the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grate, its poles, and all its utensils; the basin with its stand;


text:
and the specially woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary-- the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests."


text:
Everyone whose heart was moved and whose spirit prompted him came and brought an offering to the LORD to construct the tent of meeting for every use, and [to make] the holy garments.


text:
Both men and women came; all who had willing hearts brought brooches, earrings, rings, necklaces, and all kinds of gold jewelry-- everyone who waved a presentation offering of gold to the LORD.


text:
Everyone who had in his possession blue, purple, or scarlet yarn, fine linen or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or manatee skins, brought [them].


text:
Everyone who offered a contribution of silver or bronze brought it to the LORD. Everyone who possessed acacia wood useful for any task in the work brought [it].


text:
Every skilled woman spun [yarn] with her hands and brought it: blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.


text:
So the Israelites brought a freewill offering to the LORD, all the men and women whose hearts prompted them to bring [something] for all the work that the LORD, through Moses, had commanded to be done.


text:
Moses then said to the Israelites: "Look, the LORD has appointed by name Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.


text:
He has also given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, [the ability] to teach [others].


text:
He has filled them with skill to do all the work of a gem cutter; a designer; an embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen; and a weaver. They can do every kind of craft and design artistic designs.


text:
Bezalel, Oholiab, and all the skilled people are to work based on everything the LORD has commanded. The LORD has given them wisdom and understanding to know how to do all the work of constructing the sanctuary."


text:
So Moses summoned Bezalel, Oholiab, and every skilled person in whose heart the LORD had placed wisdom, everyone whose heart moved him, to come to the work and do it.


text:
They took from Moses' presence all the contributions that the Israelites had brought for the task of making the sanctuary. Meanwhile, the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning.


text:
Then all the craftsmen who were doing all the work for the sanctuary came one by one from the work they were doing


text:
and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than is needed for the construction of the work the LORD commanded to be done."


text:
After Moses gave an order, they sent a proclamation throughout the camp: "Let no man or woman make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary." So the people stopped.


text:
All the skilled craftsmen among those doing the work made the tabernacle with 10 curtains. Bezalel made them of finely spun linen, as well as blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with a design of cherubim worked into them.


text:
The length of each curtain was 42 feet, and the width of each curtain six feet; all the curtains had the same measurements.


text:
He joined five of the curtains to each other, and the [other] five curtains he joined to each other.


text:
He made loops of blue yarn on the edge of the last curtain in the first set and did the same on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set.


text:
He made 50 loops on the one curtain and 50 loops on the edge of the curtain in the second set, so that the loops lined up with each other.


text:
He also made 50 gold clasps and joined the curtains to each other, so that the tabernacle became a single unit.


text:
The length of each curtain was 45 feet, and the width of each curtain six feet. All 11 curtains had the same measurements.


text:
He made 50 loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the [first] set and 50 loops on the edge of the [corresponding] curtain in the second set.


text:
He also made a covering for the tent from ram skins dyed red and a covering of manatee skins on top of it.


text:
There were two tenons connected to each other for each plank. He did the same for all the planks of the tabernacle.


text:
and he made 40 silver bases to put under the 20 planks, two bases under the first plank for its two tenons, and two bases under each of the following planks for their two tenons;


text:
with their 40 silver bases, two bases under the first plank and two bases under each of the following ones;


text:
They were paired at the bottom and joined together at the top in a single ring. This is what he did with both of them for the two corners.


text:
five crossbars for the planks on the other side of the tabernacle, and five crossbars for those at the back of the tabernacle on the west.


text:
He overlaid them with gold and made their rings and holders for the crossbars out of gold. He also overlaid the crossbars with gold.


text:
Then he made the veil with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. He made it with a design of cherubim worked into it.


text:
For it he made four posts of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold; their hooks were of gold. And he cast four silver bases for the posts.


text:
He made a screen embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen for the entrance to the tent,


text:
together with its five posts and their hooks. He overlaid the tops of the posts and their bands with gold, but their five bases were bronze.


text:
He cast four gold rings for it to be on its four feet, two rings on one side and two rings on the other side.


text:
one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end. He made the cherubim [of one piece] with the mercy seat, [a cherubim] at each end.


text:
They had wings spread out, covering the mercy seat with their wings and facing each other. The faces of the cherubim were looking toward the mercy seat.


text:
He also made the utensils that would be on the table out of pure gold: its plates and cups, as well as its bowls and pitchers for pouring drink offerings.


text:
Then he made the lampstand out of pure hammered gold. He made it [all] of one piece: its base and shaft, its [ornamental] cups, and its calyxes and petals.


text:
Six branches extended from its sides, three branches of the lampstand from one side and three branches of the lampstand from the other side.


text:
There were three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a calyx and petals, on the first branch, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a calyx and petals, on the next branch. It was this way for the six branches that extended from the lampstand.


text:
On the lampstand shaft there were four cups shaped like almond blossoms with its calyxes and petals.


text:
For the six branches that extended from it, a calyx was under the first pair of branches from it, a calyx under the second pair of branches from it, and a calyx under the third pair of branches from it.


text:
He made the altar of incense out of acacia wood. It was square, 18 inches long and 18 inches wide; it was 36 inches high. Its horns were of one piece.


text:
He overlaid it, its top, all around its sides, and its horns with pure gold. Then he made a gold molding all around it.


text:
He made two gold rings for it under the molding on two of its sides; [he put these] on opposite sides of it to be holders for the poles to carry it with.


text:
Bezalel constructed the altar of burnt offering from acacia wood. It was square, seven and a half feet long and seven and a half feet wide, and was four and a half feet high.


text:
He made horns for it on its four corners; the horns were of one piece. Then he overlaid it with bronze.


text:
He made all the altar's utensils: the pots, shovels, basins, meat forks, and firepans; he made all its utensils of bronze.


text:
Then he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar in order to carry it with them. He constructed the altar with boards so that it was hollow.


text:
He made the bronze basin and its stand from the [bronze] mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.


text:
Then he made the courtyard. The hangings on the south side of the courtyard were of finely spun linen, 150 feet in length,


text:
[The hangings] on the north side were also 150 feet in length, including their 20 posts and 20 bronze bases. The hooks and bands of the posts were silver.


text:
The hangings on the west side were 75 feet in length, including their 10 posts and 10 bases. The hooks and bands of the posts were silver.


text:
The hangings on one side [of the gate] were 22 and a half feet, including their three posts and three bases.


text:
It was the same for the other side. The hangings were 22 and a half feet, including their three posts and three bases on both sides of the courtyard gate.


text:
The bases for the posts were bronze; the hooks and bands of the posts were silver; and the plating for the tops of the posts was silver. All the posts of the courtyard were banded with silver.


text:
The screen for the gate of the courtyard was embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. It was 30 feet long, and like the hangings of the courtyard, seven and a half feet high.


text:
It had four posts, including their four bronze bases. Their hooks were silver, and the bands as well as the plating of their tops were silver.


text:
This is the inventory for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, that was recorded at Moses' command. It was the work of the Levites under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.


text:
Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything that the LORD commanded Moses.


text:
With him was Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, a gem cutter, a designer, and an embroiderer with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.


text:
All the gold of the presentation offering that was used for the project in all the work on the sanctuary, was 2,193 pounds, according to the sanctuary shekel.


text:
The silver from those of the community who were registered was 7,544 pounds, according to the sanctuary shekel--


text:
two-fifths of an ounce per man, that is, half a shekel according to the sanctuary shekel, from everyone 20 years old or more who had crossed over to the registered group, 603,550 men.


text:
There were 7,500 pounds of silver [used] to cast the bases of the sanctuary and the bases of the veil-- 100 bases from 7,500 pounds, 75 pounds for each base.


text:
With the [remaining] 44 pounds he made the hooks for the posts, overlaid their tops, and supplied bands for them.


text:
He made with it the bases for the entrance to the tent of meeting, the bronze altar and its bronze grate, all the utensils for the altar,


text:
the bases for the surrounding courtyard, the bases for the gate of the courtyard, all the tent pegs for the tabernacle, and all the tent pegs for the surrounding courtyard.


text:
They made specially woven garments for ministry in the sanctuary, and the holy garments for Aaron from the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
They hammered out thin sheets of gold, and he cut threads [from them] to interweave with the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and the fine linen in a skillful design.


text:
The artistically woven waistband that was on the ephod was of one piece with the ephod, according to the same workmanship of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
Then they mounted the onyx stones surrounded with gold filigree settings, engraved with the names of Israel's sons as a gem cutter engraves a seal.


text:
He fastened them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the Israelites, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
He also made the embroidered breastpiece with the same workmanship as the ephod of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen.


text:
They mounted four rows of gemstones on it. The first row was a row of carnelian, topaz, and emerald;


text:
and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They were surrounded with gold filigree in their settings.


text:
The 12 stones corresponded to the names of Israel's sons. Each stone was engraved like a seal with one of the names of the 12 tribes.


text:
They also fashioned two gold filigree settings and two gold rings and attached the two rings to its two corners.


text:
They attached the other ends of the two cords to the two filigree settings and, in this way, attached [them] to the ephod's shoulder pieces in front.


text:
They made two [other] gold rings and put [them] at the two other corners of the breastpiece on the edge that is next to the inner border of the ephod.


text:
They made two [more] gold rings and attached them to the bottom of the ephod's two shoulder pieces on its front, close to its seam, above the ephod's woven waistband.


text:
Then they tied the breastpiece from its rings to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue yarn, so that the breastpiece was above the ephod's waistband and did not come loose from the ephod. [They did] just as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
There was an opening in the center of the robe like that for body armor with a collar around the opening so that it would not tear.


text:
They made bells of pure gold and attached the bells between the pomegranates, all around the hem of the robe between the pomegranates,


text:
a bell and a pomegranate alternating all around the lower hem of the robe. It is to be used for ministry, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
and the sash of finely spun linen of embroidered blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. [They did] just as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
They also made a plate, the holy diadem, out of pure gold, and wrote on it an inscription like the engraving on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD


text:
Then they attached a cord of blue yarn to it in order to mount [it] on the turban, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
So all the work for the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was finished. The Israelites did everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses: the tent with all its furnishings, its clasps, its planks, its crossbars, and its posts and bases;


text:
the pure [gold] lampstand, with its lamps arranged and all its utensils, as well as the oil for the light;


text:
the hangings of the courtyard, its posts and bases, the screen for the gate of the courtyard, its ropes and tent pegs, and all the equipment for the service of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting;


text:
and the specially woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests.


text:
Moses inspected all the work they had accomplished. They had done just as the LORD commanded. Then Moses blessed them.


text:
Then bring in the table and lay out its arrangement; also bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps.


text:
Place the gold altar for incense in front of the ark of the testimony. Put up the screen for the entrance to the tabernacle.


text:
Position the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting.


text:
Take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it along with all its furnishings so that it will be holy.


text:
Anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate the altar so that it will be especially holy.


text:
Clothe Aaron with the holy garments, anoint him, and consecrate him, so that he can serve Me as a priest.


text:
Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so that they may also serve Me as priests. Their anointing will serve to inaugurate a permanent priesthood for them throughout their generations."


text:
Moses set up the tabernacle: he laid its bases, positioned its planks, inserted its crossbars, and set up its posts.


text:
Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent on top of it, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
Moses took the testimony and placed [it] in the ark, and attached the poles to the ark. He set the mercy seat on top of the ark.


text:
He brought the ark into the tabernacle, put up the veil for the screen, and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as the LORD had commanded him.


text:
Moses placed the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil.


text:
He also put the lampstand in the tent of meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle


text:
Then he placed the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered the burnt offering and the grain offering on it, just as the LORD had commanded him.


text:
They washed whenever they came to the tent of meeting and approached the altar, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
Next Moses set up the surrounding courtyard for the tabernacle and the altar and hung a screen for the gate of the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.


text:
Moses was unable to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud rested on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.


text:
The Israelites set out whenever the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle throughout all the stages of their journey.


text:
For the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and there was a fire inside the cloud by night, visible to the entire house of Israel throughout all the stages of their journey.


text:
Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When any of you brings an offering to the LORD from the livestock, you may bring your offering from the herd or the flock.


text:
If his gift is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to bring an unblemished male. He must bring it to the entrance to the tent of meeting so that he may be accepted by the LORD.


text:
He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering so it can be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him.


text:
He is to slaughter the bull before the LORD; Aaron's sons the priests are to present the blood and sprinkle it on all sides of the altar that is at the entrance to the tent of meeting.


text:
Aaron's sons the priests are to arrange the pieces, the head, and the suet on top of the burning wood on the altar.


text:
The offerer must wash its entrails and shanks with water. Then the priest will burn all of it on the altar as a burnt offering, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the LORD.


text:
But if his gift for a burnt offering is from the flock, from sheep or goats, he is to present an unblemished male.


text:
He will slaughter it on the north side of the altar before the LORD. Aaron's sons the priests will sprinkle its blood against the altar on all sides.


text:
He will cut it into pieces with its head and its suet, and the priest will arrange them on top of the burning wood on the altar.


text:
But he is to wash the entrails and shanks with water. The priest will then present all of it and burn [it] on the altar; it is a burnt offering, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the LORD.


