THE FOURTH BOOK OF MOSES

(called *NUMBERS if from middle English, French from the Latin)

The 1st Chapter

And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of witness, the first day of the second month, and in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt saying: take ye the sum of all the multitude of the children of Israel, in their kindreds and households of their fathers and number them by name all that are males, poll by poll, from twenty years and above: even all that are able to go forth in to war in Israel, thou and Aaron shall number them in their armies, and with you shall be of every tribe a head man in the house of his father.

And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you: in Ruben, Elizur the son of Sedeur: in Simeon, Selumiel the son of Zuri Sadai: in the tribe of Juda, Nahesson the son of Aminadab: in Isachar, Nathaneel the son of Zuar: of Zabulon, Eliab the son of Helon. Among the children of Joseph: of Ephraim, Elisama the son of Amihud: of Manasse, Gamaliel the son of Pedazur: of BenJamin, Abidan the son of Gedeoni: of Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammi Sadai: of Aser, Pagiel the son of Ochran: of Gad, Elisaph the son of Deguel: of Naphtali, Ahira the son of Enan.

These were counsellors of the congregation and lords in the tribes of their fathers and captains over thousands in Israel. And Moses and Aaron took these men above named and gathered all the congregation together, the first day of the second month, and reckoned them after their birth and kindreds and houses of their fathers by name from twenty years and above head by head, as the Lord commanded Moses, even so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.

And the children of Ruben Israels eldest son in their generations, kindreds and houses of their fathers, when they were numbered every man by name, all that were males from twenty years and above, as many as were able to go forth in war: were numbered in the tribe of Ruben, forty six thousand and five hundred.

Among the children of Simeon: their generation in their kindreds and houses of their fathers (when every mans name was told) of all the males from twenty years and above, whatsoever was meet for the war: were numbered in the tribe of Simeon forty nine thousand and three hundred.

Among the children of Gad: their generation in their kindreds and households of their fathers, when they were told by name, from twenty years and above, all that were meet for the war: were numbered in the tribe of Gad forty five thousand, six hundred and fifty.

Among the children of Juda: their generation in their kindreds and houses of their fathers (by the number of names) from twenty years and above, all that were able to war, were told in the tribe of Juda seventy four thousand and six hundred.

Among the children of Isachar: their generation, in their kindreds and houses of their fathers (when their names were counted) from twenty years and above, whatsoever was apt for war, were numbered in the tribe of Isachar fifty four thousand and four hundred.

Among the children of Zabulon: their generation, in their kindreds and houses of their fathers (after the number of names) from twenty years and above, whosoever was meet for the war: were counted in the tribe of Zabulon fifty seven thousand and four hundred.

Among the children of Joseph: first among the children of Ephraim: their generation, in their kindreds and houses of their fathers (when the names of all that were apt to the war were told) from twenty years and above: were in number in the tribe of Ephraim, forty thousand, and six hundred.

Among the children of Manasse: their generation, in their kindreds and houses of their fathers (when the names of all that were apt to war were told) from twenty and above were numbered in the tribe of Manasse thirty two thousand and two hundred.

Among the children of BenJamin: their generation, in their kindreds and houses of their fathers (by the tale of names) from twenty years and above of all that were meet for war, were numbered in the tribe of BenJamin thirty five thousand and four hundred.

Among the children of Dan: their generation in their kindreds and houses of their fathers (in the sum of names) of all that was apt to war from twenty years and above, were numbered in the tribe of Dan fifty seven thousand and seven hundred.

Among the children of Asser: their generation, in their kindreds and houses of their fathers (when they were summed by name) from twenty years and above, all that were apt to war were numbered in the tribe of Asser forty one thousand and five hundred.

Among the children of Naphtali: their generation in their kindreds and houses of their fathers (when their names were told) from twenty years and above, whatsoever was meet to war: were numbered in the tribe of Naphtali three and fifty thousand and four hundred.

These are the numbers which Moses and Aaron numbered with the twelve princes of Israel: of every house of their fathers a man. And all the numbers of the children of Israel, in the houses of their fathers, from twenty years and above, whatsoever was meet for the war in Israel, drew unto the sum of six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty. But the Levites in the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them.

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: only see that thou number not the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel. But thou shalt appoint the Levites unto the habitation of witness, and to all the apparel thereof and unto all that longeth thereto. For they shall bear the tabernacle and all the ordinance thereof, and they shall minister it and shall pitch their tents round about it. And when the tabernacle goeth forth the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is pitched, they shall set it up: for if any stranger come near, he shall die. And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man in his own company and every man by his own standard throughout all their hosts. But the Levites shall pitch round about the habitation of witness, that there fall no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel, and the Levites shall wait upon the habitation of witness. And the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses.

The 2nd Chapter

And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron saying: The children of Israel shall pitch: every man by his own standard with the armies of their fathers houses, a way from the presence of the tabernacle of witness

On the eastside toward the rising of the *son, shall they of the standard of the host of Juda pitch with their armies: And Nahesson the son of Aminadab shall be captain over the sons of Juda. And his host and the number of them seventy four thousand and six hundred. And next unto him shall the tribe of Isachar pitch and Nathaneel the son of Zuar captain over the children of Isachar, his host and the number of them fifty four thousand and four hundred. * sonne for son; exact spelling

And then the tribe of Zabulon: with Eliab the son of Helon, captain over the children of Zabulon, and his host in the number of them: fifty seven thousand and four hundred. So that all they that pertain unto the host of Juda, are an hundred thousand eighty six thousand and four hundred in their companies: and these shall go in the forefront, when they journey.

And on the south side, the standard of the host of Ruben shall lie with their companies and the captain over the sons of Ruben, Elizur the son of Sedeur, and his host and the number of them forty six thousand, and five hundred. And fast by him shall the tribe of Simeon pitch, and the captain over the sons of Simeon. Salumiel the son of Zuri Sadai, and his host and the number of them forty nine thousand and three hundred. And the tribe of Cad also: And the captain over the sons of Cad, Eliasaph the son of Deguel and his host and the number of them forty five thousand six hundred and fifty. So that all the number that pertain unto the host of Ruben, are an hundred thousand, fifty one thousand, four hundred and fifty, with their companies, and they shall be the second in the journey.

And the tabernacle of witness with the host of the Levites, shall go in the midst of the hosts: as they lie in their tents, even so shall they proceed in the journey, every man in his quarter about their standards.

On the west side, the standard and the host of Ephraim shall lie with their companies. And the captain over the sons of Ephraim, Elisama the son of Amihud: and his host and the number of them forty thousand and five hundred.

And fast by him, the tribe of Manasse, and the captain over the sons of Manasse, Gamaliel the son of Peda Zur and his host and the number of them thirty two thousand and two hundred. And the tribe of BenJamin also: and the captain over the sons of BenJamin, Abidan the son of Gedeoni, and his host and the number of them thirty five thousand and four hundred. All the number that pertained unto the host of Ephraim, were an hundred thousand eight thousand and an hundred in their hosts: and they shall be the third in the journey.

And the standard and the host of Dan shall lie on the north side with their companies: and the captain over the children of Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammi Sadai: and his host and the number of them sixty two thousand and seven hundred. And fast by him shall the tribe of Asser pitch: and the captain over the sons of Asser, Pagiel the son of Ochran: and his host and the number of them forty one thousand and five hundred. And the tribe of Naphtali also, and the captain over the children of Naphtali: Ahira the son of Enan: and his host and the number of them fifty three thousand and four hundred. So that the whole number of all that pertained unto the host of Dan, was an hundred thousand fifty seven thousand and six hundred. And they shall be the last in the journey with their standards.

These are the sums of the children of Israel in the houses of their fathers: even all the numbers of the hosts with their companies six hundred thousand three thousand five hundred and fifty. And yet the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel, as the Lord commanded Moses. And the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, and so they pitched with their standards, and so they journeyed: every man in his kindred, and in the household of his father.

The 3rd Chapter

These are the generations of Aaron and Moses, when the Lord spake unto Moses in Mount Sinai, and these are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the eldest son, and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. These are the names of the sons of Aaron which were Priests anointed and their hands filled to minister, but Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord, as they brought strange fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai, and had no children. And Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the sight of Aaron their father.

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: bring the tribe of Levi, and set them before Aaron the priest, and let them serve him and wait upon him, and upon all the multitude, before the tabernacle of witness, to do the service of the habitation. And they shall wait upon all the apparel of the tabernacle of witness, and upon the children of Israel, to do the service of the habitation. And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and his sons, for they are given unto him of the children of Israel. And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons to wait on their Priests office: and the stranger that cometh nigh, shall die for it.

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel, for all the first born that openeth the matrice among the children of Israel, so that the Levites shall be mine: because all the first born are mine: for the same day that I smote all the first born in the land of Egypt, I hallowed unto me all the first born in Israel, both man and beast, and mine they shall be: for I am the Lord.

And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai saying: Number the children of Levi in the houses of their fathers and kindreds, all that are males from a month old and above. And Moses numbered them at the word of the Lord, as he was commanded. And these are the names of the children of Levi: Gerson, Cahath, and Merari. And these are the names of the children of Gerson in their kindreds: Libni and Semei. And the sons of Cahath in their kindred were Amram, Jezehar, Hebron and Osiel. And the sons of Merari in their kindreds were Maheli and Musi. These are the kindreds of Levi in the houses of their fathers.

