# verses

text:
 the earth was formless and desolate. The raging ocean that covered everything was engulfed in total darkness, and the Spirit of God was moving over the water.


text:
 and he named the light "Day" and the darkness "Night." Evening passed and morning came---that was the first day.


text:
 Then God commanded, "Let there be a dome to divide the water and to keep it in two separate places"---and it was done. So God made a dome, and it separated the water under it from the water above it.


text:
 Then God commanded, "Let the water below the sky come together in one place, so that the land will appear"---and it was done.


text:
 He named the land "Earth," and the water which had come together he named "Sea." And God was pleased with what he saw.


text:
 Then he commanded, "Let the earth produce all kinds of plants, those that bear grain and those that bear fruit"---and it was done.


text:
 Then God commanded, "Let lights appear in the sky to separate day from night and to show the time when days, years, and religious festivals begin;


text:
 So God made the two larger lights, the sun to rule over the day and the moon to rule over the night; he also made the stars.


text:
 to rule over the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God was pleased with what he saw.


text:
 Then God commanded, "Let the water be filled with many kinds of living beings, and let the air be filled with birds."


text:
 So God created the great sea monsters, all kinds of creatures that live in the water, and all kinds of birds. And God was pleased with what he saw.


text:
 He blessed them all and told the creatures that live in the water to reproduce and to fill the sea, and he told the birds to increase in number.


text:
 Then God commanded, "Let the earth produce all kinds of animal life: domestic and wild, large and small"---and it was done.


text:
 Then God said, "And now we will make human beings; they will be like us and resemble us. They will have power over the fish, the birds, and all animals, domestic and wild, large and small."


text:
 blessed them, and said, "Have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth and bring it under their control. I am putting you in charge of the fish, the birds, and all the wild animals.


text:
 but for all the wild animals and for all the birds I have provided grass and leafy plants for food"---and it was done.


text:
 God looked at everything he had made, and he was very pleased. Evening passed and morning came---that was the sixth day.


text:
 He blessed the seventh day and set it apart as a special day, because by that day he had completed his creation and stopped working.


text:
 there were no plants on the earth and no seeds had sprouted, because he had not sent any rain, and there was no one to cultivate the land;


text:
 Then the LORD God took some soil from the ground and formed a man out of it; he breathed life-giving breath into his nostrils and the man began to live.


text:
 He made all kinds of beautiful trees grow there and produce good fruit. In the middle of the garden stood the tree that gives life and the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and what is bad.


text:
 except the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and what is bad. You must not eat the fruit of that tree; if you do, you will die the same day."


text:
 Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to live alone. I will make a suitable companion to help him."


text:
 So he took some soil from the ground and formed all the animals and all the birds. Then he brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and that is how they all got their names.


text:
 So the man named all the birds and all the animals; but not one of them was a suitable companion to help him.


text:
 Then the LORD God made the man fall into a deep sleep, and while he was sleeping, he took out one of the man's ribs and closed up the flesh.


text:
 Then the man said, "At last, here is one of my own kind--- Bone taken from my bone, and flesh from my flesh. 'Woman' is her name because she was taken out of man."


text:
 Now the snake was the most cunning animal that the LORD God had made. The snake asked the woman, "Did God really tell you not to eat fruit from any tree in the garden?"


text:
 "except the tree in the middle of it. God told us not to eat the fruit of that tree or even touch it; if we do, we will die."


text:
 God said that because he knows that when you eat it, you will be like God and know what is good and what is bad."


text:
 The woman saw how beautiful the tree was and how good its fruit would be to eat, and she thought how wonderful it would be to become wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, and he also ate it.


text:
 As soon as they had eaten it, they were given understanding and realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and covered themselves.


text:
 The LORD God asked the woman, "Why did you do this?" She replied, "The snake tricked me into eating it."


text:
 Then the LORD God said to the snake, "You will be punished for this; you alone of all the animals must bear this curse: From now on you will crawl on your belly, and you will have to eat dust as long as you live.


text:
 I will make you and the woman hate each other; her offspring and yours will always be enemies. Her offspring will crush your head, and you will bite her offspring's heel."


text:
 And he said to the woman, "I will increase your trouble in pregnancy and your pain in giving birth. In spite of this, you will still have desire for your husband, yet you will be subject to him."


text:
 And he said to the man, "You listened to your wife and ate the fruit which I told you not to eat. Because of what you have done, the ground will be under a curse. You will have to work hard all your life to make it produce enough food for you.


text:
 You will have to work hard and sweat to make the soil produce anything, until you go back to the soil from which you were formed. You were made from soil, and you will become soil again."


text:
 Then the LORD God said, "Now these human beings have become like one of us and have knowledge of what is good and what is bad. They must not be allowed to take fruit from the tree that gives life, eat it, and live forever."


text:
 So the LORD God sent them out of the Garden of Eden and made them cultivate the soil from which they had been formed.


text:
 Then at the east side of the garden he put living creatures and a flaming sword which turned in all directions. This was to keep anyone from coming near the tree that gives life.


text:
 Then Adam had intercourse with his wife, and she became pregnant. She bore a son and said, "By the LORD's help I have gotten a son." So she named him Cain.


text:
 Then Abel brought the first lamb born to one of his sheep, killed it, and gave the best parts of it as an offering. The LORD was pleased with Abel and his offering,


text:
 If you had done the right thing, you would be smiling; but because you have done evil, sin is crouching at your door. It wants to rule you, but you must overcome it."


text:
 Then Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out in the fields." When they were out in the fields, Cain turned on his brother and killed him.


text:
 The LORD asked Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" He answered, "I don't know. Am I supposed to take care of my brother?"


text:
 Then the LORD said, "Why have you done this terrible thing? Your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground, like a voice calling for revenge.


text:
 You are placed under a curse and can no longer farm the soil. It has soaked up your brother's blood as if it had opened its mouth to receive it when you killed him.


text:
 If you try to grow crops, the soil will not produce anything; you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth."


text:
 You are driving me off the land and away from your presence. I will be a homeless wanderer on the earth, and anyone who finds me will kill me."


text:
 But the LORD answered, "No. If anyone kills you, seven lives will be taken in revenge." So the LORD put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who met him not to kill him.


text:
 And Cain went away from the LORD's presence and lived in a land called "Wandering," which is east of Eden.


text:
 Cain and his wife had a son and named him Enoch. Then Cain built a city and named it after his son.


text:
 Enoch had a son named Irad, who was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael had a son named Methushael, who was the father of Lamech.


text:
 Zillah gave birth to Tubal Cain, who made all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal Cain was Naamah.


text:
 Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, listen to me: I have killed a young man because he struck me.


text:
 Adam and his wife had another son. She said, "God has given me a son to replace Abel, whom Cain killed." So she named him Seth.


text:
 Seth had a son whom he named Enosh. It was then that people began using the LORD's holy name in worship.


text:
 This is the list of the descendants of Adam. (When God created human beings, he made them like himself.


text:
 and said, "From the very ground on which the LORD put a curse, this child will bring us relief from all our hard work"; so he named him Noah.


text:
 some of the heavenly beings saw that these young women were beautiful, so they took the ones they liked.


text:
 Then the LORD said, "I will not allow people to live forever; they are mortal. From now on they will live no longer than 120 years."


text:
 In those days, and even later, there were giants on the earth who were descendants of human women and the heavenly beings. They were the great heroes and famous men of long ago.


text:
 that he said, "I will wipe out these people I have created, and also the animals and the birds, because I am sorry that I made any of them."


text:
 This is the story of Noah. He had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Noah had no faults and was the only good man of his time. He lived in fellowship with God,


text:
 God said to Noah, "I have decided to put an end to all people. I will destroy them completely, because the world is full of their violent deeds.


text:
 Build a boat for yourself out of good timber; make rooms in it and cover it with tar inside and out.


text:
 Make a roof for the boat and leave a space of 18 inches between the roof and the sides. Build it with three decks and put a door in the side.


text:
 I am going to send a flood on the earth to destroy every living being. Everything on the earth will die,


text:
 Take into the boat with you a male and a female of every kind of animal and of every kind of bird, in order to keep them alive.


text:
 The LORD said to Noah, "Go into the boat with your whole family; I have found that you are the only one in all the world who does what is right.


text:
 Take with you seven pairs of each kind of ritually clean animal, but only one pair of each kind of unclean animal.


text:
 Take also seven pairs of each kind of bird. Do this so that every kind of animal and bird will be kept alive to reproduce again on the earth.


text:
 Seven days from now I am going to send rain that will fall for forty days and nights, in order to destroy all the living beings that I have made."


text:
 When Noah was six hundred years old, on the seventeenth day of the second month all the outlets of the vast body of water beneath the earth burst open, all the floodgates of the sky were opened,


text:
 On that same day Noah and his wife went into the boat with their three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and their wives.


text:
 The LORD destroyed all living beings on the earth---human beings, animals, and birds. The only ones left were Noah and those who were with him in the boat.


text:
 God had not forgotten Noah and all the animals with him in the boat; he caused a wind to blow, and the water started going down.


text:
 The outlets of the water beneath the earth and the floodgates of the sky were closed. The rain stopped,


text:
 On the seventeenth day of the seventh month the boat came to rest on a mountain in the Ararat range.


text:
 The water kept going down, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains appeared.


text:
 and sent out a raven. It did not come back, but kept flying around until the water was completely gone.


text:
 but since the water still covered all the land, the dove did not find a place to light. It flew back to the boat, and Noah reached out and took it in.


text:
 It returned to him in the evening with a fresh olive leaf in its beak. So Noah knew that the water had gone down.


text:
 When Noah was 601 years old, on the first day of the first month, the water was gone. Noah removed the covering of the boat, looked around, and saw that the ground was getting dry.


text:
 Take all the birds and animals out with you, so that they may reproduce and spread over all the earth."


text:
 Noah built an altar to the LORD; he took one of each kind of ritually clean animal and bird, and burned them whole as a sacrifice on the altar.


text:
 The odor of the sacrifice pleased the LORD, and he said to himself, "Never again will I put the earth under a curse because of what people do; I know that from the time they are young their thoughts are evil. Never again will I destroy all living beings, as I have done this time.


text:
 As long as the world exists, there will be a time for planting and a time for harvest. There will always be cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night."


text:
 God blessed Noah and his sons and said, "Have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth.


text:
 The one thing you must not eat is meat with blood still in it; I forbid this because the life is in the blood.


text:
 If anyone takes human life, he will be punished. I will punish with death any animal that takes a human life.


text:
 and with all living beings---all birds and all animals---everything that came out of the boat with you.


text:
 With these words I make my covenant with you: I promise that never again will all living beings be destroyed by a flood; never again will a flood destroy the earth.


text:
 I will remember my promise to you and to all the animals that a flood will never again destroy all living beings.


text:
 When the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between me and all living beings on earth.


text:
 The sons of Noah who went out of the boat were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.)


text:
 When Ham, the father of Canaan, saw that his father was naked, he went out and told his two brothers.


text:
 Then Shem and Japheth took a robe and held it behind them on their shoulders. They walked backward into the tent and covered their father, keeping their faces turned away so as not to see him naked.


text:
 May God cause Japheth to increase! May his descendants live with the people of Shem! Canaan will be the slave of Japheth."


text:
 These are the descendants of Noah's sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. These three had sons after the flood.


text:
 The sons of Japheth---Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras---were the ancestors of the peoples who bear their names.


text:
 they were the ancestors of the people who live along the coast and on the islands. These are the descendants of Japheth, living in their different tribes and countries, each group speaking its own language.


text:
 The sons of Ham---Cush, Egypt, Libya, and Canaan---were the ancestors of the peoples who bear their names.


text:
 The descendants of Cush were the people of Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The descendants of Raamah were the people of Sheba and Dedan.


text:
 By the LORD's help he was a great hunter, and that is why people say, "May the LORD make you as great a hunter as Nimrod!"


text:
 Canaan's sons---Sidon, the oldest, and Heth---were the ancestors of the peoples who bear their names.


text:
 the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. The different tribes of the Canaanites spread out,


text:
 until the Canaanite borders reached from Sidon southward to Gerar near Gaza, and eastward to Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim near Lasha.


text:
 These are the descendants of Ham, living in their different tribes and countries, each group speaking its own language.


text:
 Shem's sons---Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram---were the ancestors of the peoples who bear their names.


text:
 Eber had two sons: one was named Peleg, because during his time the people of the world were divided; and the other was named Joktan.


text:
 These are the descendants of Shem, living in their different tribes and countries, each group speaking its own language.


text:
 All these peoples are the descendants of Noah, nation by nation, according to their different lines of descent. After the flood all the nations of the earth were descended from the sons of Noah.


text:
 They said to one another, "Come on! Let's make bricks and bake them hard." So they had bricks to build with and tar to hold them together.


text:
 They said, "Now let's build a city with a tower that reaches the sky, so that we can make a name for ourselves and not be scattered all over the earth."


text:
 and he said, "Now then, these are all one people and they speak one language; this is just the beginning of what they are going to do. Soon they will be able to do anything they want!


text:
 The city was called Babylon, because there the LORD mixed up the language of all the people, and from there he scattered them all over the earth.


text:
 These are the descendants of Shem. Two years after the flood, when Shem was 100 years old, he had a son, Arpachshad.


text:
 These are the descendants of Terah, who was the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran was the father of Lot,


text:
 Abram married Sarai, and Nahor married Milcah, the daughter of Haran, who was also the father of Iscah.


text:
 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot, who was the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, Abram's wife, and with them he left the city of Ur in Babylonia to go to the land of Canaan. They went as far as Haran and settled there.


text:
 The LORD said to Abram, "Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's home, and go to a land that I am going to show you.


text:
 I will give you many descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will bless you and make your name famous, so that you will be a blessing.


text:
 I will bless those who bless you, But I will curse those who curse you. And through you I will bless all the nations."


text:
 When Abram was seventy-five years old, he started out from Haran, as the LORD had told him to do; and Lot went with him.


text:
 Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the wealth and all the slaves they had acquired in Haran, and they started out for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan,


text:
 Abram traveled through the land until he came to the sacred tree of Moreh, the holy place at Shechem. (At that time the Canaanites were still living in the land.)


text:
 The LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "This is the country that I am going to give to your descendants." Then Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.


text:
 After that, he moved on south to the hill country east of the city of Bethel and set up his camp between Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There also he built an altar and worshiped the LORD.


text:
 But there was a famine in Canaan, and it was so bad that Abram went farther south to Egypt, to live there for a while.


text:
 When he was about to cross the border into Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, "You are a beautiful woman.


text:
 When the Egyptians see you, they will assume that you are my wife, and so they will kill me and let you live.


text:
 Some of the court officials saw her and told the king how beautiful she was; so she was taken to his palace.


text:
 Because of her the king treated Abram well and gave him flocks of sheep and goats, cattle, donkeys, slaves, and camels.


text:
 But because the king had taken Sarai, the LORD sent terrible diseases on him and on the people of his palace.


text:
 Then the king sent for Abram and asked him, "What have you done to me? Why didn't you tell me that she was your wife?


text:
 Why did you say that she was your sister, and let me take her as my wife? Here is your wife; take her and get out!"


text:
 The king gave orders to his men, so they took Abram and put him out of the country, together with his wife and everything he owned.


text:
 Abram went north out of Egypt to the southern part of Canaan with his wife and everything he owned, and Lot went with him.


text:
 Then he left there and moved from place to place, going toward Bethel. He reached the place between Bethel and Ai where he had camped before


text:
 And so there was not enough pasture land for the two of them to stay together, because they had too many animals.


text:
 So quarrels broke out between the men who took care of Abram's animals and those who took care of Lot's animals. (At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were still living in the land.)


text:
 Lot looked around and saw that the whole Jordan Valley, all the way to Zoar, had plenty of water, like the Garden of the LORD or like the land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD had destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.)


text:
 So Lot chose the whole Jordan Valley for himself and moved away toward the east. That is how the two men parted.


text:
 Abram stayed in the land of Canaan, and Lot settled among the cities in the valley and camped near Sodom,


text:
 I am going to give you and your descendants all the land that you see, and it will be yours forever.


text:
 I am going to give you so many descendants that no one will be able to count them all; it would be as easy to count all the specks of dust on earth!


text:
 So Abram moved his camp and settled near the sacred trees of Mamre at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the LORD.


text:
 went to war against five other kings: Bera of Sodom, Birsha of Gomorrah, Shinab of Admah, Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (or Zoar).


text:
 These five kings had formed an alliance and joined forces in Siddim Valley, which is now the Dead Sea.


text:
 They had been under the control of Chedorlaomer for twelve years, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled against him.


text:
 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and his allies came with their armies and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in the plain of Kiriathaim,


text:
 and the Horites in the mountains of Edom, pursuing them as far as Elparan on the edge of the desert.


text:
 Then they turned around and came back to Kadesh (then known as Enmishpat). They conquered all the land of the Amalekites and defeated the Amorites who lived in Hazazon Tamar.


text:
 Then the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela drew up their armies for battle in Siddim Valley and fought


text:
 The valley was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah tried to run away from the battle, they fell into the pits; but the other three kings escaped to the mountains.


text:
 But a man escaped and reported all this to Abram, the Hebrew, who was living near the sacred trees belonging to Mamre the Amorite. Mamre and his brothers Eshcol and Aner were Abram's allies.


text:
 When Abram heard that his nephew had been captured, he called together all the fighting men in his camp, 318 in all, and pursued the four kings all the way to Dan.


text:
 There he divided his men into groups, attacked the enemy by night, and defeated them. He chased them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus,


text:
 and got back all the loot that had been taken. He also brought back his nephew Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other prisoners.


text:
 When Abram came back from his victory over Chedorlaomer and the other kings, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in Shaveh Valley (also called King's Valley).


text:
 And Melchizedek, who was king of Salem and also a priest of the Most High God, brought bread and wine to Abram,


text:
 May the Most High God, who gave you victory over your enemies, be praised!" And Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the loot he had recovered.


text:
 that I will not keep anything of yours, not even a thread or a sandal strap. Then you can never say, 'I am the one who made Abram rich.'


text:
 I will take nothing for myself. I will accept only what my men have used. But let my allies, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, take their share."


text:
 After this, Abram had a vision and heard the LORD say to him, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I will shield you from danger and give you a great reward."


text:
 But Abram answered, "Sovereign LORD, what good will your reward do me, since I have no children? My only heir is Eliezer of Damascus.


text:
 Then he heard the LORD speaking to him again: "This slave Eliezer will not inherit your property; your own son will be your heir."


text:
 The LORD took him outside and said, "Look at the sky and try to count the stars; you will have as many descendants as that."


text:
 Abram put his trust in the LORD, and because of this the LORD was pleased with him and accepted him.


text:
 Then the LORD said to him, "I am the LORD, who led you out of Ur in Babylonia, to give you this land as your own."


text:
 He answered, "Bring me a cow, a goat, and a ram, each of them three years old, and a dove and a pigeon."


text:
 Abram brought the animals to God, cut them in half, and placed the halves opposite each other in two rows; but he did not cut up the birds.


text:
 The LORD said to him, "Your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land; they will be slaves there and will be treated cruelly for four hundred years.


text:
 But I will punish the nation that enslaves them, and when they leave that foreign land, they will take great wealth with them.


text:
 It will be four generations before your descendants come back here, because I will not drive out the Amorites until they become so wicked that they must be punished."


text:
 When the sun had set and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch suddenly appeared and passed between the pieces of the animals.


text:
 Then and there the LORD made a covenant with Abram. He said, "I promise to give your descendants all this land from the border of Egypt to the Euphrates River,


text:
 Abram's wife Sarai had not borne him any children. But she had an Egyptian slave woman named Hagar,


text:
 and so she said to Abram, "The LORD has kept me from having children. Why don't you sleep with my slave? Perhaps she can have a child for me." Abram agreed with what Sarai said.


text:
 So she gave Hagar to him to be his concubine. (This happened after Abram had lived in Canaan for ten years.)


text:
 Abram had intercourse with Hagar, and she became pregnant. When she found out that she was pregnant, she became proud and despised Sarai.


text:
 Then Sarai said to Abram, "It's your fault that Hagar despises me. I myself gave her to you, and ever since she found out that she was pregnant, she has despised me. May the LORD judge which of us is right, you or me!"


text:
 Abram answered, "Very well, she is your slave and under your control; do whatever you want with her." Then Sarai treated Hagar so cruelly that she ran away.


text:
 and said, "Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?" She answered, "I am running away from my mistress."


text:
 You are going to have a son, and you will name him Ishmael, because the LORD has heard your cry of distress.


text:
 But your son will live like a wild donkey; he will be against everyone, and everyone will be against him. He will live apart from all his relatives."


text:
 Hagar asked herself, "Have I really seen God and lived to tell about it?" So she called the LORD, who had spoken to her, "A God Who Sees."


text:
 That is why people call the well between Kadesh and Bered "The Well of the Living One Who Sees Me."


text:
 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am the Almighty God. Obey me and always do what is right.


text:
 Your name will no longer be Abram, but Abraham, because I am making you the ancestor of many nations.


text:
 I will give you many descendants, and some of them will be kings. You will have so many descendants that they will become nations.


text:
 "I will keep my promise to you and to your descendants in future generations as an everlasting covenant. I will be your God and the God of your descendants.


text:
 I will give to you and to your descendants this land in which you are now a foreigner. The whole land of Canaan will belong to your descendants forever, and I will be their God."


text:
 God said to Abraham, "You also must agree to keep the covenant with me, both you and your descendants in future generations.


text:
 From now on you must circumcise every baby boy when he is eight days old, including slaves born in your homes and slaves bought from foreigners. This will show that there is a covenant between you and me.


text:
 Each one must be circumcised, and this will be a physical sign to show that my covenant with you is everlasting.


text:
 Any male who has not been circumcised will no longer be considered one of my people, because he has not kept the covenant with me."


text:
 I will bless her, and I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will become the mother of nations, and there will be kings among her descendants."


text:
 Abraham bowed down with his face touching the ground, but he began to laugh when he thought, "Can a man have a child when he is a hundred years old? Can Sarah have a child at ninety?"


text:
 But God said, "No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son and you will name him Isaac. I will keep my covenant with him and with his descendants forever. It is an everlasting covenant.


text:
 I have heard your request about Ishmael, so I will bless him and give him many children and many descendants. He will be the father of twelve princes, and I will make a great nation of his descendants.


text:
 But I will keep my covenant with your son Isaac, who will be born to Sarah about this time next year."


text:
 On that same day Abraham obeyed God and circumcised his son Ishmael and all the other males in his household, including the slaves born in his home and those he had bought.


text:
 The LORD appeared to Abraham at the sacred trees of Mamre. As Abraham was sitting at the entrance of his tent during the hottest part of the day,


text:
 he looked up and saw three men standing there. As soon as he saw them, he ran out to meet them. Bowing down with his face touching the ground,


text:
 I will also bring a bit of food; it will give you strength to continue your journey. You have honored me by coming to my home, so let me serve you." They replied, "Thank you; we accept."


text:
 Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, "Quick, take a sack of your best flour, and bake some bread."


text:
 Then he ran to the herd and picked out a calf that was tender and fat, and gave it to a servant, who hurried to get it ready.


text:
 He took some cream, some milk, and the meat, and set the food before the men. There under the tree he served them himself, and they ate.


text:
 One of them said, "Nine months from now I will come back, and your wife Sarah will have a son." Sarah was behind him, at the door of the tent, listening.


text:
 So Sarah laughed to herself and said, "Now that I am old and worn out, can I still enjoy sex? And besides, my husband is old too."


text:
 Then the LORD asked Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Can I really have a child when I am so old?'


text:
 Is anything too hard for the LORD? As I said, nine months from now I will return, and Sarah will have a son."


text:
 Because Sarah was afraid, she denied it. "I didn't laugh," she said. "Yes, you did," he replied. "You laughed."


text:
 Then the men left and went to a place where they could look down at Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on their way.


text:
 His descendants will become a great and mighty nation, and through him I will bless all the nations.


text:
 I have chosen him in order that he may command his sons and his descendants to obey me and to do what is right and just. If they do, I will do everything for him that I have promised."


text:
 Then the LORD said to Abraham, "There are terrible accusations against Sodom and Gomorrah, and their sin is very great.


text:
 Abraham approached the LORD and asked, "Are you really going to destroy the innocent with the guilty?


text:
 If there are fifty innocent people in the city, will you destroy the whole city? Won't you spare it in order to save the fifty?


text:
 Surely you won't kill the innocent with the guilty. That's impossible! You can't do that. If you did, the innocent would be punished along with the guilty. That is impossible. The judge of all the earth has to act justly."


text:
 The LORD answered, "If I find fifty innocent people in Sodom, I will spare the whole city for their sake."


text:
 Abraham spoke again: "Please forgive my boldness in continuing to speak to you, Lord. I am only a man and have no right to say anything.


text:
 But perhaps there will be only forty-five innocent people instead of fifty. Will you destroy the whole city because there are five too few?" The LORD answered, "I will not destroy the city if I find forty-five innocent people."


text:
 Abraham spoke again: "Perhaps there will be only forty." He replied, "I will not destroy it if there are forty."


text:
 Abraham said, "Please don't be angry, Lord, but I must speak again. What if there are only thirty?" He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty."


text:
 Abraham said, "Please forgive my boldness in continuing to speak to you, Lord. Suppose that only twenty are found?" He said, "I will not destroy the city if I find twenty."


text:
 Abraham said, "Please don't be angry, Lord, and I will speak only once more. What if only ten are found?" He said, "I will not destroy it if there are ten."


text:
 When the two angels came to Sodom that evening, Lot was sitting at the city gate. As soon as he saw them, he got up and went to meet them. He bowed down before them


text:
 and said, "Sirs, I am here to serve you. Please come to my house. You can wash your feet and spend the night. In the morning you can get up early and go on your way." But they answered, "No, we will spend the night here in the city square."


text:
 He kept on urging them, and finally they went with him to his house. Lot ordered his servants to bake some bread and prepare a fine meal for the guests. When it was ready, they ate it.


text:
 Before the guests went to bed, the men of Sodom surrounded the house. All the men of the city, both young and old, were there.


text:
 They called out to Lot and asked, "Where are the men who came to stay with you tonight? Bring them out to us!" The men of Sodom wanted to have sex with them.


text:
 Look, I have two daughters who are still virgins. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do whatever you want with them. But don't do anything to these men; they are guests in my house, and I must protect them."


text:
 But they said, "Get out of our way, you foreigner! Who are you to tell us what to do? Out of our way, or we will treat you worse than them." They pushed Lot back and moved up to break down the door.


text:
 The two men said to Lot, "If you have anyone else here---sons, daughters, sons-in-law, or any other relatives living in the city---get them out of here,


text:
 because we are going to destroy this place. The LORD has heard the terrible accusations against these people and has sent us to destroy Sodom."


text:
 Then Lot went to the men that his daughters were going to marry, and said, "Hurry up and get out of here; the LORD is going to destroy this place." But they thought he was joking.


text:
 At dawn the angels tried to make Lot hurry. "Quick!" they said. "Take your wife and your two daughters and get out, so that you will not lose your lives when the city is destroyed."


text:
 Lot hesitated. The LORD, however, had pity on him; so the men took him, his wife, and his two daughters by the hand and led them out of the city.


text:
 Then one of the angels said, "Run for your lives! Don't look back and don't stop in the valley. Run to the hills, so that you won't be killed."


text:
 You have done me a great favor and saved my life. But the hills are too far away; the disaster will overtake me, and I will die before I get there.


text:
 Do you see that little town? It is near enough. Let me go over there---you can see it is just a small place---and I will be safe."


text:
 Hurry! Run! I can't do anything until you get there." Because Lot called it small, the town was named Zoar.


text:
 and destroyed them and the whole valley, along with all the people there and everything that grew on the land.


text:
 Early the next morning Abraham hurried to the place where he had stood in the presence of the LORD.


text:
 He looked down at Sodom and Gomorrah and the whole valley and saw smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a huge furnace.


text:
 But when God destroyed the cities of the valley where Lot was living, he kept Abraham in mind and allowed Lot to escape to safety.


text:
 Because Lot was afraid to stay in Zoar, he and his two daughters moved up into the hills and lived in a cave.


text:
 The older daughter said to her sister, "Our father is getting old, and there are no men in the whole world to marry us so that we can have children.


text:
 That night they gave him wine to drink, and the older daughter had intercourse with him. But he was so drunk that he didn't know it.


text:
 The next day the older daughter said to her sister, "I slept with him last night; now let's get him drunk again tonight, and you sleep with him. Then each of us will have a child by our father."


text:
 So that night they got him drunk, and the younger daughter had intercourse with him. Again he was so drunk that he didn't know it.


text:
 The older daughter had a son, whom she named Moab. He was the ancestor of the present-day Moabites.


text:
 The younger daughter also had a son, whom she named Benammi. He was the ancestor of the present-day Ammonites.


text:
 Abraham moved from Mamre to the southern part of Canaan and lived between Kadesh and Shur. Later, while he was living in Gerar,


text:
 One night God appeared to him in a dream and said, "You are going to die, because you have taken this woman; she is already married."


text:
 But Abimelech had not come near her, and he said, "Lord, I am innocent! Would you destroy me and my people?


text:
 Abraham himself said that she was his sister, and she said the same thing. I did this with a clear conscience, and I have done no wrong."


text:
 God replied in the dream, "Yes, I know that you did it with a clear conscience; so I kept you from sinning against me and did not let you touch her.


text:
 But now, give the woman back to her husband. He is a prophet, and he will pray for you, so that you will not die. But if you do not give her back, I warn you that you are going to die, you and all your people."


text:
 Early the next morning Abimelech called all his officials and told them what had happened, and they were terrified.


text:
 Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, "What have you done to us? What wrong have I done to you to make you bring this disaster on me and my kingdom? No one should ever do what you have done to me.


text:
 Abraham answered, "I thought that there would be no one here who has reverence for God and that they would kill me to get my wife.


text:
 She really is my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not of my mother, and I married her.


text:
 So when God sent me from my father's house into foreign lands, I said to her, 'You can show how loyal you are to me by telling everyone that I am your brother.' "


text:
 Then Abimelech gave Sarah back to Abraham, and at the same time he gave him sheep, cattle, and slaves.


text:
 He said to Sarah, "I am giving your brother a thousand pieces of silver as proof to all who are with you that you are innocent; everyone will know that you have done no wrong."


text:
 Because of what had happened to Sarah, Abraham's wife, the LORD had made it impossible for any woman in Abimelech's palace to have children. So Abraham prayed for Abimelech, and God healed him. He also healed his wife and his slave women, so that they could have children.


text:
 and she became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham when he was old. The boy was born at the time God had said he would be born.


text:
 Then she added, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age."


text:
 Sarah saw them and said to Abraham, "Send this slave and her son away. The son of this woman must not get any part of your wealth, which my son Isaac should inherit."


text:
 But God said to Abraham, "Don't be worried about the boy and your slave Hagar. Do whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that you will have the descendants I have promised.


text:
 I will also give many children to the son of the slave woman, so that they will become a nation. He too is your son."


text:
 Early the next morning Abraham gave Hagar some food and a leather bag full of water. He put the child on her back and sent her away. She left and wandered about in the wilderness of Beersheba.


text:
 and sat down about a hundred yards away. She said to herself, "I can't bear to see my child die." While she was sitting there, she began to cry.


text:
 God heard the boy crying, and from heaven the angel of God spoke to Hagar, "What are you troubled about, Hagar? Don't be afraid. God has heard the boy crying.


text:
 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well. She went and filled the leather bag with water and gave some to the boy.


text:
 God was with the boy as he grew up; he lived in the wilderness of Paran and became a skillful hunter.


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


text:
 So make a vow here in the presence of God that you will not deceive me, my children, or my descendants. I have been loyal to you, so promise that you will also be loyal to me and to this country in which you are living."


text:
 Abimelech said, "I don't know who did this. You didn't tell me about it, and this is the first I have heard of it."


text:
 Abraham answered, "Accept these seven lambs. By doing this, you admit that I am the one who dug this well."


text:
 Some time later God tested Abraham; he called to him, "Abraham!" And Abraham answered, "Yes, here I am!"


text:
 "Take your son," God said, "your only son, Isaac, whom you love so much, and go to the land of Moriah. There on a mountain that I will show you, offer him as a sacrifice to me."


text:
 Early the next morning Abraham cut some wood for the sacrifice, loaded his donkey, and took Isaac and two servants with him. They started out for the place that God had told him about.


text:
 Then he said to the servants, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there and worship, and then we will come back to you."


text:
 Abraham made Isaac carry the wood for the sacrifice, and he himself carried a knife and live coals for starting the fire. As they walked along together,


text:
 Isaac spoke up, "Father!" He answered, "Yes, my son?" Isaac asked, "I see that you have the coals and the wood, but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?"


text:
 When they came to the place which God had told him about, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. He tied up his son and placed him on the altar, on top of the wood.


text:
 But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, "Abraham, Abraham!" He answered, "Yes, here I am."


text:
 "Don't hurt the boy or do anything to him," he said. "Now I know that you honor and obey God, because you have not kept back your only son from him."


text:
 Abraham looked around and saw a ram caught in a bush by its horns. He went and got it and offered it as a burnt offering instead of his son.


text:
 Abraham named that place "The LORD Provides." And even today people say, "On the LORD's mountain he provides."


text:
 "I make a vow by my own name---the LORD is speaking---that I will richly bless you. Because you did this and did not keep back your only son from me,


text:
 I promise that I will give you as many descendants as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand along the seashore. Your descendants will conquer their enemies.


text:
 All the nations will ask me to bless them as I have blessed your descendants---all because you obeyed my command."


text:
 "Listen to us, sir. We look upon you as a mighty leader; bury your wife in the best grave that we have. Any of us would be glad to give you a grave, so that you can bury her."


text:
 to sell me Machpelah Cave, which is near the edge of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for its full price, here in your presence, so that I can own it as a burial ground."


text:
 Ephron himself was sitting with the other Hittites at the meeting place at the city gate; he answered in the hearing of everyone there,


text:
 "Listen, sir; I will give you the whole field and the cave that is in it. Here in the presence of my own people, I will give it to you, so that you can bury your wife."


text:
 and said to Ephron, so that everyone could hear, "May I ask you, please, to listen. I will buy the whole field. Accept my payment, and I will bury my wife there."


text:
 "Sir, land worth only four hundred pieces of silver---what is that between us? Bury your wife in it."


text:
 Abraham agreed and weighed out the amount that Ephron had mentioned in the hearing of the people---four hundred pieces of silver, according to the standard weights used by the merchants.


text:
 That is how the property which had belonged to Ephron at Machpelah east of Mamre, became Abraham's. It included the field, the cave which was in it, and all the trees in the field up to the edge of the property.


text:
 So the field which had belonged to the Hittites, and the cave in it, became the property of Abraham for a burial ground.


text:
 He said to his oldest servant, who was in charge of all that he had, "Place your hand between my thighs and make a vow.


text:
 I want you to make a vow in the name of the LORD, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not choose a wife for my son from the people here in Canaan.


text:
 You must go back to the country where I was born and get a wife for my son Isaac from among my relatives."


text:
 But the servant asked, "What if the young woman will not leave home to come with me to this land? Shall I send your son back to the land you came from?"


text:
 The LORD, the God of heaven, brought me from the home of my father and from the land of my relatives, and he solemnly promised me that he would give this land to my descendants. He will send his angel before you, so that you can get a wife there for my son.


text:
 If the young woman is not willing to come with you, you will be free from this promise. But you must not under any circumstances take my son back there."


text:
 So the servant put his hand between the thighs of Abraham, his master, and made a vow to do what Abraham had asked.


text:
 The servant, who was in charge of Abraham's property, took ten of his master's camels and went to the city where Nahor had lived in northern Mesopotamia.


text:
 When he arrived, he made the camels kneel down at the well outside the city. It was late afternoon, the time when women came out to get water.


text:
 He prayed, " LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today and keep your promise to my master.


text:
 I will say to one of them, 'Please, lower your jar and let me have a drink.' If she says, 'Drink, and I will also bring water for your camels,' may she be the one that you have chosen for your servant Isaac. If this happens, I will know that you have kept your promise to my master."


text:
 Before he had finished praying, Rebecca arrived with a water jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham's brother Nahor and his wife Milcah.


text:
 She was a very beautiful young woman and still a virgin. She went down to the well, filled her jar, and came back.


text:
 When he had finished, she said, "I will also bring water for your camels and let them have all they want."


text:
 She quickly emptied her jar into the animals' drinking trough and ran to the well to get more water, until she had watered all his camels.


text:
 When she had finished, the man took an expensive gold ring and put it in her nose and put two large gold bracelets on her arms.


text:
 He said, "Please tell me who your father is. Is there room in his house for my men and me to spend the night?"


text:
 He said, "Praise the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has faithfully kept his promise to my master. The LORD has led me straight to my master's relatives."


text:
 Now Rebecca had a brother named Laban, and he ran outside to go to the well where Abraham's servant was.


text:
 Laban had seen the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister's arms and had heard her say what the man had told her. He went to Abraham's servant, who was standing by his camels at the well,


text:
 and said, "Come home with me. You are a man whom the LORD has blessed. Why are you standing out here? I have a room ready for you in my house, and there is a place for your camels."


text:
 So the man went into the house, and Laban unloaded the camels and gave them straw and fodder. Then he brought water for Abraham's servant and his men to wash their feet.


text:
 When food was brought, the man said, "I will not eat until I have said what I have to say." Laban said, "Go on and speak."


text:
 "The LORD has greatly blessed my master and made him a rich man. He has given him flocks of sheep and goats, cattle, silver, gold, male and female slaves, camels, and donkeys.


text:
 Sarah, my master's wife, bore him a son when she was old, and my master has given everything he owns to him.


