Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

1 (iii)Adonaisaid to Moshe,

2 “Order the people of Isra’el to expel from the camp everyone withtzara‘at, everyone with a discharge and whoever is unclean because of touching a corpse.

3 Both male and female you must expel; put them outside the camp; so that they won’t defile their camp, where I live among you.”

4 The people of Isra’el did this and put them outside the camp — the people of Isra’el did whatAdonaihad said to Moshe.

5 Adonaisaid to Moshe,

6 “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘When a man or woman commits any kind of sin against another person and thus breaks faith withAdonai, he incurs guilt.

7 He must confess the sin which he has committed; and he must make full restitution for his guilt, add twenty percent and give it to the victim of his sin.

8 But if the person has no relative to whom restitution can be made for the guilt, then what is given in restitution for guilt will belong toAdonai, that is, to thecohen —in addition to the ram of atonement through which atonement is made for him.

9 “‘Every contribution which the people of Isra’el consecrate and present to thecohenwill belong to him.

10 Anything an individual consecrates will be his own [to allocate among thecohanim], but what a person gives to thecohenwill belong to him.’”

(A: iv)

11 Adonaisaid to Moshe,

12 “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘If a man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him;

13 that is, if another man goes to bed with her without her husband’s knowledge, so that she becomes impure secretly, and there is no witness against her, and she was not caught in the act;

14 then, if a spirit of jealousy comes over him, and he is jealous of his wife, and she has become impure — or, for that matter, if the spirit of jealousy comes over him, and he is jealous of his wife, and she has not become impure —

15 he is to bring his wife to thecohen, along with the offering for her, two quarts of barley flour on which he has not poured olive oil or put frankincense, because it is a grain offering for jealousy, a grain offering for remembering, for recalling guilt to mind.

16 Thecohenwill bring her forward and place her beforeAdonai.

17 Thecohenwill put holy water in a clay pot, and then thecohenwill take some of the dust on the floor of the tabernacle and put it in the water.

18 Thecohenwill place the woman beforeAdonai, unbind the woman’s hair and put the grain offering for remembering in her hands, the grain offering for jealousy; while thecohenhas in his hand the water of embitterment and cursing.

19 Thecohenwill make her swear by saying to her, “If no man has gone to bed with you, if you have not gone astray to make yourself unclean while under your husband’s authority, then be free from this water of embitterment and cursing.

20 But if you have in fact gone astray while under your husband’s authority and become unclean, because some man other than your husband has gone to bed with you . . .”

21 then thecohenis to make the woman swear with an oath that includes a curse; thecohenwill say to the woman, “. . .mayAdonaimake you an object of cursing and condemnation among your people by making your private parts shrivel and your abdomen swell up!

22 May this water that causes the curse go into your inner parts and make your abdomen swell and your private parts shrivel up!” — and the woman is to respond, “Amen!Amen!”

23 Thecohenis to write these curses on a scroll, wash them off into the water of embitterment

24 and make the woman drink the water of embitterment and cursing — the water of cursing will enter her and become bitter.

25 Then thecohenis to remove the grain offering for jealousy from the woman’s hand, wave the grain offering beforeAdonaiand bring it to the altar.

26 Thecohenis to take a handful of the grain offering as its reminder portion and make it go up in smoke on the altar; afterwards, he is to make the woman drink the water.

27 When he has made her drink the water, then, if she is unclean and has been unfaithful to her husband, the water that causes the curse will enter her and become bitter, so that her abdomen swells and her private parts shrivel up; and the woman will become an object of cursing among her people.

28 But if the woman is not unclean but clean, then she will be innocent and will have children.

29 This is the law for jealousy: when either a wife under her husband’s authority goes astray and becomes unclean,

30 or the spirit of jealousy comes over a husband and he becomes jealous of his wife, then he is to place the woman beforeAdonai, and thecohenis to deal with her in accordance with all of this law.

31 The husband will be clear of guilt, but the wife will bear the consequences of her guilt.’”

1 Adonaisaid to Moshe,

2 “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘When either a man or a woman makes a special kind of vow, the vow of anazir, consecrating himself toAdonai;

3 he is to abstain from wine and other intoxicating liquor, he is not to drink vinegar from either source, he is not to drink grape juice, and he is not to eat grapes or raisins.

4 As long as he remains anazirhe is to eat nothing derived from the grapevine, not even the grape-skins or the seeds.

5 “‘Throughout the period of his vow as anazir, he is not to shave his head. Until the end of the time for which he has consecrated himself toAdonaihe is to be holy: he is to let the hair on his head grow long.

6 “‘Throughout the period for which he has consecrated himself toAdonai, he is not to approach a corpse.

7 He is not to make himself unclean for his father, mother, brother or sister when they die, since his consecration to God is on his head.

8 Throughout the time of his being anazirhe is holy forAdonai.

9 “‘If someone next to him dies very suddenly, so that he defiles his consecrated head, then he is to shave his head on the day of his purification; he is to shave it on the seventh day.

