The first account of the creation

1- 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was a formless void, there was darkness over the deep, and God's spirit hovered over the water.

3 God said, "let there be light," and there was light. 4 God saw that light as good, and God divided light from darkness. 5 God called light "day" and darkness he called "night." Evening came and morning came: the first day.

6 God said, "Let there be a vault in the waters to divide the waters in two." And so it was. 7 God made the vault, and it divided the waters above the vault from the waters under the vault. 8 God called the vault "heaven." Evening came and morning came: the second day.

9 God said, "Let the waters under heaven come together into a single mass, and let dry land appear." And so it was. 10 God called the dry land "earth" and the mass of waters "seas," and God saw it was good.

11 God said, "Let the earth produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants, and fruit trees bearing fruit with seed inside, on earth." And so it was. 12 The earth produced vegetation: plants bearing seed in their several kinds, and trees bearing fruit with their seed inside in their several kinds. God saw that it was good. 13 Evening came and morning came: the third day.

14 God said, "Let there be lights in the vault of heaven to divide day from night, and let them indicate festivals, days and years. 15 Let them be lights in the vault of heaven to shine on the earth." And so it was. 16 God made the two great lights: the greater light to govern the day, the smaller light to govern the night, and the stars. 17 God set them in the vault of heaven to shine on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night and to divide light from darkness. God saw that it was good. 19 Evening came and morning came: the fourth day.

20 God said, "Let the waters teem with living creatures, and let the birds fly above the earth within the vault of heaven." And so it was. 21 God created great sea-serpents and every kind of living creature with which the waters teem, and every kind of winged creature. God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them saying, "Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the waters of the seas; and let the birds multiply upon the earth." 23 Evening came and morning came: the fifth day.

24 God said, "Let the earth produce every kind of living creature: cattle, reptiles, and every kind of wild beast." And so it was. 25 God made every kind of wild beast, every kind of cattle, and every kind of land reptile. God saw that it was good.

26 God said, "Let us make man in our own image, in the likeness of ourselves, and let them be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven, the cattle, all the wild beasts and all the reptiles that crawl upon the earth."

27 God created man in the image of himself,

in the image of God he created him,

male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them, saying to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and conquer it. Be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven and all living animals on the earth." 29 God said, "See, I give you all the seed-bearing fruit; this shall be your food. 30 To all the wild beasts, all the birds of heaven and all reptiles on the earth I give al the foliage of the plants for food." And so it was. 31 God saw all he had made, and indeed it was very good. Evening came and morning came: the sixth day.

2- 1 Thus heaven and earth were completed with all their array. 2 On the seventh day God completed the work he had been doing. He rested on the seventh after all the work he had been doing. 3 God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on that day he had rested after all his work of creating.

4 Such were the origins of heavens and earth when they were created.

The second account of the creation. Paradise

At the time when Yahweh God made the earth and heaven 5 there was as yet no wild bush on the earth nor had any wild plant yet sprung up, for Yahweh God had not sent rain on the earth, nor was there any man to till the soil. 6 However, a flood was rising from the earth and watering all the surface of the soil. 7 Yahweh God fashioned man of dust from the soil. Then he breathed into his nostrils a breath of life, and thus man became a living being.

8 Yahweh God planted a garden in Eden which was in the east, and there he put the man he had fashioned. 9 Yahweh God caused to spring up from the soil every kind of tree, enticing to look at and to eat, with the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden. 10 A river flowed from Eden to water the garden, and from there it divided to make four streams. 11 The first is named the Pishon, and this encircles the whole land of Havilah where there is gold. 12 The gold of this land is pure; bdellium and onyx stone are found there. 13 The second river is named Gihon, and this encircles the whole land of Cush. 14 The third river is named Tigris, and this flows to the east of Ashur. The fourth river is the Euphrates. 15 Yahweh God took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden t cultivate and take care of it. 16 Then Yahweh God gave the man this admonition, "You may eat indeed of all the trees in the garden. 17 Nevertheless of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you are not to eat, for on the day you eat of it you shall most surely die."

18 Yahweh God said, "It is not good that man should be alone. I will make him a helpmate." 19 So from the soil Yahweh God fashioned all the wild beasts and all the birds of heaven. These he brought to the man to see what he would call them; each one was to bear the name the man would give it. 20 The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of heaven and all the wild beasts. But no helpmate suitable for man was found for him. 21 So Yahweh God made the man fall into a deep sleep. And while he slept, he took one of his ribs and enclosed it in flesh. 22 Yahweh God built the rib he had taken from the man into a woman, and brought her to the man. 23 The man exclaimed:

"This at last is bone from my bones,

and flesh from my flesh!

This is to be called woman,

for this was taken from man."

24 This why a man leaves his father and mother and joins himself to his wife, and they become one body.

25 Now both of them were naked, the man and his wife, but they felt no shame in front of each other.

The fall

3- 1 The serpent was the most subtle of all the wild beasts that Yahweh God had made. It asked the woman, "Did God really say you were not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?" 2 The woman answered the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees in the garden. 3 But of the tree in the middle of the garden God said, 'You must not eat it, under pain of death.'" 4 Then the serpent said to the woman, "No! You will not die! 5 God knows in fact that on the day you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil." 6 The woman saw that the tree was good to eat and pleasing tp the eye, and that it was desirable for the knowledge that it could give. So she took some of its fruit and ate it. She gave some also to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they realized that they were naked. So they sewed fig leaves together to make themselves loincloths.

8 The man and his wife heard the sound of Yahweh God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from Yahweh God among the trees of the garden. 9 But Yahweh God called to the man. "Where are you?" he ask. 10 "I heard the sound of you in the garden," he replied. "I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid." 11 "Who told you that you were naked?" he asked. "Have you been eating of the tree I forbade you to eat?" 12 The man replied, "It was the woman you put with me; she gave me the fruit, and I ate it." 13 Then Yahweh God asked the woman. "What is this you have done?" The woman replied, "The serpent tempted me and I ate."

14 Then Yahweh God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this,

"Be accursed beyond all cattle,

all wild life.

You shall crawl on your belly and eat dust

every day of your life.

15 I will make you enemies of each other:

you and the woman,

your offspring and her offspring.

It will crush your head

and you will strike its heel."

16 To the woman he said:

"I will multiply your pains in childbearing,

you shall give birth to your children in pain.

Your yearning shall be for your husband,

yet he will lord it over you."

17 To the man he said, "Because you listened to the voice of you wife and ate from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat,

"Accursed be the soil because of you.

With suffering shall you get your food from it

every day of your life.

18 It shall yield you brambles and thistles,

and you shall eat wild plants.

19 With sweat on your brow

shall you eat your bread,

until you return to the soil,

as you were taken from it.

For dust you are

and to dust you shall return."

20 The man named his wife "Eve" because she was the mother of all those who live. 21 Yahweh God made clothes out of skins for the man and his wife, and they put them on. 22 Then Yahweh God said, "See, the man has become like one of us, with his knowledge of good and evil. He must not be allowed to stretch his hand out next and pick from the tree of life also, and eat some and live for ever." 23 So Yahweh God expelled him from the garden of Eden, to till the soil from which he had been taken. 24 He banished the man, and in front of the garden of Eden he posted the cherubs, and the flame of a flashing sword, to guard the way to the tree of life.

Cain and Able

4- 1 The man had intercourse with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. "I have acquired a man with the help of Yahweh" she said. 2 She gave birth to a second child, Abel, the brother of Cain. Now Abel became a shepherd and kept flocks, while Cain tilled the soil. 3 Time passed and Cain brought some of the produce of the soil as an offering for Yahweh, 4 while Abel for his part brought the first-born of his flock and some of their fat as well. Yahweh looked with favour on Abel and his offering. 5 But he did not look with favour on Cain and his offering, and Cain very angry and downcast. 6 Yahweh asked Cain, "Why are you angry and downcast? 7 If you are well disposed, ought you not to lift up your head? But if you are ill disposed, is not sin at the door like a crouching beast hungering for you, which you must master?" 8 Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out"; and while they were in the open country, Cain set on his brother Abel and killed him.

9 Yahweh asked Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I do not know," he replied. "Am I my brother's guardian?" 10 "What have you done?" Yahweh asked. "Listen to the sound of your brother's blood, crying out to me from the ground. 11 Now be accursed and driven from the ground that has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood at your hands. 12 When you till the ground it shall no longer yield you any of its produce. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer over the earth." 13 Then Cain said to Yahweh, "My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 See! Today you drive me from this ground. I must hide from you, and be a fugitive and a wanderer over the earth. Why, whoever comes across me will kill me!" 15 "Very well, then," Yahweh replied, "if anyone kills Cain, sevenfold vengeance shall be taken for him." So Yahweh put a mark on Cain, to prevent whoever might come across him from striking him down. 16 Cain left the presence of Yahweh and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

The descendants of Cain

17 Cain had intercourse with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. He became the builder of a town, and he gave the town the name of his son Enoch. 18 Enoch had a son, Irad, and Irad became the father of Mehuiael; Mehuiael becane the father of Methushael, and Methushael became the father of Lamech. 19 Lamech married two women: the name of the first was Adah and the name of the second was Zilliah 20 Adiah gave birth to Jabal: he was the ancestor of the tent dwellers and the owners of the livestock. 21 His brother's name was Jubal: he was the ancestor of all who play the lyre and the flute. 22 As for Zilliah, she gave birth to Tubal-cain: he was the ancestor of all metalworkers, in bronze or iron. Tubal-cain's sister was Naamah.

23 Lamech said to his wifes:

"Adah and Zilliah, hear my voice,

Lamech's wives, listen to what I say:

I killed a man for wounding me,

a boy for striking me,

24 Sevenfold vengeance is taken for Cain,

but seventy-sevenfold for Lamech."

Seth and his descendants

25 Adam had intercourse with his wife, and she gave birth to a so whom she named Seth, "Because God granted me another offspring," she said, "in place of Abel, since Cain has killed him." 26 A son was also born to Seth, and he named him Enosh. This man was the first to invoke the name of Yahweh.

The patriarchs before the flood

5- 1 This is the roll of Adam's descendants:

On the day God created Adam he made him in the likeness of God. 2 Male and female he created them. He blessed them and gave them the name "man" on the day they were created.

3 When Adam was a hundred and thirty years old he became the father of a son, in his likeness, as his image, and he called him Seth. 4 Adam lived for eight hundred years after the birth of Seth and he became father of sons and daughters. 5 then he died.

6 When Seth was a hundred and five years old he became father of Enosh. 7 After the birth of Enosh, Seth lived for eight hundred and seven years, and he became the father of sons and daughters. 8 In all, Seth lived for nine hundred and twelve years; then he died.

9 When Enosh was ninety years old he became the father of Kenan. 10 After the birth of Kenan, Enosh lived for eight hundred and fifteen years and he became father of sons and daughters. 11 In all, Enosh lived for nine hundred and five years; then he died.

12 When Kenan was seventy years old he became the father of Mahalalel. 13 After the birth of Mahalalel, Kenan lived for eight hundred and forty years and he became father of sons and daughters. 14 In all, Kenan lived for nine hundred and te years; then he died.

15 When Mahalalel was sixty-five years old he became the father of Jared. 16 After the birth of Jared, Mahalalel lived for eight hundred and thirty years and he became the father of sons and daughters. 17 In all, Mahalalel lived for eight hundred and ninety-five years; then he died.

18 When Jared was a hundred and sixty-two years old he became the father of Enoch. 19 After the birth of Enoch, Jared lived for eight hundred years and became father of sons and daughters. 20 In all Jared lived for nine hundred and six-two years; the he died.

21 When Enoch was sixty-five years old he became the father of Methuselah. 22 Enoch walked with God. After the birth of Methuselah he lived for three hundred years and became the father of sons and daughters. 23 Il all, Enoch lived for three hundred and sixty-five years. 24 Enoch walked with God. Then he vanished because God took him.

25 When Methuselah was a hundred and eighty-seven years old he became the father of Lamech. 26 After the birth of Lamech, Methuselah lived for seven hundred and eighty-two years and became the father of sons and daughters. 27 In all, Methuselah lived for nine hundred and sixty-nine years; then he died.

28 When Lamech was a hundred and eighty-two years old he became the father of a son. 29 He gave him the name Noah because, he said, "Here is the one who will give us, in the midst of our toil and the labouring of our land, a consolation derived from the ground that Yahweh cursed." 30 After the birth of Noah, Lamech lived for five hundred and ninety-five years and became the father of sons and daughters. 31 In all, Lamech lived for seven hundred and seventy-seven years; then he died.

32 When Noah was five hundred years old he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.

Sons of God and daughters of men

6- 1 When men had begun to be plentiful on the earth, and daughters had been born to them, 2 the sons of God, looking at the daughters of men, saw they were pleasing, so they married as many as they chose. 3 Yahweh said, "My spirit must not for ever be disgraced in man, for he is but flesh; his life shall last no more than a hundred and twenty years." 4 The Nephilim were on the earth at that time (and after( when the sons of God resorted to the daughters of man, and had children by them. These are the heros of days gone by, the famous men.

The corruption of mankind

5 Yahweh saw the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that the thoughts in his heart fashioned nothing but wickedness all day long. 6 Yahweh regretted having made man on the earth, and his heart grieved. 7 "I will rid the earth's face of man, my own creation," Yahweh said, "and of animals also, reptiles too, and the birds of heaven; for I regret having made them." 8 But Noah had found favour with Yahweh.

9 This is the story of Noah:

Noah was a good man, a man of integrity among his contemporaries, and he walked with God. 10 Noah became the father of three sons, Sem, Ham and Japhet. 11 The earth grew corrupt in God's sight, and filled with violence. 12 God contemplated the earth; it was corrupt, for corrupt were the ways of all flesh on the earth.

Preparation for the flood

13 God said to Noah, "The end has come for all things of flesh; I have decided this, because the earth is full of violence of man's making, and I will efface them from the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark out of resinous wood. Make it with reeds and line it with pitch inside and out. 15 This is how to make it: the length of the ark is to be three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16 Make a roof for the ark . . . put the door of the ark high up in the side, and make a first, second and third deck.

17 "For my part I mean to bring a flood, and send the waters over the earth, to destroy all flesh on it, every living creature under heaven; everything on earth shall perish. 18 But I will establish my Covenant with you, and you must go on board the ark, yourself, your sons, your wife and your son's wives along with you. 19 From all living creatures, from all flesh, you must take two of each kind aboard the ark, to save their lives with yours; they must be a male and a female. 20 Of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of reptile on the ground, two must go with you so that their lives may be saved. 21 For your part provide yourself provide yourself with eatables of all kinds, and lay in a store of them, to serve as food for yourself and them." 22 Noah did all this; he did all that God had ordered him.

7- 1 Yahweh said to Noah, "Go aboard the ark, you and all your household, for you alone among this generation do I see as a good man in my judgment. 2 Of all the clean animals you must take seven of each kind, both male and female; of the unclean animals you must take two, a male and a female 3 (and of the birds of heaven also, seven of each kind, both male and female), to Propagate their kind over the whole earth. 4 For in seven days' time I mean to make it rain on the earth for forty days and nights, and I will rid the earth of every living thing that I made." 5 Noah did all that Yahweh ordered.

6 Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters appeared on the earth.

7 Noah with his sons, his wife, and his sons' wives boarded the ark to escape the waters of the flood. 8 (Of the clean animals and the animals that are not clean, of the birds and all that crawls on the ground, 9 two of each kind boarded the ark with Noah, a male and a female, according to the order God gave Noah.) 10 Seven days later the waters of the flood appeared on the earth.

11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, and on the seventeenth day of that month, that very day all the springs of the great deep broke through, and the sluices of heaven opened. 12 It rained on the earth for forty days and forty nights.

13 That very day Noah and his sons Shem, Ham and Japhet boarded the ark, with Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons, 14 and with them wild beasts of every kind, reptiles of every kind that crawls on the earth, birds of every kind, all that flies, everything with wings. 15 One pair of all that is flesh and has breath of life boarded the ark with Noah; 16 and so there went in a male and a female of every creature that is flesh, just as God had ordered him.

And Yahweh closed the door behind Noah.

The flood

17 The flood lasted forty days on the earth. The waters swelled, lifting the ark until it was above the earth. 18 The waters rose and swelled greatly on the earth, and the ark sailed on the waters. 19 The waters rose more and more on the earth so that all the highest mountains under the whole of heaven were submerged. 20 The waters rose fifteen cubits higher, submerging the mountains. 21 And so all things of flesh perished that moved on the earth, birds, cattle, wild beasts, everything that swarms on the earth, and every man. 22 Everything with the breath of life in its nostrils died, everything on dry land. 23 Yahweh destroyed every living thing on the face of the earth, man and animals, reptiles, and the birds of heaven. He rid the earth of them, so that only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark. 24 The waters rose on the earth for a hundred and fifty days.

The flood subsides

8- 1 But God had Noah in mind, and all the wild beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark. God sent a wind across the earth and the waters subsided. 2 The springs of the deep and the sluices of heaven were stopped. Rain ceased to fall from Heaven; 3 the waters gradually ebbed from the earth. After a hundred and fifty days the waters fell, 4 and in seven month, on the seventeenth day of that month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. 5 The waters gradually fell until the tenth month when, on the first day of the tenth month, the mountain peaks appeared.

6 At the end of forty days Noah opened the porthole he had made in the ark 7 and sent out the raven. This went off, and flew back and forth until the waters dried up from the earth. 8 Then he sent out a dove, to see whether the waters were receding from the surface of the earth. 9 The dove, finding nowhere to perch, returned to him in the ark, for there was water over the whole surface of the earth; putting out his hand he took hold of it and brought it back into the ark with him. 10 After seven more days, again he sent out the dove from the ark. 11 In the evening, the dove came back to him and there it was with a new olive branch in its beak. So Noah realized that the waters were receding from the earth. 12 After waiting seven more days he sent out the dove and now it returned to him no more.

13 It was in the six hundred and first year of Noah's life, in the first month and on the first of the month, that the waters dried up from the earth. Noah lifted back the hatch of the ark and looked out. The surface of the ground was dry!

14 In the second month and on the twenty-seven day of the month the earth was dry.

The disembark

15 Then God said to Noah. 16 "Come out of the ark, you yourself, your wife, your sons, and your sons' wives with you. 17 As for all the animals with you, all things of flesh, whether birds or animals or reptiles that crawls on the earth, bring them out with you. Let them swarm on the earth; let them be fruitful and multiply on the earth." 18 So Noah went out with his sons, his wife, and his sons' wives. 19 And all the wild beasts, all the cattle, all the birds and all the reptiles that crawl on the earth went out from the ark, one kind after another.

20 Noah built an altar for Yahweh, and choosing from all the clean animals and all the clean birds he offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 Yahweh smelled the appeasing fragrance and said to himself, "Never again will I curse the earth because of man, because his heart contrives evil from his infancy. Never again will I strike down every living thing as I have done.

"As long as earth lasts,

sowing and reaping,

cold and heat,

summer and winter,

day and night

shall cease no more."

The new world order

9- 1 God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth. 2 Be the terror and the dread of all the wild beasts and all the birds of heaven, of everything that crawls on the ground and all the fish of the sea; they are handed to you. 3 Every living and crawling thing shall provide food for you, no less than foliage of plants. I give you everything, 4 with this exception: you must not eat flesh with life, that is to say blood, in it. 5 I will demand an account of your lifeblood. I will demand an account from every beast and from man. I will demand an account of every man's life from his fellow men.

6 "He who sheds man's blood,

shall have his blood shed by man,

for in the image of God

man was made.

7 "As for you, be fruitful, multiply, teem over the earth and be lord of it."

8 God spoke to Noah and his sons, 9 "See, I established my Covenant with you, and with your descendants after you; 10 also with every living creature to be found with you, birds, cattle and every wild beast with you: everything that came out of the ark, everything that lives on earth. 11 I establish my Covenant with you: no thing of flesh shall be swept away again by waters of the flood. There shall be no flood to destroy the earth again."

12 God said. "Here is a sign of the Covenant I make between myself and you and every living creature with you for all generations: 13 I set my bow in the clouds and it shall be a sign of the Covenant between me and the earth. 14 When I gather the clouds over the earth and the bow appears in the clouds, 15 I will recall the Covenant between myself and you and every living creature of every kind. And so the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all things of flesh. 16 When the bow is in the clouds I shall see it and call to mind the lasting Covenant between God and every living creature of every kind that is found on the earth."

17 God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the Covenant I have established between myself and every living thing that is found on the earth."

Noah and his sons

18 The sons of Noah who went out from the ark were Shem, Ham and Japhet; Ham is the ancestor of the Canaanites. 19 These three were Noah's sons, and from these the whole earth was peopled.

20 Noah, a tiller of the soil, was first to plant the vine. 21 He drank some of the wine, and while he was drunk he uncovered himself inside his tent. 22 Ham, Canaan's ancestor, saw his father's nakedness, and told his two brothers outside. 23 Shem and Japhet took a cloak and they both put it over their shoulders, and walking backward, covered their father's nakedness; they kept their faces turned away, and did not see their father's nakedness. 24 When Noah awoke from his stupor he learn what his youngest son had done to him. 25 And he said:

"Accursed be Canaan.

He shall be his brothers'

Meanest slave."

26 He added:

"Blessed be Yahweh, God of Shem,

let Canaan be his slave!

27 May God extend Japhet,

may he live in the tents of Shem,

and may Canaan be his slave!"

28 After the flood Noah lived three hundred and fifty years. 29 In all, Noah's life lasted nine hundred and fifty years; then he died.

The peopling of the earth

10- 1 These are the descendants of Noah's sons, Shem, Ham and Japhet. To whom sons were born after the flood:

2 Japhet's sons: Gomer, Magog, the Medes, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, Tiras. 3 Gomer's sons: Ashkenaz, Riphath, Togarmah. 4 Javan's sons: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittim, the Dananites. 5 From these came the dispersal to the islands of the nations.

These were Japhet's sons, according to their countries and each of their languages, according to their tribes and their nations.

6 Ham's sons: Cush, Misraim, Put, Canaan. 7 Cush's sons: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, Sebteca. Raamah's sons: Sheba, Dedan.

8 Cush became the father of Nimrod who was the first potentate on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter in the eyes of Yahweh, hence the saying, "Like Nimrod a mighty hunter in the eyes of Yahweh." 10 First to be included in his empire were Babel, Erech and Accad, all of them in the land of Shimar. 11 From this country came Ashur, the builder of Nineveh, Rehoboth-ir, Calah, 12 and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (this is the great city).

13 Misraim became the father of the people of Lud, of Anam, Naphtuth, 14 Pathros, Cushluh and Caphtor, from which the Philistines came.

15 Canaan became the father of Sidon, his first-born, then Heth, 16 and theJebusites, the Amorites, Girgashites, 17 Hivites, Arkites, Simites, 18 Arvadits, Zemarites, Amathites; later the Canaanites tribes scattered. 19 The Canaanites frontier streched from Sidon in the direction of Gerar and as far ad Gaza, then in the direstion of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim, and as far as Lesha.

20 These were Ham's sons, according to their tribes and languages, according to their countries and nations.

21 Shem also was the father of children, the ancestor of all the sons of Eber and the elder brother of Japhet.

22 Shem's sons: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, Aram. 23 Aram's sons: Uz, Hul, Gether and Mash.

24 Arpashshad became the father of Shelah, and Shelah became the father of Eber. 25 To Eber were born two sons: the first was called Peleg, because it was in his time that the earth was divided, and his brother was called Joktan. 26 Joktan became the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28 Obal, Abima-el, Sheba, 29 Ophir, Havilah, Jobab; all these are sons of Joktan. 30 They occupied a strech of country from Mesha in the direction of Sephar, the eastern mountain range.

31 These were Shem's sons, according to their tribes and languages, and according to their countries and nations.

32 These were the tribes of Noah's sons, according to their descendants and their nations. From these came the dispersal of the nations over the earth, after the flood.

The tower of Babel

11- 1 Throughout the earth men spoke the same language, with the same vocabulary. 2 Now as they moved eastward they found a plain in the land of Shinar where they settled. 3 They said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks and bake them in the fire." - For stone thy used bricks, and for mortar 4 they used bitumen. -"Come," they said, "Let us build ourselves a town ans a tower with its top reaching heaven. Let us make a name for ourselves, so that we may not be scattered about the whole earth."

5 Now Yahweh came down to see the town and the tower that the sons of man had built. 6 So they are all a single people with a single language!" said Yahweh. "This is but the start of their undertakings! There will be nothing too hard for them to do. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language on the spot so that they can no longer understand one another." 8 Yahweh scattered them thence over the whole face of the earth, and they stopped building the town. 9 It was therefore, because there Yahweh confused the language of the whole earth. It was from there that Yahweh scattered them over the whole face of the earth.

The patriarchs after the flood

10 These are Shem's descendants:

When Shem was a hundred years old he became the father of Arpachshad, two years after the flood. 11 After the birth of Arpachshad, Shem lived five hundred years and became the father of sons and daughters.

12 When Arpachshad was thirty-five years old he became the father of Shelah. 13 After the birth of Shelah, Arpachshad lived four hundred and three years and became father of sons and daughters.

14 When Shelah was thirty years old he became the father of Eber. 15 After the birth of Eber, Shelah lived four hundred and three years and became the father of sons and daughters.

16 When Eber was thirty-four years old he became the father of Peleg. 17 After the birth of Peleg, Eber lived four hundred and thirty years and became the father of sons and daughters.

18 hen Peleg was thirty years old he became the father of Reu. 19 After the birth of Reu, Peleg lived two hundred and nine years and became the father of sons and daughters.

20 When Reu was thirty-two years old he became the father of Serug. 21 After the birth of Serug, Reu lived for two hundred and seven years and became the father of sons and daughters.

22 When Serug was thirty years old he became the father of Nahor. 23 After the birth of Nahor, Serug lived two hundred years and became the father of sons and daughters.

24 When Nahor was twenty-nine years old he became the father of Terah. 25 After the birth of Terah, Nahor lived a hundred and nineteen years and became the father of sons and daughters.

26 When Terah was seventy years old he became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran.

The descendants of Terah

27 These are Terah's descendants:

Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. Haran became the father of Lot. 28 Haran died in the presence of his father Terah in his native land, Ur of the Chaldaeans. 29 Abram and Nahor both married: Abram's wife was called Sarai, Nahor waife was called Milcah, the daughter of Haran, father of Milcah and Iscah. 30 Sarai was barren, having no child.

31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law the wife of Abram, and made them leave Ur of the Chaldaeans to go to the land of Canaan. But on arrival in Haran they settled there.

32 Terah's life lasted two hundred and five years; then he died at Haran.

The call of Abraham

12- 1 Yahweh said to Abram, "Leave your country, your family and your father's house, for the land I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name so famous that it will be used as a blessing.

3 "I will bless those who bless you:

I will curse those who slight you.

All the tribes of the earth

shall bless themselves by you."

4 So Abram went as Yahweh told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. 5 Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had amassed and the people they had acquired in Haran. They set off for the land of Canaan, and arrived there.

6 Abram passed through the land as far as Shechem's holy place, the Oak of Moreh. At the time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, "It is to your descendants that I will give this land." So Abram built there an altar for Yahweh who had appeared to him. 8 From there he moved on to the mountainous district of Bethel, where he pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to Yahweh and invoked the name of Yahweh. 9 Then Abram made his way stage by stage to the Negreb.

Abraham in Egypt

10 When famine came to the land Abram went down into Egypt to stay there for the time, since the land was hard pressed by the famine. 11 On the threshold of Egypt he said to his wife Sarai, "Listen! I know you are a beautiful woman. 12 When the Egyptians see you they will say, 'That is his wife,' and they will kill me but spare you. 13 Tell them you are my sister, so that they may treat me well because of you and spare my life out of regard for you." 14 When Abram arrived in Egypt the Egyptians did indeed see that the woman was very beautiful. 15 When Pharaoh's official saw her they sang her praises to Pharaoh and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's palace. 16 He treated Abram well because of her, and he received flocks, oxen, donkeys, man and women slaves, she-donkeys and camels. 17 But Yahweh inflicted severe plagues on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram's wife Sarai. 18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram and said. "What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her for my wife? Now, here is your wife. Take her and go!" 20 Pharaoh committed him to men who escorted him back to the frontier with his wife and all he possessed.

Abraham and Lot separate

13- 1 From Egypt Abram returned to the Negeb with his wife and all he possessed, and Lot with him. 2 Abram was a very rich man, with livestock, silver and gold. 3 By stages he went from Negeb to Bethel, where he had first pitched his tent, between Bethel and Ai, 4 at the place he had formerly erected the altar. Here Abram invoke the name of Yahweh.

5 Lot, who was traveling with Abram, had flocks and cattle of his own, and tents too. 6 The land was not sufficient to accommodate them both at once, for they had too many possessions to live together. 7 Dispute broke out between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and those of Lot's. (The Canaanites and the Perizzites were then living in the land.) 8 Accordingly Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no more dispute between me and you, nor between my herdsmen and yours, for we are brothers. 9 Is not the whole land open before you? Part company with me: if you take the left, I will go right; if you take the right, I will go left."

10 Looking around, Lot saw all the Jordan plain, irrigated everywhere - this was before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah - like the garden of Yahweh or the land of Egypt, as far as Zoar. 11 So Lot chose all the Jordan plain for himself and moved off eastward. Thus they parted company: 12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan; Lot settled among the towns of the plain, pitching his tents on the outskirts of Sodom. 13 Now the people of Sodom were vicious men, great sinners against Yahweh.

14 Yahweh said to Abram after Lot had parted company with him, "Look all around from where you are toward the north and the south, toward the east and the west. 15 All the land within sight I will give to you and your descendants for ever. 16 I will make your descendants like the dust of the ground: when men succeed in counting the specks of dust on the ground, then they will be able to count your descendants! 17 Come travel through the length and the breadth of the land, for I mean to give it to you."

18 So Abram went with his tents to settle at Oak of Mamre, at Hebron, and there he built an altar to Yahweh.

The campaign of the four great king

14- 1 It was in the time of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedor-laomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of the Goiim. 2 These made war on Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).