text:
 My master made me promise with a vow to obey his command. He said, 'Do not choose a wife for my son from the young women in the land of Canaan.


text:
 He answered, 'The LORD, whom I have always obeyed, will send his angel with you and give you success. You will get for my son a wife from my own people, from my father's family.


text:
 There is only one way for you to be free from your vow: if you go to my relatives and they refuse you, then you will be free.'


text:
 "When I came to the well today, I prayed, ' LORD, God of my master Abraham, please give me success in what I am doing.


text:
 Here I am at the well. When a young woman comes out to get water, I will ask her to give me a drink of water from her jar.


text:
 If she agrees and also offers to bring water for my camels, may she be the one that you have chosen as the wife for my master's son.'


text:
 Before I had finished my silent prayer, Rebecca came with a water jar on her shoulder and went down to the well to get water. I said to her, 'Please give me a drink.'


text:
 She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, 'Drink, and I will also water your camels.' So I drank, and she watered the camels.


text:
 I asked her, 'Who is your father?' And she answered, 'My father is Bethuel son of Nahor and Milcah.' Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms.


text:
 I knelt down and worshiped the LORD. I praised the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me straight to my master's relative, where I found his daughter for my master's son.


text:
 Now, if you intend to fulfill your responsibility toward my master and treat him fairly, please tell me; if not, say so, and I will decide what to do."


text:
 Laban and Bethuel answered, "Since this matter comes from the LORD, it is not for us to make a decision.


text:
 Here is Rebecca; take her and go. Let her become the wife of your master's son, as the LORD himself has said."


text:
 Then he brought out clothing and silver and gold jewelry, and gave them to Rebecca. He also gave expensive gifts to her brother and to her mother.


text:
 Then Abraham's servant and the men with him ate and drank, and spent the night there. When they got up in the morning, he said, "Let me go back to my master."


text:
 But Rebecca's brother and her mother said, "Let her stay with us a week or ten days, and then she may go."


text:
 But he said, "Don't make us stay. The LORD has made my journey a success; let me go back to my master."


text:
 And they gave Rebecca their blessing in these words: "May you, sister, become the mother of millions! May your descendants conquer the cities of their enemies!"


text:
 Then Rebecca and her young women got ready and mounted the camels to go with Abraham's servant, and they all started out.


text:
 Isaac had come into the wilderness of "The Well of the Living One Who Sees Me" and was staying in the southern part of Canaan.


text:
 and asked Abraham's servant, "Who is that man walking toward us in the field?" "He is my master," the servant answered. So she took her scarf and covered her face.


text:
 Then Isaac brought Rebecca into the tent that his mother Sarah had lived in, and she became his wife. Isaac loved Rebecca, and so he was comforted for the loss of his mother.


text:
 Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan, and the descendants of Dedan were the Asshurim, the Letushim, and the Leummim.


text:
 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were Keturah's descendants.


text:
 but while he was still alive, he gave presents to the sons his other wives had borne him. Then he sent these sons to the land of the East, away from his son Isaac.


text:
 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in Machpelah Cave, in the field east of Mamre that had belonged to Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite.


text:
 It was the field that Abraham had bought from the Hittites; both Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried there.


text:
 After the death of Abraham, God blessed his son Isaac, who lived near "The Well of the Living One Who Sees Me."


text:
 They were the ancestors of twelve tribes, and their names were given to their villages and camping places.


text:
 The descendants of Ishmael lived in the territory between Havilah and Shur, to the east of Egypt on the way to Assyria. They lived apart from the other descendants of Abraham.


text:
 Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebecca, the daughter of Bethuel (an Aramean from Mesopotamia) and sister of Laban.


text:
 Because Rebecca had no children, Isaac prayed to the LORD for her. The LORD answered his prayer, and Rebecca became pregnant.


text:
 She was going to have twins, and before they were born, they struggled against each other in her womb. She said, "Why should something like this happen to me?" So she went to ask the LORD for an answer.


text:
 The LORD said to her, "Two nations are within you; You will give birth to two rival peoples. One will be stronger than the other; The older will serve the younger."


text:
 The second one was born holding on tightly to the heel of Esau, so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.


text:
 The boys grew up, and Esau became a skilled hunter, a man who loved the outdoors, but Jacob was a quiet man who stayed at home.


text:
 Isaac preferred Esau, because he enjoyed eating the animals Esau killed, but Rebecca preferred Jacob.


text:
 and said to Jacob, "I'm starving; give me some of that red stuff." (That is why he was named Edom. )


text:
 Jacob answered, "First make a vow that you will give me your rights." Esau made the vow and gave his rights to Jacob.


text:
 Then Jacob gave him some bread and some of the soup. He ate and drank and then got up and left. That was all Esau cared about his rights as the first-born son.


text:
 There was another famine in the land besides the earlier one during the time of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Philistines, at Gerar.


text:
 The LORD had appeared to Isaac and had said, "Do not go to Egypt; stay in this land, where I tell you to stay.


text:
 Live here, and I will be with you and bless you. I am going to give all this territory to you and to your descendants. I will keep the promise I made to your father Abraham.


text:
 I will give you as many descendants as there are stars in the sky, and I will give them all this territory. All the nations will ask me to bless them as I have blessed your descendants.


text:
 When the men there asked about his wife, he said that she was his sister. He would not admit that she was his wife, because he was afraid that the men there would kill him to get Rebecca, who was very beautiful.


text:
 When Isaac had been there for some time, King Abimelech looked down from his window and saw Isaac and Rebecca making love.


text:
 Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, "So she is your wife! Why did you say she was your sister?" He answered, "I thought I would be killed if I said she was my wife."


text:
 "What have you done to us?" Abimelech said. "One of my men might easily have slept with your wife, and you would have been responsible for our guilt."


text:
 Isaac sowed crops in that land, and that year he harvested a hundred times as much as he had sown, because the LORD blessed him.


text:
 Because he had many herds of sheep and cattle and many servants, the Philistines were jealous of him.


text:
 So they filled in all the wells which the servants of his father Abraham had dug while Abraham was alive.


text:
 He dug once again the wells which had been dug during the time of Abraham and which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham's death. Isaac gave the wells the same names that his father had given them.


text:
 The shepherds of Gerar quarreled with Isaac's shepherds and said, "This water belongs to us." So Isaac named the well "Quarrel."


text:
 Isaac's servants dug another well, and there was a quarrel about that one also, so he named it "Enmity."


text:
 He moved away from there and dug another well. There was no dispute about this one, so he named it "Freedom." He said, "Now the LORD has given us freedom to live in the land, and we will be prosperous here."


text:
 That night the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid; I am with you. I will bless you and give you many descendants because of my promise to my servant Abraham."


text:
 Isaac built an altar there and worshiped the LORD. Then he set up his camp there, and his servants dug another well.


text:
 Abimelech came from Gerar with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army to see Isaac.


text:
 So Isaac asked, "Why have you now come to see me, when you were so unfriendly to me before and made me leave your country?"


text:
 They answered, "Now we know that the LORD is with you, and we think that there should be a solemn agreement between us. We want you to promise


text:
 that you will not harm us, just as we did not harm you. We were kind to you and let you go peacefully. Now it is clear that the LORD has blessed you."


text:
 Early next morning each man made his promise and sealed it with a vow. Isaac said good-bye to them, and they parted as friends.


text:
 On that day Isaac's servants came and told him about the well which they had dug. They said, "We have found water."


text:
 When Esau was forty years old, he married two Hittites, Judith the daughter of Beeri, and Basemath the daughter of Elon.


text:
 Isaac was now old and had become blind. He sent for his older son Esau and said to him, "Son!" "Yes," he answered.


text:
 Cook me some of that tasty food that I like, and bring it to me. After I have eaten it, I will give you my final blessing before I die."


text:
 'Bring me an animal and cook it for me. After I have eaten it, I will give you my blessing in the presence of the LORD before I die.'


text:
 Go to the flock and pick out two fat young goats, so that I can cook them and make some of that food your father likes so much.


text:
 Perhaps my father will touch me and find out that I am deceiving him; in this way, I will bring a curse on myself instead of a blessing."


text:
 His mother answered, "Let any curse against you fall on me, my son; just do as I say, and go and get the goats for me."


text:
 So he went to get them and brought them to her, and she cooked the kind of food that his father liked.


text:
 Jacob answered, "I am your older son Esau; I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of the meat that I have brought you, so that you can give me your blessing."


text:
 Isaac said, "How did you find it so quickly, son?" Jacob answered, "The LORD your God helped me find it."


text:
 Jacob moved closer to his father, who felt him and said, "Your voice sounds like Jacob's voice, but your arms feel like Esau's arms."


text:
 He did not recognize Jacob, because his arms were hairy like Esau's. He was about to give him his blessing,


text:
 Isaac said, "Bring me some of the meat. After I eat it, I will give you my blessing." Jacob brought it to him, and he also brought him some wine to drink.


text:
 As he came up to kiss him, Isaac smelled his clothes---so he gave him his blessing. He said, "The pleasant smell of my son is like the smell of a field which the LORD has blessed.


text:
 May God give you dew from heaven and make your fields fertile! May he give you plenty of grain and wine!


text:
 May nations be your servants, and may peoples bow down before you. May you rule over all your relatives, and may your mother's descendants bow down before you. May those who curse you be cursed, and may those who bless you be blessed."


text:
 Isaac finished giving his blessing, and as soon as Jacob left, his brother Esau came in from hunting.


text:
 He also cooked some tasty food and took it to his father. He said, "Please, father, sit up and eat some of the meat that I have brought you, so that you can give me your blessing."


text:
 Isaac began to tremble and shake all over, and he asked, "Who was it, then, who killed an animal and brought it to me? I ate it just before you came. I gave him my final blessing, and so it is his forever."


text:
 When Esau heard this, he cried out loudly and bitterly and said, "Give me your blessing also, father!"


text:
 Esau said, "This is the second time that he has cheated me. No wonder his name is Jacob. He took my rights as the first-born son, and now he has taken away my blessing. Haven't you saved a blessing for me?"


text:
 Isaac answered, "I have already made him master over you, and I have made all his relatives his slaves. I have given him grain and wine. Now there is nothing that I can do for you, son!"


text:
 Esau continued to plead with his father: "Do you have only one blessing, father? Bless me too, father!" He began to cry.


text:
 You will live by your sword, But be your brother's slave. Yet when you rebel, You will break away from his control."


text:
 Esau hated Jacob, because his father had given Jacob the blessing. He thought, "The time to mourn my father's death is near; then I will kill Jacob."


text:
 But when Rebecca heard about Esau's plan, she sent for Jacob and said, "Listen, your brother Esau is planning to get even with you and kill you.


text:
 and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send someone to bring you back. Why should I lose both of my sons on the same day?"


text:
 Rebecca said to Isaac, "I am sick and tired of Esau's foreign wives. If Jacob also marries one of these Hittites, I might as well die."


text:
 Go instead to Mesopotamia, to the home of your grandfather Bethuel, and marry one of the young women there, one of your uncle Laban's daughters.


text:
 May Almighty God bless your marriage and give you many children, so that you will become the father of many nations!


text:
 May he bless you and your descendants as he blessed Abraham, and may you take possession of this land, in which you have lived and which God gave to Abraham!"


text:
 Isaac sent Jacob away to Mesopotamia, to Laban, who was the son of Bethuel the Aramean and the brother of Rebecca, the mother of Jacob and Esau.


text:
 Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Mesopotamia to find a wife. He also learned that when Isaac blessed him, he commanded him not to marry a Canaanite woman.


text:
 So he went to Ishmael son of Abraham and married his daughter Mahalath, who was the sister of Nebaioth.


text:
 At sunset he came to a holy place and camped there. He lay down to sleep, resting his head on a stone.


text:
 He dreamed that he saw a stairway reaching from earth to heaven, with angels going up and coming down on it.


text:
 And there was the LORD standing beside him. "I am the LORD, the God of Abraham and Isaac," he said. "I will give to you and to your descendants this land on which you are lying.


text:
 They will be as numerous as the specks of dust on the earth. They will extend their territory in all directions, and through you and your descendants I will bless all the nations.


text:
 Remember, I will be with you and protect you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done all that I have promised you."


text:
 He was afraid and said, "What a terrifying place this is! It must be the house of God; it must be the gate that opens into heaven."


text:
 Jacob got up early next morning, took the stone that was under his head, and set it up as a memorial. Then he poured olive oil on it to dedicate it to God.


text:
 Then Jacob made a vow to the LORD: "If you will be with me and protect me on the journey I am making and give me food and clothing,


text:
 This memorial stone which I have set up will be the place where you are worshiped, and I will give you a tenth of everything you give me."


text:
 Suddenly he came upon a well out in the fields with three flocks of sheep lying around it. The flocks were watered from this well, which had a large stone over the opening.


text:
 Whenever all the flocks came together there, the shepherds would roll the stone back and water them. Then they would put the stone back in place.


text:
 "Is he well?" he asked. "He is well," they answered. "Look, here comes his daughter Rachel with his flock."


text:
 Jacob said, "Since it is still broad daylight and not yet time to bring the flocks in, why don't you water them and take them back to pasture?"


text:
 They answered, "We can't do that until all the flocks are here and the stone has been rolled back; then we will water the flocks."


text:
 When Jacob saw Rachel with his uncle Laban's flock, he went to the well, rolled the stone back, and watered the sheep.


text:
 and when he heard the news about his nephew Jacob, he ran to meet him, hugged him and kissed him, and brought him into the house. When Jacob told Laban everything that had happened,


text:
 Laban said to Jacob, "You shouldn't work for me for nothing just because you are my relative. How much pay do you want?"


text:
 Jacob was in love with Rachel, so he said, "I will work seven years for you, if you will let me marry Rachel."


text:
 Jacob worked seven years so that he could have Rachel, and the time seemed like only a few days to him, because he loved her.


text:
 Not until the next morning did Jacob discover that it was Leah. He went to Laban and said, "Why did you do this to me? I worked to get Rachel. Why have you tricked me?"


text:
 Laban answered, "It is not the custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older.


text:
 Wait until the week's marriage celebrations are over, and I will give you Rachel, if you will work for me another seven years."


text:
 Jacob agreed, and when the week of marriage celebrations was over, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.


text:
 Jacob had intercourse with Rachel also, and he loved her more than Leah. Then he worked for Laban another seven years.


text:
 When the LORD saw that Leah was loved less than Rachel, he made it possible for her to have children, but Rachel remained childless.


text:
 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She said, "The LORD has seen my trouble, and now my husband will love me"; so she named him Reuben.


text:
 She became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, "The LORD has given me this son also, because he heard that I was not loved"; so she named him Simeon.


text:
 Once again she became pregnant and gave birth to another son. She said, "Now my husband will be bound more tightly to me, because I have borne him three sons"; so she named him Levi.


text:
 Then she became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, "This time I will praise the LORD"; so she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.


text:
 But Rachel had not borne Jacob any children, and so she became jealous of her sister and said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I will die."


text:
 Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, "I can't take the place of God. He is the one who keeps you from having children."


text:
 She said, "Here is my slave Bilhah; sleep with her, so that she can have a child for me. In this way I can become a mother through her."


text:
 Rachel said, "God has judged in my favor. He has heard my prayer and has given me a son"; so she named him Dan.


text:
 Rachel said, "I have fought a hard fight with my sister, but I have won"; so she named him Naphtali.


text:
 When Leah realized that she had stopped having children, she gave her slave Zilpah to Jacob as his wife.


text:
 During the wheat harvest Reuben went into the fields and found mandrakes, which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes."


text:
 Leah answered, "Isn't it enough that you have taken away my husband? Now you are even trying to take away my son's mandrakes." Rachel said, "If you will give me your son's mandrakes, you can sleep with Jacob tonight."


text:
 When Jacob came in from the fields in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, "You are going to sleep with me tonight, because I have paid for you with my son's mandrakes." So he had intercourse with her that night.


text:
 Leah said, "God has given me my reward, because I gave my slave to my husband"; so she named her son Issachar.


text:
 She said, "God has given me a fine gift. Now my husband will accept me, because I have borne him six sons"; so she named him Zebulun.


text:
 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She said, "God has taken away my disgrace by giving me a son.


text:
 Give me my wives and children that I have earned by working for you, and I will leave. You know how well I have served you."


text:
 Laban said to him, "Let me say this: I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.


text:
 Jacob answered, "You know how I have worked for you and how your flocks have prospered under my care.


text:
 The little you had before I came has grown enormously, and the LORD has blessed you wherever I went. Now it is time for me to look out for my own interests."


text:
 "What shall I pay you?" Laban asked. Jacob answered, "I don't want any wages. I will continue to take care of your flocks if you agree to this suggestion:


text:
 Let me go through all your flocks today and take every black lamb and every spotted or speckled young goat. That is all the wages I want.


text:
 In the future you can easily find out if I have been honest. When you come to check up on my wages, if I have any goat that isn't speckled or spotted or any sheep that isn't black, you will know that it has been stolen."


text:
 But that day Laban removed the male goats that had stripes or spots and all the females that were speckled and spotted or which had white on them; he also removed all the black sheep. He put his sons in charge of them,


text:
 and then went away from Jacob with this flock as far as he could travel in three days. Jacob took care of the rest of Laban's flocks.


text:
 Jacob got green branches of poplar, almond, and plane trees and stripped off some of the bark so that the branches had white stripes on them.


text:
 He placed these branches in front of the flocks at their drinking troughs. He put them there, because the animals mated when they came to drink.


text:
 So when the goats bred in front of the branches, they produced young that were streaked, speckled, and spotted.


text:
 Jacob kept the sheep separate from the goats and made them face in the direction of the streaked and black animals of Laban's flock. In this way he built up his own flock and kept it apart from Laban's.


text:
 When the healthy animals were mating, Jacob put the branches in front of them at the drinking troughs, so that they would breed among the branches.


text:
 But he did not put the branches in front of the weak animals. Soon Laban had all the weak animals, and Jacob all the healthy ones.


text:
 Jacob heard that Laban's sons were saying, "Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father. He got all his wealth from what our father owned."


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


text:
 He said to them, "I have noticed that your father is not as friendly toward me as he used to be; but my father's God has been with me.


text:
 Whenever Laban said, 'The speckled goats shall be your wages,' all the flocks produced speckled young. When he said, 'The striped goats shall be your wages,' all the flocks produced striped young.


text:
 "During the breeding season I had a dream, and I saw that the male goats that were mating were striped, spotted, and speckled.


text:
 'Look,' he continued, 'all the male goats that are mating are striped, spotted, and speckled. I am making this happen because I have seen all that Laban is doing to you.


text:
 I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel, where you dedicated a stone as a memorial by pouring olive oil on it and where you made a vow to me. Now get ready and go back to the land where you were born.' "


text:
 All this wealth which God has taken from our father belongs to us and to our children. Do whatever God has told you."


text:
 So Jacob got ready to go back to his father in the land of Canaan. He put his children and his wives on the camels, and drove all his flocks ahead of him, with everything that he had gotten in Mesopotamia.


text:
 Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and during his absence Rachel stole the household gods that belonged to her father.


text:
 He took everything he owned and left in a hurry. He crossed the Euphrates River and started for the hill country of Gilead.


text:
 He took his men with him and pursued Jacob for seven days until he caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.


text:
 In a dream that night God came to Laban and said to him, "Be careful not to threaten Jacob in any way."


text:
 Jacob had set up his camp on a mountain, and Laban set up his camp with his relatives in the hill country of Gilead.


text:
 Laban said to Jacob, "Why did you deceive me and carry off my daughters like women captured in war?


text:
 Why did you deceive me and slip away without telling me? If you had told me, I would have sent you on your way with rejoicing and singing to the music of tambourines and harps.


text:
 You did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters good-bye. That was a foolish thing to do!


text:
 I have the power to do you harm, but last night the God of your father warned me not to threaten you in any way.


text:
 I know that you left because you were so anxious to get back home, but why did you steal my household gods?"


text:
 But if you find that anyone here has your gods, he will be put to death. Here, with our men as witnesses, look for anything that belongs to you and take what is yours." Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen Laban's gods.


text:
 Laban went and searched Jacob's tent; then he went into Leah's tent, and the tent of the two slave women, but he did not find his gods. Then he went into Rachel's tent.


text:
 Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in a camel's saddlebag and was sitting on them. Laban searched through the whole tent, but did not find them.


text:
 Rachel said to her father, "Do not be angry with me, sir, but I am not able to stand up in your presence; I am having my monthly period." Laban searched but did not find his household gods.


text:
 Then Jacob lost his temper. "What crime have I committed?" he asked angrily. "What law have I broken that gives you the right to hunt me down?


text:
 Now that you have searched through all my belongings, what household article have you found that belongs to you? Put it out here where your men and mine can see it, and let them decide which one of us is right.


text:
 I have been with you now for twenty years; your sheep and your goats have not failed to reproduce, and I have not eaten any rams from your flocks.


text:
 Whenever a sheep was killed by wild animals, I always bore the loss myself. I didn't take it to you to show that it was not my fault. You demanded that I make good anything that was stolen during the day or during the night.


text:
 Many times I suffered from the heat during the day and from the cold at night. I was not able to sleep.


text:
 It was like that for the whole twenty years I was with you. For fourteen years I worked to win your two daughters---and six years for your flocks. And even then, you changed my wages ten times.


text:
 If the God of my fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac, had not been with me, you would have already sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my trouble and the work I have done, and last night he gave his judgment."


text:
 Laban answered Jacob, "These young women are my daughters; their children belong to me, and these flocks are mine. In fact, everything you see here belongs to me. But since I can do nothing to keep my daughters and their children,


text:
 I am ready to make an agreement with you. Let us make a pile of stones to remind us of our agreement."


text:
 He told his men to gather some rocks and pile them up. Then they ate a meal beside the pile of rocks.


text:
 Laban said to Jacob, "This pile of rocks will be a reminder for both of us." That is why that place was named Galeed.


text:
 Laban also said, "May the LORD keep an eye on us while we are separated from each other." So the place was also named Mizpah.


text:
 Laban went on, "If you mistreat my daughters or if you marry other women, even though I don't know about it, remember that God is watching us.


text:
 Both this pile and this memorial stone are reminders. I will never go beyond this pile to attack you, and you must never go beyond it or beyond this memorial stone to attack me.


text:
 The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor will judge between us." Then, in the name of the God whom his father Isaac worshiped, Jacob solemnly vowed to keep this promise.


text:
 He killed an animal, which he offered as a sacrifice on the mountain, and he invited his men to the meal. After they had eaten, they spent the night on the mountain.


text:
 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters good-bye, and left to go back home.


text:
 He instructed them to say: "I, Jacob, your obedient servant, report to my master Esau that I have been staying with Laban and that I have delayed my return until now.


text:
 I own cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, and slaves. I am sending you word, sir, in the hope of gaining your favor."


text:
 When the messengers came back to Jacob, they said, "We went to your brother Esau, and he is already on his way to meet you. He has four hundred men with him."


text:
 Jacob was frightened and worried. He divided into two groups the people who were with him, and also his sheep, goats, cattle, and camels.


text:
 Then Jacob prayed, "God of my grandfather Abraham and God of my father Isaac, hear me! You told me, LORD, to go back to my land and to my relatives, and you would make everything go well for me.


text:
 I am not worth all the kindness and faithfulness that you have shown me, your servant. I crossed the Jordan with nothing but a walking stick, and now I have come back with these two groups.


text:
 Save me, I pray, from my brother Esau. I am afraid---afraid that he is coming to attack us and destroy us all, even the women and children.


text:
 Remember that you promised to make everything go well for me and to give me more descendants than anyone could count, as many as the grains of sand along the seashore."


text:
 After spending the night there, Jacob chose from his livestock as a present for his brother Esau: 200 female goats and 20 males, 200 female sheep and 20 males, 30 milk camels with their young, 40 cows and 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys and 10 males.


text:
 He divided them into herds and put one of his servants in charge of each herd. He said to them, "Go ahead of me, and leave a space between each herd and the one behind it."


text:
 He ordered the first servant, "When my brother Esau meets you and asks, 'Who is your master? Where are you going? Who owns these animals in front of you?'


text:
 you must answer, 'They belong to your servant Jacob. He sends them as a present to his master Esau. Jacob himself is right behind us.' "


text:
 He gave the same order to the second, the third, and to all the others who were in charge of the herds: "This is what you must say to Esau when you meet him.


text:
 You must say, 'Yes, your servant Jacob is right behind us.' " Jacob was thinking, "I will win him over with the gifts, and when I meet him, perhaps he will forgive me."


text:
 That same night Jacob got up, took his two wives, his two concubines, and his eleven children, and crossed the Jabbok River.


text:
 When the man saw that he was not winning the struggle, he hit Jacob on the hip, and it was thrown out of joint.


text:
 The man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob. You have struggled with God and with men, and you have won; so your name will be Israel."


text:
 Jacob said, "Now tell me your name." But he answered, "Why do you want to know my name?" Then he blessed Jacob.


text:
 Even today the descendants of Israel do not eat the muscle which is on the hip joint, because it was on this muscle that Jacob was hit.


text:
 Jacob saw Esau coming with his four hundred men, so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two concubines.


text:
 He put the concubines and their children first, then Leah and her children, and finally Rachel and Joseph at the rear.


text:
 When Esau looked around and saw the women and the children, he asked, "Who are these people with you?" "These, sir, are the children whom God has been good enough to give me," Jacob answered.


text:
 Esau asked, "What about that other group I met? What did that mean?" Jacob answered, "It was to gain your favor."


text:
 Jacob said, "No, please, if I have gained your favor, accept my gift. To see your face is for me like seeing the face of God, now that you have been so friendly to me.


text:
 Please accept this gift which I have brought for you; God has been kind to me and given me everything I need." Jacob kept on urging him until he accepted.


text:
 Jacob answered, "You know that the children are weak, and I must think of the sheep and livestock with their young. If they are driven hard for even one day, the whole herd will die.


text:
 Please go on ahead of me, and I will follow slowly, going as fast as I can with the livestock and the children until I catch up with you in Edom."


text:
 Esau said, "Then let me leave some of my men with you." But Jacob answered, "There is no need for that for I only want to gain your favor."


text:
 But Jacob went to Sukkoth, where he built a house for himself and shelters for his livestock. That is why the place was named Sukkoth.


text:
 On his return from Mesopotamia Jacob arrived safely at the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan and set up his camp in a field near the city.


text:
 He bought that part of the field from the descendants of Hamor father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of silver.


text:
 When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, who was chief of that region, saw her, he took her and raped her.


text:
 But he found the young woman so attractive that he fell in love with her and tried to win her affection.


text:
 Jacob learned that his daughter had been disgraced, but because his sons were out in the fields with his livestock, he did nothing until they came back.


text:
 just as Jacob's sons were coming in from the fields. When they heard about it, they were shocked and furious that Shechem had done such a thing and had insulted the people of Israel by raping Jacob's daughter.


text:
 Hamor said to him, "My son Shechem has fallen in love with your daughter; please let him marry her.


text:
 Then you may stay here in our country with us; you may live anywhere you wish, trade freely, and own property."


text:
 Then Shechem said to Dinah's father and brothers, "Do me this favor, and I will give you whatever you want.


text:
 Tell me what presents you want, and set the payment for the bride as high as you wish; I will give you whatever you ask, if you will only let me marry her."


text:
 Because Shechem had disgraced their sister Dinah, Jacob's sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor in a deceitful way.


text:
 They said to him, "We cannot let our sister marry a man who is not circumcised; that would be a disgrace for us.


text:
 and the young man lost no time in doing what was suggested, because he was in love with Jacob's daughter. He was the most important member of his family.


text:
 Hamor and his son Shechem went to the meeting place at the city gate and spoke to the people of the town:


text:
 "These men are friendly; let them live in the land with us and travel freely. The land is large enough for them also. Let us marry their daughters and give them ours in marriage.


text:
 But these men will agree to live among us and be one people with us only on the condition that we circumcise all our males, as they are circumcised.


text:
 Won't all their livestock and everything else they own be ours? So let us agree that they can live among us."


text:
 All the citizens of the city agreed with what Hamor and Shechem proposed, and all the males were circumcised.


text:
 Three days later, when the men were still sore from their circumcision, two of Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, the brothers of Dinah, took their swords, went into the city without arousing suspicion, and killed all the men,


text:
 After the slaughter Jacob's other sons looted the town to take revenge for their sister's disgrace.


text:
 They took everything of value, captured all the women and children, and carried off everything in the houses.


text:
 Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have gotten me into trouble; now the Canaanites, the Perizzites, and everybody else in the land will hate me. I do not have many men; if they all band together against me and attack me, our whole family will be destroyed."


text:
 God said to Jacob, "Go to Bethel at once, and live there. Build an altar there to me, the God who appeared to you when you were running away from your brother Esau."


text:
 So Jacob said to his family and to all who were with him, "Get rid of the foreign gods that you have; purify yourselves and put on clean clothes.


text:
 We are going to leave here and go to Bethel, where I will build an altar to the God who helped me in the time of my trouble and who has been with me everywhere I have gone."


text:
 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods that they had and also the earrings that they were wearing. He buried them beneath the oak tree near Shechem.


text:
 When Jacob and his sons started to leave, great fear fell on the people of the nearby towns, and they did not pursue them.


text:
 He built an altar there and named the place for the God of Bethel, because God had revealed himself to him there when he was running away from his brother.


text:
 Rebecca's nurse Deborah died and was buried beneath the oak south of Bethel. So it was named "Oak of Weeping."


text:
 And God said to him, "I am Almighty God. Have many children. Nations will be descended from you, and you will be the ancestor of kings.


text:
 I will give you the land which I gave to Abraham and to Isaac, and I will also give it to your descendants after you."


text:
 There, where God had spoken to him, Jacob set up a memorial stone and consecrated it by pouring wine and olive oil on it.


text:
 Jacob and his family left Bethel, and when they were still some distance from Ephrath, the time came for Rachel to have her baby, and she was having difficult labor.


text:
 When her labor pains were at their worst, the midwife said to her, "Don't be afraid, Rachel; it's another boy."


text:
 But she was dying, and as she breathed her last, she named her son Benoni, but his father named him Benjamin.


text:
 While Jacob was living in that land, Reuben had sexual intercourse with Bilhah, one of his father's concubines; Jacob heard about it and was furious. Jacob had twelve sons.


text:
 Esau married Canaanite women: Adah, the daughter of Elon the Hittite; Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah son of Zibeon the Hivite;


text:
 and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. All these sons were born to Esau in the land of Canaan.


text:
 Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the people of his house, along with all his livestock and all the possessions he had gotten in the land of Canaan, and went away from his brother Jacob to another land.


text:
 He left because the land where he and Jacob were living was not able to support them; they had too much livestock and could no longer stay together.


text:
 Esau's wife Adah bore him one son, Eliphaz, and Eliphaz had five sons: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. And by another wife, Timna, he had one more son, Amalek. Esau's wife Basemath bore him one son, Reuel, and Reuel had four sons: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.


text:
 Esau's wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah son of Zibeon, bore him three sons: Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.


text:
 These are the tribes descended from Esau. Esau's first son Eliphaz was the ancestor of the following tribes: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz,


text:
 Esau's son Reuel was the ancestor of the following tribes: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were all descendants of Esau's wife Basemath.


text:
 The following tribes were descended from Esau by his wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah: Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.


text:
 The original inhabitants of the land of Edom were divided into tribes which traced their ancestry to the following descendants of Seir, a Horite: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan.


text:
 Zibeon had two sons, Aiah and Anah. (This is the Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness when he was taking care of his father's donkeys.)


text:
 Anah was the father of Dishon, who was the ancestor of the clans of Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. Anah also had a daughter named Oholibamah.


text:
 These are the Horite tribes in the land of Edom: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan.


text:
 Before there were any kings in Israel, the following kings ruled the land of Edom in succession: Bela son of Beor from Dinhabah Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah Husham from the region of Teman Hadad son of Bedad from Avith (he defeated the Midianites in a battle in the country of Moab) Samlah from Masrekah Shaul from Rehoboth-on-the-River Baal Hanan son of Achbor Hadad from Pau (his wife was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred and granddaughter of Mezahab)


text:
 Esau was the ancestor of the following Edomite tribes: Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, Magdiel, and Iram. The area where each of these tribes lived was known by the name of the tribe.


text:
 and this is the story of Jacob's family. Joseph, a young man of seventeen, took care of the sheep and goats with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's concubines. He brought bad reports to his father about what his brothers were doing.


text:
 Jacob loved Joseph more than all his other sons, because he had been born to him when he was old. He made a long robe with full sleeves for him.


text:
 When his brothers saw that their father loved Joseph more than he loved them, they hated their brother so much that they would not speak to him in a friendly manner.


text:
 We were all in the field tying up sheaves of wheat, when my sheaf got up and stood up straight. Yours formed a circle around mine and bowed down to it."


text:
 "Do you think you are going to be a king and rule over us?" his brothers asked. So they hated him even more because of his dreams and because of what he said about them.


text:
 Then Joseph had another dream and told his brothers, "I had another dream, in which I saw the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowing down to me."


text:
 He also told the dream to his father, and his father scolded him: "What kind of a dream is that? Do you think that your mother, your brothers, and I are going to come and bow down to you?"


text:
 Jacob said to Joseph, "I want you to go to Shechem, where your brothers are taking care of the flock." Joseph answered, "I am ready."


text:
 His father told him, "Go and see if your brothers are safe and if the flock is all right; then come back and tell me." So his father sent him on his way from Hebron Valley. Joseph arrived at Shechem


text:
 and was wandering around in the country when a man saw him and asked him, "What are you looking for?"


text:
 "I am looking for my brothers, who are taking care of their flock," he answered. "Can you tell me where they are?"


text:
 The man said, "They have already left. I heard them say that they were going to Dothan." So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.


text:
 They saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted against him and decided to kill him.


text:
 Come on now, let's kill him and throw his body into one of the dry wells. We can say that a wild animal killed him. Then we will see what becomes of his dreams."


text:
 "Just throw him into this well in the wilderness, but don't hurt him." He said this, planning to save him from them and send him back to his father.


text:
 While they were eating, they suddenly saw a group of Ishmaelites traveling from Gilead to Egypt. Their camels were loaded with spices and resins.


text:
 Let's sell him to these Ishmaelites. Then we won't have to hurt him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood." His brothers agreed,


text:
 and when some Midianite traders came by, the brothers pulled Joseph out of the well and sold him for twenty pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.


text:
 When Reuben came back to the well and found that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes in sorrow.


text:
 He recognized it and said, "Yes, it is his! Some wild animal has killed him. My son Joseph has been torn to pieces!"


text:
 All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, "I will go down to the world of the dead still mourning for my son." So he continued to mourn for his son Joseph.


text:
 Meanwhile, in Egypt the Midianites had sold Joseph to Potiphar, one of the king's officers, who was the captain of the palace guard.


text:
 About that time Judah left his brothers and went to stay with a man named Hirah, who was from the town of Adullam.


text:
 Then Judah said to Er's brother Onan, "Go and sleep with your brother's widow. Fulfill your obligation to her as her husband's brother, so that your brother may have descendants."


text:
 But Onan knew that the children would not belong to him, so when he had intercourse with his brother's widow, he let the semen spill on the ground, so that there would be no children for his brother.


text:
 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Return to your father's house and remain a widow until my son Shelah grows up." He said this because he was afraid that Shelah would be killed, as his brothers had been. So Tamar went back home.


text:
 After some time Judah's wife died. When he had finished the time of mourning, he and his friend Hirah of Adullam went to Timnah, where his sheep were being sheared.


text:
 So she changed from the widow's clothes she had been wearing, covered her face with a veil, and sat down at the entrance to Enaim, a town on the road to Timnah. As she well knew, Judah's youngest son Shelah was now grown up, and yet she had not been given to him in marriage.


text:
 He went over to her at the side of the road and said, "All right, how much do you charge?" (He did not know that she was his daughter-in-law.) She said, "What will you give me?"


text:
 He answered, "I will send you a young goat from my flock." She said, "All right, if you will give me something to keep as a pledge until you send the goat."


text:
 "What shall I give you as a pledge?" he asked. She answered, "Your seal with its cord and the walking stick you are carrying." He gave them to her. Then they had intercourse, and she became pregnant.


text:
 Judah sent his friend Hirah to take the goat and get back from the woman the articles he had pledged, but Hirah could not find her.


text:
 He asked some men at Enaim, "Where is the prostitute who was here by the road?" "There has never been a prostitute here," they answered.


text:
 He returned to Judah and said, "I couldn't find her. The men of the place said that there had never been a prostitute there."


text:
 Judah said, "Let her keep the things. We don't want people to laugh at us. I did try to pay her, but you couldn't find her."


text:
 About three months later someone told Judah, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar has been acting like a whore, and now she is pregnant." Judah ordered, "Take her out and burn her to death."


text:
 As she was being taken out, she sent word to her father-in-law: "I am pregnant by the man who owns these things. Look at them and see whose they are---this seal with its cord and this walking stick."


text:
 Judah recognized them and said, "She is in the right. I have failed in my obligation to her---I should have given her to my son Shelah in marriage." And Judah never had intercourse with her again.


text:
 While she was in labor, one of them put out an arm; the midwife caught it, tied a red thread around it, and said, "This one was born first."


text:
 But he pulled his arm back, and his brother was born first. Then the midwife said, "So this is how you break your way out!" So he was named Perez.


text:
 Now the Ishmaelites had taken Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, one of the king's officers, who was the captain of the palace guard.


text:
 Potiphar was pleased with him and made him his personal servant; so he put him in charge of his house and everything he owned.


text:
 From then on, because of Joseph the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian and everything that he had in his house and in his fields.


text:
 Potiphar turned over everything he had to the care of Joseph and did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Joseph was well-built and good-looking,


text:
 He refused and said to her, "Look, my master does not have to concern himself with anything in the house, because I am here. He has put me in charge of everything he has.


text:
 I have as much authority in this house as he has, and he has not kept back anything from me except you. How then could I do such an immoral thing and sin against God?"


text:
 She caught him by his robe and said, "Come to bed with me." But he escaped and ran outside, leaving his robe in her hand.


text:
 she called to her house servants and said, "Look at this! This Hebrew that my husband brought to the house is insulting us. He came into my room and tried to rape me, but I screamed as loud as I could.


text:
 Then she told him the same story: "That Hebrew slave that you brought here came into my room and insulted me.


text:
 and had Joseph arrested and put in the prison where the king's prisoners were kept, and there he stayed.


text:
 He put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and made him responsible for everything that was done in the prison.


text:
 The jailer did not have to look after anything for which Joseph was responsible, because the LORD was with Joseph and made him succeed in everything he did.


text:
 and put them in prison in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same place where Joseph was being kept.


text:
 One night there in prison the wine steward and the chief baker each had a dream, and the dreams had different meanings.


text:
 They answered, "Each of us had a dream, and there is no one here to explain what the dreams mean." "It is God who gives the ability to interpret dreams," Joseph said. "Tell me your dreams."


text:
 with three branches on it. As soon as the leaves came out, the blossoms appeared, and the grapes ripened.


text:
 I was holding the king's cup; so I took the grapes and squeezed them into the cup and gave it to him."


text:
 In three days the king will release you, pardon you, and restore you to your position. You will give him his cup as you did before when you were his wine steward.


text:
 But please remember me when everything is going well for you, and please be kind enough to mention me to the king and help me get out of this prison.


text:
 After all, I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here in Egypt I didn't do anything to deserve being put in prison."


text:
 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of the wine steward's dream was favorable, he said to Joseph, "I had a dream too; I was carrying three breadbaskets on my head.


text:
 In the top basket there were all kinds of baked goods for the king, and the birds were eating them."


text:
 In three days the king will release you---and have your head cut off! Then he will hang your body on a pole, and the birds will eat your flesh."


text:
 On his birthday three days later the king gave a banquet for all his officials; he released his wine steward and his chief baker and brought them before his officials.


text:
 Then seven other cows came up; they were thin and bony. They came and stood by the other cows on the riverbank,


text:
 He fell asleep again and had another dream. Seven heads of grain, full and ripe, were growing on one stalk.


text:
 and the thin heads of grain swallowed the full ones. The king woke up and realized that he had been dreaming.


text:
 In the morning he was worried, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. He told them his dreams, but no one could explain them to him.


text:
 You were angry with the chief baker and me, and you put us in prison in the house of the captain of the guard.


text:
 A young Hebrew was there with us, a slave of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us.


text:
 The king sent for Joseph, and he was immediately brought from the prison. After he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came into the king's presence.


text:
 The king said to him, "I have had a dream, and no one can explain it. I have been told that you can interpret dreams."


text:
 Then seven other cows came up which were thin and bony. They were the poorest cows I have ever seen anywhere in Egypt.


text:
 and the thin heads of grain swallowed the full ones. I told the dreams to the magicians, but none of them could explain them to me."


text:
 Joseph said to the king, "The two dreams mean the same thing; God has told you what he is going to do.


text:
 The seven fat cows are seven years, and the seven full heads of grain are also seven years; they have the same meaning.


text:
 The seven thin cows which came up later and the seven thin heads of grain scorched by the desert wind are seven years of famine.


text:
 After that, there will be seven years of famine, and all the good years will be forgotten, because the famine will ruin the country.


text:
 The time of plenty will be entirely forgotten, because the famine which follows will be so terrible.


text:
 The repetition of your dream means that the matter is fixed by God and that he will make it happen in the near future.


text:
 You must also appoint other officials and take a fifth of the crops during the seven years of plenty.


text:
 Order them to collect all the food during the good years that are coming, and give them authority to store up grain in the cities and guard it.


text:
 The food will be a reserve supply for the country during the seven years of famine which are going to come on Egypt. In this way the people will not starve."


text:
 and he said to them, "We will never find a better man than Joseph, a man who has God's spirit in him."


text:
 The king said to Joseph, "God has shown you all this, so it is obvious that you have greater wisdom and insight than anyone else.


text:
 I will put you in charge of my country, and all my people will obey your orders. Your authority will be second only to mine.


text:
 The king removed from his finger the ring engraved with the royal seal and put it on Joseph's finger. He put a fine linen robe on him, and placed a gold chain around his neck.


text:
 He gave him the second royal chariot to ride in, and his guard of honor went ahead of him and cried out, "Make way! Make way!" And so Joseph was appointed governor over all Egypt.


text:
 The king said to him, "I am the king---and no one in all Egypt shall so much as lift a hand or a foot without your permission."


text:
 He gave Joseph the Egyptian name Zaphenath Paneah, and he gave him a wife, Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, a priest in the city of Heliopolis. Joseph was thirty years old when he began to serve the king of Egypt. He left the king's court and traveled all over the land.


text:
 all of which Joseph collected and stored in the cities. In each city he stored the food from the fields around it.


text:
 He said, "God has made me forget all my sufferings and all my father's family"; so he named his first son Manasseh.


text:
 He also said, "God has given me children in the land of my trouble"; so he named his second son Ephraim.


