To The Word – Day 35

₁On the first day of the second month in the second year after the people of Israel left Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses there in the Tent of his presence in the Sinai Desert. He said, ₂“You and Aaron are to take a census of the people of Israel by clans and families. List the names of all the men ₃twenty years old or older who are fit for military service. ₄Ask one clan chief from each tribe to help you.” _5-16These are the men, leaders within their tribes, who were chosen from the community for this work:

₄₇The Levites were not registered with the other tribes, ₄₈because the LORD had said to Moses, ₄₉“When you take a census of the men fit for military service, do not include the tribe of Levi. ₅₀Instead, put the Levites in charge of the Tent of my presence and all its equipment. They shall carry it and its equipment, serve in it, and set up their camp round it. ₅₁Whenever you move your camp, the Levites shall take the Tent down and set it up again at each new camping place. Anyone else who comes near the Tent shall be put to death. ₅₂The rest of the Israelites shall set up camp, company by company, each man with his own group and under his own banner. ₅₃But the Levites shall camp round the Tent to guard it, so that no one may come near and cause my anger to strike the community of Israel.” ₅₄So the people of Israel did everything that the LORD had commanded Moses.

₁The LORD gave Moses and Aaron the following instructions. ₂When the Israelites set up camp, each man will camp under the banner of his division and the flag of his own clan. The camp is to be set up all round the Tent.

_3-9On the east side, those under the banner of the division of Judah shall camp in their groups, under their leaders, as follows:

_10-16On the south, those under the banner of the division of Reuben shall camp in their groups, under their leaders, as follows:

₁₇Then, between the first two divisions and the last two the Levites are to march carrying the Tent. Each division shall march in the same order as they camp, each in position under its banner.

_18-24On the west, those under the banner of the division of Ephraim shall camp in their groups, under their leaders, as follows:

_25-31On the north, those under the banner of the division of Dan shall camp in their groups, under their leaders, as follows:

₃₂The total number of the people of Israel enrolled in the divisions, group by group, was 603,550. ₃₃As the LORD had commanded Moses, the Levites were not registered with the rest of the Israelites.

₃₄So the people of Israel did everything the LORD had commanded Moses. They camped, each under his own banner, and they marched, each with his own clan.

₁This is the family of Aaron and Moses at the time the LORD spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai. ₂Aaron had four sons: Nadab, the eldest, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ₃They were anointed and ordained as priests, ₄but Nadab and Abihu were killed when they offered unholy fire to the LORD in the Sinai Desert. They had no children, so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during Aaron's lifetime.

₅The LORD said to Moses, ₆“Bring forward the tribe of Levi and appoint them as servants of Aaron the priest. ₇They shall do the work required for the Tent of my presence and perform duties for the priests and for the whole community. ₈They shall take charge of all the equipment of the Tent and perform the duties for the rest of the Israelites. ₉The only responsibility the Levites have is to serve Aaron and his sons. ₁₀You shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; anyone else who tries to do so shall be put to death.”

₁₁The LORD said to Moses, _12-13“The Levites are now to be mine. When I killed all the firstborn of the Egyptians, I consecrated as my own the eldest son of each Israelite family and the firstborn of every animal. Now, instead of having the firstborn sons of Israel as my own, I have the Levites; they will belong to me. I am the LORD.”

₁₄In the Sinai Desert the LORD commanded Moses ₁₅to register the Levites by clans and families, enrolling every male a month old or older, ₁₆and Moses did so. _17-20Levi had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, who were the ancestors of the clans that bear their names. Gershon had two sons: Libni and Shimei; Kohath had four sons: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel; and Merari had two sons: Mahli and Mushi. They were the ancestors of the families that bear their names.

₂₁The clan of Gershon was composed of the families of Libni and Shimei. ₂₂The total number of males one month old or older that were enrolled was 7,500. ₂₃This clan was to camp on the west behind the Tent, ₂₄with Eliasaph son of Lael as chief of the clan. ₂₅They were responsible for the Tent, its inner cover, its outer cover, the curtain for the entrance, ₂₆the curtains for the court which is round the Tent and the altar, and the curtain for the entrance of the court. They were responsible for all the service connected with these items.

₂₇The clan of Kohath was composed of the families of Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. ₂₈The total number of males one month old or older that were enrolled was 8,600. ₂₉This clan was to camp on the south side of the Tent, ₃₀with Elizaphan son of Uzziel as chief of the clan. ₃₁They were responsible for the Covenant Box, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the utensils the priests use in the Holy Place, and the curtain at the entrance to the Most Holy Place. They were responsible for all the service connected with these items.

₃₂The chief of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest. He was in charge of those who carried out the duties in the Holy Place.