3 These latter all banded together in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). 4 For twelve years they had been under the yoke of Chedor-laomer, but in the thirteenth year they revolted. 5 In the fourteenth year Chedor-laomer arrived and the kings who were on his side. They defeated the Rephaim at Asteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim at Ham, the Emim in the plain of Kiriathaim, 6 the Horites in the mountainous district of Seir as far as El-paran, which is on the edge of the wilderness. 7 Wheeling around, they came to the spring of Judgment (that is, Kadesh); they conquered all the territory of the Amalekites and also the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar. 8 Then the king of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and took up battle positions against them in the Valley of Siddim, 9 against Chedor-laomer king of Elam. Tidal king of the Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasr: four kings against five! 10 Now there were many bitumen wells in the Valley of Siddim, and in their flight the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fell into them, while the rest took refuge in the mountains. 11 The conquerors seized all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and made off. 12 They also took Lot (the nephew of Abram) and his possessions and made off; he was living at Sodom.

13 A survivor came to tell Abram the Hebrew, who was living at the Oak of the Amorite Mamre, the brother of Eshcol and Aner; these were allies of Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he mustered his supporters, the members of his household from birth, numbering three hundred and eighteen, and led them in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 He and his servants fell on them by night and defeated them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 He recaptured all the goods, along with his kinsman Lot and his possessions, together with the women and people.

Melchizedek

17 When Abram came back after the defeat of Chedor-laomer and the kings who had been on his side, the king of Sodom came to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is the of the king). 18 Melchizedek king of Salem brought bread and wine; he was a priest of God Most High. 19 He pronounced this blessing:

20 "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, creator of heaven and earth.

And blessed be God Most High for handing over your enemies to you."

And Abram gave him a tithe of everything.

21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people and take the possessions for yourself." 22 But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, "I raise my hand in the presence of Yahweh, God Most High, creator of heaven and earth: 23 not one thread, not one sandal strap, nothing will I take of what is yours; you shall not say, 'I enriched Abram.' 24 For myself, nothing. There is only what my men have eaten, and the share belonging to the men who came with me, Eshkol, Aner and Mamre; let them take their share."

The divine promise and Covenant

15- 1 It Happened some time later that the word of Yahweh was spoken to Abram in a vision, "Have no fear, Abram, I am your shield; your reward will be very great."

2 "My Lord Yahweh," Abram replied, "what do you intend to give me? I go childless . . ." 3 Then Abram said, "See, you have given me no descendants; some man of my household will be my heir." 4 And then this word of Yahweh was spoken to him, "He shall not be your heir; your heir shall be of your own flesh and blood." 5 The taking him outside he said, "Look up to heaven and count the stars if you can. Such will be your descendants." he told him. 6 Abram out his faith in Yahweh, who counted this as making him justified.

7 "I am Yahweh," he said to him, "who brought you out of Ur of te Chaldaeans to make you heir to this land." 8 My Lord Yahweh, Abram replied, "how am I to know that I shall inherit it?" 9 He said to him, "Get me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old-goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon." 10 He brought him all these, cut them in half and put half on one side and half facing the other; but the birds he did not cut in half. 11 Birds of prey came down on the carcasses but Abram drove them off.

12 Now as the sun was setting Abram fell into a deep sleep, and terror seized him. 13 Then Yahweh said to Abram, "know this for certain, that your descendants will be exiles in a land not their own, where they will be slaves and oppressed for four hundred years. 14 But I will pass judgment also on the nation that enslaves them and after that they will leave, with many possessions. 15 For your part, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a ripe old age. 16 In the fourth generation they will come back here, for the wickedness of the Amorites is not yet ended."

17 When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, there appeared a smoking furnace and a firebrand that went between the halves. 18 That day Yahweh made a Covenant with Abram in these terms:

"To your descendants I give this land,

from the wadi of Egypt to the great river,

the river Euphrates, 19 the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites."

The birth of Ishmael

16- 1 Abram's wife Sarai had borne him no child, but she had an Egyptian maidservant named Agar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, "Listen, now! Since Yahweh has kept me from having children, go to my slave girl. Perhaps I shall get children through her." Abram agreed to what Sarai had said.

3 Thus after Abram had lived in the land of Canaan for ten years Sarai took Hagar her Egyptian slave girl and gave her to Abram as his wife. 4 He went to Hagar and she conceived. And once she knew she had conceived, her mistress counted for nothing in her eyes. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, "May this insult to me come home to you! It was I who put my slave girl into your arms but now she knows that she has conceived, I count for nothing in her eyes. Let 6 Yahweh judge between me and you." "Very well," Abram said to Sarai, "your slave girl is at your disposal. Treat her as you think fit." Sarai accordingly treated her so badly that she ran away from her.

7 The angel of Yahweh met her near a spring in the wilderness, the spring that is on the road to Shur. 8 He said, "Hagar, slave girl of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?" "I am running away from my mistress Sarai." She replied. 9 The angel of Yahweh said to her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." 10 The angel of Yahweh said to her, "I will make your descendants too numerous to be counted." 11 Then the angel of Yahweh said to her:

"Now you have conceived, and you will bear a son,

and you shall name him Ishmael,

for Yahweh has heard your cries of distress.

12 A wild ass of a man he will be,

against every man, and every man against him,

setting himself to defy all his brothers."

13 Hagar gave a name to Yahweh who had spoken to her: "You are El Roi," for, she said, "Surely this is a place where I, in my turn, have seen the one who sees me?" 14 This is why this well is called the well of Lahai Roi; it is between Kadesh and Bered.

15 Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave to the son that Hagar bore the name oh Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

The Covenant circumcision

17- 1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old Yahweh appeared to him ans said, "I am El Shaddai. Bear yourself blameless in my presence, 2 and I will make a Covenant between myself and you, and increase your numbers greatly."

3 Abram bowed to the ground and God said this to him, 4"Here now is my covenant with you: you shall become the father of a multitude of nations. 5 You shall no longer be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham, for I make you father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you most fruitful. I will make you into nations, and your issue shall be kings. 7 I will establish my Covenant between myself and you, and your descendants after you, generation after generation, a Covenant in perpetuity, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 I will give to you and your descendants after you the land you are living in, the whole land of Canaan, to own in perpetuity, and I will be your God."

9 God said to Abraham, "You on your part shall maintain my Covenant, yourself and your descendants after you, generation after generation. 10 Now this is my Covenant which you are to maintain between myself and you, and your descendants after you: all your males be circumcised. 11 You shall circumcise Your foreskin, and this shall be the sign of the Covenant between myself and you. 12 When they are eight days old all your male children must be circumcised, generation after generation of them, no matter whether they be born within the household or brought from a foreigner not one of your descendants. 13 They must always be circumcised, both those born within the household and those who have been bought. My Covenant shall be marked on your bodies as a Covenant in perpetuity. 14 The circumcised male, whose foreskin has not been circumcised, such a man shall be cut off from his people: he has violated my Covenant."

15 God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah. 16 I will bless her and moreover give you a son by her. I will bless her and nations shall come out of her; Kings of peoples shall descend from her. 17 Abraham bowed to the ground, and he laughed, thinking to himself, "Is a child to be born to a man one hundred years old, and will Sarah have a child at the age of ninety?" 18 Abraham said to God. "Oh, let Ishmael live in your presence!" 19 But God replied, "No, but your wife Sarah shall bear you a son whom you are to name Isaac. With him I will establish my Covenant, a Covenant in perpetuity, to be his God and the God of his descendants after him. 20 For Ishmael too I grant you your request: I bless him and I will make him fruitful and greatly increased in numbers. He shall be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But my Covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear you at this time next year." 22 When he had finished speaking to Abraham God went up from him.

23 Then Abraham took his son Ishmael, all those born in his household and all those he had bought, in short all the males among the people of Abraham's household, and circumcised their foreskins that same day, in accordance with God's commands to him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when his foreskin was circumcised. 25 Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when his foreskin was circumcised. 26 The same day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised; 27 all the men of his household, both those born in the household and those who had been bought, were circumcised with him.

The apparition at Mamre

18- 1 Yahweh appeared to him at the Oak of Mamre while he was sitting by the entrance of the tent during the hottest part of the day. 2 He looked up, and there he saw three men standing near him. As soon as he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, and bowed to the ground. 3 "My lord," he said, "I beg you, if I find favour with you, kindly do not pass your servant by. 4 A little water shall be brought; you shall wash your feet and lie down under the tree. 5 Let me fetch a little bread and you shall refresh yourselves before going further. That is why you have come in your servant's direction." They replied, "Do as you say."

6 Abraham hastened to the tent to find Sarah. "Hurry," he said "knead three bushels of flour and make loaves." 7 Then running to the cattle Abraham took a fine and tender calf and gave it to the servant, who hurried to prepare it. 8 Then taking cream, milk and the calf he had prepared, he laid all before them, and they ate while he remain standing near them under the tree.

9 "Where is your wife Sarah?" they asked him. "She is in the tent," he replied. 10 Then his guest said, "I shall visit you again next year without fail, and your wife will then have a son." Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well on in years, and Sarah had ceased to have monthly periods. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, "Now that I am past the age of childbearing, and my husband is an old man, is pleasure to come my way again!" 13 But Yahweh asked Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Am I really going to have a child now that I am old?" 14 Is anything too wonderful for Yahweh? At the same time next year I shall visit you again and Sarah will have a son." 15 "I did not laugh," Sarah said, lying because she was afraid. But he replied, "Oh yes, you did laugh."

Abraham intercedes

16 From there men set out and arrived within sight of Sodom, with Abraham accompanying them to show the way. 17 Now Yahweh had wondered, "hall conceal from Abraham what I am going to do, 18 seeing that Abraham will become a great nation with all the nations of the earth blessing themselves by him? 19 For I have singled him out to command his sons and his household after him to maintain the way of Yahweh by just and upright living. In this way Yahweh will carry out for Abraham what he has promised him." 20 Then Yahweh said, "How great an outcry there is against Sodom and Gomorrah! How grievous is their sin! 21 I propose to go down and see whether or not they have done all that is alleged in the outcry against them that has come up to me. I am determined to know."

22 The men left there and went to Sodom while Abraham remained standing before Yahweh. 23 Approaching him he said, "Are you really going to destroy the just man with the sinner?" 24 Perhaps there are fifty just men in the tow. Will you really overwhelm tem, will you not spare the place for fifty just men in it? 25 Do not think of doing such a thing: to kill the just man with the sinner, treating just and sinner alike! Do not think of it! Will the judge of the whole earth not administer justice?" 26 Yahweh replied, "If at Sodom I find fifty just men in the town, I will spare the whole place because of them."

27 Abraham replied, "I am bold indeed to speak like this to my Lord, I who am dust and ashes. 28 But perhaps the fifty just men lack five: will you destroy the whole city for five?" "No," he replied, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five just men there." 29 Again Abraham said to him, "Perhaps there will only be forty there." "I will not do it," he replied, "for the sake of forty."

30 Abraham said, "I trust my Lord will not be angry, but give me leave to speak: Perhaps there will only be thirty there." "I will not do it," he replied, "If I find thirty there." 31 He said, "I am bold indeed to speak like this, but perhaps there will be only twenty there." "I will not destroy it," he replied, "for the sake of the twenty." 32 He said, "I trust my Lord will not be angry if I speak once more: perhaps there will be only ten." "I will not destroy it," he replied, "for the sake of ten."

33 When he had finished talking to Abraham Yahweh went away, and Abraham returned home.

The destruction of Sodom

19- 1 When the two angels reached Sodom in the evening, Lot was sitting at the gate. As soon as Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed to the ground. 2 "I beg you, my lords," he said, "please come down to your servant's house to stay the night and wash your feet. Then in the morning you can continue your journey." "No," they replied, "we can spend the night in the open street." 3 But he pressed them so much that they went home with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking unleavened bread, and they ate.

4 They had not gone to bed when the house was surrounded by the men of the town, the men of Sodom both young and old, all the people without exception. 5 Calling to Lot they said, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Send them out to us that we may abuse them."

6 Lot came out to them at the door, and having closed the door behind him 7 said, "I beg you, my brothers, do no such wicked thing. 8 Listen, I have two daughters who are virgins. I am ready to send them out to you, to treat as it pleases you. But as for the men, do nothing to them, for they have come under the shadow of my roof." 9 But they replied, "Out of the way! Here is one who came as a foreigner, and would set himself up as a judge. Now we will treat you worse than them." Then they forced Lot back and moved forward to break down the door. 10 But the men reached out, pulled Lot back into the house, and shut the door. 11 And they struck the men who where at the door of the house with blindness, from youngest to oldest, and they never found the doorway.

12 The men said to Lot, "Have you anyone else here? Your sons, your daughters and all your people in the town, take them out of the place. 13 We are about to destroy this place, for there is a great outcry against them, and it has reached Yahweh. And Yahweh has sent us to destroy them." 14 Lot went to speak to his future sons-in-law who were to marry his daughters. "Come," he said "leave this place, for Yahweh is about to destroy the town." But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.

15 When dawn broke the angels urged Lot, "Come, take your wife and these two daughters of yours, or you will be overwhelmed in the punishment of the town." 16 And as he hesitated, the men took him by the hand, and his wife and his two daughters, because of the pity Yahweh felt for him. They led him out and left him outside the town.

17 As they were leading him out they said, "Run for your life. Neither look behind you nor stop anywhere on the plain. Make for the hills if you would not be overwhelmed." 18 "No, I beg you, my lord," Lot said to them, 19 your servant has won your favour and you have shown great kindness to me in saving my life. But I could not reach the hills before this calamity overtook me, and death wit it. 20 The town over there is near enough to flee to, and is a little one. Let me make for that - is it not little? - and my life will be saved." 21 I grant you this favour too, and will not destroy the town you speak of. 22 Hurry, escape to it, for I can do nothing until you reach it." That is why the town is named Zoar.

23 As the sun rose over the land and Lot entered Zoar, 24 Yahweh rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Yahweh. 25 He overthrew these towns and the whole plain, with all the inhabitants of the towns, ans everything that grew there. 26 But the wife of Lot looked back, and was turned into a pillar of salt.

27 Rising early in the morning Abraham went to the place he had stood before Yahweh, 28 and looking toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and across all the plain, he saw the smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace.

29 Thus it was that when God destroyed the towns of the plain, he kept Abraham in mind and rescued Lot out of disaster when he overwhelmed the towns where Lot lived.

The origin of the Moabites and the Ammonites

30 After leaving Zoar Lot settled in the hill country with his two daughters, for he dared not stay at Zoar. He made his home in a cave, himself and his two daughters.

31 The elder said to the younger, "Our father is an old man, and there is not a man in the land to marry us in the way they do the world over. 32 Come let us ply our father with wine and sleep with him. In this way we shall have children by our father." 33 That night they made their father drunk, and the elder slept with her father though he was unaware of her coming to bed or of her leaving. 34 The next day the elder said to the younger, "Last night I slept with my father. Let us make him drunk again tonight, and you go and sleep with him. In this way we shall have children by our father." 35 They made their father drunk that night too, and the younger went and slept with him, but he was unaware of her coming to bed or of her leaving. 36 Both Lot's daughters thus became pregnant by their father. 37 The elder gave birth to a son whom she named Moab; and he is the ancestor of the Moabites of our own times. 38 The younger also gave birth to a son whom she named Ben-ammi; and he is the ancestor of the Ben-ammon of our own times.

Abraham at Gerar

20- 1 Abraham left for the land of the Negeb, and settled between Kadesh and Shur, staying for the time being at Gerar. 2 Of his wife Sarah, Abraham said, "She is my sister," and Abimelech the king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him. 3 But God visited Abimelech in a dream at night. "You are to died," he told him, "because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman." 4 Abimelech however had not gone near her, so he said, "My Lord, would you kill innocent people too? 5 Did he not tell me himself, 'She is my sister,' and did not she herself say, 'He is my brother?' I did this with a clear conscience and clean hands." 6 "Yes I know," God replied in the dream, "That you did this with a clear conscience, and it was I who prevented you from sinning against me. That was why I did not let you touch her. 7 Now send the man's wife back; for he is a prophet and can intercede on your behalf for your life. But understand that if you do not sent her back, you will surely die, amd all your people too."

8 So Abimelech rose early next morning and summoning all his servants told them the whole story, at which the men were very much afraid. 9 Then summoning Abraham Abimelech said to him, "hat have you done to us? What wrong have I done you that you bring so great a sin on me and on my kingdom? You have treated me as you should not have done." 10 And Abimelech asked Abraham, "What possessed you to do this?" 11 "Because," Abraham replied, "I thought there would be no fear of God here; and the people would kill me because of my wife. 12 Besides, she is indeed my sister, my father's daughter though not my mother's; and she became my wife. 13 So when God made me wander far from my father's home I said to her, "There is a kindness you can do me: everywhere we go, say of me that I am your brother."

14 Abimelech took sheep, cattle, men and women slaves, and presented them to Abraham, and gave him back his wife Sarah. 15 And Abimelech said, "See, my land lies before you. Settle wherever you please." 16 To Sarah he said, "Look, I am giving one thousand pieces of silver to your brother. For you this will be compensation in the eyes of all those with you . . ." 17 At Abraham's prayer God healed Abimelech, his wife and his slave girls, so that they could have children, for Yahweh had made all the women of Abimelech's household barren on account of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

The birth of Isaac

21- 1 Yahweh dealt kindly with Sarah as she had said, and did what he had promised her. 2 So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the time God had promised. 3 Abraham named the son born to him Isaac, the son to whom Sarah had given birth. 4 Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 Then Sarah said, "God has given me cause to laugh; all those who hear of it laugh with me." 7 She added:

"Ho would have told Abraham

that Sarah would nurse children!

Yet I have borne him a child in his old age."

The dismissal of Hagar and Ishmael

8 The child grew and was weaned, and Abraham gave a great banquet on the day Isaac was weaned. 9 Now Sarah watched the son that Hagar the Egyptian had born to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. 10 Drive away that slave girl and her son," she said to Abraham; "This slave girl's son is not to share the inheritance with my son Isaac." 11 This greatly distressed Abraham because of his son, 12 but God said to him, "Do not distress yourself on account of the boy and your slave girl. Grant Sarah all she ask of you, for it is through Isaac that your name will be carried on. 13 But the slave girl's son I will also make into a nation, for he his your child too." 14 Rising early next morning Abraham took some bread and a skin of water and, giving them to Hagar, he put the child on her shoulder and sent her away.

She wondered off into the wilderness of Beersheba. 15 When the skin of water was finished she abandoned the child under a bush. 16 Then she went and sat down at a distance, about a bowshot away, saying to herself, "I cannot see the child die." So she sat at a distance; and the child wailed and wept.

17 But God heard the boy wailing, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, "What is wrong, Hagar?" he ask. "Do not be afraid for God has heard the boy's cry where he lies. 18 Come pick up the boy and hold him safe, for I will make him into a great nation." 19 Then God opened Hagar's eyes and she saw a well, so she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

20 God was with the boy. He grew up and made his home in the wilderness, and he became a bowman. 21 He made his home in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother chose him a wife from the land of Egypt.

Abraham and Amibelech at Beersheba

22 At that time Abimelech came with Phicol, the commander of his army, to speak to Abraham, "God is with you in all your doing. 23 swear by God to me here and now that you will not trick me, neither myself nor my descendants nor any of mine, and that you will show the same kindness to me and the land of which you are a guest as I have shown you." 24 "Yes," Abraham replied, "I swear it."

25 Abraham reproached Abimelech about a well that Abimelech's servants had seized. 26 "I do not know who has done thi," Abimelech said, "You yourself have never mentioned it to me and, for myself, I heard nothing of it till today." 27 Then Abraham took sheep and cattle and presented them to Abimelech and the two of them made a covenant. 28 Abraham put seven lambs of the flock on one side. 29 "Why have you put these seven lambs on one side?" Abimelech asked Abraham. 30 He replied, "You accept these seven lambs from me as evidence that I have dug this well." 31 This is why they called that place Beersheba, because there the two of them swore an oath.

32 After they had made a covenant at Beersheba Abimelech went off with Phicol, the commander of his army, and returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk at Beersheba and there he invoke Yahweh, the everlasting God. 34 Abraham stayed for a long while in the land of the Philistines.

The sacrifice of Isaac

22- 1 It happened some time later that God put Abraham to the test. "Abraham, Abraham," he called. "Here I am," he replied. 2 Take your son, "God said, "your only child Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him as a burnt offering, on a mountain I will point out to you."

3 Rising early next morning Abraham saddled his ass and took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. He chopped wood for the burnt offering and started on his journey to the place God had pointed out to him. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 Then Abraham said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there; we will worship and come back to you."

6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering, loaded it on Isaac, and carried in his hands the fire and the knife. Then the two of them set out together. 7 Isaac spoke to his father Abraham, "Father," he said. "Yes," he said. "Yes, my son," he replied. "Look," he said, "here are the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" 8 Abraham answered, "My son, God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering." Then the two of them went on together.

9 When they arrived at the place God had pointed out to him, Abraham built an altar there, and arranged the wood. 10 Abraham stretched out his hand and seized the knife to kill his son.

11 But the angel of Yahweh called to him from heaven. "Abraham, Abraham," he said. "I am here," he replied. 12 "Do not raise your hand against the boy," the angel said. "Do not harm him, for now I know you fear God. You have not refused me your son, your only son." 13 Then looking up, Abraham saw a ram caught by his horns in a bush. Abraham took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14 Abraham called this place, "Yahweh provides," and hence the saying today; On the mountain Yahweh provides.

15 The angel of Yahweh called Abraham a second time from heaven. 16 "I swear by my own self - it is Yahweh who speaks - because you have done this, because you have not refused me your son, your only son, 17 I will shower blessing on you, I will make your descendants as many as the stars of heaven and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants shall gain possession of the gates of their enemies. 18 All the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your descendants, as a reward for your obedience."

19 Abraham went back to his servants, and together they set out for Beersheba, and he settled in Beersheba.

The descendants of Nahor

20 It happened some time later that Abraham received word that Milcah, too, had now borne sons to his brother Nahor: 21 Uz his first born, Buz his brother, Kemuel Aram's father, 22 Chesed, Hazo,Pildash, Jidlaph, Bethuel 23 (and Bethuel was the father of Rebekah). These are the eight children Milcah gave Nahor, Abraham' brother. 24 He had a concubine named Reumah, and she too had children: Tebah, Gaham, Tahash and Maacah.

The tomb of the patriarchs

23- 1 The length of Sarah's life was a hundred and thirty-seven years. 2 She died at Kiriath-arba, or Hebron, in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn and grieve her.

3 Then leaving his dead, Abraham spoke to the sons of Heth: 4 "I am a stranger and a settler among you," he said. "Let me own a burial plot among you, so that I may take my dead wife and bury her." 5 The sons of Heth gave Abraham this 6 answer, "Listen, my lord, you are God's prince amongst us; bury your dead in the best of our tombs; not one of us would refuse you his tomb and keep you from burying your dead."

7 Abraham rose and bowed to the ground before the people of the land, the sons of Heth, 8 and spoke to them. "If," he said, "you are willing for me to take my dead wife and bury her, then listen to me. Intercede for me with Ephron, 9 Zohar's son, to give me the cave he owns at Machpelah, which is on the edge of his land. Let him make it over to me in your presence at its full price, for me to own as a burial plot." 10 Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth, and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the sons of Heth and of all the citizens of the town. 11 "My lord, listen to me," he said. "I give you the land and I give you the cave on it; I make this gift in the sight of the sons of my people. Bury your dead."

12 Abraham bowed before the people of the land 13 and he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, "Oh, if it be you . . . But listen to me. I will pay the price of the land; accept it from me and I will bury my dead there." 14 Ephron answered Abraham, 15 "My lord, listen to me. A property worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is a little thing like that between me and you? Bury your dead." 16 Abraham agreed to Ephron's terms, and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver he had stipulated in te hearing of the sons of Heth, namely four hundred shekels of silver, according to the current commercial rate.

17 Thus Ephron's field at Machpelah opposite Mamre, the field and the cave that was on it, and all the trees that were on it, the whole of its extent in every direction, passed 18 into Abraham's possession in the sight of the sons of Heth and of all the citizens of the town. 19 After this Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field of Machpelah opposite Mamre, in the country of Canaan. 20 And so the field and the cave that was on it passed from the sons of Heth into Abraham's possession to be owned as a burial plot.

The marriage of Isaac

24- 1 By now Abraham was an old man well on in years, and Yahweh had blessed him in every way. 2 Abraham said to the eldest servant of his household, the steward of all his property, "Place your hand under my thigh, 3 I would have you swear by Yahweh, God of heaven and God of earth, that you will not choose a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I live. 4 Instead, go to my own land and my own kinfolk to choose a wife for my son Isaac." 5 The servant asked him, "What if the woman does not want to come with me to this country? Must I take your son back to the country from which you came?" 6 Abraham answered, "On no account take my son back there. 7 Yahweh, God of heaven and God of earth, took me from my father's home, and from the land of my kinfolk, and he swore to me that he would give this country to my descendants. He will now send his angel ahead of you, so that you may choose a wife for my son there. 8 And if the woman does not want to come with you, you will be free from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there." 9 And the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham, and swore to him that he would do it.

10 The servant took ten of his master's camels and something of the best of all his master owned, and set out for Aram Naharaiim and Nahor's town. 11 In the evening, at the time when women go down too draw water, he made the camels kneel outside the town near the well. 12 And he said, "Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, be with me today, and show your kindness to my master Abraham. 13 Here I stand by the spring as the young women from the town come out to draw water. 14 To one of the girls I will say: Please tilt your pitcher and let me drink. If she answer, 'Drink, and I will water your camels too' may she be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac; by this I shall know you have shown your kindness to my master."

15 He had not finished speaking when Rebekah came out. She was the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah, wife of Abraham's brother Nahor. She had a pitcher on her shoulder. 16 The girl was very beautiful, and a virgin; no man had touched her. She went down to the spring, filled her pitcher and came up again. 17 Running to meet her, the servant said, "Please give me a little water to drink from your pitcher." 18 She replied, "Drink, my lord," and she quickly lowered her pitcher on her arm and gave him a drink. 19 When she had finished letting him drink, she said, "I will draw water for your camels, too, until they have had enough." 20 She quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran to the well again to draw water, and drew water for all the camels 21 While the man watched in silence, wondering whether Yahweh had made his journey successful or not.

22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing half a shekel, and put it through her nostrils, and put on her arms two bracelets weighing ten gold shekles, 23 and he said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there room at your father's house for us to spend the night?" 24 She answered, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son whom Milcah bore to Nahor." 25 And she went on, "We have plenty of straw and fodder, and room to lodge." 26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped Yahweh 27 saying, "Blessed be Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, for he has stopped showing kindness and goodness to my master. Yahweh has guided my steps to the house of my master's brother."

28 The girl ran to her mother's house to tell what had happened. Now Rebekah 29 had a brother called Laban, and Laban ran out to the man at the spring. 30 As soon as he had seen the ring and the bracelets his sister was wearing, and had heard his sister Rebekah saying, "This is what the man said to me," he went to the man and found him still standing by his camels by his spring. 31 He said to him, "Come in, blessed of Yahweh, why stay here when I have cleared the house and made room for your camels?" 32 The man went to the house, and Laban unloaded the camels. He provided straw and fodder for the camels and water for him and his companions to wash their feet.

33 They offered him food, but he said, "I will eat nothing before I have said what I have to say." Laban said, "Speak." 34 He said, "I am a servant of Abraham. 35 Yahweh has overwhelmed my master with blessings, and Abraham is now very rich. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, men slaves and women slaves, camels and donkeys. 36 Sarah, my master's wife, bore him a son in his old age, and he has made over all his property to him. 37 My master made me take this oat, 'You are not to chose a wife for y son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose country I live. 38 Curse you if you do not go to my father's home and to my kinsfolk to choose a wife for my son.' 39 I said to my master: Suppose the woman will not agree to come with me? 40 and his replied was, 'Yahweh, in his presence I have walked, will send his angel to make your journey successful: you shall choose a wife for my son from my kinsfolk and from my father's house. 41 So doing, you will be free from my curse: you will have gone to my family, and if they refuse you, you will be free from my curse.' 42 Arriving today at the spring I said: Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, show me, I pray, if you intend to make my journey successful. 43 Here I stand, by the spring: when a girl comes out to draw water and I say to her: Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher, 44 and she replied, 'Drink by all means, and I will draw water for your camels too,' may she be the wife Yahweh has chosen for my master's son: 45 I was still turning this over my mind when Rebekah came out, her pitcher on her shoulder. She came down to the spring and drew water, I said to her: Please give me a drink. 46 Quickly she lowered her pitcher saying, 'Drink, and I will water your camels too.' 47 I asked her: whose daughter are you? She replied. 'I am the daughter of Bethuel, Whom Milcah bore to Nahor.' Then I put this ring through her nostrils and these bracelets on her arms. 48 I bowed down and worshiped Yahweh, and I blessed Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, who had so graciously led me to choose the daughter of my master's brother for his son. 49 Now tell me whether you are prepared to show kindness and goodness to my master; if not, say so, and I shall know what to do."

50 Laban and Bethuel replied, "This is from Yahweh; it is not in our power to say yes or no to you. 51 Rebekah is there before you. Take her and go; and let her become the wife of your master's son, as Yahweh has decreed" 52 On hearing this Abraham's servant prostrated himself on the ground before Yahweh. 53 He brought out silver and gold ornaments and clothes which he gave to Rebekah; he also gave rich presents to her brother and to her mother.

54 They ate and drank, he and his companions, and they spent the night there. Next morning when they were up, he said, "Let me go back to my master." 55 Rebekah's brother and mother replied, "Let the girl stay with us a few days, perhaps ten; after that she may go." 56 But he replied, "Do not delay me; it is Yahweh who has made my journey successful; let me leave to go back to my master." 57 They replied, "Let us call the girl and find out what she has to say." 58 They called Rebekah and asked her, "Do you want to leave with this man"" "I do," she replied. 59 Accordingly they let their sister Rebakah go, with her nurse, and Abraham's servant and his men. 60 They blessed Rebekah in these word:

"Sister of ours, increase

to thousands and ten of thousands!

May your descendants gain possession

of the gates of their enemies!"

61 Rebekah and her servants stood up, mounted the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah and departed.

62 Isaac, who lived in the Negeb, had meanwhile come into the wilderness of the well of Lahai Roi. 63 Now Isaac went walking in the fields as evening fell, and looking up saw camels approaching. 64 And Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac. She jumped down from her camel, 65 and asked the servant, "Who is that man walking through the fields to meet us?" The servant replied, "That is my master"; then she took her veil and hid her face. 66 The servant told Isaac the whole story, and Isaac led Rebekah into his tent and made her his wife; and he loved her. 67 And so Isaac was consoled for the loss of her mother.