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


text:
 When the Egyptians began to be hungry, they cried out to the king for food. So he ordered them to go to Joseph and do what he told them.


text:
 The famine grew worse and spread over the whole country, so Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians.


text:
 People came to Egypt from all over the world to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.


text:
 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why don't you do something?


text:
 but Jacob did not send Joseph's full brother Benjamin with them, because he was afraid that something might happen to him.


text:
 Joseph, as governor of the land of Egypt, was selling grain to people from all over the world. So Joseph's brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.


text:
 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he acted as if he did not know them. He asked them harshly, "Where do you come from?" "We have come from Canaan to buy food," they answered.


text:
 He remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them and said, "You are spies; you have come to find out where our country is weak."


text:
 They said, "We were twelve brothers in all, sir, sons of the same man in the land of Canaan. One brother is dead, and the youngest is now with our father."


text:
 This is how you will be tested: I swear by the name of the king that you will never leave unless your youngest brother comes here.


text:
 One of you must go and get him. The rest of you will be kept under guard until the truth of what you say can be tested. Otherwise, as sure as the king lives, you are spies."


text:
 On the third day Joseph said to them, "I am a God-fearing man, and I will spare your lives on one condition.


text:
 To prove that you are honest, one of you will stay in the prison where you have been kept; the rest of you may go and take back to your starving families the grain that you have bought.


text:
 Then you must bring your youngest brother to me. This will prove that you have been telling the truth, and I will not put you to death." They agreed to this


text:
 and said to one another, "Yes, now we are suffering the consequences of what we did to our brother; we saw the great trouble he was in when he begged for help, but we would not listen. That is why we are in this trouble now."


text:
 Reuben said, "I told you not to harm the boy, but you wouldn't listen. And now we are being paid back for his death."


text:
 Joseph understood what they said, but they did not know it, because they had been speaking to him through an interpreter.


text:
 Joseph left them and began to cry. When he was able to speak again, he came back, picked out Simeon, and had him tied up in front of them.


text:
 Joseph gave orders to fill his brothers' packs with grain, to put each man's money back in his sack, and to give them food for the trip. This was done.


text:
 At the place where they spent the night, one of them opened his sack to feed his donkey and found his money at the top of the sack.


text:
 "My money has been returned to me," he called to his brothers. "Here it is in my sack!" Their hearts sank, and in fear they asked one another, "What has God done to us?"


text:
 We were twelve brothers in all, sons of the same father. One brother is dead, and the youngest is still in Canaan with our father.'


text:
 The man answered, 'This is how I will find out if you are honest men: One of you will stay with me; the rest will take grain for your starving families and leave.


text:
 Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I will know that you are not spies, but honest men; I will give your brother back to you, and you can stay here and trade.' "


text:
 Then when they emptied out their sacks, every one of them found his bag of money; and when they saw the money, they and their father Jacob were afraid.


text:
 Their father said to them, "Do you want to make me lose all my children? Joseph is gone; Simeon is gone; and now you want to take away Benjamin. I am the one who suffers!"


text:
 Reuben said to his father, "If I do not bring Benjamin back to you, you can kill my two sons. Put him in my care, and I will bring him back."


text:
 But Jacob said, "My son cannot go with you; his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. Something might happen to him on the way. I am an old man, and the sorrow you would cause me would kill me."


text:
 and when the family of Jacob had eaten all the grain which had been brought from Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, "Go back and buy a little food for us."


text:
 Judah said to him, "The man sternly warned us that we would not be admitted to his presence unless we had our brother with us.


text:
 If you are not willing, we will not go, because the man told us we would not be admitted to his presence unless our brother was with us."


text:
 Jacob said, "Why did you cause me so much trouble by telling the man that you had another brother?"


text:
 They answered, "The man kept asking about us and our family, 'Is your father still living? Do you have another brother?' We had to answer his questions. How could we know that he would tell us to bring our brother with us?"


text:
 Judah said to his father, "Send the boy with me, and we will leave at once. Then none of us will starve to death.


text:
 I will pledge my own life, and you can hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you safe and sound, I will always bear the blame.


text:
 Their father said to them, "If that is how it has to be, then take the best products of the land in your packs as a present for the governor: a little resin, a little honey, spices, pistachio nuts, and almonds.


text:
 Take with you also twice as much money, because you must take back the money that was returned in the top of your sacks. Maybe it was a mistake.


text:
 May Almighty God cause the man to have pity on you, so that he will give Benjamin and your other brother back to you. As for me, if I must lose my children, I must lose them."


text:
 So the brothers took the gifts and twice as much money, and set out for Egypt with Benjamin. There they presented themselves to Joseph.


text:
 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the servant in charge of his house, "Take these men to my house. They are going to eat with me at noon, so kill an animal and prepare it."


text:
 As they were being brought to the house, they were afraid and thought, "We are being brought here because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time. They will suddenly attack us, take our donkeys, and make us his slaves."


text:
 When we set up camp on the way home, we opened our sacks, and each man found his money in the top of his sack---every bit of it. We have brought it back to you.


text:
 We have also brought some more money with us to buy more food. We do not know who put our money back in our sacks."


text:
 The servant said, "Don't worry. Don't be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, must have put the money in your sacks for you. I received your payment." Then he brought Simeon to them.


text:
 The servant took the brothers into the house. He gave them water so that they could wash their feet, and he fed their donkeys.


text:
 They got their gifts ready to present to Joseph when he arrived at noon, because they had been told that they were to eat with him.


text:
 When Joseph got home, they took the gifts into the house to him and bowed down to the ground before him.


text:
 He asked about their health and then said, "You told me about your old father---how is he? Is he still alive and well?"


text:
 They answered, "Your humble servant, our father, is still alive and well." And they knelt and bowed down before him.


text:
 When Joseph saw his brother Benjamin, he said, "So this is your youngest brother, the one you told me about. God bless you, my son."


text:
 Then Joseph left suddenly, because his heart was full of tender feelings for his brother. He was about to break down, so he went to his room and cried.


text:
 After he had washed his face, he came out, and controlling himself, he ordered the meal to be served.


text:
 Joseph was served at one table and his brothers at another. The Egyptians who were eating there were served separately, because they considered it beneath their dignity to eat with Hebrews.


text:
 The brothers had been seated at the table, facing Joseph, in the order of their age from the oldest to the youngest. When they saw how they had been seated, they looked at one another in amazement.


text:
 Food was served to them from Joseph's table, and Benjamin was served five times as much as the rest of them. So they ate and drank with Joseph until they were drunk.


text:
 Joseph commanded the servant in charge of his house, "Fill the men's sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man's money in the top of his sack.


text:
 Put my silver cup in the top of the youngest brother's sack, together with the money for his grain." He did as he was told.


text:
 When they had gone only a short distance from the city, Joseph said to the servant in charge of his house, "Hurry after those men. When you catch up with them, ask them, 'Why have you paid back evil for good?


text:
 Why did you steal my master's silver cup? It is the one he drinks from, the one he uses for divination. You have committed a serious crime!' "


text:
 They answered him, "What do you mean, sir, by talking like this? We swear that we have done no such thing.


text:
 You know that we brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money we found in the top of our sacks. Why then should we steal silver or gold from your master's house?


text:
 Sir, if any one of us is found to have it, he will be put to death, and the rest of us will become your slaves."


text:
 He said, "I agree; but only the one who has taken the cup will become my slave, and the rest of you can go free."


text:
 Joseph's servant searched carefully, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest, and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.


text:
 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, he was still there. They bowed down before him,


text:
 and Joseph said, "What have you done? Didn't you know that a man in my position could find you out by practicing divination?"


text:
 "What can we say to you, sir?" Judah answered. "How can we argue? How can we clear ourselves? God has uncovered our guilt. All of us are now your slaves and not just the one with whom the cup was found."


text:
 Joseph said, "Oh, no! I would never do that! Only the one who had the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may go back safe and sound to your father."


text:
 Judah went up to Joseph and said, "Please, sir, allow me to speak with you freely. Don't be angry with me; you are like the king himself.


text:
 We answered, 'We have a father who is old and a younger brother, born to him in his old age. The boy's brother is dead, and he is the only one of his mother's children still alive; his father loves him very much.'


text:
 Then you said, 'You will not be admitted to my presence again unless your youngest brother comes with you.'


text:
 We answered, 'We cannot go; we will not be admitted to the man's presence unless our youngest brother is with us. We can go only if our youngest brother goes also.'


text:
 One of them has already left me. He must have been torn to pieces by wild animals, because I have not seen him since he left.


text:
 If you take this one from me now and something happens to him, the sorrow you would cause me would kill me, as old as I am.'


text:
 "And now, sir," Judah continued, "if I go back to my father without the boy, as soon as he sees that the boy is not with me, he will die. His life is wrapped up with the life of the boy, and he is so old that the sorrow we would cause him would kill him.


text:
 What is more, I pledged my life to my father for the boy. I told him that if I did not bring the boy back to him, I would bear the blame all my life.


text:
 And now, sir, I will stay here as your slave in place of the boy; let him go back with his brothers.


text:
 How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I cannot bear to see this disaster come upon my father."


text:
 Joseph was no longer able to control his feelings in front of his servants, so he ordered them all to leave the room. No one else was with him when Joseph told his brothers who he was.


text:
 He cried with such loud sobs that the Egyptians heard it, and the news was taken to the king's palace.


text:
 Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?" But when his brothers heard this, they were so terrified that they could not answer.


text:
 Then Joseph said to them, "Please come closer." They did, and he said, "I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.


text:
 Now do not be upset or blame yourselves because you sold me here. It was really God who sent me ahead of you to save people's lives.


text:
 This is only the second year of famine in the land; there will be five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor reaping.


text:
 God sent me ahead of you to rescue you in this amazing way and to make sure that you and your descendants survive.


text:
 So it was not really you who sent me here, but God. He has made me the king's highest official. I am in charge of his whole country; I am the ruler of all Egypt.


text:
 "Now hurry back to my father and tell him that this is what his son Joseph says: 'God has made me ruler of all Egypt; come to me without delay.


text:
 You can live in the region of Goshen, where you can be near me---you, your children, your grandchildren, your sheep, your goats, your cattle, and everything else that you have.


text:
 If you are in Goshen, I can take care of you. There will still be five years of famine; and I do not want you, your family, and your livestock to starve.' "


text:
 Tell my father how powerful I am here in Egypt and tell him about everything that you have seen. Then hurry and bring him here."


text:
 He threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and began to cry; Benjamin also cried as he hugged him.


text:
 Then, still weeping, he embraced each of his brothers and kissed them. After that, his brothers began to talk with him.


text:
 When the news reached the palace that Joseph's brothers had come, the king and his officials were pleased.


text:
 Let them get their father and their families and come back here. I will give them the best land in Egypt, and they will have more than enough to live on.


text:
 Tell them also to take wagons with them from Egypt for their wives and small children and to bring their father with them.


text:
 They are not to worry about leaving their possessions behind; the best in the whole land of Egypt will be theirs."


text:
 Jacob's sons did as they were told. Joseph gave them wagons, as the king had ordered, and food for the trip.


text:
 He also gave each of them a change of clothes, but he gave Benjamin three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothes.


text:
 He sent his father ten donkeys loaded with the best Egyptian goods and ten donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and other food for the trip.


text:
 "Joseph is still alive!" they told him. "He is the ruler of all Egypt!" Jacob was stunned and could not believe them.


text:
 But when they told him all that Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to take him to Egypt, he recovered from the shock.


text:
 "My son Joseph is still alive!" he said. "This is all I could ask for! I must go and see him before I die."


text:
 Jacob packed up all he had and went to Beersheba, where he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.


text:
 "I am God, the God of your father," he said. "Do not be afraid to go to Egypt; I will make your descendants a great nation there.


text:
 I will go with you to Egypt, and I will bring your descendants back to this land. Joseph will be with you when you die."


text:
 Jacob set out from Beersheba. His sons put him, their small children, and their wives in the wagons which the king of Egypt had sent.


text:
 They took their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan and went to Egypt. Jacob took all his descendants with him:


text:
 Judah and his sons: Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. (Judah's other sons, Er and Onan, had died in Canaan.) Perez' sons were Hezron and Hamul.


text:
 These are the sons that Leah had borne to Jacob in Mesopotamia, besides his daughter Dinah. In all, his descendants by Leah numbered thirty-three.


text:
 Asher and his sons: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. Beriah's sons were Heber and Malchiel.


text:
 These sixteen are the descendants of Jacob by Zilpah, the slave woman whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah.


text:
 In Egypt Joseph had two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, by Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, a priest in Heliopolis.


text:
 These seven are the descendants of Jacob by Bilhah, the slave woman whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel.


text:
 The total number of the direct descendants of Jacob who went to Egypt was sixty-six, not including his sons' wives.


text:
 Two sons were born to Joseph in Egypt, bringing to seventy the total number of Jacob's family who went there.


text:
 Joseph got in his chariot and went to Goshen to meet his father. When they met, Joseph threw his arms around his father's neck and cried for a long time.


text:
 Jacob said to Joseph, "I am ready to die, now that I have seen you and know that you are still alive."


text:
 Then Joseph said to his brothers and the rest of his father's family, "I must go and tell the king that my brothers and all my father's family, who were living in Canaan, have come to me.


text:
 I will tell him that you are shepherds and take care of livestock and that you have brought your flocks and herds and everything else that belongs to you.


text:
 be sure to tell him that you have taken care of livestock all your lives, just as your ancestors did. In this way he will let you live in the region of Goshen." Joseph said this because Egyptians will have nothing to do with shepherds.


text:
 So Joseph took five of his brothers and went to the king. He told him, "My father and my brothers have come from Canaan with their flocks, their herds, and all that they own. They are now in the region of Goshen."


text:
 The king asked them, "What is your occupation?" "We are shepherds, sir, just as our ancestors were," they answered.


text:
 "We have come to live in this country, because in the land of Canaan the famine is so severe that there is no pasture for our flocks. Please give us permission to live in the region of Goshen."


text:
 the land of Egypt is theirs. Let them settle in the region of Goshen, the best part of the land. And if there are any capable men among them, put them in charge of my own livestock."


text:
 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob and presented him to the king. Jacob gave the king his blessing,


text:
 Jacob answered, "My life of wandering has lasted a hundred and thirty years. Those years have been few and difficult, unlike the long years of my ancestors in their wanderings."


text:
 Then Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt, giving them property in the best of the land near the city of Rameses, as the king had commanded.


text:
 Joseph provided food for his father, his brothers, and all the rest of his father's family, including the very youngest.


text:
 The famine was so severe that there was no food anywhere, and the people of Egypt and Canaan became weak with hunger.


text:
 When all the money in Egypt and Canaan was spent, the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, "Give us food! Don't let us die. Do something! Our money is all gone."


text:
 Joseph answered, "Bring your livestock; I will give you food in exchange for it if your money is all gone."


text:
 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys. That year he supplied them with food in exchange for all their livestock.


text:
 The following year they came to him and said, "We will not hide the fact from you, sir, that our money is all gone and our livestock belongs to you. There is nothing left to give you except our bodies and our lands.


text:
 Don't let us die. Do something! Don't let our fields be deserted. Buy us and our land in exchange for food. We will be the king's slaves, and he will own our land. Give us grain to keep us alive and seed so that we can plant our fields."


text:
 Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for the king. Every Egyptian was forced to sell his land, because the famine was so severe; and all the land became the king's property.


text:
 The only land he did not buy was the land that belonged to the priests. They did not have to sell their lands, because the king gave them an allowance to live on.


text:
 Joseph said to the people, "You see, I have now bought you and your lands for the king. Here is seed for you to sow in your fields.


text:
 At the time of harvest you must give one-fifth to the king. You can use the rest for seed and for food for yourselves and your families."


text:
 They answered, "You have saved our lives; you have been good to us, sir, and we will be the king's slaves."


text:
 So Joseph made it a law for the land of Egypt that one-fifth of the harvest should belong to the king. This law still remains in force today. Only the lands of the priests did not become the king's property.


text:
 The Israelites lived in Egypt in the region of Goshen, where they became rich and had many children.


text:
 When the time drew near for him to die, he called for his son Joseph and said to him, "Place your hand between my thighs and make a solemn vow that you will not bury me in Egypt.


text:
 I want to be buried where my fathers are; carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried." Joseph answered, "I will do as you say."


text:
 Jacob said, "Make a vow that you will." Joseph made the vow, and Jacob gave thanks there on his bed.


text:
 Some time later Joseph was told that his father was ill. So he took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, and went to see Jacob.


text:
 When Jacob was told that his son Joseph had come to see him, he gathered his strength and sat up in bed.


text:
 He said to me, 'I will give you many children, so that your descendants will become many nations; I will give this land to your descendants as their possession forever.' "


text:
 Jacob continued, "Joseph, your two sons, who were born to you in Egypt before I came here, belong to me; Ephraim and Manasseh are just as much my sons as Reuben and Simeon.


text:
 If you have any more sons, they will not be considered mine; the inheritance they get will come through Ephraim and Manasseh.


text:
 I am doing this because of your mother Rachel. To my great sorrow she died in the land of Canaan, not far from Ephrath, as I was returning from Mesopotamia. I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath." (Ephrath is now known as Bethlehem.)


text:
 Joseph answered, "These are my sons, whom God has given me here in Egypt." Jacob said, "Bring them to me so that I may bless them."


text:
 Jacob's eyesight was failing because of his age, and he could not see very well. Joseph brought the boys to him, and he hugged them and kissed them.


text:
 Jacob said to Joseph, "I never expected to see you again, and now God has even let me see your children."


text:
 But Jacob crossed his hands, and put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, even though he was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, who was the older.


text:
 Then he blessed Joseph: "May God, whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac served, bless these boys! May God, who has led me to this very day, bless them!


text:
 May the angel, who has rescued me from all harm, bless them! May my name and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac live on through these boys! May they have many children, many descendants!"


text:
 Joseph was upset when he saw that his father had put his right hand on Ephraim's head; so he took his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to the head of Manasseh.


text:
 He said to his father, "Not that way, father. This is the older boy; put your right hand on his head."


text:
 His father refused, saying, "I know, son, I know. Manasseh's descendants will also become a great people. But his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become great nations."


text:
 So he blessed them that day, saying, "The Israelites will use your names when they pronounce blessings. They will say, 'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.' " In this way Jacob put Ephraim before Manasseh.


text:
 Then Jacob said to Joseph, "As you see, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will take you back to the land of your ancestors.


text:
 It is to you and not to your brothers that I am giving Shechem, that fertile region which I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow."


text:
 Jacob called for his sons and said, "Gather around, and I will tell you what will happen to you in the future:


text:
 "Reuben, my first-born, you are my strength And the first child of my manhood, The proudest and strongest of all my sons.


text:
 You are like a raging flood, But you will not be the most important, For you slept with my concubine And dishonored your father's bed.


text:
 I will not join in their secret talks, Nor will I take part in their meetings, For they killed people in anger And they crippled bulls for sport.


text:
 A curse be on their anger, because it is so fierce, And on their fury, because it is so cruel. I will scatter them throughout the land of Israel. I will disperse them among its people.


text:
 "Judah, your brothers will praise you. You hold your enemies by the neck. Your brothers will bow down before you.


text:
 Judah is like a lion, Killing his victim and returning to his den, Stretching out and lying down. No one dares disturb him.


text:
 Judah will hold the royal scepter, And his descendants will always rule. Nations will bring him tribute And bow in obedience before him.


text:
 He ties his young donkey to a grapevine, To the very best of the vines. He washes his clothes in blood-red wine.


text:
 "Zebulun will live beside the sea. His shore will be a haven for ships. His territory will reach as far as Sidon.


text:
 But he sees that the resting place is good And that the land is delightful. So he bends his back to carry the load And is forced to work as a slave.


text:
 Dan will be a snake at the side of the road, A poisonous snake beside the path, That strikes at the horse's heel, So that the rider is thrown off backward.


text:
 But his bow remains steady, And his arms are made strong By the power of the Mighty God of Jacob, By the Shepherd, the Protector of Israel.


text:
 It is your father's God who helps you, The Almighty God who blesses you With blessings of rain from above And of deep waters from beneath the ground, Blessings of many cattle and children,


text:
 Blessings of grain and flowers, Blessings of ancient mountains, Delightful things from everlasting hills. May these blessings rest on the head of Joseph, On the brow of the one set apart from his brothers.


text:
 These are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said as he spoke a suitable word of farewell to each son.


text:
 Then Jacob commanded his sons, "Now that I am going to join my people in death, bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,


text:
 at Machpelah east of Mamre in the land of Canaan. Abraham bought this cave and field from Ephron for a burial ground.


text:
 That is where they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah; that is where they buried Isaac and his wife Rebecca; and that is where I buried Leah.


text:
 When the time of mourning was over, Joseph said to the king's officials, "Please take this message to the king:


text:
 'When my father was about to die, he made me promise him that I would bury him in the tomb which he had prepared in the land of Canaan. So please let me go and bury my father, and then I will come back.' "


text:
 So Joseph went to bury his father. All the king's officials, the senior men of his court, and all the leading men of Egypt went with Joseph.


text:
 His family, his brothers, and the rest of his father's family all went with him. Only their small children and their sheep, goats, and cattle stayed in the region of Goshen.


text:
 When they came to the threshing place at Atad east of the Jordan, they mourned loudly for a long time, and Joseph performed mourning ceremonies for seven days.


text:
 When the citizens of Canaan saw those people mourning at Atad, they said, "What a solemn ceremony of mourning the Egyptians are holding!" That is why the place was named Abel Mizraim.


text:
 they carried his body to Canaan and buried it in the cave at Machpelah east of Mamre in the field which Abraham had bought from Ephron the Hittite for a burial ground.


text:
 After Joseph had buried his father, he returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone with him for the funeral.


text:
 After the death of their father, Joseph's brothers said, "What if Joseph still hates us and plans to pay us back for all the harm we did to him?"


text:
 he told us to ask you, 'Please forgive the crime your brothers committed when they wronged you.' Now please forgive us the wrong that we, the servants of your father's God, have done." Joseph cried when he received this message.


text:
 Then his brothers themselves came and bowed down before him. "Here we are before you as your slaves," they said.


text:
 You plotted evil against me, but God turned it into good, in order to preserve the lives of many people who are alive today because of what happened.


text:
 You have nothing to fear. I will take care of you and your children." So he reassured them with kind words that touched their hearts.


text:
 Joseph continued to live in Egypt with his father's family; he was a hundred and ten years old when he died.


text:
 He lived to see Ephraim's children and grandchildren. He also lived to receive the children of Machir son of Manasseh into the family.


text:
 He said to his brothers, "I am about to die, but God will certainly take care of you and lead you out of this land to the land he solemnly promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."


text:
 Then Joseph asked his people to make a vow. "Promise me," he said, "that when God leads you to that land, you will take my body with you."


text:
 So Joseph died in Egypt at the age of a hundred and ten. They embalmed his body and put it in a coffin.


text:
 The total number of these people directly descended from Jacob was seventy. His son Joseph was already in Egypt.


text:
 but their descendants, the Israelites, had many children and became so numerous and strong that Egypt was filled with them.


text:
 In case of war they might join our enemies in order to fight against us, and might escape from the country. We must find some way to keep them from becoming even more numerous."


text:
 So the Egyptians put slave drivers over them to crush their spirits with hard labor. The Israelites built the cities of Pithom and Rameses to serve as supply centers for the king.


text:
 But the more the Egyptians oppressed the Israelites, the more they increased in number and the farther they spread through the land. The Egyptians came to fear the Israelites


text:
 and made their lives miserable by forcing them into cruel slavery. They made them work on their building projects and in their fields, and they had no pity on them.


text:
 "When you help the Hebrew women give birth," he said to them, "kill the baby if it is a boy; but if it is a girl, let it live."


text:
 So the king sent for the midwives and asked them, "Why are you doing this? Why are you letting the boys live?"


text:
 They answered, "The Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they give birth easily, and their babies are born before either of us gets there."


text:
 Because the midwives were God-fearing, God was good to them and gave them families of their own. And the Israelites continued to increase and become strong.


text:
 Finally the king issued a command to all his people: "Take every newborn Hebrew boy and throw him into the Nile, but let all the girls live."


text:
 But when she could not hide him any longer, she took a basket made of reeds and covered it with tar to make it watertight. She put the baby in it and then placed it in the tall grass at the edge of the river.


text:
 The king's daughter came down to the river to bathe, while her servants walked along the bank. Suddenly she noticed the basket in the tall grass and sent a slave woman to get it.


text:
 The princess opened it and saw a baby boy. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. "This is one of the Hebrew babies," she said.


text:
 The princess told the woman, "Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you." So she took the baby and nursed him.


text:
 Later, when the child was old enough, she took him to the king's daughter, who adopted him as her own son. She said to herself, "I pulled him out of the water, and so I name him Moses."


text:
 When Moses had grown up, he went out to visit his people, the Hebrews, and he saw how they were forced to do hard labor. He even saw an Egyptian kill a Hebrew, one of Moses' own people.


text:
 Moses looked all around, and when he saw that no one was watching, he killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand.


text:
 The next day he went back and saw two Hebrew men fighting. He said to the one who was in the wrong, "Why are you beating up a fellow Hebrew?"


text:
 The man answered, "Who made you our ruler and judge? Are you going to kill me just as you killed that Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid and said to himself, "People have found out what I have done."


text:
 When the king heard about what had happened, he tried to have Moses killed, but Moses fled and went to live in the land of Midian. One day, when Moses was sitting by a well, seven daughters of Jethro, the priest of Midian, came to draw water and fill the troughs for their father's sheep and goats.


text:
 But some shepherds drove Jethro's daughters away. Then Moses went to their rescue and watered their animals for them.


text:
 "An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds," they answered, "and he even drew water for us and watered our animals."


text:
 "Where is he?" he asked his daughters. "Why did you leave the man out there? Go and invite him to eat with us."


text:
 who bore him a son. Moses said to himself, "I am a foreigner in this land, and so I name him Gershom."


text:
 Years later the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites were still groaning under their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry went up to God,


text:
 One day while Moses was taking care of the sheep and goats of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, he led the flock across the desert and came to Sinai, the holy mountain.


text:
 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him as a flame coming from the middle of a bush. Moses saw that the bush was on fire but that it was not burning up.


text:
 When the LORD saw that Moses was coming closer, he called to him from the middle of the bush and said, "Moses! Moses!" He answered, "Yes, here I am."


text:
 I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." So Moses covered his face, because he was afraid to look at God.


text:
 Then the LORD said, "I have seen how cruelly my people are being treated in Egypt; I have heard them cry out to be rescued from their slave drivers. I know all about their sufferings,


text:
 and so I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians and to bring them out of Egypt to a spacious land, one which is rich and fertile and in which the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites now live.


text:
 But Moses said to God, "I am nobody. How can I go to the king and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"


text:
 God answered, "I will be with you, and when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will worship me on this mountain. That will be the proof that I have sent you."


text:
 But Moses replied, "When I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your ancestors sent me to you,' they will ask me, 'What is his name?' So what can I tell them?"


text:
 Tell the Israelites that I, the LORD, the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, have sent you to them. This is my name forever; this is what all future generations are to call me.


text:
 Go and gather the leaders of Israel together and tell them that I, the LORD, the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, appeared to you. Tell them that I have come to them and have seen what the Egyptians are doing to them.


text:
 I have decided that I will bring them out of Egypt, where they are being treated cruelly, and will take them to a rich and fertile land---the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.


text:
 "My people will listen to what you say to them. Then you must go with the leaders of Israel to the king of Egypt and say to him, 'The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has revealed himself to us. Now allow us to travel three days into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD, our God.'


text:
 But I will use my power and will punish Egypt by doing terrifying things there. After that he will let you go.


text:
 "I will make the Egyptians respect you so that when my people leave, they will not go empty-handed.


text:
 Every Israelite woman will go to her Egyptian neighbors and to any Egyptian woman living in her house and will ask for clothing and for gold and silver jewelry. The Israelites will put these things on their sons and daughters and carry away the wealth of the Egyptians."


text:
 Then Moses answered the LORD, "But suppose the Israelites do not believe me and will not listen to what I say. What shall I do if they say that you did not appear to me?"


text:
 The LORD said, "Throw it on the ground." When Moses threw it down, it turned into a snake, and he ran away from it.


text:
 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Reach down and pick it up by the tail." So Moses reached down and caught it, and it became a walking stick again.


text:
 The LORD said, "Do this to prove to the Israelites that the LORD, the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has appeared to you."


text:
 The LORD spoke to Moses again, "Put your hand inside your robe." Moses obeyed; and when he took his hand out, it was diseased, covered with white spots, like snow.


text:
 Then the LORD said, "Put your hand inside your robe again." He did so, and when he took it out this time, it was healthy, just like the rest of his body.


text:
 The LORD said, "If they will not believe you or be convinced by the first miracle, then this one will convince them.


text:
 If in spite of these two miracles they still will not believe you, and if they refuse to listen to what you say, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the ground. The water will turn into blood."


text:
 But Moses said, "No, LORD, don't send me. I have never been a good speaker, and I haven't become one since you began to speak to me. I am a poor speaker, slow and hesitant."


text:
 The LORD said to him, "Who gives man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or dumb? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? It is I, the LORD.


text:
 At this the LORD became angry with Moses and said, "What about your brother Aaron, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. In fact, he is now coming to meet you and will be glad to see you.


text:
 You can speak to him and tell him what to say. I will help both of you to speak, and I will tell you both what to do.


text:
 He will be your spokesman and speak to the people for you. Then you will be like God, telling him what to say.


text:
 Then Moses went back to Jethro, his father-in-law, and said to him, "Please let me go back to my relatives in Egypt to see if they are still alive." Jethro agreed and told him good-bye.


text:
 While Moses was still in Midian, the LORD said to him, "Go back to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you are dead."


text:
 So Moses took his wife and his sons, put them on a donkey, and set out with them for Egypt, carrying the walking stick that God had told him to take.


text:
 Again the LORD said to Moses, "Now that you are going back to Egypt, be sure to perform before the king all the miracles which I have given you the power to do. But I will make the king stubborn, and he will not let the people go.


text:
 I told you to let my son go, so that he might worship me, but you refused. Now I am going to kill your first-born son.' "


text:
 Then Zipporah, his wife, took a sharp stone, cut off the foreskin of her son, and touched Moses' feet with it. Because of the rite of circumcision she said to Moses, "You are a husband of blood to me." And so the LORD spared Moses' life.


text:
 Meanwhile the LORD had said to Aaron, "Go into the desert to meet Moses." So he went to meet him at the holy mountain; and when he met him, he kissed him.


text:
 Then Moses told Aaron everything that the LORD had said when he told him to return to Egypt; he also told him about the miracles which the LORD had ordered him to perform.


text:
 Aaron told them everything that the LORD had said to Moses, and then Moses performed all the miracles in front of the people.


text:
 They believed, and when they heard that the LORD had come to them and had seen how they were being treated cruelly, they bowed down and worshiped.


text:
 Then Moses and Aaron went to the king of Egypt and said, "The LORD, the God of Israel, says, 'Let my people go, so that they can hold a festival in the desert to honor me.' "


text:
 "Who is the LORD?" the king demanded. "Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD; and I will not let Israel go."


text:
 Moses and Aaron replied, "The God of the Hebrews has revealed himself to us. Allow us to travel three days into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God. If we don't do so, he will kill us with disease or by war."


text:
 The king said to Moses and Aaron, "What do you mean by making the people neglect their work? Get those slaves back to work!


text:
 But still require them to make the same number of bricks as before, not one brick less. They don't have enough work to do, and that is why they keep asking me to let them go and offer sacrifices to their God!


text:
 Make them work harder and keep them busy, so that they won't have time to listen to a pack of lies."


text:
 The slave drivers and the Israelite foremen went out and said to the Israelites, "The king has said that he will not supply you with any more straw.


text:
 He says that you must go and get it for yourselves wherever you can find it, but you must still make the same number of bricks."


text:
 The slave drivers kept trying to force them to make the same number of bricks every day as they had made when they were given straw.


text:
 The Egyptian slave drivers beat the Israelite foremen, whom they had put in charge of the work. They demanded, "Why aren't you people making the same number of bricks that you made before?"


text:
 We are given no straw, but we are still ordered to make bricks! And now we are being beaten. It is your people that are at fault."


text:
 The king answered, "You are lazy and don't want to work, and that is why you ask me to let you go and offer sacrifices to the LORD.


text:
 Now get back to work! You will not be given any straw, but you must still make the same number of bricks."


text:
 The foremen realized that they were in trouble when they were told that they had to make the same number of bricks every day as they had made before.


text:
 They said to Moses and Aaron, "The LORD has seen what you have done and will punish you for making the king and his officers hate us. You have given them an excuse to kill us."