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If his gift to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, he is to present his offering from the turtledoves or young pigeons.


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Then the priest must bring it to the altar, and must twist off its head and burn [it] on the altar; its blood should be drained at the side of the altar.


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He will remove its digestive tract, cutting off the tail feathers, and throw it on the east side of the altar at the place for ashes.


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He will tear it open by its wings without dividing [the bird]. Then the priest is to burn it on the altar on top of the burning wood. It is a burnt offering, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the LORD.


text:
When anyone presents a grain offering as a gift to the LORD, his gift must consist of fine flour. He is to pour olive oil on it, put frankincense on it,


text:
and bring it to Aaron's sons the priests. The priest will take a handful of fine flour and oil from it, along with all its frankincense, and will burn this memorial portion of it on the altar, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the LORD.


text:
But the rest of the grain offering will belong to Aaron and his sons, the holiest part of the fire offerings to the LORD.


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When you present a grain offering baked in an oven, it must be [made] of fine flour, either unleavened cakes mixed with oil or unleavened wafers coated with oil.


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If your gift is a grain offering prepared on the griddle, it must be unleavened bread [made] of fine flour mixed with oil.


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When you bring to the LORD the grain offering made in any of these ways, it is to be presented to the priest, and he will take it to the altar.


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The priest will remove the memorial portion from the grain offering and burn it on the altar, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the LORD.


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No grain offering that you present to the LORD is to be made with yeast, for you are not to burn any yeast or honey as a fire offering to the LORD.


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You may present them to the LORD as an offering of firstfruits, but they are not to be offered on the altar as a pleasing aroma.


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You are to season each of your grain offerings with salt; you must not omit from your grain offering the salt of the covenant with your God. You are to present salt with each of your offerings.


text:
If you present a grain offering of firstfruits to the LORD, you must present fresh heads of grain, crushed kernels, roasted on the fire, for your grain offering of firstfruits.


text:
The priest will then burn some of its crushed kernels and oil with all its frankincense as a fire offering to the LORD.


text:
If his offering is a fellowship sacrifice, and he is presenting [an animal] from the herd, whether male or female, he must present one without blemish before the LORD.


text:
He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Then Aaron's sons the priests will sprinkle the blood on all sides of the altar.


text:
He will present part of the fellowship sacrifice as a fire offering to the LORD: the fat surrounding the entrails, all the fat that is on the entrails,


text:
and the two kidneys with the fat on them at the loins; he will also remove the fatty lobe of the liver with the kidneys.


text:
Aaron's sons will burn it on the altar along with the burnt offering that is on the burning wood, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the LORD.


text:
If his offering as a fellowship sacrifice to the LORD is from the flock, he must present a male or female without blemish.


text:
He must lay his hand on the head of his offering, then slaughter it before the tent of meeting. Aaron's sons will sprinkle its blood on all sides of the altar.


text:
He will then present part of the fellowship sacrifice as a fire offering to the LORD [consisting of] its fat and the entire fat tail, which he is to remove close to the backbone. He will also remove the fat surrounding the entrails, all the fat on the entrails,


text:
the two kidneys with the fat on them at the loins, and the fatty lobe of the liver above the kidneys.


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He must lay his hand on its head and slaughter it before the tent of meeting. Aaron's sons will sprinkle its blood on all sides of the altar.


text:
He will present part of his offering as a fire offering to the LORD: the fat surrounding the entrails, all the fat that is on the entrails,


text:
Then the priest will burn them on the altar as food, a fire offering for a pleasing aroma. "All fat belongs to the LORD.


text:
This is a permanent statute throughout your generations, wherever you live: you must not eat any fat or any blood."


text:
Tell the Israelites: When someone sins unintentionally against any of the LORD's commands and does anything prohibited by them--


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If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he is to present to the LORD a young, unblemished bull as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.


text:
He must bring the bull to the entrance to the tent of meeting before the LORD, lay his hand on the bull's head, and slaughter it before the LORD.


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The priest is to dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of it seven times before the LORD in front of the veil of the sanctuary.


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The priest must apply some of the blood to the horns of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the LORD in the tent of meeting. He must pour out the rest of the bull's blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering that is at the entrance to the tent of meeting.


text:
He is to remove all the fat from the bull of the sin offering: the fat surrounding the entrails; all the fat that is on the entrails;


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and the two kidneys with the fat on them at the loins. He will also remove the fatty lobe of the liver with the kidneys,


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just as the fat is removed from the ox of the fellowship sacrifice. The priest is to burn them on the altar of burnt offering.


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all [the rest] of the bull-- he must bring to a ceremonially clean place outside the camp to the ash heap, and must burn it on a wood fire. It is to be burned at the ash heap.


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Now if the whole community of Israel errs, and the matter escapes the notice of the assembly, so that they violate any of the LORD's commands and incur guilt by doing what is prohibited,


text:
then the assembly must present a young bull as a sin offering. When the sin they have committed in regard to the command becomes known, they are to bring it before the tent of meeting.


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The elders of the assembly are to lay their hands on the bull's head before the LORD and it is to be slaughtered before the LORD.


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The priest is to dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle [it] seven times before the LORD in front of the veil.


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He is to apply some of the blood to the horns of the altar that is before the LORD in the tent of meeting. He must pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering that is at the entrance to the tent of meeting.


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He is to offer this bull just as he did with the bull in the sin offering; he will offer it the same way. So the priest will make atonement on their behalf, and they will be forgiven.


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Then he will bring the bull outside the camp and burn it just as he burned the first bull. It is the sin offering for the assembly.


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When a leader sins and unintentionally violates any of the commands of the LORD his God by doing what is prohibited, and incurs guilt,


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or someone informs him about the sin he has committed, he is to bring an unblemished male goat as his offering.


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He is to lay his hand on the head of the goat and slaughter it at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered before the LORD. It is a sin offering.


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Then the priest must take some of the blood from the sin offering with his finger and apply it to the horns of the altar of burnt offering. The rest of its blood he must pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering.


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He must burn all its fat on the altar, like the fat of the fellowship sacrifice. In this way the priest will make atonement on his behalf for that person's sin, and he will be forgiven.


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Now if any of the common people sins unintentionally by violating one of the LORD's commands, does what is prohibited, and incurs guilt,


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or if someone informs him about the sin he has committed, then he is to bring an unblemished female goat as his offering for the sin that he has committed.


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He is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place of the burnt offering.


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Then the priest must take some of its blood with his finger and apply it to the horns of the altar of burnt offering. He must pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar.


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He is to remove all its fat just as the fat is removed from the fellowship sacrifice. The priest is to burn [it] on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement on his behalf, and he will be forgiven.


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Or if the offering that he brings as a sin offering is a lamb, he is to bring an unblemished female.


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He is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it as a sin offering at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered.


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Then the priest must take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and apply it to the horns of the altar of burnt offering. He must pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar.


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He is to remove all its fat just as the fat of the lamb is removed from the fellowship sacrifice. The priest will burn it on the altar along with the fire offerings to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement on his behalf for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.


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When someone sins [in any of these ways]: [If] he has seen, heard, or known about something he has witnessed, and did not respond to a public call to testify, he is guilty.


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Or [if] someone touches anything unclean-- a carcass of an unclean wild animal, or unclean livestock, or an unclean swarming creature-- without being aware of it, he is unclean and guilty.


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Or [if] he touches human uncleanness-- any uncleanness by which one can become defiled-- without being aware of it, but [later] recognizes [it], he is guilty.


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Or [if] someone swears rashly to do what is good or evil-- concerning anything a person may speak rashly in an oath-- without being aware of it, but [later] recognizes it, he incurs guilt in such an instance.


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He must bring his restitution for the sin he has committed to the LORD: a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement on his behalf for his sin.


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But if he cannot afford an animal from the flock, then he may bring to the LORD two turtledoves or two young pigeons as restitution for his sin-- one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering.


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He is to bring them to the priest, who will first present the one for the sin offering. He must twist its head at the back of the neck without severing [it].


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Then he will sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood is to be drained out at the base of the altar; it is a sin offering.


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He must prepare the second [bird] as a burnt offering according to the regulation. In this way the priest will make atonement on his behalf for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.


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But if he cannot afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, he may bring two quarts of fine flour as an offering for his sin. He must not put olive oil or frankincense on it, for it is a sin offering.


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He is to bring it to the priest, who will take a handful from it as its memorial portion and burn [it] on the altar along with the fire offerings to the LORD; it is a sin offering.


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In this way the priest will make atonement on his behalf concerning the sin he has committed in any of these cases, and he will be forgiven. The rest will belong to the priest, like the grain offering."


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If someone offends by sinning unintentionally in regard to any of the LORD's holy things, he must bring his restitution offering to the LORD: an unblemished ram from the flock by your valuation in silver shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel, as a restitution offering.


text:
He must make restitution for his sin regarding any holy thing, adding a fifth of its value to it, and give it to the priest. Then the priest will make atonement on his behalf with the ram of the restitution offering, and he will be forgiven.


text:
If someone sins and without knowing [it] violates any of the LORD's commands concerning anything prohibited, he bears the consequences of his guilt.


text:
He must bring an unblemished ram from the flock according to your valuation as a restitution offering to the priest. Then the priest will make atonement on his behalf for the error he has committed unintentionally, and he will be forgiven.


text:
When someone sins and offends the LORD by deceiving his neighbor in regard to a deposit, a security, or a robbery; or defrauds his neighbor;


text:
or finds something lost and lies about it; or swears falsely about any of the sinful things a person may do--


text:
once he has sinned and acknowledged [his] guilt-- he must return what he stole or defrauded, or the deposit entrusted to him, or the lost item he found,


text:
or anything else about which he swore falsely. He must make full restitution for it and add a fifth of its value to it. He is to pay it to its owner on the day he acknowledges [his] guilt.


text:
Then he must bring his restitution offering to the LORD: an unblemished ram from the flock, according to your valuation, as a restitution offering to the priest.


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In this way the priest will make atonement on his behalf before the LORD, and he will be forgiven for anything he may have done to incur guilt."


text:
Command Aaron and his sons: This is the law of the burnt offering; the burnt offering itself must remain on the altar's hearth all night until morning, while the fire of the altar is kept burning on it.


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The priest is to put on his linen robe and linen undergarments. He is to remove the ashes of the burnt offering the fire has consumed on the altar, and place them beside the altar.


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Then he must take off his garments, put on other clothes, and bring the ashes outside the camp to a ceremonially clean place.


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The fire on the altar is to be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest will burn wood on the fire. He is to arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat portions from the fellowship offerings on it.


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Now this is the law of the grain offering: Aaron's sons will present it before the LORD in front of the altar.


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The priest is to remove a handful of fine flour and olive oil from the grain offering, with all the frankincense that is on the offering, and burn its memorial portion on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD.


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Aaron and his sons may eat the rest of it. It is to be eaten as unleavened bread in a holy place; they are to eat it in the courtyard of the tent of meeting.


text:
It must not be baked with yeast; I have assigned it as their portion from My fire offerings. It is especially holy, like the sin offering and the restitution offering.


text:
Any male among Aaron's descendants may eat it. It is a permanent portion throughout your generations from the fire offerings to the Lord. Anything that touches the offerings will become holy."


text:
This is the offering that Aaron and his sons must present to the LORD on the day that he is anointed: two quarts of fine flour as a regular grain offering, half of it in the morning and half in the evening.


text:
It is to be prepared with oil on a griddle; you are to bring it well-kneaded. You must present it as a grain offering of baked pieces, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.