The descendants of Keturah

25- 1 Abraham married another wife whose name was Keturah; 2 and she bore him Zimram, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishback and Shuah. - 3 Jokshan was the father of Shea and Dedan, and the sons of Dedan were the Asshurites, the Letushim and the Leummim. - 4 The sons of Midian are Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah. All these are sons of Keturah.

5 Abraham gave all his possessions to Isaac. 6 To the son of his concubines Abraham gave presents, and during his lifetime he sent them away from his son Isaac eastward, ti the east country.

The death of Abraham

7 The number of years Abraham lived was a hundred and seventy-five. 8 Then Abraham breathed his last, dying at a ripe old age, an old man who lived his full span of years; and he was gathered to his people. 9 His son Isaac and Ismael buried him in the cave of Machpelah opposite Mamre, in the field of Ephron the Hittite, son of Zohar. 10 This was the field that Abraham had bought from the sons of Heth, and Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried there. 11 After Abraham's death God blessed his son Isaac, and Isaac lived near the well pf Lahai Roi.

The descendants of Ishmael

12 These are the sons of Ishmael, the son of Abraham by Hagar, Sarah's Egyptian servant. 13 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael in the order of their birth: Ishmael's first-born was Nebaioth; then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah. 16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, according to their settlements and encampments, twelve chiefs of as many tribes.

17 The number of years Ishmael lived was one hundred and thirty-seven. Then he breathed his last, died, and was gathered to his people. 18 He lived in the territory stretching from Havilah to Shur, which is to the east of Egypt, on the way to Assyria. He set himself to defy his brothers.

The birth of Esau and Jacob

19 This is the story of Isaac son of Abraham.

Abraham was the father of Isaac. 20 Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramaean of Paddan-aram, and sister of Laban the Aramaean. 21 Isaac prayed Yahweh on behalf of his wife, for she was barren. Yahweh heard his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. 22 But the children struggled with one another inside her, and she said, "If this is the way of it, why go on living?" So she went to consult Yahweh, 23 and he said to her:

"There are two nations in your womb,

your issue will be two rival peoples.

One nation shall have the mastery of the other,

and the elder shall serve the younger."

24 When the time came for her confinement, there were indeed twins in her womb. 25 The first born was red, and as though he were completely wrapped in a hairy cloak; so they named him Esau. 26 Than his brother was born, with his hand grasping Esau's heel; so they named him Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old at the time of their birth. 27 When the boys grew up Esau became a skilled hunter, a man of the open country. Jacob on the other hand was a quiet man, staying at home among the tents. 28 Isaac preferred Esau, for he had a taste for wild game; but Rebekah preferred Jacob.

Esau gives up his birthright

29 Once, Jacob had made a soup, and Esau returned from the countryside exhausted. 30 Esau said to Jacob, "Let me eat the red soup, that red soup there; I am exhausted" - hence the name given to him, Edom. 31 Jacob said, "First sell me your birthright, then." 32 Esau said, "Here I am, at death's door, what use will my birthright be to me?" 33 Then Jacob said, "First give me your oath"; he gave him his oath and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave him bread and lentil soup, and after eating and drinking he got up and went. That was all Esau cared for his birthright.

Isaac at Gerar

26- 1 There was a famine in the land - a second one after the famine which tok place in the time of Abraham - and Isaac went to Abimelech, the Philistine king of Gerar. 2 Yahweh appeared to him and said, "Do not go down into Egypt; stay in the land I shall tell you of. 3 Remain for the present here in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. For it is to you and your descendants that I will give all these lands, and I will fulfil the oath I swore to your father Abraham. 4 I will make your descendants as many as the stars of heaven, and I will give them all these land; and all the nations in the world shall bless themselves by your descendants 5 in return for Abraham obedience; for he kept my charge, my commandments, my states and my laws." 6 So Isaac stayed at Gerar.

7 When the people of the place asked him about his wife he replied, "She is my sister," for he was afraid to say, "She is my wife," in case they killed him on Rebekah's account, for she was beautiful. 8 When he had been there some time, Abimelech the Philistine king happened to look out of the window and saw Isaac fondling his wife Rebekah. 9 Abimelech summoned Isaac and said to him, "Surely she must be your wife! How could you say she was your sister?" Isaac answered him, "Because I thought I might be killed on her account." 10 Abimelech said, "What is this you have done to us? One of my subjects might have slept with your wife, and then you would have us incur guilt." 11 Then Abimelech issued this order to the people: "Whoever touches this man or his wife shall be put to death."

12 Isaac sowed his crops in that land, and that year he reaped a hundredfold. Yahweh blessed him 13 and the man became rich; he prospered more and more until he was very rich indeed. 14 He had flocks and herds and many servants. The Philistines began to envy him.

15 The Philistines had sealed all the wells dug by his father's servants, filling them with earth. These had existed from the time of his father Abraham. 16 Abimelech said to Isaac, "Leave us, for you have become much more powerful than we are." 17 So Isaac left; he pitched camp in the Valley of Gerar and there he stayed. 18 Isaac dug again the wells made by the servants of his father Abraham and sealed by the Philistines after Abraham's death, and he gave them the same names as his father had given them.

19 Isaac's servants dug in the Valley and found a well of spring-water. 20 But the shepherds of Gerar quarreled with Isaac's shepherds, saying, "That water is ours!" So Isaac named the well Esek, because they had quarreled with him. 21 They dug another well, and there was a quarrel about that one too; so he named it Sitnah. 22 Then he left there, and dug another well, and since there was no quarrel about this one, he named it Rehoboth, saying, "Now Yahweh has made room for us, so that we may thrive in the land."

23 From here he went to Beersheba. 24 Yahweh appeared to him that night and said:

"I am the God of your father Abraham.

Do not be afraid, for I am with you.

I will bless you and make your descendants many in number

on account of my servant Abraham."

25 There he built an altar and invoked the name of Yahweh. There he pitched his tent, and there Isaac's servants sank a well.

The alliance with Abimelech

26 Abimelech came from Gerar to see him, with his adviser Ahuzzath and the commander of his army, Phicol. 27 Isaac said to them, "Why do you come to me since you hate me, and have me leave you?" 28 It became clear to us that Yahweh was with you," they replied, "and so we said, 'let there be a sworn treaty between ourselves and you, and let us make a covenant with you,' 29 Swear not to do us any harm, since we never molested you but were unfailingly kind to you and let you go away in peace. Now you have Yahweh's blessing." 30 He then made them a feast and they ate and drank.

31 Rising early next morning, they exchanged oaths. Then Isaac bade them farewell and they went from him in peace. 32 Now it was on the same day that Isaac's servants brought him new of the well they had dug. "We have found water!" they said to him. 33 So he called the well Sheba, and hence the town is named Beersheba to this day.

The Hittite wives of Esau

34 When Esau was forty years old he married Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite. 35 These were a bitter disappointment to Isaac and Rebekah.

Jacob obtains Isaac's blessing by cunning

27- 1 Isaac had grown old, and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see. He summoned his elder son Esau, "My son!" he said to him, and the latter answered, "I am here." 2 Then he said, "See, I am old and do not know when I may die. 3 Now take your weapons, your quiver and bow: go out into the country and hunt me some game. 4 Make me the kind of savoury I like and bring it to me so that I may eat, and give you my blessing before I die."

5 Rebekah happened to be listening while Isaac was talking to his son Esau. So when Esau went into the country to hunt game for his father, 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "I have just heard your father saying to your brother Esau, 7 'Bring me some game and make a savoury for me. Then I shall eat, and bless you in the presence of Yahweh before I die.' 8 Now my son, listen to me and do as I tell you. 9 'Go to the flock, and bring me back two good kids, so that I can make the kind of savoury your father likes. 10 Then you can take it to your father for him to eat so that he may bless you before he dies."

11 Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, "Look, my brother Esau is hairy, while I am smooth-skinned. 12 If my father happens to touch me, he will see I am cheating him, and I shall bring down a curse on myself instead of a blessing." 13 But his mother answered him, "On me be the curse, my son! Just listen to me; go and fetch me the kids." 14 So he went to fetch them, and he brought them to his mother, and she made the kind of savoury his father liked. 15 Rebekah took her elder son Esau's best clothes, which she had in the house, and dressed her younger son Jacob in them, 16 covering his arms and the smooth part of his neck with the skins of the kids. 17 Then she handed the savoury and the bread she had made to her son Jacob.

18 He presented himself before his father and said, "Father." "I am here"; was the reply "who are you, my son?" 19 Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your first-born; I have done as you told me. Please get up and take your place and eat the game I have brought and then give me your blessing." 20 Isaac said to his son, "How quickly you found it, my son!" "It was Yahweh your God," he answered, "who put it in my path." 21 Isaac said to Jacob, "Come here, then, and let me touch you, my son, to know if you are my son Esau or not." 22 Jacob came close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, "The voice is Jacob's voice but the arms are the arms of Esau!" 23 He did not recognize him, for his arms were hairy like his brother Esau's, and so he blessed him. 24 He said, "Are you ready my son Esau?" And he replied, "I am." 25 Isaac said, "Bring it here that I may eat the game my son has brought, and so may give you my blessing." He brought it to him and he ate; he offered him wine, and he drank. 26 His father Isaac said to im, "Come closer, and kiss me, my son." 27 He went closer and kissed his father, wh smelled the smell of his clothes. He blessed him saying:

"Yes, the smell of my son

is like the smell of a field blessed by Yahweh.

28 May God give you dew from heaven,

and the richness of the earth,

abundance of grain and wine!

29 May nations serve you

and peoples bow down before you!

Be master of your brothers;

may the sons of your mother bow down before you!

Cursed be he who curses you;

blessed be he who blessed you!"

30 As soon as Isaac finished blessing Jacob, and just when Jacob was leaving the presence of his father Isaac, his brother Esau returned from hunting. 31 He too made a savoury and brought it to his father. He said to him, "Father, get up and eat the game your son has brought and then give me your blessing!" 32 His father Isaac asked him, "Who are you?" "I am your first-born son, Esau," he replied. 33 At this Isaac was seized with a great trembling and said, "Who was it, then, that went hunting and brought me game? Unsuspecting I ate before you came; I blessed him, and blessed he will remain!" 34 When Esau heard his father's words, he cried out loudly and bitterly to his father, "Father, bless me too!" 35 But he replied, "Your brother came by fraud and took your blessing." 36 Esau said, "Is it because his name is Jacob, that he has now supplanted me twice? First he took my birthright, and loo, now he has taken my blessing! But," he added, "have you not kept a blessing for me?" 37 Isaac answered Esau, "See, I made him your master; I have given him all his brothers as servants, I have provided him with grain and wine. What can I do for you, my son?" 38 Esau said to his father, "Was that your only blessing, father? Father, give me a blessing too." Isaac remained silent, and Esau burst into tears. 39 Then Isaac gave him the answer:

"Far from the richness of the earth

shall be your dwelling-place,

far from the dew that falls from heaven.

40 You shall live by your sword,

and you shall serve your brother.

But when you win your freedom, you shall shake his yoke from your neck."

41 Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him, ans thought thus to himself, "The time to mourn for my father will soon be here. Then I will kill my brother Jacob." 42 When the words of Esau, her elder son, were repeated to Rebekah, she sent for her younger son Jacob and said to him, "Look, your brother Esau means to take revenge and kill you. 43 Now, my son, listen to me; go away and take refuge with my brother Laban in Haran. 44 Stay with him a while, until your brother's fury cools, 45 until your brother's anger against you cools and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send someone to bring you back. Why should I lose you both on the same day?"

Isaac sends Jacob to Laban

46 Rebekah said to Isaac, "I am tired to death because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob marries of the daughters of Heth like these, one of the women of the country, what meaning is there left in life for me?"

28- 1 Isaac summoned Jacob and blessed him; and he gave him an order: "You are not to choose a wife from the Canaanite women. 2 Away now to Padam-aram, the home of Bethuel, your mother's father, and there choose a wife for yourself among the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother. 3 May El Shaddai bless you; may he make you fruitful and make you multiply so that you become a group of nations. 4 May he grant you the blessing of Abraham, and your descendants after you, so that you may take possession of the land in which you live now, which God gave to Abraham." 5 Isaac sent Jacob away, and Jacob went to Paddan-aram, to Laban the son of Bethuel, the Aramaean, and brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.

Another marriage of Esau

6 Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him to Paddan-aram to choose wife there, and that in blessing him he had given him this order: "You are not to choose a wife from the Canaanite women," 7 and that in obedience to his father and mother Jacob had gone to Paddan-aram. 8 Esau saw from this that the women of Canaan were not held in favour by his father Isaac, 9 so he went to Ishmael and chose a wife, in addition to the wives he had, Mahalath, daughter of Abraham's son Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.

Jacob's dream

10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. 11 When he had reached a certain place he passed the night there, since the sun had set. Taking one of the stones to be found at that place, he made it his pillow and lay down where he was. 12 He had a dream: a ladder was there, standing on the ground with its top reaching to heaven; and there were angels of God going up it and coming down. 13 And Yahweh was there, standing over him, saying, "I am Yahweh, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac. I will give to you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants shall be like the specks of the dust on the ground; you shall spread to the west and to the east, to the north and the south, and all the tribes of the earth shall bless themselves by you and your descendants. 15 Be sure that I am with you; I will keep you safe wherever you go, and bring you back to this land, for I will not desert you before I have done all that I have promised you." 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Truly, Yahweh is in this place and I never knew it!" 17 He was afraid and said, "How awe-inspiring this place is! This is nothing less than the house of God; this is the gate to heaven!" 18 Rising early in the morning, Jacob took the stone he had used for his pillow, and set it up as a monument, pouring oil over the top of it. 19 He named the place Bethel, but before that the town was called Luz.

20 Jacob made this vow, "If God goes with me and keeps me safe on this journey I am making, if he gives me bread to eat and clothes to wear, 21 and if I return home safely to my father, then Yahweh shall be my God. 22 This stone I have set up as a monument shall be a house of God, and I will pay you a tenth part of all you give me."

Jacob arrives at Laban's home

29- 1 Moving on, Jacob went to the land of the sons of the east. 2 He looked and there in the fields was a well with three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for this well was used for watering the flocks. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was a large one; 3 so they used to gather all the flocks there, and then roll the stone off the mouth of the well, to water the sheep; then they put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well. 4 Jacob said to the shepherds, "Brothers," where are you from?" They replied, "We are from Haran." 5 Then he asked them, "Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?" "We know him," they replied, 6 Then he asked them, "Does all go well with him?" "Yes" they replied, "and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep." 7 The he said, "See, it is still broad daylight; it is not yet time to bring the animals in. Water the sheep and go and take them back to pasture." 8 But they answered, "We cannot do that until all the flocks are gathered and they roll the stone off the mouth of the well; then we shall water the sheep."

9 He was still talking to them, when Rachel came with the sheep belonging to her brother, for she was a shepherdess. 10 As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his uncle Laban, and the sheep of his uncle Laban, he came up and, rolling the stone off the mouth of the well, he watered the sheep of his uncle Laban. 11 Jacob kissed Rachel and burst into tears. 12 He told Rachel he was her father's kinsman and Rebekah's son, and she ran to tell her father. 13 As soon as he herd her speak of his sister's son Jacob, Laban ran to meet him; and embracing him he kissed him warmly, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban everything that had happened, 14 and Laban said to him, "Truly you are my bone and flesh!" And Jacob stayed with him for a month.

Jacob's two marriages

15 Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my kinsman, are you to work for me without payment? Tell me what wages you want." 16 Now Laban had two daughters, the elder named Leah, and the younger Rachel. 17 There was no sparkle in Leah's eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful, 18 and Jacob had fallen in love with Rachel. So his answer was, "I will work for you seven years to win your daughter Rachel." 19 It is better for me to give her to you than to a stranger; stay with me."

20 To win Rachel, therefore, Jacob worked seven years, and they seemed to him like a few days because he loved her so much. 21 Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time is finished, and I should like to go to her." 22 Laban gathered al the people of the place together, and gave a banquet. 23 But when night came he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he slept with her. 24 (Laban gave his slave girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah's slave.) 25 When morning came, there was Leah. So Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Did I not work for you to win Rachel? Why then have you tricked me?" 26 Laban answered, "It is not the custom in our country to give the younger before the elder. 27 Finish this marriage week and I will give you the other one too in return for your working with me another seven years." 28 Jacob did this, and when the week was over, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. 29 (Laban gave his daughter Rachel his slave girl Bilhah to be her slave.) 30 So Jacob slept with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He worked with Laban another seven years.

The sons of Jacob

31 Yahweh saw that Leah was neglected, so he opened her womb, while Rachel remained barren. 32 Leah conceived and gave birth to a son whom she named Reuben, "Because," she said, "Yahweh has seen my misery; now my husband will love me." 33 Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, saying, "Yahweh has heard that I was neglected, so he has given me this one too"; and she named him Simeon. 34 Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, saying, "This time my husband will be united to me, for I have now borne three sons to him"; accordingly, she named him Levi. 35 Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, saying, "This time I will give glory to Yahweh"; accordingly she named him Judah. Then she had no more children.

30- 1 Rachel, seeing that she herself gave Jacob no children, became jealous of her sister. And she said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I shall die!" 2 This made Jacob angry with Rachel, "Am I in God's place? It is he who has refused you motherhood." 3 So she said, "Here is my slave girl, Bilhah. Sleep with her so that she may give birth on my knees; through her, then, I too shall have children!" 4 So she gave him her slave girl Bilhah as a wife. Jacob slept with her, 5 and Bilhah conceived and gave birth to a son by Jacob. 6 Then Rachel said, "God has done me justice; yes, he has heard my prayer and given me a son." Accordingly she named him Dan. 7 Again Rachel's slave girl Bilhah conceived and gave birth to a second son by Jacob. 8 Then Rachel said, "I have fought God's fight with my sister, and I have won"; so she named him Naphtali.

9 Now Leah, seeing that she had no more children, took her slave girl Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 So Leah's slave girl Zilpah gave birth to a son by Jacob. 11 Then Leah exclaimed, "What good fortune!" So she named him Gad. 12 Leah's slave girl Zilpah gave birth to a second son by Jacob. 13 Then Leah said "What happiness! Women will call me happy!" So she named him Asher.

14 Going out when the were harvesting the corn, Reuben found some mandrakes and brought them to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes." 15 But Leah replied, "It is not enough to have taken my husband that you should want to take my son's mandrakes too?" So Rachel said, "Very well, he shall sleep with you tonight in return for your son's mandrakes." 16 When Jacob came back from the fields that night, Leah went out to meet him, saying, "You must come to me, for I have hired you at the price of my son's mandrakes." So he slept with her that night. 17 God heard Leah, and she conceived and gave birth to a fifth son by Jacob. 18 Then Leah said, "God has paid me my wages for giving my slave girl to my husband." So she named him Issachar. 19 Again Leah conceived and gave birth to a sixth son by Jacob, 20 saying, "God has given me a fine gift; now my husband will honour me, for I have borne six children to him." So she named him Zebulun. 21 Later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.

22 Then God remembered Rachel; he heard her and opened her womb. 23 She conceived and gave birth to a son, saying, "God has taken away my shame." 24 So she named him Joseph, saying, "May Yahweh give me another son!"

25 When Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, "Release me, and then I can go home to my own country. 26 Give me my wives for whom I have worked for you, and my children, so that I can go. You know very well the work I have done for you." 27 Laban said to him, "If I have won your friendship . . . I learned from the omens that Yahweh had blessed me on your account. 28 So name your wages," he added, "and I will pay you." 29 He answered him, "You know very well how hard I have worked for you, and how your stock has fared in my charge. 30 The little you had before I came has increased enormously, and Yahweh has blessed you wherever I have been. But when am I to provide for my own house?" 31 Laban said, ""How much am I going to pay you?" And Jacob replied, "You will not have to pay me anything: if you do for me as I propose, I will be your shepherd once more and look after your flock.

32 "Today I will go through all your flock. Take out of it every black animal among the sheep, and every speckled or spotted one among the goats. Such shall be my wages, 33 and my honesty will answer for me later: when you come to check my wages, every goat I have that is not speckled or spotted, and every sheep that is not black shall rank as stolen property in my possession." 34 Laban replied, "Good! Let it be as you say." 35 That same day he took out the striped and speckled he goats and all the spotted and speckled she-goats, every one that had white on it and all the black sheep. He handed them over to his sons, 36 and put three days' journey between himself and Jacob. Jacob took care of the rest of Laban's flock.

37 Jacob gathered branches in sap, from poplar, almond and plane trees, and peeled them in white strips, laying bare the white on the branches. 38 He put the branches he had peeled in front of the animals, in the troughs in the channels where the animals came to drink; and the animals mated when the came to drink. 39 They mated therefore in front of the branches and so produced striped, spotted and speckled young. 40 As for the sheep, Jacob put them apart, and he turned the animals toward whatever was striped or black in Laban's flock. Thus he built up droves of his own which he did not put with Laban's flock. 41 Moreover, whenever the sturdy animals mated, Jacob put the branches where the animals could see them, in the troughs, so that they would mate in front of the branches. 42 But when the animals were feeble, he did not put them there; thus Laban got the feeble, and Jacob the sturdy, 43 and he grew extremely rich, and became the owner of large flocks, with men and women slaves, camels and donkeys.

Jacob's flight

31- 1 Jacob learned that the sons of Laban were saying, "Jacob has taken everything that belonged to or father; it is at our father's expense that he has acquired all his wealth." 2 Jacob saw from Laban's face that tings were not as they had been. 3 Yahweh said to Jacob, "Go back to the land of your forefathers and to your kindred; and I will be with you." 4 So Jacob had Rachel and Leah called to the fields where his flocks were, 5 and he said to them, "I can see from your father's face that I am out of favour with him now; but the God of my father has been with me. 6 You yourselves know that I have worked for your father with all my strength. 7 Your father has tricked me, ten times changing my wages, yet God has not allowed him to harm me. 8 Whenever he said, 'The spotted ones shall be your wages,' all the animals produced spotted young; whenever he said, 'The striped ones shall be your wages,' all the animals produced striped young. 9 Thus God has taken your father's livestock and given it to me. 10 It happened at the time when the animals were in heat, that in a dream I looked up and saw that the males covering the females of the flock were striped or spotted or piebald. 11 In the dream the angel of God called to me, 'Jacob' And I answered: I am here. 12 He said, 'Look up and see: all the males covering the females of the flock are striped or spotted or piebald, for I have seen all that Laban has done to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel where you poured oil on a monument, and where you made a vow to me. Now get ready to leave this country and return to the land of your birth,'"

14 In answer Rachel and Leah said to him, "Have we any share left in the inheritance of our father's House? 15 Does he not treat us like foreigners, for he has sold us and gone on to use up all our money? 16 Surely all the riches God has taken from our father belong to us and to our children. So do all that God has told you."

17 Jacob made ready and put his children and his wives on camels, 18 and he drove all his livestock before him - with all he had acquired, the livestock belonging to him which he had acquired in Paddan-aram - to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan. 19 When Laban had gone to shear his flock, Rachel stole the household idols belonging to her father. 20 Jacob outwitted Laban the Aramaean by giving him no inkling of his flight. 21 He fled with all he had and went away, crossing the River and making for Mount Gilead.

Laban pursues Jacob

22 Three days later Laban was told that Jacob had fled. 23 Taking his brothers with him he pursued him for seven days and overtook him at Mount Gilead. 24 God came by night in a dream to Laban the Aramaean and said to him, "On no account say anything to Jacob." 25 Laban caught up with Jacob, who had pitched his tent in the hills; and Laban pitched camp on Mount Gilead.

26 Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done, tricking me and driving my daughters off like prisoners of war? 27 Why did you flee in secret, stealing away without letting me know so that I could send you on your way rejoicing. With songs and the music of tambourines and lyres? 28 You did not even let me kiss my sons and daughters. You have behaved like a fool. 29 It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father said to me last night, 'On no account say anything whatever to Jacob.' 30 Now it may be you went because you had such a longing for your father's House, but why did you steal my gods?"

31 Jacob answered Laban, "I was afraid, thinking you were going to snatch your daughters from me. 32 But whoever is found in possession of your gods shall not remain alive. In presence of our brothers, examine for yourself what I have, and take what is yours." Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them. 33 La abn went into Jacob's tent, and then Leah's tent and the tent of the two slave girls, but found nothing. He came out of Leah's tent and went into Rachel's. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household idols and put them in the camel's litter, and was sitting on them. Laban went through everything in the tent but found nothing. 35 The Rachel said to her father, "Do not look angry, my lord, because I cannot rise in your presence, for I am as women are from time to time." Laban search but did not find the idols.

36 Then Jacob lost his temper and took Laban to task. And Jacob said to Laban, "What is my offense, what is my crime, that you have set on me?" 37 You have gone through all my belongings; have you found anything belonging to your House? Produce it here in the presence of my brothers and yours, and let them decide between the two of us. 38 In all the twenty years I have been with you, your ewes and your she-goats have never miscarried, and I have eaten none of the rams from your flock. 39 As for those mauled by wild beasts, I have never brought them back to you, but have born the loss myself; you claim them from me, whether I was robbed by day or by night. 40 In the day time the heat has consumed me, and at night the cold has gnawed at me, and sleep has fled from my eyes. 41 These twenty years I have been in your house; fourteen years I have worked for you for your two daughters, and six years for your flock; and ten times you have changed my wages. 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, the kinsman of Isaac, had not been with me, you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my weariness and the work done by my hands, ad last night he delivered judgment."

The treaty between Jacob and Laban

43 Laban gave Jacob this answer, "These daughters are my daughters and these sons are my sons; these sheep are my sheep, and all that you see belongs to me. But what can I do today about my daughters, and about my sons they have borne? 44 Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I . . . and let it serve as a witness between us."

45 Then Jacob took a stone and set it up as a monument. 46 Jacob said to his kinsmen, "Collect some stones," and gathering some stones they made a cairn. They had a meal there, on the cairn, and 47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha while Jacob called it Galeed. 48 Laban said, "May this cairn be a witness between us today." That is why he named it Galeed, 49 and also Mizpah, because he said, "Let Yahweh act as watchman between us when we are no longer in sight of each other. 50 If you ill-treat my daughters or marry other women in addition to my daughters, even though no one be with us, remember: God is witness between us." 51 Then Laban said to Jacob, "Here is the cairn I have thrown up between us, and here is the monument. 52 This cairn is a witness, and the monument bears witness: I must not pass this cairn to attack you, and you must not pass this cairn and this monument to attack me. 53 May the God of Abraham and the god of Nahor judge between us." Then Jacob swore by the Kinsman of his father Isaac. 54 He offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his brothers to the meal. They ate the meal, and passed the night on the mountain.

32- 1 Laban rose early next morning, and kissing his sons and daughters he blessed them. Then Laban left to return home. 2 While Jacob was going on his way angels of God met him, 3 and on seeing them he said, "This is God's camp," and he named the place Mahanaim.

Jacob prepares for his meeting with Esau

4 Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the countryside of Edom, 5 with these instructions, "Say this to my lord Esau, Here is the message of your servant Jacob: I have been staying with Laban till 6 and have acquired oxen, beasts of burden and flocks, and men and women slaves. I send news of this to my lord in the hope of winning your approval.'" 7 The messengers returned to Jacob and told him. "We went to your brother Esau, and he is already on his way to meet you; there are four hundred men with him."

8 Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people with him, and the flocks and cattle, into two companies, 9 saying, "If Esau comes to one of the companies and attacks it, the other company will be left to escape." 10 Jacob said. "O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, Yahweh who said to me, 11 'Go back to your country and family, and I will make you prosper,' I am unworthy of all the kindness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed the Jordan here, and now I can form two companies. 12 I implore you, save me from my brother's clutches, for I am afraid of him; he may come and attack us and the mothers and their children. 13 Yet it was you who said, 'I will make you prosper, and make your descendants like the sand on the seashore, so many that it cannot be counted.'" 14 Then Jacob passed that night there.

From what he had with him he chose a gift for his brother Esau: 15 two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 16 thirty camels in milk with their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty she-asses and ten donkeys. 17 He put them in charge of his servants, in separate droves and he told his servants, "Go ahead of me, leaving a space between each drove and the next." 18 He gave the first this order: "When my brother Esau meets you and ask, 'To whom do you belong? Where are you going? Whose are those animals that you are driving?' you will answer, 19 'To your servant Jacob. They are a gift sent to my lord Esau. Jacob himself is following.'" 20 He gave the same order to the second and the third, and to all who were following the droves, "That is what you must say to Esau when you find him. 21 Yes, your servant Jacob himself is following.'" For he argued, "I shall conciliate him by sending a gift in advance; so when I come face to face with him he may perhaps receive me favourably." 22 The gift went ahead of him, but he himself spent that night in the camp.

Jacob wrestles with God

23 That same night he rose, and taking his two wives and his two slave girls and his eleven children he crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 24 He took them and sent them across the stream and sent all his possessions over too. 25 And Jacob was left alone.

And there was one that wrestled with him until daybreak 26 who, seeing that he could not master him, struck him in the socket of his hip, and Jacob's hip was dislocated as he wrestled with him. 27 He said, "Let me go, for day is breaking." But Jacob answered, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." 28 He then asked "What is your name?" "Jacob," he replied. 29 He said, "Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have been strong against God, you shall prevail against men." 30 Jacob then made this request, "I beg you, tell me your name," but he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" And he blessed him there.

31 Jacob named the place Peniel, "Because I have seen God face to face," he said, "and I have survived." 32 The sun rose as he left Peniel, limping because of his hip. 33 That is the reason why to this day the Israelites do not eat the sciatic nerve which is in the socket of the hip; because he had struck Jacob in the socket of the hip on the sciatic nerve.

The meeting with Esau

33- 1 Looking up Jacob saw Esau arriving with four hundred men. Accordingly he divided the children between Leah, Rachel and the two slave girls. 2 He put the slave girls and their children in front with Leah and her children following, and Rachel and Joseph behind. 3 He himself went ahead of them and bowed to the ground seven times before going up to his brother. 4 But Esau ran to meet him, took him in his arms and held him close and wept. 5 Then looking up he saw the women and children. "Who are these with you? He asked. Jacob answered, "The children whom God has bestowed on you servant." 6 The slaves girls then came up with their children, and they all bowed low. 7 Leah also came up along with her children, and they all bowed low. Finally Rachel and Joseph came up and bowed low.