10 On the eighth day he is to bring two doves or two young pigeons to thecohenat the entrance to the tent of meeting.

11 Thecohenis to prepare one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering and thus make atonement for him, inasmuch as he sinned because of the dead person. That same day he is to re-consecrate his head;

12 he is to consecrate toAdonaithe full period of his being anazirby bringing a male lamb in its first year as a guilt offering. The previous days will not be counted, because his consecration became defiled.

13 “‘This is the law for thenazirwhen his period of consecration is over: he is to be brought to the entrance of the tent of meeting,

14 where he will present his offering toAdonai— one male lamb in its first year without defect as a burnt offering, one female lamb in its first year without defect as a sin offering, one ram without defect as peace offerings,

15 a basket ofmatzah, loaves made of fine flour mixed with olive oil, unleavened wafers spread with olive oil, their grain offering and their drink offerings.

16 Thecohenis to bring them beforeAdonai, offer his sin offering, his burnt offering,

17 and his ram as a sacrifice of peace offerings toAdonai, with the basket ofmatzah. Thecohenwill also offer the grain offering and drink offering that go with the peace offering.

18 Thenazirwill shave his consecrated head at the entrance to the tent of meeting, take the hair removed from his consecrated head and put it on the fire under the sacrifice of peace offerings.

19 When the ram has been boiled, thecohenis to take its shoulder, one loaf ofmatzahfrom the basket and one unleavened wafer, and place them in the hands of thenazir, after he has shaved his consecrated head.

20 Thecohenis to wave them as a wave offering beforeAdonai; this is set aside for thecohen, along with the breast for waving and the raised-up thigh. Following that, thenazirmay drink wine.

21 “‘This is the law for thenazirwho makes a vow and for his offering toAdonaifor his being anazir —in addition to anything more for which he has sufficient means. In keeping with whatever vow he makes, he must do it according to the law for thenazir.’”

22 Adonaisaid to Moshe,

23 “Speak to Aharon and his sons, and tell them that this is how you are to bless the people of Isra’el: you are to say to them,

24 ‘Y’varekh’khaAdonaiv’yishmerekha.

[MayAdonaibless you and keep you.]

25 Ya’erAdonaipanav eleikha vichunekka.

[MayAdonaimake his face shine on you and show you his favor.]

26 YissaAdonaipanav eleikha v’yasem l’kha shalom.

[MayAdonailift up his face toward you and give you peace.]’

27 “In this way they are to put my name on the people of Isra’el, so that I will bless them.”

1 (A: v, S: iv)On the day Moshe finished putting up the tabernacle, he anointed and consecrated it, all its furnishings, and the altar with its utensils. After anointing and consecrating them,

2 the leaders of Isra’el, who were heads of their father’s clans, made an offering. These were the tribal leaders in charge of those counted in the census.

3 They brought their offering beforeAdonai, six covered wagons and twelve oxen — a wagon for every two leaders and for each an ox — and presented them in front of the tabernacle.

4 Adonaisaid to Moshe,

5 “Receive these from them; they are to be used for the service in the tent of meeting. Give them to theL’vi’im, to each as needed for his duties.”

6 So Moshe took the wagons and oxen and gave them to theL’vi’im.

7 He gave two wagons and four oxen to the descendants of Gershon, in keeping with the needs of their duties.

8 Four wagons and eight oxen he gave to the descendants of M’rari, in keeping with the needs of their duties, directed by Itamar the son of Aharon thecohen.

9 But to the descendants of K’hat he gave none, because their duties involved the holy articles, which they carried on their own shoulders.

10 The leaders brought the offering for dedicating the altar on the day it was anointed. The leaders brought their offering before the altar,

11 andAdonaisaid to Moshe, “They are to present their offerings to dedicate the altar, each leader on his own day.”

(S: v)

12 Nachshon the son of ‘Amminadav, from the tribe of Y’hudah, presented his offering on the first day.

13 He offered one silver dish weighing 130shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventyshekels (using the sanctuaryshekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering;

14 one gold pan of tenshekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense;

15 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering,

16 one male goat as a sin offering,

17 and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Nachshon the son of ‘Amminadav.

18 On the second day N’tan’el the son of Tzu‘ar, leader of Yissakhar, presented his offering.

19 He offered one silver dish weighing 130shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventyshekels (using the sanctuaryshekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering;

20 one gold pan of tenshekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense;

21 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering,

22 one male goat as a sin offering,

23 and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of N’tan’el the son of Tzu‘ar.

24 On the third day Eli’av the son of Helon, leader of Z’vulun, presented his offering.

25 He offered one silver dish weighing 130shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventyshekels (using the sanctuaryshekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering;

26 one gold pan of tenshekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense;

27 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering,

28 one male goat as a sin offering,

29 and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Eli’av the son of Helon.