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The priest, who is of Aaron's sons and will be anointed to take his place, is to prepare it. It must be completely burned as a permanent portion for the LORD.


text:
Tell Aaron and his sons: This is the law of the sin offering. The sin offering is most holy and must be slaughtered before the LORD at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered.


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The priest who offers it as a sin offering is to eat it. It must be eaten in a holy place, in the courtyard of the tent of meeting.


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Anything that touches its flesh will become holy, and if any of its blood spatters on a garment, then you must wash that garment in a holy place.


text:
A clay pot in which the sin offering is boiled must be broken; if it is boiled in a bronze vessel, it must be scoured and rinsed with water.


text:
But no sin offering may be eaten if its blood has been brought into the tent of meeting to make atonement in the holy place; it must be burned up.


text:
The restitution offering must be slaughtered at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered, and the priest is to sprinkle its blood on all sides of the altar.


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The priest will burn them on the altar as a fire offering to the LORD; it is a restitution offering.


text:
The restitution offering is like the sin offering; the law is the same for both. It belongs to the priest who makes atonement with it.


text:
As for the priest who presents someone's burnt offering, the hide of the burnt offering he has presented belongs to him; it is the priest's.


text:
Any grain offering that is baked in an oven, or prepared in a pan or on a griddle, belongs to the priest who presents it; it is his.


text:
If he presents it for thanksgiving, in addition to the thanksgiving sacrifice, he is to present unleavened cakes mixed with olive oil, unleavened wafers coated with oil, and well-kneaded cakes of fine flour mixed with oil.


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He is to present as his offering cakes of leavened bread, with his thanksgiving sacrifice of fellowship.


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From the cakes he must present one [portion] of each offering as a contribution to the LORD. It will belong to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the fellowship offering; it is his.


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The meat of his thanksgiving sacrifice of fellowship must be eaten on the day he offers it; he may not leave any of it until morning.


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If the sacrifice he offers is a vow or a freewill offering, it is to be eaten on the day he presents his sacrifice, and what is left over may be eaten on the next day.


text:
If any of the meat of his fellowship sacrifice is eaten on the third day, it will not be accepted. It will not be credited to the one who presents it; it is repulsive. The person who eats any of it will be guilty.


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Meat that touches anything unclean must not be eaten; it is to be burned up. Everyone who is clean may eat any [other] meat.


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But the one who eats meat from the LORD's fellowship sacrifice while he is unclean, that person must be cut off from his people.


text:
If someone touches anything unclean, whether human uncleanness, an unclean animal, or any unclean, detestable creature, and eats meat from the LORD's fellowship sacrifice, that person must be cut off from his people."


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The fat of an animal that dies naturally or is mauled by wild beasts may be used for any purpose, but you must not eat it.


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If anyone eats animal fat from a fire offering presented to the LORD, the person who eats [it] must be cut off from his people.


text:
Tell the Israelites: The one who presents a fellowship sacrifice to the LORD must bring an offering to the LORD from his sacrifice.


text:
His own hands will bring the fire offerings to the LORD. He will bring the fat together with the breast. The breast is to be waved as a presentation offering before the LORD.


text:
The son of Aaron who presents the blood of the fellowship offering and the fat will have the right thigh as a portion.


text:
I have taken from the Israelites the breast of the presentation offering and the thigh of the contribution from their fellowship sacrifices, and have assigned them to Aaron the priest and his sons as a permanent portion from the Israelites."


text:
This is the portion from the fire offerings to the LORD for Aaron and his sons since the day they were presented to serve the LORD as priests.


text:
The LORD commanded this to be given to them by the Israelites on the day He anointed them. It is a permanent portion throughout their generations.


text:
This is the law for the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the restitution offering, the ordination offering, and the fellowship sacrifice,


text:
which the LORD commanded Moses on Mount Sinai on the day He commanded the Israelites to present their offerings to the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai.


text:
Take Aaron, his sons with him, the garments, the anointing oil, the bull of the sin offering, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread,


text:
So Moses did as the LORD commanded him, and the community assembled at the entrance to the tent of meeting.


text:
He put the tunic on Aaron, wrapped the sash around him, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him. He put the woven band of the ephod around him and fastened it to him.


text:
He also put the turban on his head and placed the plate of gold, the holy diadem, on the front of the turban, as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it to consecrate them.


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He sprinkled some of the oil on the altar seven times, anointing the altar with all its utensils, and the basin with its stand, to consecrate them.


text:
Then Moses presented Aaron's sons, clothed them with tunics, wrapped sashes around them, and fastened headbands on them, as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
Then he brought the bull near for the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull for the sin offering.


text:
Then Moses slaughtered [it], took the blood, and applied it with his finger to the horns of the altar on all sides, purifying the altar. He poured out the blood at the base of the altar and consecrated it by making atonement for it.


text:
Moses took all the fat that was on the entrails, the fatty lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with their fat, and he burned them on the altar.


text:
He burned up the bull with its hide, flesh, and dung outside the camp, as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
Then he presented the ram for the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram.


text:
but he washed the entrails and shanks with water. He then burned the entire ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering for a pleasing aroma, a fire offering to the LORD as He had commanded Moses.


text:
Next he presented the second ram, the ram of ordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram.


text:
Moses slaughtered [it], took some of its blood, and put [it] on Aaron's right earlobe, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.


text:
Moses also presented Aaron's sons and put some of the blood on their right earlobes, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Then Moses sprinkled the blood on all sides of the altar.


text:
He took the fat-- the fat tail, all the fat that was on the entrails, the fatty lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with their fat-- as well as the right thigh.


text:
From the basket of unleavened bread that was before the LORD he took one cake of unleavened bread, one cake of bread [made] with oil, and one wafer, and placed [them] on the fat portions and the right thigh.


text:
He put all [these] in the hands of Aaron and his sons and waved them before the LORD as a presentation offering.


text:
Then Moses took them from their hands and burned [them] on the altar with the burnt offering. This was an ordination offering for a pleasing aroma, a fire offering to the LORD.


text:
He also took the breast and waved it before the LORD as a presentation offering; it was Moses' portion of the ordination ram as the LORD had commanded him.


text:
Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood that was on the altar and sprinkled [them] on Aaron and his garments, as well as on his sons and their garments. In this way he consecrated Aaron and his garments, as well as his sons and their garments.


text:
Moses said to Aaron and his sons, "Boil the meat at the entrance to the tent of meeting and eat it there with the bread that is in the basket for the ordination offering as I commanded: Aaron and his sons are to eat it.


text:
You must not go outside the entrance to the tent of meeting for seven days, until the time your days of ordination are completed, because it will take seven days to ordain you.


text:
You must remain at the entrance to the tent of meeting day and night for seven days and keep the LORD's charge so that you will not die, for this is what I was commanded."


text:
He said to Aaron, "Take a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without blemish, and present [them] before the LORD.


text:
And tell the Israelites: 'Take a male goat for a sin offering; a calf and a lamb, male yearlings without blemish, for a burnt offering;


text:
an ox and a ram for a fellowship offering to sacrifice before the LORD; and a grain offering mixed with oil. For today the LORD is going to appear to you.'"


text:
They brought what Moses had commanded to the front of the tent of meeting, and the whole community came forward and stood before the LORD.


text:
Moses said, "This is what the LORD commanded you to do, that the glory of the LORD may appear to you."


text:
Then Moses said to Aaron, "Approach the altar and sacrifice your sin offering and your burnt offering; make atonement for yourself and the people. Sacrifice the people's offering and make atonement for them, as the LORD commanded."


text:
Aaron's sons brought the blood to him, and he dipped his finger in the blood and applied it to the horns of the altar. He poured out the blood at the base of the altar.


text:
He burned the fat, the kidneys, and the fatty lobe of the liver from the sin offering on the altar, as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
Then he slaughtered the burnt offering. Aaron's sons brought him the blood, and he sprinkled it on all sides of the altar.


text:
They brought him the burnt offering piece by piece, along with the head, and he burned [them] on the altar.


text:
Aaron presented the people's offering. He took the male goat for the people's sin offering, slaughtered it, and made a sin offering with it as he did before.


text:
Next he presented the grain offering, took a handful of it, and burned it on the altar in addition to the morning burnt offering.


text:
Finally, he slaughtered the ox and the ram as the people's fellowship sacrifice. Aaron's sons brought him the blood, and he sprinkled it on all sides of the altar.


text:
They also brought the fat portions from the ox and the ram-- the fat tail, the [fat] surrounding [the entrails], the kidneys, and the fatty lobe of the liver--


text:
but he waved the breasts and the right thigh as a presentation offering before the LORD, as Moses had commanded.


text:
Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them. He came down after sacrificing the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the fellowship offering.


text:
Moses and Aaron then entered the tent of meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people, and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people.


text:
Fire came out from the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell facedown [on the ground].


text:
Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu each took his own firepan, put fire in it, placed incense on it, and presented unauthorized fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them [to do].


text:
So Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD meant when He said: I will show My holiness to those who are near Me, and I will reveal My glory before all the people." But Aaron remained silent.


text:
Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Aaron's uncle Uzziel, and said to them, "Come here and carry your relatives away from the front of the sanctuary to [a place] outside the camp."


text:
Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not let your hair hang loose and do not tear your garments, or else you will die, and the LORD will become angry with the whole community. However, your brothers, the whole house of Israel, may mourn over that tragedy when the LORD sent the fire.


text:
You must not go outside the entrance to the tent of meeting or you will die, for the LORD's anointing oil is on you." So they did as Moses said.


text:
You and your sons are not to drink wine or beer when you enter the tent of meeting, or else you will die; this is a permanent statute throughout your generations.


text:
Moses spoke to Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar: "Take the grain offering that is left over from the fire offerings to the LORD, and eat it prepared without yeast beside the altar, because it is especially holy.


text:
You must eat it in a holy place because it is your portion and your sons' from the fire offerings to the LORD, for this is what I was commanded.


text:
But you and your sons and your daughters may eat the breast of the presentation offering and the thigh of the contribution in any ceremonially clean place, because these portions have been assigned to you and your children from the Israelites' fellowship sacrifices.


text:
They are to bring the thigh of the contribution and the breast of the presentation offering, together with the offerings of fat portions made by fire, to wave as a presentation offering before the LORD. It will belong permanently to you and your children, as the LORD commanded."


text:
Later, Moses inquired about the male goat of the sin offering, but it had already been burned up. He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's surviving sons, and asked,


text:
Why didn't you eat the sin offering in the sanctuary area? For it is especially holy, and He has assigned it to you to take away the guilt of the community and make atonement for them before the LORD.


text:
Since its blood was not brought inside the sanctuary, you should have eaten it in the sanctuary [area], as I commanded."


text:
But Aaron replied to Moses, "See, today they presented their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD. Since these things have happened to me, if I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been acceptable in the LORD's sight?"


text:
But among the ones that chew the cud or have hooves you are not to eat [these]: the camel, though it chews the cud, does not have hooves-- it is unclean for you;


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This [is what] you may eat from all that is in the water: You may eat everything in the water that has fins and scales, whether in the seas or streams.


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But these are to be detestable to you: everything that does not have fins and scales in the seas or streams, among all the swarming things and [other] living creatures in the water.


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They are to remain detestable to you; you must not eat any of their meat, and you must detest their carcasses.


text:
You are to detest these birds. They must not be eaten because they are detestable: the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture,


text:
But you may eat these kinds of all the winged insects that walk on all fours: those that have jointed legs above their feet for hopping on the ground.


text:
You may eat these: the various kinds of locust, the various kinds of katydid, the various kinds of cricket, and the various kinds of grasshopper.


text:
All animals that have hooves but do not have a divided hoof and do not chew the cud are unclean for you. Whoever touches them becomes unclean.


text:
All the four-footed animals that walk on their paws are unclean for you. Whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean until evening,


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and anyone who carries their carcasses must wash his clothes and will be unclean until evening. They are unclean for you.


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These creatures that swarm on the ground are unclean for you: the weasel, the mouse, the various kinds of large lizard,


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These are unclean for you among all the swarming creatures. Whoever touches them when they are dead will be unclean until evening.