And of Gerson came the kindred of the Libnites and the Semeites, which are the kindreds of the Gersonites. And the sum of them (when all the males were told) from a month old and above, were seven thousand and five hundred. And the kindreds of the Gersonites pitched behind the habitation westward. And the captain of the most ancient house among the Gersonites, was Eliasaph the son of Lael. And the office of the children of Gerson in the tabernacle of witness was to keep the habitation and the tent with the covering thereof and the hanging of the door of the tabernacle of witness, and the hangings of the court, and the curtain of the door of the court: which court went round about the dwelling, and the altar, and the cords that pertained unto all the service thereof. And of Cahath came the kindred of the Amramites and the kindred of the Jezeharites and of the Hebronites and of the Osielites: And these are the kindreds of the Cahathites. And the number of all the males from a month old and above, was eight thousand and six hundred: which waited on the holy place. And the kindred of the children of Cahath, pitched on the south side of the dwelling. And the captain in the most ancient house of the kindreds of the Cahathites, was Elizaphan the son of Osiel, and their office was to keep the ark, the table, the candlestick, and the altar, and the holy vessels to minister with and the veil with all that served thereto. And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, was captain over all the captains of the Levites, and had the oversight of them that waited upon the holy things.

And of Merari came the kindreds of the Mahelites and of the Musites: and these are the kindreds of the Merarites. And the number of them (when all the males from a month old and above was told) drew unto six thousand and two hundred. And the captain of the most ancient house among the kindreds of the Merarites, was Zuriel the son of Abihail which pitched on the north side of the dwelling. And the office of the sons of Merari was: the boards of the dwelling and the bars, pillars with the sockets thereof, and all the instruments thereof and all that served thereto: and the pillars of the court round about and their sockets, with their pins and cords. But on the forefront of the habitation and before the tabernacle of witness eastward, shall Moses and Aaron and his sons pitch and wait on the sanctuary in the stead of the children of Israel. And the stranger that cometh nigh, shall die for it. And the whole sum of the Levites which Moses and Aaron numbered, at the commandment of the Lord throughout their kindreds, even of all the males of a month old and above, was twenty-two thousand.

And the Lord said unto Moses: Number all the first born that are males among the children of Israel, from a month old and above, and take the number of their names. And thou shalt appoint the Levites to me the Lord, for all the first born among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites for the first born of the children of Israel. And Moses numbered as the Lord commanded him, all the first born of the children of Israel. And all the first born males, in the sum of names, from a month old and above, were numbered twenty two thousand two hundred and seventy three.

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: take the Levites for all the first born of the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites for their cattle: and the Levites shall be mine which am the Lord. And for the redeeming of the two hundred and seventy three which are more than the Levites in the first born of the children of Israel, take five sickles of every piece, after the sickles of the holy place, twenty geras the sickles. And give the money wherewith the odd number of them is redeemed, unto Aaron and his sons. And Moses took the redemption money of the overplus that were more than the Levites, among the first born of the children of Israel: and it came to a thousand three hundred and sixty five sickles, of the holy sickle. And he gave that redemption money unto Aaron and his sons at the word of the Lord, even as the Lord commanded Moses.

The 4th Chapter

And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, and bade them take the sum of the children of Cahath from among the sons of Levi, in their kindreds and houses of their fathers from thirty years and above until fifty, all that were able to war, for to do the work in the tabernacle of witness. This shall be the office of the Kahath in the tabernacle of witness which is most holy. And when the host removeth, Aaron and his sons shall come and take down the veil, and cover the ark of witness therewith, and shall put theron a covering of taxus skins, and shall spread a cloth that is altogether of jacinth above all, and put the staves thereof in. And upon the shew table, they shall spread a cloth of jacinth, and put theron the dishes, spoons, flat pieces and pots to pour with, and the daily bread shall be theron: and they shall spread upon them a covering of purple, and cover the same with a covering of taxus skins, and put the staves thereof in.

And they shall take a cloth of jacinth and cover the candlestick of light and her lamps and her snuffers, and firepans, and all her oil vessels which they occupy about it, and shall put upon her and on all her instruments, a covering of taxus skins, and put it upon staves. And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of Jacinth, and put on her staves. And they shall take all the things which they occupy to minister with in the holy place, and put a cloth of Jacinth upon them and cover them with a covering of taxus skins and put them on staves. And they shall take away the ashes out of the altar, and spread a scarlet cloth theron: and put about it, the firepans, the fleshhooks, the shovels, the basins and all that belongeth unto the altar, and they shall spread upon it a covering of taxus skins, and put on the staves of it. And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary and all things of the sanctuary, against that the host remove, then the sons of Cahath shall come in for to bear, and so let them not touch the sanctuary lest they die. And this is the charge of the sons of Cahath in the tabernacle of witness. And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, shall have the charge to prepare oil for the lights and sweet cense, and the daily meatoffering and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the dwelling and of all that therin is, both over the sanctuary and over all that pertaineth thereto.

And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron saying: destroy not the tribe of the kindreds of the Cahathites, from among the Levites. But thus do unto them that they may live and not die, when they go unto the most holy place. Aaron and his sons shall go in and put them, every man unto his service and unto his burden. But let them not go in to see when they cover the sanctuary, lest they die.

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: Take the sum of the children of Gerson, in the houses of their fathers and in their kindreds: from thirty years and above, until fifty, all that are able to go forth in war, for to do service in the tabernacle of witness. And this is the service of the kindred of the Gersonites, to serve and to bear. They shall bear the curtains of the dwelling and the roof of the tabernacle of witness and his covering and the covering of taxus skins that is on high above upon it, and the hanging of the door of the tabernacle of witness: and the hanging of the court and the hanging of the gate of the court that is round about the dwelling and the altar, and the cords of them, and all the instruments that serve unto them and all that is made for them. And at the mouth of Aaron and his sons, shall all the service of the children of the Gersonites be done, in all their charges and in all their service, and ye shall appoint them unto all their charges that they shall wait upon. And this is the service of the kindred of the children of the Gersonites in the tabernacle of witness, and their wait shall be in the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

And thou shalt number the sons of Merari in their kindreds and in the houses of their fathers, from thirty years and above unto fifty. All that is able to go forth in war, to do the service of the tabernacle of witness. And this is the charge that they must wait upon in all that they must serve in the tabernacle of witness: The boards of the dwelling, and the bars, pillars, and sockets thereof, and the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, pins and cords with all that pertaineth and serveth unto them. And by name ye shall reckon the things that they must wait upon to bear. This is the service of the kindreds of the sons of Merari in all their service in the tabernacle of witness by the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

And Moses and Aaron and the princes of the multitude numbered the sons of the Cahathites in their kindreds and houses of their fathers, from thirty years and above unto fifty, and that were able to go forth in the host and to do service in the tabernacle of witness. And the number of them in their kindreds were two thousand, seven hundred and fifty. These are the numbers of the kindreds of the Cahathites, of all that did service in the tabernacle of witness, which Moses and Aaron did number at the commandment of the Lord of by the hand of Moses. And the sons of Gerson were numbered in their kindreds and in the houses of their fathers, from thirty years up unto fifty, all that were able to go forth in the host for to do service in the tabernacle of witness. And the number of them in their kindreds, and in the houses of their fathers, was two thousand, six hundred and thirty. This is the number of the kindreds of the sons of Gerson, of all that did service in the tabernacle of witness, which Moses and Aaron did number at the commandment of the Lord.

And the kindreds of the sons of Merari were numbered in their kindreds and in the houses of their fathers, from thirty years up unto fifty. All that were able to go forth with the host, to do service in the tabernacle of witness. And the number of them was in their kindreds, three thousand and two hundred. This is the number of the kindreds of the sons of Merari, which Moses and Aaron numbered at the bidding of the Lord, by the hand of Moses.

The whole sum which Moses, Aaron and the lords of Israel numbered among the Levites in their kindreds and households of their fathers, from thirty years up unto fifty every man to do his office and service and to bear his burden in the tabernacle of witness: was eight thousand, five hundred and eighty which they numbered at the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses every man unto his service and burden: as the Lord commanded Moses.

The 5th Chapter

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: command the children of Israel that they put out of the host, all the lepers and all that have issues and all that are defiled upon the dead, whether they be males or females ye shall put them out of the host, that they defile not the tents among which ye dwell. And the children of Israel did so, and put them out of the host even as the Lord commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel.

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: speak unto the children of Israel: whether it be man or woman, when they have sinned any manner of sin which a man doeth wherewith a man trespasseth against the Lord, so that the soul hath done amiss: then they shall knowledge their sins which they have done, and restore again the hurt that they have done in the whole, and put the fifth part of it more thereto, and give it unto him whom he hath trespassed against. But and if he that maketh the amends have no man to do it to, then the amends that is made shall be the Lords and the Priests, beside the ram of the atonement offering wherewith he maketh an atonement for himself. And all heave offerings of all the hallowed things which the children of Israel bring unto the priest, shall be the priests, and every mans hallowed things shall be his own, but whatsoever any man giveth the priest, it shall be the priests.

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them. If any mans wife go aside and trespass against him, so that another man lie with her fleshly and the thing be hid from the eyes of her husband and is not come to light that she is defiled (for there is no witness against her) in as much as she was not taken with the manner, and the spirit of jealousy cometh upon him and he is jealous over his wife and she defiled, or happily the spirit of jealousy cometh upon him, and he is jealous over his wife and she yet undefiled. Then let her husband bring her unto the priest and bring an offering for her: the tenth part of an Epha of barley meal, but shall pour none oil thereunto, nor put frankincense theron: for it is an offering of jealousy, and an offering that maketh remembrance of sin.