30 On the fourth day was Elitzur the son of Sh’de’ur, leader of the descendants of Re’uven.

31 He offered one silver dish weighing 130shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventyshekels (using the sanctuaryshekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering;

32 one gold pan of tenshekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense;

33 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering,

34 one male goat as a sin offering,

35 and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Elitzur the son of Sh’de’ur.

36 On the fifth day was Shlumi’el the son of Tzurishaddai, leader of the descendants of Shim‘on.

37 He offered one silver dish weighing 130shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventyshekels (using the sanctuaryshekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering;

38 one gold pan of tenshekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense;

39 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering,

40 one male goat as a sin offering,

41 and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Shlumi’el the son of Tzurishaddai.

(vi)

42 On the sixth day was Elyasaf the son of De‘u’el, leader of the descendants of Gad.

43 He offered one silver dish weighing 130shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventyshekels (using the sanctuaryshekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering;

44 one gold pan of tenshekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense;

45 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering,

46 one male goat as a sin offering,

47 and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Elyasaf the son of De‘u’el.

48 On the seventh day was Elishama the son of ‘Ammihud, leader of the descendants of Efrayim.

49 He offered one silver dish weighing 130shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventyshekels (using the sanctuaryshekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering;

50 one gold pan of tenshekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense;

51 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering,

52 one male goat as a sin offering,

53 and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Elishama the son of ‘Ammihud.

54 On the eighth day was Gamli’el the son of P’dahtzur, leader of the descendants of M’nasheh.

55 He offered one silver dish weighing 130shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventyshekels (using the sanctuaryshekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering;

56 one gold pan of tenshekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense;

57 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering,

58 one male goat as a sin offering,

59 and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Gamli’el the son of P’dahtzur.

60 On the ninth day was Avidan the son of Gid‘oni, leader of the descendants of Binyamin.

61 He offered one silver dish weighing 130shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventyshekels (using the sanctuaryshekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering;

62 one gold pan of tenshekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense;

63 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering,

64 one male goat as a sin offering,

65 and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Avidan the son of Gid‘oni.

66 On the tenth day was Achi‘ezer the son of ‘Ammishaddai, leader of the descendants of Dan.

67 He offered one silver dish weighing 130shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventyshekels (using the sanctuaryshekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering;

68 one gold pan of tenshekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense;

69 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering,

70 one male goat as a sin offering,

71 and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Achi‘ezer the son of ‘Ammishaddai.

(vii)

72 On the eleventh day was Pag‘i’el the son of ‘Okhran, leader of the descendants of Asher.

73 He offered one silver dish weighing 130shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventyshekels (using the sanctuaryshekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering;

74 one gold pan of tenshekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense;

75 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering,

76 one male goat as a sin offering,

77 and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Pag‘i’el the son of ‘Okhran.

78 On the twelfth day was Achira the son of ‘Enan, leader of the descendants of Naftali.

79 He offered one silver dish weighing 130shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventyshekels (using the sanctuaryshekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering;

80 one gold pan of tenshekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense;

81 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering,

82 one male goat as a sin offering,

83 and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Achira the son of ‘Enan.

84 This was the offering for dedicating the altar which was given by the leaders of Isra’el on the day of its anointing: twelve silver dishes, twelve silver basins and twelve gold pans.

85 Each silver dish weighed 130shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and each basin seventy shekels [one-and-three-quarters pounds]; all the silver of the vessels weighed 2,400shekels (using the sanctuaryshekel) [just over sixty pounds].

86 The twelve gold pans, full of incense, weighed tenshekels apiece (using the sanctuaryshekel) [one-quarter pound]; all the gold of the pans weighed 120shekels [three pounds].(Maftir)

87 The livestock for the burnt offering consisted of twelve bulls, twelve rams and twelve male lambs in their first year, with their grain offering. There were twelve male goats for a sin offering.

88 The livestock for the sacrifice of peace offerings consisted of twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty male goats and sixty male lambs in their first year. This was the offering for dedicating the altar after it had been anointed.

89 When Moshe went into the tent of meeting in order to speak withAdonai, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the ark-cover on the ark for the testimony, from between the twok’ruvim; and he spoke to him.

Haftarah Naso: Shof’tim (Judges) 13:2–25

B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah Naso: Yochanan (John) 7:53–8:11; Acts 21:17–32

Parashah 36: B’ha‘alotkha (When you set up) 8:1–12:16

1 Adonaisaid to Moshe,

2 “Tell Aharon, ‘When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps are to cast their light forward, in front of themenorah.’”

3 Aharon did this: he lit its lamps so as to give light in front of themenorah, asAdonaihad ordered Moshe.

4 Here is how themenorahwas made: it was hammered gold from its base to its flowers, hammered work, following the patternAdonaihad shown Moshe. This is how he made themenorah.

5 Adonaisaid to Moshe,

6 “Take theL’vi’imfrom among the people of Isra’el and cleanse them.

