Numbers 1-5

Numbers (The Count)


Chapters 1-5



1[1-4] In the countryside of Sinai, in the Meeting Place, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, Yahweh told Moses, “Count all the people of Israel, by their families, by their family groups, by the number of their names, one male at a time; from twenty years old and up, all who are able to go out to war in Israel. You and Aaron will count them by their family groups. Take one man of every family; each a leader of their family group.

[5-15] These are the names of the ones who will stand with you: Elizur, the son of Shedeur, of Reuben; Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai, of Simeon; Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, of Judah; Nethanel, the son of Zuar, of Issachar; Eliab, the son of Helon, of Zebulun; Of the children of Joseph: Elishama, the son of Ammihud, of Ephraim; Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur, of Manasseh; Abidan, the son of Gideoni, of Benjamin; Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai, of Dan; Pagiel, the son of Ochran, of Asher; Eliasaph, the son of Deuel, of Gad; Ahira, the son of Enan, of Naphtali.”

[16-18] These are the ones who were called of the people, the leaders of their families; they were the leaders of the 1,000’s of Israel. So Moses and Aaron took these men who were called by name. They gathered all the people together on the first day of the second month; and they told their ancestry by their families, by their family groups, by the number of their names, from twenty years old and up, one at a time. As Yahweh told Moses, so he counted them in the countryside of Sinai.

[20-21] The children of Reuben, Israel's firstborn, their people, by their families, by their family groups, by the number of their names, one at a time, every male from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war; and those who were counted of them, of the family of Reuben, were 46,500.

[22-23] Of the children of Simeon, their people, by their families, by their family groups, those who were counted of them, by the number of their names, one at a time, every male from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war; and those who were counted of them, of the family of Simeon, were 59,300.

[24-25] Of the children of Gad, their people, by their families, by their family groups, by the number of their names, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war; and those who were counted of them, of the family of Gad, were 45,650.

[26-27] Of the children of Judah, their people, by their families, by their family groups, by the number of their names, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war; and those who were counted of them, of the family of Judah, were 64,600.

[28-29] Of the children of Issachar, their people, by their families, by their family groups, by the number of their names, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war; and those who were counted of them, of the family of Issachar, were 54,400.

[30-31] Of the children of Zebulun, their people, by their families, by their family groups, by the number of their names, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war; and those who were counted of them, of the family of Zebulun, were 57,400.

[32-33] Of the children of Joseph, of the children of Ephraim, their people, by their families, by their family groups, by the number of their names, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war; and those who were counted of them, of the family of Ephraim, were 40,500.

[34-35] Of the children of Manasseh, their people, by their families, by their family groups, by the number of their names, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war; and those who were counted of them, of the family of Manasseh, were 32,200.

[36-37] Of the children of Benjamin, their people, by their families, by their family groups, by the number of their names, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war; and those who were counted of them, of the family of Benjamin, were 35,400.

[38-39] Of the children of Dan, their people, by their families, by their family groups, by the number of their names, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war; and those who were counted of them, of the family of Dan, were 62,700.

[40-41] Of the children of Asher, their people, by their families, by their family groups, by the number of their names, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war; and those who were counted of them, of the family of Asher, were 41,500.

[42-43] Of the children of Naphtali, their people, by their families, by their family groups, by the number of their names, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war; and those who were counted of them, of the family of Naphtali, were 53,400.

[44-46] These are the ones who were counted, whom Moses and Aaron counted, and the leaders of Israel, being twelve men, who were each leaders for their family group. So all those who were counted of the people of Israel by their family groups, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war in Israel; were 603,550.

[47-51] But the family of the Levites were not counted among them because Yahweh had told Moses, “Don’t count the family of Levi, among the people of Israel; but set the Levites over the Meeting Place of God, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They’ll carry the Place of Worship, and all its furnishings; and They’ll take care of it, and will live around it. When the Place of Worship is to move out, the Levites will take it down; and when the Place of Worship is to be set up, the Levites will set it up. Anyone else who comes near will be put to death.