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When any one of them dies and falls on anything it becomes unclean-- any item of wood, clothing, leather, sackcloth, or any implement used for work. It is to be rinsed with water and will remain unclean until evening; then it will be clean.


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Any edible food coming into contact with [that unclean] water will become unclean, and any drinkable liquid in any container will become unclean.


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Anything one of their carcasses falls on will become unclean. If it is an oven or stove, it must be smashed; it is unclean and will remain unclean for you.


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A spring or cistern containing water will remain clean, but someone who touches a carcass [in it] will become unclean.


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but if water has been put on the seed and one of their carcasses falls on it, it is unclean for you.


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If one of the animals that you use for food dies, anyone who touches its carcass will be unclean until evening.


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Anyone who eats some of its carcass must wash his clothes and will be unclean until evening. Anyone who carries its carcass must wash his clothes and will be unclean until evening.


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Do not eat any of the creatures that swarm on the earth, anything that moves on its belly or walks on all fours or on many feet, for they are detestable.


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For I am the LORD your God, so you must consecrate yourselves and be holy because I am holy. You must not defile yourselves by any swarming creature that crawls on the ground.


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For I am the Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God, so you must be holy because I am holy.


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This is the law concerning animals, birds, all living creatures that move in the water, and all creatures that swarm on the ground,


text:
in order to distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between the animals that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten."


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Tell the Israelites: When a woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a male child, she will be unclean seven days, as she is during the days of her menstrual impurity.


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She will continue in purification from her bleeding for 33 days. She must not touch any holy thing or go into the sanctuary until completing her days of purification.


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But if she gives birth to a female child, she will be unclean for two weeks as [she is] during her [menstrual] impurity. She will continue in purification from her bleeding for 66 days.


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When her days of purification are complete, whether for a son or daughter, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting a year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering.


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He will present them before the LORD and make atonement on her behalf; she will be clean from her discharge of blood. This is the law for a woman giving birth, whether to a male or female.


text:
But if she doesn't have sufficient means for a sheep, she may take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. Then the priest will make atonement on her behalf, and she will be clean."


text:
When a person has a swelling, scab, or spot on the skin of his body, and it becomes a disease on the skin of his body, he is to be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons, the priests.


text:
The priest will examine the infection on the skin of his body. If the hair in the infection has turned white and the infection appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a skin disease. After the priest examines him, he must pronounce him unclean.


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But if the spot on the skin of his body is white and does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest must quarantine the infected person for seven days.


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The priest will then reexamine him on the seventh day. If the infection remains unchanged in his sight and has not spread on the skin, the priest must quarantine him for another seven days.


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The priest will examine him again on the seventh day. If the infection has faded and has not spread on the skin, the priest is to pronounce him clean; it is a scab. The person is to wash his clothes and will become clean.


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But if the scab spreads further on his skin after he has presented himself to the priest for his cleansing, he must present himself again to the priest.


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The priest will examine him, and if the scab has spread on the skin, then the priest must pronounce him unclean; he has a skin disease.


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The priest will examine him. If there is a white swelling on the skin that has turned the hair white, and there is a patch of raw flesh in the swelling,


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it is a chronic disease on the skin of his body, and the priest must pronounce him unclean. He need not quarantine him, for he is unclean.


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But if the skin disease breaks out completely over the skin so that it covers all the skin of the infected person from his head to his feet so far as the priest can see,


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the priest will look, and if the skin disease has covered his entire body, he is to pronounce the infected person clean. Since he has turned totally white, he is clean.


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When the priest examines the raw flesh, he must pronounce him unclean. Raw flesh is unclean; it is a skin disease.


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The priest will examine him, and if the infection has turned white, the priest must pronounce the infected person clean; he is clean.


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and a white swelling or a reddish-white spot develops where the boil was, the person must present himself to the priest.


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The priest will make an examination, and if the spot seems to be beneath the skin and the hair in it has turned white, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a skin disease that has broken out in the boil.


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But when the priest examines it, if there is no white hair in it, and it is not beneath the skin but is faded, the priest must quarantine him seven days.


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But if the spot remains where it is and does not spread, it is [only] the scar from the boil. The priest is to pronounce him clean.


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When there is a burn on the skin of one's body produced by fire, and the patch made raw by the burn becomes a reddish-white or white spot,


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the priest is to examine it. If the hair in the spot has turned white and the spot appears to be deeper than the skin, it is a skin disease that has broken out in the burn. The priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a skin disease.


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But when the priest examines it, if there is no white hair in the spot and it is not beneath the skin but is faded, the priest must quarantine him seven days.


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The priest will reexamine him on the seventh day. If it has spread further on the skin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a skin disease.


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But if the spot has remained where it was and has not spread on the skin but is faded, it is the swelling from the burn. The priest is to pronounce him clean, for it is [only] the scar from the burn.


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the priest must examine the infection. If it appears to be deeper than the skin, and the hair in it is yellow and sparse, the priest must pronounce the person unclean. It is a scaly outbreak, a skin disease of the head or chin.


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When the priest examines the scaly infection, if it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, the priest must quarantine the person with the scaly infection for seven days.


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The priest will reexamine the infection on the seventh day. If the scaly outbreak has not spread and there is no yellow hair in it and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin,


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the person must shave himself but not shave the scaly area. Then the priest must quarantine the person who has the scaly outbreak for another seven days.


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The priest will examine the scaly outbreak on the seventh day, and if it has not spread on the skin and does not appear to be deeper than the skin, the priest is to pronounce the person clean. He is to wash his clothes, and he will be clean.


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the priest is to examine the person. If the scaly outbreak has spread on the skin, the priest does not need to look for yellow hair; the person is unclean.


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But if as far as he can see, the scaly outbreak remains unchanged and black hair has grown in it, then it has healed; he is clean. The priest is to pronounce the person clean.


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the priest is to make an examination. If the spots on the skin of the body are dull white, it is [only] a rash that has broken out on the skin; the person is clean.


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But if there is a reddish-white infection on the bald head or forehead, it is a skin disease breaking out on his head or forehead.


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The priest is to examine him, and if the swelling of the infection on his bald head or forehead is reddish-white, like the appearance of a skin disease on his body,


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the man is afflicted with a skin disease; he is unclean. The priest must pronounce him unclean; the infection is on his head.


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The person afflicted with an infectious skin disease is to have his clothes torn and his hair hanging loose, and he must cover his mouth and cry out, 'Unclean, unclean!'


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He will remain unclean as long as he has the infection; he is unclean. He must live alone in a place outside the camp.


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and if the contamination is green or red in the fabric, the leather, the warp, the woof, or any leather article, it is a mildew contamination and is to be shown to the priest.


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The priest is to reexamine the contamination on the seventh day. If it has spread in the fabric, the warp, the woof, or the leather, regardless of how it is used, the contamination is harmful mildew; it is unclean.


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He is to burn the fabric, the warp or woof in wool or linen, or any leather article, which is contaminated. Since it is harmful mildew it must be burned up.


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When the priest examines [it], if the contamination has not spread in the fabric, the warp or woof, or any leather article,


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the priest is to order whatever is contaminated to be washed and quarantined for another seven days.


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After it has been washed, the priest is to reexamine the contamination. If the appearance of the contaminated article has not changed, it is unclean. Even though the contamination has not spread, you must burn up the fabric. It is a fungus on the front or back [of the fabric].


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If the priest examines [it], and the contamination has faded after it has been washed, he must cut the contaminated section out of the fabric, the leather, or the warp or woof.


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But if it reappears in the fabric, the warp or woof, or any leather article, it has broken out again. You must burn up whatever is contaminated.


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But if the contamination disappears from the fabric, the warp or woof, or any leather article, which have been washed, it is to be washed again, and it will be clean.


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This is the law concerning a mildew contamination in wool or linen fabric, warp or woof, or any leather article, in order to pronounce it clean or unclean."


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This is the law concerning the person afflicted with a skin disease on the day of his cleansing. He is to be brought to the priest,


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who will go outside the camp and examine [him]. If the skin disease has disappeared from the afflicted person,


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the priest will order that two live clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop be brought for the one who is to be cleansed.


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He is to take the live bird together with the cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop, and dip them all into the blood of the bird that was slaughtered over the fresh water.


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He will then sprinkle [the blood] seven times on the one who is to be cleansed from the skin disease. He is to pronounce him clean and release the live bird over the open countryside.


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The one who is to be cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe with water; he is clean. Afterwards he may enter the camp, but he must remain outside his tent for seven days.


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He is to shave off all his hair [again] on the seventh day: his head, his beard, his eyebrows, and the rest of his hair. He is to wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; he is clean.


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On the eighth day he must take two unblemished male lambs, an unblemished year-old ewe lamb, a grain offering of three quarts of fine flour mixed with olive oil, and one-third of a quart of olive oil.


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The priest who performs the cleansing will place the person who is to be cleansed, together with these offerings, before the LORD at the entrance to the tent of meeting.


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The priest is to take one male lamb and present it as a restitution offering, along with the one-third quart of olive oil, and he must wave them as a presentation offering before the LORD.


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He is to slaughter the male lamb at the place in the sanctuary area where the sin offering and burnt offering are slaughtered, for like the sin offering, the restitution offering belongs to the priest; it is especially holy.


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The priest is to take some of the blood from the restitution offering and put [it] on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.


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Then the priest will take some of the one-third of a quart of olive oil and pour it into his left palm.


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The priest will dip his right finger into the oil in his left palm and sprinkle some of the oil with his finger seven times before the LORD.


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From the oil remaining in his palm the priest will put some on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on top of the blood of the restitution offering.


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What is left of the oil in the priest's palm he is to put on the head of the one to be cleansed. In this way the priest will make atonement for him before the LORD.


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The priest must sacrifice the sin offering and make atonement for the one to be purified from his uncleanness. Afterwards he will slaughter the burnt offering.


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The priest is to offer the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. The priest will make atonement for him, and he will be clean.


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But if he is poor and cannot afford [these], he is to take one male lamb for a restitution offering to be waved in order to make atonement for him, along with two quarts of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, one-third of a quart of olive oil,


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and two turtledoves or two young pigeons, whatever he can afford, one to be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering.


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On the eighth day he is to bring these things for his cleansing to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting before the LORD.


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The priest will take the male lamb for the restitution offering and the one-third of a quart of olive oil, and wave them as a presentation offering before the LORD.


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After he slaughters the male lamb for the restitution offering, the priest is to take some of the blood of the restitution offering and put [it] on the right earlobe of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.


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With his right finger the priest will sprinkle some of the oil in his left palm seven times before the LORD.


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The priest will also put some of the oil in his palm on the right earlobe of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the [same] place as the blood of the restitution offering.


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What is left of the oil in the priest's palm he is to put on the head of the one to be cleansed to make atonement for him before the LORD.


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one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, [sacrificing] what he can afford together with the grain offering. In this way the priest will make atonement before the LORD for the one to be cleansed.


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When you enter the land of Canaan that I am giving you as a possession, and I place a mildew contamination in a house in the land you possess,


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the owner of the house is to come and tell the priest: Something like mildew contamination has appeared in my house.


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The priest must order them to clear the house before he enters to examine the contamination, so that nothing in the house becomes unclean. Afterwards the priest will come to examine the house.


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He will examine it, and if the contamination in the walls of the house consists of green or red indentations that appear to be beneath the surface of the wall,


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The priest is to return on the seventh day and examine it. If the contamination has spread on the walls of the house,


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the priest must order that the stones with the contamination be pulled out and thrown into an unclean place outside the city.


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He is to have the inside of the house completely scraped, and the plaster that is scraped off must be dumped in an unclean place outside the city.


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Then they must take different stones to replace the [former] ones and take additional plaster to replaster the house.


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If the contamination reappears in the house after the stones have been pulled out, and after the house has been scraped and replastered,


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the priest must come and examine it. If the contamination has spread in the house, it is harmful mildew; the house is unclean.


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It must be torn down with its stones, its beams, and all its plaster, and taken outside the city to an unclean place.


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Whoever enters the house during any of the days the priest quarantines it will be unclean until evening.


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Whoever lies down in the house is to wash his clothes, and whoever eats in it is to wash his clothes.


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But when the priest comes and examines it, if the contamination has not spread in the house after it was replastered, he is to pronounce the house clean because the contamination has disappeared.


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He will take the cedar wood, the hyssop, the scarlet yarn, and the live bird, dip them in the blood of the slaughtered bird and the fresh water, and sprinkle the house seven times.