₃₃The clan of Merari was composed of the families of Mahli and Mushi. ₃₄The total number of males one month old or older that were enrolled was 6,200. ₃₅This clan was to camp on the north side of the Tent, with Zuriel son of Abihail as chief of the clan. ₃₆They were assigned responsibility for the frames for the Tent, its bars, posts, bases, and all its fittings. They were responsible for all the service connected with these items. ₃₇They were also responsible for the posts, bases, pegs, and ropes for the outer court.

₃₈Moses and Aaron and his sons were to camp in front of the Tent on the east. They were responsible for carrying out the services performed in the Holy Place for the people of Israel. Anyone else who tried to do so was to be put to death. ₃₉The total number of all the Levite males one month old or older that Moses enrolled by clans at the command of the LORD, was 22,000.

_40-41The LORD said to Moses, “All of Israel's firstborn sons belong to me. So register by name every firstborn male Israelite, one month old or older. But in place of them I claim all the Levites as mine! I am the LORD! I also claim the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock.” ₄₂Moses obeyed, and registered all the firstborn males ₄₃one month old or older; the total was 22,273.

₄₄The LORD said to Moses, ₄₅“Now dedicate the Levites as mine in place of all the firstborn Israelite sons, and dedicate the livestock of the Levites in place of the firstborn of the Israelites' livestock. ₄₆Since the firstborn Israelite sons outnumber the Levites by 273, you must buy back the extra sons. ₄₇For each one pay five pieces of silver, according to the official standard, ₄₈and give this money to Aaron and his sons.” ₄₉Moses obeyed and took ₅₀the 1,365 pieces of silver ₅₁and gave them to Aaron and his sons.

₁The LORD told Moses ₂to take a census of the Levite clan of Kohath by sub-clans and families, ₃and to register all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who were qualified to work in the Tent of the LORD's presence. ₄Their service involves the most holy things.

₅The LORD gave Moses the following instructions. When it is time to break camp, Aaron and his sons shall enter the Tent, take down the curtain in front of the Covenant Box, and cover the Box with it. ₆They shall put a fine leather cover over it, spread a blue cloth on top, and then insert the carrying poles.

₇They shall spread a blue cloth over the table for the bread offered to the LORD and put on it the dishes, the incense bowls, the offering bowls, and the jars for the wine offering. There shall always be bread on the table. ₈They shall spread a red cloth over all this, put a fine leather cover over it, and then insert the carrying poles.

₉They shall take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand, with its lamps, tongs, trays, and all the olive oil containers. ₁₀They shall wrap it and all its equipment in a fine leather cover and place it on a carrying frame.

₁₁Next they shall spread a blue cloth over the gold altar, put a fine leather cover over it, and then insert the carrying poles. ₁₂They shall take all the utensils used in the Holy Place, wrap them in a blue cloth, put a fine leather cover over them, and place them on a carrying frame. ₁₃They shall remove the greasy ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth over it. ₁₄They shall put on it all the equipment used in the service at the altar: firepans, hooks, shovels, and basins. Then they shall put a fine leather cover over it and insert the carrying poles. ₁₅When it is time to break camp, the clan of Kohath shall come to carry the sacred objects only after Aaron and his sons have finished covering them and all their equipment. The clan of Kohath must not touch the sacred objects, or they will die.

These are the responsibilities of the clan of Kohath whenever the Tent is moved.

₁₆Eleazar son of Aaron the priest shall be responsible for the whole Tent and for the oil for the lamps, the incense, the grain offerings, the anointing oil, and everything else in the Tent that has been consecrated to the LORD.

₁₇The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ₁₈“Do not let the clan of Kohath ₁₉be killed by coming near these most sacred objects. To prevent this happening, Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign each man his task and tell him what to carry. ₂₀But if the Kohathites enter the Tent and see the priests preparing the sacred objects for moving, they will die.”

₂₁The LORD told Moses ₂₂to take a census of the Levite clan of Gershon by sub-clans and families, ₂₃and to register all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who were qualified to work in the Tent of the LORD's presence. ₂₄They shall be responsible for carrying the following objects: ₂₅the Tent, its inner cover, its outer cover, the fine leather cover on top of it, the curtain for the entrance, ₂₆the curtains and ropes for the court that is round the Tent and the altar, the curtains for the entrance of the court, and all the fittings used in setting up these objects. They shall perform all the tasks required for these things. ₂₇Moses and Aaron shall see to it that the Gershonites perform all the duties and carry everything that Aaron and his sons assign to them. ₂₈These are the responsibilities of the Gershon clan in the Tent; they shall carry them out under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

₂₉The LORD told Moses to take a census of the Levite clan of Merari by sub-clans and families, ₃₀and to register all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who were qualified to work in the Tent of the LORD's presence. ₃₁They shall be responsible for carrying the frames, bars, posts, and bases of the Tent, ₃₂and the posts, bases, pegs, and ropes of the court round the Tent, with all the fittings used in setting them up. Each man will be responsible for carrying specific items. ₃₃These are the responsibilities of the Merari clan in their service in the Tent: they shall carry them out under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

_34-48Following the LORD's command, Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the community took a census of the three Levite clans, Kohath, Gershon, and Merari. They did this by sub-clans and families and registered all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who were qualified to work in the Tent of the LORD's presence, as follows:

₁The LORD said to Moses, ₂“Command the people of Israel to expel from the camp everyone with a dreaded skin disease or a bodily discharge and everyone who is unclean by contact with a corpse. ₃Send all these ritually unclean people out, so that they will not defile the camp, where I live among my people.” ₄The Israelites obeyed and expelled them all from the camp.

