Bible Society of South Africa

Bible Reading Plan – Day 45

Bible text(s)

The Second Census

1After the epidemic the LORD said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron, 2“Take a census by families of the whole community of Israel, of all men twenty years old or older who are fit for military service.” 3-4Moses and Eleazar obeyed, and called together all the men of that age group. They assembled in the plains of Moab across the River Jordan from Jericho.

These were the Israelites who came out of Egypt:

5The tribe of Reuben (Reuben was the eldest son of Jacob): the clans of Hanoch, Pallu, 6Hezron, and Carmi. 7These clans numbered 43,730 men. 8The descendants of Pallu were Eliab 9and his sons Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. (These are the Dathan and Abiram who were chosen by the community. They defied Moses and Aaron and joined the followers of Korah when they rebelled against the LORD. 10The ground opened and swallowed them, and they died with Korah and his followers when fire destroyed 250 men; they became a warning to the people. 11But the sons of Korah were not killed.)

12The tribe of Simeon: the clans of Nemuel, Jamin, Jachin, 13Zerah, and Shaul. 14These clans numbered 22,200 men.

15The tribe of Gad: the clans of Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, 16Ozni, Eri, 17Arod, and Areli. 18These clans numbered 40,500 men.

19-21The tribe of Judah: the clans of Shelah, Perez, Zerah, Hezron, and Hamul. (Two of Judah's sons, Er and Onan, had died in the land of Canaan.) 22These clans numbered 76,500 men.

23The tribe of Issachar: the clans of Tola, Puah, 24Jashub, and Shimron. 25These clans numbered 64,300 men.

26The tribe of Zebulun: the clans of Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. 27These clans numbered 60,500 men.

28The tribes of Joseph, who was the father of two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

29The tribe of Manasseh: Machir son of Manasseh was the father of Gilead, and the following clans traced their ancestry to Gilead: 30the clans of Iezer, Helek, 31Asriel, Shechem, 32Shemida, and Hepher. 33Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons, but only daughters; their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 34These clans numbered 52,700 men.

35The tribe of Ephraim: the clans of Shuthelah, Becher, and Tahan. 36The clan of Eran traced its descent from Shuthelah. 37These clans numbered 32,500 men.

These are the clans descended from Joseph.

38The tribe of Benjamin: the clans of Bela, Ashbel, Ahiram, 39Shephupham, and Hupham. 40The clans of Ard and Naaman traced their descent from Bela. 41These clans numbered 45,600 men.

42The tribe of Dan: the clan of Shuham, 43which numbered 64,400 men.

44The tribe of Asher: the clans of Imnah, Ishvi, and Beriah. 45The clans of Heber and Malchiel traced their descent from Beriah. 46Asher had a daughter named Serah. 47These clans numbered 53,400 men.

48The tribe of Naphtali: the clans of Jahzeel, Guni, 49Jezer, and Shillem. 50These clans numbered 45,400 men.

51The total number of the Israelite men was 601,730.

52The LORD said to Moses, 53“Divide the land among the tribes, according to their size. 54-56Divide the land by drawing lots, and give a large share to a large tribe and a small one to a small tribe.”

57The tribe of Levi consisted of the clans of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 58Their descendants included the sub-clans of Libni, Hebron, Mahli, Mushi, and Korah. Kohath was the father of Amram, 59who was married to Levi's daughter Jochebed, who was born in Egypt. She bore Amram two sons, Aaron and Moses, and a daughter, Miriam. 60Aaron had four sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 61Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unholy fire to the LORD. 62The male Levites who were one month old or older numbered 23,000. They were listed separately from the rest of the Israelites, because they were not given any property in Israel.

63All these clans were listed by Moses and Eleazar when they took a census of the Israelites in the plains of Moab across the River Jordan from Jericho. 64There was not even one man left among those whom Moses and Aaron had listed in the first census in the Sinai Desert. 65The LORD had said that all of them would die in the wilderness, and except for Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun they all did.

The Daughters of Zelophehad

1Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah were the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, son of Joseph. 2They went and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the whole community at the entrance of the Tent of the LORD's presence and said, 3“Our father died in the wilderness without leaving any sons. He was not among the followers of Korah, who rebelled against the LORD; he died because of his own sin. 4Just because he had no sons, why should our father's name disappear from Israel? Give us property among our father's relatives.”

5Moses presented their case to the LORD, 6and the LORD said to him, 7“What the daughters of Zelophehad request is right; give them property among their father's relatives. Let his inheritance pass on to them. 8Tell the people of Israel that whenever a man dies without leaving a son, his daughter is to inherit his property. 9If he has no daughter, his brothers are to inherit it. 10If he has no brothers, his father's brothers are to inherit it. 11If he has no brothers or uncles, then his nearest relative is to inherit it and hold it as his own property. The people of Israel are to observe this as a legal requirement, just as I, the LORD, have commanded you.”