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He will purify the house with the blood of the bird, the fresh water, the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop, and the scarlet yarn.


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Then he is to release the live bird into the open countryside outside the city. In this way he will make atonement for the house, and it will be clean.


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to determine when something is unclean or clean. This is the law regarding skin disease and mildew."


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This is uncleanness of his discharge: Whether his body secretes the discharge or retains it, he is unclean. All the days that his body secretes or retains anything because of his discharge, he is unclean.


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Any bed the man with the discharge lies on will be unclean, and any furniture he sits on will be unclean.


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Anyone who touches his bed is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening.


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Whoever sits on furniture that the man with the discharge was sitting on is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening.


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Whoever touches the body of the man with a discharge is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening.


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If the man with the discharge spits on anyone who is clean, he is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening.


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Whoever touches anything that was under him will be unclean until evening, and whoever carries such things is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening.


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If the man with the discharge touches anyone without [first] rinsing his hands in water, the person who was touched is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening.


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Any clay pot that the man with the discharge touches must be broken, while any wooden utensil must be rinsed with water.


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When the man with the discharge has been cured of it, he is to count seven days for his cleansing, wash his clothes, and bathe his body in fresh water; he will be clean.


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He must take two turtledoves or two young pigeons on the eighth day, come before the LORD at the entrance to the tent of meeting, and give them to the priest.


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The priest is to sacrifice them, one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for him before the LORD because of his discharge.


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When a man has an emission of semen, he is to bathe himself completely with water, and he will remain unclean until evening.


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Any clothing or leather on which there is an emission of semen must be washed with water, and it will remain unclean until evening.


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If a man sleeps with a woman and has an emission of semen, both of them are to bathe with water, and they will remain unclean until evening.


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When a woman has a discharge, and it consists of blood from her body, she will be unclean because of her menstruation for seven days. Everyone who touches her will be unclean until evening.


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Anything she lies on during her menstruation will become unclean, and anything she sits on will become unclean.


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Everyone who touches her bed is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening.


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Everyone who touches any furniture she was sitting on is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening.


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If discharge is on the bed or the furniture she was sitting on, when he touches it he will be unclean until evening.


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If a man sleeps with her, and [blood from] her menstruation gets on him, he will be unclean for seven days, and every bed he lies on will become unclean.


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When a woman has a discharge of her blood for many days, though it is not the time of her menstruation, or if she has a discharge beyond her period, she will be unclean all the days of her unclean discharge, as [she is] during the days of her menstruation.


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Any bed she lies on during the days of her discharge will be like her bed during menstrual impurity; any furniture she sits on will be unclean as in her menstrual period.


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Everyone who touches them will be unclean; he must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening.


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On the eighth day she must take two turtledoves or two young pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting.


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The priest is to sacrifice one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her before the LORD because of her unclean discharge.


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You must keep the Israelites from their uncleanness, so that they do not die by defiling My tabernacle that is among them.


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This is the law for someone with a discharge: a man who has an emission of semen, becoming unclean by it;


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a woman who is in her menstrual period; anyone who has a discharge, whether male or female; and a man who sleeps with an unclean woman."


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The LORD spoke to Moses after the death of two of Aaron's sons when they approached the presence of the LORD and died.


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The LORD said to Moses: "Tell your brother Aaron that he may not come whenever he wants into the holy place behind the veil in front of the mercy seat on the ark or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.


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Aaron is to enter the [most] holy place in this way: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.


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He is to wear a holy linen tunic, and linen undergarments are to be on his body. He must tie a linen sash [around him] and wrap his head with a linen turban. These are holy garments; he must bathe his body with water before he wears them.


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He is to take from the Israelite community two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering.


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Next he will take the two goats and place them before the LORD at the entrance to the tent of meeting.


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But the goat chosen by lot for Azazel is to be presented alive before the LORD to make purification with it by sending it into the wilderness for Azazel.


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When Aaron presents the bull for his sin offering and makes atonement for himself and his household, he will slaughter the bull for his sin offering.


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Then he must take a firepan full of fiery coals from the altar before the LORD and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense, and bring [them] inside the veil.


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He is to put the incense on the fire before the LORD, so that the cloud of incense covers the mercy seat that is over the testimony, or else he will die.


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He is to take some of the bull's blood and sprinkle [it] with his finger against the east side of the mercy seat; then he will sprinkle some of the blood with his finger before the mercy seat seven times.


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When he slaughters the male goat for the people's sin offering and brings its blood inside the veil, he must do the same with its blood as he did with the bull's blood: he is to sprinkle it against the mercy seat and in front of it.


text:
He will purify the [most] holy place in this way for all their sins because of the Israelites' impurities and rebellious acts. He will do the same for the tent of meeting that remains among them, because it is surrounded by their impurities.


text:
No one may be in the tent of meeting from the time he enters to make atonement in the [most] holy place until he leaves after he has made atonement for himself, his household, and the whole assembly of Israel.


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Then he will go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it. He is to take some of the bull's blood and some of the goat's blood and put [it] on the horns on all sides of the altar.


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He is to sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse and set it apart from the Israelites' impurities.


text:
When he has finished purifying the [most] holy place, the tent of meeting, and the altar, he is to present the live male goat.


text:
Aaron will lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the Israelites' wrongdoings and rebellious acts-- all their sins. He is to put them on the goat's head and send [it] away into the wilderness by the man appointed for the task.


text:
Then Aaron is to enter the tent of meeting, take off the linen garments he wore when he entered the [most] holy place, and leave them there.


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He will bathe his body with water in a holy place and put on his clothes. Then he must go out and sacrifice his burnt offering and the people's burnt offering; he will make atonement for himself and for the people.


text:
The man who released the goat for Azazel is to wash his clothes and bathe his body with water; afterwards he may reenter the camp.


text:
The bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought into the [most] holy place to make atonement, must be brought outside the camp and their hide, flesh, and dung burned up.


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The one who burns them is to wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterwards he may reenter the camp.


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This is to be a permanent statute for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth [day] of the month you are to practice self-denial and do no work, both the native and the foreigner who resides among you.


text:
Atonement will be made for you on this day to cleanse you, and you will be clean from all your sins before the LORD.


text:
It is a Sabbath of complete rest for you, and you must practice self-denial; it is a permanent statute.


text:
The priest who is anointed and ordained to serve as [high] priest in place of his father will make atonement. He will put on the linen garments, the holy garments,


text:
and purify the most holy place. He will purify the tent of meeting and the altar and will make atonement for the priests and all the people of the assembly.


text:
This is to be a permanent statute for you, to make atonement for the Israelites once a year because of all their sins." And all this was done as the LORD commanded Moses.


text:
Speak to Aaron, his sons, and all the Israelites and tell them: This is what the LORD has commanded:


text:
Anyone from the house of Israel who slaughters an ox, sheep, or goat in the camp, or slaughters [it] outside the camp,


text:
instead of bringing it to the entrance to the tent of meeting to present [it] as an offering to the LORD before His tabernacle-- that person will be charged with murder. He has shed blood and must be cut off from his people.


text:
This is so the Israelites will bring to the LORD the sacrifices they have been offering in the open country. They are to bring them to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting and offer them as fellowship sacrifices to the LORD.


text:
The priest will then sprinkle the blood on the LORD's altar at the entrance to the tent of meeting and burn the fat as a pleasing aroma to the LORD.


text:
They must no longer offer their sacrifices to the goat-demons that they have prostituted themselves with. This will be a permanent statute for them throughout their generations.


text:
Say to them: Anyone from the house of Israel or from the foreigners who live among them who offers a burnt offering or a sacrifice


text:
but does not bring it to the entrance to the tent of meeting to sacrifice it to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people.


text:
Anyone from the house of Israel or from the foreigners who live among them who eats any blood, I will turn against that person who eats blood and cut him off from his people.


text:
For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have appointed it to you to make atonement on the altar for your lives, since it is the lifeblood that makes atonement.


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Any Israelite or foreigner living among them, who hunts down a wild animal or bird that may be eaten must drain its blood and cover it with dirt.


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Since the life of every creature is its blood, I have told the Israelites: You must not eat the blood of any creature, because the life of every creature is its blood; whoever eats it must be cut off.


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Every person, whether the native or the foreigner, who eats an animal that died a natural death or was mauled by wild beasts is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening; he will be clean.


text:
Do not follow the practices of the land of Egypt, where you used to live, or follow the practices of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. You must not follow their customs.


text:
You are to practice My ordinances and you are to keep My statutes by following them; I am the LORD your God.


text:
You are not to shame your father by having sex with your mother. She is your mother; you must not have sexual intercourse with her.


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You are not to have sexual intercourse with your sister, either your father's daughter or your mother's, whether born at home or born elsewhere. You are not to have sex with her.


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You are not to have sexual intercourse with your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter, because it will shame your family.


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You are not to have sexual intercourse with your father's wife's daughter, who is adopted by your father; she is your sister.


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You are not to have sexual intercourse with your father's sister; she is your father's close relative.


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You are not to have sexual intercourse with your mother's sister, for she is your mother's close relative.


text:
You are not to shame your father's brother by coming near his wife to have sexual intercourse; she is your aunt.


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You are not to have sexual intercourse with your daughter-in-law. She is your son's wife; you are not to have sex with her.


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You are not to have sexual intercourse with a woman and her daughter. You are not to marry her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter and have sex with her. They are close relatives; it is depraved.


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You are not to marry a woman as a rival to her sister and have sexual intercourse with her during her [sister's] lifetime.


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You are not to make any of your children pass through [the fire] to Molech. Do not profane the name of your God; I am the LORD.


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You are not to have sexual intercourse with any animal, defiling yourself with it; a woman is not to present herself to an animal to mate with it; it is a perversion.


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Do not defile yourselves by any of these [practices], for the nations I am driving out before you have defiled themselves by all these things.


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The land has become defiled, so I am punishing it for its sin, and the land will vomit out its inhabitants.


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But you are to keep My statutes and ordinances. You must not commit any of these abominations-- not the native or the foreigner who lives among you.


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For the men who were in the land prior to you have committed all these abominations, and the land has become defiled.


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If you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it has vomited out the nations that were before you.


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You must keep My instruction to not do any of the detestable customs that were practiced before you, so that you do not defile yourselves by them; I am the LORD your God."


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Speak to the entire Israelite community and tell them: Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.


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Each of you is to respect his mother and father. You are to keep My Sabbaths; I am the LORD your God.


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It is to be eaten on the day you sacrifice [it] or on the next day, but what remains on the third day must be burned up.


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Anyone who eats it will bear his punishment, for he has profaned what is holy to the LORD. That person must be cut off from his people.


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When you reap the harvest of your land, you are not to reap to the very edge of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.


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You must not strip your vineyard bare or gather its fallen grapes. Leave them for the poor and the foreign resident; I am the LORD your God.


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You must not oppress your neighbor or rob [him]. The wages due a hired hand must not remain with you until morning.


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You must not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but you are to fear your God; I am the LORD.


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You must not act unjustly when rendering judgment. Do not be partial to the poor or give preference to the rich; judge your neighbor fairly.


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You must not go about spreading slander among your people; you must not jeopardize your neighbor's life; I am the LORD.


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You must not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor directly, and you will not incur guilt because of him.


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Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD.


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You are to keep My statutes. You must not crossbreed two different kinds of your livestock, sow your fields with two kinds of seed, or put on a garment made of two kinds of material.


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If a man has sexual intercourse with a woman who is a slave designated for [another] man, but she has not been redeemed or given her freedom, there must be punishment. They are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed.


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However, he must bring his ram as a restitution offering to the LORD at the entrance to the tent of meeting.


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The priest will make atonement on his behalf before the LORD with the ram of the restitution offering for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven for the sin he committed.


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When you come into the land and plant any kind of tree for food, you are to consider the fruit forbidden. It will be forbidden to you for three years; it is not to be eaten.


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But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way its yield will increase for you; I am the LORD your God.


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You are not to make gashes on your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves; I am the LORD.


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Do not debase your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will be prostituted and filled with depravity.


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Do not turn to mediums or consult spiritists, or you will be defiled by them; I am the LORD your God.


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You must regard the foreigner who lives with you as the native-born among you. You are to love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.


