The Second Census of Israel

¹After the plague had ended, the LORD said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron the priest,

²“Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel by the houses of their fathers—all those twenty years of age or older who can serve in the army of Israel.”

³So on the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho, Moses and Eleazar the priest issued the instruction,

⁴“Take a census of the men twenty years of age or older,as the LORD has commanded Moses.”And these were the Israelites who came out of the land of Egypt:

The Tribe of Reuben

⁵Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. These were the descendants of Reuben:The Hanochite clan from Hanoch,the Palluite clan from Pallu,

⁶the Hezronite clan from Hezron,and the Carmite clan from Carmi.

⁷These were the clans of Reuben, and their registration numbered 43,730.

⁸Now the son of Pallu was Eliab,

⁹and the sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram.It was Dathan and Abiram, chosen by the congregation, who rebelled against Moses and Aaron with the followers of Korah who rebelled against the LORD.

¹⁰And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire consumed 250 men. They serve as a warning sign.

¹¹However, the line of Korah did not die out.

The Tribe of Simeon

¹²These were the descendants of Simeon by their clans:The Nemuelite clan from Nemuel,the Jaminite clan from Jamin,the Jachinite clan from Jachin,

¹³the Zerahite clan from Zerah,and the Shaulite clan from Shaul.

¹⁴These were the clans of Simeon, and there were 22,200 men.

The Tribe of Gad

¹⁵These were the descendants of Gad by their clans:The Zephonite clan from Zephon,the Haggite clan from Haggi,the Shunite clan from Shuni,

¹⁶the Oznite clan from Ozni,the Erite clan from Eri,

¹⁷the Arodite clan from Arod,and the Arelite clan from Areli.

¹⁸These were the clans of Gad, and their registration numbered 40,500.

The Tribe of Judah

¹⁹The sons of Judah were Er and Onan, but they died in the land of Canaan.

²⁰These were the descendants of Judah by their clans:The Shelanite clan from Shelah,the Perezite clan from Perez,and the Zerahite clan from Zerah.

²¹And these were the descendants of Perez:the Hezronite clan from Hezronand the Hamulite clan from Hamul.

²²These were the clans of Judah, and their registration numbered 76,500.

The Tribe of Issachar

²³These were the descendants of Issachar by their clans:The Tolaite clan from Tola,the Punite clan from Puvah,

²⁴the Jashubite clan from Jashub,and the Shimronite clan from Shimron.

²⁵These were the clans of Issachar, and their registration numbered 64,300.

The Tribe of Zebulun

²⁶These were the descendants of Zebulun by their clans:The Seredite clan from Sered,the Elonite clan from Elon,and the Jahleelite clan from Jahleel.

²⁷These were the clans of Zebulun, and their registration numbered 60,500.

The Tribe of Manasseh

²⁸The descendants of Joseph included the clans of Manasseh and Ephraim.

²⁹These were the descendants of Manasseh:The Machirite clan from Machir, the father of Gilead,and the Gileadite clan from Gilead.

³⁰These were the descendants of Gilead:the Iezerite clan from Iezer,the Helekite clan from Helek,

³¹the Asrielite clan from Asriel,the Shechemite clan from Shechem,

³²the Shemidaite clan from Shemida,and the Hepherite clan from Hepher.

³³Now Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons but only daughters. The names of his daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

³⁴These were the clans of Manasseh, and their registration numbered 52,700.

The Tribe of Ephraim

³⁵These were the descendants of Ephraim by their clans:The Shuthelahite clan from Shuthelah,the Becherite clan from Becher,and the Tahanite clan from Tahan.

³⁶And the descendants of Shuthelah were the Eranite clan from Eran.

³⁷These were the clans of Ephraim, and their registration numbered 32,500.These clans were the descendants of Joseph.

The Tribe of Benjamin

³⁸These were the descendants of Benjamin by their clans:The Belaite clan from Bela,the Ashbelite clan from Ashbel,the Ahiramite clan from Ahiram,

³⁹the Shuphamite clan from Shupham,and the Huphamite clan from Hupham.

⁴⁰And the descendants of Bela from Ard and Naaman were the Ardite clan from Ardand the Naamite clan from Naaman.

⁴¹These were the clans of Benjamin, and their registration numbered 45,600.

The Tribe of Dan

⁴²These were the descendants of Dan by their clans:The Shuhamite clan from Shuham.These were the clans of Dan.

⁴³All of them were Shuhamite clans, and their registration numbered 64,400.

The Tribe of Asher

⁴⁴These were the descendants of Asher by their clans:The Imnite clan from Imnah,the Ishvite clan from Ishvi,and the Beriite clan from Beriah.

⁴⁵And these were the descendants of Beriah:the Heberite clan from Heberand the Malchielite clan from Malchiel.

⁴⁶And the name of Asher’s daughter was Serah.

⁴⁷These were the clans of Asher, and their registration numbered 53,400.

The Tribe of Naphtali

⁴⁸These were the descendants of Naphtali by their clans:The Jahzeelite clan from Jahzeel,the Gunite clan from Guni,

⁴⁹the Jezerite clan from Jezer,and the Shillemite clan from Shillem.