8 Esau asked, "What was the meaning of all the company that I have met?" "It is to win my lord's favour, he replied. 9 "Brother, I have plenty," Esau answered, "keep what is yours." 10 Jacob protested, "Please, if I found favour with you, accept the gift I offer. To speak truly, I came into your presence as into the presence of God, but you have received me kindly. 11 So accept the gift I have brought for you; since God has been generous to e, I have all I need." And he urged him, and Esau accepted.

Jacob leaves Esau

12 Esau said, "Let us break camp and move off; I will lead you." 13 But Jacob replied, "My lord is aware that the children are weak, and that I must consider the sheep and the cows that have calves. If they are driven too hard, even for one day, the whole drove will die. 14 May it please my lord to go on ahead of his servant. For my part, I will move at a slower pace, to suit the flock I am driving and the children, until I join my lord in Seir." 15 Then Esau said, "But I must at least leave you some of my people accompanying me." "Why," Jacob asked. "All I desire is to win your favour." 16 So that day Esau resumed his journey to Seir. 17 But Jacob left for Succoth, where he built himself a house and made shelters for his livestock; that is why the place was given the name of Succoth.

Jacob arrives at Shechem

18 Jacob arrived safely at the town of Shechem in Canaanite territory, on his return from Paddan-aram, He encamped opposite the town 19 and for one hundred pieces of silver he bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent. 20 Here he erected an altar which he called, "El, God of Israel."

The rape of Dinah

34- 1 Dinah, who was Jacob's daughter by Leah went out to visit the women of that region. 2 Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, who was ruler of that region, saw her, carried her off and raped her, and so dishonoured her. 3 But he was captivated by Dinah, the daughter of Jacob; he fell in lave with the young girl and comforted her. 4 Accordingly Shechem said to his father Hamor, "Get me this young girl, I want to marry her." 5 Meanwhile, Jacob had heard how his daughter Dinah had been dishonoured, but since his sons were out in the countryside with the livestock, Jacob said nothing until they came back.

A matrimonial alliance with the Shechemites

6 Hamor the father of Shechem went to talk to Jacob. 7 When Jacob's sons returned from the countryside and heard the news, these men were outraged and infuriated that Shechem had insulted Israel by raping Jacob's daughter - an offense that could not be overlooked. 8 Hamor said to them, "The heart of my son Shechem is set on your daughter; I beg you, let him marry her. 9 Ally yourselves with us by marriage; give us your daughters and take our daughters for yourselves. 10 Stay with us and the land shall be open to you to live in or move through or own." 11 Shechem said to the father and brothers of the young girl, "If only I can win your favour, I will give you whatever you ask. 12 Demand from me a huge bridal price and gifts; I will give you as much as you ask. Only let me marry the young girl."

13 Then came the answer Jacob's sons gave to Shechem and his father Hamor, a crafty answer because he had dishonoured their sister Dinah. 14 We cannot do such a thing," they said to them. "To give our sister to an uncircumcised man would be a disgrace for us. 15 We can agree only on one condition: that you become like us by circumcising all your males. 16 Then we will give you our daughters, taking yours for ourselves; and we will stay with you to make one nation. 17 But if you do not listen to us on this matter of circumcision we shall take our daughter and go." 18 Hamor and Shechem, Hamor's son, were pleased with what they heard. 19 The young man did not hesitate about doing this, for he was deeply in love with Jacob's daughter. Moreover he was the most important person in his father's household.

20 Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their town and spoke to their fellow townsmen saying. 21 "These men are friendly; let them stay with us in the land, and move about as they like. Let us marry their daughters and give our daughters to them. 22 But these men will agree to stay with us and become a single nation only on this condition: all males must be circumcised as they are. 23 Will not their livestock, their goods and all their cattle belong to us, if only we agree to let them stay with us?" 24 All the citizens of the town agreed to the proposal made by Hamor and his son Shechem, and so all the males were circumcised.

The treacherous revenge of Simeon and Levi

25 Now on the third day, when they were still in pain, Jacob's two sons Simeon and Levi, brothers of Dinah, took their swords and marched into the town unsuspected; the killed all the males. 26 They put Hamor and his son Shechem to the sword, took Dinah from Shechem's house and came away. 27 Jacob's sons attacked the wounded and pi;;aged the town because their sister had been dishonoured. 28 They took away their flocks, cattle, donkeys and whatever there was in the town and in the countryside. 29 They carried off all their riches, all their little children and their wives, and looted everything to be found in their houses.

30 Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have done me harm, putting me in bad odor with the people of this land, the Canaanites and the Perzzites. I have few men, whereas they will unite against me to defeat me and destroy me and my family." 31 They retorted, "Is our sister to be treated like a whore?"

Jacob at Bethel

35- 1 God said to Jacob, "Move on now and go to Bethel and settle there. Make an altar there for the God who appeared to you when you were fleeting from your brother Esau."

2 Jacob said to his family and to all who were with him, "Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you; wash, and change your clothes. 3 We must move on and go to Bethel. There I will make an altar for the God who heard me when I was in distress, and gave me his help on the journey I made." 4 They gave Jacob all the foreign gods in their possession, and the earrings that they were wearing. Jacob buried them under the oak tree near Shechem. 5 They broke camp; a divine terror struck the towns round about, and no one pursued the sons of Jacob.

6 When Jacob arrived at Luz in the land of Canaan - Bethel, in other words - and all the people with him, 7 he built an altar there, giving the place the name Bethel, because it was there that God had appeared to him when he was fleeing from his brother. 8 Deborah, who had who had been Rebekah's nurse, died and was buried below Bethel, under the oak tree; so they named the Oak of Tears.

9 Once more God appeared to Jacob on his return from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. 10 God said to him, "Your name is Jacob, but from now on you shall be named not Jacob but Israel." Accordingly they named him Israel.

11 God said to him, "I am El Shaddai. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation, indeed a group of nations shall descend from you. Even kings shall be numbered among your descendants. 12 I give you this land, the land I gave to Abraham and to Isaac; and I will give this land to your descendants after you." 13 Then God went up from him.

14 Jacob raised a monument in the place where he had spoken with him, a stone monument, on which he made a libation and poured oil. 15 Jacob named this place Bethel where God had spoken with him.

The birth of Benjamin and the death of Rachel

16 They left Bethel, and while they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to be in labour, and her pains were severe. 17 But in her difficult delivery the midwife said to her, "Do not be afraid; you have another son here." 18 At the moment when she breathed her last, for she was dying, she named him Ben-oni. His father however named him Benjamin. 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the road to Ephrath, at Bethlehem. 20 Jacob raised a monument of the tomb of Rachel which is still there today.

Reuben's incest

21 Israel left and pitched his tent beyond Migdal-eder. 22 While Israel was living in that district, Reuben went and slept with Bilhah his father's concubine, and Israel learned of it.

The twelve sons of Jacob

Jacob's sons numbered twelve. 23 The sons of Leah: Jacob's eldest son Reuben, then Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun. 24 The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. 25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel's slave girl: Dan and Naphtali. 26 The sons of Zilpah, Leah's slave girl: Gad and Asher. These are the sons born to Jacob in Paddan-aram.

Isaac's death

27 Jacob reached the house of his father Isaac at Mamre, at Kiriath-arba - or Hebron - Where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. 28 Isaac was one hundred and eighty years old 29 when he breathed his last. He died and was gathered to his people, an old man who had enjoyed his full span of life. His sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Esau's wives and children in Canaan

36- 1 Here are the descendants of Esau, who is Edom. 2 Esau married women of Canaan: Adah, the daughter of Elom the Hittite, Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah, who was the son of Zibeon the Horite, 3 Basemath, the daughter of Ishmael and the sister of Nebaioth. 4 Adah bore to Esau Eliphaz, Basemath bore Reuel, 5 Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam and Korah. These are te sons of Esau born to him in the land of Canaan.

Esau migration

6 Esau, taking his wives, his sons and daughters, all the members of his household, his livestock, all his cattle and all the goods he had acquired in the land of Canaan, left for the land of Seir away from Jacob. 7 For they had acquired too much to live together. The land in which they were at that time could not support them both of their livestock. 8 Edom settled in the mountainous of Seir. Esau is Edom.

Esau's descendants in Seir

9 Here are the descendants of Esau, the father of Edom, in the mountainous region of Seir.

10 Here are the names of Esau's sons: Eliphaz the son of Adah, Esau's wife, and Reuel the son of Basemath, Esau's wife.

11 The sons of Eliphaz were: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, Kenaz. 12 Eliphaz son of Esau has Timma for concubine and she bore him Amalek. These are the sons of Adah, Esau's wife.

13 Here are the sons of Reuel: Nabath, Shammah, Mizzah. These sre the sons of Basemath, Esau's wife.

14 Here are the sons of Esau's wife Oholibamah, daughter of Anah son of Zibeon: she bore him Jesush, Jalam and Korah.

The chiefs of Edom

15 Here are the chiefs of the sons of Esau.

The sons of Eliphaz, first born of Esau: chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz, 16 chief Amalek. These are the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom, these are the sons of Adah.

17 And here are the sons of Reuel son of Esau` chief Nahath, chief Zerah, chief Shammah, chief Mizzah. These are the chiefs of Reuel in the land of Edom, these are the sons of Basemath, Esau's wife.

18 And here are the sons of Oholibamah, Esau's wife: chief Jeush, chief Jalam, chief Korah. These are the chiefs of Esau'e wife Oholibamah, daughter of Anah.

19 These are the sons of Esau and these are their chiefs. This is Edom.

The descendants of Seir the Horite

20 Here are the sons of Seir the Horite, natives of the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 21 Dishon, Ezer, Dishan, these are the chiefs of the Horites, the sons of Seir in the land of Edom. 22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam, and Lotan's sister was Timna. 23 Here are the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, Onam. 24 Here are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah, Anah - the Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness as he pastured the donkeys of his father Zibeon. 25 Here are the children of Anah: Dishon, Oholibamah daughter of Anah. 26 Here are the sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Ehban, Ithran, Cheran. 27 Here are the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, Akan. 28 Here are the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.

29 Here are the chiefs of the Horites: chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chirf Anah, 30 chief Dishon, chief Ezer, chief Ezer, chief Dishan. These are the chiefs of the Horites according to their clans in the land of Seir.

The kings of Edom

31 Here re the kings who ruled in the land of Edom before an Israelite king ruled. 32 In Edom there ruled Bela son of Beor; his city was called Dinhabath. 33 Bela died and Johab son of Zerah, from Bozrah, succeeded. 34 Johab died and Husham of the land of the Temanites succeeded. 35 Husham died and Hadad son of Bedad succeeded; he defeated the Midianites in the country of Moab, and his city was called Avith. 36 Hadad died and Samlath of Masrekah succeeded. 37 Samlh died and Shaul of Rehoboth-han-nahar succeeded. 38 Shaul died and Baal-hanan son of Achbor succeeded. 39 Baal-hanan died and Hadad succeeded; his city was called Pau; his wife's name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, from Me-zahab.

Mor chiefs of Edom

40 Here are the chiefs of Esau according to their clans and localities, by name: chief Timma, chief Alvah, chief Jetheth, 41 chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, 42 chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, 43 chief Magdiel, chief Iram. These are the chiefs of Edom according to their residence in the land that was theirs. This is Esau, father of Edom.

37- 1 But Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan.

Joseph and his brothers

2 This is the story of Joseph.

Joseph was seventeen years old. As he was still young, he was shepherding the flock with his brothers, with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah his father's wives. Joseph informed their father of the evil spoken about them.

3 Israel loved Joseph more than all the other sons, for he was the son of his old age, and he had a coat with long sleeves made from him. 4 But his brothers, seeing how his father loved him more than all his other sons, came to hate him so much that they could not say a civil word to him.

Now Joseph had a dream, and he repeated it to his brothers. 5 "Listen," he said, "To this dream I have had. 6 We were binding sheaves in the countryside; and 7 my sheaf, it seemed, rose up and stood upright; then I saw your sheaves gather round and bow to my sheaf." 8 "So you want to be king over us," his brothers retorted, "or to lord it over us?" And they hated him still more, on account of his dreams and of what he said. 9 He had another dream which he told to his brothers. "Look, I have had another dream," he said. "I thought I saw the sun, the moon and eleven stars, bowing to me." 10 He told his father and brothers, and his father scolded him. "A fine dream to have!" he said to him. "Are all of us then, myself, your mother and your brothers, to come and bow to the ground before you?" 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the thing in mind.

Joseph sold by his brothers

12 His brothers went to pasture their father's flock at Shechem. 13 Then Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers with the flock at Shechem? Come, I am going to send you to them," "I am ready," he replied. 14 He said to him, "Go and see how your brothers and the flock are doing, and bring me words." He sent him from the valley of Hebron, and Joseph arrived at Shechem.

15 A man found him wandering in the countryside and the man asked him, "What are you looking for?" 16 I am looking for my brothers," he replied. "Please tell me where they are pasturing their flock." 17 The man answered, "They have moved on from here; indeed I heard them say, 'Let us go to Dothan.'" So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

18 They saw him in the distance, and before he reached them they made a plot among themselves to put him to death. 19 "Here comes the man of dreams," they said to one another. 20 "Come on, kill him and throw him into some well; we can say that a wild beast devoured him. Then we shall see what becomes of his dreams."

21 But Reuben heard, and he saved him from their violence. "We must not take his life," he said. 22 "Shed no blood, said Reuben to them, "Throw him into this well in the wilderness, but do not lay violent hands on him" - intending to save him from them and to restore him to his father. 23 So Joseph reached his brothers, they pulled off his coat, the coat with long sleeves that he was wearing, 24 and catching hold of him they threw him into the well, an empty well with no water in it. 25 They then sat down to eat.

Looking up they saw a group of Ishmaelites who were coming from Gilead, their camels laden with gum, tragacanth, balsam and resin, which they were taking down into Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, ""What do we gain by killing our brother and covering up his blood? 27 Come let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, but let us not do any harm to him. After all, he is our brother, and our own flesh." His brothers agreed.

28 Now some Midianite merchants were passing, and they drew Joseph up out of the well. They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty silver pieces, and thee men took Joseph to Egypt. 29 When Reuben went back to the well there was no sign of Joseph. Tearing down his clothes, 30 he went back to his brothers. "The boy has disappeared," he said. "What am I going to do?"

31 They took Joseph's coat and, slaughtering a goat, they dipped the coat in the blood. 32 Then they sent back the coat with long sleeves and had it taken to their father, with the message, "This is what we have found. Examine it and see whether or not it is your son's coat, "It is your son's coat! 33 He examine it and exclaimed, "It is my son's coat! A wild beast has devoured him. Joseph has been the prey of some animal and has been torn to pieces." 34 Jacob, tearing his clothes and putting on a loincloth of sackcloth, mourned his son for a long time. 35 All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. "No," he said, "I will go down in morning to Sheol, beside my son." And his father wept for him.

36 Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials and commander of the guard.

The story of Judah and Tamar

38- 1 It happened at that time that Judah left his brothers, to go down and stay with the Adullamite called Hirah. 2 There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite called Shua. He made her his wife and slept with her. 3 She conceived and gave birth to a son whom she named Er. 4 She conceived again and gave birth to a son whom she named Onan. 5 Yet again she gave birth to a son whom she named Shelah. She was at Chezib when she gave birth to him.

6 Judah took a wife for his first-born Er, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah's first-born, offended Yahweh greatly, so Yahweh brought about his death. 8 Then Judah said to Onan, "Take your brother's wife, and do your duty as her brother-in-law, to produce a child for your brother." 9 But Onan, knowing the child would not be his, spilt his seed on the ground every time he slept with his brother's wife, to avoid providing a child to his brother. 10 What he did was offensive to Yahweh, so he brought about his death also. 11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Return home as a widow to your father, and wait for my son Shelah to grow up," for he was thinking, "He must not die like his brothers." So Tamar went back home to her father.

12 A long time passed, and Shua's daughter, the wife of Judah, died. After Judah had been comforted he went to Timmah to the men who sheared his sheep, himself and Hirah, his Adullamite friend. 13 This was reported to Tamar, "Listen, your father-in-law is going up to Timmah for the shearing of his sheep." 14 She therefore changed her widow's clothes, wrapped a veil around her, and sat down, heavily swathed, where the road to Enaim branches off the road to Timmah. Shelaw had now grown up, as she saw, and yet she had not been given to him as his wife.

15 Judah, seeing her, took her for a prostitute, since her face was veiled. 16 Going up to her on the road, he said, "Come, let me sleep with you." He did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. "What will you give me to sleep with me?" she asked. 17 I will send you a kid from the flock," he answered. "Agreed, if you give me a pledge until you send it," she answered. 18 "What pledge shall I give you?" he asked. "Your seal, your coed and the stick you are holding," she answered. He gave them to her and slept with her, and she conceived by him. 19 Then she rose and left him, and taking off her veil she put on her widow's weeds.

20 Judah sent the kid by his Adullamite friend to recover the pledge from the woman. But he did not find her. But he did not find her. 21 He inquired from the men of the place, "Where is the prostitute who was by the roadside at Enaim?" "There has been no prostitute there," they answered. 22 So returning to Judah he said, "I did not find her. What is more, the men of the place told me there had been no prostitute there." 23 "Let her keep what she has,/ Judah replied, "or we shall become a laughing-stock. At least I sent her this kid, even though you did not find her."

24 About three months later it was reported to Judah, "Your daughter-n-law has played the harlot; furthermore, she is pregnant, as the result of her misconduct." "Take her outside and burn her," said Judah. 25 But as she was being led off she sent this message to her father-in-law, "It was the man to whom these three things belong who made me pregnant. Look at them," she said, "and see whose seal and cord and stick these are." 26 Judah examined them and then said, "She is in the right, rather than I. This comes of my not giving her to my son Shelah to be his wife." He had no other intercourse with her.

27 When the time for her confinement came she was found to have twins in her womb. 28 During the delivery of them put out a hand, and the midwife caught it and tied a scarlet thread to it, saying, "This is the first to arrive." 29 But he drew his hand back, and it was his brother who came out first. Then she said, "What a breach you have opened for yourself!" So he was named Perez. 30 Then his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, so he was named Zerah.

Joseph's early days in Egypt

39- 1 Now Joseph had been taken down into Egypt. Potiphar the Egyptian, one of Pharaoh's officials and commander of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2 Yahweh was with Joseph, and everything went well with him. He lodged in the house of his Egyptian master, 3 and when his master saw how Yahweh was with him and how Yahweh made everything succeed that he turn his hand to, 4 he was pleased with Joseph and made him his personal attendant; and his master put him in charge of his household, entrusting everything to him. 5 And from the time he put him in charge of his household and all his possessions, Yahweh blessed the Egyptian's household out of consideration for Joseph; Yahweh's blessing extended to all his possessions, both household and estate. 6 So he left Joseph to handle all his possessions, and with him at hand, concerned himself with nothing beyond the food he ate.

The attempt to seduce Joseph

Now Joseph was well built and handsome, 7 and it happened some time later that his master's wife looked desirously at him and said. "Sleep with me." 8 But he refused, and answered his master's wife, Because of me, my master does not concern himself with what happens in his house; he has handed over all his possessions to me. 9 He is no more master in this house than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How could I do anything so wicked, and sin against God?" 10 Although she spoke to Joseph day after day he would not agree to sleep with her and surrender to her.

11 But one day Joseph in the course of his duties came to the house, and there was not a servant there indoors. 12 The woman caught hold of him by the tunic and said, "Sleep with me." But he left the tunic in her hand and ran out of the house. 13 Seeing he had left the tunic in her hand and left the house, 14 she called her servants and said to them, "Look at this! He has brought us a Hebrew to insult us. He came to me to sleep with me, but I screamed, 15 and when he heard me scream and shout he left his tunic beside me and ran out of the house."

16 She put the tunic down by her side until the master came home. 17 Then she told him the same tale, "The Hebrew slave you bought us came to insult me. 18 But when I screamed and called out he left his garment by my side and made his escape." 19 "This is how your slave treated me," he was furious. 20 Joseph's master had him arrested and committed to the jail where the king's prisoners were kept.

Joseph in jail

And there in jail he stayed. 21 But Yahweh was with Joseph. He was kind to him and made him popular with the chief jailer. 22 The chief jailer put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners in the jail, making him responsible for everything done there. 23 The chief jailer did not need to interfere with Joseph's administration, for Yahweh was with him, and Yahweh made everything he undertook successful.

Joseph interprets the dream of Pharaoh's officials

40- 1 It happened some time later that the king of Egypt's cupbearer and his baker offended their master the king of Egypt. 2 Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 and put them under arrest in the house of the commander of the guard, in the jail where Joseph was a prisoner. 4 The commander of the guard assigned Joseph to them to attend to their wants, and they remained under arrest for some time.

5 Now both of them had dreams on the same night, each with its own meaning for the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were prisoners in the jail. 6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they looked gloomy, 7 and he asked the officials who were with him under arrest in his master's house, "Why these black looks today?" 8 They answered him, "We have had dreams, but there is no one to interpret it." "Are not interpretations God's business?" Joseph asked them, "Come tell me."

9 So the chief cupbearer described his dream to Joseph, telling him, "In my dream I saw a vine in front of me. 10 On the vine were three branches; no sooner had it budded than it blossomed, and its clusters became ripe grapes. 11 "I had Pharaoh's cup in my hand; I picked the grapes and squeezed them into Pharaoh's cup, and put the cup into Pharaoh's hand." 12 "Here is the interpretation of it," Joseph told him. "The three braches are three days. 13 In another three days Pharaoh will release you and restore you to your place. Then you will hand Pharaoh his cup, as you did before, when you were his cupbearer. 14 But be sure to remember me when things go well with you, and do me the kindness of reminding Pharaoh about me, to get me out of this house. 15 I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews in the first place, and even here I have done nothing to warrant imprisonment."

16 The chief baker, seeing that the interpretation had been favourable, said to Joseph, "I too had a dream; there were three trays of cakes on my head. 17 In the top tray there were all kinds of Pharaoh's favourite cakes, but the birds ate them off the tray on m head." 18 Joseph gave him this answer, "Here is the interpretation of it: the three trays are three days. 19 In another three days Pharaoh will release you and hang you on a gallows, and the birds will eat the flesh off your bones."

20 And so it happened; the third day was Pharaoh's birthday and he gave a banquet for all his officials, and he released the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his officials. 21 The chief cupbearer he restored to his position as cupbearer, to hand Pharaoh his cup; 22 the chief baker he hanged. It was as Joseph had said in the interpretation. 23 But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph: he forgot him.

Pharaoh's dreams

41- 1 Two years later it happened that Pharaoh had a dream: he was standing by the Nile, 2 and there, coming up from the Nile, were seven cows, sleek and fat, and they began to feed among the rushes. 3 And seven other cows ugly and lean, came up from the Nile after them; and these went over and stood beside the other cows on the bank of the Nile. 4 The ugly and lean cows ate the seven sleek and fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke.

5 He fell asleep and dreamed a second time; there, growing on one stalk, were seven ears of corn full and ripe. 6 And sprouting up after them came seven ears of corn, meagre and scorched by the east wind. 7 The scanty ears of corn swallowed the seven full and ripe ears of corn. Then Pharaoh awoke; it was a dream.

8 In the morning Pharaoh, feeling disturbed, had all the magicians and wise men of Egypt summoned to him. Pharaoh told them his dream, but no one could interpret it for Pharaoh. 9 Then the chief cupbearer addressed Pharaoh, "Today I must recall my offenses. 10 Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put myself and the chief baker under arrest in the house of the commander of the guard. 11 We had a dream on the same night, he and I, and each man's dream had a meaning for himself. 12 There was a young Hebrew with us, one of the slaves belonging to the commander of the guard. We told our dreams to him and he interpret them, giving each of us the interpretation of this dream. 13 It turned out just as he interpreted for us: I was restored to my place, but the other man was hanged."

14 Then Pharaoh had Joseph summoned, and they hurried him from prison. He shaved and changed his clothes, and came into Pharaoh's presence. 15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have had a dream which no one can interpret. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it." 16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, "I do not count. It is God who give Pharaoh a favourable answer."

17 So Pharaoh told Joseph, "In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile. 18 And there were seven cows, fat and sleek, coming up out of the Nile, and they began to feed among the rushes. 19 And seven other cows came up after them, starved, ugly and lean; I have never seen such poor cows in all the land of Egypt. 20 The lean and ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows. 21 But when they had eaten them up, it was impossible to tell they had eaten them, for they remained as lean as before. Then I woke up. 22 And then in my dream, there, growing on one stalk, were seven ears of corn, beautifully ripe; 23 but sprouting up after them came seven ears of corn, withered, meagre and scorched by the east wind. 24 The shrivelled ears of corn swallowed the seven ripe ears of corn. I told the magicians this, but no one could tell me the meaning."

25 Joseph told Pharaoh, "Pharaoh's dreams are one and the same: God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is going to do. 26 The seven fine cows are seven years and the seven ripe ears of corn are seven years; it is one and the same dream. 27 The seven gaunt and the lean cows coming up after them are seven years, as are the seven shrivelled ears of corn scorched by the east wind: there will be seven years of famine. 28 It is as I have told Pharaoh: God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is going to do. 29 Seven years are coming, bringing great plenty t the whole land of Egypt, 30 but seven years of famine will follow them, when all the plenty in the land of Egypt will be forgotten, and famine will exhaust the land. 31 The famine that will follow will be so severe that no one will remember what plenty the country enjoyed. 32 The reason why the dream came to Pharaoh twice is because the event is already determined by God, and God is impatient to bring it about.

33 "Pharaoh should now choose a man intelligent and wise to govern the land of Egypt. 34 Pharaoh should take action and appoint supervisors over the land, and impose a tax of one fifth on the land of Egypt during the seven years of plenty. 35 They will collect all food product during these good years that are coming. They will store the corn in Pharaoh's name, and place the food in the towns and hold it there. 36 This food will serve as a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine that will afflict the land of Egypt. And so the land will not be destroyed by the famine."

Joseph's promotion

37 Pharaoh and all his ministers approved of what he had said. 38 Then Pharaoh asked his ministers, "Can we find any other man like this, possessing the spirit of God?" 39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Seeing that God has given you knowledge of all this, there can be no one as intelligent and wise as you. 40 You shall be my chancellor, and all my people shall respect your orders; only this throne shall set me above you." 41 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby make you governor of the whole land of Egypt." 42 Pharaoh took the ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's. He clothed im in fine linen and a gold chain around his neck. 43 He made him ride in the best chariot he had after his own, and they cried before im "Abrek." This is the way he was made governor of the whole land of Egypt.

44 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh: without your permission no one is to move hand and foot throughout the whole land of Egypt." 45 Pharaoh named Joseph Zaphenath-paneah, and gave him Asenath the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, for his wife. Joseph travelled through the land of Egypt.

46 Joseph was thirty years old when he appeared before Pharaoh king of Egypt. 47 During the seven years pf plenty, the soil yielded generously. 48 He collected all the food of the seven ears when there was an abundance in the land of Egypt, and allotted food to the towns, placing in each the food from the surrounding countryside. 49 Joseph stored the corn like the sand of the sea, so much that they stopped reckoning, since it was beyond all estimating.

Joseph's sons

50 Before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph: Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore him these, 51 Joseph named the first-born Manasseh, "Because", he said, "God has made me to forget all suffering and all my father's household." 52 He named the second Ephraim, "Because," he said, "God has made me fruitful in the country of my misfortune."

53 Then the seven years of plenty that there had been in the land of Egypt came to an end. 54 The seven years of famine began to come as Joseph had said. There was famine in every country, but there was bread to be had throughout the land of Egypt. 55 When the whole country began to feel the famine, the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread. But Pharaoh told all Egyptians, "Go to Joseph and do what he tells you." - There was famine all over the world. - 56 Then Joseph opened all the granaries and sold grain to the Egyptians. The famine grew worse in the land of Egypt. 57 People came to Egypt from all over the world to buy grain from Joseph, for the famine had grown severe throughout the world.

The first meeting between Joseph and his brothers

42- 1 Jacob, seeing that there was grain for sale in Egypt, said to his sons, "Why do you stand looking at one another? 2 I hear," he said, "that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may survive and not die." 3 So ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin with his brothers. "Nothing must happen to him," he said.

5 Israel's sons with others making the same journey went to buy grain, for there was famine in the land of Canaan. 6 It was Joseph, as the man in authority over the country, who sold the grain to all comers. So Joseph's brothers went and bowed down before him, their faces touching the ground. 7 When Joseph saw his brothers he recognized them. But he did not make himself known to them, and he spoke harshly to them. "Where have you come from?" he asked. "From the land of Canaan to buy food," they replied.

8 So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognized him. 9 Joseph remembering the dreams he had about them, said to them, "You are spies. You have come to discover the country's weak points." 10 "No, my lord," they told him, "your servants have come to buy food. 11 We are all of the same man. We are honest men, your servants are not spies." 12 "Not so!" he replied. "It is the country's weak points you have come to discover." 13 "Your servants are twelve brothers," they said, "sons of the same man, from the land of Canaan. The youngest, we should explain, is at present with our father, and the other is no more." 14 Joseph answered them, "It is as I said, you are spies. 15 This the test you are to undergo: as sure as Pharaoh lives you shall not leave unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 Send one of your number to fetch your brother; you others will remain under arrest, so that your statements can be tested to see whether or not you are honest. If not, then as sure as Pharaoh lives you are spies." 17 Then he kept them all in custody for three days.

18 On the third day Joseph said to them, "Do this and you shall keep your lives, for I am a man who fears God. 19 If you are honest men let one of your brothers be kept in place of your detention; as for you, go and take grain to relieve the famine of your families. 20 You shall bring me your youngest brother; this way your words will be proven true, and you will not have to die!" This they did. 21 They said to one another, "Truly we are being called to account for our brother. We saw his misery of soul when he begged our mercy, but we did not listen to him and now this misery has come home to us." 22 Reuben answered them, "Did I not tell you not to wrong the boy? But you did not listen, and now we are brought t account for his blood." 23 They did not know that Joseph understood, because there was an interpreter between them. 24 He left them and wept. Then he went back to them and spoke to them. Of their number he took Simeon and had him bound while they looked on.