7 Here is how you are to cleanse them: sprinkle the purification water on them, have them shave their whole body with a razor, and have them wash their clothes and cleanse themselves.

8 Then they are to take a young bull with its grain offering, which is to be fine flour mixed with olive oil; while you take another bull for a sin offering.

9 You are to present theL’vi’imin front of the tent of meeting, and assemble the entire community of the people of Isra’el.

10 You will present theL’vi’imbeforeAdonai, the people of Isra’el will lay their hands on theL’vi’im,

11 and Aharon will offer theL’vi’imbeforeAdonaias a wave offering from the people of Isra’el, so that they may doAdonai’s service.

12 TheL’vi’imwill lay their hands on the heads of the bulls; the one you will offer as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering toAdonaito make atonement for theL’vi’im.

13 You are to place theL’vi’imbefore Aharon and his sons, and offer them as a wave offering toAdonai.

14 In this way you will separate theL’vi’imfrom the people of Isra’el, and theL’vi’imwill belong to me.

(ii)

15 “After that, theL’vi’imwill enter and do the service of the tent of meeting. You will cleanse them and offer them as a wave offering,

16 because they are entirely given to me from among the people of Isra’el; I have taken them for myself in place of all those who come first out of the womb, that is, the firstborn males of the people of Isra’el.

17 For all the firstborn among the people of Isra’el are mine, both humans and animals; on the day I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set them apart for myself.

18 But I have taken theL’vi’imin place of all the firstborn among the people of Isra’el,

19 and I have given theL’vi’imto Aharon and his sons from among the people of Isra’el to do the service of the people of Isra’el in the tent of meeting and to make atonement for the people of Isra’el, so that no plague will fall on the people of Isra’el in consequence of their coming too close to the sanctuary.”

20 This is what Moshe, Aharon and all the community of the people of Isra’el did to theL’vi’im.The people of Isra’el acted in accordance with everything thatAdonaihad ordered Moshe in regard to theL’vi’im.

21 TheL’vi’impurified themselves and washed their clothes. Then Aharon offered them as a holy gift beforeAdonaiand made atonement for them in order to cleanse them.

22 After that, theL’vi’imcame to do their service in the tent of meeting in front of Aharon and his sons; they acted in accordance withAdonai’s orders to Moshe in regard to theL’vi’im.

23 Adonaisaid to Moshe,

24 “Here are instructions concerning theL’vi’im: when they reach the age of twenty-five, they are to begin performing their duties serving in the tent of meeting;

25 and when they reach the age of fifty, they are to stop performing this work and not serve any longer.

26 They will assist their brothers who are performing their duties in the tent of meeting, but they themselves will not do any of the work. This is what you are to do with theL’vi’imin regard to their duties.”

1 (iii)Adonaispoke to Moshe in the Sinai Desert in the first month of the second year after they had left the land of Egypt; he said,

2 “Let the people of Isra’el observePesachat its designated time.

3 On the fourteenth day of this month, at dusk, you are to observe it — at its designated time. You are to observe it according to all its regulations and rules.”

4 Moshe told the people of Isra’el to observePesach.

5 So they observedPesachat dusk on the fourteenth day of the month in the Sinai Desert; the people of Isra’el acted in accordance with all thatAdonaihad ordered Moshe.

6 But there were certain people who had become unclean because of someone’s corpse, so that they could not observePesachon that day. So they came before Moshe and Aharon that day

7 and said to him, “We are unclean because of someone’s corpse; but why must we be kept from bringing the offering forAdonaiat the time designated for the people of Isra’el?”

8 Moshe answered them, “Wait, so that I can hear whatAdonaiwill order concerning you.”

9 Adonaisaid to Moshe,

10 “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘If any of you now or in future generations is unclean because of a corpse, or if he is on a trip abroad, nevertheless he is to observePesach.

11 But he will observe it in the second month on the fourteenth day at dusk. They are to eat it withmatzahandmaror,

12 they are to leave none of it until morning, and they are not to break any of its bones — they are to observe it according to all the regulations ofPesach.

13 But the person who is clean and not on a trip who fails to observePesachwill be cut off from his people; because he did not bring the offering forAdonaiat its designated time, that person will bear the consequences of his sin.

14 If a foreigner is staying with you and wants to observePesachforAdonai, he is to do it according to the regulations and rules ofPesach —you are to have the same law for the foreigner as for the citizen of the land.’”

(iv)

15 On the day the tabernacle was put up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, that is, the tent of the testimony; and in the evening, over the tabernacle was what appeared to be fire, which remained until morning.

16 So the cloud always covered it, and it looked like fire at night.

17 Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tent, the people of Isra’el continued their travels; and they camped wherever the cloud stopped.

18 At the order ofAdonai, the people of Isra’el traveled; at the order ofAdonai, they camped; and as long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they stayed in camp.

19 Even when the cloud remained on the tabernacle for a long time, the people of Isra’el did whatAdonaihad charged them to do and did not travel.