[52-54] The people of Israel will set up their tents, each in their own camp, by their own flag, by their family groups. But the Levites will live around the Meeting Place of God, that there may be no great anger on the people of Israel: and the Levites will take care of the Meeting Place of God.” So the people of Israel did everything that Yahweh told Moses to do.

2[1-2] Yahweh told Moses and Aaron, “The people of Israel will live everyone by their own flag, with the signs of their family groups they’ll live around the Meeting Place at a distance.”

[3-4] Those who live on the east side toward the sunrise will be of the flag of the camp of Judah, by their family groups: and the leader of the children of Judah will be Nahshon the son of Amminadab. Those who were counted of their family group were 74,600.

[5-6] Those who live next to them will be the family of Issachar: and the leader of the children of Issachar will be Nethanel the son of Zuar. Those who were counted of their family group were 54,400.

[7-9] The family of Zebulun: and the leader of the children of Zebulun will be Eliab the son of Helon. Those who were counted of their family group were 57,400. So all who were counted of the camp of Judah were 186,400 by their family groups. They’ll set out first.

[10-11] On the south side will be the flag of the camp of Reuben by their family groups. The leader of the children of Reuben will be Elizur the son of Shedeur. Those who were counted of their family group were 46,500.

[12-13] Those who live next to them will be the family of Simeon. The leader of the children of Simeon will be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. Those who were counted of their family group, were 59,300.

[14-17] The family of Gad: and the leader of the children of Gad will be Eliasaph the son of Reuel. Those who were counted of their family group were 45,650. So all who were counted of the camp of Reuben were 151,450 by their family groups. They’ll set out second. Then the camp of the Levites will set out with the Meeting Place, in the midst of the camps. As they live, so they’ll set out, everyone in their place, by their flags.

[18-19] On the west side will be the flag of the camp of Ephraim by their family groups: and the leader of the children of Ephraim will be Elishama the son of Ammihud. Those who were counted of their family group were 40,500.

[20-21] Next to them will be the family of Manasseh: and the leader of the children of Manasseh will be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. Those who were counted of their family group were 32,200.

[22-24] The family of Benjamin: and the leader of the children of Benjamin will be Abidan the son of Gideoni. Their family group, and those who were counted of them were 35,400. So all who were counted of the camp of Ephraim were 186,100 by their family groups. They’ll set out third.

[25-26] On the north side will be the flag of the camp of Dan by their family groups: and the leader of the children of Dan will be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. Those who were counted of their family group were 62,700.

[27-28] Those who live next to them will be the family of Asher: and the leader of the children of Asher will be Pagiel the son of Ochran. Those who were counted of their family group were 41,500.

[29-31] The family of Naphtali: and the leader of the children of Naphtali will be Ahira the son of Enan. Those who were counted of their family group were 53,400. So all who were counted of the camp of Dan were 157,600. They’ll set out last by their flags.

[32-34] So these are the ones who were counted of the people of Israel by their family groups. All who were counted of the camps by their family groups were 603,550. But the Levites were not counted among the people of Israel; as Yahweh told Moses. So the people of Israel did all that Yahweh told Moses to do, and they lived by their flags, and set out, everyone by their families, by their family groups.

3[1-4] This is the history of the people of Aaron and Moses when Yahweh spoke with Moses in Mount Sinai. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, the first, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests who were anointed, whom were dedicated to serve in the priest's office. But Nadab and Abihu died before Yahweh, when they made an offering to Yahweh that they had not been told to do, in the countryside of Sinai, and they had no children. Eleazar and Ithamar served in the priest's office with Aaron their father.