Jacob's sons return to Canaan

25 Joseph give the order to fill their panniers wit corn, to put back each man's money in his sack, and give tem provisions for their journey. This was done for them. 26 They loaded the grain on their donkeys and went away. 27 But when they camped for the night one of them opened his corn sack to give fodder to his donkey and saw the money in the mouth of the sack. 28 He said to his brothers, "My money has been put back; here it is in my corn sack." Their heart sank, and they looked at one another in panic, saying, "What is this that God has done to us?"

29 Returning to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they gave him a full report of what had happened to them, 30 "The man who is lord of the land spoke harshly to us, taking us for men saying on the country. 31 We told him, 'We are honest men, we are not spies. 32 We are twelve brothers, sons of the same father. One of us is no more, and the youngest is at present with our father in the land of Canaan.' 33 But the man who is the lord of the land said to us, 'This is how I shall know if you are honest: leave one of your brothers with me. Take the grain your families stand in need of, and go. 34 But bring me back your youngest brother and then I shall know that you are not spies but honest men. Then I will hand over your brother to you, and you can trade in the country.'"

35 As they emptied their sacks, each discovered his bag money in his sack. On seeing their bags of money they were afraid, and so was their father. 36 Then their father Jacob said to them, "You are robbing me of my children; Joseph is no more; Simeon is no more; and now you want to take Benjamin. All this I must bear."

37 Then Reuben said to his father, "You may put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Out him in my care and I will bring him back to you." 38 But he replied, "My son is not going down with you, for npw his brother is dead he is the only one left. If any harm came to him on the journey you are to undertake, you would send me down to Sheol with my white head bowed in grief."

Jacob's sons leave again with Benjamin

43- 1 But the country was hard pressed by famine, 2 and when they had finished eating the grain they had brought from Egypt their father said to them, "Go back and buy us a little food." 3 But the man expressly warned us," Judah told him. "He said, 'You will not be admitted to my presence unless your brother is with you.' 4 If you are ready to send our brother with us, we are willing to go down and buy food for you. 5 But if you are not ready to send him we will not go down, for the man told us, 'You will not be admitted to my presence unless your brother is with you.'" 6 The Israel said, Why did you bring this misery on me by telling the man you had another brother?" 7 They replied, "He kept questioning us about ourselves and our kinsfolk, 'Is your father still alive?' and, 'Have you a brother?' That is why we told him. How could we know he was going to say, 'Bring your brother down here?'" 8 Judah said to his father Israel, "Send the boy with me. Let us start off and go, so that we may save our lives and not die, we, you, and our dependents. 9 I will surety for him, and you can hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, let me bear the blame all my life. 10 Indeed, if we had not wasted so much time we should have been back again by now!"

11 Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: take some of the land's finest products in your panniers, and carry them down to the man as a gift, a little balsam, a little honey, gum, tragacanth, resin, pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 Take double the money with you and return the money put back in the mouth of your sacks; it may have been a mistake. 13 Take your brother, and go back to the man. 14 May El Shaddai move the man to be kind to you, and allow you to bring back your other brother and Benjamin. As for me, if I must be bereaved, bereaved I must be."

The meeting with Joseph

15 The man took this gift; they took double the amount of money with them, and Benjamin. They started off and went off down to Egypt. They presented themselves to Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them he said to his chamberlain, "Take these men to the house. Slaughter a beast and prepare it, for these men are to eat with me at midday." 17 The man did as Joseph had ordered, and took the men to Joseph's house.

18 The men were afraid at being taken to Joseph's house, thinking, "We are being taken there because of the money replaced in our corn sacks the first time. They will set on us; they will fall on us and make slaves of us, and take our donkeys too." 19 So they went up to Joseph's chamberlain and spoke to him at the entrance 20 to the house. "By your leave, sir," they said, "We came down once before to buy food, 21 and when we reached camp and opened our corn sacks, the was each man's money in the mouth of his sack, to its full amount. But we have brought it back with us, 22 and we have brought more money with us to buy food. We do not know who put the money in our corn sacks." 23 "Peace to you," he replied, "do not be afraid. Your God and your father's God has put a treasure in your corn sacks. Your money reached me safely." And he brought Simeon out to them.

24 The man took the men into Joseph's house. He offered them water to wash their feet, and gave their donkeys fodder. 25 They arranged their gift while they waited for Joseph to come at midday, for they had heard they were to dine there.

26 When Joseph arrived at the house they offered him the gift they had with them, and bowed before him to the ground. 27 But he greeted them kindly, asking, "Is your father well, the old man you told me of? Is he still alive?" 28 "Your servant our father is well," they replied, "he is still alive," and they bowed low in homage. 29 Looking up he saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son. "Is this your youngest brother," he asked, "of whom you told me?" Then he said to him, "God be good to you, my son." 30 Joseph hurried out, for his heart was moved at the sight of his brother and he was near to weeping. He went into his room and there he wept. 31 After bathing his face he returned and, controlling himself, gave the order: "Serve the meal." 32 He was served separately; so were they, and so were the Egyptians who ate in his household, for Egyptians cannot take food with Hebrews: they have a horror of it. 33 They were placed opposite him each according to his rank, from the eldest to the youngest, and the men looked at one another in amazement. 34 He had portions carried to them from his own dish, the portion for Benjamin being five times larger then any of the others. They drank with him and were happy.

Joseph's cup in Benjamin's sack

44- 1 Joseph gave this order to his chamberlain: "Fill these men's sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man's money in the mouth of his sack. 2 And put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one's sack as well as the money for the grain." He carried out the instructions Joseph had given.

3 When morning came it was light, the men were sent off with their donkeys. 4 They had scarcely left the city, and had not gone far before Joseph said to his chamberlain, "Away now and follow those men. When you catch up with them say to tem, "Why did you reward good wit evil? 5 Is this not the one my lord uses for drinking and also for reading omens? What you have done is wrong."

6 So when he caught up with them he repeated these words. 7 They asked him, "What does my lord mean? Your servants would never think of doing such thing. 8 Look, the money we found in the mouth of our corn sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. Are we likely to have stolen silver or gold from your master's house? 9 Whichever of your servants is found to have it shall die, and we ourselves shall be slaves of my lord." 10 "Very well, then," he replied, it shall be as you say. The one on whom it is found shall become my slave, but the rest of you can be free." 11 Each of them quickly lifted his corn to the ground, and each opened his own. 12 He searched them, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest, and found the cup in Benjamin's sack. 13 Then they toe their clothes, and when each man had reloaded his ass they returned to the city.

14 When Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph's house he was still there, so they fell on the ground in front of him. 15 "What is this deed you have done?" Joseph asked them. "Did you not know that man such as I am a reader of omens?" 16 "What can we answer my lord?" Judah replied. "What can we say? How can we clear ourselves? God himself has uncovered your servants' guilt. Here we are then, my lord's slaves, we no less than the one in whose possession the cup was found," 17 "I could not think of doing such a thing," he replied. "The man in whose possession the cup was found shall be my slave, but you can go back safe and sound to your father."

Judah intervenes

18 Then Judah went up to him and said, "May it please my lord, let your servant have a word privately with my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, for you are like Pharaoh himself. 19 My lord questioned his servants, 'Have you father or brother?' 20 And we said to my lord, 'We have an old father, and a younger brother born of his old age. His brother is dead, so he is the only one left of his mother, and his father loves him.' 21 Then you said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me that my eyes may look on him.' 22 We replied to my lord. 'The boy cannot leave his father. If he leaves him, his father will die.' 23 But you said to your servants, 'If your youngest brother does not come down with you, you will not be admitted to my presence again.' 24 When we went back to your servant my father, we repeated to him what my lord had said. 25 So when our father said, 'Go back and buy us a little food,' 26 we said, 'We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, we will go down, for we cannot be admitted to the man's 27 presence unless our youngest brother is with us.' So your servant our father said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me two children. 28 When one left me, I said that he must have been torn to pieces. And I have not seen him to this day. 29 If you take this one from me too and harm comes to him, you will send me down to Sheol with white head bowed in misery. 30 If I go to your servant my father now, and we have not the boy with us, he will die as soon as he sees the boy is not with us, for his heart is bound up with him. 31 Then your servants will have sent your servant our father down to Sheol with his white head bowed in grief. 32 Now your servant went surety to my father for the boy. I said: If I do not bring him back to you, let me bear the blame before my father all my life. 33 Let your servant stay, then, as my lord's slave in place of the boy, I implore you, let the boy go back with his brothers. 34 How indeed could I go back to my father and not have the boy with me? I could not bear to see the misery that would overwhelm my father."

Joseph makes himself known

45- 1 Then Joseph could not control his feelings in front of all his retainers, and he exclaimed, "Let everyone leave me." No one therefore was present with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers, 2 but he wept so loudly that all the Egyptians heard, and the news reached Pharaoh's palace.

3 Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph. Is my father really still alive?" His brothers could not answer him, they were so dismayed at the sight of him. 4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come closer to me." When they had come closer to him he said, "I am your brother Joseph whom you sold into Egypt. 5 But now, do not grieve, do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here, since God sent me before you to preserve your lives. 6 For this is the second year there has been famine in the country, and there are still five years to come of no plowing or reaping. 7 God sent me before you to make sure that your race would have survivors in the land and to save your lives, many lives at that. 8 So it was not you who sent me here but God, and he has made me father to Pharaoh, lord of all his household and administrator of the whole land of Egypt.

9 "Return quickly to your father and tell him, 'Your son Joseph says this: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me at once. 10 You shall live in the country of Goshen where you will be near me, you, your children and your grandchildren, your flocks, your cattle and all your possessions. 11 I will provide for you there, for there are still five years of famine, and I do not want you to be in need, you and your household and all you have.' 12 Yu can see with your own eyes, and my brother Benjamin can see too that my own mouth speaking to you. 13 Give my father a full report of all the honour I enjoy in Egypt, and of all you have seen. Then hurry and bring my father down here."

14 Then throwing his arms around the neck of his brother Benjamin he wept; and Benjamin wept on his shoulder. 15 He kissed all his brothers, weeping over them. After which his brothers talked with him.

Pharaoh's invitation

16 News reached Pharaoh's palace that Joseph's brothers had come, and Pharaoh was pleased to hear it, as were his servants. 17 Pharaoh told Joseph, "Say to your brothers, 'Do this: load your beasts and go off to the land of Canaan. 18 Fetch your father and families, and come back to me. I will give you the best the land of Egypt offers, and you shall fed on the fat of the land.' 19 And you, for your part, give them this command: 'Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives. Get your father and come. 20 Never mind about your property, for the best that the land of Egypt offers is yours.'"

The return to Canaan

21 Israel's sons did as they were told. Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had ordered, and he gave them provisions for the journey. 22 To each and every one he gave a festal garment, and to Benjamin three hundred shekels of silver and five festal garments. 23 And he sent his father ten donkeys laden with the best that Egypt offered, and ten she-donkeys laden with grain, bread and food for his father's journey. 24 Then he sent his brothers on their way. His final words to them were, "Do not be upset on the journey."

25 And so they left Egypt. When they reached the land of Canaan and their father Jacob, 26 they gave him this report, "Joseph is still alive. Indeed it is he who is administrator of the whole Egypt." But he was as one stunned, for he did not believe them. 27 However, when they told him all Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to fetch him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived, 28 and Israel said, "That is enough! My son Joseph is still alive. I must go and see him before I die."

Jacob leaves for Egypt

46- 1 Israel left with all his possessions, and reached Beersheba. There he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 God spoke to Israel in a vision at night, "Jacob, Jacob," he said. "I am here," he replied. 3 "I am God, the God of your father," he continued. 4 I myself will not go down to Egypt with you. I myself will bring you back again, and Joseph's hand shall close your eyes." 5 Then Jacob left Beersheba. Israel's sons conveyed their father Jacob, their little children and their wives in the wagons Pharaoh had sent to fetch him.

6 Taking their livestock and all that they had acquired in the land of Canaan, they went to Egypt, Jacob and all his family with him: 7 his sons and his grandsons, his daughters and his granddaughters, in a word, all his children he took with him to Egypt.

Jacob's family

8 These are the names of Israel's sons who came to Egypt, Reuben, Jacob's first-born, 9 and the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, Carmi. 10 The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachim, Zohar, andShaul the son of the Canaanite woman. 11 The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, Merari. 12 The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (Though Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan, and Hezron and Hamul, sons of Perez. 13 The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Jashub and Shimron. 14 The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, Jahleel. 15 These are the are the sons that Leah had born to Jacob in Paddan-aram, besides his daughter Dinah; in all, his sons and daughters numbered thirty-three.

16 The sons of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. 17 The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, with their sister Serah; the sons of Beriah: Heber and Michiel. 18 These are the sons of Zilpah whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah; she bore these to Jacob - sixteen persons.

19 The sons of Rachel, wife of Jacob: Joseph and Benjamin. 20 Born to Joseph in Egypt were`Manasseh and Ephraim, children of Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. 21 The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard. 22 These are the sons of Rachel bore to Jacob - fourteen persons in all.

23 The son of Dan: Hushim. 24 The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem. 25 These are the sons of Bilhah whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel; she bore these to Jacob - seven persons in all.

26 The people who went to Egypt with Jacob, of his own blood and not counting the wives of Jacob's sons, numbered sixty-six all told. 27 Joseph's sons born to him in Egypt were two in number. The members of the family of Jacob who went to Egypt totaled seventy.

Joseph welcomes them

28 Israel send Judah to Joseph, so that the latter might present himself to him in Goshen. When they arrived in the land of Goshen, 29 Joseph had his chariot made ready and went to meet his father Israel in Goshen. As soon as he appeared he threw his arms around his neck and for a long time wept on his shoulder. 30 Israel said to Joseph, "Now I can die, now that I have seen you again, and seen you still alive."

31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and his father's family, "I will go up and break the news to Pharaoh. I will tell him, 'My brothers and my father's family who were in the land of Canaan have come to me. 32 The men are shepherds and look after livestock, and they have brought their flocks and cattle and all their possessions.' 33 Thus, when Pharaoh summons you and asks, 'What is your occupation?' 34 'you are to say, 'Ever since our boyhood your servants have looked after livestock, we and our fathers before us.' And so you will be able to stay in the land of Goshen." For Egyptians have horror of all shepherds.

Pharaoh grants an audience

47- 1 So Joseph went and told Pharaoh, "My father and brothers, along with their flocks and cattle and all their possessions, have come from the land of Canaan and are in the land of Goshen." 2 He had taken five of his brothers and he now presented them to Pharaoh. 3 Pharaoh asked his brothers, "What is your occupation?" "Your servants are shepherds, like our fathers before us." 4 They went on to tell Pharaoh, "We have come to stay for the present in this land, for there is no pasture for your servants' flocks, the land of Canaan is hard pressed by famine. Now give your servants leave to stay in the land of Goshen." 5a Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, 6b "They may stay in the land of Goshen, and if you know of any capable men among them, put them in charge of my livestock."

Another version

5b Jacob and his sons went to Egypt where Joseph was. Pharaoh, king of Egypt, heard of this and said to Joseph, "Your father and brothers have come to you. 6a The country of Egypt is open to you: settle your father and brothers in the best region." 7 Joseph brought his father and presented him to Pharaoh. Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8 Pharaoh asked Jacob, "How many years of life can you reckon?" 9 "My life of wandering has lasted one hundred and thirty years," Jacob told Pharaoh, "few years and unhappy, falling short of the years of my fathers in their life of wandering." 10 Jacob blessed Pharaoh and left Pharaoh's presence. 11 Joseph settled his father and brothers, giving them a holding in the land of Egypt, and in the best region of the land, namely the land of Rameses, according to Pharaoh's command.

12 Joseph provided his father, brothers and all his father's family with food according to the number of their dependents.

Joseph agrarian policy

13 There was no bread in the whole land, for the famine had grown so severe that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan were weakened with hunger. 14 Joseph accumulated all the money there was to be found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, in return for the grain which men were buying, and he brought the money to Pharaoh's palace.

15 When all the money in the land of Canaan had run out, the Egyptians all came to Joseph: "Give us bread," they said. "Have we to perish before your eyes? For our money has come to an end." 16 Joseph answered, "Hand over your livestock; I am willing to give you bread in exchange for your livestock if your money has come to an end." 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread, in exchange for horses and livestock, whether sheep or cattle, and donkeys. Thus he fed them that year with bread, in exchange for all their livestock.

18 When that year was over, they came to him the next year, and said to him, "We cannot hide it from my lord: the truth is, our money has run out and the livestock is in my lord's possession. There is nothing left for my lord except our bodies and our land. 19 Have we to perish before your eyes, we and our land? But us and our land in exchange for bread; we with our land will be Pharaoh's serfs. But give us something to sow, that we may keep our lives and not die and the land may not become desolate."

20 Thus Joseph acquired all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh, since one by one the Egyptians sold their estates, so hard pressed were they by the famine, and the whole country passed into Pharaoh's possession. 21 As for the people, he reduced them to serfdom from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 The only land he did not acquired belonged to the priest, for the priests received an allowance from Pharaoh and lived on the allowance that Pharaoh gave them. Therefore they did not have to sell their land.

23 Then Joseph said to the people, "This is how we stand: I have bought you out, with your land, on Pharaoh's behalf. Here is seed for you so that you can sow the land. 24 But when harvest comes you must give a fifth to Pharaoh. The other four fifths you can have for sowing your fields, to provide food for yourselves and your households, and food for your dependents." 25 "You have saved our lives," they replied. "If we may enjoy my lord's favour, we will be Pharaoh's serfs." 26 So Joseph made a statute, still in force today, concerning the soil of Egypt: a fifth goes to Pharaoh. The land of the priest alone did not go to Pharaoh.

Jacob' last wishes

27 The Israelites stayed in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen. They acquired property there; they were fruitful and increased in numbers greatly. 28 Jacob lived seventeen years in the land of Egypt, and the length of his life was a hundred and forty-seven years. 29 When Israel's time to die drew near he called his son Joseph and said to him, "If I enjoy your favour, place your hand under my thigh and promise to be kind and good to me, do not bury me in Egypt. 30 When I sleep with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their tomb." "I will do as you say," 31 he replied. "Swear to ne," he insisted. So he swore to him, and Israel sank back on the pillow.

Jacob adopts Joseph's two sons and blessed them

48- 1 Some time later it was reported to Joseph, "Your father has been taken ill." So he took with him his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim. 2 When Jacob was told, "Look, your son Joseph has come to you," Israel, summoning his strength, sat up in bed. 3 "El Shaddai appeared to me at Luz in the country of Canaan," Jacob told Joseph, "and he blessed me, 4 saying to me, "I will make you fruitful and increase you in numbers. I will make you a group of peoples and give this country to your descendants after you, to own in perpetuity. 5 Now your two sons, born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, shall be mine; Ephraim ans Manasseh shall be as much mine as Reuben and Simeon. 6 But with regard to the children you have had since them, they shall be yours, and they shall be known by their brothers' names for the purpose of their inheritance.

7 "When I was on my way from Paddan, to my sorrow death took your mother Rachel from me, in the land of Canaan, on the journey while we were still some distance from Ephrath. I buried her there on the road to Ephrath at Bethlehem."

8 When Israel saw Joseph's two sons, he asked, "Who are these?" 9 "They are my sons, whom God has given me here." Joseph told his father. "Then bring them to me," he said, "that I may bless them." 10 Israel's sight was falling because of his great age, and so he could not see. Joseph therefore made them come closer to him and he kissed and embraced them. 11 Then Israel said to Joseph, "I did not think that I should see you again, but God has let me see your family as well." 12 Joseph took them from his lap and bowed to the ground.

13 Joseph took hold of the two of them, Ephraim with his right hand so that he should be on Israel's left, and Manasseh with his left hand, so that he should be on Israel's right, and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel held out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, the younger, and his left on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hand - Manasseh was, in fact, the elder. 15 Then he blessed Joseph saying:

"May God in whose presence my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,

may God who has been my shepherd from my birth until this day,

16 may the angel who has been my saviour from all harm, bless these boys,

may my name live on in them, and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac.

May they grow and increase on the earth."

17 Joseph saw that his father was laying his right hand on the head of Ephraim, and this upset him. He took his father's hand and tried to shift it from the head of Ephraim to the head of Manasseh. 18 Joseph protested to his father, "Not like that, father! This one is the elder; put your right hand on his head." 19 But his father refused. "I know, my son," he said. "He too shall become a people; he too shall be great. Yet his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations."

20 So he blessed them that day saying:

"May you be a blessing in Israel: may they say,

'God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!'"

In this way he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

21 Then Israel said to Joseph, "Now I am about to die. But God will be with you and take you back to the country of our fathers. 22 As for me, I give you Shechem more than your brothers, the one I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow."

Jacob's blessings

49- 1 Jacob called his sons and said, "Gather together that I may declare to you what lies before you in time to come.

2 "Gather around, sons of Jacob, and listen;

listen to Israel your father.

3 Reuben, you are my first-born,

my vigour, and the first fruit of my manhood,

foremost in pride, foremost in strength,

4 uncontrolled as a flood: you shall not be foremost,

for you mounted your father's bed,

and so defiled my couch, to my hurt.

5 "Simeon and Levi are brothers,

they carried out their malicious plans.

6 Let my soul not enter into their counsel

nor my heart join in their company,

For in their rage they have killed men,

in their fury they hamstrung bulls.

7 Accursed be their rage for its ruthlessness,

their wrath for its ferocity.

I will divide them among Jacob,

I will scatter them among Israel.

8 "Judah, your brothers shall praise you:

you grip your enemies by the neck,

your Father's sons shall do you homage,

9 Judah is a lion cub,

you climb back, my son, from your kill;

like a lion he crouches and lies down,

or a lioness: who dare rouse him?

10 The scepter shall not pass from Judah,

nor the mace from between his feet,

until it come to whom it belongs,

to whom the peoples shall render obedience.

11 He ties up his young ass to the vine,

to its stock the foal of his she-ass.

He washes his coat in wine,

His cloak in the blood of the grape;

12 his eyes are cloudy with wine,

his teeth are white with milk.

13 "Zebulun lives by the shore of the sea,

he is a sailor on board the ships,

he has Sidon close by him.

14 "Issachar is a strong ass,

lying down in the midst of the sheepfolds.

15 He saw how good it was to take his ease,

how pleasant was the country,

so he bowed his shoulders for the load,

he became a slave to forced labour.

16 "Dan is judge of his people

like each one of the tribes of Israel.

17 May Dan be a serpent on the road,

a viper on the path,

who bites the horse on the hock

and its rider falls backward.

18 "I trust in your salvation, Yahweh.

19 "Gad, robbers rob him,

and he, he robs and pursues them.

20 "Asher, his bread is rich,

he provides food fit for a king.

21 "Naphtali is a swift hind,

dropping beautiful fawns.

22 "Joseph is a fruitful creeper near the spring,

whose tendrils climb over the wall.

23 bowmen provoked him,

they drew and assailed him.

24 But their bow was broken by a mighty one,

the sinews of their arms were parted

by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,

by the name of the Stone of Israel,

25 by the God of your father who assist you,

by El Shaddai who blesses you:

with blessings of heaven above,

blessings of the deep lying below,

blessings of the breasts and womb,

26 blessings of grain and flowers,

blessing of ancient mountains;

bounty of the everlasting hills;

may they descend on Joseph's head,

on the brow of the dedicated one among his brothers.

27 "Benjamin is a ravening wolf,

in the morning he devours his prey,

in the evening he is still dividing the spoil."

28 All these make up the tribes of Israel, twelve in number, and this is what their father said to them. He blessed them, giving to each one an appropriate blessing.

Jacob's last moment and his death

29 Then he gave them these instructions, "I am about to be gathered to my people. 30 Bury me near my fathers, in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 31 in the cave in the field at Machpelah, opposite Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham was buried and his wife Sarah. There Isaac was buried and his wife Rebekah. Their I buried Leah. 32 I mean the field and the cave in it that were bought from the sons of Heth."

33 When Jacob had finished giving his instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, and breathed his last was gathered to his people.

Jacob's funeral

50- 1 At this, Joseph threw himself on his father, covering his face with tears and kissing him. 2 Then Joseph ordered the doctors in his service to embalm his father. The doctors embalmed Israel, 3 and it took them forty das, for embalming takes forty days to complete.

The Egyptians mourned him for seventy days. 4 When the period of mourning for him was over, Joseph said to Pharaoh's household. "If I may presume to enjoy your favour, please see that this message reaches Pharaoh's ears. 5 My father made me swear an oath: I am about to die, he said, I have a tomb which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan, and there you must bury me. So now I seek leave to go up and bury my father, and then I shall come back.'" 6 Pharaoh replied, "Go up and bury your father, in accordance with the oath he made you swear."

7 Joseph went up to bury his father, all Pharaoh's servants and the palace dignitaries going up with him, joined by all the dignitaries of the land of Egypt, 8 as well as Joseph's family and his brothers, along with his father's family. They left no one in the land of Goshen but their dependents, with their flocks and their cattle. 9 Chariots also and horsemen went up with them; it was a very large retinue. 10 On arriving at Goren-he-atad, which is across the Jordan, they performed there a long and solemn lamentation, and Joseph observed three days' mourning for his father. 11 When the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, witnesses the mourning at Goren-ha=atad they exclaimed, "This is a solemn act of mourning for the Egyptians." For this reason they call this place Abel-mizraim - it is across the Jordan.

12 His sons did what he had ordered them to do for him. 13 His sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field at Machpelah opposite Mamre, which Abraham had bought from Ephron the Hittite as a burial plot.

14 Then Joseph return to Egypt, he and his brothers, along with all those who had come up with him for his father's burial.

From the death of Jacob to that of Joseph

15 Seeing that their father was dead, Joseph's brothers said, "What if Joseph intends to treat us as enemies and repay us in full for all the wrong we did him?" 16 So they sent this message to Joseph: "Before your father died he gave us this order: 17 'You must say to Joseph: Oh forgive your brothers their crime and their sin and all the wrong they did you.' Now therefore, we beg you, forgive the crime of the servants of your father's God." Joseph wept at the message they sent to him.

18 His brothers came themselves and fell down before him. "We present ourselves before you," they said, "as your slaves." 19 But Joseph answered them, "Do not be afraid; is it for me to put myself in God's place? 20 The evil you planned to do me has by God's design been turn to good, that he might bring about, as indeed he has, the deliverance of a numerous people. 21 So you need not be afraid; I myself will provide for you and your dependents." In this way he reassured them with words that touched their hearts.

22 So Joseph stayed in Egypt with his father's family; and Joseph lived a hundred and ten years. 23 Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim's children, as also the children of Machir, Manasseh's son, who were born on Joseph's lap. 24 At length Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die; but God will be sure to remember you kindly and take you back from this country to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." 25 And Joseph made Israel's sons swear an oath, "When God remembers you with kindness be sure to take my bones from here."

26 Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten; they embalmed him and laid him in his coffin in Egypt.

1- 1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who went with Jacob to Egypt, each with his family: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin, 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 In all, the descendants of Jacob numbered seventy persons. Joseph was in Egypt already. 6 Then Joseph died, and his brothers, and all that generation. 7 But the sons of Israel were fruitful and grew in numbers greatly; they increased and grew so immensely powerful that they filled the land.

The Hebrews oppressed

8 Then there come to power in Egypt a new king who knew nothing of Joseph. 9 "Look," he said t his subjects, "these people, the sons of Israel, have become so numerous and strong that they are a threat to us. 10 We must be prudent and take steps against their increasing any further, or if war should break out, they might add to the number of our enemies. Hey might take arms against us and so escape out of the country." 11 Accordingly they put slave drivers over the Israelites to wear them down under heavy loads. In this way they built the store cities of Pithom and Rameses for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were crushed, the more they increased and spread, and men came to dread the sons of Israel. 13 The Egyptians forced the sons of Israel into slavery, 14 and made their lives unbearable with hard labour, work with clay and with brick, all kinds of work in the fields; they forced on them every kind of labour.

15 The king of Egypt then spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah, and the other Purah. 16 "When you midwives attend Hebrew women," he said, "Watch the two stones carefully. If it is a boy, kill him; if a girl, let her live." 17 But the midwives were God-fearing: they disobeyed the command of the king of Egypt and let the boys live. 18 So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives. "Why," he asked them, "have you done this and spared the boys?" 19 The Hebrew women are not like Egyptians women," they answered Pharaoh, "they are hardy, and they give birth before the midwife reaches them." 20 God was kind to the midwives. The people went on increasing and grew very powerful; 21 since the midwives reverenced God he granted them descendants.

22 Pharaoh then gave his subjects this command: "Throw all the boys born to the Hebrews into the river, but let all the girls live."

The birth of Moses

2- 1 There was a man of the tribe of Levi who had taken a woman of Levi as his wife. 2 She conceived and gave birth to a son and, seeing what a fine child he was, she kept him hidden for three months. 3 When she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him; coating it with bitumen and pitch, she put the child inside and laid it among the reeds at the river's edge. 4 His sister stood some distance away to see what would happen to him.

5 Now Pharaoh's daughter went to bathe in the river, and the girls attending her were walking along by the riverside. Among the reeds she noticed the basket, and she sent her maid to fetch it. 6 She opened it and looked, and saw the baby boy, crying; and she was sorry for him. "This is a child of one of the Hebrews," she said. 7 Then the child's sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and find you a nurse among the Hebrew women to suckle the child for you?" 8 "Yes, go," Pharaoh's daughter said to her; and the girl went off to find the baby's own mother. 9 To her the daughter of Pharaoh said, "Take this child away and suckle it for me. I will see you are paid." So the woman took the child and suckled it. 10 When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, who treated him like a son; she named hm Moses because, she said, "I drew him out of the water."

Moses escapes to Midian

11 Moses, a man by now, set out at this time to visit the countryside, and he saw what hard life they were having; and he saw an Egyptian strike a Hebrew, one of his countrymen. 12 Looking around he could see no one in sight, so he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 On the following day he came back, and there were two Hebrews, fighting. He said to the man who was in the wrong, "What do you mean by hitting your fellow countryman?" 14 And who appointed you," the man retorted, "to be prince over us, and judge? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" Moses was frighten. "Clearly that business has come to light," he thought. 15 When Pharaoh heard of the matter he would have killed Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and made for the land of Midian. And he sat down beside a well.