And let the priest bring her and set her before the Lord, and let him take holy water in an earthen vessel and of the dust that is in the floor of the habitation, and put it into the water. And the priest shall set the wife before the Lord and uncover her head, and put the memorial of the offering in her hands which is the jealousy offering, and the priest shall have bitter and cursing water in his hand, and he shall conjure her and shall say unto her: If no man have lien with thee neither hast gone aside, and defiled thyself behind thy husband, then have thou no harm of this bitter cursing water.

But and if thou hast gone aside behind thine husband and art defiled and some other man hath lien with thee beside thine husband (and let the priest conjure her with the conjuration of the curse and say unto her) the Lord make thee a curse and a conjuration among thy people: so that the Lord make thy thigh rot, and thy belly swell and this bitter cursing water go into the bowels of thee, that thy belly swell and thy thigh rot, and the wife shall say :Amen Amen.

And the priest shall write this curse in a bill and wash it out in the bitter water. And when the cursing water is in her that it is bitter, then let the priest take the jealousy offering out of the wifes hand, and wave it before the Lord, and bring it unto the altar: and he shall take an handful of the memorial offering and burn it upon the altar, and then make her drink the water and when he hath made her drink the water. If she be defiled and have trespassed against her husband, then shall the cursing water go into her and be so bitter, that her belly shall swell and her thigh shall rot, and she shall be a curse among her people. And if she be not defiled but is clean, then she shall have no harm, but that she may conceive.

This is the law of jealousy, when a wife goeth aside behind her husband and is defiled, or when the spirit of jealousy cometh upon a man, so that he is jealous over his wife: then he shall bring her before the Lord, and the priest shall minister all this law unto her, and the man shall be guiltless, and the wife shall bear her sin.

The 6th Chapter

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: speak unto children of Israel and say unto them: when either man or woman appointeth to vow a vow of abstinence for to abstain unto the Lord, he shall abstain from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine or of strong drink, nor drink whatsoever is pressed out of grapes: and shall eat no fresh grapes neither yet dried, as long as his abstinence endureth. Moreover he shall eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, no not so much as the kernels or the husk of the grape.

And as long as the vow of his abstinence endureth, there shall no razor nor shears come upon his head, until his days be out which he fasteth unto the Lord, and he shall be holy and shall let the locks of his hair grow. As long as he abstaineth unto the Lord he shall come at no dead body: he shall not make himself unclean at the death of his father, mother, brother or sister: For the abstinence of his God is upon his head. And therefore as long as his abstinence lasteth, he shall be holy unto the Lord.

And if it fortune that any man by chance die suddenly before him, and defile the head of his abstinence, then must he shave his head the day of his cleansing: even the seventh day he shall shave it. And the eighth day he shall bring two turtles or two young pigeons to the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of witness. And the priest shall offer the one for a sinoffering and the other for a burntoffering and make an atonement for him, as concerning that he sinned upon the dead, and shall also hallow his head the same day and he shall abstain unto the Lord the time of his abstinency, and shall bring a lamb of an year old for a trespass offering: but the days that were before are lost, because his abstinence was defiled. This is the law of the abstainer, when the time of his abstinence is out he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of witness and he shall bring his offering unto the Lord: an he lamb of a year old without blemish for a brurntoffering and a she lamb of a year old without blemish for a sinoffering, a ram without blemish also for a peaceoffering, and a basket of sweet bread of fine flour mingled with oil and wafers of sweet bread anointed with oil with meatofferings and drinkofferings that long thereto. And the priest shall bring him before the Lord and offer his sinoffering and his brurntoffering, and shall offer the ram for a peaceoffering unto the Lord with the basket of sweet bread, and the priest shall offer also his meatoffering and his drinkoffering. And the abstainer shall shave his head in the door of the tabernacle of witness and shall take the hair of his sober head and put it in the fire which is under the peaceoffering. Then the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram and one sweet cake out of the basket and one sweet wafer also and put them in the hand of the abstainer after he hath shaven his abstinence off, and the priest shall wave them unto the Lord, which offering shall be holy unto the priest with the wavebreast and heave shoulder: and then the abstainer may drink wine. This is the law of the abstainer which hath vowed his offering unto the Lord for his abstinence, besides that his hand can get. And according to the vow which he vowed, even so he must do in the law of his abstinence.

And the Lord talked with Moses saying: speak unto Aaron and his sons saying: of this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel saying unto them.

The Lord bless thee and keep thee.

The Lord make his face shine upon thee and be merciful unto thee.

The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. For ye shall put my name upon the children of Israel, that I may bless them.

The 7th Chapter

And when Moses had full set up the habitation and anointed it and sanctified it and all the apparel thereof, and had anointed and sanctified the altar also and all the vessels thereof: then the princes of Israel heads over the houses of their fathers which were the Lords of the tribes that stood and numbered, offered and brought their gifts before the Lord six covered chariots and twelve oxen: two and two a chariot and an ox every man, and they brought them before the habitation.

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: take it of them and let them be to do the service of the tabernacle of witness, and give them unto the Levites, every man according unto his office. And Moses took the chariots and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites: two chariots and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gerson according unto their office. And four chariots and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari according unto their offices, under the hands of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. But unto the sons of Cahath he gave none, for the office that pertained to them was holy, and therefore they must bear upon shoulders.

And the princes offered unto the dedicating of the altar in the day that it was anointed, and brought their gifts before the altar. And the Lord said unto Moses: let the princes bring their offerings, every day one prince, unto the dedicating of the altar.

He that offered his offering the first day, was Nahesson the son of Aminadab of the tribe of Juda. And his offering was: a silver charger, of an hundred and thirty sickles weight: and a silver bowl of seventy sickles of the holy sickle, both of them full of fine wheaten flour mingled with oil for a meatoffering: and a spoon of ten sickles of gold full of cense: and an bullock, a ram and a lamb of a year old for brurntofferings, and an he goat for a sinoffering: and for peaceofferings two oxen five rams five he goats and five lambs of a year old. And this was the gift of Nahesson the son of Aminadab.

The second day, did Nathaneel offer, the son of Zuar, captain over Isachar. And his offering which he brought was: a silver charger of an hundred and thirty sickles weight: and a silver bowl of seventy sickles, of the holy sickle: and both full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meatoffering: and a golden spoon of ten sickles, full of cense. And an bullock, a ram and a lamb of a year old for brurntofferings, and for peaceofferings two oxen five rams, five he goats and five lambs of one year old. And this was the offering of Nathaneel the son of Zuar.

The third day, Eliab the son of Helon the chiefest among the children of Zabulon, brought his offering. And his offering was, a silver charger of an hundred and thirty sickles weight, and a silver bowl of seventy sickles of the holy sickle, and both full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meatoffering: and a golden spoon of ten sickles full of cense: and an ox and a ram and a lamb of a year old for brurntofferings, and an he goat for a sinoffering: and for peaceofferings two oxen five rams five he goats and five lambs of one year old. And this was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.

The fourth day, Elizur the son of Sedeur, chief lord among the children of Ruben, brought his offering. And his gift was: a silver charger of an hundred and thirty sickles weight, and a silver bowl of seventy sickles of the holy sickle, and both full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meatoffering: and a golden spoon of ten sickles full of cense: and an bullock, a ram and a lamb of a year old for brurntofferings, and an he goat for a sinoffering: and for peaceofferings two oxen five rams five he goats and five lambs of one year old. And this was the offering of Elizur the son of Sedeur.

The fifth day, Selumiel the son of Zuri Sadai, chief lord among the children of Simeon, offered. whose gift was: a silver charger of an hundred and thirty sickles weight, and a silver bowl of seventy sickles of the holy sickle, and both full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meatoffering: and a golden spoon of ten sickles full of cense: and an bullock, a ram and a lamb of a year old for brurntofferings, and an he goat for a sinoffering: and for peaceofferings two oxen five rams five he goats and five lambs of one year old. And this was the offering of Selumiel the son of Zuri Sadai.

The sixth day, Eliasaph the son of Deguel the chief lord among the children of Gad, offered: whose gift was: a silver charger of an hundred and thirty sickles weight, and a silver bowl of seventy sickles of the holy sickle, and both full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meatoffering: and a golden spoon of ten sickles full of cense. And an ox, a ram and a lamb of a year old for brurntofferings, and an he goat for a sinoffering. And for peaceofferings two oxen five rams five he goats and five lambs of one year old. And this was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deguel.

The seventh day, Elisama the son of Amihud, the chief lord of the children of Ephraim, offered. And his gift was: a silver charger of an hundred and thirty sickles weight: and a silver bowl of seventy sickles of the holy sickle: and both full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: and a golden spoon of ten sickles, full of cense. And an bullock, a ram and a lamb of a year old for brurntofferings, and an he goat for a sinoffering: and for peaceofferings two oxen five rams five he goats and five lambs of one year old. And this was the offering of Elisama the son of Amihud.

The eighth day, offered Gamaliel the son of Pedazur, the chief lord of the children of Manasse. And his gift was: a silver charger of an hundred and thirty sickles weight: and a silver bowl of seventy sickles of the holy sickle, and both full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meatoffering: and a golden spoon of ten sickles full of cense: And an bullock, a ram and a lamb of a year old for brurntofferings, and an he goat for a sinoffering: and for peaceofferings two oxen five rams five he goats and five lambs of one year old. And this was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedazur.