20 Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle; according toAdonai’s order, they remained in camp; and according toAdonai’s order, they traveled.

21 Sometimes the cloud was there only from evening until morning; so that when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they traveled. Or even if it continued up both day and night, when the cloud was up, they traveled.

22 Whether it was two days, a month or a year that the cloud remained over the tabernacle, staying on it, the people of Isra’el remained in camp and did not travel; but as soon as it was taken up, they traveled.

23 AtAdonai’s order, they camped; and atAdonai’s order, they traveled — they did whatAdonaihad charged them to do through Moshe.

1 Adonaisaid to Moshe,

2 “Make two trumpets; make them of hammered silver. Use them for summoning the community and for sounding the call to break camp and move on.

3 When they are sounded, the entire community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

4 If only one is sounded, then just the leaders, the heads of the clans of Isra’el, are to assemble before you.

5 “When you sound an alarm, the camps to the east will commence traveling.

6 When you sound a second alarm, the camps to the south will set out; they will sound alarms to announce when to travel.

7 However, when the community is to be assembled, you are to sound; but don’t sound an alarm.

8 It will be the sons of Aharon, thecohanim, who are to sound the trumpets; this will be a permanent regulation for you through all your generations.

9 “When you go to war in your land against an adversary who is oppressing you, you are to sound an alarm with the trumpets; then you will be remembered beforeAdonaiyour God, and you will be saved from your enemies.

10 “Also on your days of rejoicing, at your designated times and onRosh-Hodesh, you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; these will be your reminder before your God. I amAdonaiyour God.”

(v)

11 On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle of the testimony;

12 and the people of Isra’el moved out in stages from the Sinai Desert. The cloud stopped in the Pa’ran Desert.

13 So they set out on their first journey, in keeping withAdonai’s order through Moshe.

14 In the lead was the banner of the camp of the descendants of Y’hudah, whose companies moved forward; over his company was Nachshon the son of ‘Amminadav.

15 Over the company of the tribe of the descendants of Yissakhar was N’tan’el the son of Tzu‘ar.

16 Over the company of the descendants of Z’vulun was Eli’av the son of Helon.

17 Then the tabernacle was taken down; and the descendants of Gershon and the descendants of M’rari set out, carrying the tabernacle.

18 Next, the banner of the camp of Re’uven moved forward by companies; over his company was Elitzur the son of Sh’de’ur.

19 Over the company of the tribe of the descendants of Shim‘on was Shlumi’el the son of Tzurishaddai.

20 Over the company of the descendants of Gad was Elyasaf the son of De‘u’el.

21 Then the descendants of K’hat set out, carrying the sanctuary, so that [at the next camp] the tabernacle could be set up before they arrived.

22 The banner of the camp of the descendants of Efrayim moved forward by companies; over his company was Elishama the son of ‘Ammihud.

23 Over the company of the tribe of the descendants of M’nasheh was Gamli’el the son of P’dahtzur.

24 Over the company of the descendants of Binyamin was Avidan the son of Gid‘oni.

25 The banner of the camp of the descendants of Dan, forming the rearguard for all the camps, moved forward by companies; over his company was Achi‘ezer the son of ‘Ammishaddai.

26 Over the company of the tribe of the descendants of Asher was Pag‘i’el the son of ‘Okhran.

27 Over the company of the descendants of Naftali was Achira the son of ‘Enan.

28 This is how the people of Isra’el traveled by companies; thus they moved forward.

(S: vi)

29 Moshe said to Hovav the son of Re‘u’el the Midyani, Moshe’s father-in-law, “We are traveling to the place about whichAdonaisaid, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will treat you well, becauseAdonaihas promised good things to Isra’el.”

30 But he replied, “I will not go; I would rather go back to my own country and my own kinsmen.”

31 Moshe continued, “Please don’t leave us, because you know that we have to camp in the desert, and you can serve as our eyes.

32 If you do go with us, then whatever goodAdonaidoes for us, we will do the same for you.”

33 So they set out fromAdonai’s mountain and traveled for three days. Ahead of them on this three-day journey went the ark ofAdonai’s covenant, searching for a new place to stop.

34 The cloud ofAdonaiwas over them during the day as they set out from the camp.(A: vi)

35 When the ark moved forward, Moshe said,

“Arise,Adonai! May your enemies be scattered!

Let those who hate you flee before you!”

36 When it stopped, he said,

“Return,Adonaiof the many, many

thousands of Isra’el!”

1 But the people began complaining about their hardships toAdonai. WhenAdonaiheard it, his anger flared up, so that fire fromAdonaibroke out against them and consumed the outskirts of the camp.

2 Then the people cried to Moshe, Moshe prayed toAdonai, and the fire abated.

3 That place was called Tav‘erah [burning] becauseAdonai’s fire broke out against them.

4 Next, the mixed crowd that was with them grew greedy for an easier life; while the people of Isra’el, for their part, also renewed their weeping and said, “If only we had meat to eat!