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You are to have honest balances, honest weights, an honest dry measure, and an honest liquid measure; I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.


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Say to the Israelites: Any Israelite or foreigner living in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech must be put to death; the people of the country are to stone him.


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I will turn against that man and cut him off from his people, because he gave his offspring to Molech, defiling My sanctuary and profaning My holy name.


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But if the people of the country look the other way when that man gives any of his children to Molech, and do not put him to death,


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then I will turn against that man and his family, and cut off from their people both him and all who follow him, prostituting themselves with Molech.


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Whoever turns to mediums or spiritists and prostitutes himself with them, I will turn against that person and cut him off from his people.


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If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or mother; his blood is on his own hands.


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If a man commits adultery with a married woman-- if he commits adultery with his neighbor's wife-- both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.


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If a man sleeps with his father's wife, he has shamed his father. Both of them must be put to death; their blood is on their own hands.


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If a man sleeps with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to death. They have acted perversely; their blood is on their own hands.


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If a man sleeps with a man as with a woman, they have both committed an abomination. They must be put to death; their blood is on their own hands.


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If a man marries a woman and her mother, it is depraved. Both he and they must be burned with fire, so that there will be no depravity among you.


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If a man has sexual intercourse with an animal, he must be put to death; you are also to kill the animal.


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If a woman comes near any animal and mates with it, you are to kill the woman and the animal. They must be put to death; their [own] blood is on them.


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If a man marries his sister, whether his father's daughter or his mother's daughter, and they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They must be cut off publicly from their people. He has had sexual intercourse with his sister; he will bear his punishment.


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If a man sleeps with a menstruating woman and has sexual intercourse with her, he has exposed the source of her [flow], and she has uncovered the source of her blood. Both of them must be cut off from their people.


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You must not have sexual intercourse with your mother's sister or your father's sister, for it is exposing one's own blood relative; both people will bear their punishment.


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If a man sleeps with his aunt, he has shamed his uncle; they will bear their guilt and die childless.


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If a man marries his brother's wife, it is impurity. He has shamed his brother; they will be childless.


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You are to keep all My statutes and all My ordinances, and do them, so that the land where I am bringing you to live will not vomit you out.


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You must not follow the statutes of the nations I am driving out before you, for they did all these things, and I abhorred them.


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And I promised you: You will inherit their land, since I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey. I am the LORD your God who set you apart from the peoples.


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Therefore you must distinguish the clean animal from the unclean one, and the unclean bird from the clean one. You are not to make yourselves detestable by any land animal, bird, or whatever crawls on the ground; I have set these apart as unclean for you.


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You are to be holy to Me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be Mine.


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A man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritist must be put to death. They are to be stoned; their blood is on their own hands."


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The LORD said to Moses: "Speak to Aaron's sons, the priests, and tell them: A priest is not to make himself ceremonially unclean for a [dead] person among his relatives,


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Priests may not make bald spots on their heads, shave the edge of their beards, or make gashes on their bodies.


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They are to be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, because they present the fire offerings to the LORD, the food of their God. They must be holy.


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They are not to marry a woman defiled by prostitution or divorced by her husband, for the priest is holy to his God.


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You are to consider him holy since he presents the food of your God. He will be holy to you because I, the LORD who sets you apart, am holy.


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If a priest's daughter defiles herself by promiscuity, she defiles her father; she must be burned up.


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The priest who is highest among his brothers, who has had the anointing oil poured on his head and has been ordained to wear the garments, must not dishevel his hair or tear his garments.


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He must not leave the sanctuary or he will desecrate the sanctuary of his God, for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him; I am the LORD.


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He is not to marry a widow, a divorced woman, or one defiled by prostitution. He is to marry a virgin from his own people,


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Tell Aaron: None of your descendants throughout your generations who has a physical defect is to come near to present the food of his God.


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No man who has any defect is to come near: no man who is blind, lame, facially disfigured, or deformed;


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or who is a hunchback or a dwarf, or who has an eye defect, a festering rash, scabs, or a crushed testicle.


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No descendant of Aaron the priest who has a defect is to come near to present the fire offerings to the LORD. He has a defect and is not to come near to present the food of his God.


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But because he has a defect, he must not go near the curtain or approach the altar. He is not to desecrate My sanctuaries, for I am the LORD who sets them apart."


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Tell Aaron and his sons to deal respectfully with the holy offerings of the Israelites that they have consecrated to Me, so they do not profane My holy name; I am the LORD.


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Say to them: If any man from any of your descendants throughout your generations is in a state of uncleanness yet approaches the holy offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the LORD, that person will be cut off from My presence; I am the LORD.


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No man of Aaron's descendants who has a skin disease or a discharge is to eat from the holy offerings until he is clean. Whoever touches anything made unclean by a dead person or by a man who has an emission of semen,


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or whoever touches any swarming creature that makes him unclean or any person who makes him unclean-- whatever his uncleanness--


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the man who touches any of these will remain unclean until evening and is not to eat from the holy offerings unless he has bathed his body with water.


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When the sun has set, he will become clean, and then he may eat from the holy offerings, for that is his food.


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He must not eat an animal that died naturally or was mauled by wild beasts, making himself unclean by it; I am the LORD.


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They must keep My instruction, or they will be guilty and die because they profane it; I am the LORD who sets them apart.


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No one outside a priest's family is to eat the holy offering. A foreigner staying with a priest or a hired hand is not to eat the holy offering.


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But if a priest purchases someone with his money, that person may eat it, and those born in his house may eat his food.


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If the priest's daughter is married to a man outside a priest's family, she is not to eat from the holy contributions.


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But if the priest's daughter becomes widowed or divorced, has no children, and returns to her father's house as in her youth, she may share her father's food. But no outsider may share it.


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If anyone eats a holy offering in error, he must add a fifth to its value and give the holy offering to the priest.


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and have them bear the penalty of restitution if the people eat their holy offerings. For I am the LORD who sets them apart."


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Speak to Aaron, his sons, and all the Israelites and tell them: Any man of the house of Israel or of the foreign residents in Israel who presents his offering-- whether they present freewill gifts or payment of vows to the LORD as burnt offerings--


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When a man presents a fellowship sacrifice to the LORD to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering from the herd or flock, it has to be unblemished to be acceptable; there must be no defect in it.


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You are not to present any [animal] to the LORD that is blind, injured, maimed, or has a running sore, festering rash, or scabs; you may not put any of them on the altar as a fire offering to the LORD.


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You may sacrifice as a freewill offering any animal from the herd or flock that has an elongated or stunted limb, but it is not acceptable as a vow offering.


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You are not to present to the LORD anything that has bruised, crushed, torn, or severed [testicles]; you must not sacrifice [them] in your land.


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Neither you nor a foreigner are to present food to your God from any of these animals. They will not be accepted for you because they are deformed and have a defect."


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When an ox, sheep, or goat is born, it must remain with its mother for seven days; from the eighth day on, it will be acceptable as a gift, a fire offering to the LORD.


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You must not profane My holy name; I must be treated as holy among the Israelites. I am the LORD who sets you apart,


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Speak to the Israelites and tell them: These are My appointed times, the times of the LORD that you will proclaim as sacred assemblies.


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For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there must be a Sabbath of complete rest, a sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; it is a Sabbath to the LORD wherever you live.


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These are the LORD's appointed times, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times.


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The Festival of Unleavened Bread to the LORD is on the fifteenth day of the same month. For seven days you must eat unleavened bread.


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You are to present a fire offering to the LORD for seven days. On the seventh day there will be a sacred assembly; you must not do any daily work."


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Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you enter the land I am giving you and reap its harvest, you are to bring the first sheaf of your harvest to the priest.


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He will wave the sheaf before the LORD so that you may be accepted; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath.


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On the day you wave the sheaf, you are to offer a year-old male lamb without blemish as a burnt offering to the LORD.


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Its grain offering is to be four quarts of fine flour mixed with oil as a fire offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma, and its drink offering will be one quart of wine.


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You must not eat bread, roasted grain, or [any] new grain until this very day, and you have brought the offering of your God. This is to be a permanent statute throughout your generations wherever you live.


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You are to count seven complete weeks starting from the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the presentation offering.


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You are to count 50 days until the day after the seventh Sabbath and then present an offering of new grain to the LORD.


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Bring two loaves of bread from your settlements as a presentation offering, each of them made from four quarts of fine flour, baked with yeast, as firstfruits to the LORD.


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You are to present with the bread seven unblemished male lambs a year old, one young bull, and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to the Lord, with their grain offerings and drink offerings, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the LORD.


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You are also to prepare one male goat as a sin offering, and two male lambs a year old as a fellowship sacrifice.


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The priest will wave the lambs with the bread of firstfruits as a presentation offering before the LORD; the bread and the two lambs will be holy to the LORD for the priest.


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On that same day you are to make a proclamation and hold a sacred assembly. You are not to do any daily work. This is to be a permanent statute wherever you live throughout your generations.


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When you reap the harvest of your land, you are not to reap all the way to the edge of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the foreign resident; I am the LORD your God."


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Tell the Israelites: In the seventh month, on the first [day] of the month, you are to have a day of complete rest, commemoration and jubilation-- a sacred assembly.


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The tenth [day] of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. You are to hold a sacred assembly and practice self-denial; you are to present a fire offering to the LORD.


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On this particular day you are not to do any work, for it is a Day of Atonement to make atonement for yourselves before the LORD your God.


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If any person does not practice self-denial on this particular day, he must be cut off from his people.


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You are not to do any work. This is a permanent statute throughout your generations wherever you live.


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It will be a Sabbath of complete rest for you, and you must practice self-denial. You are to observe your Sabbath from the evening of the ninth [day] of the month until the [following] evening."


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Tell the Israelites: The Festival of Booths to the LORD begins on the fifteenth day of this seventh month and continues for seven days.


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You are to present a fire offering to the LORD for seven days. On the eighth day you are to hold a sacred assembly and present a fire offering to the LORD. It is a solemn gathering; you are not to do any daily work.


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These are the LORD's appointed times that you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for presenting fire offerings to the LORD, burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings, each on its [designated] day.


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These are in addition to the offerings for the LORD's Sabbaths, your gifts, all your vow offerings, and all your freewill offerings that you give to the LORD.


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You are to celebrate the LORD's festival on the fifteenth day of the seventh month for seven days after you have gathered the produce of the land. There will be complete rest on the first day and complete rest on the eighth day.


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On the first day you are to take the product of majestic trees-- palm fronds, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook-- and rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days.


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You are to celebrate it as a festival to the LORD seven days each year. This is a permanent statute for you throughout your generations; you must celebrate it in the seventh month.


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so that your generations may know that I made the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God."


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Command the Israelites to bring you pure oil of beaten olives for the light, so that the lamp will burn regularly.


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Aaron is to tend it regularly from evening until morning before the LORD outside the veil of the testimony in the tent of meeting. This is a permanent statute throughout your generations.


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Place pure frankincense near each row, so that it may serve as a memorial portion for the bread and a fire offering to the LORD.


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The bread is to be set out before the LORD every Sabbath day as a perpetual covenant obligation on the part of the Israelites.


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It belongs to Aaron and his sons, who are to eat it in a holy place, for it is the holiest portion for him from the fire offerings to the Lord; this is a permanent rule."


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Now the son of an Israelite mother and an Egyptian father was among the Israelites. A fight broke out in the camp between the Israelite woman's son and an Israelite man.


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Her son cursed and blasphemed the Name, and they brought him to Moses. (His mother's name was Shelomith, a daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan.)


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Bring the one who has cursed to the outside of the camp and have all who heard [him] lay their hands on his head; then have the whole community stone him.


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Whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD is to be put to death; the whole community must stone him. If he blasphemes the Name, he is to be put to death, whether the foreign resident or the native.


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fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Whatever injury he inflicted on the person, the same is to be inflicted on him.


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Whoever kills an animal is to make restitution for it, but whoever kills a person is to be put to death.


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You are to have the same law for the foreign resident and the native, because I am the LORD your God."


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After Moses spoke to the Israelites, they brought the one who had cursed to the outside of the camp and stoned him. So the Israelites did as the LORD had commanded Moses.


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Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you enter the land I am giving you, the land will observe a Sabbath to the LORD.


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You may sow your field for six years, and you may prune your vineyard and gather its produce for six years.