The ninth day, Abidan the son of Gedeoni the chief lord among the children of BenJamin offered. And his gift was: a silver charger of an hundred and thirty sickles weight: and a silver bowl of seventy sickles of the holy sickle, and both full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meatoffering: and a golden spoon of ten sickles full of cense: and an bullock, a ram and a lamb of a year old for brurntofferings, and an he goat for a sinoffering: and for peaceofferings two oxen five rams five he goats and five lambs of one year old. And this was the offering of Abidan the son of Gedeoni.

The tenth day, Ahiezer the son of Ammi Sadai, chief lord among the children of Dan offered. And his gift was: a silver charger of an hundred and thirty sickles weight: and a silver bowl of seventy sickles of the holy sickle: and both full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meatoffering: and a golden spoon of ten sickles full of cense: and an bullock, a ram and a lamb of a year old for brurntofferings, and an he goat for a sinoffering: and for peaceofferings two oxen five rams five he goats and five lambs of one year old. And this was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammi Sadai.

The eleventh day, Pagiel the son of Ocran the chief lord among the children of Asser offered: And his gift was: a silver charger of an hundred and thirty sickles weight: and a silver bowl of seventy sickles of the holy sickle, and both full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meatoffering: and a golden spoon of ten sickles full of cense: And an bullock, a ram and a lamb of a year old for brurntofferings, and an he goat for a sinoffering: and for peaceofferings two oxen, five rams five he goats and five lambs of one year old. And this was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ocran.

The twelfth day, Ahira the son of Enan, chief lord among the children of Naphtali offered. And his gift was: a silver charger of an hundred and thirty sickles weight: and a silver bowl of seventy sickles of the holy sickle, and both full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meatoffering: and a golden spoon of twenty sickles full of cense: and an bullock, a ram and a lamb of a year old for brurntofferings, and an he goat for a sinoffering: and for peaceofferings two oxen five rams five he goats and five lambs of one year old. And this was the offering of Ahira, the son of Enan.

Of this manner was the dedication of the altar, when it was anointed: unto the which was brought of the princes of Israel twelve chargers of silver twelve silver bowls and twelve spoons of gold: every charger containing an hundred and thirty sickles of silver, and every bowl seventy so that all the silver of all the vessels, was two thousand and four hundred sickles of the holy sickle. And the twelve golden spoons which were full of cense, contained ten sickles apiece of the holy sickle: so that all the gold of the spoons, was an hundred and twenty sickles.

All the oxen that were brought for the brurntofferings were twelve and the rams twelve and the lambs twelve of a year old apiece, with the meatofferings: with he goats for sinofferings. And all the oxen of the peaceofferings were twenty four the rams sixty the goats sixty and lambs of a year old apiece sixty and this was the dedication of the altar, after that it was anointed.

And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of witness to speak with him, he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from of the mercy seat that was upon the ark of witness: even from between the two cherubins he spake unto him.

The 8th Chapter

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: speak unto Aaron and say unto him: when thou puttest on the lamps see that they light all seven upon the forefront of the candlestick. And Aaron did even so, and put the lamps upon the forefront of the candlestick, as the Lord commanded Moses, and the work of the candlestick was of stiff gold: both the shaft and the flowers thereof. And according unto the vision which the Lord had shewed Moses even so he made the candlestick.

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. And this do unto them when thou cleansest them, sprinkle water of purifying upon them and make a razor to run along upon all the flesh of them, and let them wash their clothes, and then they shall be clean. And let them take a bullock and his meatoffering, fine flour mingled with oil: and another bullock shalt thou take to be a sinoffering.

Then bring the Levites before the tabernacle of witness and gather the whole multitude of the children of Israel together. And bring the Levites before the Lord, and let the children of Israel put their hands upon the Levites. And let Aaron heave the Levites before the Lord, for an heaveoffering given of the children of Israel, and then let them be appointed to wait upon the service of the Lord.

And let the Levites put their hands upon the heads of the bullocks, and then offer them: the one for a sinoffering and the other for a brurntoffering unto the Lord, to make an atonement for the Levites. And make the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons, and have them to be a heaveoffering unto the Lord. And thou shalt separate the Levites from among the children of Israel, that they be mine: and after that let them go and do the service of the tabernacle of witness.

Cleanse them and wave them, for they are given unto me from among the children of Israel for I have taken them unto me for all the first born that open any matrice among the children of Israel.

For all the first born among the children of Israel are mine both man and beast: because the same time that I smote the first born in the land of Egypt, I sanctified them for myself: and I have taken the Levites for all the first born among the children of Israel, and have given them unto Aaron and his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of witness and to make an atonement for the children of Israel, that there be no plague among the children of Israel, if they come nigh unto the sanctuary.

And Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel did unto the Levites according unto all that the Lord commanded Moses. And the Levites purified themselves, and washed their clothes. And Aaron waved them before the Lord, and made an atonement for them to cleanse them. And after that they went in to do their service in the tabernacle of witness, before Aaron and his sons. And according as the Lord had commanded Moses as concerning the Levites, even so they did unto them.

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: this shall be the manner of the Levites: from twenty five years upward they shall go in to wait upon the service in the tabernacle of witness, and at fifty they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall labor no more: but shall minister unto their brethren in the tabernacle of witness, and there wait, but shall do no more service. And see that thou do after this manner unto the Levites in their waiting times.

The 9th Chapter

And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they: were come out of the land of Egypt saying: let the children of Israel offer Passover in his season: even the fourteenth day of this month at even they shall keep it in his season, according to all the ordinances and manners thereof. And Moses bade the children of Israel that they should offer Passover, and they offered Passover the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: and did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses.

And it chanced that certain men which were defiled with a dead corpse that they might not offer Passover the same day, came before Moses and Aaron the same time, and said: we are defiled upon a dead corpse, wherefore are we kept back that we may not offer an offering unto the Lord in the due season, among the children of Israel? And Moses said unto them: tarry, that I may hear what the Lord will command you. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: speak unto the children of Israel and say: If any man among you or your children after you be unclean by the reason of a corpse or is in the way far off, then let him offer Passover unto the Lord: the fourteenth day of the second month at even, and eat it with sweet bread and sour herbs, and let them leave none of it unto the morning nor break any bone of it. And according to all the ordinance of the Passover let them offer it.

But if a man be clean and not let in a journey, and yet was negligent to offer Passover, the same soul shall perish from his people, because he brought not an offering unto the Lord in his due season: and he shall bear his sin. And when a stranger dwelleth among you and will offer Passover unto the Lord according to the ordinance of Passover and manner thereof shall he offer it. And ye shall have one law both for the stranger and for him that was born at home in the land. And the same day that the habitation was reared up, a cloud covered it on high upon the tabernacle of witness: and at even there was upon the habitation, as it were the similitude of fire until the morning. And so it was always, that the cloud covered it by day, and the similitude of fire by night. And when the cloud was taken up from of the tabernacle, then the children of Israel journeyed: and where the cloud abode there the children of Israel pitched their tents. At the mouth of the Lord the children of Israel journeyed, and at the mouth of the Lord they pitched. And as long as the cloud abode upon the habitation, they lay still, and when the cloud tarried still upon the habitation long time, the children of Israel waited upon the Lord and journeyed not.

If it chanced that the cloud abode any space of time upon the habitation, then they kept their tents at the mouth of the Lord: and they journeyed also at the commandment of the Lord. And if it happened that the cloud was upon the habitation from evening unto morning and was taken up in the morning then they journeyed. Whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed. But when the cloud tarried two days or a month or a long season upon the habitation, as long as it tarried theron, the children of Israel kept their tents and journeyed not. And as soon as the cloud was taken up, they journeyed. At the mouth of the Lord they rested, and at the commandment of the Lord they journeyed. And thus they kept the watch of the Lord, at the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

The 10th Chapter

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: Make thee two trumpets of beaten silver, that thou mayst use them to call the congregation together, and when the host shall journey. When they blow with them, all the multitude shall resort to thee, unto the door of the tabernacle of witness. If but one trumpet blow only, then the princes which are heads over the thousands of Israel shall come unto thee. And when ye trump the first time, the hosts that lie on the east parts shall go forward.

And when ye trump the second time, then the hosts that lie on the south side shall take their journey: for they shall trump when they take their journeys. And in gathering the congregation together, ye shall blow and not trump. And the sons of Aaron the priests shall blow the trumpets and shall have them and it shall be a law unto you for ever and among your children after you.

And when ye shall go to war in your land against your enemies that vex you, ye shall trump with the trumpets and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God and saved from your enemies. Also when ye be merry in your feast days and in the first days of your months, ye shall blow the trumpets over your burnt sacrifices and peaceofferings, that it may be a remembrance of you before your God. I am the Lord your God.

And it came to pass the twentieth day of the second month in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the habitation of witness. And the children of Israel took their journey out of the desert of Sinai, and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Pharan. And the first took their journey at the mouth of the Lord, by the hand of Moses: even the standard of the host of Juda removed first with their armies, whose captain was Nahason the son of Aminadab. And over the host of the tribe of the children of Isachar, was Nathanael the son of Zuar. And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zabulon, was Eliab the son of Helon. And the habitation was taken down: and the sons of Gerson and Merari went forth bearing the habitation.

Then the standard of the host of Ruben went forth with their armies, whose captain was Elizur the son of Sedeur. And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon, was Salamiel the son of Zuri saddai. And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deguel. Then the Cahathites went forward and bare the holy things, and the other did set up the habitation against they came.

Then the standard of the host of the children of Ephraim went forth with their armies, whose captain was Elisama the son of Amiud. And over the host of the tribe of the sons of Manasse, was Gamaliel the son of Pedazur. And over the host of the tribe of the sons of BenJamin, was Abidan the son of Gedeoni.