5 We remember the fish we used to eat in Egypt — it cost us nothing! — and the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, the garlic!

6 But now we’re withering away, we have nothing to look at but thisman.”

7 Theman, by the way, was like coriander seed and white like gum resin.

8 The people would go around gathering it and would grind it up in mills or pound it to paste with mortar and pestle. Then they would cook it in pots and make it into loaves that tasted like cakes baked with olive oil.

9 When the dew settled on the camp during the night, themancame with it.

10 Moshe heard the people crying, family after family, each person at the entrance to his tent; the anger ofAdonaiflared up violently; and Moshe too was displeased.

11 Moshe askedAdonai, “Why are you treating your servant so badly? Why haven’t I found favor in your sight, so that you put the burden of this entire people on me?

12 Did I conceive this people? Was I their father, so that you tell me, ‘Carry them in your arms, like a nurse carrying a baby, to the land you swore to their ancestors?’

13 Where am I going to get meat to give to this entire people? — because they keep bothering me with their crying and saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’

14 I can’t carry this entire people by myself alone — it’s too much for me!

15 If you are going to treat me this way, then just kill me outright! — please, if you have any mercy toward me! — and don’t let me go on being this miserable!”

16 Adonaisaid to Moshe, “Bring me seventy of the leaders of Isra’el, people you recognize as leaders of the people and officers of theirs. Bring them to the tent of meeting, and have them stand there with you.

17 I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the Spirit which rests on you and put it on them. Then they will carry the burden of the people along with you, so that you won’t carry it yourself alone.

18 “Tell the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you will eat meat; because you cried in the ears ofAdonai, “If only we had meat to eat! We had the good life in Egypt!” All right,Adonaiis going to give you meat, and you will eat it.

19 You won’t eat it just one day, or two days, or five, or ten, or twenty days,

20 but a whole month! — until it comes out of your nose and you hate it! — because you have rejectedAdonai, who is here with you, and distressed him with your crying and asking, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”

21 But Moshe said, “Here I am with six hundred thousand men on foot, and yet you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’

22 If whole flocks and herds were slaughtered for them, would it be enough? If all the fish in the sea were collected for them, would even that be enough?”

23 Adonaianswered Moshe, “HasAdonai’s arm grown short? Now you will see whether what I said will happen or not!”

24 Moshe went out and told the people whatAdonaihad said. Then he collected seventy of the leaders of the people and placed them all around the tent.

25 Adonaicame down in the cloud, spoke to him, took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy leaders. When the Spirit came to rest on them, they prophesied — then but not afterwards.

26 There were two men who stayed in the camp, one named Eldad and the other Medad, and the Spirit came to rest on them. They were among those listed to go out to the tent, but they hadn’t done so, and they prophesied in the camp.

27 A young man ran and told Moshe, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!”

28 Y’hoshua, the son of Nun, who from his youth up had been Moshe’s assistant, answered, “My lord, Moshe, stop them!”

29 But Moshe replied, “Are you so zealous to protect me? I wish all ofAdonai’s people were prophets! I wishAdonaiwould put his Spirit on all of them!”

(vii)

30 Moshe and the leaders of Isra’el went back into the camp;

31 andAdonaisent out a wind which brought quails from across the sea and let them fall near the camp, about a day’s trip away on each side of the camp and all around it, covering the ground to a depth of three feet.

32 The people stayed up all that day, all night and all the next day gathering the quails — the person gathering the least collected ten heaps; then they spread them out for themselves all around the camp.

33 But while the meat was still in their mouth, before they had chewed it up, the anger ofAdonaiflared up against the people, andAdonaistruck the people with a terrible plague.

34 Therefore that place was named Kivrot-HaTa’avah [graves of greed], because there they buried the people who were so greedy.

35 From Kivrot-HaTa’avah the people traveled to Hatzerot, and they stayed at Hatzerot.

1 Miryam and Aharon began criticizing Moshe on account of the Ethiopian woman he had married, for he had in fact married an Ethiopian woman.

2 They said, “Is it true thatAdonaihas spoken only with Moshe? Hasn’t he spoken with us too?”Adonaiheard them.

3 Now this man Moshe was very humble, more so than anyone on earth.

4 SuddenlyAdonaitold Moshe, Aharon and Miryam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” The three of them went out.

5 Adonaicame down in a column of cloud and stood at the entrance to the tent. He summoned Aharon and Miryam, and they both went forward.

6 He said, “Listen to what I say: when there is a prophet among you, I,Adonai, make myself known to him in a vision, I speak with him in a dream.

7 But it isn’t that way with my servant Moshe. He is the only one who is faithful in my entire household.

8 With him I speak face to face and clearly, not in riddles; he sees the image ofAdonai. So why weren’t you afraid to criticize my servant Moshe?”

9 The anger ofAdonaiflared up against them, and he left.

10 But when the cloud was removed from above the tent, Miryam hadtzara‘at, as white as snow. Aharon looked at Miryam, and she was as white as snow.

