The Seven Lamps

1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to Aaron and say to him, When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.” 3 And Aaron did so: he set up its lamps in front of the lampstand, as the Lord commanded Moses. 4 And ⁱthis was the workmanship of the lampstand, hammered work of gold. From its base to its flowers, it was hammered work; according to the pattern that the Lord had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.

Cleansing of the Levites

5 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6 “Take the Levites from among the people of Israel and cleanse them. 7 Thus you shall do to them to cleanse them: sprinkle the ^jwater of purification upon them, and ^klet them go with a razor over all their body, and wash their clothes and cleanse themselves. 8 Then let them take a bull from the herd and ^lits grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, ^mand you shall take another bull from the herd for a sin offering. 9 ⁿAnd you shall bring the Levites before the tent of meeting ^oand assemble the whole congregation of the people of Israel. 10 When you bring the Levites before the Lord, the people of Israel ^pshall lay their hands on the Levites, 11 and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering from the people of Israel, that they may do the service of the Lord. 12 Then the Levites ^qshall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and you shall offer ^rthe one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to the Lord to make atonement for the Levites. 13 And you shall set the Levites before Aaron and his sons, and shall offer them as ^sa wave offering to the Lord.

14 “Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the people of Israel, and ^tthe Levites shall be mine. 15 And after that the Levites shall go in to serve at the tent of meeting, when you have cleansed them and offered them as a ^swave offering. 16 For they are ^uwholly given to me from among the people of Israel. ^vInstead of all who open the womb, the firstborn of all the people of Israel, I have taken them for myself. 17 ^wFor all the firstborn among the people of Israel are mine, both of man and of beast. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them for myself, 18 and I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel. 19 ^uAnd I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the people of Israel, to do the service for the people of Israel at the tent of meeting and ^xto make atonement for the people of Israel, ^ythat there may be no plague among the people of Israel when the people of Israel come near the sanctuary.”

20 Thus did Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the people of Israel to the Levites. According to all that the Lord commanded Moses concerning the Levites, the people of Israel did to them. 21 And ^zthe Levites purified themselves from sin and washed their clothes, and ^aAaron offered them as a wave offering before the Lord, and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them. 22 And after that the Levites went in to do their service in the tent of meeting before Aaron and his sons; as the Lord had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them.

Retirement of the Levites

23 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “This applies to the Levites: ^bfrom twenty-five years old and upward they¹ shall come to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting. 25 And from the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the duty of the service and serve no more. 26 They minister² to their brothers in the tent of meeting ^cby keeping guard, but they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties.”

The Passover Celebrated

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, ^din the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2 “Let the people of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time. 3 ^eOn the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you shall keep it at its appointed time; according to all its statutes and all its rules you shall keep it.” 4 So Moses told the people of Israel that they should keep the Passover. 5 And they kept the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, in the wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the people of Israel did. 6 And there were certain men who were ^funclean through touching a dead body, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day, and ^gthey came before Moses and Aaron on that day. 7 And those men said to him, “We are unclean through touching a dead body. Why are we kept from bringing the Lord’s ^hoffering at its appointed time among the people of Israel?” 8 And Moses said to them, “Wait, that ⁱI may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.”

9 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If any one of you or of your descendants is unclean through touching a dead body, or is on a long journey, he shall still keep the Passover to the Lord. 11 ^jIn the second month on the fourteenth day at twilight they shall keep it. ^kThey shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12 ^lThey shall leave none of it until the morning, ^mnor break any of its bones; ⁿaccording to all the statute for the Passover they shall keep it. 13 But if anyone who is clean and is not on a journey fails to keep the Passover, ^othat person shall be cut off from his people because he did not bring the Lord’s ^poffering at its appointed time; that man shall bear his sin. 14 And if a stranger sojourns among you and would keep the Passover to the Lord, according to the statute of the Passover and according to its rule, so shall he do. ^qYou shall have one statute, both for the sojourner and for the native.”

The Cloud Covering the Tabernacle

15 ^rOn the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony. And ^sat evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning. 16 So it was always: the cloud covered it by day³ and the appearance of fire by night. 17 And whenever the cloud ^tlifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped. 18 At the command of the Lord the people of Israel set out, and at the command of the Lord they camped. ^uAs long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. 19 Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days, the people of Israel ^vkept the charge of the Lord and did not set out. 20 Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle, and according to the command of the Lord they remained in camp; then according to the command of the Lord they set out. 21 And sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning. And when the cloud lifted in the morning, they set out, or if it continued for a day and a night, when the cloud lifted they set out. 22 Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, abiding there, the people of Israel ^wremained in camp and did not set out, but when it lifted they set out. 23 At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord they set out. ^vThey kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by Moses.

The Silver Trumpets

1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Make two silver trumpets. Of hammered work you shall make them, and you shall use them for ^xsummoning the congregation and for breaking camp. 3 And when ^yboth are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 4 But if they blow only one, then ^zthe chiefs, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. 5 When you blow an alarm, ^athe camps that are on the east side shall set out. 6 And when you blow an alarm the second time, ^bthe camps that are on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out. 7 But when the assembly is to be gathered together, ^cyou shall blow a long blast, but you shall not ^dsound an alarm. 8 ^eAnd the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. The trumpets shall be to you for a perpetual statute throughout your generations. 9 And ^fwhen you go to war in your land against the adversary who ^goppresses you, then you shall ^dsound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be ^hremembered before the Lord your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies. 10 ⁱOn the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts and ^jat the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings. They shall be ^ka reminder of you before your God: I am the Lord your God.”