text:
 Then Moses turned to the LORD again and said, "Lord, why do you mistreat your people? Why did you send me here?


text:
 Ever since I went to the king to speak for you, he has treated them cruelly. And you have done nothing to help them!"


text:
 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you are going to see what I will do to the king. I will force him to let my people go. In fact, I will force him to drive them out of his land."


text:
 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as Almighty God, but I did not make myself known to them by my holy name, the LORD.


text:
 I also made my covenant with them, promising to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they had lived as foreigners.


text:
 Now I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians have enslaved, and I have remembered my covenant.


text:
 So tell the Israelites that I say to them, 'I am the LORD; I will rescue you and set you free from your slavery to the Egyptians. I will raise my mighty arm to bring terrible punishment upon them, and I will save you.


text:
 I will make you my own people, and I will be your God. You will know that I am the LORD your God when I set you free from slavery in Egypt.


text:
 I will bring you to the land that I solemnly promised to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as your own possession. I am the LORD.' "


text:
 Moses told this to the Israelites, but they would not listen to him, because their spirit had been broken by their cruel slavery.


text:
 But Moses replied, "Even the Israelites will not listen to me, so why should the king? I am such a poor speaker."


text:
 The LORD commanded Moses and Aaron: "Tell the Israelites and the king of Egypt that I have ordered you to lead the Israelites out of Egypt."


text:
 Reuben, Jacob's first-born, had four sons: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; they were the ancestors of the clans that bear their names.


text:
 Simeon had six sons: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman; they were the ancestors of the clans that bear their names.


text:
 Levi had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari; they were the ancestors of the clans that bear their names. Levi lived 137 years.


text:
 Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon; she bore him Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.


text:
 Korah had three sons: Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph; they were the ancestors of the divisions of the clan of Korah.


text:
 Eleazar, Aaron's son, married one of Putiel's daughters, who bore him Phinehas. These were the heads of the families and the clans of the tribe of Levi.


text:
 The LORD said, "I am going to make you like God to the king, and your brother Aaron will speak to him as your prophet.


text:
 Tell Aaron everything I command you, and he will tell the king to let the Israelites leave his country.


text:
 But I will make the king stubborn, and he will not listen to you, no matter how many terrifying things I do in Egypt. Then I will bring severe punishment on Egypt and lead the tribes of my people out of the land.


text:
 The Egyptians will then know that I am the LORD, when I raise my hand against them and bring the Israelites out of their country."


text:
 "If the king demands that you prove yourselves by performing a miracle, tell Aaron to take his walking stick and throw it down in front of the king, and it will turn into a snake."


text:
 So Moses and Aaron went to the king and did as the LORD had commanded. Aaron threw his walking stick down in front of the king and his officers, and it turned into a snake.


text:
 They threw down their walking sticks, and the sticks turned into snakes. But Aaron's stick swallowed theirs.


text:
 The king, however, remained stubborn and, just as the LORD had said, the king would not listen to Moses and Aaron.


text:
 So go and meet him in the morning when he goes down to the Nile. Take with you the walking stick that was turned into a snake, and wait for him on the riverbank.


text:
 Then say to the king, 'The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to tell you to let his people go, so that they can worship him in the desert. But until now you have not listened.


text:
 Now, Your Majesty, the LORD says that you will find out who he is by what he is going to do. Look, I am going to strike the surface of the river with this stick, and the water will be turned into blood.


text:
 The fish will die, and the river will stink so much that the Egyptians will not be able to drink from it.' "


text:
 The LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron to take his stick and hold it out over all the rivers, canals, and pools in Egypt. The water will become blood, and all over the land there will be blood, even in the wooden tubs and stone jars."


text:
 Then Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded. In the presence of the king and his officers, Aaron raised his stick and struck the surface of the river, and all the water in it was turned into blood.


text:
 The fish in the river died, and it smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink from it. There was blood everywhere in Egypt.


text:
 Then the king's magicians did the same thing by means of their magic, and the king was as stubborn as ever. Just as the LORD had said, the king refused to listen to Moses and Aaron.


text:
 All the Egyptians dug along the bank of the river for drinking water, because they were not able to drink water from the river.


text:
 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the king and tell him that the LORD says, 'Let my people go, so that they can worship me.


text:
 The Nile will be so full of frogs that they will leave it and go into your palace, your bedroom, your bed, the houses of your officials and your people, and even into your ovens and baking pans.


text:
 The LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron to hold out his walking stick over the rivers, the canals, and the pools, and make frogs come up and cover the land of Egypt."


text:
 The king called for Moses and Aaron and said, "Pray to the LORD to take away these frogs, and I will let your people go, so that they can offer sacrifices to the LORD."


text:
 Moses replied, "I will be glad to pray for you. Just set the time when I am to pray for you, your officers, and your people. Then you will be rid of the frogs, and there will be none left except in the Nile."


text:
 The king answered, "Pray for me tomorrow." Moses said, "I will do as you ask, and then you will know that there is no other god like the LORD, our God.


text:
 You, your officials, and your people will be rid of the frogs, and there will be none left except in the Nile."


text:
 Then Moses and Aaron left the king, and Moses prayed to the LORD to take away the frogs which he had brought on the king.


text:
 When the king saw that the frogs were dead, he became stubborn again and, just as the LORD had said, the king would not listen to Moses and Aaron.


text:
 The LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron to strike the ground with his stick, and all over the land of Egypt the dust will change into gnats."


text:
 So Aaron struck the ground with his stick, and all the dust in Egypt was turned into gnats, which covered the people and the animals.


text:
 The magicians tried to use their magic to make gnats appear, but they failed. There were gnats everywhere,


text:
 and the magicians said to the king, "God has done this!" But the king was stubborn and, just as the LORD had said, the king would not listen to Moses and Aaron.


text:
 The LORD said to Moses, "Early tomorrow morning go and meet the king as he goes to the river, and tell him that the LORD says, 'Let my people go, so that they can worship me.


text:
 I warn you that if you refuse, I will punish you by sending flies on you, your officials, and your people. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies, and the ground will be covered with them.


text:
 But I will spare the region of Goshen, where my people live, so that there will be no flies there. I will do this so that you will know that I, the LORD, am at work in this land.


text:
 I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This miracle will take place tomorrow.' "


text:
 The LORD sent great swarms of flies into the king's palace and the houses of his officials. The whole land of Egypt was brought to ruin by the flies.


text:
 Then the king called for Moses and Aaron and said, "Go and offer sacrifices to your God here in this country."


text:
 "It would not be right to do that," Moses answered, "because the Egyptians would be offended by our sacrificing the animals that we offer to the LORD our God. If we use these animals and offend the Egyptians by sacrificing them where they can see us, they will stone us to death.


text:
 We must travel three days into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, just as he commanded us."


text:
 The king said, "I will let you go to sacrifice to the LORD, your God, in the desert, if you do not go very far. Pray for me."


text:
 Moses answered, "As soon as I leave, I will pray to the LORD that tomorrow the flies will leave you, your officials, and your people. But you must not deceive us again and prevent the people from going to sacrifice to the LORD."


text:
 and the LORD did as Moses asked. The flies left the king, his officials, and his people; not one fly remained.


text:
 The LORD said to Moses, "Go to the king and tell him that the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says, 'Let my people go, so that they may worship me.


text:
 I will punish you by sending a terrible disease on all your animals---your horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep, and goats.


text:
 I will make a distinction between the animals of the Israelites and those of the Egyptians, and no animal that belongs to the Israelites will die.


text:
 The next day the LORD did as he had said, and all the animals of the Egyptians died, but not one of the animals of the Israelites died.


text:
 The king asked what had happened and was told that none of the animals of the Israelites had died. But he was stubborn and would not let the people go.


text:
 Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Take a few handfuls of ashes from a furnace; Moses is to throw them into the air in front of the king.


text:
 They will spread out like fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and everywhere they will produce boils that become open sores on the people and the animals."


text:
 So they got some ashes and stood before the king; Moses threw them into the air, and they produced boils that became open sores on the people and the animals.


text:
 The magicians were not able to appear before Moses, because they were covered with boils, like all the other Egyptians.


text:
 But the LORD made the king stubborn and, just as the LORD had said, the king would not listen to Moses and Aaron.


text:
 The LORD then said to Moses, "Early tomorrow morning meet with the king and tell him that the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says, 'Let my people go, so that they may worship me.


text:
 This time I will punish not only your officials and your people, but I will punish you as well, so that you may know that there is no one like me in all the world.


text:
 If I had raised my hand to strike you and your people with disease, you would have been completely destroyed.


text:
 This time tomorrow I will cause a heavy hailstorm, such as Egypt has never known in all its history.


text:
 Now give orders for your livestock and everything else you have in the open to be put under shelter. Hail will fall on the people and animals left outside unprotected, and they will all die.' "


text:
 Some of the king's officials were afraid because of what the LORD had said, and they brought their slaves and animals indoors for shelter.


text:
 Others, however, paid no attention to the LORD's warning and left their slaves and animals out in the open.


text:
 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Raise your hand toward the sky, and hail will fall over the whole land of Egypt---on the people, the animals, and all the plants in the fields."


text:
 So Moses raised his stick toward the sky, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning struck the ground. The LORD sent


text:
 a heavy hailstorm, with lightning flashing back and forth. It was the worst storm that Egypt had ever known in all its history.


text:
 All over Egypt the hail struck down everything in the open, including all the people and all the animals. It beat down all the plants in the fields and broke all the trees.


text:
 The king sent for Moses and Aaron and said, "This time I have sinned; the LORD is in the right, and my people and I are in the wrong.


text:
 Pray to the LORD! We have had enough of this thunder and hail! I promise to let you go; you don't have to stay here any longer."


text:
 Moses said to him, "As soon as I go out of the city, I will lift up my hands in prayer to the LORD. The thunder will stop, and there will be no more hail, so that you may know that the earth belongs to the LORD.


text:
 Moses left the king, went out of the city, and lifted up his hands in prayer to the LORD. The thunder, the hail, and the rain all stopped.


text:
 When the king saw what had happened, he sinned again. He and his officials remained as stubborn as ever


text:
 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go and see the king. I have made him and his officials stubborn, in order that I may perform these miracles among them


text:
 and in order that you may be able to tell your children and grandchildren how I made fools of the Egyptians when I performed the miracles. All of you will know that I am the LORD."


text:
 So Moses and Aaron went to the king and said to him, "The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says, 'How much longer will you refuse to submit to me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me.


text:
 There will be so many that they will completely cover the ground. They will eat everything that the hail did not destroy, even the trees that are left.


text:
 They will fill your palaces and the houses of all your officials and all your people. They will be worse than anything your ancestors ever saw.' " Then Moses turned and left.


text:
 The king's officials said to him, "How long is this man going to give us trouble? Let the Israelite men go, so that they can worship the LORD their God. Don't you realize that Egypt is ruined?"


text:
 So Moses and Aaron were brought back to the king, and he said to them, "You may go and worship the LORD your God. But exactly who will go?"


text:
 Moses answered, "We will all go, including our children and our old people. We will take our sons and daughters, our sheep and goats, and our cattle, because we must hold a festival to honor the LORD."


text:
 The king said, "I swear by the LORD that I will never let you take your women and children! It is clear that you are plotting to revolt.


text:
 No! Only the men may go and worship the LORD if that is what you want." With that, Moses and Aaron were driven out of the king's presence.


text:
 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Raise your hand over the land of Egypt to bring the locusts. They will come and eat everything that grows, everything that has survived the hail."


text:
 So Moses raised his stick, and the LORD caused a wind from the east to blow on the land all that day and all that night. By morning it had brought the locusts.


text:
 They came in swarms and settled over the whole country. It was the largest swarm of locusts that had ever been seen or that ever would be seen again.


text:
 They covered the ground until it was black with them; they ate everything that the hail had left, including all the fruit on the trees. Not a green thing was left on any tree or plant in all the land of Egypt.


text:
 Then the king hurriedly called Moses and Aaron and said, "I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you.


text:
 Now forgive my sin this one time and pray to the LORD your God to take away this fatal punishment from me."


text:
 And the LORD changed the east wind into a very strong west wind, which picked up the locusts and blew them into the Gulf of Suez. Not one locust was left in all of Egypt.


text:
 The LORD then said to Moses, "Raise your hand toward the sky, and a darkness thick enough to be felt will cover the land of Egypt."


text:
 Moses raised his hand toward the sky, and there was total darkness throughout Egypt for three days.


text:
 The Egyptians could not see each other, and no one left his house during that time. But the Israelites had light where they were living.


text:
 The king called Moses and said, "You may go and worship the LORD; even your women and children may go with you. But your sheep, goats, and cattle must stay here."


text:
 Moses answered, "Then you would have to provide us with animals for sacrifices and burnt offerings to offer to the LORD our God.


text:
 No, we will take our animals with us; not one will be left behind. We ourselves must select the animals with which to worship the LORD our God. And until we get there, we will not know what animals to sacrifice to him."


text:
 He said to Moses, "Get out of my sight! Don't let me ever see you again! On the day I do, you will die!"


text:
 Then the LORD said to Moses, "I will send only one more punishment on the king of Egypt and his people. After that he will let you leave. In fact, he will drive all of you out of here.


text:
 Now speak to the people of Israel and tell all of them to ask their neighbors for gold and silver jewelry."


text:
 The LORD made the Egyptians respect the Israelites. Indeed, the officials and all the people considered Moses to be a very great man.


text:
 and every first-born son in Egypt will die, from the king's son, who is heir to the throne, to the son of the slave woman who grinds grain. The first-born of all the cattle will die also.


text:
 There will be loud crying all over Egypt, such as there has never been before or ever will be again.


text:
 But not even a dog will bark at the Israelites or their animals. Then you will know that I, the LORD, make a distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites.' "


text:
 Moses concluded by saying, "All your officials will come to me and bow down before me, and they will beg me to take all my people and go away. After that, I will leave." Then in great anger Moses left the king.


text:
 The LORD had said to Moses, "The king will continue to refuse to listen to you, in order that I may do more of my miracles in Egypt."


text:
 Moses and Aaron performed all these miracles before the king, but the LORD made him stubborn, and he would not let the Israelites leave his country.


text:
 Give these instructions to the whole community of Israel: On the tenth day of this month each man must choose either a lamb or a young goat for his household.


text:
 If his family is too small to eat a whole animal, he and his next-door neighbor may share an animal, in proportion to the number of people and the amount that each person can eat.


text:
 Then, on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, the whole community of Israel will kill the animals.


text:
 The people are to take some of the blood and put it on the doorposts and above the doors of the houses in which the animals are to be eaten.


text:
 That night the meat is to be roasted, and eaten with bitter herbs and with bread made without yeast.


text:
 Do not eat any of it raw or boiled, but eat it roasted whole, including the head, the legs, and the internal organs.


text:
 You are to eat it quickly, for you are to be dressed for travel, with your sandals on your feet and your walking stick in your hand. It is the Passover Festival to honor me, the LORD.


text:
 "On that night I will go through the land of Egypt, killing every first-born male, both human and animal, and punishing all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD.


text:
 The blood on the doorposts will be a sign to mark the houses in which you live. When I see the blood, I will pass over you and will not harm you when I punish the Egyptians.


text:
 You must celebrate this day as a religious festival to remind you of what I, the LORD, have done. Celebrate it for all time to come."


text:
 The LORD said, "For seven days you must not eat any bread made with yeast---eat only unleavened bread. On the first day you are to get rid of all the yeast in your houses, for if anyone during those seven days eats bread made with yeast, he shall no longer be considered one of my people.


text:
 On the first day and again on the seventh day you are to meet for worship. No work is to be done on those days, but you may prepare food.


text:
 Keep this festival, because it was on this day that I brought your tribes out of Egypt. For all time to come you must celebrate this day as a festival.


text:
 From the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month to the evening of the twenty-first day, you must not eat any bread made with yeast.


text:
 For seven days no yeast must be found in your houses, for if anyone, native-born or foreign, eats bread made with yeast, he shall no longer be considered one of my people."


text:
 Moses called for all the leaders of Israel and said to them, "Each of you is to choose a lamb or a young goat and kill it, so that your families can celebrate Passover.


text:
 Take a sprig of hyssop, dip it in the bowl containing the animal's blood, and wipe the blood on the doorposts and the beam above the door of your house. Not one of you is to leave the house until morning.


text:
 When the LORD goes through Egypt to kill the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the beams and the doorposts and will not let the Angel of Death enter your houses and kill you.


text:
 you will answer, 'It is the sacrifice of Passover to honor the LORD, because he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. He killed the Egyptians, but spared us.' " The Israelites knelt down and worshiped.


text:
 At midnight the LORD killed all the first-born sons in Egypt, from the king's son, who was heir to the throne, to the son of the prisoner in the dungeon; all the first-born of the animals were also killed.


text:
 That night, the king, his officials, and all the other Egyptians were awakened. There was loud crying throughout Egypt, because there was not one home in which there was not a dead son.


text:
 That same night the king sent for Moses and Aaron and said, "Get out, you and your Israelites! Leave my country; go and worship the LORD, as you asked.


text:
 The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country; they said, "We will all be dead if you don't leave."


text:
 So the people filled their baking pans with unleavened dough, wrapped them in clothing, and carried them on their shoulders.


text:
 The Israelites had done as Moses had said, and had asked the Egyptians for gold and silver jewelry and for clothes.


text:
 The LORD made the Egyptians respect the people and give them what they asked for. In this way the Israelites carried away the wealth of the Egyptians.


text:
 The Israelites set out on foot from Rameses for Sukkoth. There were about 600,000 men, not counting women and children.


text:
 They baked unleavened bread from the dough that they had brought out of Egypt, for they had been driven out of Egypt so suddenly that they did not have time to get their food ready or to prepare leavened dough.


text:
 It was a night when the LORD kept watch to bring them out of Egypt; this same night is dedicated to the LORD for all time to come as a night when the Israelites must keep watch.


text:
 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "These are the Passover regulations: No foreigner shall eat the Passover meal,


text:
 The whole meal must be eaten in the house in which it was prepared; it must not be taken outside. And do not break any of the animal's bones.


text:
 but no uncircumcised man may eat it. If a foreigner has settled among you and wants to celebrate Passover to honor the LORD, you must first circumcise all the males of his household. He is then to be treated like a native-born Israelite and may join in the festival.


text:
 "Dedicate all the first-born males to me, for every first-born male Israelite and every first-born male animal belongs to me."


text:
 Moses said to the people, "Remember this day---the day on which you left Egypt, the place where you were slaves. This is the day the LORD brought you out by his great power. No leavened bread is to be eaten.


text:
 The LORD solemnly promised your ancestors to give you the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. When he brings you into that rich and fertile land, you must celebrate this festival in the first month of every year.


text:
 For seven days you must eat unleavened bread and on the seventh day there is to be a festival to honor the LORD.


text:
 For seven days you must not eat any bread made with yeast; there must be no yeast or leavened bread anywhere in your land.


text:
 When the festival begins, explain to your sons that you do all this because of what the LORD did for you when you left Egypt.


text:
 This observance will be a reminder, like something tied on your hand or on your forehead; it will remind you to continue to recite and study the Law of the LORD, because the LORD brought you out of Egypt by his great power.


text:
 "The LORD will bring you into the land of the Canaanites, which he solemnly promised to you and your ancestors. When he gives it to you,


text:
 you must offer every first-born male to the LORD. Every first-born male of your animals belongs to the LORD,


text:
 but you must buy back from him every first-born male donkey by offering a lamb in its place. If you do not want to buy back the donkey, break its neck. You must buy back every first-born male child of yours.


text:
 In the future, when your son asks what this observance means, you will answer him, 'By using great power the LORD brought us out of Egypt, the place where we were slaves.


text:
 When the king of Egypt was stubborn and refused to let us go, the LORD killed every first-born male in the land of Egypt, both human and animal. That is why we sacrifice every first-born male animal to the LORD, but buy back our first-born sons.


text:
 This observance will be a reminder, like something tied on our hands or on our foreheads; it will remind us that the LORD brought us out of Egypt by his great power.' "


text:
 When the king of Egypt let the people go, God did not take them by the road that goes up the coast to Philistia, although it was the shortest way. God thought, "I do not want the people to change their minds and return to Egypt when they see that they are going to have to fight."


text:
 Instead, he led them in a roundabout way through the desert toward the Red Sea. The Israelites were armed for battle.


text:
 Moses took the body of Joseph with him, as Joseph had made the Israelites solemnly promise to do. Joseph had said, "When God rescues you, you must carry my body with you from this place."


text:
 During the day the LORD went in front of them in a pillar of cloud to show them the way, and during the night he went in front of them in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel night and day.


text:
 The pillar of cloud was always in front of the people during the day, and the pillar of fire at night.


text:
 "Tell the Israelites to turn back and camp in front of Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the Red Sea, near Baal Zephon.


text:
 The king will think that the Israelites are wandering around in the country and are closed in by the desert.


text:
 I will make him stubborn, and he will pursue you, and my victory over the king and his army will bring me honor. Then the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD." The Israelites did as they were told.


text:
 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had escaped, he and his officials changed their minds and said, "What have we done? We have let the Israelites escape, and we have lost them as our slaves!"


text:
 The Egyptian army, with all the horses, chariots, and drivers, pursued them and caught up with them where they were camped by the Red Sea near Pi Hahiroth and Baal Zephon.


text:
 When the Israelites saw the king and his army marching against them, they were terrified and cried out to the LORD for help.


text:
 They said to Moses, "Weren't there any graves in Egypt? Did you have to bring us out here in the desert to die? Look what you have done by bringing us out of Egypt!


text:
 Didn't we tell you before we left that this would happen? We told you to leave us alone and let us go on being slaves of the Egyptians. It would be better to be slaves there than to die here in the desert."


text:
 Moses answered, "Don't be afraid! Stand your ground, and you will see what the LORD will do to save you today; you will never see these Egyptians again.


text:
 Lift up your walking stick and hold it out over the sea. The water will divide, and the Israelites will be able to walk through the sea on dry ground.


text:
 I will make the Egyptians so stubborn that they will go in after them, and I will gain honor by my victory over the king, his army, his chariots, and his drivers.


text:
 The angel of God, who had been in front of the army of Israel, moved and went to the rear. The pillar of cloud also moved until it was


text:
 between the Egyptians and the Israelites. The cloud made it dark for the Egyptians, but gave light to the people of Israel, and so the armies could not come near each other all night.


text:
 Moses held out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind. It blew all night and turned the sea into dry land. The water was divided,


text:
 The Egyptians pursued them and went after them into the sea with all their horses, chariots, and drivers.


text:
 Just before dawn the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw them into a panic.


text:
 He made the wheels of their chariots get stuck, so that they moved with great difficulty. The Egyptians said, "The LORD is fighting for the Israelites against us. Let's get out of here!"


text:
 The LORD said to Moses, "Hold out your hand over the sea, and the water will come back over the Egyptians and their chariots and drivers."


text:
 So Moses held out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the water returned to its normal level. The Egyptians tried to escape from the water, but the LORD threw them into the sea.


text:
 The water returned and covered the chariots, the drivers, and all the Egyptian army that had followed the Israelites into the sea; not one of them was left.


text:
 On that day the LORD saved the people of Israel from the Egyptians, and the Israelites saw them lying dead on the seashore.


text:
 When the Israelites saw the great power with which the LORD had defeated the Egyptians, they stood in awe of the LORD; and they had faith in the LORD and in his servant Moses.


text:
 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: "I will sing to the LORD, because he has won a glorious victory; he has thrown the horses and their riders into the sea.


text:
 The LORD is my strong defender; he is the one who has saved me. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will sing about his greatness.


text:
 "He threw Egypt's army and its chariots into the sea; the best of its officers were drowned in the Red Sea.


text:
 You blew on the sea and the water piled up high; it stood up straight like a wall; the deepest part of the sea became solid.


text:
 The enemy said, 'I will pursue them and catch them; I will divide their wealth and take all I want; I will draw my sword and take all they have.'


text:
 But one breath from you, LORD, and the Egyptians were drowned; they sank like lead in the terrible water.


text:
 " LORD, who among the gods is like you? Who is like you, wonderful in holiness? Who can work miracles and mighty acts like yours?


text:
 Faithful to your promise, you led the people you had rescued; by your strength you guided them to your sacred land.


text:
 The leaders of Edom are terrified; Moab's mighty men are trembling; the people of Canaan lose their courage.


text:
 Terror and dread fall upon them. They see your strength, O LORD, and stand helpless with fear until your people have marched past--- the people you set free from slavery.


text:
 You bring them in and plant them on your mountain, the place that you, LORD, have chosen for your home, the Temple that you yourself have built.


text:
 The Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. But when the Egyptian chariots with their horses and drivers went into the sea, the LORD brought the water back, and it covered them.


text:
 The prophet Miriam, Aaron's sister, took her tambourine, and all the women followed her, playing tambourines and dancing.


text:
 Miriam sang for them: "Sing to the LORD, because he has won a glorious victory; he has thrown the horses and their riders into the sea."


text:
 Then Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea into the desert of Shur. For three days they walked through the desert, but found no water.


text:
 Then they came to a place called Marah, but the water there was so bitter that they could not drink it. That is why it was named Marah.


text:
 Moses prayed earnestly to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood, which he threw into the water; and the water became fit to drink. There the LORD gave them laws to live by, and there he also tested them.


text:
 He said, "If you will obey me completely by doing what I consider right and by keeping my commands, I will not punish you with any of the diseases that I brought on the Egyptians. I am the LORD, the one who heals you."


text:
 Next they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees; there they camped by the water.


text:
 The whole Israelite community set out from Elim, and on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had left Egypt, they came to the desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai.


text:
 and said to them, "We wish that the LORD had killed us in Egypt. There we could at least sit down and eat meat and as much other food as we wanted. But you have brought us out into this desert to starve us all to death."


text:
 The LORD said to Moses, "Now I am going to cause food to rain down from the sky for all of you. The people must go out every day and gather enough for that day. In this way I can test them to find out if they will follow my instructions.


text:
 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, "This evening you will know that it was the LORD who brought you out of Egypt.


text:
 In the morning you will see the dazzling light of the LORD's presence. He has heard your complaints against him---yes, against him, because we are only carrying out his instructions."


text:
 Then Moses said, "It is the LORD who will give you meat to eat in the evening and as much bread as you want in the morning, because he has heard how much you have complained against him. When you complain against us, you are really complaining against the LORD."


text:
 Moses said to Aaron, "Tell the whole community to come and stand before the LORD, because he has heard their complaints."


text:
 As Aaron spoke to the whole community, they turned toward the desert, and suddenly the dazzling light of the LORD appeared in a cloud.


text:
 "I have heard the complaints of the Israelites. Tell them that at twilight they will have meat to eat, and in the morning they will have all the bread they want. Then they will know that I, the LORD, am their God."


text:
 In the evening a large flock of quails flew in, enough to cover the camp, and in the morning there was dew all around the camp.


text:
 When the dew evaporated, there was something thin and flaky on the surface of the desert. It was as delicate as frost.


text:
 When the Israelites saw it, they didn't know what it was and asked each other, "What is it?" Moses said to them, "This is the food that the LORD has given you to eat.


text:
 The LORD has commanded that each of you is to gather as much of it as he needs, two quarts for each member of his household."


text:
 When they measured it, those who gathered much did not have too much, and those who gathered less did not have too little. Each had gathered just what he needed.


text:
 But some of them did not listen to Moses and saved part of it. The next morning it was full of worms and smelled rotten, and Moses was angry with them.


text:
 Every morning each one gathered as much as he needed; and when the sun grew hot, what was left on the ground melted.


text:
 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, four quarts for each person. All the leaders of the community came and told Moses about it,


text:
 and he said to them, "The LORD has commanded that tomorrow is a holy day of rest, dedicated to him. Bake today what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Whatever is left should be put aside and kept for tomorrow."


text:
 As Moses had commanded, they kept what was left until the next day; it did not spoil or get worms in it.


text:
 Moses said, "Eat this today, because today is the Sabbath, a day of rest dedicated to the LORD, and you will not find any food outside the camp.


text:
 Remember that I, the LORD, have given you a day of rest, and that is why on the sixth day I will always give you enough food for two days. Everyone is to stay where he is on the seventh day and not leave his home."


text:
 The people of Israel called the food manna. It was like a small white seed, and tasted like thin cakes made with honey.


text:
 Moses said, "The LORD has commanded us to save some manna, to be kept for our descendants, so that they can see the food which he gave us to eat in the desert when he brought us out of Egypt."


text:
 Moses said to Aaron, "Take a jar, put two quarts of manna in it, and place it in the LORD's presence to be kept for our descendants."


text:
 As the LORD had commanded Moses, Aaron put it in front of the Covenant Box, so that it could be kept.


text:
 The Israelites ate manna for the next forty years, until they reached the land of Canaan, where they settled.


text:
 The whole Israelite community left the desert of Sin, moving from one place to another at the command of the LORD. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water there to drink.


text:
 They complained to Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses answered, "Why are you complaining? Why are you putting the LORD to the test?"


text:
 But the people were very thirsty and continued to complain to Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt? To kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?"


text:
 Moses prayed earnestly to the LORD and said, "What can I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me."


text:
 The LORD said to Moses, "Take some of the leaders of Israel with you, and go on ahead of the people. Take along the stick with which you struck the Nile.


text:
 I will stand before you on a rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." Moses did so in the presence of the leaders of Israel.


text:
 The place was named Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites complained and put the LORD to the test when they asked, "Is the LORD with us or not?"


text:
 Moses said to Joshua, "Pick out some men to go and fight the Amalekites tomorrow. I will stand on top of the hill holding the stick that God told me to carry."


text:
 Joshua did as Moses commanded him and went out to fight the Amalekites, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.


text:
 As long as Moses held up his arms, the Israelites won, but when he put his arms down, the Amalekites started winning.


text:
 When Moses' arms grew tired, Aaron and Hur brought a stone for him to sit on, while they stood beside him and held up his arms, holding them steady until the sun went down.


text:
 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write an account of this victory, so that it will be remembered. Tell Joshua that I will completely destroy the Amalekites."


text:
 He said, "Hold high the banner of the LORD! The LORD will continue to fight against the Amalekites forever!"


text:
 Moses' father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything that God had done for Moses and the people of Israel when he led them out of Egypt.


text:
 and Gershom and Eliezer, her two sons. (Moses had said, "I have been a foreigner in a strange land"; so he had named one son Gershom.


text:
 He had also said, "The God of my father helped me and saved me from being killed by the king of Egypt"; so he had named the other son Eliezer. )


text:
 Jethro came with Moses' wife and her two sons into the desert where Moses was camped at the holy mountain.


text:
 so Moses went out to meet him, bowed before him, and kissed him. They asked about each other's health and then went into Moses' tent.


text:
 Moses told Jethro everything that the LORD had done to the king and the people of Egypt in order to rescue the Israelites. He also told him about the hardships the people had faced on the way and how the LORD had saved them.


text:
 and said, "Praise the LORD, who saved you from the king and the people of Egypt! Praise the LORD, who saved his people from slavery!


text:
 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods, because he did this when the Egyptians treated the Israelites with such contempt."


text:
 Then Jethro brought an offering to be burned whole and other sacrifices to be offered to God; and Aaron and all the leaders of Israel went with him to eat the sacred meal as an act of worship.


text:
 The next day Moses was settling disputes among the people, and he was kept busy from morning till night.


text:
 When Jethro saw everything that Moses had to do, he asked, "What is all this that you are doing for the people? Why are you doing this all alone, with people standing here from morning till night to consult you?"


text:
 When two people have a dispute, they come to me, and I decide which one of them is right, and I tell them God's commands and laws."


text:
 Now let me give you some good advice, and God will be with you. It is right for you to represent the people before God and bring their disputes to him.


text:
 You should teach them God's commands and explain to them how they should live and what they should do.


text:
 But in addition, you should choose some capable men and appoint them as leaders of the people: leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. They must be God-fearing men who can be trusted and who cannot be bribed.


text:
 Let them serve as judges for the people on a permanent basis. They can bring all the difficult cases to you, but they themselves can decide all the smaller disputes. That will make it easier for you, as they share your burden.


text:
 If you do this, as God commands, you will not wear yourself out, and all these people can go home with their disputes settled."


text:
 and chose capable men from among all the Israelites. He appointed them as leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.


text:
 They served as judges for the people on a permanent basis, bringing the difficult cases to Moses but deciding the smaller disputes themselves.


text:
 The people of Israel left Rephidim, and on the first day of the third month after they had left Egypt they came to the desert of Sinai. There they set up camp at the foot of Mount Sinai,


text:
 and Moses went up the mountain to meet with God. The LORD called to him from the mountain and told him to say to the Israelites, Jacob's descendants:


text:
 "You saw what I, the LORD, did to the Egyptians and how I carried you as an eagle carries her young on her wings, and brought you here to me.


text:
 Now, if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own people. The whole earth is mine, but you will be my chosen people,


text:
 So Moses went down and called the leaders of the people together and told them everything that the LORD had commanded him.


text:
 Then all the people answered together, "We will do everything that the LORD has said," and Moses reported this to the LORD.


text:
 The LORD said to Moses, "I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will believe you from now on." Moses told the LORD what the people had answered,


text:
 and the LORD said to him, "Go to the people and tell them to spend today and tomorrow purifying themselves for worship. They must wash their clothes


text:
 and be ready the day after tomorrow. On that day I will come down on Mount Sinai, where all the people can see me.


text:
 Mark a boundary around the mountain that the people must not cross, and tell them not to go up the mountain or even get near it. If any of you set foot on it, you are to be put to death;


text:
 you must either be stoned or shot with arrows, without anyone touching you. This applies to both people and animals; they must be put to death. But when the trumpet is blown, then the people are to go up to the mountain."


text:
 Then Moses came down the mountain and told the people to get ready for worship. So they washed their clothes,


text:
 and Moses told them, "Be ready by the day after tomorrow and don't have sexual intercourse in the meantime."


text:
 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud appeared on the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast was heard. All the people in the camp trembled with fear.


text:
 All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD had come down on it in fire. The smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and all the people trembled violently.


text:
 The LORD came down on the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. Moses went up


text:
 and the LORD said to him, "Go down and warn the people not to cross the boundary to come and look at me; if they do, many of them will die.


text:
 Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up, because you commanded us to consider the mountain sacred and to mark a boundary around it."


text:
 The LORD replied, "Go down and bring Aaron back with you. But the priests and the people must not cross the boundary to come up to me, or I will punish them."


text:
 "Do not make for yourselves images of anything in heaven or on earth or in the water under the earth.


text:
 Do not bow down to any idol or worship it, because I am the LORD your God and I tolerate no rivals. I bring punishment on those who hate me and on their descendants down to the third and fourth generation.


text:
 "Do not use my name for evil purposes, for I, the LORD your God, will punish anyone who misuses my name.


text:
 but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to me. On that day no one is to work---neither you, your children, your slaves, your animals, nor the foreigners who live in your country.


text:
 In six days I, the LORD, made the earth, the sky, the seas, and everything in them, but on the seventh day I rested. That is why I, the LORD, blessed the Sabbath and made it holy.


text:
 "Respect your father and your mother, so that you may live a long time in the land that I am giving you.


text:
 "Do not desire another man's house; do not desire his wife, his slaves, his cattle, his donkeys, or anything else that he owns."


text:
 When the people heard the thunder and the trumpet blast and saw the lightning and the smoking mountain, they trembled with fear and stood a long way off.


text:
 They said to Moses, "If you speak to us, we will listen; but we are afraid that if God speaks to us, we will die."


text:
 Moses replied, "Don't be afraid; God has only come to test you and make you keep on obeying him, so that you will not sin."


text:
 But the people continued to stand a long way off, and only Moses went near the dark cloud where God was.


text:
 The LORD commanded Moses to tell the Israelites: "You have seen how I, the LORD, have spoken to you from heaven.


text:
 Make an altar of earth for me, and on it sacrifice your sheep and your cattle as offerings to be completely burned and as fellowship offerings. In every place that I set aside for you to worship me, I will come to you and bless you.


text:
 If you make an altar of stone for me, do not build it out of cut stones, because when you use a chisel on stones, you make them unfit for my use.


text:
 Do not build an altar for me with steps leading up to it; if you do, you will expose yourselves as you go up the steps.


text:
 If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve you for six years. In the seventh year he is to be set free without having to pay anything.


text:
 If he was unmarried when he became your slave, he is not to take a wife with him when he leaves; but if he was married when he became your slave, he may take his wife with him.


text:
 If his master gave him a wife and she bore him sons or daughters, the woman and her children belong to the master, and the man is to leave by himself.


text:
 But if the slave declares that he loves his master, his wife, and his children and does not want to be set free,


text:
 then his master shall take him to the place of worship. There he is to make him stand against the door or the doorpost and put a hole through his ear. Then he will be his slave for life.


text:
 If she is sold to someone who intends to make her his wife, but he doesn't like her, then she is to be sold back to her father; her master cannot sell her to foreigners, because he has treated her unfairly.


text:
 If a man takes a second wife, he must continue to give his first wife the same amount of food and clothing and the same rights that she had before.


text:
 But if it was an accident and he did not mean to kill him, he can escape to a place which I will choose for you, and there he will be safe.


text:
 But when someone gets angry and deliberately kills someone else, he is to be put to death, even if he has run to my altar for safety.


text:
 "If there is a fight and someone hits someone else with a stone or with his fist, but does not kill him, he is not to be punished. If the one who was hit has to stay in bed, but later is able to get up and walk outside with the help of a cane, the one who hit him is to pay for his lost time and take care of him until he gets well.


text:
 "If a slave owner takes a stick and beats his slave, whether male or female, and the slave dies on the spot, the owner is to be punished.


text:
 But if the slave does not die for a day or two, the master is not to be punished. The loss of his property is punishment enough.