[5-10] Yahweh told Moses, “Bring the family of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve with them. They’ll do what he says, and take care of all the people before the Meeting Place, to do the work of the Place of Worship. They’ll take care of all the furnishings of the Meeting Place, and the needs of the people of Israel, to do the work of the Place of Worship. You’ll give the Levites to Aaron and to their sons. They’re all given to them out of the people of Israel. You’ll set up Aaron and their sons as priests. Anyone else who comes near will be put to death.”

[11-13] Yahweh told Moses, “See, I’ve taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn who open the womb from among the people of Israel; and the Levites will be mine because all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I made holy to Me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and animal. They’ll be mine. I am Yahweh.”

[14-16] Yahweh told Moses in the countryside of Sinai, “Count the children of Levi by their family groups, by their families: every male from a month old and up you’ll count.” So Moses counted them at the word of Yahweh, as he was told.

[17-20] The sons of Levi by their names were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The names of the sons of Gershon by their families were Libni and Sthemei. The sons of Kohath by their families were Amram, and Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. The sons of Merari by their families were Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites by their family groups.

[21-26] Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Sthemeites. These are the families of the Gershonites. Those who were counted of them, by the number of all the males, from a month old and up, were 7,500. The families of the Gershonites will live behind the Place of Worship on the west. The leader of the Gershonites will be Eliasaph, the son of Lael. The sons of Gershon will take care of the Meeting Place, which is the Place of Worship, with its tent, covering, and the screen for the door of the Meeting Place, and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the door of the court, which is by the Place of Worship, and around the altar, and its cords for all of its work.

[27-32] Of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites. These are the families of the Kohathites. By the number of all the males, from a month old and up, there were 8,600 taking care of the Place of Worship. The families of the sons of Kohath will live on the south side of the Place of Worship. The leader of the families of the Kohathites will be Elizaphan, the son of Uzziel. They’ll take care of the Box, the table, the lamp stand, the altars, the tools of the Place of Worship with which they serve, and the screen, and all its work. Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, will be the head leader of all the leaders of the Levites, to oversee those who take care of the Place of Worship.

[33-37] Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites. These are the families of Merari. Those who were counted of them, by the number of all the males, from a month old and up, were 6,200. The leader of the families of Merari was Zuriel, the son of Abihail. They’ll live on the north side of the Place of Worship. The sons of Merari will take care of the Place of Worship's boards, its bars, its posts, its holders, all its tools, all its work, the posts of the court around it, their holders, their nails, and their cords.

[38-39] Those who live before the Place of Worship on the east, in front of the Meeting Place toward the sunrise, will be Moses, and Aaron and their sons, taking care of the Place of Worship for the needs of the people of Israel. Anyone else who comes near will be put to death. All who were counted of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron counted at the word of Yahweh, by their families, all the males from a month old and up, were 22,000.

[40-43] Yahweh said to Moses, “Count all the firstborn males of the people of Israel from a month old and up, and take the number of their names. Take the Levites for Me, Yahweh, instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel; and the tame animals of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the tame animals of the people of Israel.” So Moses counted, as Yahweh told them, all the firstborn among the people of Israel. All the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and up, of those who were counted of them, were 22, 273.

[44-48] Yahweh told Moses, “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel, and the tame animals of the Levites instead of their tame animals; and the Levites will be mine. I am Yahweh. For the 273 of the firstborn of the people of Israel, who number more than the Levites, who are to be bought back, take five dollars apiece for each one. You’ll take them in the dollar of the Place of Worship (the dollar is twenty nickels) and give the money, with which what is left of them is bought back, to Aaron and to their sons.”

[49-51] So Moses took the money that was paid back from those who were more than the number of Levites; from the firstborn of the people of Israel he took the money, $1,365 in the dollar of the Place of Worship. Then Moses gave the money paid back to Aaron and to their sons, by the word of Yahweh, as Yahweh told Moses.

4[1-3] Yahweh told Moses and Aaron, “Count the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their family groups, from 30 to 50 years old, all who go to do the work in the Meeting Place.