⁵⁰These were the clans of Naphtali, and their registration numbered 45,400.

⁵¹These men of Israel numbered 601,730 in all.

Inheritance by Lot

⁵²Then the LORD said to Moses,

⁵³“The land is to be divided among the tribes as an inheritance, according to the number of names.

⁵⁴Increase the inheritance for a large tribe and decrease it for a small one; each tribe is to receive its inheritance according to the number of those registered.

⁵⁵Indeed, the land must be divided by lot; they shall receive their inheritance according to the names of the tribes of their fathers.

⁵⁶Each inheritance is to be divided by lot among the larger and smaller tribes.”

The Levites Numbered

⁵⁷Now these were the Levites numbered by their clans:The Gershonite clan from Gershon,the Kohathite clan from Kohath,and the Merarite clan from Merari.

⁵⁸These were the families of the Levites:The Libnite clan,the Hebronite clan,the Mahlite clan,the Mushite clan,and the Korahite clan.Now Kohath was the father of Amram,

⁵⁹and Amram’s wife was named Jochebed. She was also a daughter of Levi, born to Levi in Egypt. To Amram she bore Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam.

⁶⁰Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar were born to Aaron,

⁶¹but Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorizedfire before the LORD.

⁶²The registration of the Levites totaled 23,000, every male a month old or more; they were not numbered among the other Israelites, because no inheritance was given to them among the Israelites.

Only Caleb and Joshua Remain

⁶³These were the ones numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho.

⁶⁴Among all these, however, there was not one who had been numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Wilderness of Sinai.

⁶⁵For the LORD had told them that they would surely die in the wilderness. Not one was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

Sins Requiring a Sin Offering

¹“If someone sins by failing to testify when he hears a public charge about something he has witnessed, whether he has seen it or learned of it, he shall bear the iniquity.

²Or if a person touches anything unclean—whether the carcass of any unclean wild animal or livestock or crawling creature—even if he is unaware of it, he is unclean and guilty.

³Or if he touches human uncleanness—anything by which one becomes unclean—even if he is unaware of it, when he realizes it, he is guilty.

⁴Or if someone swears thoughtlessly with his lips to do anything good or evil—in whatever matter a man may rashly pronounce an oath—even if he is unaware of it, when he realizes it, he is guilty in the matter.

⁵If someone incurs guilt in one of these ways, he must confess the sin he has committed,

⁶and he must bring his guilt offering to the LORD for the sin he has committed: a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering. And the priest will make atonement for him concerning his sin.

⁷If, however, he cannot afford a lamb, he may bring to the LORD as restitution for his sin two turtledoves or two young pigeons—one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering.

⁸He is to bring them to the priest, who shall first present the one for the sin offering. He is to twist its head at the front of its neck without severing it;

⁹then he is to sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood is drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering.

¹⁰And the priest must prepare the second bird as a burnt offering according to the ordinance. In this way the priest will make atonement for him for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.

¹¹But if he cannot afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, he may bring a tenth of an ephah of fine flouras a sin offering. He must not put olive oil or frankincense on it, because it is a sin offering.

¹²He is to bring it to the priest, who shall take a handful from it as a memorial portion and burn it on the altar atop the food offerings to the LORD; it is a sin offering.

¹³In this way the priest will make atonement for him for any of these sins he has committed, and he will be forgiven. The remainder will belong to the priest, like the grain offering.”

Laws for Guilt Offerings

¹⁴Then the LORD said to Moses,

¹⁵“If someone acts unfaithfully and sins unintentionally against any of the LORD’s holy things, he must bring his guilt offering to the LORD: an unblemished ram from the flock, of proper valuein silver shekels according to the sanctuary shekel;it is a guilt offering.

¹⁶Regarding any holy thing he has harmed, he must make restitution by adding a fifth of its value to it and giving it to the priest, who will make atonement on his behalf with the ram as a guilt offering, and he will be forgiven.

¹⁷If someone sins and violates any of the LORD’s commandments even though he was unaware, he is guilty and shall bear his punishment.

¹⁸He is to bring to the priest an unblemished ram of proper value from the flock as a guilt offering. Then the priest will make atonement on his behalf for the wrong he has committed in ignorance, and he will be forgiven.

¹⁹It is a guilt offering; he was certainly guiltybefore the LORD.”

Holiness Required of Priests

¹Then the LORD said to Moses, “Speak to Aaron’s sons, the priests, and tell them that a priest is not to defile himself for a dead person among his people,

²except for his immediate family—his mother, father, son, daughter, or brother,

³or his unmarried sister who is near to him, since she has no husband.

⁴He is not to defile himself for those related to him by marriage, and so profane himself.

⁵Priests must not make bald spots on their heads, shave off the edges of their beards, or make cuts in their bodies.

⁶They must be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God. Because they present to the LORD the food offerings, the food of their God, they must be holy.

⁷A priest must not marry a woman defiled by prostitution or divorced by her husband, for the priest is holy to his God.

⁸You are to regard him as holy, since he presents the food of your God. He shall be holy to you, because I the LORD am holy—I who set you apart.