text:
 "If some men are fighting and hurt a pregnant woman so that she loses her child, but she is not injured in any other way, the one who hurt her is to be fined whatever amount the woman's husband demands, subject to the approval of the judges.


text:
 "If someone hits his male or female slave in the eye and puts it out, he is to free the slave as payment for the eye.


text:
 "If a bull gores someone to death, it is to be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but its owner is not to be punished.


text:
 But if the bull had been in the habit of attacking people and its owner had been warned, but did not keep it penned up---then if it gores someone to death, it is to be stoned, and its owner is to be put to death also.


text:
 However, if the owner is allowed to pay a fine to save his life, he must pay the full amount required.


text:
 If the bull kills a male or female slave, its owner shall pay the owner of the slave thirty pieces of silver, and the bull shall be stoned to death.


text:
 "If someone takes the cover off a pit or if he digs one and does not cover it, and a bull or a donkey falls into it,


text:
 If someone's bull kills someone else's bull, the two of them shall sell the live bull and divide the money; they shall also divide up the meat from the dead animal.


text:
 But if it was known that the bull had been in the habit of attacking and its owner did not keep it penned up, he must make good the loss by giving the other man a live bull, but he may keep the dead animal.


text:
 "If someone steals a cow or a sheep and kills it or sells it, he must pay five cows for one cow and four sheep for one sheep.


text:
 He must pay for what he stole. If he owns nothing, he shall be sold as a slave to pay for what he has stolen. If the stolen animal, whether a cow, a donkey, or a sheep, is found alive in his possession, he shall pay two for one. "If a thief is caught breaking into a house at night and is killed, the one who killed him is not guilty of murder. But if it happens during the day, he is guilty of murder.


text:
 "If someone lets his animals graze in a field or a vineyard and they stray away and eat up the crops growing in someone else's field, he must make good the loss with the crops from his own fields or vineyards.


text:
 "If someone starts a fire in his own field and it spreads through the weeds to someone else's field and burns up grain that is growing or that has been cut and stacked, the one who started the fire is to pay for the damage.


text:
 "If anyone agrees to keep someone else's money or other valuables for him and they are stolen from his house, the thief, if found, shall repay double.


text:
 But if the thief is not found, the one who was keeping the valuables is to be brought to the place of worship and there he must take an oath that he has not stolen the other one's property.


text:
 "In every case of a dispute about property, whether it involves cattle, donkeys, sheep, clothing, or any other lost object, the two people claiming the property shall be taken to the place of worship. The one whom God declares to be guilty shall pay double to the other one.


text:
 "If anyone agrees to keep someone else's donkey, cow, sheep, or other animal for him, and the animal dies or is injured or is carried off in a raid, and if there was no witness,


text:
 the man must go to the place of worship and take an oath that he has not stolen the other man's animal. If the animal was not stolen, the owner shall accept the loss, and the other man need not repay him;


text:
 If it was killed by wild animals, the man is to bring the remains as evidence; he need not pay for what has been killed by wild animals.


text:
 "If anyone borrows an animal from someone else and it is injured or dies when its owner is not present, he must pay for it.


text:
 But if that happens when the owner is present, he need not repay. If it is a rented animal, the loss is covered by the rental price.


text:
 But if her father refuses to let him marry her, he must pay the father a sum of money equal to the bride price for a virgin.


text:
 and I will become angry and kill you in war. Your wives will become widows, and your children will be fatherless.


text:
 "If you lend money to any of my people who are poor, do not act like a moneylender and require him to pay interest.


text:
 If you take someone's cloak as a pledge that he will pay you, you must give it back to him before the sun sets,


text:
 because it is the only covering he has to keep him warm. What else can he sleep in? When he cries out to me for help, I will answer him because I am merciful.


text:
 "Give me the offerings from your grain, your wine, and your olive oil when they are due. "Give me your first-born sons.


text:
 Give me the first-born of your cattle and your sheep. Let the first-born male stay with its mother for seven days, and on the eighth day offer it to me.


text:
 "You are my people, so you must not eat the meat of any animal that has been killed by wild animals; instead, give it to the dogs.


text:
 If his donkey has fallen under its load, help him get the donkey to its feet again; don't just walk off.


text:
 Do not make false accusations, and do not put an innocent person to death, for I will condemn anyone who does such an evil thing.


text:
 Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe makes people blind to what is right and ruins the cause of those who are innocent.


text:
 "Do not mistreat a foreigner; you know how it feels to be a foreigner, because you were foreigners in Egypt.


text:
 But in the seventh year let it rest, and do not harvest anything that grows on it. The poor may eat what grows there, and the wild animals can have what is left. Do the same with your vineyards and your olive trees.


text:
 "Work six days a week, but do no work on the seventh day, so that your slaves and the foreigners who work for you and even your animals can rest.


text:
 "Listen to everything that I, the LORD, have said to you. Do not pray to other gods; do not even mention their names.


text:
 In the month of Abib, the month in which you left Egypt, celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the way that I commanded you. Do not eat any bread made with yeast during the seven days of this festival. Never come to worship me without bringing an offering.


text:
 "Celebrate the Harvest Festival when you begin to harvest your crops. "Celebrate the Festival of Shelters in the autumn, when you gather the fruit from your vineyards and orchards.


text:
 "Do not offer bread made with yeast when you sacrifice an animal to me. The fat of animals sacrificed to me during these festivals is not to be left until the following morning.


text:
 "Each year bring to the house of the LORD your God the first grain that you harvest. "Do not cook a young sheep or goat in its mother's milk.


text:
 "I will send an angel ahead of you to protect you as you travel and to bring you to the place which I have prepared.


text:
 Pay attention to him and obey him. Do not rebel against him, for I have sent him, and he will not pardon such rebellion.


text:
 My angel will go ahead of you and take you into the land of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and I will destroy them.


text:
 Do not bow down to their gods or worship them, and do not adopt their religious practices. Destroy their gods and break down their sacred stone pillars.


text:
 If you worship me, the LORD your God, I will bless you with food and water and take away all your sicknesses.


text:
 "I will make the people who oppose you afraid of me; I will bring confusion among the people against whom you fight, and I will make all your enemies turn and run from you.


text:
 I will throw your enemies into panic; I will drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites as you advance.


text:
 I will not drive them out within a year's time; if I did, the land would become deserted, and the wild animals would be too many for you.


text:
 Instead, I will drive them out little by little, until there are enough of you to take possession of the land.


text:
 I will make the borders of your land extend from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Mediterranean Sea and from the desert to the Euphrates River. I will give you power over the inhabitants of the land, and you will drive them out as you advance.


text:
 Do not let those people live in your country; if you do, they will make you sin against me. If you worship their gods, it will be a fatal trap for you."


text:
 The LORD said to Moses, "Come up the mountain to me, you and Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the leaders of Israel; and while you are still some distance away, bow down in worship.


text:
 You alone, and none of the others, are to come near me. The people are not even to come up the mountain."


text:
 Moses went and told the people all the LORD's commands and all the ordinances, and all the people answered together, "We will do everything that the LORD has said."


text:
 Moses wrote down all the LORD's commands. Early the next morning he built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stones, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel.


text:
 Then he sent young men, and they burned sacrifices to the LORD and sacrificed some cattle as fellowship offerings.


text:
 Moses took half of the blood of the animals and put it in bowls; and the other half he threw against the altar.


text:
 Then he took the book of the covenant, in which the LORD's commands were written, and read it aloud to the people. They said, "We will obey the LORD and do everything that he has commanded."


text:
 Then Moses took the blood in the bowls and threw it on the people. He said, "This is the blood that seals the covenant which the LORD made with you when he gave all these commands."


text:
 and they saw the God of Israel. Beneath his feet was what looked like a pavement of sapphire, as blue as the sky.


text:
 The LORD said to Moses, "Come up the mountain to me, and while you are here, I will give you two stone tablets which contain all the laws that I have written for the instruction of the people."


text:
 Moses said to the leaders, "Wait here in the camp for us until we come back. Aaron and Hur are here with you; and so whoever has a dispute to settle can go to them."


text:
 The dazzling light of the LORD's presence came down on the mountain. To the Israelites the light looked like a fire burning on top of the mountain. The cloud covered the mountain for six days, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from the cloud.


text:
 Make four carrying rings of gold for it and attach them to its four legs, with two rings on each side.


text:
 Then put in the Box the two stone tablets that I will give you, on which the commandments are written.


text:
 The winged creatures are to face each other across the lid, and their outspread wings are to cover it.


text:
 I will meet you there, and from above the lid between the two winged creatures I will give you all my laws for the people of Israel.


text:
 Make plates, cups, jars, and bowls to be used for the wine offerings. All of these are to be made of pure gold.


text:
 The table is to be placed in front of the Covenant Box, and on the table there is always to be the sacred bread offered to me.


text:
 "Make a lampstand of pure gold. Make its base and its shaft of hammered gold; its decorative flowers, including buds and petals, are to form one piece with it.


text:
 Each of the six branches is to have three decorative flowers shaped like almond blossoms with buds and petals.


text:
 The shaft of the lampstand is to have four decorative flowers shaped like almond blossoms with buds and petals.


text:
 "Make the interior of the sacred Tent, the Tent of my presence, out of ten pieces of fine linen woven with blue, purple, and red wool. Embroider them with figures of winged creatures.


text:
 Put fifty loops on the first piece of the first set and fifty loops matching them on the last piece of the second set.


text:
 Sew five of them together in one set, and the other six in another set. Fold the sixth piece double over the front of the Tent.


text:
 Put fifty loops on the edge of the last piece of one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the other set.


text:
 "Make two more coverings, one of rams' skin dyed red and the other of fine leather, to serve as the outer cover.


text:
 with two matching projections, so that the frames can be joined together. All the frames are to have these projections.


text:
 These corner frames are to be joined at the bottom and connected all the way to the top. The two frames that form the two corners are to be made in this way.


text:
 The middle crossbar, set halfway up the frames, is to extend from one end of the Tent to the other.


text:
 Cover the frames with gold and fit them with gold rings to hold the crossbars, which are also to be covered with gold.


text:
 "Make a curtain of fine linen woven with blue, purple, and red wool. Embroider it with figures of winged creatures.


text:
 Hang it on four posts of acacia wood covered with gold, fitted with hooks, and set in four silver bases.


text:
 Place the curtain under the row of hooks in the roof of the Tent, and put behind the curtain the Covenant Box containing the two stone tablets. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.


text:
 Outside the Most Holy Place put the table against the north side of the Tent and the lampstand against the south side.


text:
 "For the entrance of the Tent make a curtain of fine linen woven with blue, purple, and red wool and decorated with embroidery.


text:
 For this curtain make five posts of acacia wood covered with gold and fitted with gold hooks; make five bronze bases for these posts.


text:
 "Make an altar out of acacia wood. It is to be square, 7 1/2 feet long and 7 1/2 feet wide, and it is to be 4 1/2 feet high.


text:
 Make projections at the top of the four corners. They are to form one piece with the altar, and the whole is to be covered with bronze.


text:
 Make pans for the greasy ashes, and make shovels, bowls, hooks, and fire pans. All this equipment is to be made of bronze.


text:
 Make the altar out of boards and leave it hollow, according to the plan that I showed you on the mountain.


text:
 "For the Tent of my presence make an enclosure out of fine linen curtains. On the south side the curtains are to be 50 yards long,


text:
 On each side of the entrance there are to be 7 1/2 yards of curtains, with three posts and three bases.


text:
 For the entrance itself there is to be a curtain 10 yards long made of fine linen woven with blue, purple, and red wool, and decorated with embroidery. It is to be supported by four posts in four bases.


text:
 All the posts around the enclosure are to be connected with silver rods, and their hooks are to be made of silver and their bases of bronze.


text:
 The enclosure is to be 50 yards long, 25 yards wide, and 2 1/2 yards high. The curtains are to be made of fine linen and the bases of bronze.


text:
 All the equipment that is used in the Tent and all the pegs for the Tent and for the enclosure are to be made of bronze.


text:
 "Command the people of Israel to bring you the best olive oil for the lamp, so that it can be lit each evening.


text:
 Aaron and his sons are to set up the lamp in the Tent of my presence outside the curtain which is in front of the Covenant Box. There in my presence it is to burn from evening until morning. This command is to be kept forever by the Israelites and their descendants.


text:
 "Summon your brother Aaron and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Separate them from the people of Israel, so that they may serve me as priests.


text:
 Call all the skilled workers to whom I have given ability, and tell them to make Aaron's clothes, so that he may be dedicated as a priest in my service.


text:
 Tell them to make a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, an embroidered shirt, a turban, and a sash. They are to make these priestly garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so that they can serve me as priests.


text:
 "They are to make the ephod of blue, purple, and red wool, gold thread, and fine linen, decorated with embroidery.


text:
 A finely woven belt made of the same materials is to be attached to the ephod so as to form one piece with it.


text:
 Have a skillful jeweler engrave on the two stones the names of the sons of Jacob, and mount the stones in gold settings.


text:
 Put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod to represent the twelve tribes of Israel. In this way Aaron will carry their names on his shoulders, so that I, the LORD, will always remember my people.


text:
 "Make a breastpiece for the High Priest to use in determining God's will. It is to be made of the same materials as the ephod and with similar embroidery.


text:
 and in the fourth row, a beryl, a carnelian, and a jasper. These are to be mounted in gold settings.


text:
 Each of these twelve stones is to have engraved on it the name of one of the sons of Jacob, to represent the tribes of Israel.


text:
 Fasten the other two ends of the cords to the two settings, and in this way attach them in front to the shoulder straps of the ephod.


text:
 Then make two rings of gold and attach them to the lower corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod.


text:
 Make two more gold rings and attach them to the lower part of the front of the two shoulder straps of the ephod, near the seam and above the finely woven belt.


text:
 Tie the rings of the breastpiece to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that the breastpiece rests above the belt and does not come loose.


text:
 "When Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will wear this breastpiece engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel, so that I, the LORD, will always remember my people.


text:
 Put the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece, so that Aaron will carry them when he comes into my holy presence. At such times he must always wear this breastpiece, so that he can determine my will for the people of Israel.


text:
 It is to have a hole for the head, and this hole is to be reinforced with a woven binding to keep it from tearing.


text:
 All around its lower hem put pomegranates of blue, purple, and red wool, alternating with gold bells.


text:
 Aaron is to wear this robe when he serves as priest. When he comes into my presence in the Holy Place or when he leaves it, the sound of the bells will be heard, and he will not be killed.


text:
 Aaron is to wear it on his forehead, so that I, the LORD, will accept all the offerings that the Israelites dedicate to me, even if the people commit some error in offering them.


text:
 "Weave Aaron's shirt of fine linen and make a turban of fine linen and also a sash decorated with embroidery.


text:
 Put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons. Then ordain them and dedicate them by anointing them with olive oil, so that they may serve me as priests.


text:
 Make linen shorts for them, reaching from the waist to the thighs, so that they will not expose themselves.


text:
 Aaron and his sons must always wear them when they go into the Tent of my presence or approach the altar to serve as priests in the Holy Place, so that they will not be killed for exposing themselves. This is a permanent rule for Aaron and his descendants.


text:
 "This is what you are to do to Aaron and his sons to dedicate them as priests in my service. Take one young bull and two rams without any defects.


text:
 Use the best wheat flour, but no yeast, and make some bread with olive oil, some without it, and some in the form of thin cakes brushed with oil.


text:
 "Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tent of my presence, and have them take a ritual bath.


text:
 Then dress Aaron in the priestly garments---the shirt, the robe that goes under the ephod, the ephod, the breastpiece, and the belt.


text:
 Put the turban on him and tie on it the sacred sign of dedication engraved 'Dedicated to the LORD.'


text:
 put sashes around their waists and tie caps on their heads. That is how you are to ordain Aaron and his sons. They and their descendants are to serve me as priests forever.


text:
 "Bring the bull to the front of the Tent of my presence and tell Aaron and his sons to put their hands on its head.


text:
 Take some of the bull's blood and with your finger put it on the projections of the altar. Then pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.


text:
 Next, take all the fat which covers the internal organs, the best part of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar as an offering to me.


text:
 But burn the bull's flesh, its skin, and its intestines outside the camp. This is an offering to take away the sins of the priests.


text:
 Cut the ram in pieces; wash its internal organs and its hind legs, and put them on top of the head and the other pieces.


text:
 "Take the other ram---the ram used for dedication---and tell Aaron and his sons to put their hands on its head.


text:
 Kill it, and take some of its blood and put it on the lobes of the right ears of Aaron and his sons, on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet. Throw the rest of the blood against all four sides of the altar.


text:
 Take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his clothes and on his sons and their clothes. He, his sons, and their clothes will then be dedicated to me.


text:
 "Cut away the ram's fat, the fat tail, the fat covering the internal organs, the best part of the liver, the two kidneys with the fat on them, and the right thigh.


text:
 From the basket of bread which has been offered to me, take one loaf of each kind: one loaf made with olive oil and one made without it and one thin cake.


text:
 Put all this food in the hands of Aaron and his sons and have them dedicate it to me as a special gift.


text:
 Then take it from them and burn it on the altar, on top of the burnt offering, as a food offering to me. The odor of this offering pleases me.


text:
 "Take the breast of this ram and dedicate it to me as a special gift. This part of the animal will be yours.


text:
 "When a priest is ordained, the breast and the thigh of the ram being used for the ordination are to be dedicated to me as a special gift and set aside for the priests.


text:
 It is my unchanging decision that when my people make their fellowship offerings, the breast and the thigh of the animal belong to the priests. This is the people's gift to me, the LORD.


text:
 "Aaron's priestly garments are to be handed on to his sons after his death, for them to wear when they are ordained.


text:
 The son of Aaron who succeeds him as priest and who goes into the Tent of my presence to serve in the Holy Place is to wear these garments for seven days.


text:
 "Take the meat of the ram used for the ordination of Aaron and his sons and boil it in a holy place.


text:
 At the entrance of the Tent of my presence they are to eat it along with the bread left in the basket.


text:
 They shall eat what was used in the ritual of forgiveness at their ordination. Only priests may eat this food, because it is sacred.


text:
 If some of the meat or some of the bread is not eaten by morning, it is to be burned; it is not to be eaten, for it is sacred.


text:
 "Perform the rites of ordination for Aaron and his sons for seven days exactly as I have commanded you.


text:
 Each day you must offer a bull as a sacrifice, so that sin may be forgiven. This will purify the altar. Then anoint it with olive oil to make it holy.


text:
 Do this every day for seven days. Then the altar will be completely holy, and anyone or anything that touches it will be harmed by the power of its holiness.


text:
 With the first lamb offer two pounds of fine wheat flour mixed with one quart of pure olive oil. Pour out one quart of wine as an offering.


text:
 Sacrifice the second lamb in the evening, and offer with it the same amounts of flour, olive oil, and wine as in the morning. This is a food offering to me, the LORD, and its odor pleases me.


text:
 For all time to come, this burnt offering is to be offered in my presence at the entrance of the Tent of my presence. That is where I will meet my people and speak to you.


text:
 There I will meet the people of Israel, and the dazzling light of my presence will make the place holy.


text:
 I will make the Tent and the altar holy, and I will set Aaron and his sons apart to serve me as priests.


text:
 They will know that I am the LORD their God who brought them out of Egypt so that I could live among them. I am the LORD their God.


text:
 It is to be square, 18 inches long and 18 inches wide, and it is to be 36 inches high. Its projections at the four corners are to form one piece with it.


text:
 Cover its top, all four sides, and its projections with pure gold, and put a gold border around it.


text:
 Make two gold carrying rings for it and attach them below the border on two sides to hold the poles with which it is to be carried.


text:
 Put this altar outside the curtain which hangs in front of the Covenant Box. That is the place where I will meet you.


text:
 Every morning when Aaron comes to take care of the lamps, he is to burn sweet-smelling incense on it.


text:
 He must do the same when he lights the lamps in the evening. This offering of incense is to continue without interruption for all time to come.


text:
 Do not offer on this altar any forbidden incense, any animal offering, or any grain offering, and do not pour out any wine offering on it.


text:
 Once a year Aaron is to perform the ritual for purifying the altar by putting on its four projections the blood of the animal sacrificed for sin. This is to be done every year for all time to come. This altar is to be completely holy, dedicated to me, the LORD."


text:
 "When you take a census of the people of Israel, each man is to pay me a price for his life, so that no disaster will come on him while the census is being taken.


text:
 Everyone included in the census must pay the required amount of money, weighed according to the official standard. Everyone must pay this as an offering to me.


text:
 Everyone being counted in the census, that is, every man twenty years old or older, is to pay me this amount.


text:
 Collect this money from the people of Israel and spend it for the upkeep of the Tent of my presence. This tax will be the payment for their lives, and I will remember to protect them."


text:
 "Make a bronze basin with a bronze base. Place it between the Tent and the altar, and put water in it.


text:
 before they go into the Tent or approach the altar to offer the food offering. Then they will not be killed.


text:
 They must wash their hands and feet, so that they will not die. This is a rule which they and their descendants are to observe forever."


text:
 "Take the finest spices---12 pounds of liquid myrrh, 6 pounds of sweet-smelling cinnamon, 6 pounds of sweet-smelling cane,


text:
 and 12 pounds of cassia (all weighed according to the official standard). Add one gallon of olive oil,


text:
 Dedicate these things in this way, and they will be completely holy, and anyone or anything that touches them will be harmed by the power of its holiness.


text:
 Say to the people of Israel, 'This holy anointing oil is to be used in my service for all time to come.


text:
 It must not be poured on ordinary men, and you must not use the same formula to make any mixture like it. It is holy, and you must treat it as holy.


text:
 Whoever makes any like it or uses any of it on anyone who is not a priest will no longer be considered one of my people.' "


text:
 The LORD said to Moses, "Take an equal part of each of the following sweet spices---stacte, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense.


text:
 Beat part of it into a fine powder, take it into the Tent of my presence, and sprinkle it in front of the Covenant Box. Treat this incense as completely holy.


text:
 Do not use the same formula to make any incense like it for yourselves. Treat it as a holy thing dedicated to me.


text:
 and I have filled him with my power. I have given him understanding, skill, and ability for every kind of artistic work---


text:
 I have also selected Oholiab son of Ahisamach, from the tribe of Dan, to work with him. I have also given great ability to all the other skilled workers, so that they can make everything I have commanded to be made:


text:
 the table and its equipment, the lampstand of pure gold and all its equipment, the altar for burning incense,


text:
 the anointing oil, and the sweet-smelling incense for the Holy Place. In making all these things, they are to do exactly as I have commanded you."


text:
 to tell the people of Israel, "Keep the Sabbath, my day of rest, because it is a sign between you and me for all time to come, to show that I, the LORD, have made you my own people.


text:
 You must keep the day of rest, because it is sacred. Whoever does not keep it, but works on that day, is to be put to death.


text:
 You have six days in which to do your work, but the seventh day is a solemn day of rest dedicated to me. Whoever does any work on that day is to be put to death.


text:
 It is a permanent sign between the people of Israel and me, because I, the LORD, made heaven and earth in six days, and on the seventh day I stopped working and rested."


text:
 When God had finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two stone tablets on which God himself had written the commandments.


text:
 When the people saw that Moses had not come down from the mountain but was staying there a long time, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, "We do not know what has happened to this man Moses, who led us out of Egypt; so make us a god to lead us."


text:
 Aaron said to them, "Take off the gold earrings which your wives, your sons, and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me."


text:
 He took the earrings, melted them, poured the gold into a mold, and made a gold bull-calf. The people said, "Israel, this is our god, who led us out of Egypt!"


text:
 Then Aaron built an altar in front of the gold bull-calf and announced, "Tomorrow there will be a festival to honor the LORD."


text:
 Early the next morning they brought some animals to burn as sacrifices and others to eat as fellowship offerings. The people sat down to a feast, which turned into an orgy of drinking and sex.


text:
 The LORD said to Moses, "Hurry and go back down, because your people, whom you led out of Egypt, have sinned and rejected me.


text:
 They have already left the way that I commanded them to follow; they have made a bull-calf out of melted gold and have worshiped it and offered sacrifices to it. They are saying that this is their god, who led them out of Egypt.


text:
 Now, don't try to stop me. I am angry with them, and I am going to destroy them. Then I will make you and your descendants into a great nation."


text:
 But Moses pleaded with the LORD his God and said, " LORD, why should you be so angry with your people, whom you rescued from Egypt with great might and power?


text:
 Why should the Egyptians be able to say that you led your people out of Egypt, planning to kill them in the mountains and destroy them completely? Stop being angry; change your mind and do not bring this disaster on your people.


text:
 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Remember the solemn promise you made to them to give them as many descendants as there are stars in the sky and to give their descendants all that land you promised would be their possession forever."


text:
 Moses went back down the mountain, carrying the two stone tablets with the commandments written on both sides.


text:
 Moses said, "That doesn't sound like a shout of victory or a cry of defeat; it's the sound of singing."


text:
 When Moses came close enough to the camp to see the bull-calf and to see the people dancing, he became furious. There at the foot of the mountain, he threw down the tablets he was carrying and broke them.


text:
 He took the bull-calf which they had made, melted it, ground it into fine powder, and mixed it with water. Then he made the people of Israel drink it.


text:
 He said to Aaron, "What did these people do to you, that you have made them commit such a terrible sin?"


text:
 They said to me, 'We don't know what has happened to this man Moses, who brought us out of Egypt; so make us a god to lead us.'


text:
 I asked them to bring me their gold ornaments, and those who had any took them off and gave them to me. I threw the ornaments into the fire and out came this bull-calf!"


text:
 Moses saw that Aaron had let the people get out of control and make fools of themselves in front of their enemies.


text:
 So he stood at the gate of the camp and shouted, "Everyone who is on the LORD's side come over here!" So all the Levites gathered around him,


text:
 and he said to them, "The LORD God of Israel commands every one of you to put on your sword and go through the camp from this gate to the other and kill your brothers, your friends, and your neighbors."


text:
 Moses said to the Levites, "Today you have consecrated yourselves as priests in the service of the LORD by killing your sons and brothers, so the LORD has given you his blessing."


text:
 The next day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a terrible sin. But now I will again go up the mountain to the LORD; perhaps I can obtain forgiveness for your sin."


text:
 Moses then returned to the LORD and said, "These people have committed a terrible sin. They have made a god out of gold and worshiped it.


text:
 Please forgive their sin; but if you won't, then remove my name from the book in which you have written the names of your people."


text:
 Now go, lead the people to the place I told you about. Remember that my angel will guide you, but the time is coming when I will punish these people for their sin."


text:
 So the LORD sent a disease on the people, because they had caused Aaron to make the gold bull-calf.


text:
 The LORD said to Moses, "Leave this place, you and the people you brought out of Egypt, and go to the land that I promised to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and to their descendants.


text:
 I will send an angel to guide you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.


text:
 You are going to a rich and fertile land. But I will not go with you myself, because you are a stubborn people, and I might destroy you on the way."


text:
 For the LORD had commanded Moses to tell them, "You are a stubborn people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I would completely destroy you. Now take off your jewelry, and I will decide what to do with you."


text:
 Whenever the people of Israel set up camp, Moses would take the sacred Tent and put it up some distance outside the camp. It was called the Tent of the LORD's presence, and anyone who wanted to consult the LORD would go out to it.


text:
 Whenever Moses went out there, the people would stand at the door of their tents and watch Moses until he entered it.


text:
 After Moses had gone in, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the door of the Tent, and the LORD would speak to Moses from the cloud.


text:
 The LORD would speak with Moses face-to-face, just as someone speaks with a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp. But the young man who was his helper, Joshua son of Nun, stayed in the Tent.


text:
 Moses said to the LORD, "It is true that you have told me to lead these people to that land, but you did not tell me whom you would send with me. You have said that you know me well and are pleased with me.


text:
 Now if you are, tell me your plans, so that I may serve you and continue to please you. Remember also that you have chosen this nation to be your own."


text:
 How will anyone know that you are pleased with your people and with me if you do not go with us? Your presence with us will distinguish us from any other people on earth."


text:
 The LORD said to Moses, "I will do just as you have asked, because I know you very well and I am pleased with you."


text:
 The LORD answered, "I will make all my splendor pass before you and in your presence I will pronounce my sacred name. I am the LORD, and I show compassion and pity on those I choose.


text:
 When the dazzling light of my presence passes by, I will put you in an opening in 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 is to come up with you; no one is to be seen on any part of the mountain; and no sheep or cattle are to graze at the foot of the mountain."


text:
 So Moses cut two more stone tablets, and early the next morning he carried them up Mount Sinai, just as the LORD had commanded.


text:
 The LORD then passed in front of him and called out, "I, the LORD, am a God who is full of compassion and pity, who is not easily angered and who shows great love and faithfulness.


text:
 I keep my promise for thousands of generations and forgive evil and sin; but I will not fail to punish children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation for the sins of their parents."


text:
 He said, "Lord, if you really are pleased with me, I ask you to go with us. These people are stubborn, but forgive our evil and our sin, and accept us as your own people."


text:
 The LORD said to Moses, "I now make a covenant with the people of Israel. In their presence I will do great things such as have never been done anywhere on earth among any of the nations. All the people will see what great things I, the LORD, can do, because I am going to do an awesome thing for you.


text:
 Obey the laws that I am giving you today. I will drive out the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, as you advance.


text:
 Do not make any treaties with the people of the country into which you are going, because this could be a fatal trap for you.


text:
 Instead, tear down their altars, destroy their sacred pillars, and cut down their symbols of the goddess Asherah.


text:
 Do not make any treaties with the people of the country, because when they worship their pagan gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you to join them, and you will be tempted to eat the food they offer to their gods.


text:
 Your sons might marry those foreign women, who would lead them to be unfaithful to me and to worship their pagan gods.


text:
 "Keep the Festival of Unleavened Bread. As I have commanded you, eat unleavened bread for seven days in the month of Abib, because it was in that month that you left Egypt.


text:
 but you are to buy back every first-born donkey by offering a lamb in its place. If you do not buy it back, break its neck. Buy back every first-born son. "No one is to appear before me without an offering.


text:
 "You have six days in which to do your work, but do not work on the seventh day, not even during plowing time or harvest.


text:
 "Keep the Harvest Festival when you begin to harvest the first crop of your wheat, and keep the Festival of Shelters in the autumn when you gather your fruit.


text:
 After I have driven out the nations before you and extended your territory, no one will try to conquer your country during the three festivals.


text:
 "Do not offer bread made with yeast when you sacrifice an animal to me. Do not keep until the following morning any part of the animal killed at the Passover Festival.


text:
 "Each year bring to the house of the LORD the first grain that you harvest. "Do not cook a young sheep or goat in its mother's milk."


text:
 The LORD said to Moses, "Write these words down, because it is on the basis of these words that I am making a covenant with you and with Israel."


text:
 Moses stayed there with the LORD forty days and nights, eating and drinking nothing. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant---the Ten Commandments.


text:
 When Moses went down from Mount Sinai carrying the Ten Commandments, his face was shining because he had been speaking with the LORD; but he did not know it.


text:
 Aaron and all the people looked at Moses and saw that his face was shining, and they were afraid to go near him.


text:
 But Moses called them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the community went to him, and Moses spoke with them.


text:
 After that, all the people of Israel gathered around him, and Moses gave them all the laws that the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai.


text:
 Whenever Moses went into the Tent of the LORD's presence to speak to the LORD, he would take the veil off. When he came out, he would tell the people of Israel everything that he had been commanded to say,


text:
 and they would see that his face was shining. Then he would put the veil back on until the next time he went to speak with the LORD.


text:
 Moses called together the whole community of the people of Israel and said to them, "This is what the LORD has commanded you to do:


text:
 You have six days in which to do your work, but the seventh day is to be sacred, a solemn day of rest dedicated to me, the LORD. Anyone who does any work on that day is to be put to death.


text:
 Make an offering to the LORD. Everyone who wishes to do so is to bring an offering of gold, silver, or bronze;


text:
 the Tent, its covering and its outer covering, its hooks and its frames, its crossbars, its posts, and its bases;


text:
 the altar for burning incense and its poles; the anointing oil; the sweet-smelling incense; the curtain for the entrance of the Tent;


text:
 the altar on which to burn offerings, with its bronze grating attached, its poles, and all its equipment; the washbasin and its base;


text:
 the curtains for the enclosure, its posts and bases; the curtain for the entrance of the enclosure;


text:
 and the magnificent garments the priests are to wear when they serve in the Holy Place---the sacred clothes for Aaron the priest and for his sons."


text:
 and everyone who wished to do so brought an offering to the LORD for making the Tent of the LORD's presence. They brought everything needed for use in worship and for making the priestly garments.


text:
 All who wanted to, both men and women, brought decorative pins, earrings, rings, necklaces, and all kinds of gold jewelry and dedicated them to the LORD.


text:
 Everyone who had fine linen; blue, purple, or red wool; cloth of goats' hair; rams' skin dyed red; or fine leather, brought it.


text:
 All who were able to contribute silver or bronze brought their offering for the LORD, and all who had acacia wood which could be used for any of the work brought it.


text:
 All the skilled women brought fine linen thread and thread of blue, purple, and red wool, which they had made.


text:
 All the people of Israel who wanted to brought their offering to the LORD for the work which he had commanded Moses to do.


text:
 Moses said to the Israelites, "The LORD has chosen Bezalel, the son of Uri and grandson of Hur from the tribe of Judah.


text:
 God has filled him with his power and given him skill, ability, and understanding for every kind of artistic work,


text:
 The LORD has given to him and to Oholiab son of Ahisamach, from the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach their crafts to others.


text:
 He has given them skill in all kinds of work done by engravers, designers, and weavers of fine linen; blue, purple, and red wool; and other cloth. They are able to do all kinds of work and are skillful designers.


text:
 "Bezalel, Oholiab, and all the other workers to whom the LORD has given skill and understanding, who know how to make everything needed to build the sacred Tent, are to make everything just as the LORD has commanded."


text:
 Moses called Bezalel, Oholiab, and all the other skilled men to whom the LORD had given ability and who were willing to help, and Moses told them to start working.


text:
 They received from him all the offerings which the Israelites had brought for constructing the sacred Tent. But the people of Israel continued to bring Moses their offerings every morning.


text:
 and told Moses, "The people are bringing more than is needed for the work which the LORD commanded to be done."


text:
 So Moses sent a command throughout the camp that no one was to make any further contribution for the sacred Tent; so the people did not bring any more.


text:
 The most skilled men among those doing the work made the Tent of the LORD's presence. They made it out of ten pieces of fine linen woven with blue, purple, and red wool and embroidered with figures of winged creatures.


text:
 They put fifty loops on the first piece of the first set and fifty loops matching them on the last piece of the second set.


text:
 They put fifty loops on the edge of the last piece of one set and fifty loops on the edge of the other set.


text:
 They made two more coverings, one of rams' skin dyed red and the other of fine leather, to serve as an outer cover.


text:
 with two matching projections, so that the frames could be joined together. All the frames had these projections.


text:
 These corner frames were joined at the bottom and connected all the way to the top. The two frames that formed the two corners were made in this way.


text:
 They covered the frames with gold and fitted them with gold rings to hold the crossbars, which were also covered with gold.


text:
 They made a curtain of fine linen, woven with blue, purple, and red wool and embroidered it with figures of winged creatures.


text:
 They made four posts of acacia wood to hold the curtain, covered them with gold, and fitted them with gold hooks. Then they made four silver bases to hold the posts.


text:
 For the entrance of the Tent they made a curtain of fine linen woven with blue, purple, and red wool and decorated with embroidery.


text:
 For this curtain they made five posts fitted with hooks, covered their tops and their rods with gold, and made five bronze bases for the posts.


text:
 Bezalel made the Covenant Box out of acacia wood, 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high.


text:
 He made four carrying rings of gold for it and attached them to its four feet, with two rings on each side.


text:
 He made the dishes of pure gold for the table: the plates, the cups, the jars, and the bowls to be used for the wine offering.


text:
 He made the lampstand of pure gold. He made its base and its shaft of hammered gold; its decorative flowers, including buds and petals, formed one piece with it.


text:
 Each of the six branches had three decorative flowers shaped like almond blossoms with buds and petals.


text:
 The shaft of the lampstand had four decorative flowers shaped like almond blossoms with buds and petals.


text:
 He made an altar out of acacia wood, for burning incense. It was square, 18 inches long and 18 inches wide, and it was 36 inches high. Its projections at the four corners formed one piece with it.


text:
 He covered its top, all four sides, and its projections with pure gold and put a gold border around it.


text:
 He made two gold carrying rings for it and attached them below the border on the two sides, to hold the poles with which it was to be carried.


text:
 For burning offerings, he made an altar out of acacia wood. It was square, 7 1/2 feet long and 7 1/2 feet wide, and it was 4 1/2 feet high.


text:
 He made the projections at the top of the four corners, so that they formed one piece with the altar. He covered it all with bronze.


text:
 He also made all the equipment for the altar: the pans, the shovels, the bowls, the hooks, and the fire pans. All this equipment was made of bronze.


text:
 He made a bronze grating and put it under the rim of the altar, so that it reached halfway up the altar.


text:
 He made the bronze basin and its bronze base out of the mirrors belonging to the women who served at the entrance of the Tent of the LORD's presence.


text:
 For the Tent of the LORD's presence he made the enclosure out of fine linen curtains. On the south side the curtains were 50 yards long,


text:
 On the west side there were curtains 25 yards long, with ten posts and ten bases and with hooks and rods made of silver.


text:
 The bases for the posts were made of bronze, and the hooks, the rods, and the covering of the tops of the posts were made of silver. All the posts around the enclosure were connected with silver rods.


text:
 The curtain for the entrance of the enclosure was made of fine linen woven with blue, purple, and red wool and decorated with embroidery. It was 10 yards long and 2 1/2 yards high, like the curtains of the enclosure.