And hindmost of all the host came the standard of the host of the children of Dan with their armies: whose captain was, Ahiezar the son of Ammi Saddai. And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asser, was Pagiel the son of Ochran. And over the host of the tribe of the children of Nephthali, was Ahira the son of Enan, of this manner were the journeys of the children of Israel, with their armies when they removed.

And Moses said unto Hobab the son of Raguel the Madianite, Moses father in law: we go unto the place of which the Lord said I will give it you. Go with us and we will do thee good, for the Lord hath promised good unto Israel. And he said unto him: I will not: but will go to mine own land and to my kindred. And Moses said, Oh nay, leave us not, for thou knowest where is best for us to pitch in the wilderness: and thou shalt be our eyes. And if thou go with us, look what goodness the Lord sheweth upon us, the same we will shew upon thee.

And they departed from the mount of the Lord three days journey, and the ark of the testament of the Lord went before them in the three days journey to search out a resting place for them. And the cloud of the Lord was over them by day, when they went out of the tents.

And when the ark went forth, Moses said: Rise up Lord and let thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate thee flee before thee. And when the ark rested, he said: return Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel.

The 11th Chapter

And the people complained and it displeased the ears of the Lord. And when the Lord heard it he was wroth, and the fire of the Lord burnt among them and consumed the uttermost of the host. And the people cried unto Moses, and he made intercession unto the Lord and the fire quenched. And they called the name of the place Tabera because the fire of the Lord burnt among them.

And the rascal people that was among them fell a lusting. And the children of Israel also went to and wept and said: who shall give us flesh to eat? we remember the fish which we should eat in Egypt for nought, and of the Cucumbers and melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now our souls are dried away, for our eyes look on nothing else, save upon Manna.

The Manna was as it had been coriander seed, and to see to like Bedellion. And the people went about and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in mortars and baked it in pans and made cakes of it. And the taste of it was like unto the taste of an oilcake. And when the dew fell about the host in the night, the manna fell therewith.

And when Moses heard the people weep in their households every man in the door of his tent, then the wrath of the Lord waxed hot exceedingly: and it grieved Moses also. And Moses said unto the Lord: wherefore dealest thou so cruelly with thy servant? wherefore do I not find favour in thy sight, seeing that thou puttest the weight of this people upon me? have I conceived all this people, or have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, carry them in thy bosom (as a nurse beareth the sucking child) unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? where should I have flesh to give unto all this people? For they weep unto me saying: give us flesh that we may eat. I am not able to bear all this people alone, for it is too heavy for me. Wherefore if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thy sight and let me not see my wretchedness.

And the Lord said unto Moses: gather unto me seventy of the elders of Israel, which thou knowest that they are the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them unto the tabernacle of witness, and let them stand there with thee. And I will come down and talk with thee there, and take of the spirit which is upon thee and put upon them, and they shall bear with thee in the burden of the people, and so shalt thou not bear alone.

And say unto the people: hallow yourselves against tomorrow, that ye may eat flesh, for ye have whined in the ears of the Lord saying: who shall give us flesh to eat, for we were happy when we were in Egypt? therefore the Lord will give you flesh, and ye shall eat: Ye shall not eat one day only either two or five days, either ten or twenty days: but even a month long, and until it come out at the nostrils of you, that ye be ready to parbreak (vomit): because that ye have cast the Lord aside which is among you, and have wept before him saying: why came we out of Egypt.

And Moses said: six hundred thousand footmen are there of the people, among which I am. And thou hast said: I will give them flesh and they shall eat a month long. Shall the sheep and the oxen be slain for them to find them, either shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together to serve them? And the Lord said unto Moses: is the Lords hand waxed short? Thou shalt see whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.

And Moses went out and told the people the saying of the Lord, and gathered the seventy elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle. And the Lord came down in a cloud and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and put it upon the seventy elders. And as the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied and did nought else. But there remained two of the men in the host: the one called Eldad, and the other Medad. And the spirit rested upon them for they were of them that were written, but they went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the host.

And there ran a young man and told Moses and said: Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the host. And Josua the son of Nun the servant of Moses which he had chosen out, answered and said: master Moses, forbid them. And Moses said unto him: enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lords people could prophesy, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them. And then both Moses and the elders of Israel, gat them into the host.

And there went forth a wind from the Lord and brought quails from the sea and let them fall about the host, even a days journey round about on every side of the host, and two cubits high upon the earth. And the people stood up all that night and on the morrow, and gathered quails. And he that gathered the least, gathered ten homers full. And they killed them round about the host. And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, before it was chewed up, the wrath of the Lord waxed hot upon the people, and the Lord slew of the people an exceeding mighty slaughter. And they called the name of the place, *kibrath hathavah: because they buried the people that lusted there.

And the people took their journey from kibrath hathavah, unto hazeroth, and bode at hazeroth. *kibrath hathavah: the graves of lust

The 12th Chapter

And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses, because of his wife of Inde which he had taken: for he had taken to wife one of India. And they said: doth the Lord speak only through Moses? doth he not speak also by us? And the Lord heard it. But Moses was a very meek man above all the men of the earth. And the Lord spake at once unto Moses unto Aaron and Miriam: come out ye three unto the tabernacle of witness: and they came out all three.

And the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle and called Aaron and Miriam. And they went out both of them. And he said: hear my words. If there be a prophet of the Lords among you, I will show myself unto him in a vision and will speak unto him in a dream: But my servant Moses is not so, which is faithful in all mine house. Unto him I speak mouth to mouth and he seeth the sight and the fashion of the Lord, and not through riddles. Wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

And the Lord was angry with them and went his way, and the cloud departed from the tabernacle. And behold, Miriam was become leprous, as it were snow. And when Aaron looked upon Miriam and saw that she was leprous, he said unto Moses: Oh I beseech thee my Lord, put not the sin upon us which we have foolishly committed and sinned. Oh, let her not be as one that came dead out of his mothers womb: for half her flesh is eaten away.

And Moses cried unto the Lord saying: Oh God, heal her. And the Lord said unto Moses: If her father had spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out of the host seven days, and after that let her be received in again. And Miriam was shut out of the host seven days: and the people removed not, till she was brought in again. And afterward they removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Pharan.

The 13th Chapter

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: Send men out to search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers a man and let them all be such as are rulers among them. And Moses at the commandment of the Lord sent forth out of the wilderness of Pharan: such men as were all heads among the children of Israel, whose names are these.

In the tribe of Ruben, Sammua the son of Zacur: In the tribe of Simeon, Saphat the son of Hori. In the tribe of Juda, Caleph the son of Jephune. In the tribe of Isachar, Igeal the son of Joseph. In the tribe of Ephraim, Hosea the son of Nun. In the tribe of BenJamin, Palti the son of Raphu. In the tribe of Zabulon, Gadiel the son of Sodi. In the tribe of Joseph: that was of Manasse, Gaddi the son of Susi. In the tribe of Dan, Amiel the son of Gemali. In the tribe of Asser, Sethur the son of Micheel. In the tribe Nephtali, Nahebi the son of Uaphsi. In the tribe of Gad, Guel the son of Machi. These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called the name of Hosea the son of Nun, Josua.

And Moses sent them forth to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them: get you southward and go up into the high country, and see the land what manner thing it is and the people that dwelleth therein: whether they be strong or weak, either few or many, and what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad, and what manner of cities they dwell in: whether they dwell in tents or walled towns, and what manner of land it is: whether it be fat or lean, and whether there be trees therein or not. And be of a good courage, and bring of the fruits of the land. And it was about the time that grapes are first ripe.

And they went up and searched out the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob as men go to Hemath, and they ascended unto the south and came unto Hebron, where Ahiman was and Sefai and Thalmani the sons of Enack. Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt. And they came unto the river of Escol and they cut down there a branch with one cluster of grapes and bare it upon a staff between twain, and also of the pomegranates and of the figs of the place. The river was called Jrehel Escol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down there.

And they turned back again from searching the land, at forty days end. And they went and came to Moses and Aaron and unto all the multitude of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Pharan: even unto Cades, and brought them word and also unto all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. And they told him saying: we came unto the land whither thou sendedst us, and surely it is a land that floweth with milk and honey and here is of the fruit of it. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled and exceeding great, and moreover we saw the children of Enack there.

The Amaleks dwell in the south country, and the Hethites, Jebusites and the Amorites dwell in the mountains, and the Cananites dwell by the sea and along by the coast of Jordan.

And Caleb stilled the murmur of the people against Moses saying: let us go up and conquer it, for we be able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him, said: We be not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we: And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched, unto the children of Israel saying: The land which we have gone through to search it out, is *a land that eateth up the inhabiters thereof, and the people that we saw in it are men of stature. And there we saw also giants, the children of Enack which are of the giants. And we seemed in our sight as it were grasshoppers and so we did in their sight. *a land that eateth up the inhabiters thereof.. MN eateth up, that is suffereth them not to live, but with battle and violence of giants continueth them.

The 14th Chapter

And the multitude cried out, and the people wept throughout that night, and all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron. And the whole congregation said unto them: would God that we had died in the land of Egypt, either we would that we had died in this wilderness. Wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land to fall upon the sword, that both our wives, and also our children should be a prey? is it not better that we return unto Egypt again? And they said one to another: let us make a captain and return unto Egypt again.

And Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the congregation of the multitude of the children of Israel. And Josua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephune which were of them that searched the land rent their clothes and spake unto all the company of the children of Israel saying: The land which we walked through to search it, is a very good land. If the Lord have lust to us, he will bring us into this land and give it us, which is a land that floweth with milk and honey. But in any wise rebel not against the Lord. Moreover fear ye not the people of the land, for they are but bread for us. Their shield is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not therefore.