Joshua is Chosen as Successor to Moses

(Deut 31.1–8)

12The LORD said to Moses, “Go up the Abarim Mountains and look out over the land that I am giving to the Israelites. 13After you have seen it, you will die, as your brother Aaron did, 14because both of you rebelled against my command in the wilderness of Zin. When the whole community complained against me at Meribah, you refused to acknowledge my holy power before them.” (Meribah is the spring at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)

15Moses prayed, 16LORD God, source of all life, appoint, I pray, a man who can lead the people 17and can command them in battle, so that your community will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”

18The LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a capable man, and place your hands on his head. 19Make him stand in front of Eleazar the priest and the whole community, and there before them all proclaim him as your successor. 20Give him some of your own authority, so that the whole community of Israel will obey him. 21He will depend on Eleazar the priest, who will learn my will by using the Urim and Thummim. In this way Eleazar will direct Joshua and the whole community of Israel in all their affairs.” 22Moses did as the LORD had commanded him. He made Joshua stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole community. 23As the LORD had commanded, Moses put his hands on Joshua's head and proclaimed him as his successor.

The Regular Offerings

(Ex 29.38–46)

1The LORD commanded Moses 2to instruct the Israelites to present to God at the appointed times the required food offerings that are pleasing to him.

3These are the food offerings that are to be presented to the LORD: for the daily burnt offering, two one-year-old male lambs without any defects. 4Offer the first lamb in the morning, and the second in the evening, 5each with a grain offering of one kilogramme of flour, mixed with one litre of the best olive oil. 6This is the daily offering that is completely burnt, which was first offered at Mount Sinai as a food offering, a smell pleasing to the LORD. 7As the wine offering with the first lamb, pour out at the altar one litre of wine. 8In the evening offer the second lamb in the same way as the morning offering, together with its wine offering. It also is a food offering, a smell pleasing to the LORD.

The Sabbath Offering

9On the Sabbath day offer two one-year-old male lambs without any defects, two kilogrammes of flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering, and the wine offering. 10This burnt offering is to be offered every Sabbath in addition to the daily offering with its wine offering.

The Offering on the First Day of the Month

11Present a burnt offering to the LORD at the beginning of each month: two young bulls, one ram, seven one-year-old male lambs, all without any defects. 12As a grain offering, offer flour mixed with olive oil: with each bull, three kilogrammes of flour; with the ram, two kilogrammes; 13and with each lamb, one kilogramme. These burnt offerings are food offerings, a smell pleasing to the LORD. 14The proper wine offering is two litres of wine with each bull, 1.5 litres with the ram, and one litre with each lamb. This is the regulation for the burnt offering for the first day of each month throughout the year. 15And in addition to the daily burnt offering with its wine offering, offer one male goat as a sin offering.

The Offerings at the Festival of Unleavened Bread

(Lev 23.5–14)

16The Passover Festival in honour of the LORD is to be held on the fourteenth day of the first month. 17On the fifteenth day a religious festival begins which lasts seven days, during which only bread prepared without yeast is to be eaten. 18On the first day of the festival you are to gather for worship, and no work is to be done. 19Offer a burnt offering as a food offering to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, and seven one-year-old male lambs, all without any defects. 20Offer the proper grain offering of flour mixed with olive oil: three kilogrammes with each bull, two kilogrammes with the ram, 21and one kilogramme with each lamb. 22Also offer one male goat as a sin offering, and in this way perform the ritual of purification for the people. 23Offer these in addition to the regular morning burnt offering. 24In the same way, for seven days offer to the LORD a food offering, a smell pleasing to him. Offer this in addition to the daily burnt offering and wine offering. 25Meet for worship on the seventh day and do no work.

The Offerings at the Harvest Festival

(Lev 23.15–22)

26On the first day of the Harvest Festival, when you present the offering of new corn to the LORD, you are to gather for worship, and no work is to be done. 27Offer a burnt offering as a smell pleasing to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, and seven one-year-old male lambs, all without any defects. 28Offer the proper grain offering of flour mixed with olive oil: three kilogrammes with each bull, two kilogrammes with the ram, 29and one kilogramme with each lamb. 30Also offer one male goat as a sin offering, and in this way perform the ritual of purification for the people. 31Offer these and the wine offering in addition to the daily burnt offering and grain offering.

The Offerings at the New Year Festival

1On the first day of the seventh month you are to gather for worship, and no work is to be done. On that day trumpets are to be blown. 2Present a burnt offering to the LORD, a smell pleasing to him: one young bull, one ram, and seven one-year-old male lambs, all without any defects. 3Offer the proper grain offering of flour mixed with olive oil: three kilogrammes of flour with the bull, two kilogrammes with the ram, 4and one kilogramme with each lamb. 5Also offer one male goat as a sin offering, and in this way perform the ritual of purification for the people. 6Offer these in addition to the regular burnt offering for the first day of the month with its grain offering, and the daily burnt offering with its grain offering and wine offering. These food offerings are a smell pleasing to the LORD.

The Offerings at the Day of Atonement

7Gather for worship on the tenth day of the seventh month; eat no food and do no work. 8Offer a burnt offering to the LORD, a smell pleasing to him: one young bull, one ram, and seven one-year-old male lambs, all without any defects. 9Offer the proper grain offering of flour mixed with olive oil: three kilogrammes of flour with the bull, two kilogrammes with the ram, 10and one kilogramme with each lamb. 11Also offer one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the goat offered in the ritual of purification for the people, and the daily burnt offering with its grain offering and wine offering.

Numbers 26:1-29:11GNBOpen in Bible reader
Bible Society of South Africav.4.17.10
Find us on