text:
 It was supported by four posts in four bronze bases. Their hooks, the covering of their tops, and their rods were made of silver.


text:
 Here is a list of the amounts of the metals used in the Tent of the LORD's presence, where the two stone tablets were kept on which the Ten Commandments were written. The list was ordered by Moses and made by the Levites who worked under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.


text:
 Bezalel, the son of Uri and grandson of Hur from the tribe of Judah, made everything that the LORD had commanded.


text:
 His helper, Oholiab son of Ahisamach, from the tribe of Dan, was an engraver, a designer, and a weaver of fine linen and of blue, purple, and red wool.


text:
 All the gold that had been dedicated to the LORD for the sacred Tent weighed 2,195 pounds, weighed according to the official standard.


text:
 The silver from the census of the community weighed 7,550 pounds, weighed according to the official standard.


text:
 This amount equaled the total paid by all persons enrolled in the census, each one paying the required amount, weighed according to the official standard. There were 603,550 men twenty years old or older enrolled in the census.


text:
 Of the silver, 7,500 pounds were used to make the hundred bases for the sacred Tent and for the curtain, 75 pounds for each base.


text:
 With the remaining 50 pounds of silver Bezalel made the rods, the hooks for the posts, and the covering for their tops.


text:
 With it he made the bases for the entrance of the Tent of the LORD's presence, the bronze altar with its bronze grating, all the equipment for the altar,


text:
 the bases for the surrounding enclosure and for the entrance of the enclosure, and all the pegs for the Tent and the surrounding enclosure.


text:
 With the blue, purple, and red wool they made the magnificent garments which the priests were to wear when they served in the Holy Place. They made the priestly garments for Aaron, as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
 They hammered out sheets of gold and cut them into thin strips to be worked into the fine linen and into the blue, purple, and red wool.


text:
 They made two shoulder straps for the ephod and attached them to its sides, so that it could be fastened.


text:
 The finely woven belt, made of the same materials, was attached to the ephod so as to form one piece with it, as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
 They prepared the carnelians and mounted them in gold settings; they were skillfully engraved with the names of the twelve sons of Jacob.


text:
 They put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod to represent the twelve tribes of Israel, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
 They mounted four rows of precious stones on it: in the first row they mounted a ruby, a topaz, and a garnet;


text:
 Each of the twelve stones had engraved on it the name of one of the sons of Jacob, in order to represent the twelve tribes of Israel.


text:
 They made two gold settings and two gold rings and attached the two rings to the upper corners of the breastpiece.


text:
 and fastened the other two ends of the cords to the two settings and in this way attached them in front to the shoulder straps of the ephod.


text:
 They made two rings of gold and attached them to the lower corners of the breastpiece, on the inside edge next to the ephod.


text:
 They made two more gold rings and attached them to the lower part of the front of the two shoulder straps of the ephod, near the seam and above the finely woven belt.


text:
 Just as the LORD had commanded Moses, they tied the rings of the breastpiece to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that the breastpiece rested above the belt and did not come loose.


text:
 All around its lower hem they put pomegranates of fine linen and of blue, purple, and red wool, alternating with bells of pure gold, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
 and the sash of fine linen and of blue, purple, and red wool, decorated with embroidery, as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
 They made the ornament, the sacred sign of dedication, out of pure gold, and they engraved on it "Dedicated to the LORD."


text:
 All the work on the Tent of the LORD's presence was finally completed. The Israelites made everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
 They brought to Moses the Tent and all its equipment, its hooks, its frames, its crossbars, its posts, and its bases;


text:
 the gold altar; the anointing oil; the sweet-smelling incense; the curtain for the entrance of the Tent;


text:
 the bronze altar with its bronze grating, its poles, and all its equipment; the washbasin and its base;


text:
 the curtains for the enclosure and its posts and bases; the curtain for the entrance of the enclosure and its ropes; the Tent pegs; all the equipment to be used in the Tent;


text:
 and the magnificent garments the priests were to wear in the Holy Place---the sacred clothes for Aaron the priest and for his sons.


text:
 Moses examined everything and saw that they had made it all just as the LORD had commanded. So Moses blessed them.


text:
 Bring in the table and place the equipment on it. Also bring in the lampstand and set up the lamps on it.


text:
 Put the gold altar for burning incense in front of the Covenant Box and hang the curtain at the entrance of the Tent.


text:
 "Then dedicate the Tent and all its equipment by anointing it with the sacred oil, and it will be holy.


text:
 Dress Aaron in the priestly garments, anoint him, and in this way consecrate him, so that he can serve me as priest.


text:
 Then anoint them, just as you anointed their father, so that they can serve me as priests. This anointing will make them priests for all time to come."


text:
 So on the first day of the first month of the second year after they left Egypt, the Tent of the LORD's presence was set up.


text:
 He spread out the covering over the Tent and put the outer covering over it, just as the LORD had commanded.


text:
 Then he took the two stone tablets and put them in the Covenant Box. He put the poles in the rings of the Box and put the lid on it.


text:
 Then he put the Box in the Tent and hung up the curtain. In this way he screened off the Covenant Box, just as the LORD had commanded.


text:
 and there in front of the curtain he placed the altar for burning offerings. On it he sacrificed the burnt offering and the grain offering, just as the LORD had commanded.


text:
 Moses set up the enclosure around the Tent and the altar and hung the curtain at the entrance of the enclosure. So he finished all the work.


text:
 During all their wanderings they could see the cloud of the LORD's presence over the Tent during the day and a fire burning above it during the night.


text:
 for the Israelites to observe when they offer their sacrifices. When you offer an animal sacrifice, it may be one of your cattle or one of your sheep or goats.


text:
 If you are offering one of your cattle as a burnt offering, you must bring a bull without any defects. You must present it at the entrance of the Tent of the LORD's presence so that the LORD will accept you.


text:
 You shall put your hand on its head, and it will be accepted as a sacrifice to take away your sins.


text:
 You shall kill the bull there, and the Aaronite priests shall present the blood to the LORD and then throw it against all four sides of the altar located at the entrance of the Tent.


text:
 You must wash the internal organs and the hind legs, and the officiating priest will burn the whole sacrifice on the altar. The odor of this food offering is pleasing to the LORD.


text:
 You shall kill it on the north side of the altar, and the priests shall throw its blood on all four sides of the altar.


text:
 After you cut it up, the officiating priest shall put on the fire all the parts, including the head and the fat.


text:
 You must wash the internal organs and the hind legs, and the priest will present the sacrifice to the LORD and burn all of it on the altar. The odor of this food offering is pleasing to the LORD.


text:
 The priest shall present it at the altar, wring its neck, and burn its head on the altar. Its blood shall be drained out against the side of the altar.


text:
 He shall remove the crop and its contents and throw them away on the east side of the altar where the ashes are put.


text:
 He shall take hold of its wings and tear its body open, without tearing the wings off, and then burn it whole on the altar. The odor of this food offering is pleasing to the LORD.


text:
 When any of you present an offering of grain to the LORD, you must first grind it into flour. You must put olive oil and incense on it


text:
 and bring it to the Aaronite priests. The officiating priest shall take a handful of the flour and oil and all of the incense and burn it on the altar as a token that it has all been offered to the LORD. The odor of this food offering is pleasing to the LORD.


text:
 The rest of the grain offering belongs to the priests; it is very holy, since it is taken from the food offered to the LORD.


text:
 If the offering is bread baked in an oven, it must be made without yeast. It may be thick loaves made of flour mixed with olive oil or thin cakes brushed with olive oil.


text:
 If the offering is bread cooked on a griddle, it is to be made of flour mixed with olive oil but without yeast.


text:
 The priest will take part of it as a token that it has all been offered to the LORD, and he will burn it on the altar. The odor of this food offering is pleasing to the LORD.


text:
 The rest of the offering belongs to the priests; it is very holy, since it is taken from the food offered to the LORD.


text:
 None of the grain offerings which you present to the LORD may be made with yeast; you must never use yeast or honey in food offered to the LORD.


text:
 An offering of the first grain that you harvest each year shall be brought to the LORD, but it is not to be burned on the altar.


text:
 Put salt on every grain offering, because salt represents the covenant between you and God. (You must put salt on all your offerings.)


text:
 When you bring to the LORD an offering of the first grain harvested, offer roasted grain or ground meal.


text:
 The priest will burn that part of the meal and oil that is to serve as a token, and also all the incense, as a food offering to the LORD.


text:
 When any of you offer one of your cattle as a fellowship offering, it is to be a bull or a cow without any defects.


text:
 You shall put your hand on the head of the animal and kill it at the entrance of the Tent of the LORD's presence. The Aaronite priests shall throw the blood against all four sides of the altar


text:
 and present the following parts of the animal as a food offering to the LORD: all the fat on the internal organs,


text:
 The priests shall burn all this on the altar along with the burnt offerings. The odor of this food offering is pleasing to the LORD.


text:
 If a sheep or goat is used as a fellowship offering, it may be male or female, but it must be without any defects.


text:
 you shall put your hand on its head and kill it in front of the Tent. The priests shall throw its blood against all four sides of the altar


text:
 and present the following parts of the animal as a food offering to the LORD: the fat, the entire fat tail cut off near the backbone, all the fat covering the internal organs,


text:
 and present the following parts as a food offering to the LORD: all the fat on the internal organs,


text:
 The priest shall burn all this on the altar as a food offering pleasing to the LORD. All the fat belongs to the LORD.


text:
 No Israelite may eat any fat or any blood; this is a rule to be kept forever by all Israelites wherever they live.


text:
 to tell the people of Israel that anyone who sinned and broke any of the LORD's commands without intending to, would have to observe the following rules.


text:
 If it is the High Priest who sins and so brings guilt on the people, he shall present a young bull without any defects and sacrifice it to the LORD for his sin.


text:
 He shall bring the bull to the entrance of the Tent, put his hand on its head, and kill it there in the LORD's presence.


text:
 Then he shall put some of the blood on the projections at the corners of the incense altar in the Tent. He shall pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar used for burning sacrifices, which is at the entrance of the Tent.


text:
 The priest shall take this fat and burn it on the altar used for the burnt offerings, just as he does with the fat from the animal killed for the fellowship offering.


text:
 But he shall take its skin, all its flesh, its head, its legs, and its internal organs, including the intestines,


text:
 carry it all outside the camp to the ritually clean place where the ashes are poured out, and there he shall burn it on a wood fire.


text:
 If it is the whole community of Israel that sins and becomes guilty of breaking one of the LORD's commands without intending to,


text:
 then as soon as the sin becomes known, the community shall bring a young bull as a sin offering. They shall bring it to the Tent of the LORD's presence;


text:
 He shall put some of the blood on the projections at the corners of the incense altar inside the Tent and pour out the rest of it at the base of the altar used for burning sacrifices, which is at the entrance of the Tent.


text:
 He shall do the same thing with this bull as he does with the bull for the sin offering, and in this way he shall make the sacrifice for the people's sin, and they will be forgiven.


text:
 Then he shall take the bull outside the camp and burn it, just as he burns the bull offered for his own sin. This is an offering to take away the sin of the community.


text:
 If it is a ruler who sins and becomes guilty of breaking one of the LORD's commands without intending to,


text:
 then as soon as the sin is called to his attention, he shall bring as his offering a male goat without any defects.


text:
 He shall put his hand on its head and kill it on the north side of the altar, where the animals for the burnt offerings are killed. This is an offering to take away sin.


text:
 The priest shall dip his finger in the blood of the animal, put it on the projections at the corners of the altar, and pour out the rest of it at the base of the altar.


text:
 Then he shall burn all of its fat on the altar, just as he burns the fat of the animals killed for the fellowship offerings. In this way the priest shall offer the sacrifice for the sin of the ruler, and he will be forgiven.


text:
 If any of you people sin and become guilty of breaking one of the LORD's commands without intending to,


text:
 then as soon as the sin is called to your attention, you shall bring as your offering a female goat without any defects.


text:
 You shall put your hand on its head and kill it on the north side of the altar, where the animals for the burnt offerings are killed.


text:
 Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat is removed from the animals killed for the fellowship offerings, and he shall burn it on the altar as an odor pleasing to the LORD. In this way the priest shall offer the sacrifice for the man's sin, and he will be forgiven.


text:
 Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat is removed from the sheep killed for the fellowship offerings, and he shall burn it on the altar along with the food offerings given to the LORD. In this way the priest shall offer the sacrifice for your sin, and you will be forgiven.


text:
 Sin offerings are required in the following cases. If you are officially summoned to give evidence in court and do not give information about something you have seen or heard, you must suffer the consequences.


text:
 If you unintentionally touch anything ritually unclean, such as a dead animal, you are unclean and guilty as soon as you realize what you have done.


text:
 If you unintentionally touch anything of human origin that is unclean, whatever it may be, you are guilty as soon as you realize what you have done.


text:
 If you make a careless vow, no matter what it is about, you are guilty as soon as you realize what you have done.


text:
 and as the penalty for your sin you must bring to the LORD a female sheep or goat as an offering. The priest shall offer the sacrifice for your sin.


text:
 If you cannot afford a sheep or a goat, you shall bring to the LORD as the payment for your sin two doves or two pigeons, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.


text:
 You shall bring them to the priest, who will first offer the bird for the sin offering. He will break its neck without pulling off its head


text:
 and sprinkle some of its blood against the side of the altar. The rest of the blood will be drained out at the base of the altar. This is an offering to take away sin.


text:
 Then he shall offer the second bird as a burnt offering, according to the regulations. In this way the priest shall offer the sacrifice for your sin, and you will be forgiven.


text:
 If you cannot afford two doves or two pigeons, you shall bring two pounds of flour as a sin offering. You shall not put any olive oil or any incense on it, because it is a sin offering, not a grain offering.


text:
 You shall bring it to the priest, who will take a handful of it as a token that it has all been offered to the LORD, and he will burn it on the altar as a food offering. It is an offering to take away sin.


text:
 In this way the priest shall offer the sacrifice for your sin, and you will be forgiven. The rest of the flour belongs to the priest, just as in the case of a grain offering.


text:
 If any of you sin unintentionally by failing to hand over the payments that are sacred to the LORD, you shall bring as your repayment offering to the LORD a male sheep or goat without any defects. Its value is to be determined according to the official standard.


text:
 You must make the payments you have failed to hand over and must pay an additional 20 percent. You shall give it to the priest, and the priest shall offer the animal as a sacrifice for your sin, and you will be forgiven.


text:
 If any of you sin unintentionally by breaking any of the LORD's commands, you are guilty and must pay the penalty.


text:
 You must bring to the priest as a repayment offering a male sheep or goat without any defects. Its value is to be determined according to the official standard. The priest shall offer the sacrifice for the sin which you committed unintentionally, and you will be forgiven.


text:
 An offering is to be made if any of you sin against the LORD by refusing to return what another Israelite has left as a deposit or by stealing something from him or by cheating him


text:
 When you sin in any of these ways, you must repay whatever you got by dishonest means. On the day you are found guilty, you must repay the owner in full, plus an additional 20 percent.


text:
 You shall bring to the priest as your repayment offering to the LORD a male sheep or goat without any defects. Its value is to be determined according to the official standard.


text:
 to give Aaron and his sons the following regulations for burnt offerings. A burnt offering is to be left on the altar all night long, and the fire is to be kept burning.


text:
 Then the priest, wearing his linen robe and linen shorts, shall remove the greasy ashes left on the altar and put them at the side of the altar.


text:
 The fire on the altar must be kept burning and never allowed to go out. Every morning the priest shall put firewood on it, arrange the burnt offering on it, and burn the fat of the fellowship offering.


text:
 The following are the regulations for grain offerings. An Aaronite priest shall present the grain offering to the LORD in front of the altar.


text:
 Then he shall take a handful of the flour and oil, and the incense on it, and burn it on the altar as a token that all of it has been offered to the LORD. The odor of this offering is pleasing to the LORD.


text:
 The priests shall eat the rest of it. It shall be made into bread baked without yeast and eaten in a holy place, the courtyard of the Tent of the LORD's presence. The LORD has given it to the priests as their part of the food offerings. It is very holy, like the sin offerings and the repayment offerings.


text:
 For all time to come any of the male descendants of Aaron may eat it as their continuing share of the food offered to the LORD. Anyone else who touches a food offering will be harmed by the power of its holiness.


text:
 for the ordination of an Aaronite priest. On the day he is ordained, he shall present as an offering to the LORD two pounds of flour (the same amount as the daily grain offering), half in the morning and half in the evening.


text:
 It is to be mixed with oil and cooked on a griddle and then crumbled and presented as a grain offering, an odor pleasing to the LORD.


text:
 For all time to come this offering is to be made by every descendant of Aaron who is serving as High Priest. It shall be completely burned as a sacrifice to the LORD.


text:
 to give Aaron and his sons the following regulations for sin offerings. The animal for a sin offering shall be killed on the north side of the altar, where the animals for the burnt offerings are killed. This is a very holy offering.


text:
 The priest who sacrifices the animal shall eat it in a holy place, the courtyard of the Tent of the LORD's presence.


text:
 Anyone or anything that touches the flesh of the animal will be harmed by the power of its holiness. If any article of clothing is spattered with the animal's blood, it must be washed in a holy place.


text:
 Any clay pot in which the meat is boiled must be broken, and if a metal pot is used, it must be scrubbed and rinsed with water.


text:
 But if any of the blood is brought into the Tent and used in the ritual to take away sin, the animal must not be eaten; it must be burned.


text:
 The animal for this offering is to be killed on the north side of the altar, where the animals for the burnt offerings are killed, and its blood is to be thrown against all four sides of the altar.


text:
 All of its fat shall be removed and offered on the altar: the fat tail, the fat covering the internal organs,


text:
 The priest shall burn all the fat on the altar as a food offering to the LORD. It is a repayment offering.


text:
 Any male of the priestly families may eat it, but it must be eaten in a holy place, because it is very holy.


text:
 There is one regulation that applies to both the sin offering and the repayment offering: the meat belongs to the priest who offers the sacrifice.


text:
 Every grain offering that has been baked in an oven or prepared in a pan or on a griddle belongs to the priest who has offered it to God.


text:
 But all uncooked grain offerings, whether mixed with oil or dry, belong to all the Aaronite priests and must be shared equally among them.


text:
 If you make this offering as a thanksgiving offering to God, you shall present, together with the animal to be sacrificed, an offering of bread made without yeast: either thick loaves made of flour mixed with olive oil or thin cakes brushed with olive oil or cakes made of flour mixed with olive oil.


text:
 You shall present one part of each kind of bread as a special contribution to the LORD; it belongs to the priest who takes the blood of the animal and throws it against the altar.


text:
 The flesh of the animal must be eaten on the day it is sacrificed; none of it may be left until the next morning.


text:
 If you bring a fellowship offering as fulfillment of a vow or as your own freewill offering, not all of it has to be eaten on the day it is offered, but any that is left over may be eaten on the following day.


text:
 If any of it is eaten on the third day, God will not accept your offering. The offering will not be counted to your credit but will be considered unclean, and whoever eats it will suffer the consequences.


text:
 If the meat comes into contact with anything ritually unclean, it must not be eaten, but must be burned. Any of you that are ritually clean may eat the meat,


text:
 Also, if you eat the meat of this offering after you have touched anything ritually unclean, whether from a person or an animal, you shall no longer be considered one of God's people.


text:
 The fat of an animal that has died a natural death or has been killed by a wild animal must not be eaten, but it may be used for any other purpose.


text:
 Anyone who eats the fat of an animal that may be offered as a food offering to the LORD will no longer be considered one of God's people.


text:
 for the people of Israel. When any of you offer a fellowship offering you must bring part of it as a special gift to the LORD,


text:
 bringing it with your own hands as a food offering. You shall bring the fat of the animal with its breast and present it as a special gift to the LORD.


text:
 The breast of the animal is a special gift, and the right hind leg is a special contribution that the LORD has taken from the people of Israel and given to the priests. This is what the people of Israel must give to the priests for all time to come.


text:
 This is the part of the food offered to the LORD that was given to Aaron and his sons on the day they were ordained as priests.


text:
 On that day the LORD commanded the people of Israel to give them this part of the offering. It is a regulation that the people of Israel must obey for all time to come.


text:
 These, then, are the regulations for the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, the sin offerings, the repayment offerings, the ordination offerings, and the fellowship offerings.


text:
 There on Mount Sinai in the desert, the LORD gave these commands to Moses on the day he told the people of Israel to make their offerings.


text:
 "Take Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tent of my presence and bring the priestly garments, the anointing oil, the young bull for the sin offering, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread.


text:
 He put the shirt and the robe on Aaron and the sash around his waist. He put the ephod on him and fastened it by putting its finely woven belt around his waist.


text:
 He placed the turban on his head, and on the front of it he put the gold ornament, the sacred sign of dedication, just as the LORD had commanded him.


text:
 Then Moses took the anointing oil and put it on the Tent of the LORD's presence and everything that was in it, and in this way he dedicated it all to the LORD.


text:
 He took some of the oil and sprinkled it seven times on the altar and its equipment and on the basin and its base, in order to dedicate them to the LORD.


text:
 Next, Moses brought the sons of Aaron forward and put shirts on them, put sashes around their waists, and tied caps on their heads, just as the LORD had commanded.


text:
 Then Moses brought the young bull for the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons put their hands on its head.


text:
 Moses killed it and took some of the blood, and with his finger put it on the projections at the corners of the altar, in order to dedicate it. He then poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. In this way he dedicated it and purified it.


text:
 Moses took all the fat on the internal organs, the best part of the liver, and the kidneys with the fat on them, and burned it all on the altar.


text:
 He took the rest of the bull, including its skin, flesh, and intestines, and burned it outside the camp, just as the LORD had commanded.


text:
 Next, Moses brought the ram for the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons put their hands on its head.


text:
 He cut the ram in pieces, washed the internal organs and the hind legs with water, and burned the head, the fat, and all the rest of the ram on the altar, just as the LORD had commanded. This burnt offering was a food offering, and its odor was pleasing to the LORD.


text:
 Then Moses brought the second ram, which was for the ordination of priests, and Aaron and his sons put their hands on its head.


text:
 Moses killed it and took some of the blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron's right ear, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.


text:
 Then he brought Aaron's sons forward and put some of the blood on the lobes of their right ears, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Moses then threw the rest of the blood on all four sides of the altar.


text:
 He took the fat, the fat tail, all the fat covering the internal organs, the best part of the liver, the kidneys with the fat on them, and the right hind leg.


text:
 Then he took one loaf of bread from the basket of unleavened bread dedicated to the LORD, one loaf made with oil, and one thin cake, and he put them on top of the fat and the right hind leg.


text:
 He put all of this food in the hands of Aaron and his sons, and they presented it as a special gift to the LORD.


text:
 Then Moses took the food from them and burned it on the altar, on top of the burnt offering, as an ordination offering. This was a food offering, and its odor was pleasing to the LORD.


text:
 Then Moses took the breast and presented it as a special gift to the LORD. It was Moses' part of the ordination ram. Moses did everything just as the LORD had commanded.


text:
 Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood that was on the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his sons and on their clothes. In this way he consecrated them and their clothes to the LORD.


text:
 Moses said to Aaron and his sons, "Take the meat to the entrance of the Tent of the LORD's presence, boil it, and eat it there with the bread that is in the basket of ordination offerings, just as the LORD commanded.


text:
 You shall not leave the entrance of the Tent for seven days, until your ordination rites are completed.


text:
 You must stay at the entrance of the Tent day and night for seven days, doing what the LORD has commanded. If you don't, you will die. This is what the LORD has commanded me."


text:
 The day after the ordination rites were completed, Moses called Aaron and his sons and the leaders of Israel.


text:
 He said to Aaron, "Take a young bull and a ram without any defects and offer them to the LORD, the bull for a sin offering and the ram for a burnt offering.


text:
 Then tell the people of Israel to take a male goat for a sin offering, a one-year-old calf, and a one-year-old lamb without any defects for a burnt offering,


text:
 and a bull and a ram for a fellowship offering. They are to sacrifice them to the LORD with the grain offering mixed with oil. They must do this because the LORD will appear to them today."


text:
 They brought to the front of the Tent everything that Moses had commanded, and the whole community assembled there to worship the LORD.


text:
 Moses said, "The LORD has commanded you to do all this, so that the dazzling light of his presence can appear to you."


text:
 Then he said to Aaron, "Go to the altar and offer the sin offering and the burnt offering to take away your sins and the sins of the people. Present this offering to take away the sins of the people, just as the LORD commanded."


text:
 His sons brought him the blood, and he dipped his finger in it, put some of it on the projections at the corners of the altar, and poured out the rest of it at the base of the altar.


text:
 Then he burned on the altar the fat, the kidneys, and the best part of the liver, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
 He killed the animal which was for his own burnt offering. His sons brought him the blood, and he threw it on all four sides of the altar.


text:
 Then he washed the internal organs and the hind legs and burned them on the altar on top of the rest of the burnt offering.


text:
 After that, he presented the people's offerings. He took the goat that was to be offered for the people's sins, killed it, and offered it, as he had done with his own sin offering.


text:
 He presented the grain offering and took a handful of flour and burned it on the altar. (This was in addition to the daily burnt offering.)


text:
 He killed the bull and the ram as a fellowship offering for the people. His sons brought him the blood, and he threw it on all four sides of the altar.


text:
 on top of the breasts of the animals and carried it all to the altar. He burned the fat on the altar


text:
 and presented the breasts and the right hind legs as the special gift to the LORD for the priests, as Moses had commanded.


text:
 When Aaron had finished all the sacrifices, he raised his hands over the people and blessed them, and then stepped down.


text:
 Moses and Aaron went into the Tent of the LORD's presence, and when they came out, they blessed the people, and the dazzling light of the LORD's presence appeared to all the people.


text:
 Suddenly the LORD sent a fire, and it consumed the burnt offering and the fat parts on the altar. When the people saw it, they all shouted and bowed down with their faces to the ground.


text:
 Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, each took his fire pan, put live coals in it, added incense, and presented it to the LORD. But this fire was not holy, because the LORD had not commanded them to present it.


text:
 Then Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD was speaking about when he said, 'All who serve me must respect my holiness; I will reveal my glory to my people.' " But Aaron remained silent.


text:
 Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel, Aaron's uncle, and said to them, "Come here and carry your cousins' bodies away from the sacred Tent and put them outside the camp."


text:
 So they came and took hold of the clothing on the corpses and carried them outside the camp, just as Moses had commanded.


text:
 Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not leave your hair uncombed or tear your clothes to show that you are in mourning. If you do, you will die, and the LORD will be angry with the whole community. But all other Israelites are allowed to mourn this death caused by the fire which the LORD sent.


text:
 Do not leave the entrance of the Tent or you will die, because you have been consecrated by the anointing oil of the LORD." So they did as Moses said.


text:
 "You and your sons are not to enter the Tent of my presence after drinking wine or beer; if you do, you will die. This is a law to be kept by all your descendants.


text:
 You must distinguish between what belongs to God and what is for general use, between what is ritually clean and what is unclean.


text:
 Moses said to Aaron and his two remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, "Take the grain offering that is left over from the food offered to the LORD, make unleavened bread with it and eat it beside the altar, because this offering is very holy.


text:
 Eat it in a holy place; it is the part that belongs to you and your sons from the food offered to the LORD. That is what the LORD commanded me.


text:
 But you and your families may eat the breast and the hind leg that are presented as the special gift and the special contribution to the LORD for the priests. You may eat them in any ritually clean place. These offerings have been given to you and your children as the part that belongs to you from the fellowship offerings of the people of Israel.


text:
 They shall bring the hind leg and the breast at the time the fat is presented as a food offering to the LORD. These parts belong to you and your children forever, just as the LORD commanded."


text:
 Moses asked about the goat for the sin offering and learned that it had already been burned. This made him angry at Eleazar and Ithamar, and he demanded,


text:
 "Why didn't you eat the sin offering in a sacred place? It is very holy, and the LORD has given it to you in order to take away the sin of the community.


text:
 Since its blood was not brought into the sacred Tent, you should have eaten the sacrifice there, as I commanded."


text:
 Aaron answered, "If I had eaten the sin offering today, would the LORD have approved? The people presented their sin offering to the LORD today, and they brought their burnt offering, but still these terrible things have happened to me."


text:
 but you must not eat camels, rock badgers, or rabbits. These must be considered unclean; they chew the cud, but do not have divided hoofs.


text:
 Do not eat pigs. They must be considered unclean; they have divided hoofs, but do not chew the cud.


text:
 You must not eat any of the following birds: eagles, owls, hawks, falcons; buzzards, vultures, crows; ostriches; seagulls, storks, herons, pelicans, cormorants; hoopoes; or bats.


text:
 If you touch the dead bodies of the following animals, you will be unclean until evening: all animals with hoofs, unless their hoofs are divided and they chew the cud, and all four-footed animals with paws. If you carry their dead bodies, you must wash your clothes, but you will still be unclean until evening.


text:
 And if their dead bodies fall on anything, it will be unclean. This applies to any article of wood, cloth, leather, or sacking, no matter what it is used for. It shall be dipped in water, but it will remain unclean until evening.


text:
 And if their bodies fall into a clay pot, everything that is in it shall be unclean, and you must break the pot.


text:
 Any food which could normally be eaten, but on which water from such a pot has been poured, will be unclean, and anything drinkable in such a pot is unclean.


text:
 but a spring or a cistern remains clean, although anything else that touches their dead bodies is unclean.


text:
 And if any of you eat any part of the animal, you must wash your clothes, but you will still be unclean until evening; any of you who carry the dead body must wash your clothes, but you will still be unclean until evening.


text:
 I am the LORD who brought you out of Egypt so that I could be your God. You must be holy, because I am holy.


text:
 This, then, is the law about animals and birds, about everything that lives in the water, and everything that moves on the ground.


text:
 You must be careful to distinguish between what is ritually clean and unclean, between animals that may be eaten and those that may not.


text:
 for the people of Israel. For seven days after a woman gives birth to a son, she is ritually unclean, as she is during her monthly period.


text:
 Then it will be thirty-three more days until she is ritually clean from her loss of blood; she must not touch anything that is holy or enter the sacred Tent until the time of her purification is completed.


text:
 For fourteen days after a woman gives birth to a daughter, she is ritually unclean, as she is during her monthly period. Then it will be sixty-six more days until she is ritually clean from her loss of blood.


text:
 When the time of her purification is completed, whether for a son or daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the Tent of the LORD's presence a one-year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a pigeon or a dove for a sin offering.


text:
 The priest shall present her offering to the LORD and perform the ritual to take away her impurity, and she will be ritually clean. This, then, is what a woman must do after giving birth.


text:
 If the woman cannot afford a lamb, she shall bring two doves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering, and the priest shall perform the ritual to take away her impurity, and she will be ritually clean.


text:
 If any of you have a sore on your skin or a boil or an inflammation which could develop into a dreaded skin disease, you shall be brought to the Aaronite priest.


text:
 The priest shall examine the sore, and if the hairs in it have turned white and the sore appears to be deeper than the surrounding skin, it is a dreaded skin disease, and the priest shall pronounce you unclean.


text:
 But if the sore is white and does not appear to be deeper than the skin around it and the hairs have not turned white, the priest shall isolate you for seven days.


text:
 The priest shall examine you again on the seventh day, and if in his opinion the sore looks the same and has not spread, he shall isolate you for another seven days.


text:
 The priest shall examine you again on the seventh day, and if the sore has faded and has not spread, he shall pronounce you ritually clean; it is only a sore. You shall wash your clothes and be ritually clean.


text:
 But if the sore spreads after the priest has examined you and pronounced you clean, you must appear before the priest again.


text:
 The priest will examine you again, and if it has spread, he shall pronounce you unclean; it is a dreaded skin disease.


text:
 who will examine you. If there is a white sore on your skin which turns the hairs white and is full of pus,


text:
 it is a chronic skin disease. The priest shall pronounce you unclean; there is no need to isolate you, because you are obviously unclean.


text:
 the priest shall examine you again. If he finds that it actually has covered the whole body, he shall pronounce you ritually clean. If your whole skin has turned white, you are ritually clean.


text:
 The priest shall examine you again, and if he sees an open sore, he shall pronounce you unclean. An open sore means a dreaded skin disease, and you are unclean.


text:
 who will examine you again. If the sore has turned white, you are ritually clean, and the priest shall pronounce you clean.


text:
 and if afterward a white swelling or a reddish-white spot appears where the boil was, you shall go to the priest.


text:
 The priest shall examine you, and if the spot seems to be deeper than the surrounding skin and the hairs in it have turned white, he shall pronounce you unclean. It is a dreaded skin disease that has started in the boil.


text:
 But if the priest examines it and finds that the hairs in it have not turned white and that it is not deeper than the surrounding skin, but is light in color, the priest shall isolate you for seven days.


text:
 But if it remains unchanged and does not spread, it is only the scar left from the boil, and the priest shall pronounce you ritually clean.


text:
 the priest shall examine you. If the hairs in the spot have turned white and it appears deeper than the surrounding skin, it is a dreaded skin disease that has started in the burn, and the priest shall pronounce you unclean.


text:
 But if the hairs in it have not turned white and it is not deeper than the surrounding skin, but is light in color, the priest shall isolate you for seven days.


text:
 The priest shall examine you again on the seventh day, and if it is spreading, it is a dreaded skin disease, and the priest shall pronounce you unclean.


text:
 But if the spot remains unchanged and does not spread and is light in color, it is not a dreaded skin disease. The priest shall pronounce you ritually clean, because it is only a scar from the burn.


text:
 the priest shall examine it. If it seems to be deeper than the surrounding skin and the hairs in it are yellowish and thin, it is a dreaded skin disease, and he shall pronounce you unclean.


text:
 If, when the priest examines you, the sore does not appear to be deeper than the surrounding skin, but there are still no healthy hairs in it, he shall isolate you for seven days.


text:
 The priest shall examine the sore again on the seventh day, and if it has not spread and there are no yellowish hairs in it and it does not seem to be deeper than the surrounding skin,


text:
 you shall shave the head except the area around the sore. The priest shall then isolate you for another seven days.


text:
 On the seventh day the priest shall again examine the sore, and if it has not spread and does not seem to be deeper than the surrounding skin, he shall pronounce you ritually clean. You shall wash your clothes, and you will be clean.


text:
 the priest shall examine you again. If the sore has spread, he need not look for yellowish hairs; you are obviously unclean.


text:
 But if in the priest's opinion the sore has not spread and healthy hairs are growing in it, the sore has healed, and the priest shall pronounce you ritually clean.


text:
 the priest shall examine you. If the spots are dull white, it is only a blemish that has broken out on the skin; you are ritually clean.


text:
 If you have a dreaded skin disease, you must wear torn clothes, leave your hair uncombed, cover the lower part of your face, and call out, "Unclean, unclean!"


text:
 You remain unclean as long as you have the disease, and you must live outside the camp, away from others.


text:
 Then he shall examine it, and if the mildew has not changed color, even though it has not spread, it is still unclean; you must burn the object, whether the rot is on the front or the back.


text:
 But if, when the priest examines it again, the mildew has faded, he shall tear it out of the clothing or leather.


text:
 If he washes the object and the spot disappears, he shall wash it again, and it will be ritually clean.


text:
 This, then, is the law about mildew on clothing, whether it is wool or linen, or on linen or wool cloth or on anything made of leather; this is how the decision is made as to whether it is ritually clean or unclean.


text:
 the following regulations about the ritual purification of those of you cured of a dreaded skin disease. On the day you are to be pronounced clean, you shall be brought to the priest,


text:
 the priest shall order that two ritually clean birds be brought, along with a piece of cedar wood, a red cord, and a sprig of hyssop.


text:
 Then the priest shall order that one of the birds be killed over a clay bowl containing fresh spring water.


text:
 He shall take the other bird and dip it, together with the cedar wood, the red cord, and the hyssop, in the blood of the bird that was killed.


text:
 He shall sprinkle the blood seven times on the one of you who is to be purified from your skin disease, and then he shall pronounce you clean. He shall let the live bird fly away over the open fields.


text:
 You shall wash your clothes, shave off all your hair, and take a bath; you will then be ritually clean. You may enter the camp, but you must live outside your tent for seven days.


text:
 On the seventh day you shall again shave your head, your beard, your eyebrows, and all the rest of the hair on your body; you shall wash your clothes and take a bath, and then you will be ritually clean.


text:
 On the eighth day you shall bring two male lambs and one female lamb a year old that are without any defects, five pounds of flour mixed with olive oil, and half a pint of olive oil.


text:
 Then the priest shall take one of the male lambs and together with the half pint of oil he shall offer it as a repayment offering. He shall present them as a special gift to the LORD for the priest.


text:
 He shall kill the lamb in the holy place where the animals for the sin offerings and the burnt offerings are killed. He must do this because the repayment offering, like the sin offering, belongs to the priest and is very holy.


text:
 The priest shall take some of the blood of the lamb and put it on the lobe of the right ear, on the thumb of the right hand, and on the big toe of the right foot of the one of you to be declared ritually clean.


text:
 dip a finger of his right hand in it, and sprinkle some of it seven times there in the LORD's presence.


text:
 He shall take some of the oil that is in the palm of his hand and some of the blood of the lamb and put them on the lobe of the right ear, on the thumb of the right hand, and on the big toe of the right foot of the one of you to be declared ritually clean.


text:
 He shall put the rest of the oil that is in the palm of his hand on your head. In this way he shall perform the ritual of purification.


text:
 Then the priest shall offer the sin offering and perform the ritual of purification. After that, he shall kill the animal for the burnt offering


text:
 and offer it with the grain offering on the altar. In this way the priest shall perform the ritual of purification, and you will be ritually clean.


text:
 If you are poor and cannot afford any more, you shall bring for your purification only one male lamb as your repayment offering, a special gift to the LORD for the priest. You shall bring only two pounds of flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering and half a pint of olive oil.