And all the whole multitude bade stone them with stones. But the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of witness, unto all the children of Israel. And the Lord said unto Moses: How long shall this people rail upon me, and how long will it be, before they believe me, for all my signs which I have shewed among them? I will smite them with the pestilence and destroy them, and will make of thee a greater nation and a mightier than they.

And Moses said unto the Lord: then the Egyptians shall hear it, for thou broughtest this people with thy might from among them. And it will be told to the inhabiters of this land also, for they have heard likewise, that thou the Lord art among this people, and that thou art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them and that thou goest before them by day time in a pillar of cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night. If thou shalt kill all this people as they were but one man then the nations which have heard the fame of thee, will speak saying: because the Lord was not able to bring in this people into the land which he swore unto them, therefore he slew them in the wilderness.

So now let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken saying: the Lord is long before he be angry, and full of mercy, and suffereth sin and trespass, and leaveth no man innocent, and visiteth the unrighteousness of the fathers upon the children, even upon the third and fourth generation, be merciful I beseech ye therefore, unto the sin of this people according unto thy great mercy, and according as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt even unto this place.

And the Lord said: I have forgiven it, according to thy request. But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with my glory. For of all those men which have seen my glory and my miracles which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have tempted me now this ten times and have not hearkened unto my voice, there shall not one see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that railed upon me, see it. But my servant Caleb, because there is another manner spirit with him, and because he hath followed me unto utmost: him I will bring into the land which he hath walked in, and his seed shall conquer it, and also the Amalekites and Cananites which dwell in the low countries. Tomorrow turn you and get you into the wilderness: even the way toward the red sea.

And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron saying: how long shall this evil multitude murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel which they murmur against me. Tell them, that the Lord sayeth: As truly as I live, I will do unto you even as ye have spoken in mine ears. Your carcasses shall lie in this wilderness, neither shall any of these numbers which were numbered from twenty years and above of you which have murmured against me come in to the land over which I lifted mine hand to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephune, and Josua the son of Nun.

And your children which ye said should be a prey, them I will bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have refused, and your carcases shall lie in this wilderness. And your children shall wander in this wilderness forty years and suffer for your whoredom until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness, after the number of the days in which ye searched out the land forty days, and every day a year: so that they shall bear your unrighteousness forty years, and ye shall feel my vengeance I the Lord have said that I will do it unto all this evil congregation that are gathered together against me: even in this wilderness ye shall be consumed, and here ye shall die.

And the men which Moses sent to search the land, and which (when they came again) made all the people to murmur against it in that they brought up a sclander (scandal/slander) upon the land: died for their bringing up that evil slander upon it, and were plagued before the Lord. But Josua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephune which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still. And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel, and the people took great sorrow.

And they rose up early in the morning and gat them up into the top of the mountain saying: lo we be here, and will go up unto the place of which the Lord said, for we have sinned. And Moses said: wherefore will ye go on this manner beyond the word of the Lord? it will not come well to pass: go not up for the Lord is not among you that ye be not slain before your enemies. For the Amalekites and the Cananites are there before you, and ye will fall upon the sword: because ye are turned away from the Lord, and therefore the Lord will not be with you.

But they were blinded to go up into the hilltop: Never the later, the ark of the testament of the Lord and Moses departed not out of the host. Then the Amalekites and the Cananites which dwelt in that hill, came down and smote them and hewed them: even unto Horma.

The 15th Chapter

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them: when ye be come into the land of your habitation which I give unto you, and will offer an offering upon the fire unto the Lord, whether it be a brurntoffering or a special vow or freewill offering or if it be in your principal feasts to make a sweet savour unto the Lord, of the oxen or of the flock.

Then, let him that offereth his offering unto the Lord, bring also a meatoffering of a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of oil, and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drinkoffering and offer with the brurntoffering or any other offering when it is a lamb. And unto a ram thou shalt offer a meatoffering of two tenth deals of flour, mingled with the third part of an hin of oil, and to a drinkoffering thou shalt offer the third part of an hin of wine, to be a sweet savour unto the Lord.

When thou offerest an ox to a brurntoffering or in any special vow or peaceoffering unto the Lord, then thou shalt bring unto an ox, a meatoffering of three tenth deals of flour mingled with half an hin of oil. And thou shalt bring for a drinkoffering half an hin of wine, that is an offering of a sweet savour unto the Lord. This is the manner that shall be done unto one ox, one ram, a lamb or a kid. And according to the number of such offerings, thou shalt increase the meatofferings and the drinkofferings.

All that are of yourselves shall do these things after this manner, when he offereth an offering of sweet savour unto the Lord. And if there be a stranger with you or be among you in your generations, and will offer an offering of a sweet savour unto the Lord: even as ye do, so he shall do. One ordinance shall serve both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger. And it shall be an ordinance for ever among your children after you, that the stranger and ye shall be like before the Lord. One law and one manner shall serve, both for you and for the stranger that dwelleth with you.

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them: when ye be come in to the land whither I will bring you, then when ye will eat of the bread of the land, ye shall give an heaveoffering unto the Lord. Yee shall give a cake of the first of your dough unto an heave offering: as ye do the heaveoffering of the barn, even so ye shall heave it. Of the first of your dough ye must give unto the Lord an heaveoffering, throughout your generations.

If ye oversee yourselves and observe not all these commandments which the Lord hath spoken unto Moses, and all that the Lord hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the first day forward that the Lord commanded among your generation: when ought is committed ignorantly before the eyes of the congregation, then all the multitude shall offer a calf for a brurntoffering to be a sweet savour unto the Lord, and the meatoffering and the drinkoffering thereto, according to the manner: and an he goat for a sinoffering. And the priest shall make an atonement for all the multitude of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them for it was ignorance. And they shall bring their gifts unto the offering of the Lord, and their sinoffering before the Lord for their ignorance. And it shall be forgiven unto all the multitude of the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that dwelleth among you: for the ignorance pertaineth unto all the people. If any one soul sin through ignorance he shall bring a she goat of a year old for a sinoffering. And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinned ignorantly with the sinoffering before the Lord and reconcile him, and it shall be forgiven him. And both thou that art born one of the children of Israel and the stranger that dwelleth among you shall have both one law, if ye sin through ignorance.

And the soul that doth ought presumptuously, whether he be an Israelite or a stranger, the same hath despised the Lord. And that soul shall be destroyed from among his people, because he hath despised the word of the Lord and hath broken his commandments, that soul therefore shall perish and his sin shall be upon him.

And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks upon the Sabbath day. And they that found him gathering sticks, brought him unto Moses and Aaron and unto all the congregation: and they put him in ward, for it was not declared what should be done unto him. And the Lord said unto Moses: the man shall die: let all the multitude stone him with stones without the host. And all the multitude brought him without the host and stoned him with stones, and he died as the Lord commanded Moses.

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: speak unto the children of Israel and bid them, that they make them guards upon the quarters of their garments throughout their generations, and let them make the guards of ribbons of Jacinth. And the guard shall be unto you to look upon it, that ye remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them: that ye seek not a way after your own hearts and after your own eyes, for to go a whoring after them: but that ye remember and do all my commandments and be holy unto your God, for I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. I am the Lord God.

The 16th Chapter

And Corah the son of Jezehar the son of Cahath the son of Levi and Dathan and Abiram the son of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, the son of Ruben: stood up before Moses, with other of the children of Israel two hundred and fifty, heads of the congregation, and counsellors, and men of fame, and they gathered them selves together against Moses and Aaron and said unto them: ye have done enough. For all the multitude are holy every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why therefore heave ye our selves up above the congregation of the Lord.

When Moses heard it, he fell upon his face and spake unto Corah and unto all his company saying: tomorrow the Lord will show who is his and who is holy, and will take them unto him, and whom so ever he hath chosen, he will cause to come to him. This do: take firepans, thou Corah and all thy company, and do fire therein and put cense thereto before the Lord tomorrow: And then whomsoever the Lord doth chose, the same is holy. Ye make enough to do ye children of Levi.

And Moses said unto Corah: hear ye children of Levi, Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the multitude of Israel to bring you to him, to do the service of the dwelling place of the Lord, and to stand before the people to minister unto them? he hath taken thee to him and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee, and ye seek the office of the priest also. For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord: for what is Aaron, that ye should murmur against him.

And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and they answered: we will not come. Seemeth it a small thing unto thee that thou hast brought us out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness. But that thou shouldest reign over us also? More over thou hast brought us unto no land that floweth with milk and honey, neither hast given us possessions of fields or of vines. Either wilt thou pull out the eyes of these men? we will not come.

And Moses waxed very angry and said unto the Lord: Turn not unto their offerings. I have not taken so much as an ass from them, neither have vexed any of them. Then Moses said unto Corah: Be thou and all thy company before the Lord: both thou they and Aaron tomorrow. And take every man his censer and put cense in them, and come before the Lord every man with his censer: two hundred and fifty censers, and Aaron with his censer. And they took every man his censer and put fire in them and laid cense theron, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of witness, and Moses and Aaron also. And Corah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of witness.

And the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation. And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron saying: separate yourselves from this congregation, that I may consume them at once. And they fell upon their faces and said: O most mighty God of the spirits of all flesh, one man hath sinned, and wilt thou be wroth with all the multitude? And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: speak unto the congregation and say: Get you away from about the dwelling of Corah, Dathan and Abiram. And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. And he spake unto the congregation saying: depart from the tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs: lest ye perish in all their sins. And they gat them from the dwelling of Corah, Dathan and Abiram, on every side. And Dathan and Abiram came out and stood in the door of their tents with their wives, their sons and their children.