Israel Leaves Sinai

11 In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, ^lthe cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony, 12 and the people of Israel ^mset out by stages from the ⁿwilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the ^owilderness of Paran. 13 They set out for the first time ^pat the command of the Lord by Moses. 14 The standard of the camp of the people of Judah set out ^qfirst by their companies, and over their company was ^rNahshon the son of Amminadab. 15 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar. 16 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.

17 And when ^sthe tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, ^twho carried the tabernacle, set out. 18 And ^uthe standard of the camp of Reuben set out by their companies, and over their company was ^vElizur the son of Shedeur. 19 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Simeon was ^wShelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Gad was ^xEliasaph the son of ^yDeuel.

21 Then the Kohathites set out, ^zcarrying the holy things, and ^athe tabernacle was set up before their arrival. 22 And ^bthe standard of the camp of the people of Ephraim set out by their companies, and over their company was ^cElishama the son of Ammihud. 23 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Manasseh was ^cGamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Benjamin was ^dAbidan the son of Gideoni.

25 Then ^ethe standard of the camp of the people of Dan, acting as the ^frear guard of all the camps, set out by their companies, and over their company was ^gAhiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Asher was ^hPagiel the son of Ochran. 27 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Naphtali was ⁱAhira the son of Enan. 28 ^jThis was the order of march of the people of Israel by their companies, when they set out.

29 And Moses said to Hobab the son of ^kReuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which the Lord said, ^l‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will do good to you, for ^mthe Lord has promised good to Israel.” 30 But he said to him, “I will not go. I will depart to my own land and to my kindred.” 31 And he said, “Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve ⁿas eyes for us. 32 And if you do go with us, ^owhatever good the Lord will do to us, the same will we do to you.”

33 So they set out from ^pthe mount of the Lord three days’ journey. And the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them three days’ journey, to seek out ^qa resting place for them. 34 ^rAnd the cloud of the Lord was over them by day, whenever they set out from the camp.

35 And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, ^s“Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.” 36 And when it rested, he said, “Return, O Lord, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.”

The People Complain

1 And ^tthe people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, ^uhis anger was kindled, and ^vthe fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. 2 Then ^wthe people cried out to Moses, ^xand Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down. 3 So the name of that place was called ^yTaberah,⁴ because the fire of the Lord burned among them.

4 Now the ^zrabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also ^awept again and said, ^b“Oh that we had meat to eat! 5 ^cWe remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. 6 But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”

7 Now ^dthe manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. 8 ^eThe people went about and gathered it and ground it in handmills or beat it in mortars and boiled it in pots and made cakes of it. ^fAnd the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil. 9 ^gWhen the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell with it.

10 Moses heard the people ^hweeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the Lord blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. 11 ⁱMoses said to the Lord, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? 12 Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, ^j‘Carry them in your bosom, as a ^knurse carries a nursing child,’ to the land ^lthat you swore to give their fathers? 13 ^mWhere am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ 14 ⁿI am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.”

Elders Appointed to Aid Moses

16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me ^oseventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and ^pofficers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. 17 ^qAnd I will come down and talk with you there. And ^rI will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and ^sthey shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone. 18 And say to the people, ^t‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? ^uFor it was better for us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. 19 You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, 20 but a whole month, ^vuntil it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the Lord who is among you and have wept before him, saying, ^w“Why did we come out of Egypt?”’” 21 But Moses said, ^x“The people among whom I am number six hundred thousand on foot, and you have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat a whole month!’ 22 ^yShall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, and be enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, and be enough for them?” 23 And the Lord said to Moses, ^z“Is the Lord’s hand shortened? Now you shall see whether ^amy word will come true for you or not.”

24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. ^bAnd he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent. 25 Then ^cthe Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.

26 Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they ^dhad not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 And ^eJoshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, ^fstop them.” 29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? ^gWould that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” 30 And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

Quail and a Plague

31 Then a ^hwind from the Lord sprang up, and it brought quail from the sea and let them fall beside the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and a day’s journey on the other side, around the camp, and about two cubits⁵ above the ground. 32 And the people rose all that day and all night and all the next day, and gathered the quail. Those who gathered least gathered ten ⁱhomers.⁶ And they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. 33 ^jWhile the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and ^kthe Lord struck down the people with a very great plague. 34 Therefore the name of that place was called ^lKibroth-hattaavah,⁷ because there they buried the people who had the craving. 35 ^mFrom Kibroth-hattaavah the people journeyed to ⁿHazeroth, and they remained at ⁿHazeroth.

Greeting

1 Paul, ^aan apostle of Christ Jesus ^bby the will of God, and Timothy ^cour brother,

2 To the ^dsaints and faithful brothers¹ in Christ at Colossae:

^eGrace to you and peace from God our Father.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

3 ^fWe always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of ^gyour faith in Christ Jesus and of ^gthe love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of ^hthe hope ⁱlaid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in ^jthe word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed ^kin the whole world it is ^lbearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you ^mheard it and understood ⁿthe grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from ^oEpaphras our beloved ^pfellow servant.² He is ^pa faithful minister of Christ on your³ behalf 8 and has made known to us your ^qlove in the Spirit.