11 Aharon said to Moshe, “Oh, my lord, please don’t punish us for this sin we committed so foolishly.

12 Please don’t let her be like a stillborn baby, with its body half eaten away when it comes out of its mother’s womb!”

13 Moshe cried toAdonai, “Oh God, I beg you, please, heal her!”(Maftir)

14 Adonaianswered Moshe, “If her father had merely spit in her face, wouldn’t she hide herself in shame for seven days? So let her be shut out of the camp for seven days; after that, she can be brought back in.”

15 Miryam was shut out of the camp seven days, and the people did not travel until she was brought back in.

16 Afterwards, the people went on from Hatzerot and camped in the Pa’ran Desert.

Haftarah B’ha‘alotkha: Z’kharyah (Zechariah) 2:14 – 4:7

B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah B’ha‘alotkha: Yochanan (John) 19:31–37; Messianic Jews (Hebrews) 3:1–6

Parashah 37: Shlach L’kha (Send on your behalf) 13:1–15:41

1 Adonaisaid to Moshe,

2 “Send men on your behalf to reconnoiter the land of Kena‘an, which I am giving to the people of Isra’el. From each ancestral tribe send someone who is a leader in his tribe.”

3 Moshe dispatched them from the Pa’ran Desert asAdonaihad ordered; all of them were leading men among the people of Isra’el.

4 Here are their names:

from the tribe of Re’uven, Shamua the son of Zakur;

5 from the tribe of Shim‘on, Shafat the son of Hori;

6 from the tribe of Y’hudah, Kalev the son of Y’funeh;

7 from the tribe of Yissakhar, Yig’al the son of Yosef;

8 from the tribe of Efrayim, Hoshea the son of Nun;

9 from the tribe of Binyamin, Palti the son of Rafu;

10 from the tribe of Z’vulun, Gadi’el the son of Sodi;

11 from the tribe of Yosef, that is, from the tribe of M’nasheh, Gadi the son of Susi;

12 from the tribe of Dan, ‘Ammi’el the son of G’malli;

13 from the tribe of Asher, S’tur the son of Mikha’el;

14 from the tribe of Naftali, Nachbi the son of Vofsi; and

15 from the tribe of Gad, Ge’u’el the son of Makhi.

16 These are the names of the men Moshe sent out to reconnoiter the land. Moshe gave to Hoshea the son of Nun the name Y’hoshua.

17 Moshe sent them to reconnoiter the land of Kena‘an, instructing them, “Go on up to the Negev and into the hills,

18 and see what the land is like. Notice the people living there, whether they are strong or weak, few or many;

19 and what kind of country they live in, whether it is good or bad; and what kind of cities they live in, open or fortified.

20 See whether the land is fertile or unproductive and whether there is wood in it or not. Finally, be bold enough to bring back some of the fruit of the land.”

When they left it was the season for the first grapes to ripen.(ii)

21 They went up and reconnoitered the land from the Tzin Desert to Rechov near the entrance to Hamat.

22 They went up into the Negev and arrived at Hevron; Achiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the ‘Anakim, lived there. (Hevron was built seven years before Tzo‘an in Egypt.)

23 They came to the Eshkol Valley; and there they cut off a branch bearing one cluster of grapes, which they carried on a pole between two of them; they also took pomegranates and figs.

24 That place was called the Valley of Eshkol [cluster], because of the cluster which the people of Isra’el cut down there.

25 Forty days later, they returned from reconnoitering the land

26 and went to Moshe, Aharon and the entire community of the people of Isra’el at Kadesh in the Pa’ran Desert, where they brought back word to them and to the entire community and showed them the fruit of the land.

27 What they told him was this: “We entered the land where you sent us, and indeed it does flow with milk and honey — here is its fruit!

28 However the people living in the land are fierce, and the cities are fortified and very large. Moreover, we saw the ‘Anakim there.

29 ‘Amalek lives in the area of the Negev; the Hitti, the Y’vusi and the Emori live in the hills; and the Kena‘ani live by the sea and alongside the Yarden.”

30 Kalev silenced the people around Moshe and said, “We ought to go up immediately and take possession of it; there is no question that we can conquer it.”

31 But the men who had gone with him said, “We can’t attack those people, because they are stronger than we are”;

32 and they spread a negative report about the land they had reconnoitered for the people of Isra’el by saying, “The land we passed through in order to spy it out is a land that devours its inhabitants. All the people we saw there were giant!

33 We saw the N’filim, the descendants of ‘Anak, who was from the N’filim; to ourselves we looked like grasshoppers by comparison, and we looked that way to them too!”

1 At this all the people of Isra’el cried out in dismay and wept all night long.

2 Moreover, all the people of Isra’el began grumbling against Moshe and Aharon; the whole community told them, “We wish we had died in the land of Egypt! or that we had died here in the desert!

3 Why isAdonaibringing us to this land, where we will die by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be taken as booty! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?”