⁹If a priest’s daughter defiles herself by prostituting herself, she profanes her father; she must be burned in the fire.

¹⁰The priest who is highest among his brothers, who has had the anointing oil poured on his head and has been ordained to wear the priestly garments, must not let his hair hang looseor tear his garments.

¹¹He must not go near any dead body; he must not defile himself, even for his father or mother.

¹²He must not leave or desecrate the sanctuary of his God, for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him. I am the LORD.

¹³The woman he marries must be a virgin.

¹⁴He is not to marry a widow, a divorced woman, or one defiled by prostitution. He is to marry a virgin from his own people,

¹⁵so that he does not defile his offspring among his people, for I am the LORD who sanctifies him.”

Restrictions against Those with Blemishes

¹⁶Then the LORD said to Moses,

¹⁷“Say to Aaron, ‘For the generations to come, none of your descendants who has a physical defect may approach to offer the food of his God.

¹⁸No man who has any defect may approach—no man who is blind, lame, disfigured, or deformed;

¹⁹no man who has a broken foot or hand,

²⁰or who is a hunchback or dwarf, or who has an eye defect, a festering rash, scabs, or a crushed testicle.

²¹No descendant of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall approach to present the food offerings to the LORD. Since he has a defect, he is not to come near to offer the food of his God.

²²He may eat the most holy food of his God as well as the holy food,

²³but because he has a defect, he must not go near the veil or approach the altar, so as not to desecrate My sanctuaries. For I am the LORD who sanctifies them.’”

²⁴Moses told this to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites.

Give Thanks to the LORD, for He Is Good

¹Hallelujah!Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;His loving devotion endures forever.

²Who can describe the mighty acts of the LORDor fully proclaim His praise?

³Blessed are those who uphold justice,who practice righteousness at all times.

⁴Remember me, O LORD, in Your favor to Your people;visit me with Your salvation,

⁵that I may see the prosperity of Your chosen ones,and rejoice in the gladness of Your nation,and give glory with Your inheritance.

⁶We have sinned like our fathers;we have done wrong and acted wickedly.

⁷Our fathers in Egypt did not grasp Your wondersor remember Your abundant kindness;but they rebelled by the sea,there at the Red Sea.

⁸Yet He saved them for the sake of His name,to make His power known.

⁹He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up;He led them through the depths as through a desert.

¹⁰He saved them from the hand that hated them;He redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

¹¹The waters covered their foes;not one of them remained.

¹²Then they believed His promisesand sang His praise.

¹³Yet they soon forgot His worksand failed to wait for His counsel.

¹⁴They craved intensely in the wildernessand tested God in the desert.

¹⁵So He granted their request,but sent a wasting disease upon them.

¹⁶In the camp they envied Moses,as well as Aaron, the holy one of the LORD.

¹⁷The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan;it covered the assembly of Abiram.

¹⁸Then fire blazed through their company;flames consumed the wicked.

¹⁹At Horebthey made a calfand worshiped a molten image.

²⁰They exchanged their Gloryfor the image of a grass-eating ox.

²¹They forgot God their Savior,who did great things in Egypt,

²²wondrous works in the land of Ham,and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.

²³So He said He would destroy them—had not Moses His chosen onestood before Him in the breachto divert His wrath from destroying them.

²⁴They despised the pleasant land;they did not believe His promise.

²⁵They grumbled in their tentsand did not listen to the voice of the LORD.

²⁶So He raised His hand and sworeto cast them down in the wilderness,

²⁷to dispersetheir offspring among the nationsand scatter them throughout the lands.

²⁸They yoked themselves to Baal of Peorand ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods.

²⁹So they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds,and a plague broke out among them.

³⁰But Phinehas stood and intervened,and the plague was restrained.

³¹It was credited to him as righteousnessfor endless generations to come.

³²At the waters of Meribahthey angered the LORD,and trouble came to Moses because of them.

³³For they rebelled against His Spirit,and Moses spoke rashly with his lips.

³⁴They did not destroy the peoplesas the LORD had commanded them,

³⁵but they mingled with the nationsand adopted their customs.

³⁶They worshiped their idols,which became a snare to them.

³⁷They sacrificed their sonsand their daughters to demons.

³⁸They shed innocent blood—the blood of their sons and daughters,whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,and the land was polluted with blood.

³⁹They defiled themselves by their actionsand prostituted themselves by their deeds.

⁴⁰So the anger of the LORD burned against His people,and He abhorred His own inheritance.

⁴¹He delivered them into the hand of the nations,and those who hated them ruled over them.

⁴²Their enemies oppressed themand subdued them under their hand.

⁴³Many times He rescued them,but they were bent on rebellionand sank down in their iniquity.

⁴⁴Nevertheless He heard their cry;He took note of their distress.

⁴⁵And He remembered His covenant with them,and relented by the abundance of His loving devotion.

⁴⁶He made them objects of compassionto all who held them captive.

⁴⁷Save us, O LORD our God,and gather us from the nations,that we may give thanks to Your holy name,that we may glory in Your praise.

⁴⁸Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,from everlasting to everlasting.Let all the people say, “Amen!”Hallelujah!