And Moses said: Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works, and that I have not done them of mine own mind: If these men die the common death of all men or if they be visited after the visitation of all men, then the Lord hath not sent me. But and if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth and swallow them and all that pertain unto them, so that they go down quick in to hell: then ye shall understand, that these men have railed upon the Lord. And as soon as he had made an end of speaking all these words, the ground clove asunder that was under them, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them and their houses and all the men that were with Corah and all their goods. And they and all that pertained unto them, went down alive unto hell, and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the congregation. And all Israel that were about them, fled at the cry of them. For they said: The earth might happily swallow us also. And there came out a fire from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered cense.

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: Speak unto Eleazer the son of Aaron the priest and let him take up the censers out of the burning and scatter the fire here and there, for the censers of these sinners are hallowed in their deaths: and let them be beaten into thin plates and fastened upon the altar. For they offered them before the Lord, and therefore they are holy and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.

And Eleazar the priest took the brazen censers which they that were burnt had offered, and beat them and fastened them upon the altar, to be a remembrance unto the children of Israel, that no stranger which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer cense before the Lord, that he be not made like unto Corah and his company: as the Lord said unto him by the hand of Moses.

And on the morrow all the multitude of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron saying: ye have killed the people of the Lord. And when the multitude was gathered against Moses and Aaron, they looked toward the tabernacle of witness. And behold, the cloud had covered it and the glory of the Lord appeared. And Moses and Aaron went before the tabernacle of witness. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: Get you from this congregation, that I may consume them quickly. And they fell upon their faces.

And Moses said unto Aaron: take a censer and put fire therein out of the altar, and pour on cense, and go quickly unto the congregation and make an atonement for them. For there is wrath gone out from the Lord, and there is a plague begun. And Aaron took as Moses commanded him, and ran unto the congregation: and behold, the plague was begun among the people, and he put on cense, and made an atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead, and them that were alive, and the plague ceased. And the number of them that died in the plague, were fourteen thousand and seven hundred: beside them that died about the business of Corah. And Aaron went again unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of witness, and the plague ceased.

The 17th Chapter

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: speak unto the children of Israel and take of them, for every principal house a rod, of their princes over the houses of their fathers: even twelve rods, and write every mans name upon his rod. And write Aarons name upon the staff of Levi: for every headman over the houses of their fathers shall have a rod. And put them in the tabernacle of witness where I will meet you. And his rod whom I chose, shall blossom: So I will make cease from me the grudgings of the children of Israel which they grudge against you.

And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and all the princes gave him for every prince over their fathers houses, a rod: even twelve rods, and the rod of Aaron was among the rods. And Moses put the rods before the Lord in the tabernacle of witness. And on the morrow, Moses went into the tabernacle: and behold, the rod of Aaron of the house of Levi was budded and bare blossoms and almonds. And Moses brought out all the staves from before the Lord, unto all the children of Israel, and they looked upon them, and took every man his staff.

And the Lord said unto Moses: bring Aarons rod again before the witness to be kept for a token unto the children of rebellion, that their murmurings may cease from me, that they die not. And Moses did as the Lord commanded him. And the children of Israel spake unto Moses saying: behold, we are destroyed and all come to nought: for whosoever cometh nigh the dwelling of the Lord, dieth. Shall we utterly consume away?

The 18th Chapter

And the Lord said unto Aaron: Thou and thy sons and thy fathers house with thee, shall bear the fault of that which is done amiss in the holy place. And thou and thy sons with thee, shall bear the fault of that which is done amiss in your priesthood. And thy brethren also the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father take with thee, and let them be joined unto thee and minister unto thee. And thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness. And let them wait upon thee and upon all the tabernacle: only let them not come nigh the holy vessels and the altar, that both they and ye also die not. And let them be by thee and wait on the tabernacle of witness, and on all the service of the tabernacle, and let no stranger come nigh unto you.

Wait therefore upon the holy place and upon the altar, that there fall no more wrath upon the children of Israel: behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among children of Israel, to be yours, as gifts given unto the Lord to do the service of the tabernacle of witness. And see that both thou and thy sons with thee take heed unto your priests office, in all things that pertain unto the altar and within the veil. And see that ye serve, for I have given your priests office unto you for a gift to do service: and the stranger that cometh nigh, shall die.

And the Lord spake unto Aaron: behold, I have given thee the keeping of mine heave offerings in all the hallowed things of the children of Israel. And unto thee I have given them unto anointing and to thy sons: to be a duty for ever. This shall be thine of most holy sacrifices: All their gifts, throughout all their meatofferings, sinofferings and trespassofferings which they bring unto me. They shall be most holy unto thee and unto thy sons. And ye shall eat it in the most holy place: all that are males shall eat of it, for it shall be holy unto thee.

And this shall be thine: the heaveoffering of their gifts, throughout all the waveofferings of the children of Israel, for I have given them unto thee and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee, to be a duty for ever: and all that are clean in thy house, shall eat of it, all the fat of the oil, of the wine and of the corn: their first fruits which they give unto the Lord that have I given unto thee. The first fruits of all that is in their lands which they bring unto the Lord, shall be thine: and all that are clean in thine house, shall eat of it.

All dedicate things in Israel, shall be thine. All that breaketh the matrice of all flesh that men bring unto the Lord, both of man and beast, shall be thine. Neverthelater the first born of man shall be redeemed, and the first born of unclean beasts shall be redeemed. And their redemptions shall be at a month old, valued at five sickles of silver, of the holy sickle. A sickle maketh twenty Geras. But the first born of oxen, sheep and goats shall not be redeemed. For they are holy, and thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat to be a sacrifice of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wavebreast and all the right shoulder is thine. All the holy heave offerings which the children of Israel heave unto the Lord, I give thee and thy sons and thy daughters with thee to be a duty for ever. And it shall be a salted covenant for ever, before the Lord: unto thee and to thy seed with thee.

And the Lord spake unto Aaron: thou shalt have none inheritance in their land, nor part among them. For I am thy part and thy inheritance among the children of Israel. And behold I have given the children of Levi, the tenth in Israel to inherit, for the service which they serve in the tabernacle of witness, that the children of Israel henceforth come not nigh the tabernacle of witness, and bear sin and die. And the Levites shall do the service in the tabernacle of witness and bear their sin, and it shall be a law for ever unto your children after you: But among the children of Israel they shall inherit none inheritance. For the tithes of the children of Israel which they heave unto the Lord, I have given the Levites to inherit. Wherefore I have said unto them: Among the children of Israel ye shall inherit none inheritance.

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: speak unto the Levites and say unto them: when ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you of them to your inheritance, ye shall take an heaveoffering of that same for the Lord: even the tenth of that tithe. And it shall be reckoned unto you for your heaveoffering, even as though ye gave corn out of the barn or a full offering from the wine press.

And of this manner ye shall heave an heaveoffering unto the Lord, of all your tithes which ye receive of the children of Israel, and ye shall give there of the Lords heave offering unto Aaron the priest. Of all your gifts, ye shall take out the Lords heaveoffering: even the fat of all their hallowed things.

And thou shalt say unto them: when ye have taken away the fat of it from it, it shall be counted unto the Levites, as the increase of corn and wine. And ye shall eat it in all places both ye and your households, for it is your rewards for your service in the tabernacle of witness. And ye shall bear no sin by the reason of it, when ye have taken from it the fat of it: neither shall ye unhallow the hallowed things of the children of Israel, and so shall ye not die.

The 19th Chapter

And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron saying: this is the ordinance of the law which the Lord commandeth saying: speak unto the children of Israel and let them take thee a red cow without spot wherein is no blemish, and which never bare yoke upon her. And ye shall give her unto Eleazer the priest, and he shall bring her without the host and cause her to be slain before him.

And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood upon his finger, and sprinkle it straight toward the tabernacle of witness seven times. And he shall cause the cow to be burnt in his sight: both skin, flesh and blood, with the dung also. And let the priest take Cedar wood, and Hyssop and purple cloth, and cast it upon the cow as she burneth. And let the priest wash his clothes and bathe his flesh in water, and then come into the host, and the priest shall be unclean unto the evening.

And he that burneth her, shall wash his clothes in water and bathe his flesh also in water, and be unclean until evening. And one that is clean, shall go and take up the ashes of the cow, and put them without the host in a clean place, where they shall be kept to make sprinkling water for the multitude of the children of Israel: for it is a sinoffering. And let him that gathereth the ashes of the cow, wash his clothes, and remain unclean until evening. And this shall be unto the children of Israel and unto the stranger that dwelleth among them, a manner for ever.

He that toucheth any dead person, shall be unclean seven days. And he shall purify himself with the ashes the third day and then he shall be clean the seventh day. And if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day, he shall not be clean. Whosoever toucheth any person that dieth and sprinkleth not himself, defileth the dwelling of the Lord: and therefore that soul shall be rooted out of Israel, because he hath not sprinkled the sprinkling water upon him, he shall be unclean, and his uncleanness shall remain upon him.

This is the law of the man that dieth in a tent: all that come into the tent and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days. And all the vessels that be open which have no lid nor covering upon them, are unclean. And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the fields, or a dead person, or a bone of a dead man, or a grave: shall be unclean seven days.