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But there will be a Sabbath of complete rest for the land in the seventh year, a Sabbath to the LORD: you are not to sow your field or prune your vineyard.


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You are not to reap what grows by itself from your crop, or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. It must be a year of complete rest for the land.


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[Whatever] the land [produces during] the Sabbath year can be food for you; for yourself, your male or female slave, and the hired hand or foreigner who stays with you.


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You are to count seven sabbatic years, seven times seven years, so that the time period of the seven sabbatic years amounts to 49.


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Then you are to sound a trumpet loudly in the seventh month, on the tenth [day] of the month; you will sound it throughout your land on the Day of Atonement.


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You are to consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim freedom in the land for all its inhabitants. It will be your Jubilee, when each of you are to return to his property and each of you to his clan.


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The fiftieth year will be your Jubilee; you are not to sow, reap what grows by itself, or harvest its untended vines.


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It is to be holy to you because it is the Jubilee; you may [only] eat its produce [directly] from the field.


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You are to make the purchase from your neighbor based on the number of years since the last Jubilee. He is to sell to you based on the number of [remaining] harvest years.


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You are to increase its price in proportion to a greater amount of years, and decrease its price in proportion to a lesser amount of years, because what he is selling to you is a number of harvests.


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You are to observe My statutes and ordinances and carefully observe them, so that you may live securely in the land.


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Then the land will yield its fruit, so that you can eat, be satisfied, and live securely in the land.


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I will appoint My blessing for you in the sixth year, so that it will produce a crop sufficient for three years.


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When you sow in the eighth year, you will be eating from the previous harvest. You will be eating this until the ninth year when its harvest comes in.


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The land is not to be permanently sold because it is Mine, and you are only foreigners and temporary residents on My land.


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If your brother becomes destitute and sells part of his property, his nearest relative may come and redeem what his brother has sold.


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he may calculate the years since its sale, repay the balance to the man he sold it to, and return to his property.


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But if he cannot obtain enough to repay him, what he sold will remain in the possession of its purchaser until the Year of Jubilee. It is to be released at the Jubilee, so that he may return to his property.


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If a man sells a residence in a walled city, his right of redemption will last until a year has passed after its sale; his right of redemption will last a year.


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If it is not redeemed by the end of a full year, then the house in the walled city is permanently transferred to its purchaser throughout his generations. It is not to be released on the Jubilee.


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But houses in villages that have no walls around them are to be classified as open fields. The right to redeem [such] houses stays in effect, and they are to be released at the Jubilee.


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Concerning the Levitical cities, the Levites always have the right to redeem houses in the cities they possess.


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Whatever [property] one of the Levites can redeem-- a house sold in a city they possess-- must be released at the Jubilee, because the houses in the Levitical cities are their possession among the Israelites.


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If your brother becomes destitute and cannot sustain himself among you, you are to support him as a foreigner or temporary resident, so that he can continue to live among you.


text:
I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.


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If your brother among you becomes destitute and sells himself to you, you must not force him to do slave labor.


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Let him stay with you as a hired hand or temporary resident; he may work for you until the Year of Jubilee.


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Then he and his children are to be released from you, and he may return to his clan and his ancestral property.


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Your male and female slaves are to be from the nations around you; you may purchase male and female slaves.


text:
You may also purchase them from the foreigners staying with you, or from their families living among you-- those born in your land. These may become your property.


text:
You may leave them to your sons after you to inherit as property; you can make them slaves for life. But concerning your brothers, the Israelites, you must not rule over one another harshly.


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If a foreigner or temporary resident [living] among you prospers, but your brother [living] near him becomes destitute and sells himself to the foreigner living among you, or to a member of the foreigner's clan,


text:
His uncle or cousin may redeem him, or any of his close relatives from his clan may redeem him. If he prospers, he may redeem himself.


text:
The one who purchased him is to calculate [the time] from the year he sold himself to him until the Year of Jubilee. The price of his sale will be [determined] by the number of years. It will be [set] for him like the daily wages of a hired hand.


text:
If many years are still left, he must pay his redemption price in proportion to them based on his purchase price.


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If only a few years remain until the Year of Jubilee, he will calculate and pay the price of his redemption in proportion to his [remaining] years.


text:
He will stay with him like a man hired year by year. A foreign owner is not to rule over him harshly in your sight.


text:
If he is not redeemed in any of these [ways], he and his children are to be released at the Year of Jubilee.


text:
For the Israelites are My slaves. They are My slaves I brought out of the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.


text:
Do not make idols for yourselves, set up a carved image or sacred pillar for yourselves, or place a sculpted stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the LORD your God.


text:
I will give you rain at the right time, and the land will yield its produce, and the trees of the field will bear their fruit.


text:
Your threshing will continue until grape harvest, and the grape harvest will continue until sowing time; you will have plenty of food to eat and live securely in your land.


text:
I will give peace to the land, and you will lie down with nothing to frighten [you]. I will remove dangerous animals from the land, and no sword will pass through your land.


text:
Five of you will pursue 100, and 100 of you will pursue 10,000; your enemies will fall before you by the sword.


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You will eat the old grain of the previous year and will clear out the old to make room for the new.


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I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, so that you would no longer be their slaves. I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to live in freedom.


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if you reject My statutes and despise My ordinances, and do not observe all My commands-- and break My covenant,


text:
then I will do this to you: I will bring terror on you-- wasting disease and fever that will cause your eyes to fail and your life to ebb away. You will sow your seed in vain because your enemies will eat it.


text:
I will turn against you, so that you will be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even though no one is pursuing you.


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But if after these things you will not obey Me, I will proceed to discipline you seven times for your sins.


text:
and your strength will be used up for nothing. Your land will not yield its produce, and the trees of the land will not bear their fruit.


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If you act with hostility toward Me and are unwilling to obey Me, I will multiply your plagues seven times for your sins.


text:
I will send wild animals against you that will deprive you of your children, ravage your livestock, and reduce your numbers until your roads are deserted.


text:
I will bring a sword against you to execute the vengeance of the covenant. Though you withdraw into your cities, I will send a pestilence among you, and you will be delivered into enemy hands.


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When I cut off your supply of bread, 10 women will bake your bread in a single oven and ration out your bread by weight, so that you will eat but not be satisfied.


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I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and heap your dead bodies on the lifeless bodies of your idols; I will reject you.


text:
I will reduce your cities to ruins and devastate your sanctuaries. I will not smell the pleasing aroma of your [sacrifices].


text:
But I will scatter you among the nations, and I will draw a sword [to chase] after you. So your land will become desolate, and your cities will become ruins.


text:
Then the land will make up for its Sabbath [years] during the time it lies desolate, while you are in the land of your enemies. At that time the land will rest and make up for its Sabbaths.


text:
As long as it lies desolate, it will have the rest it did not have during your Sabbaths when you lived there.


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I will put anxiety in the hearts of those of you who survive in the lands of their enemies. The sound of a wind-driven leaf will put them to flight, and they will flee as one flees from a sword, and fall though no one is pursuing [them].


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They will stumble over one another as if [fleeing] from a sword though no one is pursuing [them]. You will not be able to stand against your enemies.


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Those who survive in the lands of your enemies will waste away because of their sin; they will also waste away because of their fathers' sins along with theirs.


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But if they will confess their sin and the sin of their fathers-- their unfaithfulness that they practiced against Me, and how they acted with hostility toward Me,


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and I acted with hostility toward them and brought them into the land of their enemies-- and if their uncircumcised hearts will be humbled, and if they will pay the penalty for their sin,


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then I will remember My covenant with Jacob. I will also remember My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land.


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For the land abandoned by them will make up for its Sabbaths by lying desolate without the people, while they pay the penalty for their sin, because they rejected My ordinances and abhorred My statutes.


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Yet in spite of this, while they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject or abhor them so as to destroy them and break My covenant with them, since I am the LORD their God.


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For their sake I will remember the covenant with their fathers, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations to be their God; I am the LORD."


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These are the statutes, ordinances, and laws the LORD established between Himself and the Israelites through Moses on Mount Sinai.


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Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When someone makes a special vow to the LORD that involves the valuation of people,


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if the valuation concerns a male from 20 to 60 years old, your valuation is 50 silver shekels [measured] by the standard sanctuary shekel.


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If the person is from five to 20 years old, your valuation for a male is 20 shekels and for a female 10 shekels.


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If the person is from one month to five years old, your valuation for a male is five silver shekels, and for a female your valuation is three shekels of silver.


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If the person is 60 years or more, your valuation is 15 shekels for a male and 10 shekels for a female.


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But if one is too poor to pay the valuation, he must present the person before the priest and the priest will set a value for him. The priest will set a value for him according to what the one making the vow can afford.


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If the vow involves one of the animals that may be brought as an offering to the LORD, any of these he gives to the LORD will be holy.


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He may not replace it or make a substitution for it, either good for bad, or bad for good. But if he does substitute one animal for another, both that animal and its substitute will be holy.


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If the vow involves any of the unclean animals that may not be brought as an offering to the LORD, the animal must be presented before the priest.


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The priest will set its value, whether high or low; the price will be set as the priest makes the valuation for you.


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When a man consecrates his house as holy to the LORD, the priest will assess its value, whether high or low. The price will stand just as the priest assesses it.


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But if the one who consecrated his house redeems [it], he must add a fifth to the valuation price, and it will be his.


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If a man consecrates to the LORD any part of a field that he possesses, your valuation will be proportional to the seed needed to sow it, at the rate of 50 silver shekels for [every] five bushels of barley seed.


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If he consecrates his field during the Year of Jubilee, the price will stand according to your valuation.


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But if he consecrates his field after the Jubilee, the priest will calculate the price for him in proportion to the years left until the [next] Year of Jubilee, so that your valuation will be reduced.


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If the one who consecrated the field decides to redeem it, he must add a fifth to the valuation price, and the field will transfer back to him.


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But if he does not redeem the field or if he has sold it to another man, it is no longer redeemable.


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When the field is released in the Jubilee, it will be holy to the LORD like a field permanently set apart; it becomes the priest's property.


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If a person consecrates to the LORD a field he has purchased that is not part of his inherited landholding,


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then the priest will calculate for him the amount of the valuation up to the Year of Jubilee, and the person will pay the valuation on that day as a holy offering to the LORD.


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But no one can consecrate a firstborn of the livestock, whether an animal from the herd or flock, to the LORD, because a firstborn [already] belongs to the LORD.


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If it is one of the unclean livestock, it must be ransomed according to your valuation by adding a fifth of its value to it. If it is not redeemed, it can be sold according to your valuation.


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Nothing that a man permanently sets apart to the LORD from all he owns, whether a person, an animal, or his inherited landholding, can be sold or redeemed; everything set apart is especially holy to the LORD.


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Every tenth of the land's produce, grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.


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Every tenth animal from the herd or flock, which passes under the [shepherd's] rod, will be holy to the LORD.


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He is not to inspect whether it is good or bad, and he is not to make a substitution for it. But if he does make a substitution, both the animal and its substitute will be holy; they cannot be redeemed."


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The LORD spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the Wilderness of Sinai, on the first [day] of the second month of the second year after Israel's departure from the land of Egypt:


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Take a census of the entire Israelite community by their clans and their ancestral houses, counting the names of every male one by one.


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You and Aaron are to register those who are 20 years old or more by their military divisions-- everyone who can serve in Israel's army.


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from the sons of Joseph: Elishama son of Ammihud from Ephraim, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur from Manasseh;


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These are the men called from the community; they are leaders of their ancestral tribes, the heads of Israel's clans."


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and they assembled the whole community on the first day of the second month. They recorded their ancestry by their clans and their ancestral houses, counting one by one the names of those 20 years old or more,


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The descendants of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral houses, counting one by one the names of every male 20 years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army,


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The descendants of Simeon: according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral houses, those registered counting one by one the names of every male 20 years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army,


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The descendants of Gad: according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral houses, counting the names of those 20 years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army,


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The descendants of Judah: according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral houses, counting the names of those 20 years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army,


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The descendants of Issachar: according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral houses, counting the names of those 20 years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army,


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The descendants of Zebulun: according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral houses, counting the names of those 20 years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army,


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The descendants of Joseph: The descendants of Ephraim: according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral houses, counting the names of those 20 years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army,


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The descendants of Manasseh: according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral houses, counting the names of those 20 years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army,


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The descendants of Benjamin: according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral houses, counting the names of those 20 years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army,


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The descendants of Dan: according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral houses, counting the names of those 20 years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army,


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The descendants of Asher: according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral houses, counting the names of those 20 years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army,


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The descendants of Naphtali: according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral houses, counting the names of those 20 years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army,


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These are the men Moses and Aaron registered, with [the assistance of] the 12 leaders of Israel; each represented his ancestral house.