16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father's sheep. 17 Shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses came to their defense and watered their sheep for them. 18 When they returned to their father Reuel, he said to them, "You are back early today!" 19 An Egyptian protected us from the shepherds": they said, "yes, and he drew water for us and watered the flock." 20 "And where is he?" he asked his daughters."Why did you leave the man there? Ask him to eat with us." 21 So Moses settled with this man, who gave him his daughter Zipporah in marriage. 22 She gave birth to a son, and he named him Gershom because, he said, "I am a stranger in a foreign land."

God remembers Israel

23 During this long period the king of Egypt died. The sons of Israel, groaning in their slavery, cried out for help and from te depths of their slavery their cry came up to God. 24 God heard their groaning and he called to mind his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 25 God looked down upon the sons of Israel, and he knew . . .

The burning bush

3- 1 Moses was looking after the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, priest of Midian. He led his flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of Yahweh appeared to him in the shape of flame of fire, coming from the middle of a bush; there was the bush blazing but it was not being burned up. 3 "I must go and look at this strange sight," Moses said, "and see why the bush is not burned." 4 Now Yahweh saw him go forward to look, and God called him from the middle of the bush. "Moses, Moses!" he said. "Here I am," he answered. 5 "Come no nearer," he said. "Take off your shoes, for the place on which you stand is holy ground. 6 I am the God of your father," he said, "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this Moses covered his face, afraid to look at God.

The mission of Moses

7 And Yahweh said, "I have seen the miserable state of my people in Egypt. I have heard their appeal to be free of their slave drivers. Yes, I am well aware of their sufferings. 8 I mean to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians and bring them up out of that land to a land rich and broad, a land where milk and honey flow, the home of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the sons of Israel has come to me, and I have witnessed the way in which the Egyptians oppress them, 10 so come, I send you to Pharaoh to bring the sons of Israel, my people, out of Egypt."

11 Moses said to God, "Who am I to go to Pharaoh and bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?" 12 "I shall be with you," was the answer, "and this is the sign by which you shall know that it is I who have sent you . . . After you have led the people out of Egypt, you are to offer worship to God on this mountain."

The divine name revealed

13 The Moses said to God, "I am to go, then, to the sons of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you.' But if they ask me what his name is, what am I to tell them?" 14 And God said to Moses. "I Am who I Am. This," he added, "is what you must say to the sons of Israel: 'I Am has sent me to you.'" 15 And God also said to Moses, "You are to say to the sons of Israel: 'Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is my name for all time; by this name I shall be invoked for all generations to come.

Moses instructed for his mission

16 "Go and gather the elders of Israel together and tell them, 'Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has appeared to me - the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob; and he has said to me: I have visited you and seen all that the Egyptians are doing to you. 17 And so I have resolved to bring you up out of Egypt where you are oppressed, into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land where milk and honey flow.' 18 They will listen to your words, and with the elders of Israel you are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, 'Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has come to meet us. Give us leave, then, to make a three days' journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifice to Yahweh our God.' 19 For myself, knowing that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless he is forced by a mighty hand, 20 I shall show my power and strike Egypt with all the wonders I am going to work there. After this he will let you go.

The Egyptians to be plundered

21 "I will give this people such prestige in the eyes of the Egyptians that when you go, you will not go empty-handed. 22 Every woman will ask her neighbour and the woman who is staying in her house for silver ornaments and gold. With these you will adorn your sons and daughters; you will plunder the Egyptians."

Moses granted miraculous powers

4- 1 Then Moses answered, "What if they will not believe me or listen to my words and say to me, 'Yahweh has not appeared to you?'" 2 Yahweh asked him, "What is that in your hand?" "A staff," Moses said. 3 "Throw it on the ground," said Yahweh; so Moses threw his staff on the ground - it turned into a serpent and he drew back from it. 4 "Put your hand out and catch it by the tail." Yahweh said to him. And he put out his hand and caught it, and in his hand the serpent turned into a staff . . . 5 "so that they may believe that Yahweh, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, has really appeared to you."

6 Again Yahweh spoke to Moses, "Put your hand into your bosom." He put his hand into his bosom and when he drew it out, his hand was covered with leprosy, white as snow. 7 "Put your hand back into your bosom." He put his hand back into his bosom and when he drew it out, there it was restored, just like the rest of his flesh. 8 "Even so; should they not believe you nor be convinced by the first sign, the second will convince them; 9 but if they should believe neither of these two signs and not listen to your words, you must take water from the river and pour it on the ground, and the water you have drawn from the river will turn to blood on the ground."

Aaron the mouthpiece of Moses

10 Moses said to Yahweh, "But, my Lord, never in my life have I been a man of eloquence, either before or since you have spoken to your servant. I am a slow speaker and not able to speak well." 11 "Who gave man his mouth?" Yahweh answered him. "Who makes him dumb or death, gives him sight or leaves him blind? Is it not I, Yahweh? 12 Now go, I shall help you to speak and tell you what to say."

13 "If it please you, my Lord," Moses replied, "send anyone you will!" 14 At this, the anger of Yahweh blazed out against Moses, and he said to him. "There is your brother Aaron the Levite, is there not? I know that he is a good speaker. Here he comes to meet you. When he sees you, his heart will be full of joy. 15 You will speak to him and tell him what message to give. I shall help you to speak, and him too, and instruct you what to do. 16 He himself is to speak to the people in your place; he will be your mouthpiece, and you will be as the god inspiring him. 17 And take this staff into your hand; with this you will perform the signs."

Moses return to Egypt. He leave Midian

18 Moses went away and returned to his father-in-law Jethro, and said to him, "Give me leave to go back to my relatives in Egypt to see if they are still alive." And Jethro said to Moses, "Go in peace."

19 Yahweh said to Moses in Midian, "Go, return to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you are dead." 20 So Moses took his wife and his son and, putting them on a donkey, started back for the land of Egypt; and Moses took in his hand the staff of God. 21 Yahweh said to Moses, "Now that you are going back to Egypt, be prepared to perform before Pharaoh all the marvels that I have given you power to do. I myself will harden his heart, and he will not let the people go. 22 Then you will say to Pharaoh, 'This is what Yahweh says: Israel is my first-born son. 23 I ordered you to let my son go to offer me worship. You refuse to let him go. So be it! I shall put your first-born to death.'"

The son of Moses circumcised

24 On the journey, when Moses had halted for the night, Yahweh came to meet him and tried to kill im. 25 At once Zipporah, taking up a flint, cut off her son's foreskin and with it she touched the genitals of Moses. "Truly, you are a bridegroom of blood to me!" she said. 26 And Yahweh let him live. It was then that she said, "Bridegroom of blood," on account of the circumcision.

Moses meets Aaron

27 Yahweh said to Aaron, "Go into the wilderness to meet Moses." And so he went, and met him at the mountain of God; and he kissed him. 28 Moses then told Aaron all that Yahweh had said when he set him his task and the signs he had ordered him to perform. 29 Moses and Aaron then went and gathered all the elders of the sons of Israel together, 30 and Aaron told all that Yahweh had said to Moses, and in the sight of the people he performed the signs. 31 The people were convinced, and they rejoiced that Yahweh had visited the sons of Israel and seen their misery, and they bowed down and worshiped.

The first audience with Pharaoh

5- 1 After this, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him. "His is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, has said, 'Let my people go, so that they may keep a feast in the wilderness in honour of me.'" 2 Who is Yahweh," Pharaoh replied, "that I should listen to him and let Israel go? I know nothing of Yahweh, and I will not let Israel go." 3 The God of the Hebrews has come to meet us," they replied. "Give us leave to make a three days' journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifice to Yahweh our God, or he will come down on us with a plague or with the sword." 4 The king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, what do you mean by taking the people away from their work? Get back to your labouring." 5 And Pharaoh said, "Now that these common folk have grown to such numbers, do you want to stop them labouring?"

Instructions to the slave drivers

6 That same day, Pharaoh gave this command to the people's slave drivers and to the overseers. 7 "Up to the present, you have provided these people with straw for brickmaking. Do so no longer; let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 All the same, you are to get from them the same number of bricks as before, not reducing it at all. They are lazy, and that is why their cry is, 'Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.' 9 Make these men work harder than ever, so that they do not have time to stop and listen to glib speeches."

10 The people's slave drivers went out with the overseers to speak to the people. "Pharaoh has given orders," they said: "I will not provide you with straw. 11 Go out and collect straw for yourselves wherever you can find it. But your output is not to be less.'" 12 So the people scattered all over the land of Egypt to gather stubble for making chopped straw. 13 The slave drivers harassed them. "Every day you must complete your daily quota." they said, "just as you did when straw was provided for you." 14 And the foremen who had been appointed for the sons of Israel by Pharaoh's slave drivers were flogged, and they were asked, "Why have you not produced your full amount of bricks as before, either yesterday or today?"

The Hebrew foremen complain

15 The foremen for the sons of Israel went to Pharaoh and complained. "Why do you treat your servants so?" they said. 16 "No straw is provided for your servants and still the cry is, 'Make bricks!' And now your servants have been flogged! . . . " 17 "You are lazy, lazy," he answered, "that is why you say, 'Let us go and offer sacrifice to Yahweh.' 18 Get back to work at once. You shall not get any straw, but you must deliver the number of bricks due for you."

The dilemma of the foremen. Moses prays

19 The foremen for the sons of Israel saw themselves in a very difficult position when told there was to be no reduction in the daily number of bricks. 20 As they left Pharaoh's presence they met Moses and Aaron who were waiting for them. 21 "May Yahweh see your work and punish you as you deserve!" They said to them. "You made us hated by Pharaoh and his court; you have put a sword into their hand to kill us." 22 Once more Moses turned to Yahweh. "Lord," he said to him, "why do you treat this people so harshly? Why did you send me here? 23 Ever since I came to Pharaoh and spoke to him in your name, he has ill treated this nation, and you have done nothing to deliver your people." 1 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "You will see now how I shall punish Pharaoh. He will be forced to let them go; yes, he will be forced to send them out of his land."

Another account of the call of Moses

2 God spoke to Moses and said to him, "I am Yahweh. 3 To Abraham and Isaac and Jacob I appeared as El Shaddai; I did not make myself known to them by my name Yahweh. 4 Also, I made my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land they lived in as strangers. 5 And I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, enslaved by the Egyptians, and have remembered my covenant. 6 Say this, then, to the sons of Israel, 'I am Yahweh. I will free you of the burdens which the Egyptians lay on you. I will release you from slavery to them, and with my arm outstretched and my strokes of power I will deliver you. 7 I will adopt you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that it is I, Yahweh your God, who have freed you from the Egyptians' burdens. 8 Then I will bring you to the land I swore that I would give to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and will give it to you for your own; I, Yahweh, will do this!'" 9 Moses told this to the sons of Israel, but they would not listen to him, so crushed was their spirit and so cruel their slavery.

10 Yahweh then said to Moses, 11 "Go to Pharaoh, king of Egypt and tell him to let the sons of Israel leave his land." 12 But Moses answered to Yahweh's face: "Look," said he, "since the sons of Israel have not listened to me, why should Pharaoh listen to me, a man slow to speech?" 13 Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron and ordered them both to go to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and to bring the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

The genealogy of Moses and Aaron

14 These are the heads of their families:

The sons of Reuben, Israel's first-born: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Cami: these are the clans of Reuben.

15 The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zoar, and Shaul, son of the Canaanite woman: these are the clans of Simeon.

16 These are the names of the sons of Levi their descendants: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. Levi lived for a hundred and thirty-seven years. 17 The sons of Geshon: Libni and Shimei and their clans.

18 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. Kohath lived for a hundred and thirty-three years.

19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of Levi with their descendants.

20 Amram married Jochebed, his aunt, who bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived for a hundred and thirty-seven years.

21 The sons of Izhar were: Korah, Nepheg and Zichri.

22 And the sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan and Sithri.

23 Aaron married Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab, Ahihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

24 The sons of Korah: Assir, Elkanah and Abiasaph. These are the clans of the Korahites.

25 Eleazar son of Aaron, married one of Putiel's daughters who bore him Phinehas.

These are the heads of the families of the Levites according to their clans.

26 It was to this same Aaron and Moses that Yahweh had said, "Bring the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt in battle order." 27 It was they who spoke with Pharaoh, king of Egypt, about bringing the sons of Israel out of Egypt. It was the same Moses and Aaron.

The narrative of Moses' call resumed

28 On the day when Yahweh spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, 29 he said this to him, "I am Yahweh. Tell Pharaoh, king of Egypt, all that I say to you." 30 But Moses said to Yahweh's face, "I am slow of speech, why should Pharaoh listen to me?"

7- 1 Yahweh said to Moses, I make you as a god for Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother is to be your prophet. 2 You yourself must tell him all I command you, and Aaron your brother will tell Pharaoh to let the sons of Israel leave his land. 3 I myself will make Pharaoh's heart stubborn, and perform many a sign and wonder in the land of Egypt. 4 Pharaoh will not listen to you, and so I will lay my hand on Egypt and with strokes of power lead out my armies, my people, the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt. 5 And all the Egyptians shall come to know that I am Yahweh when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst." 6 Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three at the time of their audience with Pharaoh.

The staff turned into a serpent

8 Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, 9 "If Pharaoh says to you, 'Produce some marvel,' you must sa to Aaron, 'Take your staff and throw it down in front of Pharaoh, and let it turn into a serpent.'" 10 To Pharaoh, then, Moses and Aaron duly went, and they did as Yahweh commanded. Aaron threw down his staff in front of Pharaoh and his court, and it turned into a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh in his turn called for his sages and sorcerers, and with their witchcraft the magicians of Egypt did the same. 12 Each threw his staff down and these turned into serpents. But Aaron staff swallowed up the staffs of the magicians. 13 Yet Pharaoh heart was stubborn ans, as Yahweh had foretold, he would not listen to Moses and Aaron.

The first plague: the water turns to blood

14 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Pharaoh is adamant. He refuses to let the people go. 15 In the morning go to him as he makes his way to the water and wait for him by the bank of the river. In your hand take the staff that turned into a serpent. 16 Say to him, 'Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say: Let my people go to offer me worship in the wilderness. Now, so far you have not listened. 17 Here is Yahweh's message: That I am Yahweh you shall learn by this: with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water of the river and it shall be changed into blood. 18 The fish in the river will die, and the river will smell so foul that the Egyptians will not want to drink the water of it.'"

19 Yahweh said to Moses, "Say this to Aaron, 'Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers and their canals, their marshland, and all their reservoirs, and let them turn to blood throughout the land of Egypt, even to the contents of every tub and jar.'" 20 Moses and Aaron did as Yahweh commanded. He raised his staff and in the sight of Pharaoh and his court he struck the waters of the river, and all the water in the river changed to blood. 21 The fish in the river died, and the river smelled so foul that the Egyptians found it impossible to drink its water. Throughout the land of Egypt there was blood. 22 But the magicians of Egypt used their witchcraft to do the same, so that Pharaoh's heart was stubborn and, as Yahweh has foretold, he would not listen to Moses and Aaron. 23 Pharaoh turned away and went back into his palace, taking no notice even of tis. 24 Meanwhile, all the Egyptians dug holes along the banks of the river in search of drinking water; they found the water of the river impossible to drink. 25 After Yahweh had struck the river, seven days passed.

The second plague: the frogs

26 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is Yahweh's message: Let my people go to offer me worship. 27 If you refuse to let them go, know that I will plague the whole of your country with frogs. 28 The river will swarm with them; they will make their way into your palace, into your bedroom, onto your bed, into your houses of your courtiers and of your subjects, into you ovens, into your kneading bowls. 29 The frogs will even climb all over you, over your courtiers, and over all your subjects.'"

8- 1 Yahweh said to Moses, 2 "Say this to Aaron, 'Stretch out your hand, with your staff, over the rivers, the canals, the marshland, and make frogs swarm all over the land of Egypt.'! 3 So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. 4 But the magicians did the same with their witchcraft, and made frogs swarm all over the land of Egypt.

5 Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. "Entreat Yahweh," he said, "to rid me and my subjects of the frogs, and I promise to let the people go and offer sacrifice to Yahweh." 6 Moses answered Pharaoh, "Take this chance to get the better of me! When I pray on your account and for your courtiers, and for your subjects, what time am I to fix for the frogs to leave you and your subjects and your houses, and stay in the river?" 7 Tomorrow," Pharaoh said. "It shall be as you say," answered Moses. "By this you shall learn that Yahweh our God has no equal. 8 The frogs will go from you and your palaces, your courtiers and your subjects; they will stay in the river." 9 When Moses an Aaron had gone from Pharaoh's presence, Moses pleaded with Yahweh about the frogs with which he had afflicted Pharaoh. 10 And Yahweh granted Moses' prayer; in house and courtyard and field the frogs died. 11 They piled them up in heaps and the land recked of them. 12 But as soon as he saw that relief had been granted, Pharaoh became adamant again and, as Yahweh had foretold, he refused to listen to Moses and Aaron.

The third plague: the mosquitoes

13 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Say this to Aaron, 'Stretch out your rod and strike the dust on the ground: throughout the land of Egypt it will turn into mosquitoes.'" 14 Aaron stretched out his hand, with his staff, and struck the dust on the ground. The mosquitoes attacked men and beasts; throughout the land of Egypt the dust on the ground turned into mosquitoes. 15 The magicians with their witchcraft tried to produce mosquitoes and they failed. The mosquitoes attacked men and beasts. 16 So the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." But Pharaoh's heart was stubborn and, as Yahweh had foretold, he refused to listen to Moses and Aaron.

The fourth plague: the gadflies

16 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning and wait for Pharaoh as he makes his way to the water. Say to him, 'This is Yahweh's message: Let my people go to offer worship. 17 But if you do not let my people go, I shall send gadflies on you, on your courtiers and your palaces. The houses of the Egyptians will be infested with them, and even the very ground they stand on. 18 But I shall set apart the land of Goshen, where my people live, on that day; there will be no gadflies there, and so you may know that I, Yahweh, am in the midst of the land. 19 I shall make a distinction between my people and yours. This sign shall take place tomorrow.'" 20 Yahweh did this, and great swarms of gadflies found their way into Pharaoh's palace, into the houses of his courtiers, and into all the land of Egypt, and ruined the country.

21 Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. "Go," he said, "and offer sacrifice to your God, but in this country!" 22 "That would not be right," Moses answered. "We sacrifice to Yahweh our God animals which Egyptians count it sacrilege to slaughter. If we offer in front of the Egyptians sacrifices that outrage them, will they not stone us? 23 We must make a three days' journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifice to Yahweh our God, as he has commanded us." 24 Pharaoh replied, "I will let you go to offer sacrifice to Yahweh your God in the wilderness, provided you do not go far. And intercede for me." 25 "The moment I leave you," said Moses, "I will pray to Yahweh. Tomorrow morning the gadflies will leave Pharaoh and his courtiers and his subjects. Only, Pharaoh must not play false again, and refuse to let the people go to offer sacrifice to Yahweh." 26 So Moses went out of Pharaoh's presence and prayed to Yahweh. 27 And Yahweh did as Moses asked; the gadflies left Pharaoh and his courtiers and his subjects; not one remained. 28 But Pharaoh was adamant this time too and did not let the people go.

The fifth plague: death of the Egyptians' livestock

9- 1 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is the message of Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews: Let my people go to offer me worship. 2 If you refuse to let them go and detain them any longer, 3 you will find tat the hand of Yahweh will fall on your livestock in the fields, horse and donkey and camel, herd and flock, with a deadly plague. 4 Yahweh will discriminate between the livestock of Israel and of Egypt: nothing shall die of all that belongs to the sons of Israel. 5 Yahweh has fixed the our. Tomorrow, he has said, Yahweh will carry out this threat in all the land.'" 6 Next day Yahweh kept his word; all the Egyptians' livestock died, but none owned by the sons of Israel died. 7 Pharaoh had inquiries made, but it was true: none was dead of the livestock owned by the sons of Israel. But Pharaoh became adamant again and did not let the people go.

The sixth plague: the boils

8 Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, "Take handfuls of soot from the kiln, and before the eyes of Pharaoh let Moses throw it in the air. 9 It shall spread like fine dust over the whole land of Egypt and bring out boils that break into sores on man and beast all over the land of Egypt." 10 So they took soot from the kiln and stood in front of Pharaoh, and Moses threw it in the air. And on man and beast it brought out boils breaking into sores. 11 And the magicians could not face Moses, because the magicians were covered with boils like all the other Egyptians. 12 But Yahweh made Pharaoh's heart stubborn and, as Yahweh had foretold, he refused to listen to them.

The seventh plague: the hail

13 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "get up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh. Say to him, 'This is the message of Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews: Let my people go to offer me worship. 14 This time I mean to send all my plagues on you and on your courtiers and your subjects so that you shall learn that there is no one like me in the whole world. 15 Had I stretched out my hand to strike you and your subjects with pestilence, you would have been swept from the earth. 16 But I have let you live for this: to make you see my power and to have my name published throughout all the earth. 17 Highhanded with my people still, you will not let them go. 18 Tomorrow, therefore, at about this time, I will let fall so great a storm of hail as was never known in Egypt from the day of its foundation. 19 So now have your livestock, and everything that is yours in the fields put under cover: on man and beast, on all that remains in the fields and is not brought indoors, the hail will fall and they will die.'" 20 Some of Pharaoh's courtiers, terrified by Yahweh threat, brought their slaves and livestock indoors, 21 but those who disregarded Yahweh's threat left their slaves and stock in the fields.

22 Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven so that hail may fall on the whole land of Egypt." 23 Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and Yahweh thundered and rain down hail. Lightning struck the earth. Yahweh rained down hail on the land of Egypt. 24 The hail fell, and lightning flashing in the midst of it, a greater storm of hail than had ever been known in Egypt since it first became a nation. 25 Throughout the land of Egypt the hail struck down everything in the fields, man and beast. It struck all the crops in the fields, and it shattered every tree in the fields. 26 Only in the land of Goshen where the Hebrews lived, was there no hail.

27 Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron. "This time," he said, "I admit my fault. Yahweh is in the right; I and my subjects are in the wrong. 28 Entreat Yahweh to stop the thunder and the hail; I promise to let you go, and you shall stay here no longer." 29 Moses answered him, "The moment I leave the city I will stretch out my hands to Yahweh. The thunder will stop, and there will be no more hail, so that you may know that the earth belongs to Yahweh. 30 But as for you and your courtiers, I know very well that you have no fear yet of Yahweh our God." 31 The flax and the barley were ruined, since the barley was in the ear and the flax budding. 32 The wheat and the spelt, being late crops, were not destroyed.

33 Moses left Pharaoh and went out of the city. He stretched out his hands to Yahweh and the thunder and the hail stopped and the rain no longer poured down on the earth. 34 When Pharaoh saw that rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sin yet again. 35 He became adamant, he and his courtiers. The heart of Pharaoh was stubborn and, as Yahweh foretold through Moses, he did not let the sons of Israel go.

The eighth plague: the locusts

10- 1 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, for it is I who have made his heart and his courtiers stubborn, so that I could work these signs of mine among them; 2 so that you can tell your sons and your grandsons how I made fools of the Egyptians and what signs I performed among them, to let you know that I am Yahweh." 3 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh. They said to him. "This is the message of Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, 'How much longer will you refuse to submit to me? Let my people go to offer me worship. 4 If you refuse to let my people go, then tomorrow I will send locusts over your country. 5 They shall cover the surface of the soil so thick that the soil will not be seen. They shall devour the remainder that is left to you, all that has survived from the hail; they shall devour all your trees growing in the fields; they shall fill your palaces, the houses of your courtiers, the houses of all the Egyptians. 6 Your forefathers and their ancestors will never have seen the like since first lived in the country.'" "Then Moses turned away and left Pharaoh's presence. 7 And Pharaoh's courtiers said to him, "How much longer is this man to be the cause of our trouble? Let the people go to offer worship to Yahweh their God. Do you not understand that Egypt is now on the brink of ruin?"

8 So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. "You may go," he said to them, "and after worship to Yahweh your God. But who are to go?" 9 "We shall take our young men and our old men," Moses answered, "We shall take our sons and daughters, our flocks and herds, because for us it is a feast of Yahweh." 10 "May Yahweh be with you if ever I let you and your little ones go!" Pharaoh retorted. "It is plain you are up to no good. 11 Oh no! You men may go and offer worship to Yahweh, since that is what you wanted." And with that they were dismissed from the presence of Pharaoh.

12 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt to bring the locusts. Let them invade the land of Egypt and devour all its greenstuff, all that the hail has left." 13 And over the land of Egypt Moses stretched his staff, and Yahweh brought up an east wind over the land and it blew all that day and night. By morning, the east wind had brought the locusts.

14 The locusts invaded the whole land of Egypt. On the whole territory of Egypt they fell, in numbers so great that such swarms had never been seen before, nor would be again. 15 They covered the surface of the soil till the ground was black with them. They devoured all the greenstuff in the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. No green was left on tree or plant in the fields throughout the land of Egypt.

16 Pharaoh sent urgently for Moses and Aaron. "I have sinned against Yahweh your God," he said, "and against yourselves. 17 Forgive my sin, I implore you, tis once, and entreat Yahweh your God just to rid me of this deadly plague." 18 So Moses left Pharaoh's presence and interceded with Yahweh. 19 Then Yahweh made the wind veer till it blew strongly from the west that it caught up the locusts and carried them off toward the Sea of the Reeds. There was not one locust left in the whole land of Egypt. 20 But Yahweh made Pharaoh's heart stubborn, and he did not let the sons of Israel go.

The ninth plague: the darkness

21 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven, and let darkness, darkness so thick that it can be felt, cover the land of Egypt." 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and for three days there was deep darkness over the whole land of Egypt. 23 No one could see anyone else or move about for three days, but where the sons of Israel lived there was light for them.

24 Pharaoh summoned Moses. "Go and offer worship to Yahweh," he said, "but your flocks and herds must remain here. Your children may go with you too." 25 Moses replied, "But you must let us have means of offering sacrifices and holocausts to Yahweh our God. 26 Our livestock, too, must go with us; nor one head of cattle must be left behind: it must be from our livestock that we provide for the worship of Yahweh our God; until we reach the place, we do not know ourselves what worship we shall have to offer Yahweh."

27 But Yahweh made Pharaoh's heart stubborn, and he refused to let them go. 28 Pharaoh said to Moses, "Out of my sight! Take care! Never appear before me again, for on they you do, you die!" 29 Moses replied, "You yourself have said it: never again shall I appear before you."

Moses proclaims the death of the first-born

11- 1 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "One disaster more I shall bring on Pharaoh and on Egypt, just one. After this he will let you go from here . . . Indeed, he will drive you out! 2 Instruct the people that every man is to ask his neighbour, every woman hers, for silver ornaments and gold." 3 And Yahweh gave the people prestige in the eyes of the Egyptians, while Moses himself was a man of great importance in the land of Egypt, and high prestige with Pharaoh's courtiers and with the people.

4 Moses said, "This is Yahweh's message, 'Toward midnight I shall pas through Egypt. 5 All the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die: from the first-born of Pharaoh, heir to his throne, to the first-born of the maidservant at the mill, and all the first-born of the cattle. 6 And throughout the land of Egypt there shall be such wailing as never was heard before, nor will be again. 7 But against the sons of Israel, against man or beast, never a dog shall bark, so that you may know that Yahweh discriminates between Egypt and Israel. 8 Then all these courtiers of yours will come down to me and bow low before me and say: Go away, you and all the people who follow you! After this, I shall go.'" And, hot with anger, Moses left Pharaoh's presence.

9 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Pharaoh will not listen to you; so that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt." 10 All these wonders Moses and Aaron worked in the presence of Pharaoh. But Yahweh made Pharaoh's heart stubborn, and he did not let the sons of Israel leave his country.

The Passover

12- 1 Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 2 "This month is to be the first of all the others for you, the first month of your year. Speak to the whole community of Israel and say, 3 On the tenth day of this month each man must take an animal from his flock, one for each family; one animal for each household. 4 If the household is too small, a man must join with his neighbour, he nearest to his house, as the number of persons requires. You must take into account what each can eat in deciding the number for the animal. 5 It must be an animal without blemish, a male one year old: you may take it from either sheep or goats. 6 You must keep it till the fourteenth day of the month when the whole assembly of the community of Israel shall slaughter it between the two evenings. 7 Some of the blood must then be taken and put on the two doorposts and the lintel of the house where it is eaten. 8 That night, the flesh is to be eaten, roasted over a fire; it must be eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 9 Do not eat any of it raw or boiled, but roasted over a fire, head, feet and entrails. 10 You must not leave any over till the morning; whatever is left till morning you are to burn. 11 You shall eat it like this: with a girdle around your waist, sandals on your feet, a staff in your hand. You shall eat it hastily: it is a passover in honour Yahweh. 12 That night, I will go through the land of Egypt and strike down all the first-born in the land of Egypt, man and beast alike, and I shall deal out 13 punishment to all the gods of Egypt, I am Yahweh! The blood shall serve to mark the houses that you live in. When I see the blood I will pass over you and you shall escape the destroying plague when I strike the land of Egypt. 14 This day is to be a day of remembrance for you, and you must celebrate it as a feast in Yahweh's honour. For all generations you are to declare it a day of festival, for ever.

The feast of Unleavened Bread

15 For seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day you are to clean all leaven out of your houses, for anyone who eats leavened bread from the first to the seventh day shall be cut off from Israel. 16 On the first dy you are to hold a sacred gathering, and again on the seventh day. On those days no work is to be done; you are allowed only to prepare your food. 17 The feast of Unleavened Bread must be kept because it was on that same day I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Keep that day from age to age: it is an irrevocable ordinance. 18 In the first month, from the evening of the fourteenth day and until the evening of the twenty-first day, you are not to eat unleavened bread. 19 For seven days no leaven must be found in your houses, because anyone who eats leavened bread will be cut off from the community of Israel, whether he be stranger or native-born. 20 You must eat no leavened bread; wherever you live you must eat unleavened bread.'"

Injunctions relating to the Passover

21 Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, "Go and choose animals from the flock on behalf of your families, and kill the Passover victim. 22 Then take a spray of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and with the blood from the basin touch the lintel and the two doorposts. Let none of you venture out of the house till morning. 23 Then, when Yahweh goes through Egypt to strike it, and sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts he will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to enter your houses and strike. 24 You must keep these rules as an ordinance for all time for you and your children. 25 When you enter the land that Yahweh is giving you, as he promised, you must keep to this ritual. 26 And when your children ask you 'What does this ritual mean?' 27 you will tell them, 'It is the sacrifice of the Passover in honour of Yahweh who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt, and struck Egypt but spared our houses.'" And the people bowed down ans worshiped. 28 The sons of Israel then departed, and they obeyed. They carried out the orders Yahweh had given to Moses and Aaron.