And they shall take for an unclean person, of the burnt ashes of the sinoffering, and put running water thereto into a vessel. And a clean person shall take Hyssop and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent and upon all the vessels and on the souls that were there, and upon him that touched a bone or a slain person or a dead body or a grave. And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean the third day and the seventh day. And the seventh day he shall purify himself and wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at evening.

If any be unclean and sprinkle not himself, the same soul shall be destroyed from among the congregation: for he hath defiled the holy place of the Lord. And he that sprinkleth the sprinkling water, shall wash his clothes.

And he that toucheth the sprinkling water, shall be unclean until even. And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth, shall be unclean. And the soul that touched it, shall be unclean until the evening.

The 20th Chapter

And the whole multitude of the children of Israel, came into the desert of Sin in the first month, and the people dwelt at Cades. And there died Miriam, and was buried there. Moreover there was no water for the multitude, wherefore they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. And the people *chode with Moses and spake saying: would God that we had perished when our brethren perished before the Lord. Why have ye brought the congregation of the Lord unto this wilderness, that both we and our cattle should die here? Wherefore brought ye us out of Egypt, to bring us into this ungracious place, which is no place of seed nor of figs nor vines nor of pomegranates, neither is there any water to drink! *chode: strive and contend

And Moses and Aaron went from the congregation unto the door of the tabernacle of witness, and fell upon their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared unto them. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying: take the staff, and gather thou and thy brother Aaron the congregation together, and say unto the rock before their eyes, that he give forth his water. And thou shalt bring them water out of the rock and shalt give the company drink, and their beasts also.

And Moses took the staff from before the Lord, as he commanded him And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them: hear ye rebellious, must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand with his staff and smote the rock two times, and the water came out abundantly, and the multitude drank and their beasts also.

And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron: Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

This is the water of strife, because the children of Israel strove with the Lord, and he was sanctified upon them.

And Moses sent messengers from Cades unto the king of Edom. Thus saith thy brother Israel: Thou knowest all the travail that hath happened us, how our fathers went down into Egypt, and how we have dwelt in Egypt a long time, and how the Egyptians vexed both us and our fathers. Then we cried unto the Lord and he heard our voices, and sent an angel and hath fetched us out of Egypt. And behold, we are in Cades, a city hard by the borders of thy country: let us go a good fellowship through thy country: we will not go through the fields nor through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the fountains: but we will go by the highway and neither turn unto the right hand nor to the left, until we be past thy country. And Edom answered him: See thou come not by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword. And the children of Israel said unto him: we will go by the beaten way: and if either we or our cattle drink of thy water, we will pay for it, we will do no more but pass through by foot only. And he said: ye shall not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people and with a mighty power. And thus Edom denied to give Israel passage through his country. And Israel turned away from him.

And the children of Israel removed from Cades and went unto mount Hor with all the congregation. And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, hard upon the coasts of the land of Edom saying: let Aaron be put unto his people, for he shall not come into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel: because ye disobeyed my mouth at the water of strife. Take Aaron and Eleazer his son, and bring them up into mount Hor, and strip Aaron out of his vestments and put them upon Eleazer his son, and let Aaron be put unto his people and die there.

And Moses did as the Lord commanded: and they went up into mount Hor in the sight of all the multitude. And Moses took off Aarons clothes and put them upon Eleazer his son, and Aaron died there in the top of the mount. And Moses and Eleazer came down out of the mount. And all the house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.

The 21st Chapter

And when king Arad the Cananite which dwelt in the south parts, heard tell that Israel came by the way that the spies had found out: he came and fought with Israel and took some of them prisoners. Then Israel vowed a vow unto the Lord and said: If thou wilt give this people into our hands, we will destroy their cities. And the Lord heard the voice of Israel, and delivered them the Cananites. And they destroyed both them and their cities, and called the place Horma.

Then they departed from mount Hor toward the red sea: to compass the land of Edom. And the souls of the people fainted by the way. And the people spake against God and against Moses: wherefore hast thou brought us out of Egypt, for to die in the wilderness, for here is neither bread nor water, and our souls loatheth this light bread.

Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, which stung them: so that much people died in Israel. And the people came to Moses and said: we have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against thee: make intercession to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses made intercession for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses: make thee a serpent and hang it up for a sign, and let as many as are bitten look upon it and they shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass and set it up for a sign. And when the serpents had bitten any man, he went and beheld the serpent of brass and recovered.

And the children of Israel removed and pitched in Oboth. And they departed from Oboth and lay at Egebarim in the wilderness which is before Moab on the east side. And they removed thence, and pitched upon the river of Zarad. And they departed thence and pitched on the other side of Arnon, which river is in the wilderness, and cometh out of the coasts of the Amorites: for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. Wherefore it is spoken in the book of the war of the Lord: go with a violence, both on the river of Arnon and on the rivers head, which shooteth down to dwell at Ar, and leaneth upon the coasts of Moab.

And from thence they came to Bear, ox which is the well whereof the Lord spake unto Moses: gather the people together, that I may give them water. Then Israel sang this song: Arise up well, sing thereto: The well which the rulers digged and the captains of the people with the help of the lawgiver and with their staves.

And from this wilderness they went to Matana, and from Matana to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth, and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the field of Moab in the top of Phasgah which boweth toward Jesimon. And Israel sent messengers unto Sehon, king of the Amorites, saying: let us go through thy land: We will not turn into thy fields nor into thy vineyards, neither drink of the water of the wells: but we will go along by the common way, until we be past thy country. And Sehon would give Israel no license to pass through his country, but gathered all his people together and went out against Israel into the wilderness. And he came to Jaheza and fought with Israel.

And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword and conquered his land, from Arnon unto Jabock: even unto the children of Ammon. For the borders of the children of Ammon, are strong. And Israel took all these cities and dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites: in Hesbon and in all the towns that long thereto. For Hesbon was the city of Sehon the king of the Amorites which Sehon had fought before with the king of the Moabites, and had taken all his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon. Wherefore it is a proverb: go to Hesbon and let the city of Sehon be built and made ready for there is a fire gone out of Hesbon and a flame from the city of Sehon and hath consumed Ar of the Moabites and the men of the hills of Arnon. Woe be to thee Moab: O people of Chamos ye are undone. His sons are put to flight and his daughters brought captive unto Sehon king of the Amorites. Their light is out from Hesbon unto Dibon and we made a wilderness even unto Nopha which reacheth unto Mediba. And thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites. And Moses sent to search out Jaezer, and they took the towns belonging thereto and conquered the Amorites that were there.

And then they turned and went up toward Bason. And Og the king of Bason came out against them, both he and all his people, to war at Edrei. And the Lord said unto Moses: fear him not, for I have delivered him into thy hands with all his people and his land. And thou shalt do with him as thou didst with Sehon the king of the Amorites which dwelt at Hesbon. And they smote him and his sons and all his people, until there was nothing left him. And they conquered his land, and the children of Israel removed and pitched in the fields of Moab, on the other side of Jordan, by Jericho.

The 22nd Chapter

And Balac the son of Ziphor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, and the Moabites were sore afraid of the people, because they were many, and abhorred the children of Israel: And Moab said unto the elders of Madian, now shall this company licked up all that are round about us, as an ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balac the son of Ziphor was king of the Moabites at that time.

And he sent messengers unto Balam the son of Beor, the interpreter which dwelt upon the river of the land of the children of his folk, to call him saying: behold, there is a people come out of Egypt which covereth the face of the earth and lie even hard by me. Come now a fellowship and curse me this people. For they are too mighty for me, so peradventure I might be able to smite them and to drive them out of the land. For I know that whom thou blessest shall be blessed, and whom thou cursest shall be cursed.

And the elders of Moab went with the elders of Madian, and the reward of the soothsaying in their hands. And they came unto Balam and told him the words of Balac. And he said unto them: tarry here all night and I will bring you word, even as the Lord shall say unto me. And the lords of Moab abode with Balam.

And God came unto Balam and said: what men are these which are with thee? And Balam said unto God: Balac the son of Ziphor king of Moab hath sent unto me saying: behold, there is a people come out of Egypt and covereth the face of the earth: come now therefore and curse me them, that so peradventure I may be able to overcome them in battle, and to drive them out. And God said unto Balam: thou shalt not go with them, neither curse the people, for they are blessed.

And Balam rose up in the morning and said unto the lords of Balac: get you unto your land, for the Lord will not suffer (allow) me to go with you. And the lords of Moab rose up and went unto Balac and said, Balam would not come with us. And Balac sent again a greater company of lords and more honorable than they. And they came to Balam and told him: Thus saith Balac the son of Ziphorh: Oh, let nothing let thee to come unto me, for I will greatly promote thee unto great honor, and will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me, come therefore I pray thee, curse me this people.

And Balam answered and said unto the servants of Balac: If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can go no further than the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more. Nevertheless tarry ye here all night: that I may know, what the Lord will say unto me once more. And God came to Balam by night and said unto him: If the men come to fetch thee, rise up and go with them: but what I say unto thee, that only thou shalt do.

And Balam rose up early and saddled his ass and went with the lords of Moab. But God was angry because he went. And the angel of the Lord stood in the way against him. And he rid upon his ass and two servants with him. And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord stand in the way and his sword drawn in his hand, she turned aside out of the way and went out into the field. And Balam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.

And the angel of the Lord went and stood in a path between the vineyards, where was a wall on the one side and another on the other. When the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she wrenched unto the wall and thrust Balams foot unto the wall, and he smote her again. And the angel of the Lord went further and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn, either to the right hand or to the left. And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balam: and Balam was wrath and smote the ass with a staff. And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balam: what have I done unt