₅The LORD gave Moses ₆the following instructions for the people of Israel. When anyone is unfaithful to the LORD and commits a wrong against someone, ₇he must confess his sin and make full repayment, plus an additional twenty per cent, to the person he has wronged. ₈But if that person has died and has no near relative to whom payment can be made, it shall be given to the LORD for the priest. This payment is in addition to the ram used to perform the ritual of purification for the guilty person. ₉Also every special contribution which the Israelites offer to the LORD belongs to the priest to whom they present it. ₁₀Each priest shall keep the offerings presented to him.

₁₁The LORD commanded Moses _12-14to give the Israelites the following instructions. It may happen that a man becomes suspicious that his wife is unfaithful to him and has defiled herself by having intercourse with another man. But the husband may not be certain, for his wife may have kept it secret — there was no witness, and she was not caught in the act. Or it may happen that a husband becomes suspicious of his wife, even though she has not been unfaithful. ₁₅In either case the man shall take his wife to the priest. He shall also take the required offering of one kilogramme of barley flour, but he shall not pour any olive oil on it or put any incense on it, because it is an offering from a suspicious husband, made to bring the truth to light.

₁₆The priest shall bring the woman forward and make her stand in front of the altar. ₁₇He shall pour some holy water into a clay bowl and take some of the earth that is on the floor of the Tent of the LORD's presence and put it in the water to make it bitter. ₁₈Then he shall loosen the woman's hair and put the offering of flour in her hands. In his hands the priest shall hold the bowl containing the bitter water that brings a curse. ₁₉Then the priest shall make the woman agree to this oath spoken by the priest: “If you have not committed adultery, you will not be harmed by the curse that this water brings. ₂₀But if you have committed adultery, ₂₁may the LORD make your name a curse among your people. May he cause your genital organs to shrink and your stomach to swell up. ₂₂May this water enter your stomach and cause it to swell up and your genital organs to shrink.”

The woman shall respond, “I agree; may the LORD do so.”

₂₃Then the priest shall write this curse down and wash the writing off into the bowl of bitter water. ₂₄Before he makes the woman drink the water, which may then cause her bitter pain, ₂₅the priest shall take the offering of flour out of the woman's hands, hold it out in dedication to the LORD, and present it on the altar. ₂₆Then he shall take a handful of it as a token offering and burn it on the altar. Finally, he shall make the woman drink the water. ₂₇If she has committed adultery, the water will cause bitter pain; her stomach will swell up and her genital organs will shrink. Her name will become a curse among her people. ₂₈But if she is innocent, she will not be harmed and will be able to bear children.

_29-30This is the law in cases where a man is jealous and becomes suspicious that his wife has committed adultery. The woman shall be made to stand in front of the altar, and the priest shall perform this ritual. ₃₁The husband shall be free of guilt, but the woman, if guilty, must suffer the consequences.

₁From the Elder —

To my dear Gaius, whom I truly love.

₂My dear friend, I pray that everything may go well with you and that you may be in good health — as I know you are well in spirit. ₃I was so happy when some fellow-Christians arrived and told me how faithful you are to the truth — just as you always live in the truth. ₄Nothing makes me happier than to hear that my children live in the truth.

₅My dear friend, you are so faithful in the work you do for your fellow-Christians, even when they are strangers. ₆They have spoken to the church here about your love. Please help them to continue their journey in a way that will please God. ₇For they set out on their journey in the service of Christ without accepting any help from unbelievers. ₈We Christians, then, must help these people, so that we may share in their work for the truth.

₉I wrote a short letter to the church; but Diotrephes, who likes to be their leader, will not pay any attention to what I say. ₁₀When I come, then, I will call attention to everything he has done: the terrible things he says about us and the lies he tells! But that is not enough for him; he will not receive our fellow-Christians when they come, and even stops those who want to receive them and tries to drive them out of the church!

₁₁My dear friend, do not imitate what is bad, but imitate what is good. Whoever does good belongs to God; whoever does what is bad has not seen God.

₁₂Everyone speaks well of Demetrius; truth itself speaks well of him. And we add our testimony, and you know that what we say is true.

₁₃I have so much to tell you, but I do not want to do it with pen and ink. ₁₄I hope to see you soon, and then we will talk personally.

₁₅Peace be with you.

All your friends send greetings. Greet all our friends personally.