The tenth plague: death of the first-born

29 And at midnight Yahweh struck down all the first-born in the land of Egypt: the first-born of Pharaoh, heir to his throne, the first-born of the prisoner in his dungeon, and the first-born of all the cattle. 30 Pharaoh and all his courtiers and all the Egyptians got up in the night, and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house without its dead. 31 And it was night when Pharaoh summoned Moses ans Aaron. "Get up," he said, "you and the sons of Israel, and get away from my people. Go and worship to Yahweh as you have asked 32 and, as you have asked, take your flocks and herds, and go. And also ask a blessing on me." 33 The Egyptians urged the people to hurry up and leave the land because, they said, "Otherwise we shall all be dead." 34 So the people carried off their dough, still unleavened, on their shoulders, their kneading bowls wrapped in their cloaks.

The Egyptians plundered

35 The sons of Israel did as Moses had told them and asked the Egyptians for silver ornaments and gold, and for clothing. 36 Yahweh gave the people such prestige in the eyes of the Egyptians, that they gave them what they asked. So they plundered the Egyptians.

Israel's departure

37 The sons of Israel left Rameses for Succoth, about six hundred thousand on the march - all men - not counting their families. 38 People of various sorts joined them in great numbers; there were the flocks, too, and herds in immense droves. 39 They baked cakes with the dough which they had brought from Egypt, unleavened because the dough was not leavened; they had not leavened; they had been driven out of Egypt, with no time for dallying, and had not provided themselves with food for the journey. 40 The time that Israel had spent in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. 41 And on the very day the four hundred and thirty years ended, all the array of Yahweh left the land of Egypt. 42 The night, when Yahweh kept vigil to bring them out of the land of Egypt, must be kept as a vigil in honour of Yahweh for all their generations.

Ordinances for the Passover

43 Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, "This is what is ordained for the Passover: No alien may take part in it, 44 but any slave bought for money may take part when you have them circumcised. 45 No stranger and no hired servant may take part in it. 46 It is to be eaten in one house alone, out of which not a single morsel of flesh is to be taken; nor must you break any bone of it. 47 The whole community of Israel must keep the Passover. 48 Should a stranger be staying with you and wish to celebrate the Passover in honour of Yahweh, all the males of his household must be circumcised: he may then be admitted to the celebration, for he becomes as it were a native-born. But no uncircumcised person may take part. 49 The same law will run for the native and for the stranger resident among you." 50 The sons of Israel all obeyed. They cared out the orders Yahweh had given to Moses and Aaron. 51 And that same day Yahweh brought the sons of Israel in their armies out of Egypt.

The first-born

13- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said, 2 "Consecrate all first-born to me, the first issue of every womb, among the sons of Israel. Whether man or beast, this is mine."

The feast of Unleavened Bread

3 Moses said to the people, "Keep this day in remembrance, the day you came out of Egypt, from the house of slavery, for it was by sheer power that Yahweh brought you out of it; no leavened bread must be eaten. 4 On this day, in the month of Abib, you are leaving Egypt. 5 And so, in this same month, when Yahweh brings you to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, the Jebusites, the land he swore to your fathers he would give you, a land where milk and honey flow, you are to hold this service. 6 For seven days you will eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there is to be a feast in honour of Yahweh. 7 During these seven days unleavened bread is to be eaten; no leavened bread must be seen among you, no leaven among you in all your territory. 8 And on that day you will explain to your son, 'This is because of what Yahweh did for me when I came out of Egypt.' 9 'The rite will serve as a sign on your hand would serve, or a memento on your forehead, and in that way the law of Yahweh will be ever on your lips, for Yahweh brought you out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 10 You will observe each year at its appointed time.

The first-born

11 "When Yahweh brings you to the land of the Canaanites - as he swore to you and you fathers he would do - and he gives it to you, 12 you are to make over to Yahweh all that first issues from the womb, and every first-born cast by your animals: these males belong to Yahweh. 13 But every first-born donkey you will redeem with an animal from your flocks. If you do not redeem it, you must break its neck. Of your sons, every first-born of men must be redeemed. 14 And when your son asks you in days to come, 'What does this mean?' you will tell him, 'By sheer power Yahweh brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, Yahweh killed all the first-born in the land of Egypt, of man and of beast alike. For this I sacrifice to Yahweh every male that first issues from the whom, and redeem every first-born of my sons.' 16 The rite will serve as a sign on your hand would serve, or a circlet on your forehead, for Yahweh brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand."

The departure of the Israelites

17 When Pharaoh had let the people go. God did not let them take the road to the land of the Philistines, although that was the nearest way. God thought that the prospect of fighting would make the people lose heart and turn back to Egypt. 18 Instead, God led the people by the roundabout way of the wilderness to the Sea of Reeds. The sons of Israel went out from Egypt full armed. 19 Moses took with him the bones of Joseph who had put the sons of Israel on solemn oath. "It is sure that God will visit you." And when that day comes you must take my bones from here with you."

20 From Succoth they moved on, and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness.

21 Yahweh went before them, by day in the form of a pillar of cloud to show them the way, and by night in the form of a pillar of fire to give them light: thus they could continue their march by day and by night. 22 The pillar of cloud never failed to go before the people during the day, nor the pillar of fire during the night.

From Etham to the Sea of Reeds

14- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said, 2 "Tell the sons of Israel to turn back and pitch camp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, facing Baal-zephon. You are to pitch your camp opposite this place, beside the sea. 3 Pharaoh will think, 'Look how these sons of Israel wander to and fro in the countryside; the wilderness has closed in on them.' 4 Then I shall make Pharaoh heart stubborn and he will set out in pursuit of them. But I shall win glory for myself at the expense of Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will learn that I am Yahweh." And Israelites did this.

The Egyptians pursue the Israelites

5 When Pharaoh, king of Egypt, was told that the people had made their escape, he and his courtiers changed their minds about the people. "What have we done," they said, "allowing Israel to leave our service?" 6 So Pharaoh had his chariot harnessed and gathered his troops about him, 7 taking six hundred of the best chariots and all the other chariots in Egypt, each manned by a picked team. 8 Yahweh made Pharaoh, king of Egypt, stubborn, and he gave chase to the sons of Israel as they made their triumphant escape. 9 So the Egyptians gave chase ans came up with them where they lay encamped beside the sea - all the horses, chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen, his army - near Pi-hahiroth, facing Baal-zephon. 10 And as Pharaoh approached, the sons of Israel looked around - and there were the Egyptians in pursuit of them! The sons of Israel were terrified and cried out to Yahweh. 11 To Moses they said, "Were there no graves in Egypt that you must lead us out to die in the wilderness? What good have you done us, bringing us out of Egypt? 12 We spoke of this in Egypt, did we not? Leave us alone, we said, we would rather work for te Egyptians! Better to work for the Egyptians than die in the wilderness!" 13 Moses answered the people, "Have no fear! Stand firm, and you will see what Yahweh will do to save you today: the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. 14 Yahweh will do the fighting for you: you have only to keep still."

The crossing

15 Yahweh said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me so? Tell the sons of Israel to march on. 16 For yourself, raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and part it for the sons of Israel to walk through the sea on dry ground. I for 17 my part will make the heart of the Egyptians so stubborn that they will follow them. So shall I win myself glory at the expense of Pharaoh, of all his army, his chariots, his horsemen. 18 And when I have won glory for myself, at the expense of Pharaoh and his chariots and his army, the Egyptians will learn that I am Yahweh."

19 Then the angel of God, who marched at the front of the army of Israel, changed station and moved to their rear. The pillar of cloud changed station from the front to the rear of them, and remained there. 20 It came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. The cloud was dark, and the night passed without the armies drawing any closer the whole night long. 21 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. Yahweh drove back the sea with a strong easterly wind all night, and he made dry land of the sea. The waters parted 22 and the sons of Israel went on dry ground right into the sea, walls of water to right and to left of them. 23 The Egyptians gave chase: after them they went, right into the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 In the morning watch, Yahweh looked down on the army of the Egyptians from the pillar of fire and of cloud, and threw the army into confusion. 25 He so clogged their chariot wheels that they could scarcely make headway. "Let us flee from the Israelites," the Egyptians cried. "Yahweh is fighting for them against the Egyptians!" 26 "Stretch out your hand over the sea," Yahweh said to Moses, "that the waters may flow back on the Egyptians and their chariots and their horsemen." 27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and, as day broke, the sea returned to its bed. The fleeing Egyptians marched right into it, and Yahweh overthrew the Egyptians in the very middle of the sea. 28 The returning waters overwhelmed the chariots and the horsemen of Pharaoh's whole army, which had followed the Israelites into the sea; not a single one of them was left. 29 But the sons of Israel had marched through the sea on dry ground, walls of water to right and to left of them. 30 That day, Yahweh rescued Israel from the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. 31 Israel witnessed the great act that Yahweh had performed against the Egyptians, and the people venerated Yahweh; they put their faith in Yahweh and in Moses, his servant.

Song of victory

15- 1 It was then that Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song in honour of Yahweh:

"Yahweh I sing: he has covered himself in glory,

horse and rider ha has thrown into the sea.

2 Yah is my strength, my song,

he is my salvation.

This is my God, I praise him;

the God of my father, I extol him.

3 Yahweh is a warrior;

Yahweh is his name.

4 The chariots and the army of Pharaoh he has hurled into the sea;

the pick of his horsemen lie drowned in the Sea of Reeds.

5 The depths have closed over them;

they have sunk to the bottom like a stone.

6 Your right hand, Yahweh, shows majestic in power,

your right hand, Yahweh, shatters the enemy.

7 So great is your splendour, you crush your foes;

you unleash your fury, and it devours them like stubble.

8 A blast from your nostrils and the waters piled high;

the waves stood upright like a dike;

in the heart of the sea the deeps came together.

9 'I will give chase and overtake,' the enemy said.

'I shall share the spoil, my soul will feast on it;

I shall draw out my sword, my hand will destroy them.'

10 One breath of yours you blew, and the sea closed over them;

they sank like lead in the terrible waters.

11 Who among the gods is your like, Yahweh?

Who is your like, majestic in holiness,

terrible in deeds of prowess, worker of wonders?

12 You stretch your right hand out, the earth swallowed them!

13 By your grace you led the people you redeemed,

by your strength you guided them to your holy house.

14 Hearing of this, the people tremble;

pangs seize on the inhabitants of Philistia.

15 Edom's chieftains are now dismayed,

the princes of Moab fall to trembling,

Canaan's inhabitants are all unmanned.

16 On them fall terror and dread;

through the power of your arm they are still as stone

as your people pass, Yahweh,

as the people pass whom you purchased.

17 You will bring them and plant them on the

mountain that is your own,

the place you have made your dwelling, Yahweh,

the sanctuary, Yahweh, prepared by your own hands.

18 Yahweh will be king for ever and ever."

19 Pharaoh's cavalry, both his chariots and horsemen, had indeed entered the sea, but Yahweh had made the waters of the sea flow back on them, yet the sons of Israel had marched on dry ground right through the sea.

20 Miriam, the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took up a timbrel, and all the women followed her with timbrels, dancing. 21 And Miriam led them in the refrain;

"Sing of Yahweh: he has covered himself in glory,

horse and rider he has thrown into the sea."

Marah

22 Moses made Israel move from their camp at the Sea of Reeds, and they made for the wilderness of Shur where they traveled for three days without finding water. 23 They reached Marah but the water there was bitter they could not drink it; this is why the place was named Marah. 24 The people grumbled at Moses. "What are we to drink?" They said. 25 So Moses appealed to Yahweh, and Yahweh pointed out some wood to him; this Moses threw into the water, and the water was sweetened.

There it was he charged them with statute and with ordinance,

there that he put them to the test.

Then he said, 26 If you listen carefully to the voice of Yahweh your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commandments and keep his statutes, I shall inflict on you none of the evils that I inflicted on the Egyptians, for it is I, Yahweh, who give you healing."

27 So they came to Elim where twelve water springs were, and seventy palm trees; and they pitched their camp beside the water.

The mana and the quails

16- 1 From Elim they set out again, and the whole community of the sons of Israel reached the wilderness of Sin - between Elim and Sinai - on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had left Egypt. 2 nd the whole community of the sons of Israel began to complain against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness 3 and said to them, "Why did we not die at Yahweh's hand in the land of Egypt, when we were able to sit down to pans of meat and could eat bread to our heart's content! As it is, you have brought us to this wilderness to starve this whole company to death!"

4 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Now I will rain down bread for you from the heavens. Each day the people are to go out and gather the day's portion; I propose to test them in this way to see whether they will follow my law or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they have brought in, this will be twice as much as the daily gathering."

6 Moses and Aaron said to the whole community of the sons of Israel, "In the evening you shall learn that it is Yahweh who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of Yahweh, for ha has heard your complaints against him - it is not against us you complain, for what are we?" 8 Moses said, "In the evening Yahweh will give you meat to eat, in the morning bread to your heart's content, for Yahweh heard the complaints you made against him; your complaining is not against us - for what are we? - but against Yahweh."

9 Moses said to Aaron, "To the whole community of the sons of Israel say this, 'Present yourselves before Yahweh, for he has heard your complaints.'" 10 As Aaron was speaking to the whole community of the sons of Israel, they turned toward the wilderness, and there was the glory of Yahweh appearing in the form of a cloud. 11 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses and said, 12 "I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel. Say this to them, 'Between the two evening you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have bread to your heart's content. Then you will learn that I, Yahweh, am your God.'" 13 And so it came about: quails flew up in the evening, and they covered the camp; in the morning there was a coating of dew all around the camp. 14 When the coating of dew lifted, there on the surface of the desert was a thing delicate, powdery, as fine as hoarfrost on the ground. 15 When they saw this, the sons of Israel said to one another, "What is that?" Not knowing what it was. "That," said Moses to them, "is the bread Yahweh gives you to eat. 16 This is Yahweh's command: Everyone must gather enough of it for his needs, one omer a head, according to the number of persons in your families. Each of you will gather for those who share his tent."

17 The sons of Israel did this. They gathered it, some more, some less. 18 When they measured in an omer what they had gathered, the man who had gathered more had not too much, the man who had gathered less had not too little. Each found ha had gathered what he needed.

19 Moses said to them, "No one must keep any of it for tomorrow." 20 But some would not listen to Moses and kept part of it for the following day, and it bred maggots and smelled foul; and Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they gathered it, each according to his needs. And when the sun grew hot, it dissolved.

22 Now on the sixth day they gathered twice the amount of food; two omers a head. All the leaders of the community came to tell Moses, 23 and he said to them, "This is Yahweh's command: Tomorrow is a day of complete rest, a sabbath sacred to Yahweh. Bake what you want to bake, boil what you want boil; put it aside all that is left for tomorrow." 24 So, as Moses ordered, they put it aside for the following day, and its smell was not foul nor were there maggots in it. 25 "Eat it today," Moses said, "for today is a sabbath in honour of Yahweh; you will find none in the field today. 26 For six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day - the sabbath - there will be none." 27 On the seventh day some of the people went from the camp to gather it, but they found none. 28 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "How much longer will you refuse to keep my commandments and my law? 29 Listen! Yahweh has laid down the sabbath for you; for this he gives you two days' food on the sixth day; each of you is to stay where he is; on the seventh day no one is to leave his home." 30 So on the seventh day the people abstained from all work.

31 The House of Israel named it "manna." It was like coriander seed; it was white and its taste was like that of wafers made with honey.

32 Moses said, "This is Yahweh's command: Fill an omer with it, and let it be kept for your descendants, to let them see the food that I fed you with in the wilderness when I brought you out of the land of Egypt." 33 Moses said to Aaron, "Take a jar put in it a full omer of manna and place it before Yahweh, to be kept for your descendants." 34 Accordingly, Aaron put a full omer of manna in the jar, as Yahweh had ordered Moses, and placed the manna before the Testimony, to be kept there.

35 The sons of Israel ate manna up to the time they reached inhabited country: they ate manna up to the time they reached the frontier of the land of Canaan. 36 An omer is one tenth of an ephah.

The water from the rock

17- 1 The whole community of the sons of Israel moved from their camp in the desert of Sin at Yahweh's command, to travel the further stages; and they pitched camp at Rephidim where there was no water for the people to drink. 2 So they grumbled against Moses. "Give us water to drink," they said. Moses answered them, "Why do you grumble against me? Why do you put Yahweh to the test?" 3 But tormented by thirst, the people complained against Moses. "Why did you bring us out of Egypt?" they said, "Was it so that I should die of thirst, my children too, and my cattle?" 4 Moses appealed to Yahweh. "How am I to deal with this people?" he said. "A little more and they will stone me!" 5 Yahweh said to Moses, "Take with you some of the elders of Israel and move on the forefront of the people; take in your hand your staff with which you struck the river, and go. 6 I shall be standing before you there on the rock at Horeb. You must strike the rock, and water will flow from it for the people to drink." This is what Moses did, in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 The place was named Massah and Meribah because of the grumbling of the sons of Israel and because they put Yahweh to the test by saying, "Is Yahweh with us, or not?"

A battle against the Amalekites

8 The Amalekites came and attacked Israel at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, "Pick out men for yourself, and tomorrow morning march out and engage Amelek. I, meanwhile, will stand on the hilltop, the staff of God in my hand." 10 Joshua did as Moses told him and marched out to engage Amelek, while Moses and Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses kept his arms raised, Israel had the advantage; when he let his arms fall, the advantage went to Amelek. 12 But Moses' arms grew heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him and on this he sat, Aaron and Hur supporting his arms, one on one side, one on the other; and his arms remained firm till sunset. 13 With the edge of the sword Joshua cut down Amelek and his people. 14 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Write this action down in a book to keep the memory of it, and say in Joshua's hearing that I shall wipe out the memory of Amelek from under heaven." 15 Moses then built an altar and named it Yahweh-nissi 16 because he said, "Lay hold the banner of Yahweh! Yahweh is at war with Amelek from age to age!"

The meeting of Jethro and Moses

18- 1 Jethro priest of Midian, father-in-law of Moses, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, and how Yahweh had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 So Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, brought Moses' wife Zipporah - after she had been dismissed - 3 with her two sons. One of these was named Gershom because, he said, "I am a stranger in a foreign land"; 4 the name of the other one was Eliezer because "The God of my father is my help and has delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh." 5 So Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, came with his son-in-law's wife and children to the wilderness where his camp was, at the mountain of God. 6 Here is your father-in-law, Jethro, come to visit you," Moses was told, "With your wife and her two sons." 7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowing low before him he kissed him; and when each had inquired of the other's health, they went into the tent. 8 Then Moses told his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for the sake of Israel, and all the hardships that had overtaken them on the way, and how Yahweh had rescued them. 9 And Jethro rejoiced at all Yahweh's goodness to Israel in rescuing them from the Egyptians' hands. 10 "Blessed be Yahweh," said Jethro then, "who has rescued you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh, and has rescued the people from the grasp of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all the gods . . ."

12 Then Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, offered a holocaust and sacrifices to God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to share the meal with the father-in-law of Moses in the presence of God.

The appointment of judges

13 On the following day, Moses took seat to administer justice for the people, and from morning till evening they stood around him. 14 Observing what labours he took on himself for the people's sake, the father-in-law of Moses said to him, "Why do you take all this on yourself for the people? Why sit here alone with the people standing around you from morning till evening?" 15 Moses answered his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to bring their inquiries to God. 16 When they have some dispute they come to me, and I settle the differences between the one and the other and instruct them in God's statutes and his decisions." 17 "It is not right," the father-in-law of Moses said to him, "to take this on yourself. 18 You will tire yourself out, you and the people with you. The work is too heavy for you. You cannot do it alone. 19 Take my advice, and God will be with you. You ought to represent the people before God and bring their disputes to him. 20 Teach them the statutes and the decisions; show them the way they must follow and what their course must be. 21 But choose from the people at large some capable and God-fearing men, trustworthy and incorruptible, and appoint them as leaders of the people: leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, tens. 22 Let these be at the service of the people to administer justice at all times. They can refer all difficult questions to you, but all the smaller questions they will decide for themselves, so making things easier for you and sharing the burden with you. 23 If you do this-and may God so command you- you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied."

24 Moses took his father-in-law's advice and did as he said. 25 Moses chose capable men from the ranks of the Israelites and set them over the people: leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, tens. 26 They were at the service of the people to administer justice at all times. They referred hard questions to Moses, and decided smaller questions by themselves.

27 Then Moses allowed his father-in-law to go, and made his way back to his own country.

The Israelites come to Sanai

19- 1 Three months after they came out of the land of Egypt . . . on that they the sons of Israel came to the wilderness of Sanai. 2 From Rephidim they set out again; and when they reached the wilderness of Sanai, there in the wilderness they pitched their camp; there facing the mountain Israel pitched camp.

Yahweh promises a covenant

3 Moses then went up to God, and Yahweh called to him from the mountain, saying, "Say this to the House of Jacob, declare this to the sons of Israel, 4 'You yourselves have seen what I did with the Egyptians, how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. 5 From this you know that now, if you obey my voice and hold fast to my covenant, you of all the nations shall be my very own, for all the earth is mine. 6 I will count you a kingdom of priests, a consecrated nation.' Those are the words you are to speak to the sons of Israel." 7 So Moses went and summoned the elders of the people, putting before them all that Yahweh had bidden him. 8 Then all the people answered as one, "All that Yahweh has said we will do." And Moses took the people's reply back to Yahweh.

Preparing for the covenant

9 Yahweh said to Moses, "I am coming to you in a dense cloud so that the people may hear me when I speak to you and may trust you always." And Moses took the people's reply back to Yahweh.

10 Yahweh said to Moses, "Go to the people and tell them to prepare themselves today and tomorrow. Let them wash their clothing and 11 hold themselves in readiness for the third day, because on the third day Yahweh will descend on the mountain of Sanai in the sight of all the people. 12 You will mark out the limits of the mountain and say, 'Take care not to go up the mountain or to touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain will be out to death. 13 No one must lay a hand on him: he must be stoned or shot down by arrow, whether man or beast; he must not remain alive.' When the ram's horn sounds a long blast they are to go up the mountain."

14 So Moses came down from the mountain to the people and bade them prepare themselves; and they washed their clothing. 15 Then he said to the people, "Be ready for the third day; do not go near any woman."

The theophany on Sanai

16 Now at daybreak on the third day there were peals of thunder on the mountain and lightning flashes, a dense cloud, and a loud trumpet blast, and inside the camp all the people trembled. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the bottom of the mountain. 18 The mountain of Sanai was entirely wrapped in smoke, because Yahweh had descended on it in the form of fire. Like smoke from a furnace the smoke went up, and the whole mountain shook violently. 19 Louder and louder grew the sound of the trumpet. Moses spoke, and God answered him with peals of thunder. 20 Yahweh came down on the mountain of Sanai, on the mountain top, and Yahweh called Moses to the top of the mountain; and Moses went up. 21 Yahweh said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people not to pass beyond their bounds to come and look on Yahweh, or many of them will lose their lives. 22 The priests, the men who approach Yahweh, even those must purify themselves, or Yahweh will break out against them." 23 Moses answered Yahweh, "The people cannot come up the mountain of Sanai because you warned us yourself when you said, 'Mark out the limits of the mountain and declare it sacred.'" 24 "Go down," said Yahweh to him, "and come up again bringing Aaron with you. But do not allow the priests or the people to pas their bounds to come up to Yahweh, or he will break out against them." 25 So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them . . .

The decalogue

20- 1 Then God spoke all these words. He said, 2 "I am Yahweh your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

3 "You shall have no gods except me.

4 "You shall not make yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything in heaven or on earth beneath or in the waters under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them or serve them. For I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God and I punish the father's fault in the sons, the grandsons, and the great-grandsons of those who hate me; 6 but show kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7 "You shall not utter the name of Yahweh your God to misuse it, for Yahweh will not leave unpunished the man who utters his name to misuse it.

8 "Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy. 9 For six days you shall labour and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath for Yahweh your God. You shall do no work that day, neither you or your son nor your daughter nor your servants, men or women, nor your animals nor the stranger who lives with you. 11 For in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that these hold, but on the seventh day he rested; that is why Yahweh has blessed the sabbath day and made it sacred.

12 "Honour your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that Yahweh your God has given you.

13 "You shall not kill.

14 "You shall not commit adultery.

15 "You shall not steal.

16 "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.

17 "You shall not covet your neighbour's house. You shall not covet your neighbour's wife, or his servant, man or woman, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is his."

18 All the people shook with fear at the peals of thunder and the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the smoking mountain, and they kept their distance. 19 "Speak to us yourself," they said to Moses, "and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we shall die." 20 Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid; God has come to test you, so that your fear of him, being always in your mind, may keep you from sinning." 21 So the people kept their distance while Moses approached the dark cloud where God was.

Law concerning the altar

22 Yahweh said to Moses, "Tell the sons of Israel this, 'You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven. 23 You shall not make gods of silver or gold to stand beside me; you shall not make things like this for yourselves.

24 'You are to make me an altar of earth, and sacrifice on this the holocausts and communion sacrifices from your flocks or herds. In every place in which I have my name remembered I shall come to you and bless you. 25 If you make me an altar of stone, do not build it of dressed stones; for if you use tool on it, you profane it. 26 You shall not go up to my altar by steps for fear you expose your nakedness.'

Laws concerning slaves

21- 1 "This is the ruling you are to lay before them: 2 When you buy a Hebrew slave, his service shall be for six years. In the seventh year he may leave; he shall be free, with no compensation to pay. 3 If he came single, he shall leave single; if he came married, his wife shall leave with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons and daughters, wife and children shall belong to her master, and the man must leave alone. 5 But if the slave declares, "I love my master and my wife and children; I renounce my freedom," 6 then his master shall him to God, leading him to the door or the doorpost. His master shall pierce his ear with an awl, and he shall be in his service for all time. 7 If a man sells a daughter as a slave, she shall not regain her liberty like male slaves. 8 If she does not please her master who intended her for himself, he must let her be bought back: he has not the right to sell her to foreigners, thus treating her unfairly. 9 If he intends her for his son, he shall deal with her accordingly to the ruling for daughters. 10 If he takes another wife, he must not reduce the food of the first or her clothing or her conjugal rights. 11 Should he cheat her of these three things she may leave, freely, without having to pay any money.

Homicide

12 Anyone who strikes a man and so causes his death, must die. 13 If he has not lain in ait for him but God has delivered him to his hands, then I will appoint you a place where he may seek refuge. 14 But should a man dare to kill his fellow by treacherous intent, you must take him even from my altar to be put to death.

15 Anyone who strikes his father or mother must die. 16 Anyone who abducts a man- - whether he has sold him or is found in possession of him - must die. 17 Anyone who curses father or mother must die.

Blows and wounds

18 If men quarrel and one strikes the other a blow with stone or fist so that the man, though he does not die, must keep his bed, 19 the one who struck the blow shall not be liable provided the other gets up and can go about, even with a stick. He must compensate him, however, for his enforced inactivity, and care for him until he his completely cured.

20 If a man beats his slave, male or female, and the slave dies at his hand, he must pay the penalty. 21 But should the slave survive for one or two days, he shall pay ne penalty because the slave is his by right of purchase.

22 If, when men come to blows, they hurt a woman who is pregnant and she suffers a miscarriage, though she does not die of it, the man responsible must pay the compensation demanded of him by the woman's master; he shall hand it over, after arbitration. 23 But should she die, you shall give life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, stroke for stroke.

26 When a man strikes at the eye of his slave, male or female, and destroys the use of it, he must give him his freedom to compensate for the eye. 27 If he knocks out the tooth of his slave, male or female, he must give him his freedom to compensate for the tooth.

28 When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox must be stoned. Its flesh shall not be eaten, and the owner of the ox shall not be liable. 29 But if the ox has been in the habit of goring before, and if its owner was warn but has not kept it under control, then should this ox kill a man or a woman, the ox must be stoned and its owner put to death. 30 If a ransom is imposed on him, he must pay whatever is imposed, to redeem his life. 31 If the ox gores a boy or a girl, he must be treated accordingly with the same rule. 32 If the ox gores a slave, male or female, the owner must pay over to their master a sum of money - thirty shekels - and the ox must be stoned.

33 When a man leaves a pit uncovered, or when he digs one but does not cover it, should an ox, or donkey, fall into it, 34 then the owner of the pit shall make up for the loss: he must pay its owner money, and the dead animal shall be his own. 35 If one man's ox harms another's so that it dies, the owner must sell the live ox and share the price of it; they shall also share the dead animal. 36 But if it is common knowledge the the ox has been in the habit of goring before, and its owner has not kept it under control, he must repay ox for ox; the dead animal shall be his own.

Theft of animals

37 If a man steals an ox or a sheep and then slaughters or sells it, he must pay five oxen for the ox, four sheep for the sheep.

22- 1 If a thief is caught breaking in and is truck a mortal blow, there is to be no blood vengeance for him, 2 but there shall be blood vengeance for him if it was after dawn. Full restitution must be made; if he has not the means, he must be sold to pay for what he has stolen. 3 If the stolen animal is found alive in his possession, ox or donkey or sheep, he must pay double.

Offenses demanding compensation

4 hen a man puts his animals out to graze in a field or vineyard and lets his beasts graze in another's field, he must make restitution for the part of the field that has been grazed in proportion to the yield. But if he has let the whole field be grazed, he must make restitution in proportion to the best crop recorded in the injured party's field or vineyard.

5 When a fire spreads, setting light to thorn bushes and destroying staked or standing corn or the field itself, the man responsible for the fire must make full restitution.

6 When a man has entrusted money or goods to another's keeping and these are stolen from his house, the thief, if he can be caught, must repay double. 7 Should the thief not be caught, the owner of the house must swear before God that he has not laid hands on the other man's property.

8 Whenever there is a breach of trust in the matter of ox, donkey, sheep, clothing, or any lost property for which it is claimed "Yes, this is it," the dispute shall be brought before God. The person whom God pronounces guilty must pay double to the other.

9 When a man has entrusted to another's keeping a donkey, ox, sheep, or any beast whatever, and this dies or is injured or carried off, without a witness, 10 an oath by Yahweh shall decide between the two parties whether one man has laid hands on the other's property or not. The owner shall take what remains, the other shall not have to make good the loss. 11 But if the animal has been stolen from him, he must make restitution to the owner. 12 If it has been savaged by wild beasts, he must bring the savaged remains of the animal as evidence, and he shall not be obliged to give compensation.