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So all the Israelites 20 years old or more, everyone who could serve in Israel's army, were registered by their ancestral houses.


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Appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, all its furnishings, and everything in it. They are to transport the tabernacle and all its articles, take care of it, and camp around it.


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Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever it is to stop at a campsite, the Levites are to set it up. Any unauthorized person who comes near [it] must be put to death.


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The Israelites are to camp by their military divisions, each man with his encampment and under his banner.


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The Levites are to camp around the tabernacle of the testimony and watch over it, so that no wrath will fall on the Israelite community."


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The Israelites are to camp under their respective banners beside the flags of their ancestral houses. They are to camp around the tent of meeting at a distance [from it]:


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Judah's military divisions will camp on the east side toward the sunrise under their banner. The leader of the descendants of Judah is Nahshon son of Amminadab.


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The total number in their military divisions who belong to Judah's encampment is 186,400; they will move out first.


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Reuben's military divisions will camp on the south side under their banner. The leader of the Reubenites is Elizur son of Shedeur.


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The tribe of Simeon will camp next to it. The leader of the Simeonites is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.


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The total number in their military divisions who belong to Reuben's encampment is 151,450; they will move out second.


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The tent of meeting is to move out with the Levites' camp, which is in the middle of the camps. They are to move out just as they camp, each in his place, with their banners.


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Ephraim's military divisions will camp on the west side under their banner. The leader of the Ephraimites is Elishama son of Ammihud.


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The total in their military divisions who belong to Ephraim's encampment number 108,100; they will move out third.


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Dan's military divisions will camp on the north side under their banner. The leader of the Danites is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.


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The total number who belong to Dan's encampment is 157,600; they are to move out last, with their banners."


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These are the Israelites registered by their ancestral houses. The total number in the camps by their military divisions is 603,550.


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The Israelites did everything the LORD commanded Moses; they camped by their banners in this way and moved out the same way, each man by his clan and by his ancestral house.


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These are the family records of Aaron and Moses at the time the LORD spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.


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But Nadab and Abihu died in the LORD's presence when they presented unauthorized fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai, and they had no sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests under the direction of Aaron their father.


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They are to perform duties for him and the entire community before the tent of meeting by attending to the service of the tabernacle.


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They are to take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting and perform duties for the Israelites by attending to the service of the tabernacle.


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Assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they have been assigned exclusively to him from the Israelites.


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You are to appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out their priestly responsibilities, but any unauthorized person who comes near [the sanctuary] must be put to death."


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See, I have taken the Levites from the Israelites in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb. The Levites belong to Me,


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because every firstborn belongs to Me. At the time I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated every firstborn in Israel to Myself, both man and animal; they are Mine; I am the LORD."


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Register the Levites by their ancestral houses and their clans. You are to register every male one month old or more."


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Merari's sons by their clans were Mahli and Mushi. These were the Levite clans by their ancestral houses.


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The Gershonites' duties at the tent of meeting involved the tabernacle, the tent, its covering, the screen for the entrance to the tent of meeting,


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the hangings of the courtyard, the screen for the entrance to the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and the altar, and the tent ropes-- all the work relating to these.


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The Amramite clan, the Izharite clan, the Hebronite clan, and the Uzzielite clan came from Kohath; these were the Kohathites.


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Counting every male one month old or more, there were 8,600 responsible for the duties of the sanctuary.


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Their duties involved the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the sanctuary utensils that were used with these, and the screen-- and all the work relating to them.


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The chief of the Levite leaders was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest; he had oversight of those responsible for the duties of the sanctuary.


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The leader of the family of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail; they camped on the north side of the tabernacle.


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The assigned duties of Merari's descendants involved the tabernacle's supports, crossbars, posts, bases, all its equipment, and all the work related to these,


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Moses, Aaron, and his sons, who performed the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites, camped in front of the tabernacle on the east, in front of the tent of meeting toward the sunrise. Any unauthorized person who came near [it] was to be put to death.


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The total number of all the Levite males one month old or more that Moses and Aaron registered by their clans at the LORD's command was 22,000.


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The LORD told Moses: "Register every firstborn male of the Israelites one month old or more, and list their names.


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You are to take the Levites for Me-- I am the Lord-- in place of every firstborn among the Israelites, and the Levites' cattle in place of every firstborn among the Israelites' cattle."


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Take the Levites in place of every firstborn among the Israelites, and the Levites' cattle in place of their cattle. The Levites belong to Me; I am the LORD.


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collect five shekels for each person, according to the standard sanctuary shekel-- 20 gerahs to the shekel.


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Give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for those who are in excess among the Israelites."


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He collected the money from the firstborn Israelites: 1,365 [shekels measured] by the standard sanctuary shekel.


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He gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons in obedience to the LORD, just as the LORD commanded Moses.


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men from 30 years old to 50 years old-- everyone who is qualified to do work at the tent of meeting.


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Whenever the camp is about to move on, Aaron and his sons are to go in, take down the screening veil, and cover the ark of the testimony with it.


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They are to place over this a covering made of manatee skin, spread a solid blue cloth on top, and insert its poles.


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They are to spread a blue cloth over the table of the Presence and place the plates and cups on it, as well as the bowls and pitchers for the drink offering. The regular bread [offering] is to be on it.


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They are to spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover them with a covering made of manatee skin, and insert the poles [in the table].


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They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand used for light, with its lamps, snuffers, and firepans, as well as its jars of oil by which they service it.


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Then they must place it with all its utensils inside a covering made of manatee skin and put [them] on the carrying frame.


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They are to spread a blue cloth over the gold altar, cover it with a covering made of manatee skin, and insert its poles.


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They are to take all the serving utensils they use in the sanctuary, place [them] in a blue cloth, cover them with a covering made of manatee skin, and put [them] on a carrying frame.


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and place all the equipment on it that they use in serving: the firepans, meatforks, shovels, and basins-- all the equipment of the altar. They are to spread a covering made of manatee skin over it and insert its poles.


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Aaron and his sons are to finish covering the holy objects and all their equipment whenever the camp is to move on. The Kohathites will come and carry them, but they are not to touch the holy objects or they will die. These are the transportation duties of the Kohathites regarding the tent of meeting.


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Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has oversight of the lamp oil, the fragrant incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil. [He has] oversight of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, the holy objects and their utensils."


text:
Do this for them so that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy objects: Aaron and his sons are to go in and assign each man his task and transportation duty.


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Register men from 30 years old to 50 years old, everyone who is qualified to perform service, to do work at the tent of meeting.


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They are to transport the tabernacle curtains, the tent of meeting with its covering and the covering made of manatee skin on top of it, the screen for the entrance to the tent of meeting,


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the hangings of the courtyard, the screen for the entrance at the gate of the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and the altar, along with their ropes and all the equipment for their service. They will carry out everything that needs to be done with these items.


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All the service of the Gershonites, all their transportation duties and all their [other] work, is to be [done] at the command of Aaron and his sons; you are to assign to them all that they are responsible to carry.


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This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the tent of meeting, and their duties will be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.


text:
Register men from 30 years old to 50 years old, everyone who is qualified to do the work of the tent of meeting.


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This is what they are responsible to carry as the whole of their service at the tent of meeting: the supports of the tabernacle, with its crossbars, posts, and bases,


text:
the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes, including all their equipment and all the work related to them. You are to assign by name the items that they are responsible to carry.


text:
This is the service of the Merarite clans regarding all their work at the tent of meeting, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest."


text:
So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the community registered the Kohathites by their clans and their ancestral houses,


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These were the registered men of the Kohathite clans, everyone who could serve at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron registered them at the LORD's command through Moses.


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These were the registered men of the Gershonite clans. At the LORD's command Moses and Aaron registered everyone who could serve at the tent of meeting.


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those from 30 years old to 50 years old, everyone who was qualified for work at the tent of meeting.


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These were the registered men of the Merarite clans; Moses and Aaron registered them at the LORD's command through Moses.


text:
Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel registered all the Levites by their clans and their ancestral houses,


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from 30 years old to 50 years old, everyone who was qualified to do the work of serving at the tent of meeting and transporting [it].


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At the LORD's command they were registered under the direction of Moses, each one according to his work and transportation duty, and his assignment was as the LORD commanded Moses.


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Command the Israelites to send away anyone from the camp who is afflicted with a skin disease, anyone who has a [bodily] discharge, or anyone who is defiled because of a corpse.


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You must send away both male or female; send them outside the camp, so that they will not defile their camps where I dwell among them."


text:
The Israelites did this, sending them outside the camp. The Israelites did as the LORD instructed Moses.


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Tell the Israelites: When a man or woman commits any sin against another, that person acts unfaithfully toward the LORD and is guilty.


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The person is to confess the sin he has committed. He is to pay full compensation, add a fifth of its value to it, and give [it] to the individual he has wronged.


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But if that individual has no relative to receive compensation, the compensation goes to the LORD for the priest, along with the atonement ram by which the priest will make atonement for the [guilty] person.


text:
and sleeps with another, but it is concealed from her husband, and she is undetected, even though she has defiled herself, since there is no witness against her, and she wasn't caught [in the act];


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and if a feeling of jealousy comes over the husband and he becomes jealous because of his wife who has defiled herself-- or if a feeling of jealousy comes over him and he becomes jealous of her though she has not defiled herself--


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then the man is to bring his wife to the priest. He is also to bring an offering for her of two quarts of barley flour. He is not to pour oil over it or put frankincense on it because it is a grain offering of jealousy, a grain offering for remembrance that brings sin to mind.


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Then the priest is to take holy water in a clay bowl, and take some of the dust from the tabernacle floor and put [it] in the water.


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After the priest has the woman stand before the Lord, he is to let down her hair and place in her hands the grain offering for remembrance, which is the grain offering of jealousy. The priest is to hold the bitter water that brings a curse.


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The priest will require the woman to take an oath and will say to her, 'If no man has slept with you, if you have not gone astray and become defiled while under your husband's authority, be unaffected by this bitter water that brings a curse.


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But if you have gone astray while under your husband's authority, if you have defiled yourself and a man other than your husband has slept with you'--


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at this point the priest must make the woman take the oath with the sworn curse, and he is to say to her-- 'May the LORD make you into an object of your people's cursing and swearing when He makes your thigh shrivel and your belly swell.


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May this water that brings a curse enter your stomach, causing [your] belly to swell and [your] thigh to shrivel.' "And the woman must reply, ' Amen, Amen.'


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He will require the woman to drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and it will enter her and cause bitter suffering.


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The priest is to take the grain offering of jealousy from the woman's hand, wave the offering before the LORD, and bring it to the altar.


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The priest is to take a handful of the grain offering as a memorial portion and burn it on the altar. Then he will require the woman to drink the water.


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When he makes her drink the water, if she has defiled herself and been unfaithful to her husband, the water that brings a curse will enter her and cause bitter suffering; her belly will swell, and her thigh will shrivel. She will become a curse among her people.


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But if the woman has not defiled herself and is pure, she will be unaffected and will be able to conceive children.


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This is the law regarding jealousy when a wife goes astray and defiles herself while under her husband's authority,


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or when a feeling of jealousy comes over a husband and he becomes jealous of his wife. He is to have the woman stand before the LORD, and the priest will apply this entire ritual to her.


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Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When a man or woman makes a special vow, a Nazirite vow, to consecrate himself to the Lord,


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he is to abstain from wine and beer. He must not drink vinegar made from wine or from beer. He must not drink any grape juice or eat fresh grapes or raisins.


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You must not cut his hair throughout the time of his vow of consecration. He must be holy until the time is completed during which he consecrates himself to the LORD; he is to let the hair of his head grow long.


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He is not to defile himself for his father or mother, or his brother or sister, when they die, because the hair consecrated to his God is on his head.


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If someone suddenly dies near him, defiling his consecrated head of hair, he must shave his head on the day of his purification; he is to shave it on the seventh day.


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On the eighth day he is to bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting.