text:
 You shall also bring two doves or two pigeons, one for the sin offering and one for the burnt offering.


text:
 On the eighth day of your purification you shall bring them to the priest at the entrance of the Tent.


text:
 The priest shall take the lamb and the olive oil and present them as a special gift to the LORD for the priest.


text:
 He shall kill the lamb and take some of the blood and put it on the lobe of your right ear, on the thumb of your right hand, and on the big toe of your right foot.


text:
 He shall put some of the oil on the same places he put the blood: on the lobe of your right ear, on the thumb of your right hand, and on the big toe of your right foot.


text:
 The rest of the oil that is in his palm he shall put on your head and in this way perform the ritual of purification.


text:
 as the sin offering and the other as the burnt offering with the grain offering. In this way the priest shall perform the ritual of purification.


text:
 This is the law for those who have a dreaded skin disease but who cannot afford the normal offerings required for his purification.


text:
 the following regulations about houses affected by spreading mildew. (These were to apply after the people of Israel entered the land of Canaan, which the LORD was going to give them as their possession.) If any of you find that the LORD has sent mildew on your house, then you must go and tell the priest about it.


text:
 The priest shall order everything to be moved out of the house before he goes to examine the mildew; otherwise everything in the house will be declared unclean. Then he shall go to the house


text:
 and examine the mildew. If there are greenish or reddish spots that appear to be eating into the wall,


text:
 he shall order that the stones on which the mildew is found be removed and thrown into some unclean place outside the city.


text:
 After that he must have all the interior walls scraped and the plaster dumped in an unclean place outside the city.


text:
 Then other stones are to be used to replace the stones that were removed, and new plaster will be used to cover the walls.


text:
 If the mildew breaks out again in the house after the stones have been removed and the house has been scraped and plastered,


text:
 It must be torn down, and its stones, its wood, and all its plaster must be carried out of the city to an unclean place.


text:
 If, when the priest comes to look, the mildew has not reappeared after the house has been replastered, he shall pronounce the house ritually clean, because the mildew has been completely removed.


text:
 Then he shall take the cedar wood, the hyssop, the red cord, and the live bird and shall dip them in the blood of the bird that was killed and in the fresh water. And he shall sprinkle the house seven times.


text:
 In this way he shall purify the house with the bird's blood, the fresh water, the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop, and the red cord.


text:
 Then he shall let the live bird fly away outside the city over the open fields. In this way he shall perform the ritual of purification for the house, and it will be ritually clean.


text:
 or sits on anything the man has sat on must wash his clothes and take a bath, and he remains unclean until evening.


text:
 Anyone who touches the man with the discharge must wash his clothes and take a bath, and he remains unclean until evening.


text:
 If the man with the discharge spits on anyone who is ritually clean, that person must wash his clothes and take a bath, and he remains unclean until evening.


text:
 Anyone who touches anything on which the man sat is unclean until evening. Anyone who carries anything on which the man sat must wash his clothes and take a bath, and he remains unclean until evening.


text:
 If a man who has a discharge touches one of you without first having washed his hands, you must wash your clothes and take a bath, and you remain unclean until evening.


text:
 Any clay pot that the man touches must be broken, and any wooden bowl that he touches must be washed.


text:
 After the man is cured of his discharge, he must wait seven days and then wash his clothes and take a bath in fresh spring water, and he will be ritually clean.


text:
 On the eighth day he shall take two doves or two pigeons to the entrance of the Tent of the LORD's presence and give them to the priest.


text:
 The priest shall offer one of them as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. In this way he will perform the ritual of purification for the man.


text:
 When a man has an emission of semen, he must bathe his whole body, and he remains unclean until evening.


text:
 Anything made of cloth or leather on which the semen falls must be washed, and it remains unclean until evening.


text:
 After sexual intercourse both the man and the woman must take a bath, and they remain unclean until evening.


text:
 When a woman has her monthly period, she remains unclean for seven days. Anyone who touches her is unclean until evening.


text:
 Any who touch her bed or anything on which she has sat must wash their clothes and take a bath, and they remain unclean until evening.


text:
 If a man has sexual intercourse with her during her period, he is contaminated by her impurity and remains unclean for seven days, and any bed on which he lies is unclean.


text:
 If a woman has a flow of blood for several days outside her monthly period or if her flow continues beyond her regular period, she remains unclean as long as the flow continues, just as she is during her monthly period.


text:
 Any who touch them are unclean and must wash their clothes and take a bath; they remain unclean until evening.


text:
 On the eighth day she shall take two doves or two pigeons to the priest at the entrance of the Tent of the LORD's presence.


text:
 The priest shall offer one of them as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, and in this way he will perform the ritual of purification for her.


text:
 The LORD told Moses to warn the people of Israel about their uncleanness, so that they would not defile the Tent of his presence, which was in the middle of the camp. If they did, they would be killed.


text:
 a woman during her monthly period, or a man who has sexual intercourse with a woman who is ritually unclean.


text:
 The LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who were killed when they offered unholy fire to the LORD.


text:
 He said, "Tell your brother Aaron that only at the proper time is he to go behind the curtain into the Most Holy Place, because that is where I appear in a cloud above the lid on the Covenant Box. If he disobeys, he will be killed.


text:
 He may enter the Most Holy Place only after he has brought a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering."


text:
 Then the LORD gave the following instructions. Before Aaron goes into the Most Holy Place, he must take a bath and put on the priestly garments: the linen robe and shorts, the belt, and the turban.


text:
 The community of Israel shall give Aaron two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.


text:
 The goat chosen for Azazel shall be presented alive to the LORD and sent off into the desert to Azazel, in order to take away the sins of the people.


text:
 he shall take a fire pan full of burning coals from the altar and two handfuls of fine incense and bring them into the Most Holy Place.


text:
 There in the LORD's presence he shall put the incense on the fire, and the smoke of the incense will hide the lid of the Covenant Box so that he will not see it and die.


text:
 He shall take some of the bull's blood and with his finger sprinkle it on the front of the lid and then sprinkle some of it seven times in front of the Covenant Box.


text:
 After that, he shall kill the goat for the sin offering for the people, bring its blood into the Most Holy Place, and sprinkle it on the lid and then in front of the Covenant Box, as he did with the bull's blood.


text:
 In this way he will perform the ritual to purify the Most Holy Place from the uncleanness of the people of Israel and from all their sins. He must do this to the Tent, because it stands in the middle of the camp, which is ritually unclean.


text:
 From the time Aaron enters the Most Holy Place to perform the ritual of purification until he comes out, there must be no one in the Tent. When he has performed the ritual for himself, his family, and the whole community,


text:
 he must then go out to the altar for burnt offerings and purify it. He must take some of the bull's blood and some of the goat's blood and put it all over the projections at the corners of the altar.


text:
 With his finger he must sprinkle some of the blood on the altar seven times. In this way he is to purify it from the sins of the people of Israel and make it holy.


text:
 When Aaron has finished performing the ritual to purify the Most Holy Place, the rest of the Tent of the LORD's presence, and the altar, he shall present to the LORD the live goat chosen for Azazel.


text:
 He shall put both of his hands on the goat's head and confess over it all the evils, sins, and rebellions of the people of Israel, and so transfer them to the goat's head. Then the goat is to be driven off into the desert by someone appointed to do it.


text:
 Then Aaron shall go into the Tent, take off the priestly garments that he had put on before entering the Most Holy Place, and leave them there.


text:
 He must take a bath in a holy place and put on his own clothes. After that, he shall go out and offer the burnt offering to remove his own sins and those of the people.


text:
 The man who drove the goat into the desert to Azazel must wash his clothes and take a bath before he comes back into camp.


text:
 The bull and the goat used for the sin offering, whose blood was brought into the Most Holy Place to take away sin, shall be carried outside the camp and burned. Skin, meat, and intestines shall all be burned.


text:
 The following regulations are to be observed for all time to come. On the tenth day of the seventh month the Israelites and the foreigners living among them must fast and must not do any work.


text:
 On that day the ritual is to be performed to purify them from all their sins, so that they will be ritually clean.


text:
 That day is to be a very holy day, one on which they fast and do no work at all. These regulations are to be observed for all time to come.


text:
 The High Priest, properly ordained and consecrated to succeed his father, is to perform the ritual of purification. He shall put on the priestly garments


text:
 and perform the ritual to purify the Most Holy Place, the rest of the Tent of the LORD's presence, the altar, the priests, and all the people of the community.


text:
 These regulations are to be observed for all time to come. This ritual must be performed once a year to purify the people of Israel from all their sins. So Moses did as the LORD had commanded.


text:
 Any Israelites who kill a cow or a sheep or a goat as an offering to the LORD anywhere except at the entrance of the Tent of the LORD's presence have broken the Law. They have shed blood and shall no longer be considered God's people.


text:
 The meaning of this command is that the people of Israel shall now bring to the LORD the animals which they used to kill in the open country. They shall now bring them to the priest at the entrance of the Tent and kill them as fellowship offerings.


text:
 The priest shall throw the blood against the sides of the altar at the entrance of the Tent and burn the fat to produce an odor that is pleasing to the LORD.


text:
 The people of Israel must no longer be unfaithful to the LORD by killing their animals in the fields as sacrifices to the goat demons. The people of Israel must keep this regulation for all time to come.


text:
 Any Israelites or any foreigners living in the community who offer a burnt offering or any other sacrifice


text:
 as an offering to the LORD anywhere except at the entrance of the Tent shall no longer be considered God's people.


text:
 If any Israelites or any foreigners living in the community eat meat with blood still in it, the LORD will turn against them and no longer consider them his people.


text:
 The life of every living thing is in the blood, and that is why the LORD has commanded that all blood be poured out on the altar to take away the people's sins. Blood, which is life, takes away sins.


text:
 That is why the LORD has told the people of Israel that neither they nor any foreigner living among them shall eat any meat with blood still in it.


text:
 If any Israelites or any foreigners living in the community catch an animal or a bird which is ritually clean, they must pour its blood out on the ground and cover it with dirt.


text:
 The life of every living thing is in the blood, and that is why the LORD has told the people of Israel that they shall not eat any meat with blood still in it and that anyone who does so will no longer be considered one of his people.


text:
 Any people, Israelites or foreigners, who eat meat from an animal that has died a natural death or has been killed by wild animals must wash their clothes, take a bath, and wait until evening before they are ritually clean.


text:
 Do not follow the practices of the people of Egypt, where you once lived, or of the people in the land of Canaan, where I am now taking you.


text:
 Follow the practices and the laws that I give you; you will save your life by doing so. I am the LORD."


text:
 The LORD gave the following regulations. Do not have sexual intercourse with any of your relatives.


text:
 Do not disgrace your father by having intercourse with your mother. You must not disgrace your own mother.


text:
 Do not have intercourse with your sister or your stepsister, whether or not she was brought up in the same house with you.


text:
 Do not have intercourse with the daughter or granddaughter of a woman with whom you have had intercourse; they may be related to you, and that would be incest.


text:
 Do not hand over any of your children to be used in the worship of the god Molech, because that would bring disgrace on the name of God, the LORD.


text:
 No man or woman is to have sexual relations with an animal; that perversion makes you ritually unclean.


text:
 Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these acts, for that is how the pagans made themselves unclean, those pagans who lived in the land before you and whom the LORD is driving out so that you can go in.


text:
 Their actions made the land unclean, and so the LORD is punishing the land and making it reject the people who lived there.


text:
 They did all these disgusting things and made the land unclean, but you must not do them. All of you, whether Israelites or foreigners living with you, must keep the LORD's laws and commands,


text:
 You know that whoever does any of these disgusting things will no longer be considered one of God's people.


text:
 And the LORD said, "Obey the commands I give and do not follow the practices of the people who lived in the land before you, and do not make yourselves unclean by doing any of these things. I am the LORD your God."


text:
 Each of you must respect your mother and your father, and must keep the Sabbath, as I have commanded. I am the LORD your God.


text:
 "Do not abandon me and worship idols; do not make gods of metal and worship them. I am the LORD your God.


text:
 "When you kill an animal for a fellowship offering, keep the regulations that I have given you, and I will accept the offering.


text:
 The meat must be eaten on the day the animal is killed or on the next day. Any meat left on the third day must be burned,


text:
 Any who eat it will be guilty of treating as ordinary what is dedicated to me, and they will no longer be considered my people.


text:
 "When you harvest your fields, do not cut the grain at the edges of the fields, and do not go back to cut the heads of grain that were left.


text:
 Do not go back through your vineyard to gather the grapes that were missed or to pick up the grapes that have fallen; leave them for poor people and foreigners. I am the LORD your God.


text:
 Do not make a promise in my name if you do not intend to keep it; that brings disgrace on my name. I am the LORD your God.


text:
 "Do not rob or take advantage of anyone. Do not hold back the wages of someone you have hired, not even for one night.


text:
 Do not curse the deaf or put something in front of the blind so as to make them stumble over it. Obey me; I am the LORD your God.


text:
 "Be honest and just when you make decisions in legal cases; do not show favoritism to the poor or fear the rich.


text:
 Do not spread lies about anyone, and when someone is on trial for his life, speak out if your testimony can help him. I am the LORD.


text:
 "Do not bear a grudge against others, but settle your differences with them, so that you will not commit a sin because of them.


text:
 Do not take revenge on others or continue to hate them, but love your neighbors as you love yourself. I am the LORD.


text:
 "Obey my commands. Do not crossbreed domestic animals. Do not plant two kinds of seed in the same field. Do not wear clothes made of two kinds of material.


text:
 "If a slave woman is the recognized concubine of a man and she has not been paid for and freed, then if another man has sexual relations with her, they will be punished, but not put to death, since she is a slave.


text:
 and with it the priest shall perform the ritual of purification to remove the man's sin, and God will forgive him.


text:
 "When you come into the land of Canaan and plant any kind of fruit tree, consider the fruit ritually unclean for the first three years. During that time you must not eat it.


text:
 In the fourth year all the fruit shall be dedicated as an offering to show your gratitude to me, the LORD.


text:
 But in the fifth year you may eat the fruit. If you do all this, your trees will bear more fruit. I am the LORD your God.


text:
 "Do not disgrace your daughters by making them temple prostitutes; if you do, you will turn to other gods and the land will be full of immorality.


text:
 "Do not go for advice to people who consult the spirits of the dead. If you do, you will be ritually unclean. I am the LORD your God.


text:
 Treat them as you would an Israelite, and love them as you love yourselves. Remember that you were once foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.


text:
 Use honest scales, honest weights, and honest measures. I am the LORD your God, and I brought you out of Egypt.


text:
 to say to the people of Israel, "Any of you or any foreigner living among you who gives any children to be used in the worship of the god Molech shall be stoned to death by the whole community.


text:
 If any of you give one of your children to Molech and make my sacred Tent unclean and disgrace my holy name, I will turn against you and will no longer consider you my people.


text:
 I myself will turn against you and your whole family and against all who join you in being unfaithful to me and worshiping Molech. I will no longer consider any of you my people.


text:
 "If any of you go for advice to people who consult the spirits of the dead, I will turn against you and will no longer consider you one of my people.


text:
 The LORD gave the following regulations. Any of you that curse your father or mother shall be put to death; you are responsible for your own death.


text:
 If a man commits adultery with the wife of an Israelite, both he and the woman shall be put to death.


text:
 A man who has intercourse with one of his father's wives disgraces his father, and both he and the woman shall be put to death. They are responsible for their own death.


text:
 If a man has intercourse with his daughter-in-law, they shall both be put to death. They have committed incest and are responsible for their own death.


text:
 If a man has sexual relations with another man, they have done a disgusting thing, and both shall be put to death. They are responsible for their own death.


text:
 If a man marries a woman and her mother, all three shall be burned to death because of the disgraceful thing they have done; such a thing must not be permitted among you.


text:
 If a woman tries to have sexual relations with an animal, she and the animal shall be put to death. They are responsible for their own death.


text:
 If a man marries his sister or half sister, they shall be publicly disgraced and driven out of the community. He has had intercourse with his sister and must suffer the consequences.


text:
 If a man has intercourse with a woman during her monthly period, both of them are to be driven out of the community, because they have broken the regulations about ritual uncleanness.


text:
 If a man has intercourse with his uncle's wife, he disgraces his uncle, and he and the woman will pay the penalty; neither one will have children.


text:
 If a man takes his brother's wife, they will die childless. He has done a ritually unclean thing and has disgraced his brother.


text:
 The LORD said, "Keep all my laws and commands, so that you will not be rejected by the land of Canaan, into which I am bringing you.


text:
 Do not adopt the customs of the people who live there; I am driving out those pagans so that you can enter the land. They have disgusted me with all their evil practices.


text:
 But I have promised you this rich and fertile land as your possession, and I will give it to you. I am the LORD your God, and I have set you apart from the other nations.


text:
 So then, you must make a clear distinction between animals and birds that are ritually clean and those that are not. Do not eat unclean animals or birds. I have declared them unclean, and eating them would make you unclean.


text:
 You shall be holy and belong only to me, because I am the LORD and I am holy. I have set you apart from the other nations so that you would belong to me alone.


text:
 "Any man or woman who consults the spirits of the dead shall be stoned to death; any of you that do this are responsible for your own death."


text:
 The LORD commanded Moses to tell the Aaronite priests, "No priest is to make himself ritually unclean by taking part in the funeral ceremonies when a relative dies,


text:
 "No priest shall shave any part of his head or trim his beard or cut gashes on his body to show that he is in mourning.


text:
 He must be holy and must not disgrace my name. He offers food offerings to me, and he must be holy.


text:
 A priest shall not marry a woman who has been a prostitute or a woman who is not a virgin or who is divorced; he is holy.


text:
 The people must consider the priest holy, because he presents the food offerings to me. I am the LORD; I am holy and I make my people holy.


text:
 If a priest's daughter becomes a prostitute, she disgraces her father; she shall be burned to death.


text:
 "The High Priest has had the anointing oil poured on his head and has been consecrated to wear the priestly garments, so he must not leave his hair uncombed or tear his clothes to show that he is in mourning.


text:
 He has been dedicated to me and is not to make himself ritually unclean nor is he to defile my sacred Tent by leaving it and entering a house where there is a dead person, even if it is his own father or mother.


text:
 not a widow or a divorced woman or a woman who has been a prostitute. He shall marry only a virgin from his own clan.


text:
 Otherwise, his children, who ought to be holy, will be ritually unclean. I am the LORD and I have set him apart as the High Priest."


text:
 to tell Aaron, "None of your descendants who has any physical defects may present the food offering to me. This applies for all time to come.


text:
 No man with any physical defects may make the offering: no one who is blind, lame, disfigured, or deformed;


text:
 No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any physical defects may present the food offering to me.


text:
 Such a man may eat the food offered to me, both the holy food offering and the very holy food offering,


text:
 but because he has a physical defect, he shall not come near the sacred curtain or approach the altar. He must not profane these holy things, because I am the LORD and I make them holy."


text:
 to tell Aaron and his sons, "You must not bring disgrace on my holy name, so treat with respect the sacred offerings that the people of Israel dedicate to me. I am the LORD.


text:
 If any of your descendants, while he is ritually unclean, comes near the sacred offerings which the people of Israel have dedicated to me, he can never again serve at the altar. This applies for all time to come. I am the LORD.


text:
 "None of the descendants of Aaron who has a dreaded skin disease or a discharge may eat any of the sacred offerings until he is ritually clean. Any priest is unclean if he touches anything which is unclean through contact with a corpse or if he has an emission of semen


text:
 Any priest who becomes unclean remains unclean until evening, and even then he may not eat any of the sacred offerings until he has taken a bath.


text:
 He shall not eat the meat of any animal that has died a natural death or has been killed by wild animals; it will make him unclean. I am the LORD.


text:
 "All priests shall observe the regulations that I have given. Otherwise, they will become guilty and die, because they have disobeyed the sacred regulations. I am the LORD and I make them holy.


text:
 "Only a member of a priestly family may eat any of the sacred offerings; no one else may eat them---not even someone staying with a priest or hired by him.


text:
 But a priest's slaves, bought with his own money or born in his home, may eat the food the priest receives.


text:
 A priest's daughter who marries someone who is not a priest may not eat any of the sacred offerings.


text:
 But a widowed or divorced daughter who has no children and who has returned to live in her father's house as a dependent may eat the food her father receives as a priest. Only a member of a priestly family may eat any of it.


text:
 "If any people who are not members of a priestly family eat any of the sacred offerings without intending to, they must repay the priest its full value plus an additional 20 percent.


text:
 by letting any unauthorized people eat them; this would bring guilt and punishment on such people. I am the LORD and I make the offerings holy."


text:
 to give Aaron and his sons and all the people of Israel the following regulations. When any Israelite or any foreigner living in Israel presents a burnt offering, whether as fulfillment of a vow or as a freewill offering, the animal must not have any defects.


text:
 When anyone presents a fellowship offering to the LORD, whether as fulfillment of a vow or as a freewill offering, the animal must be without any defects if it is to be accepted.


text:
 Do not offer to the LORD any animal that is blind or crippled or mutilated, or that has a running sore or a skin eruption or scabs. Do not offer any such animals on the altar as a food offering.


text:
 As a freewill offering you may offer an animal that is stunted or not perfectly formed, but it is not acceptable in fulfillment of a vow.


text:
 Do not offer to the LORD any animal whose testicles have been crushed, cut, bruised, or torn off. This is not permitted in your land.


text:
 Do not offer as a food offering any animal obtained from a foreigner. Such animals are considered defective and are not acceptable.


text:
 When a calf or a lamb or a kid is born, it must not be taken from its mother for seven days, but after that it is acceptable as a food offering.


text:
 When you offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the LORD, follow the rules so that you will be accepted;


text:
 Do not bring disgrace on my holy name; all the people of Israel must acknowledge me to be holy. I am the LORD and I make you holy;


text:
 the following regulations for the religious festivals, when the people of Israel are to gather for worship.


text:
 You have six days in which to do your work, but remember that the seventh day, the Sabbath, is a day of rest. On that day do not work, but gather for worship. The Sabbath belongs to the LORD, no matter where you live.


text:
 The Passover, celebrated to honor the LORD, begins at sunset on the fourteenth day of the first month.


text:
 On the fifteenth day the Festival of Unleavened Bread begins, and for seven days you must not eat any bread made with yeast.


text:
 Offer your food offerings to the LORD for seven days. On the seventh day you shall again gather for worship, but you shall do none of your daily work.


text:
 When you come into the land that the LORD is giving you and you harvest your grain, take the first sheaf to the priest.


text:
 He shall present it as a special offering to the LORD, so that you may be accepted. The priest shall present it the day after the Sabbath.


text:
 On the day you present the offering of grain, also sacrifice as a burnt offering a one-year-old male lamb that has no defects.


text:
 With it you shall present four pounds of flour mixed with olive oil as a food offering. The odor of this offering is pleasing to the LORD. You shall also present with it an offering of one quart of wine.


text:
 Do not eat any of the new grain, whether raw, roasted, or baked into bread, until you have brought this offering to God. This regulation is to be observed by all your descendants for all time to come.


text:
 Count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath on which you bring your sheaf of grain to present to the LORD.


text:
 On the fiftieth day, the day after the seventh Sabbath, present to the LORD another new offering of grain.


text:
 Each family is to bring two loaves of bread and present them to the LORD as a special gift. Each loaf shall be made of four pounds of flour baked with yeast and shall be presented to the LORD as an offering of the first grain to be harvested.


text:
 And with the bread the community is to present seven one-year-old lambs, one bull, and two rams, none of which may have any defects. They shall be offered as a burnt offering to the LORD, along with a grain offering and a wine offering. The odor of this offering is pleasing to the LORD.


text:
 Also offer one male goat as a sin offering and two one-year-old male lambs as a fellowship offering.


text:
 The priest shall present the bread with the two lambs as a special gift to the LORD for the priests. These offerings are holy.


text:
 On that day do none of your daily work, but gather for worship. Your descendants are to observe this regulation for all time to come, no matter where they live.


text:
 When you harvest your fields, do not cut the grain at the edges of the fields, and do not go back to cut the heads of grain that were left; leave them for poor people and foreigners. The LORD is your God.


text:
 On the first day of the seventh month observe a special day of rest, and come together for worship when the trumpets sound.


text:
 The tenth day of the seventh month is the day when the annual ritual is to be performed to take away the sins of the people. On that day do not eat anything at all; come together for worship, and present a food offering to the LORD.


text:
 From sunset on the ninth day of the month to sunset on the tenth observe this day as a special day of rest, during which nothing may be eaten.


text:
 The Festival of Shelters begins on the fifteenth day of the seventh month and continues for seven days.


text:
 Each day for seven days you shall present a food offering. On the eighth day come together again for worship and present a food offering. It is a day for worship, and you shall do no work.


text:
 (These are the religious festivals on which you honor the LORD by gathering together for worship and presenting food offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings, sacrifices, and wine offerings, as required day by day.


text:
 These festivals are in addition to the regular Sabbaths, and these offerings are in addition to your regular gifts, your offerings as fulfillment of vows, and your freewill offerings that you give to the LORD.)


text:
 When you have harvested your fields, celebrate this festival for seven days, beginning on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. The first day shall be a special day of rest.


text:
 On that day take some of the best fruit from your trees, take palm branches and limbs from leafy trees, and begin a religious festival to honor the LORD your God.


text:
 Celebrate it for seven days. This regulation is to be kept by your descendants for all time to come.


text:
 so that your descendants may know that the LORD made the people of Israel live in simple shelters when he led them out of Egypt. He is the LORD your God.


text:
 So in this way Moses gave the people of Israel the regulations for observing the religious festivals to honor the LORD.


text:
 to give the following orders to the people of Israel: Bring pure olive oil of the finest quality for the lamps in the Tent, so that a light might be kept burning regularly.


text:
 Each evening Aaron shall light them and keep them burning until morning, there in the LORD's presence outside the curtain in front of the Covenant Box, which is in the Most Holy Place. This regulation is to be observed for all time to come.


text:
 Aaron shall take care of the lamps on the lampstand of pure gold and must see that they burn regularly in the LORD's presence.


text:
 Put the loaves in two rows, six in each row, on the table covered with pure gold, which is in the LORD's presence.


text:
 Put some pure incense on each row, as a token food offering to the LORD to take the place of the bread.


text:
 Every Sabbath, for all time to come, the bread must be placed in the presence of the LORD. This is Israel's duty forever.


text:
 The bread belongs to Aaron and his descendants, and they shall eat it in a holy place, because this is a very holy part of the food offered to the LORD for the priests.


text:
 There was a man whose father was an Egyptian and whose mother was an Israelite named Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri from the tribe of Dan. There in the camp this man quarreled with an Israelite. During the quarrel he cursed the LORD, so they took him to Moses,


text:
 "Take that man out of the camp. Everyone who heard him curse shall put his hands on the man's head to testify that he is guilty, and then the whole community shall stone him to death.


text:
 and be put to death. Any Israelite or any foreigner living in Israel who curses the LORD shall be stoned to death by the whole community.


text:
 and any who kill an animal belonging to someone else must replace it. The principle is a life for a life.


text:
 If you break a bone, one of your bones shall be broken; if you put out an eye, one of your eyes shall be put out; if you knock out a tooth, one of your teeth shall be knocked out. Whatever injury you cause another person shall be done to you in return.


text:
 This law applies to all of you, to Israelites and to foreigners living among you, because I am the LORD your God."


text:
 When Moses had said this to the people of Israel, they took the man outside the camp and stoned him to death. In this way the people of Israel did what the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
 to give the following regulations to the people of Israel. When you enter the land that the LORD is giving you, you shall honor the LORD by not cultivating the land every seventh year.


text:
 But the seventh year is to be a year of complete rest for the land, a year dedicated to the LORD. Do not plant your fields or prune your vineyards.


text:
 Do not even harvest the grain that grows by itself without being planted, and do not gather the grapes from your unpruned vines; it is a year of complete rest for the land.


text:
 Although the land has not been cultivated during that year, it will provide food for you, your slaves, your hired men, the foreigners living with you,


text:
 your domestic animals, and the wild animals in your fields. Everything that it produces may be eaten.


text:
 Then, on the tenth day of the seventh month, the Day of Atonement, send someone to blow a trumpet throughout the whole land.


text:
 In this way you shall set the fiftieth year apart and proclaim freedom to all the inhabitants of the land. During this year all property that has been sold shall be restored to the original owner or the descendants, and any who have been sold as slaves shall return to their families.


text:
 You shall not plant your fields or harvest the grain that grows by itself or gather the grapes in your unpruned vineyards.


text:
 The price is to be set according to the number of years the land can produce crops before the next Year of Restoration.


text:
 If there are many years, the price shall be higher, but if there are only a few years, the price shall be lower, because what is being sold is the number of crops the land can produce.


text:
 But someone may ask what there will be to eat during the seventh year, when no fields are planted and no crops gathered.


text:
 When you plant your fields in the eighth year, you will still be eating what you harvested during the sixth year, and you will have enough to eat until the crops you plant that year are harvested.


text:
 Your land must not be sold on a permanent basis, because you do not own it; it belongs to God, and you are like foreigners who are allowed to make use of it.


text:
 If any of you Israelites become poor and are forced to sell your land, your closest relative is to buy it back.


text:
 If you have no relative to buy it back, you may later become prosperous and have enough to buy it back yourself.


text:
 In that case you must pay to the one who bought it a sum that will make up for the years remaining until the next Year of Restoration, when you would in any event recover your land.


text:
 But if you do not have enough money to buy the land back, it remains under the control of the one who bought it until the next Year of Restoration. In that year it will be returned to its original owner.


text:
 If you sell a house in a walled city, you have the right to buy it back during the first full year from the date of sale.


text:
 But if you do not buy it back within the year, you lose the right of repurchase, and the house becomes the permanent property of the purchasers and their descendants; it will not be returned in the Year of Restoration.


text:
 But houses in unwalled villages are to be treated like fields; the original owner has the right to buy them back, and they are to be returned in the Year of Restoration.


text:
 However, Levites have the right to buy back at any time their property in the cities assigned to them.


text:
 If a house in one of these cities is sold by a Levite and is not bought back, it must be returned in the Year of Restoration, because the houses which the Levites own in their cities are their permanent property among the people of Israel.


text:
 If any Israelites living near you become poor and cannot support themselves, you must provide for them as you would for a hired worker, so that they can continue to live near you.


text:
 Do not make them pay interest on the money you lend them, and do not make a profit on the food you sell them.


text:
 This is the command of the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt in order to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.


text:
 If any Israelites living near you become so poor that they sell themselves to you as a slave, you shall not make them do the work of a slave.


text:
 At that time they and their children shall leave you and return to their family and to the property of their ancestors.


text:
 The people of Israel are the LORD's slaves, and he brought them out of Egypt; they must not be sold into slavery.


text:
 You may also buy the children of the foreigners who are living among you. Such children born in your land may become your property,


text:
 and you may leave them as an inheritance to your children, whom they must serve as long as they live. But you must not treat any Israelites harshly.


text:
 Suppose a foreigner living with you becomes rich, while some Israelites become poor and sell themselves as slaves to that foreigner or to a member of that foreigner's family.


text:
 or an uncle or a cousin or another close relative may buy them back; or if they themselves earn enough, they may buy their own freedom.


text:
 They must consult the one who bought them, and they must count the years from the time they sold themselves until the next Year of Restoration and must set the price for their release on the basis of the wages paid hired workers.


text:
 If they are not set free in any of these ways, they and their children must be set free in the next Year of Restoration.


text:
 Israelites cannot be permanent slaves, because the people of Israel are the LORD's slaves. He brought them out of Egypt; he is the LORD their God.


text:
 The LORD said, "Do not make idols or set up statues, stone pillars, or carved stones to worship. I am the LORD your God.


text:
 I will send you rain at the right time, so that the land will produce crops and the trees will bear fruit.


text:
 Your crops will be so plentiful that you will still be harvesting grain when it is time to pick grapes, and you will still be picking grapes when it is time to plant grain. You will have all that you want to eat, and you can live in safety in your land.


text:
 "I will give you peace in your land, and you can sleep without being afraid of anyone. I will get rid of the dangerous animals in the land, and there will be no more war there.


text:
 I will bless you and give you many children; I will keep my part of the covenant that I made with you.


text:
 Your harvests will be so plentiful that they will last for a year, and even then you will have to throw away what is left of the old harvest to make room for the new.


text:
 I, the LORD your God, brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves. I broke the power that held you down and I let you walk with your head held high."


text:
 I will punish you. I will bring disaster on you---incurable diseases and fevers that will make you blind and cause your life to waste away. You will plant your crops, but it will do you no good, because your enemies will conquer you and eat what you have grown.


text:
 I will turn against you, so that you will be defeated, and those who hate you will rule over you; you will be so terrified that you will run when no one is chasing you.


text:
 I will break your stubborn pride; there will be no rain, and your land will be dry and as hard as iron.


text:
 All your hard work will do you no good, because your land will not produce crops and the trees will not bear fruit.


text:
 "If you still continue to resist me and refuse to obey me, I will again increase your punishment seven times.


text:
 I will send dangerous animals among you, and they will kill your children, destroy your livestock, and leave so few of you that your roads will be deserted.


text:
 I will bring war on you to punish you for breaking our covenant, and if you gather in your cities for safety, I will send incurable diseases among you, and you will be forced to surrender to your enemies.


text:
 I will cut off your food supply, so that ten women will need only one oven to bake all the bread they have. They will ration it out, and when you have eaten it all, you will still be hungry.


text:
 I will destroy your places of worship on the hills, tear down your incense altars, and throw your dead bodies on your fallen idols. In utter disgust


text:
 I will turn your cities into ruins, destroy your places of worship, and refuse to accept your sacrifices.


text:
 I will destroy your land so completely that the enemies who occupy it will be shocked at the destruction.


text:
 I will bring war on you and scatter you in foreign lands. Your land will be deserted, and your cities left in ruins.


text:
 Then the land will enjoy the years of complete rest that you would not give it; it will lie abandoned and get its rest while you are in exile in the land of your enemies.


text:
 "I will make those of you who are in exile so terrified that the sound of a leaf blowing in the wind will make you run. You will run as if you were being pursued in battle, and you will fall when there is no enemy near you.


text:
 You will stumble over one another when no one is chasing you, and you will be unable to fight against any enemy.


text:
 The few of you who survive in the land of your enemies will waste away because of your own sin and the sin of your ancestors.


text:
 "But your descendants will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors, who resisted me and rebelled against me,


text:
 and caused me to turn against them and send them into exile in the land of their enemies. At last, when your descendants are humbled and they have paid the penalty for their sin and rebellion,


text:
 I will remember my covenant with Jacob and with Isaac and with Abraham, and I will renew my promise to give my people the land.


text:
 First, however, the land must be rid of its people, so that it can enjoy its complete rest, and they must pay the full penalty for having rejected my laws and my commands.


text:
 But even then, when they are still in the land of their enemies, I will not completely abandon them or destroy them. That would put an end to my covenant with them, and I am the LORD their God.


text:
 I will renew the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I showed all the nations my power by bringing my people out of Egypt, in order that I, the LORD, might be their God."


text:
 All these are the laws and commands that the LORD gave to Moses on Mount Sinai for the people of Israel.


text:
 the following regulations for the people of Israel. When any of you have been given to the LORD in fulfillment of a special vow, you may be set free by the payment of the following sums of money,


text:
 according to the official standard: --adult male, twenty to sixty years old: 50 pieces of silver --adult female: 30 pieces of silver --young male, five to twenty years old: 20 pieces of silver --young female: 10 pieces of silver --infant male under five: 5 pieces of silver --infant female: 3 pieces of silver --male above sixty years of age: 15 pieces of silver --female above sixty: 10 pieces of silver


text:
 If any of you make a vow and are too poor to pay the standard price, you shall bring the person to the priest, and the priest will set a lower price, according to your ability to pay.


text:
 If your vow concerns an animal that is acceptable as an offering to the LORD, then every gift made to the LORD is sacred,


text:
 But if your vow concerns a ritually unclean animal, which is not acceptable as an offering to the LORD, you shall take the animal to the priest.


text:
 The priest shall set a price for it, according to its good or bad qualities, and the price will be final.


text:
 When any of you dedicate your house to the LORD, the priest shall set the price according to its good or bad points, and the price will be final.


text:
 If any of you dedicate part of your land to the LORD, the price shall be set according to the amount of seed it takes to sow it, at the rate of ten pieces of silver per bushel of barley.


text:
 If you dedicate it any time later, the priest shall estimate the cash value according to the number of years left until the next Year of Restoration, and set a reduced price.


text:
 If you sell the field to someone else without first buying it back from the LORD, you lose the right to buy it back.


text:
 At the next Year of Restoration the field will become the LORD's permanent property; it shall belong to the priests.


text:
 the priest shall estimate its value according to the number of years until the next Year of Restoration, and you must pay the price that very day; the money belongs to the LORD.


text:
 At the Year of Restoration the field shall be returned to the original owner or to the descendants.


text:
 The first-born of an animal already belongs to the LORD, so no one may dedicate it to him as a freewill offering. A calf, a lamb, or a kid belongs to the LORD,


text:
 but the first-born of an unclean animal may be bought back at the standard price plus an additional 20 percent. If it is not bought back, it may be sold to someone else at the standard price.


text:
 None of you may sell or buy back what you have unconditionally dedicated to the LORD, whether it is a human being, an animal, or land. It belongs permanently to the LORD.


text:
 Not even human beings who have been unconditionally dedicated may be bought back; they must be put to death.


text:
 One of every ten domestic animals belongs to the LORD. When the animals are counted, every tenth one belongs to the LORD.


text:
 You may not arrange the animals so that the poor animals are chosen, and you may not make any substitutions. If you do substitute one animal for another, then both animals will belong to the LORD and may not be bought back.