[4-6] This is the work of the sons of Kohath in the Meeting Place for the most holy things. When the camp move outs forward, Aaron will go in, and their sons, and they’ll take down the veil of the screen, cover the Box of the Testimony with it, and will put a leather covering on it, and will spread over it a blue cloth, and will put in its poles.

[7-8] On the table of holy bread they’ll spread a blue cloth, and put on it the dishes, the spoons, the bowls, and the pouring cups; and the bread will always be on it. They’ll spread on them a red cloth, and cover it with a leather covering, and will put in its poles.

[9-10] They’ll take a blue cloth, and cover the lamp stand of the light, its lamps, its tools, and its trays, and all its oil tools, with which they serve with. They’ll put it and all its tools in a leather covering, and will put it on the frame.

[11-14] On the golden altar they’ll spread a blue cloth, and cover it with a leather covering, and will put in its poles. They’ll take all the ministry tools, with which they serve in the Place of Worship, and put them in a blue cloth, and cover them with a leather covering, and will put them on the frame. They’ll take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth on it. They’ll put on it all its tools, with which they serve with, the trays, the meat hooks, the shovels, and the pans; all the tools of the altar; and they’ll spread on it a leather covering, and put in its poles.

[15-16] When Aaron and their sons have finished covering the Place of Worship, and all its furniture, as the camp move outs forward; then the sons of Kohath will come to carry it: but they can’t touch the Place of Worship or they’ll die. These things are the work of the sons of Kohath in the Meeting Place. Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, will take care of the oil for the light, the good smelling incense, the continual bread offering, and the anointing oil, taking care of the Place of Worship, and of all its furnishings.”

[17-20] Yahweh told Moses and Aaron, “Don't cut off the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites; but do this to them, that they may live, and not die, when they come to the most holy things: Aaron and their sons will go in, and give everyone their work and what they are to do; but they themselves won’t go in to see the Place of Worship even for a second, or they’ll die.”

[21-28] Yahweh told Moses, “Count the sons of Gershon also, by their family groups, by their families; from 30 to 50 years old; all who are able to go in to do the work in the Meeting Place. This is the work of the families of the Gershonites, in serving and in what they are to do: They’ll carry the curtains of the Place of Worship, and the Meeting Place, its covering, and the leather covering that’s on top of it, and the screen for the door of the Meeting Place, and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the Place of Worship and around the altar, and their cords, and all the tools of their work, and whatever will be done with them. In it they’ll serve. All the work of the sons of the Gershonites that they are to do will be done at the word of Aaron and their sons; and you’ll tell them everything they are to do. This is the work of the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the Meeting Place: and Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest, will be their leader.

[29-33] As for the sons of Merari, you’ll count them by their families, by their family groups; from 30 to 50 years old, everyone who’s able to go in to do the work of the Meeting Place. This is what they are to do, by all their work in the Meeting Place: the Place of Worship's boards, bars, posts, holders, the posts of the court around it, their holders, nails, cords, all their tools, and with all their work: all the tools which they use are to be told them by name. This is the work of the families of the sons of Merari, by all their work, in the Meeting Place, led by Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.”

[34-37] Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the people counted the sons of the Kohathites by their families, and by their family groups, from 30 to 50 years old, everyone who was able to go in to do the work for the Meeting Place. Those who were counted of them by their families were 2,750. These are the ones who were counted of the families of the Kohathites, all who served in the Meeting Place, whom Moses and Aaron counted by the word of Yahweh by Moses.

[38-41] Those who were counted of the sons of Gershon, their families, and by their family groups, from 30 to 50 years old, everyone who was able to go in to do the work in the Meeting Place were 2,630. These are the ones who were counted of the families of the sons of Gershon, all who served in the Meeting Place, whom Moses and Aaron counted by the word of Yahweh.

[42-45] Those who were counted of the families of the sons of Merari, by their families, by their family groups, from 30 to 50 years old, everyone who was able to go in to do the work in the Meeting Place, even those who were counted of them by their families were 3,200. These are the ones who were counted of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron counted by the word of Yahweh by Moses.