4 And they said to each other, “Let’s appoint a leader and return to Egypt!”

5 Moshe and Aharon fell on their faces before the entire assembled community of the people of Isra’el.

6 Y’hoshua the son of Nun and Kalev the son of Y’funeh, from the detachment that had reconnoitered the land, tore their clothes

7 and said to the whole community of Isra’el, “The land we passed through in order to spy it out is an outstandingly good land!(iii)

8 IfAdonaiis pleased with us, then he will bring us into this land and give it to us — a land flowing with milk and honey.

9 Just don’t rebel againstAdonai.And don’t be afraid of the people living in the land — we’ll eat them up! Their defense has been taken away from them, andAdonaiis with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”

10 But just as the whole community were saying they should be stoned to death, the glory ofAdonaiappeared in the tent of meeting to all the people of Isra’el.

11 Adonaisaid to Moshe, “How much longer is this people going to treat me with contempt? How much longer will they not trust me, especially considering all the signs I have performed among them?

12 I am going to strike them with sickness, destroy them and make from you a nation greater and stronger than they are!”

13 However, Moshe replied toAdonai, “When the Egyptians hear about this — [and they will,] because it was from among them that you, by your strength, brought this people up —

14 they will tell the people living in this land. They have heard that you,Adonai, are with this people; that you,Adonai, are seen face to face; that your cloud stands over them; that you go ahead of them in a column of cloud by day and a column of fire by night.

15 If you kill off this people at a single stroke, then the nations that have heard of your reputation will say

16 that the reasonAdonaislaughtered this people in the desert is that he wasn’t able to bring them into the land which he swore to give them.

17 So now, please, letAdonai’s power be as great as when you said,

18 ‘Adonaiis slow to anger, rich in grace, forgiving offenses and crimes; yet not exonerating the guilty, but causing the negative effects of the parents’ offenses to be experienced by their children and even by the third and fourth generations.’

19 Please! Forgive the offense of this people according to the greatness of your grace, just as you have borne with this people from Egypt until now.”

20 Adonaianswered, “I have forgiven, as you have asked.

21 But as sure as I live, and that the whole earth is filled with the glory ofAdonai,

22 none of the people who saw my glory and the signs I did in Egypt and in the desert, yet tested me these ten times and did not listen to my voice,

23 will see the land I swore to their ancestors! None of those who treated me with contempt will see it.

24 But my servant Kalev, because he had a different Spirit with him and has fully followed me — him I will bring into the land he entered, and it will belong to his descendants.

25 “Now, since the ‘Amaleki and the Kena‘ani are living in the valley, tomorrow turn around and get yourselves into the desert along the way to the Sea ofSuf.”

(iv)

26 Adonaisaid to Moshe and Aharon,

27 “How long am I to put up with this evil community who keep grumbling about me? I have heard the complaints of the people of Isra’el, which they continue to raise against me.

28 Tell them this: ‘As surely as I live,Adonaiswears, as surely as you have spoken in my ears, I will do this to you:

29 your carcasses will fall in this desert! Every single one of you who were included in the census over the age of twenty, you who have complained against me,

30 will certainly not enter the land about which I raised my hand to swear that I would have you live in it — except for Kalev the son of Y’funeh and Y’hoshua the son of Nun.

31 But your little ones, who you said would be taken as booty — them I will bring in. They will know the land you have rejected.

32 But you, your carcasses will fall in this desert;

33 and your children will wander about in the desert for forty years bearing the consequences of your prostitutions until the desert eats up your carcasses.

34 It will be a year for every day you spent reconnoitering the land that you will bear the consequences of your offenses — forty days, forty years. Then you will know what it means to oppose me!

35 I,Adonai, have spoken.’ I will certainly do this to this whole evil community who have assembled together against me — they will be destroyed in this desert and die there.”

36 The men whom Moshe had sent to reconnoiter the land and who, when they returned, made the entire community complain against him by giving an unfavorable report about the land —

37 those men who gave the unfavorable report about the land died by the plague in the presence ofAdonai.

38 Of the men who went to reconnoiter the land, only Y’hoshua the son of Nun and Kalev the son of Y’funeh remained alive.

39 When Moshe told these things to all the people of Isra’el, the people felt great remorse.

40 They arose early the next morning, came up to the top of the mountain and said, “Here we are, and we did sin, but now we’ll go up to the placeAdonaipromised.”

41 Moshe answered, “Why are you opposing whatAdonaisaid? You won’t succeed!

42 Don’t go up there, becauseAdonaiisn’t with you. If you do, your enemies will defeat you.

43 The ‘Amalekim and the Kena‘anim are there ahead of you, and you will be struck down by the sword. The reason will be that you have turned away from followingAdonai, so thatAdonaiwon’t be with you.”

44 But they were presumptuous and went on up toward the high parts of the hill-country, even though the ark for the covenant ofAdonai— and Moshe — stayed in the camp.

45 So the ‘Amalekim and the Kena‘anim living in that hill-country descended, struck them down and beat them back all the way to Hormah.