text:
 On the first day of the second month in the second year after the people of Israel left Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses there in the Tent of his presence in the Sinai Desert. He said,


text:
 "You and Aaron are to take a census of the people of Israel by clans and families. List the names of all the men


text:
 These are the men, leaders within their tribes, who were chosen from the community for this work:<br> - Tribe - Clan chief<br> - Reuben - Elizur son of Shedeur<br> - Simeon - Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai<br> - Judah - Nahshon son of Amminadab<br> - Issachar - Nethanel son of Zuar<br> - Zebulun - Eliab son of Helon<br> - Ephraim - Elishama son of Ammihud<br> - Manasseh - Gamaliel son of Pedahzur<br> - Benjamin - Abidan son of Gideoni<br> - Dan - Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai<br> - Asher - Pagiel son of Ochran<br> - Gad - Eliasaph son of Deuel<br> - Naphtali - Ahira son of Enan


text:
 called together the whole community on the first day of the second month and registered all the people by clans and families. The names of all the men twenty years old or older were recorded and counted,


text:
 The men twenty years old or older who were fit for military service were registered by name according to clan and family, beginning with the tribe of Reuben, Jacob's oldest son. The totals were as follows:<br> - Tribe - Number<br> - Reuben - 46,500<br> - Simeon - 59,300<br> - Gad - 45,650<br> - Judah - 74,600<br> - Issachar - 54,400<br> - Zebulun - 57,400<br> - Ephraim - 40,500<br> - Manasseh - 32,200<br> - Benjamin - 35,400<br> - Dan - 62,700<br> - Asher - 41,500<br> - Naphtali - 53,400<br> - Total: - 603,550


text:
 Instead, put the Levites in charge of the Tent of my presence and all its equipment. They shall carry it and its equipment, serve in it, and set up their camp around it.


text:
 Whenever you move your camp, the Levites shall take the Tent down and set it up again at each new campsite. Anyone else who comes near the Tent shall be put to death.


text:
 The rest of the Israelites shall set up camp, company by company, each man with his own group and under his own banner.


text:
 But the Levites shall camp around the Tent to guard it, so that no one may come near and cause my anger to strike the community of Israel."


text:
 When the Israelites set up camp, each man will camp under the banner of his division and the flag of his own clan. The camp is to be set up all around the Tent.


text:
 On the east side, those under the banner of the division of Judah shall camp in their groups, under their leaders, as follows:<br> - Tribe - Leader - Number<br> - Judah - Nahshon son of Amminadab - 74,600<br> - Issachar - Nethanel son of Zuar - 54,400<br> - Zebulun - Eliab son of Helon - 57,400<br> - - Total: - 186,400. The division of Judah shall march first.


text:
 On the south, those under the banner of the division of Reuben shall camp in their groups, under their leaders, as follows:<br> - Tribe - Leader - Number<br> - Reuben - Elizur son of Shedeur - 46,500<br> - Simeon - Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai - 59,300<br> - Gad - Eliasaph son of Deuel - 45,650<br> - - Total: - 151,450. The division of Reuben shall march second.


text:
 Then, between the first two divisions and the last two the Levites are to march carrying the Tent. Each division shall march in the same order as they camp, each in position under its banner.


text:
 On the west, those under the banner of the division of Ephraim shall camp in their groups, under their leaders, as follows:<br> - Tribe - Leader - Number<br> - Ephraim - Elishama son of Ammihud - 40,500<br> - Manasseh - Gamaliel son of Pedahzur - 32,200<br> - Benjamin - Abidan son of Gideoni - 35,400<br> - - Total: - 108,100. The division of Ephraim shall march third.


text:
 On the north, those under the banner of the division of Dan shall camp in their groups, under their leaders, as follows:<br> - Tribe - Leader - Number<br> - Dan - Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai - 62,700<br> - Asher - Pagiel son of Ochran - 41,500<br> - Naphtali - Ahira son of En - 53,400<br> - - Total: - 157,600. The division of Dan shall march last.


text:
 So the people of Israel did everything the LORD had commanded Moses. They camped, each under his own banner, and they marched, each with his own clan.


text:
 but Nadab and Abihu were killed when they offered unholy fire to the LORD in the Sinai Desert. They had no children, so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during Aaron's lifetime.


text:
 They shall do the work required for the Tent of my presence and perform duties for the priests and for the whole community.


text:
 They shall take charge of all the equipment of the Tent and perform the duties for the rest of the Israelites.


text:
 You shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; anyone else who tries to do so shall be put to death."


text:
 "The Levites are now to be mine. When I killed all the first-born of the Egyptians, I consecrated as my own the oldest son of each Israelite family and the first-born of every animal. Now, instead of having the first-born sons of Israel as my own, I have the Levites; they will belong to me. I am the LORD."


text:
 Levi had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, who were the ancestors of the clans that bear their names. Gershon had two sons: Libni and Shimei; Kohath had four sons: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel; and Merari had two sons: Mahli and Mushi. They were the ancestors of the families that bear their names.


text:
 They were responsible for the Tent, its inner cover, its outer cover, the curtain for the entrance,


text:
 the curtains for the court which is around the Tent and the altar, and the curtain for the entrance of the court. They were responsible for all the service connected with these items.


text:
 They were responsible for the Covenant Box, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the utensils the priests use in the Holy Place, and the curtain at the entrance to the Most Holy Place. They were responsible for all the service connected with these items.


text:
 The chief of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest. He was in charge of those who carried out the duties in the Holy Place.


text:
 This clan was to camp on the north side of the Tent, with Zuriel son of Abihail as chief of the clan.


text:
 They were assigned responsibility for the frames for the Tent, its bars, posts, bases, and all its fittings. They were responsible for all the service connected with these items.


text:
 Moses and Aaron and his sons were to camp in front of the Tent on the east. They were responsible for carrying out the services performed in the Holy Place for the people of Israel. Anyone else who tried to do so was to be put to death.


text:
 The total number of all the Levite males one month old or older that Moses enrolled by clans at the command of the LORD, was 22,000.


text:
 The LORD said to Moses, "All of Israel's first-born sons belong to me. So register by name every first-born male Israelite, one month old or older. But in place of them I claim all the Levites as mine! I am the LORD! I also claim the livestock of the Levites in place of all the first-born of the livestock."


text:
 "Now dedicate the Levites as mine in place of all the first-born Israelite sons, and dedicate the livestock of the Levites in place of the first-born of the Israelites' livestock.


text:
 Since the first-born Israelite sons outnumber the Levites by 273, you must buy back the extra sons.


text:
 and to register all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who were qualified to work in the Tent of the LORD's presence.


text:
 The LORD gave Moses the following instructions. When it is time to break camp, Aaron and his sons shall enter the Tent, take down the curtain in front of the Covenant Box, and cover the Box with it.


text:
 They shall put a fine leather cover over it, spread a cloth of solid blue on top, and then insert the carrying poles.


text:
 They shall spread a blue cloth over the table for the bread offered to the LORD and put on it the dishes, the incense bowls, the offering bowls, and the jars for the wine offering. There shall always be bread on the table.


text:
 They shall spread a red cloth over all of this, put a fine leather cover over it, and then insert the carrying poles.


text:
 They shall take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand, with its lamps, tongs, trays, and all the olive oil containers.


text:
 Next they shall spread a blue cloth over the gold altar, put a fine leather cover over it, and then insert the carrying poles.


text:
 They shall take all the utensils used in the Holy Place, wrap them in a blue cloth, put a fine leather cover over them, and place them on a carrying frame.


text:
 They shall put on it all the equipment used in the service at the altar: fire pans, hooks, shovels, and basins. Then they shall put a fine leather cover over it and insert the carrying poles.


text:
 When it is time to break camp, the clan of Kohath shall come to carry the sacred objects only after Aaron and his sons have finished covering them and all their equipment. The Kohath clan must not touch the sacred objects, or they will die. These are the responsibilities of the Kohath clan whenever the Tent is moved.


text:
 Eleazar son of Aaron the priest shall be responsible for the whole Tent and for the oil for the lamps, the incense, the grain offerings, the anointing oil, and everything else in the Tent that has been consecrated to the LORD.


text:
 be killed by coming near these most sacred objects. To prevent this from happening, Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign each man his task and tell him what to carry.


text:
 But if the Kohathites enter the Tent and see the priests preparing the sacred objects for moving, they will die."


text:
 the Tent, its inner cover, its outer cover, the fine leather cover on top of it, the curtain for the entrance,


text:
 the curtains and ropes for the court that is around the Tent and the altar, the curtains for the entrance of the court, and all the fittings used in setting up these objects. They shall perform all the tasks required for these things.


text:
 Moses and Aaron shall see to it that the Gershonites perform all the duties and carry everything that Aaron and his sons assign to them.


text:
 These are the responsibilities of the Gershon clan in the Tent; they shall carry them out under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.


text:
 and the posts, bases, pegs, and ropes of the court around the Tent, with all the fittings used in setting them up. Each man will be responsible for carrying specific items.


text:
 These are the responsibilities of the Merari clan in their service in the Tent; they shall carry them out under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.


text:
 Following the LORD's command, Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the community took a census of the three Levite clans, Kohath, Gershon, and Merari. They did this by subclans and families and registered all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who were qualified to work in the Tent of the LORD's presence, as follows:<br> - Clan - Number<br> - Kohath - 2,750<br> - Gershon - 2,630<br> - Merari - 3,200<br> - Total: - 8,580


text:
 Each man was registered as the LORD had commanded Moses; and at the command of the LORD given through Moses, each man was assigned responsibility for his task of serving or carrying.


text:
 "Command the people of Israel to expel from the camp everyone with a dreaded skin disease or a bodily discharge and everyone who is unclean by contact with a corpse.


text:
 Send all these ritually unclean people out, so that they will not defile the camp, where I live among my people."


text:
 the following instructions for the people of Israel. When any of you are unfaithful to the LORD and commit a wrong against someone,


text:
 you must confess your sin and make full repayment, plus an additional 20 percent, to the person you have wronged.


text:
 But if that person has died and has no near relative to whom payment can be made, it shall be given to the LORD for the priest. This payment is in addition to the ram used to perform the ritual of purification for the guilty person.


text:
 Also every special contribution which the Israelites offer to the LORD belongs to the priest to whom they present it.


text:
 to give the Israelites the following instructions. It may happen that a man becomes suspicious that his wife is unfaithful to him and has defiled herself by having intercourse with another man. But the husband may not be certain, for his wife may have kept it secret---there was no witness, and she was not caught in the act. Or it may happen that a husband becomes suspicious of his wife, even though she has not been unfaithful.


text:
 In either case the man shall take his wife to the priest. He shall also take the required offering of two pounds of barley flour, but he shall not pour any olive oil on it or put any incense on it, because it is an offering from a suspicious husband, made to bring the truth to light.


text:
 He shall pour some holy water into a clay bowl and take some of the earth that is on the floor of the Tent of the LORD's presence and put it in the water to make it bitter.


text:
 Then he shall loosen the woman's hair and put the offering of flour in her hands. In his hands the priest shall hold the bowl containing the bitter water that brings a curse.


text:
 Then the priest shall make the woman agree to this oath spoken by the priest: "If you have not committed adultery, you will not be harmed by the curse that this water brings.


text:
 may the LORD make your name a curse among your people. May he cause your genital organs to shrink and your stomach to swell up.


text:
 May this water enter your stomach and cause it to swell up and your genital organs to shrink." The woman shall respond, "I agree; may the LORD do so."


text:
 Then the priest shall write this curse down and wash the writing off into the bowl of bitter water.


text:
 the priest shall take the offering of flour out of the woman's hands, hold it out in dedication to the LORD, and present it on the altar.


text:
 Then he shall take a handful of it as a token offering and burn it on the altar. Finally, he shall make the woman drink the water.


text:
 If she has committed adultery, the water will cause bitter pain; her stomach will swell up and her genital organs will shrink. Her name will become a curse among her people.


text:
 This is the law in cases where a man is jealous and becomes suspicious that his wife has committed adultery. The woman shall be made to stand in front of the altar, and the priest shall perform this ritual.


text:
 to give the following instructions to the people of Israel. Any of you, male or female, who make a special vow to become a nazirite and dedicate yourself to the LORD


text:
 shall abstain from wine and beer. You shall not drink any kind of drink made from grapes or eat any grapes or raisins.


text:
 As long as you are a nazirite, you shall not eat anything that comes from a grapevine, not even the seeds or skins of grapes.


text:
 As long as you are under the nazirite vow, you must not cut your hair or shave. You are bound by the vow for the full time that you are dedicated to the LORD, and you shall let your hair grow.


text:
 Your hair is the sign of your dedication to God, and so you must not defile yourself by going near a corpse, not even that of your father, mother, brother, or sister.


text:
 If your consecrated hair is defiled because you are right beside someone who suddenly dies, you must wait seven days and then shave your head; and so you become ritually clean.


text:
 On the eighth day you shall bring two doves or two pigeons to the priest at the entrance of the Tent of the LORD's presence.


text:
 The priest shall offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, to perform the ritual of purification for you because of your contact with a corpse. On the same day you shall reconsecrate your hair


text:
 and rededicate to the LORD your time as a nazirite. The previous period of time doesn't count, because your consecrated hair was defiled. As a repayment offering you shall bring a one-year-old lamb.


text:
 When you complete your nazirite vow, you shall perform this ritual. You shall go to the entrance of the Tent


text:
 and present to the LORD three animals without any defects: a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, a one-year-old ewe lamb for a sin offering, and a ram for a fellowship offering.


text:
 You shall also offer a basket of bread made without yeast: thick loaves made of flour mixed with olive oil and thin cakes brushed with olive oil, and in addition the required offerings of grain and wine.


text:
 He shall sacrifice the ram to the LORD as a fellowship offering, and offer it with the basket of bread; he shall also present the offerings of grain and wine.


text:
 At the entrance of the Tent you nazirites shall shave off your hair and put it on the fire on which the fellowship offering is being burned.


text:
 Then, when the shoulder of the ram is boiled, the priest shall take it and put it, together with one thick loaf of bread and one thin cake from the basket, into the hands of the nazirite.


text:
 Next, the priest shall present them as a special gift to the LORD; they are a sacred offering for the priest, in addition to the breast and the leg of the ram which by law belong to the priest. After that, the nazirite may drink wine.


text:
 These are the regulations for you nazirites; but if you promise an offering beyond what your vow requires you to give, you must fulfill exactly the promise you made.


text:
 And the LORD said, "If they pronounce my name as a blessing upon the people of Israel, I will bless them."


text:
 On the day Moses finished setting up the Tent of the LORD's presence, he anointed and dedicated the Tent and all its equipment, and the altar and all its equipment.


text:
 Then the clan chiefs who were leaders in the tribes of Israel, the same men who were in charge of the census,


text:
 brought their offerings to the LORD: six wagons and twelve oxen, a wagon for every two leaders and an ox for each leader. After they had presented them,


text:
 "Accept these gifts for use in the work to be done for the Tent; give them to the Levites according to the work they have to do."


text:
 and four wagons and eight oxen to the Merarites. All their work was to be done under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron.


text:
 But Moses gave no wagons or oxen to the Kohathites, because the sacred objects they took care of had to be carried on their shoulders.


text:
 The leaders also brought offerings to celebrate the dedication of the altar. When they were ready to present their gifts at the altar,


text:
 the LORD said to Moses, "Tell them that each day for a period of twelve days one of the leaders is to present his gifts for the dedication of the altar."


text:
 They presented their offerings in the following order:<br> - Day - Tribe - Leader<br> - 1st - Judah - Nahshon son of Amminadab<br> - 2nd - Issachar - Nethanel son of Zuar<br> - 3rd - Zebulun - Eliab son of Helon<br> - 4th - Reuben - Elizur son of Shedeur<br> - 5th - Simeon - Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai<br> - 6th - Gad - Eliasaph son of Deuel<br> - 7th - Ephraim - Elishama son of Ammihud<br> - 8th - Manasseh - Gamaliel son of Pedahzur<br> - 9th - Benjamin - Abidan son of Gideoni<br> - 10th - Dan - Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai<br> - 11th - Asher - Pagiel son of Ochran<br> - 12th - Naphtali - Ahira son of Enan


text:
The offerings each one brought were identical: one silver bowl weighing 50 ounces and one silver basin weighing 30 ounces, by the official standard, both of them full of flour mixed with oil for the grain offering; one gold dish weighing 4 ounces, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, and a one-year-old lamb, for the burnt offering; one goat for the sin offering; and two bulls, five rams, five goats, and five one-year-old lambs, for the fellowship offering.


text:
 The totals of the offerings brought by the twelve leaders for the dedication of the altar were as follows: --twelve silver bowls and twelve silver basins weighing a total of 60 pounds --twelve gold dishes weighing a total of 48 ounces, filled with incense --twelve bulls, twelve rams, and twelve one-year-old lambs, plus the grain offerings that go with them, for the burnt offerings --twelve goats for the sin offerings --twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty goats, sixty one-year-old lambs, for the fellowship offerings


text:
 When Moses went into the Tent to talk with the LORD, he heard the LORD speaking to him from above the lid on the Covenant Box, between the two winged creatures.


text:
 "Tell Aaron that when he puts the seven lamps on the lampstand, he should place them so that the light shines toward the front."


text:
 From top to bottom the lampstand was made of hammered gold, according to the pattern that the LORD had shown Moses.


text:
 in the following way: sprinkle them with the water of purification and have them shave their whole bodies and have them wash their clothes. Then they will be ritually clean.


text:
 Then they are to take a young bull and the required grain offering of flour mixed with olive oil; and you are to take another bull for the sin offering.


text:
 Then assemble the whole community of Israel and have the Levites stand in front of the Tent of my presence.


text:
 and then Aaron shall dedicate the Levites to me as a special gift from the Israelites, so that they may do my work.


text:
 The Levites shall then put their hands on the heads of the two bulls; one is to be offered as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, in order to perform the ritual of purification for the Levites.


text:
 I have claimed them in the place of all the first-born sons of the Israelites, and they belong to me alone.


text:
 When I killed all the first-born in Egypt, I consecrated as my own the oldest son of each Israelite family and the first-born of every animal.


text:
 and I assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons, as a gift from the Israelites, to work in the Tent for the people of Israel and to protect the Israelites from the disaster that would strike them if they came too near the Holy Place."


text:
 The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes, and Aaron dedicated them as a special gift to the LORD. He also performed the ritual of purification for them.


text:
 The people did everything the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites. And so the Levites were qualified to work in the Tent under Aaron and his sons.


text:
 After that, he may help his fellow Levites in performing their duties in the Tent, but he must not perform any service by himself. This is how you are to regulate the duties of the Levites."


text:
 The LORD spoke to Moses in the Sinai Desert in the first month of the second year after the people of Israel had left Egypt. He said,


text:
 "On the fourteenth day of this month, beginning at sunset, the people of Israel are to observe the Passover according to all the rules and regulations for it."


text:
 and on the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month they did so in the Sinai Desert. The people did everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.


text:
 But there were some people who were ritually unclean because they had touched a corpse, and they were not able to keep the Passover on that day. They went to Moses and Aaron


text:
 and said, "We are unclean because we have touched a corpse, but why should we be excluded from presenting the LORD's offering with the rest of the Israelites?"


text:
 to say to the people of Israel, "When any of you or your descendants are unclean from touching a corpse or are far away on a journey, but still want to keep the Passover,


text:
 you are permitted to observe it one month later instead, on the evening of the fourteenth day of the second month. Celebrate it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.


text:
 Do not leave any of the food until the following morning and do not break any of the animal's bones. Observe the Passover according to all the regulations.


text:
 But if any of you are ritually clean and not away on a journey and do not observe the Passover, you shall no longer be considered my people, because you did not present the offering to me at the appointed time. You must suffer the consequences of your sin.


text:
 "If foreigners living among you want to keep the Passover, they must observe it according to all the rules and regulations. The same law applies to everyone, whether native or foreigner."


text:
 On the day the Tent of the LORD's presence was set up, a cloud came and covered it. At night the cloud looked like fire.


text:
 Whenever the cloud lifted, the people of Israel broke camp, and they set up camp again in the place where the cloud came down.


text:
 The people broke camp at the command of the LORD, and at his command they set up camp. As long as the cloud stayed over the Tent, they stayed in the same camp.


text:
 Sometimes the cloud remained over the Tent for only a few days; in any case, they remained in camp or moved, according to the command of the LORD.


text:
 Sometimes the cloud remained only from evening until morning, and they moved on as soon as the cloud lifted. Whenever the cloud lifted, they moved on.


text:
 Whether it was two days, a month, a year, or longer, as long as the cloud remained over the Tent, they did not move on; but when it lifted, they moved.


text:
 "Make two trumpets of hammered silver to use for calling the people together and for breaking camp.


text:
 When long blasts are sounded on both trumpets, the whole community is to gather around you at the entrance to the Tent of my presence.


text:
 When short blasts are sounded a second time, the tribes on the south will move out. So short blasts are to be sounded to break camp,


text:
 The trumpets are to be blown by Aaron's sons, the priests. "The following rule is to be observed for all time to come.


text:
 When you are at war in your land, defending yourselves against an enemy who has attacked you, sound the signal for battle on these trumpets. I, the LORD your God, will help you and save you from your enemies.


text:
 Also on joyful occasions---at your New Moon Festivals and your other religious festivals---you are to blow the trumpets when you present your burnt offerings and your fellowship offerings. Then I will help you. I am the LORD your God."


text:
 On the twentieth day of the second month in the second year after the people left Egypt, the cloud over the Tent of the LORD's presence lifted,


text:
 and the Israelites started on their journey out of the Sinai Desert. The cloud came to rest in the wilderness of Paran.


text:
 and each time they moved, they were in the same order. Those under the banner of the division led by the tribe of Judah started out first, company by company, with Nahshon son of Amminadab in command.


text:
 Then the Tent would be taken down, and the clans of Gershon and Merari, who carried it, would start out.


text:
 Next, those under the banner of the division led by the tribe of Reuben would start out, company by company, with Elizur son of Shedeur in command.


text:
 Then the Levite clan of Kohath would start out, carrying the sacred objects. By the time they arrived at the next camp, the Tent had been set up again.


text:
 Next, those under the banner of the division led by the tribe of Ephraim would start out, company by company, with Elishama son of Ammihud in command.


text:
 Finally, those under the banner of the division led by the tribe of Dan, serving as the rear guard of all the divisions, would start out, company by company, with Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai in command.


text:
 This, then, was the order of march, company by company, whenever the Israelites broke camp and set out.


text:
 Moses said to his brother-in-law Hobab son of Jethro the Midianite, "We are about to start out for the place which the LORD said he would give us. He has promised to make Israel prosperous, so come with us, and we will share our prosperity with you."


text:
 "Please don't leave us," Moses said. "You know where we can camp in the wilderness, and you can be our guide.


text:
 When the people left Sinai, the holy mountain, they traveled three days. The LORD's Covenant Box always went ahead of them to find a place for them to camp.


text:
 Whenever the Covenant Box started out, Moses would say, "Arise, LORD; scatter your enemies and put to flight those who hate you!"


text:
 The people began to complain to the LORD about their troubles. When the LORD heard them, he became angry and sent fire on the people. It burned among them and destroyed one end of the camp.


text:
 There were foreigners traveling with the Israelites. They had a strong craving for meat, and even the Israelites themselves began to complain: "If only we could have some meat!


text:
 In Egypt we used to eat all the fish we wanted, and it cost us nothing. Remember the cucumbers, the watermelons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic we had?


text:
 But now our strength is gone. There is nothing at all to eat---nothing but this manna day after day!"


text:
 It fell on the camp at night along with the dew. The next morning the people would go around and gather it, grind it or pound it into flour, and then boil it and make it into flat cakes. It tasted like bread baked with olive oil.)


text:
 Moses heard all the people complaining as they stood around in groups at the entrances of their tents. He was distressed because the LORD had become angry with them,


text:
 and he said to the LORD, "Why have you treated me so badly? Why are you displeased with me? Why have you given me the responsibility for all these people?


text:
 I didn't create them or bring them to birth! Why should you ask me to act like a nurse and carry them in my arms like babies all the way to the land you promised to their ancestors?


text:
 If you are going to treat me like this, have pity on me and kill me, so that I won't have to endure your cruelty any longer."


text:
 The LORD said to Moses, "Assemble seventy respected men who are recognized as leaders of the people, bring them to me at the Tent of my presence, and tell them to stand there beside you.


text:
 I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the spirit I have given you and give it to them. Then they can help you bear the responsibility for these people, and you will not have to bear it alone.


text:
 Now tell the people, 'Purify yourselves for tomorrow; you will have meat to eat. The LORD has heard you whining and saying that you wished you had some meat and that you were better off in Egypt. Now the LORD will give you meat, and you will have to eat it.


text:
 but for a whole month, until it comes out of your ears, until you are sick of it. This will happen because you have rejected the LORD who is here among you and have complained to him that you should never have left Egypt.' "


text:
 Moses said to the LORD, "Here I am leading 600,000 people, and you say that you will give them enough meat for a month?


text:
 Could enough cattle and sheep be killed to satisfy them? Are all the fish in the sea enough for them?"


text:
 "Is there a limit to my power?" the LORD answered. "You will soon see whether what I have said will happen or not!"


text:
 So Moses went out and told the people what the LORD had said. He assembled seventy of the leaders and placed them around the Tent.


text:
 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him. He took some of the spirit he had given to Moses and gave it to the seventy leaders. When the spirit came on them, they began to shout like prophets, but not for long.


text:
 Two of the seventy leaders, Eldad and Medad, had stayed in the camp and had not gone out to the Tent. There in the camp the spirit came on them, and they too began to shout like prophets.


text:
 Then Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses' helper since he was a young man, spoke up and said to Moses, "Stop them, sir!"


text:
 Moses answered, "Are you concerned about my interests? I wish that the LORD would give his spirit to all his people and make all of them shout like prophets!"


text:
 Suddenly the LORD sent a wind that brought quails from the sea, flying three feet above the ground. They settled on the camp and all around it for miles and miles in every direction.


text:
 So all that day, all night, and all the next day, the people worked catching quails; no one gathered less than fifty bushels. They spread them out to dry all around the camp.


text:
 While there was still plenty of meat for them to eat, the LORD became angry with the people and caused an epidemic to break out among them.


text:
 That place was named Kibroth Hattaavah (which means "Graves of Craving"), because there they buried the people who had craved meat.


text:
 They said, "Has the LORD spoken only through Moses? Hasn't he also spoken through us?" The LORD heard what they said.


text:
 Suddenly the LORD said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, "I want the three of you to come out to the Tent of my presence." They went,


text:
 and the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance of the Tent, and called out, "Aaron! Miriam!" The two of them stepped forward,


text:
 and the LORD said, "Now hear what I have to say! When there are prophets among you, I reveal myself to them in visions and speak to them in dreams.


text:
 It is different when I speak with my servant Moses; I have put him in charge of all my people Israel.


text:
 So I speak to him face-to-face, clearly and not in riddles; he has even seen my form! How dare you speak against my servant Moses?"


text:
 and the cloud left the Tent, Miriam's skin was suddenly covered with a dreaded disease and turned as white as snow. When Aaron looked at her and saw that she was covered with the disease,


text:
 The LORD answered, "If her father had spit in her face, she would have to bear her disgrace for seven days. So let her be shut out of the camp for a week, and after that she can be brought back in."


text:
 Miriam was shut out of the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until she was brought back in.


text:
 "Choose one of the leaders from each of the twelve tribes and send them as spies to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites."


text:
 Moses obeyed and from the wilderness of Paran he sent out leaders, as follows:<br> - Tribe - Leader<br> - Reuben - Shammua son of Zaccur<br> - Simeon - Shaphat son of Hori<br> - Judah - Caleb son of Jephunneh<br> - Issachar - Igal son of Joseph<br> - Ephraim - Hoshea son of Nun<br> - Benjamin - Palti son of Raphu<br> - Zebulun - Gaddiel son of Sodi<br> - Manasseh - Gaddi son of Susi<br> - Dan - Ammiel son of Gemalli<br> - Asher - Sethur son of Michael<br> - Naphtali - Nahbi son of Vophsi<br> - Gad - Geuel son of Machi


text:
 These are the spies Moses sent to explore the land. He changed the name of Hoshea son of Nun to Joshua.


text:
 When Moses sent them out, he said to them, "Go north from here into the southern part of the land of Canaan and then on into the hill country.


text:
 Find out whether the land is good or bad and whether the people live in open towns or in fortified cities.


text:
 Find out whether the soil is fertile and whether the land is wooded. And be sure to bring back some of the fruit that grows there." (It was the season when grapes were beginning to ripen.)


text:
 So the men went north and explored the land from the wilderness of Zin in the south all the way to Rehob, near Hamath Pass in the north.


text:
 They went first into the southern part of the land and came to Hebron, where the clans of Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of a race of giants called the Anakim, lived. (Hebron was founded seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)


text:
 They came to Eshcol Valley, and there they cut off a branch which had one bunch of grapes on it so heavy that it took two men to carry it on a pole between them. They also brought back some pomegranates and figs.


text:
 to Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran. They reported what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had brought.


text:
 They told Moses, "We explored the land and found it to be rich and fertile; and here is some of its fruit.


text:
 But the people who live there are powerful, and their cities are very large and well fortified. Even worse, we saw the descendants of the giants there.


text:
 Amalekites live in the southern part of the land; Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country; and Canaanites live by the Mediterranean Sea and along the Jordan River."


text:
 Caleb silenced the people who were complaining against Moses, and said, "We should attack now and take the land; we are strong enough to conquer it."


text:
 But the men who had gone with Caleb said, "No, we are not strong enough to attack them; the people there are more powerful than we are."


text:
 So they spread a false report among the Israelites about the land they had explored. They said, "That land doesn't even produce enough to feed the people who live there. Everyone we saw was very tall,


text:
 and we even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. We felt as small as grasshoppers, and that is how we must have looked to them."


text:
 They complained against Moses and Aaron, and said, "It would have been better to die in Egypt or even here in the wilderness!


text:
 Why is the LORD taking us into that land? We will be killed in battle, and our wives and children will be captured. Wouldn't it be better to go back to Egypt?"


text:
 Do not rebel against the LORD and don't be afraid of the people who live there. We will conquer them easily. The LORD is with us and has defeated the gods who protected them; so don't be afraid."


text:
 The whole community was threatening to stone them to death, but suddenly the people saw the dazzling light of the LORD's presence appear over the Tent.


text:
 The LORD said to Moses, "How much longer will these people reject me? How much longer will they refuse to trust in me, even though I have performed so many miracles among them?


text:
 I will send an epidemic and destroy them, but I will make you the father of a nation that is larger and more powerful than they are!"


text:
 But Moses said to the LORD, "You brought these people out of Egypt by your power. When the Egyptians hear what you have done to your people,


text:
 they will tell it to the people who live in this land. These people have already heard that you, LORD, are with us, that you appear in plain sight when your cloud stops over us, and that you go before us in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.


text:
 that you killed your people in the wilderness because you were not able to bring them into the land you promised to give them.


text:
 'I, the LORD, am not easily angered, and I show great love and faithfulness and forgive sin and rebellion. Yet I will not fail to punish children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation for the sins of their parents.'


text:
 And now, LORD, according to the greatness of your unchanging love, forgive, I pray, the sin of these people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt."


text:
 none of these people will live to enter that land. They have seen the dazzling light of my presence and the miracles that I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, but they have tried my patience over and over again and have refused to obey me.


text:
 They will never enter the land which I promised to their ancestors. None of those who have rejected me will ever enter it.


text:
 But because my servant Caleb has a different attitude and has remained loyal to me, I will bring him into the land which he explored, and his descendants will possess the land


text:
 in whose valleys the Amalekites and the Canaanites now live. Turn back tomorrow and go into the wilderness in the direction of the Gulf of Aqaba."


text:
 "How much longer are these wicked people going to complain against me? I have heard enough of these complaints!


text:
 Now give them this answer: 'I swear that as surely as I live, I will do to you just what you have asked. I, the LORD, have spoken.


text:
 You will die and your corpses will be scattered across this wilderness. Because you have complained against me, none of you over twenty years of age will enter that land.


text:
 You said that your children would be captured, but I will bring them into the land that you rejected, and it will be their home.


text:
 Your children will wander in the wilderness for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last one of you dies.


text:
 You will suffer the consequences of your sin for forty years, one year for each of the forty days you spent exploring the land. You will know what it means to have me against you!


text:
 I swear that I will do this to you wicked people who have gathered together against me. Here in the wilderness every one of you will die. I, the LORD, have spoken.' "


text:
 The men Moses had sent to explore the land brought back a false report which caused the people to complain against the LORD. And so the LORD struck them with a disease, and they died.


text:
 Early the next morning they started out to invade the hill country, saying, "Now we are ready to go to the place which the LORD told us about. We admit that we have sinned."


text:
 When you face the Amalekites and the Canaanites, you will die in battle; the LORD will not be with you, because you have refused to follow him."


text:
 Yet they still dared to go up into the hill country, even though neither the LORD's Covenant Box nor Moses left the camp.


text:
 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived there attacked and defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hormah.


text:
 the following regulations for the people of Israel to observe in the land that he was going to give them.


text:
 A bull, a ram, a sheep, or a goat may be presented to the LORD as a burnt offering or as a sacrifice in fulfillment of a vow or as a freewill offering or as an offering at your regular religious festivals; the odor of these food offerings is pleasing to the LORD.


text:
 Whoever presents a sheep or a goat as a burnt offering to the LORD is to bring with each animal 2 pounds of flour mixed with 2 pints of olive oil as a grain offering, together with 2 pints of wine.


text:
 When a ram is offered, 4 pounds of flour mixed with 3 pints of olive oil are to be presented as a grain offering,


text:
 When a bull is offered to the LORD as a burnt offering or as a sacrifice in fulfillment of a vow or as a fellowship offering,


text:
 When more than one animal is offered, the accompanying offering is to be increased proportionately.


text:
 All native Israelites are to do this when they present a food offering, an odor pleasing to the LORD.


text:
 And if at any time foreigners living among you, whether on a temporary or a permanent basis, make a food offering, an odor that pleases the LORD, they are to observe the same regulations.


text:
 For all time to come, the same rules are binding on you and on the foreigners who live among you. You and they are alike in the LORD's sight;


text:
 When any food produced there is eaten, some of it is to be set aside as a special contribution to the LORD.


text:
 When you bake bread, the first loaf of the first bread made from the new grain is to be presented as a special contribution to the LORD. This is to be presented in the same way as the special contribution you make from the grain you thresh.


text:
 But suppose someone unintentionally fails to keep some of these regulations which the LORD has given Moses.


text:
 And suppose that in the future the community fails to do everything that the LORD commanded through Moses.


text:
 If the mistake was made because of the ignorance of the community, they are to offer a bull as a burnt offering, an odor that pleases the LORD, with the proper grain offering and wine offering. In addition, they are to offer a male goat as a sin offering.


text:
 The priest shall perform the ritual of purification for the community, and they will be forgiven, because the mistake was unintentional and they brought their sin offering as a food offering to the LORD.


text:
 The whole community of Israel and the foreigners living among them will be forgiven, because everyone was involved in the mistake.


text:
 At the altar the priest shall perform the ritual of purification to purify you from your sin, and you will be forgiven.


text:
 The same regulation applies to all who unintentionally commit a sin, whether they are native Israelites or resident foreigners.


text:
 But any who sin deliberately, whether they are natives or foreigners, are guilty of treating the LORD with contempt, and they shall be put to death,


text:
 because they have rejected what the LORD said and have deliberately broken one of his commands. They are responsible for their own death.


text:
 Once, while the Israelites were still in the wilderness, a man was found gathering firewood on the Sabbath.


text:
 Then the LORD said to Moses, "The man must be put to death; the whole community is to stone him to death outside the camp."


text:
 So the whole community took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the LORD had commanded.


text:
 to say to the people of Israel: "Make tassels on the corners of your garments and put a blue cord on each tassel. You are to do this for all time to come.


text:
 The tassels will serve as reminders, and each time you see them you will remember all my commands and obey them; then you will not turn away from me and follow your own wishes and desires.


text:
 Korah son of Izhar, from the Levite clan of Kohath, rebelled against the leadership of Moses. He was joined by three members of the tribe of Reuben---Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth---and by 250 other Israelites, well-known leaders chosen by the community.


text:
 They assembled before Moses and Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! All the members of the community belong to the LORD, and the LORD is with all of us. Why, then, Moses, do you set yourself above the LORD's community?"


text:
 Then he said to Korah and his followers, "Tomorrow morning the LORD will show us who belongs to him; he will let the one who belongs to him, that is, the one he has chosen, approach him at the altar.


text:
 Tomorrow morning you and your followers take fire pans, put live coals and incense on them, and take them to the altar. Then we will see which of us the LORD has chosen. You Levites are the ones who have gone too far!"


text:
 Do you consider it a small matter that the God of Israel has set you apart from the rest of the community, so that you can approach him, perform your service in the LORD's Tent, and minister to the community and serve them?


text:
 He has let you and all the other Levites have this honor---and now you are trying to get the priesthood too!


text:
 When you complain against Aaron, it is really against the LORD that you and your followers are rebelling."


text:
 Isn't it enough that you have brought us out of the fertile land of Egypt to kill us here in the wilderness? Do you also have to lord it over us?


text:
 You certainly have not brought us into a fertile land or given us fields and vineyards as our possession, and now you are trying to deceive us. We will not come!"


text:
 Moses became angry and said to the LORD, "Do not accept any offerings these men bring. I have not wronged any of them; I have not even taken one of their donkeys."


text:
 Moses said to Korah, "Tomorrow you and your 250 followers must come to the Tent of the LORD's presence; Aaron will also be there.