[46-49] All those who were counted of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted, by their families, and by their family groups, from 30 to 50 years old, everyone who was able to go in to do the work of what they are to do in the Meeting Place were 8,580. By the word of Yahweh they were counted by Moses, everyone by their work, and what they were to do. So they were counted by them, as Yahweh told Moses.

5[1-4] Yahweh told Moses, “Tell the people of Israel to put out of the camp everyone who has a skin desease, and everyone who has a discharge, and whoever is made unfit by the dead. Put both male and female outside of the camp so that they don’t make the camp unfit, where I live.” So the people of Israel did so, and put them out outside the camp; as Yahweh had told Moses.

[5-10] Yahweh told Moses, “Tell the people of Israel when a man or woman does any sin that humans do, so as to wrong Yahweh, and that soul is guilty; then they’ll admit their sin which they’ve done, and pay for the wrong in full, and add a fifth to it, and give it to the one that was wronged. But if they have no one to pay back for the wrong, what’s paid back for the wrong to Yahweh will be the priest's; besides the male goat for covering sins, by which sins are covered for them. Every offering that’s raised up of all the holy things of the people of Israel, which they give to the priest, will be their. Everyone's holy things will be their: whatever anyone gives the priest, it will be their.”

[11-15] Yahweh told Moses, “Tell the people of Israel if anyone's wife is unfaithful and wrongs them, and a man has sex with her, and it’s kept secret from her husband, and she’s made unfit, and there’s no witness against her, and she isn't caught in the act; and he has a spirit of jealousy, and is jealous of their wife, whether she’s unfit or she isn't unfit, then the man will bring their wife to the priest, and will bring her offering for her, which is a 3 quart jar of barley meal. He will pour no oil on it, nor put frankincense on it, for it is a meal offering of jealousy, a reminder meal offering, to bring to memory a fault.

[16-22] The priest will bring and set her before Yahweh; and the priest will take holy water in a clay pot; and some of the dust that’s on the floor of the Place of Worship, and put it into the water. The priest will set the woman before Yahweh, and let the woman's hair hang loose, and put the meal offering of reminder in her hands, which is the meal offering of jealousy. The priest will hold the bitter water that brings punishment. The priest will make her promise, and will tell the woman, 'If no man has had sex with you, and if you haven't gone and made yourself unfit, being married to your husband, be free from this bitter water that brings punishment.’ But if she has been unfaithful, being married to her husband, and if she is unfit, and some man has had sex with her besides her husband, then the priest will make the woman say a promise to God, and the priest will tell the woman, 'Yahweh will punish you for what you have promised in front of your people, when Yahweh lets your thigh rot off, and your body swell; and this water that brings punishment will go into your insides, and make your body swell, and your thigh rot off.' Then the woman is to say, 'So be it, So be it.'

[23-26] The priest will write these punishments in a book, and blot them out with the bitter water. The priest will make the woman drink the bitter water that causes the punishment; and the water that causes the punishment will go into her and make her sick. The priest will take the meal offering of jealousy out of the woman's hand, and will wave the meal offering before Yahweh, and bring it to the altar. The priest will take a handful of the meal offering, as the reminder of it, and burn it on the altar, and will then make the woman drink the water.

[27-31] When he has made her drink the water, then if she’s unfit, and has wronged her husband, the water that causes the punishment will go in into her and make her sick, and her body will swell, and her thigh will rot off: and the woman will be punished in front of her people. If the woman isn't unfit, and hasn’t sinned; then she will be free, and have children. “This is the law of jealousy, when a wife, being married to her husband, is unfaithful, and is made unfit; or when the spirit of jealousy comes on a man, and he’s jealous of their wife; then he will set the woman before Yahweh, and the priest will do everything this law says. The man will be free from fault, and the woman will be guilty of her fault.”