13 When a man borrows an animal from another, and it is injured or dies in the owner's absence, the borrower must make full restitution. 14 But if the owner has been present, the borrower will not have to make good the loss. If the owner has hired it out, he shall settle for the price of the hire.

Violation of a virgin

15 If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and sleeps with her, he must pay the price and make her his wife. 16 If her father absolutely refuses to let him have her, the seducer must pay a sum of money equal to the price fixed for a virgin.

Moral and religious laws

17 You shall not allow a sorceress to live.

18 Anyone who has intercourse with an animal must die.

19 Anyone who sacrifices to other gods shall come under the ban.

20 You must not molest the stranger or oppress him, for you lived as strangers in the land of Egypt. 21 You must not be harsh with the widow, or with orphan; 22 if you are harsh with them, they will surely cry out to me, and be sure I shall hear their cry; 23 my anger will flare and I shall kill you with the sword, your own wives will be widows, your own children orphans.

24 If you lend money to any of my people, to any poor man among you, you must not play the usurer with him: you must not demand interest from him.

25 If you take another's cloak as a pledge, you must give it back to him before sunset. 26 It is the covering he has; it is the cloak he wraps his body in; what else would he sleep in? If he cries to me, for I am full of pity.

27 You shall not revile God nor curse a ruler of your people.

First fruits and first-born

28 Do not be slow to make offering from the abundance of your threshing-floor and your winepress. You must give me the first-born of your sons; 29 you must do the same with your flocks and herds. The first-born must remain with its mother for seven days; on the eighth day you must give it to me.

30 You are to be men consecrated to me. You must not eat the flesh of an animal that has been savaged by wild beasts; you must throw it to the dogs.

Justice. Duties toward enemies

23- 1 You must not make false assertions. You must not support a guilty man by giving malicious evidence. 2 You must not take the side of the greater number in the cause of wrongdoing nor side with the majority and give evidence in a lawsuit in defiance of justice; 3 nor in a lawsuit must you show partiality to the poor.

4 If you come on your enemy's ox or donkey going astray, you must lead it back to him. 5 If you see the donkey of a man who hates you fallen under its load, instead of keeping out of his way, go to him to help him.

6 You must not cheat any poor man of yours of his rights at law. 7 Keep out of trumpet-up cases. See that the man who is innocent and just is not done to death, and do not acquit the guilty. 8 You must not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds clear-sighted men and is the ruin of the just man's cause.

9 You must not oppress the stranger; you know how a stranger feels, for you lived as a stranger in the land of Egypt.

The sabbatical year and the sabbath

10 For six years you may sow your land and gather its produce, 11 but in the seventh year you must let it lie fallow and forgo all produce from it. Those of your people who are poor may take food from it, and let the wild animals feed on what they leave. You shall do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

12 For six days you shall do your work, but stop on the seventh day, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the son of your slave girl have a breathing space, and the stranger too.

13 Take notice of all I have told you and do not repeat the name of other gods: let it not be heard from your lips.

The great feasts

14 Three times a year you are to celebrate a feast in my honour. 15 You must celebrate the feast of Unleavened Bread: you must eat unleavened bread, as I have commanded you, at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in that month you came out of Egypt. And no one must come before me empty-handed. 16 The feast of Harvest, too, must be celebrated, the feast of the first fruits of the produce of your sown fields; the feast of Ingathering also, at the end of the year when you gather in the fruit of your labours from the fields. 17 Three times a year all you menfolk must present themselves before the Lord Yahweh.

18 You must not offer unleavened bread with the blood of the victim sacrificed to me, nor put by the fat of my festal victim for the following day.

19 You must bring the best of the first fruits of your soil to the house of Yahweh your God.

You must not boil a kid in the mother's milk.

Preparatory promises and instruction for the entry into Canaan

20 I myself will send an angel before you to guard you as you go to bring you to the place that I have prepared. 21 Give him reverence and listen to all that he says. Offer him no defiance; he would not pardon such a fault, for my name is in him. 22 If you listen carefully to his voice and do all that I say, I shall be enemy to your enemies, foe to your foes. 23 My angel will go before you and lead you tp where the Amorites are and the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, the Jebusites; I shall exterminate these. 24 You must bow to their gods or worship them; you must not do as they do: you must destroy their gods utterly and smash their standing stones. 25 You are to worship Yahweh your God, and I shall bless your bread and water, and remove sickness from among you. 26 In your land no woman will miscarry, none be barren. I shall give you your full term of life.

27 I shall spread panic ahead of you; I shall throw into confusion all the people you encounter; I shall make all your enemies turn and run from you. 28 I shall send hornets in front of you to drive Hivite ans Canaanite and Hittite from your presence. 29 I shall drive them out before you in a single year, or the land would become a desert where, to your cost, the wild beasts would multiply. 30 Little by little I will drive them out before you until your numbers grow and you come into possession of the land. 31 For your frontiers I shall fix the Sea of Reeds and the Philistine sea, the desert and the river; yes, I shall deliver the inhabitants of the country into your hands, and you will drive them out before you. 32 They must not live in your country or they will make you sin against me; you would come to worship their gods, and that would be a snare for you indeed!'"

24- 1 To Moses he had said, "Come up to Yahweh, yourself and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel and bow in worship at a distance. 2 Moses alone must approach Yahweh; the others must not, nor must the people go up with him."

3 Moses went and told the people all the commands of Yahweh and all the ordinances. In answer, all the people said in one voice, "We will observe all the commands that Yahweh has decreed." 4 Moses put all the commands of Yahweh into writing, and early next morning he built an altar at the foot of the mountain, with twelve standing stones for the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 Then he directed certain young Israelites to offer holocausts and to immolate bullocks to Yahweh as communion sacrifices. 6 Half of the blood Moses took up and put into basins, the other half he cast on the altar. 7 And taking the book of the Covenant he read it to the listening people, and they said, "We will observe all the Yahweh has decreed; we will obey." 8 Then Moses took the blood and cat toward the people. "This," he said, "is the blood of the Covenant that Yahweh has made with you, containing all these rules."

9 Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy elders of Israel. 10 They saw the of of Israel beneath whose feet there was, it seemed, a sapphire pavement pure as the heavens themselves. 11 He laid no hand on these notables of the sons of Israel: they gazed on God. They ate and drank.

Moses on the mountain

12 Yahweh said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain and stay there while I give you the stone tablets - the law and the commandments - that I have written for their instruction." 13 Accordingly Moses rose, he and his servant Joshua, and they went up the mountain of God. 14 To the elders he had said, "Wait here for us until we come back to you. You have Aaron and Hur with you; if anyone has a difference to settle, let him go to them." 15 And Moses went up the mountain.

The cloud covered the mountain, 16 and the glory of Yahweh settled on the mountain of Sanai; for six days the cloud covered it, and on the seventh day Yahwe called to Moses from inside the cloud. 17 To the eyes of the sons of Israel the glory of Yahweh deemed like a devouring fire on the mountain top. 18 Moses went right into the cloud. He went up the mountain, and stayed there for forty days and forty nights.

Contributions for the sanctuary

25- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said, 2 "Tell the sons of Israel to set aside a contribution for me; you shall accept this contribution from every man whose heart prompts him to give it. 3 You shall accept from them the following contribution: gold, silver and bronze, 4 purple stuffs, of violet shade and red, crimson stuffs, fine linen, goats' hair; 5 rams' skins dyed red, fine leather, acacia wood; 6 oil for the lamps, spices for the chrism and for the fragrant incense; 7 onyx stones and gems to be set in ephod and pectoral. 8 Build me a sanctuary so that may dwell among them. 9 In making the tabernacle and its furnishings you may follow exactly the pattern I shall show you.

The tabernacle and its furnishings. The ark

10 "You are to make me an ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, one and a half cubit high. 11 You are to plate it, inside and outside, with pure gold and decorate it all around with a gold moulding. 12 You will cast four gold rings for the ark and fix them to its four supports; two rings on one side and two rings on the other. 13 You will also make shafts of acacia wood plated with gold 14 and pass the shafts through the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark by these. 15 The shafts must remain in the rings of the ark and not be withdrawn. 16 Inside the ark you will place the Testimony that I shall give you.

17 "Further, you are to make me a throne of mercy, of pure gold, two and a half cubits long, and one and a half cubits wide. 18 For the two ends of this throne of mercy you are to make two golden cherubs; you are to make them of beaten gold. 19 Make the first cherub for one end and the second for the other end, and fasten them to the ends of the throne of mercy so that they make one piece with it. 20 The cherubs are to have their wings spread upward so that they overshadow the throne of mercy. They must face one another, their faces toward the throne of mercy. 21 You must place the throne of mercy on the top of the ark. Inside the ark you must place the Testimony that I shall give you. 22 There I shall come to meet you; there, from the throne of mercy, from between the two cherubs that are on the ark of the Testimony, I shall give you all my commands for the sons of Israel.

The table for the offertory bread

23 "You are to make a table of acacia wood, two cubits long, one cubit wide, and one and a half cubits high. 24 You are to plate it with pure gold, and decorate it all around with gold moulding. 25 You are to fit it with struts, one hand's breadth wide, and decorate these with a golden moulding. 26 You are to make for it four gold rings and fix these at the four corners where the four legs are. 27 The rings must lie close to the struts to hold the shafts for carrying the table. 28 You are to the shafts of acacia wood and plate them with gold. The table is to be carried by these. 29 You are to make dishes, cups, jars and libation bowls for it; you are to make these of pure gold. 30 On the table, before me, you must place the bread of continual offering.

The lampstand

31 "You are to make a lampstand of pure gold; the lampstand must be of beaten gold, base and stem. Its cups - calyx and petals - must be of one piece with it. 32 Six branches must extend from the sides of it, three one side, three from the other. 33 The first branch is to carry three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with its calyx and petals; the second branch, too, is to carry three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with its calyx and petals, and similarly for all six branches extending from the lampstand. 34 The lampstand itself is to carry four cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with its calyx and petals, 35 thus; one calyx under the first two branches extending from the lampstand, one under the next pair, one under the last pair: corresponding to the six branches extending from the lampstand. 36 The calyxes and the branches must be of one piece with the lampstand, and the whole made from a single piece of pure gold, beaten out. 37 Then you are to make lamps for it, seven of them, and trays must be of pure gold. 38 You are to use a talent of pure gold for making the lampstand and all the accessories. 39 See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.

The tabernacle, Fabrics and hangings

26- 1 "The tabernacle itself you are to make with ten sheets of fine twined linen, of purple stuffs, violet shade and red, and of crimson stuffs; you are to have these sheets finely brocaded with cherubs. 2 The length of a single sheet is to be twenty-eight cubits, its width four cubits, all the sheets to be of the same size. 3 Five of the sheets must be joined to each other, and the other five similarly. 4 You must attach loops of violet stuff to the border of the last sheet in one set, and do the same for the border of the last sheet in the other set, and do the same for the border of the last set. 5 You are to put fifty loops on the first sheet and, matching them one by one, fifty loops on the border of the last sheet in the second set. 6 And you are to make fifty gold clasps to draw the sheets together. In this way the tabernacle will be a unified whole.

7 You are to make sheets of goat's hair to form a tent over the tabernacle; you will make eleven of these. 8 The length of a single sheet is to be thirty cubits, its width four cubits, the eleven sheets to be all of the same size. 9 You must join five of these sheets together into one set, the remaining six into another; the sixth you will fold double over the front of the tent. 10 You must attach fifty loops to the border of the last sheet in one set, and do the same for the border of the last sheet in the second set. 11 You must take fifty bronze clasps and put them into the loops, so as to draw the tent together and make it a unified whole.

12 As one sheet of the tent will be left over, half of this extra sheet is to hang over the back of the tabernacle. 13 The extra cubit on either side along the length of the sheets is to hang over the sides of the tabernacle as a covering for it.

14 "For the tent you will make a covering of ram's skins dyed red, and covering of fine leather to spread over that.

The framework

15 "You are to make frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle, these to stand upright. 16 Each frame is to be ten cubits long and a half cubits wide. 17 Each frame must be fitted with tenons; for all the frames of the tabernacle you must do this. 18 You are to make the frames for the tabernacle: twenty frames for the southern side, facing the south country. 19 You are to make forty silver sockets for putting under the twenty frames thus: two sockets under the first frame to receive its two tenons, and so on for the other frames. 20 The other side of the tabernacle, on the north, is to have twenty frames 21 supported by forty silver sockets, two sockets under each frame. 22 For the back of the tabernacle, on the west, you must make six frames. 23 You are to make two frames for the corners at the back of the tabernacle. 24 These frames must be coupled at their lower end and so to the top, up to the level of the first ring; this for the two frames that are to form the two corners. 25 Thus there will be eight frames with their sixteen silver sockets: two sockets under the first frame and so on.

26 "You are to make crossbars of acacia wood: five to hold together the frames for one side of the tabernacle, 27 five to hold the frames for the other side of the tabernacle, and five to hold the frames that form the west end of the tabernacle. 28 The middle bar, fixed half way up, is to run from one end to the other. 29 The frames are to be plated with gold, and with gold rings on them to take the crossbars which you are to plate with gold. 30 This is how you are to erect the tabernacle according to the model shown to you on the mountain.

The veil

31 "You are t make a veil of purple stuffs, violet shade and red, of crimson stuffs, and of fine linen; you are to have embroidered with cherubs. 32 You are to hang it on four posts of acacia wood plated with gold and furnished with golden hooks and set in four silver sockets. 33 You must hang the veil from the clasps and there behind the veil you must place the ark of the Testimony, and the veil will serve you to separate the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. 34 The throne of mercy you must place on top of the ark inside the Holy of Holies. 35 The table you must set outside the veil, and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle, opposite the table. You must put the table on the north side. 36 For the entrance to the tent you are to make a screen of purple stuffs, violet shade and red, and of crimson stuffs and fine twined linen, the work of a skilled embroiderer. 37 For this screen you are to make five posts of acacia wood plated with gold, with golden hooks; for these you are to cast five bronze sockets.

The altar of holocaust

27- 1 "You are to make the altar out of acacia wood, a square five cubits long and five cubits wide, its height to be three cubits. 2 At its four corners you are to put horns, the horns to be one piece with it, plating it with bronze. 3 For the altar you are to make pans for the ashes from the fat, shovels, sprinkling basins, hooks, fire pans; you must make all the vessels for the altar out of bronze. 4 You are also to make a grating for it of bronze network, and on the four corners of this fix four bronze rings. 5 This grating you must set under the altar's ledge, below, so that it reaches halfway up the altar. 6 And for the altar you are to make shafts of acacia wood and plate them with bronze. 7 These are to be passed through the rings, so that they are on either side of the altar when it is carried. 8 You are to make the altar hollow, of boards, you will make it in the way that was shown to you on the mountain.

The court

9 "You are to make the court of the tabernacle. Facing the south country, on the southern side, the hangings of the court are to be of fine twined linen, one hundred cubits long for one side. 10 Their twenty bronze posts are to be set in twenty bronze sockets and to have their hooks and rods of silver. 11 So too for the northen side there are to be hangings one hundred cubits long, and twenty posts set in twenty bronze sockets, with their hooks and rods of silver. 12 Across the width of the court, on the western side, there are to be fifty cubits of hangings, carried on ten posts set in ten sockets. 13 The width of the court on the eastern side facing the sunrise is to be fifty cubits. 14 On one side of the gateway there are to be fifteen cubits of hangings, carried on three posts set in three sockets. 15 On the other side of the gateway there are also to be fifteen cubits of hangings, carried on three posts set in three sockets. 16 The gateway to the court consist of a screen twenty cubits wide made of purple stuffs, violet shade and red, of crimson stuffs and fine twined linen, the work of a skilled embroiderer, carried on four posts set in their four sockets. 17 All the posts enclosing the court are to be connected by silver rods; their hooks are to be of silver, their sockets of bronze. 18 The length of the court is to be one hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, its height five cubits. All the hangings are to be made of fine twined linen, and their sockets of bronze. 19 All the furnishings for whatever use in the tabernacle, all the pegs of it and of the court, must be of bronze.

The oil for the lamps

20 You are to order the sons of Israel to bring you pure olive oil for the light, and to keep a flame burning there perpetually. 21 Aaron and his sons are to set this flame in the Tent of Meeting, outside the veil that is before the Testimony. It must burn there before Yahweh from evening to morning perpetually. This is an irrevocable ordinance for their descendants, to be kept by the sons of Israel.

The priestly vestments

28- 1 "From among the sons of Israel summon your brother Aaron and his sons to be priest in my service: Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, sons of Aaron. 2 For Aaron your brother you are to make sacred vestments to give dignity and magnificence. 3 You are to instruct all the ablest craftsmen, whose ability I give them, to make Aaron's vestments for his consecration to my priesthood. 4 These are the vestments they must make: pectoral, ephod, robe, embroidered tunic, turban and girdle. They are to make sacred vestments for your brother Aaron and his sons to be priest in my service. 5 They must use gold, purple stuffs, violet shade and red, crimson stuffs, and fine twined lined.

The ephod

6 They are to make the ephod of gold, purple stuffs, violet shade and red, crimson stuffs, and fine twined linen, the work of a skill embroiderer. 7 It must have two shoulder straps fitted to it to join its two ends together. 8 The woven band on it to hold it is of similar workmanship and form one piece with it: this must be of gold, purple stuffs, violet shade and red, crimson stuffs, and fine twined linen. 9 You will then take two onyx stones and engrave them with the names of the sons of Israel, 10 six of their names on one stone, the remaining six on the other, in the order of their birth. 11 With the art of a jeweller, of an engraver of seals, you are to engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel, and mount them in setting of gold mesh. 12 You are to fasten the two stones commemorating the sons of Israel to the shoulder straps of the ephod. In this way Aaron will bear their names on his shoulders in the presence of Yahweh, so as to commemorate them. 13 You are to also make golden rosettes, 14 and two chains of pure gold twisted like cord; you are to attach these cord-like chains to the rosettes.

The pectoral of judgment

15 "You are to make the pectoral of judgment, finely brocaded, of the same workmanship as the ephod. You are to make it of gold, purple stuffs, violet shade and red, crimson stuffs, and fine twined linen. 16 It is to be square and doubled over, a span in length and a span in width. 17 In this you are to set four rows of stones. Sard, topaz, carbuncle, for the first row; 18 emerald, sapphire, diamond the second row, 19 the third row, hyacinth, ruby, amethyst; 20 the fourth row, beryl, onyx, jasper. These are to be mounted in gold settings. 21 They are to bear the names of the sons of Israel, like the names on them. Are to be twelve in number. They are to be engraved like seals, each with the name of one of the twelve tribes. 22 For the pectoral you will make chains of pure gold twisted like cords. 23 For the pectoral you must make two gold rings and fix them to its two upper corners. 24 You must fasten the two gold cards to the two rings fixed on the corners of the pectoral. 25 The other two ends of the cords you must fasten to the two rosettes, so that they will be attached to the shoulder straps of the ephod, on the front. 26 You are to make two gold rings and fix them to the two lower corners of the pectoral, on the inner hem, next to the ephod. 27 You are to make two more gold rings and fix them low down on the front of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, close to the join, above the woven band of the ephod. 28 You must secure the pectoral by passing a ribbon of violet-purple through its rings and those of the ephod, so that the pectoral will sit above the woven band and not come apart from the ephod. 29 Thus by means of the pectoral of judgment, when Aaron enters the sanctuary, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel on his breast to call them to mind in the presence of Yahweh. 30 To the pectoral of judgment you will add the Urim and the Thummim so that Aaron may have them on his breast when he goes into Yahweh's presence. Thus in the presence of Yahweh Aaron will continually bear on his breast the oracle of the sons of Israel.

The robe

31 "You are to make the robe of the ephod entirely of violet-purple. 32 In the center it must have an opening for the head, the opening to have around it a border woven like the neck of a coat of mail to keep the robe from being torn. 33 The lower hem you are to decorate with pomegranates of purple stuffs, violet shade and red, crimson stuffs, and fine twined linen, with golden bells between: 34 gold bells and pomegranates alternately all around the lower hem of the robe. 35 Aaron is to wear it when he officiates, so that the tinkling of the bells will be heard whenever he enters the sanctuary into Yahweh's presence, or leaves it; thus he will not die.

The diadem

36 "You are to make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it 'Consecrated to Yahweh' as a man engraves a seal. 37 You will secure this to the turban with a ribbon of violet-purple; it is to be placed on the front of the turban. 38 Aaron is to wear it on his brow, and so take on himself any shortcoming there may be in what the sons of Israel consecrate in any of their sacred offerings. Aaron must always wear it on his brow, to draw on them the goodwill of Yahweh. 39 The tunic you must weave of fine linen, and make a turban of fine linen, and a girdle, the work of a skilled embroiderer.

The vestments of the priests

40 "For the sons of Aaron you are to make tunic and girdle and headdress to give dignity and magnificence. 41 You will put these on you brother Aaron and his sons. You will then anoint and invest and consecrate them to serve me in the priesthood. 42 You are to make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness from loin to thigh. 43 Aaron and his sons must wear these when they go into the Tent of Meeting and when they approach the altar to serve in the sanctuary, as a precaution against incurring some fault that would mean death. This is an irrevocable ordinance for Aaron and for his descendants after him.

The consecration of Aaron and his sons. Preparations

29- 1 "This is the ritual you must use for them when you consecrate them to serve me in the priesthood. Take one young bull and two rams without blemish, 2 Unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, made from fine wheat flour. 3 You must put these into a basket and present them in the basket, at the same time as the young bull and the two rams.

Their purification, clothing, and anointing

4 "You are to bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and they are to be bathed. 5 Take the vestments and dress Aaron in the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod, and the pectoral, and gird him with the woven band of the ephod. 6 Put the turban on his head, and on the turban fix the sacred diadem. 7 Then take the chrism and pour it on his head, and anoint him.

8 "Next, bring his sons and clothe them with tunics. 9 Pass the girdles around their waists and put the headdress on their heads. And by irrevocable ordinance the priesthood will be theirs. This is how you are to invest Aaron and his sons.

The offerings

10 "You are to bring the bull in front of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on its head. 11 Immolate the bull there before Yahweh at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 12 Then take some of the blood and with your finger put it on the horns of the altar. Next, pour out the rest of the blood at the foot of the altar. 13 And then take all the fat that covers the entrails, the fatty mass which is over the liver, the two kidneys with their covering fat, and burn on the altar. 14 As for the bull's flesh. Its skin and its dung, you must burn them outside the camp, for it is a sin offering.

15 "Next you are to take one of the rams. Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on its head. 16 You are to immolate the ram, take up its blood and pour it out on the surrounds of the altar. 17 Next, divide the ram in pieces and wash the entrails and legs and put them on top of the pieces and the head. 18 Then burn the whole ram on the altar. This will be a burnt offering whose fragrance will appease Yahweh; it will be a holocaust in honour of Yahweh.

19 "Next you are to take the other ram. Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on its head. 20 You are to immolate the ram, take some of its blood and put on the lobe of Aaron's right ear, on the lobes of his sons' right ears, the thumbs of the right hands, and the big toes of their right feet, and pour out the rest of the blood on the surrounds of the altar. 21 Then take some of the blood that remains on the altar, together with the chrism, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his vestments and on his sons and their vestments: so that he and his vestments will be consecrated and his sons too, and their vestments.

The investiture of the priests

22 "You are to take the fatty part of the ram; the entrails, the fat that covers te entrails, the fatty mass which is over the liver, the two kidneys with their covering fat and also the right thigh, for this is a ram of investiture. 23 You are to take a loaf of bread, a cake of bread made with oil, and a wafer, from the basket of unleavened bread placed before Yahweh, 24 and put it all in Aaron's hands and those of his sons and make the gesture of offering before Yahweh. 25 Then you are to take them back and burn them on the altar, on top of the holocaust, an appeasing fragrance before Yahweh. This will be a holocaust in honour of Yahweh.

26 "You are to take the breast of the ram of Aaron's investiture and make the gesture of offering before Yahweh; this is to be your portion. 27 You are to consecrate the breast that has been thus offered, as also the thigh that is set aside - the breast, that is, which has been offered and the thigh that has been set aside from the ram of investiture of Aaron and his sons. 28 This by perpetual law, will be the portion that Aaron and his sons are to receive from the sons of Israel, since it is the portion set aside, a portion t he sons of Israel are to set aside from their communion sacrifices, the portion they owe to Yahweh.

29 "Aaron's vestments are to pass to his sons after him, and they will wear them for their anointing and investiture. 30 The son of Aaron who succeeds him in te priesthood and enters the Tent of Meeting to serve in the sanctuary must wear them for seven days.

The sacred meal

31 "You are to take the ram of investiture and cook its meat in a holy place. 32 Aaron and his sons will eat the meat of the ram, and also the bread that is in the basket, at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 33 They are to eat what was used in making atonement for them at their investiture, their consecration. No layman may eat these; they are holy things. 34 If any of the meat from the investiture sacrifice, or the bread, should be left till morning, you must put what is left in the fire. It is not to be eaten; it is a holy thing. 35 For Aaron and his sons you are to do exactly as I commanded you: you are to take seven days over their investiture.

The consecration of the altar of holocaust

36 "On each of the days you are also to offer a bul as a sacrifice for sin, in atonement; by offering an atonement sacrifice for sin you will take away sin from the altar; then you must anoint it, and consecrate it. 37 For seven days you are to repeat the atonement sacrifice for the altar and consecrate it. So it will excel in holiness, and whatever touches it will be holy.

The daily holocaust

38 "This is what you have to offer on the altar: two yearling lambs each day in perpetuity. 39 The first lamb you must offer in the morning, the second between the two evenings. 40 With the first lamb you must offer on tenth of a measure of fine flour with one quarter of a hin of purest oil and, for a libation, one quarter of a hin of wine. 41 The second lamb you must offer between the two evenings; do this with the same oblation and the same libation as in the morning, as an appeasing fragrance, an offering burned in honour of Yahweh. 42 This is to be a perpetual holocaust from generation to generation, at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting in the presence of Yahweh; that is where I shall meet you and speak of you.

43 "I will meet the sons of Israel in the place consecrated by my glory. 44 I will consecrate the Tent of Meeting and the altar. I will consecrate Aaron too, and his sons, to be priests in my service. 45 I will remain with the sons of Israel, and I will be their God. 46 And so they will know that it is I, Yahweh their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt to live among them: I, Yahweh their God.

The altar of incense

30- 1 "You must make an altar on which to burn incense; you are to make it out of acacia wood. 2 It is to be one cubit long, and one wide - that is to say square - and to stand two cubits high; its horns are to be of one piece with it. 3 The top of it, its surrounding sides, and its horns, are to be plated with pure gold, and decorated with gold moulding all around. 4 You are to fix two gold rings to it below the moulding on its two opposite sides; these are to take shafts used for carrying it. 5 These shafts you must make of acacia wood and plate with gold. 6 You are to set up the altar before the veil that is in front of the ark of Testimony, opposite the throne of mercy that covers the Testimony, the place appointed for my meeting with you. 7 There Aaron must burn fragrant incense each morning when he trims the lamps, 8 and between the two evenings, when Aaron puts the lamps back, he must burn it again. You must make these offerings of incense before Yahweh unfailingly from generation to generation. 9 You must not offer profane incense on it - no holocaust, no oblation; and you must pour no libation on it. 10 Once a year Aaron is to perform the rite of atonement on the horns of the altar; with blood of the sacrifice offered for sin he is to perform the rite of atonement once a ear. And you shall do the same in the generations to come. This altar of supreme holiness is to be consecrated to Yahweh."

The poll tax

11 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said, 12 "When you take the census and make a register of the sons of Israel, each is to pay Yahweh a ransom for his life, so that no plague comes on them when the census is being made. 13 Everyone subject to the census must pay half a shekel, reckoning by the sanctuary shekel which is twenty gerahs, and this half shekel shall be set aside for Yahweh. 14 Everyone subject to the census, that is to say of twenty years and over, must pay the sum set aside for Yahweh. 15 The rich man is not to give more, nor the poor man less, than half a shekel as payment of the sum set aside for Yahweh, the ransom for your lives. 16 You will devote this ransom money given to you by the sons of Israel to the service of the Tent of Meeting. It will remind Yahweh of the sons of Israel and will be the ransom for your lives."

The bronze basin

17 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said, 18 You must also make a bronze basin on a stand, for washing. You must place it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it. 19 In this Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and feet. 20 When they are to enter the Tent of Meeting they must wash in water for fear they die, and when they have to approach the altar for their service, to burn the offering burned in honour of Yahweh. 21 They must wash their hands and feet for fear they die. This is a lasting ordinance for them, for Aaron and his descendants from generation to generation."

The chrism

22 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said, 23 "Take the choicest spices: of liquid myrrh five hundred shekels, half this weight of fragrant cinnamon - that is, two hundred and fifty shekels - and of scented cane two hundred and fifty shekels; 24 of cassia five hundred shekels (reckoning by the sanctuary shekel) and one bin of olive oil. 25 These you are to compound into a holy chrism, such a blend as the perfumer might make; it is to be a holy chrism. 26 With it you are to anoint the Tent of Meeting and the ark of the Testimony, 27 the table and all its furnishings, the lampstand and all the accessories, the altar of incense, 28 the altar of holocaust with all its furnishing, and the basin with its stand. 29 These you are to consecrate. Thus they will excel in holiness, and whatever touches them will be holy. 30 You must also anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them, so that they may be priests in my service. 31 Then you are to say this to the sons of Israel. 'You must hold this chrism holy from generation to generation. 32 It is not to be poured on the bodies of common men, nor must consider it holy. 33 Whoever copies the composition of it or uses it on a layman shall be outlawed from the people.'"

The incense

34 Yahweh said to Moses, "Take sweet spices: storax, onycha, galbanum, sweet spices and pure frankincense in equal parts, 35 and compound an incense, such a blend as the perfumer might make, salted, pure and holy. 36 Crush a part of it into a fine powder, and put some of this in front of the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting, the place appointed for my meetings with you. You must regard it as most holy. 37 You are not to make any similar composition for your own use. You must hold it to be a holy thing, reserved for Yahweh. Whoever copies it for use as perfume shall be outlawed from his people."

The craftsmen for the sanctuary

31- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said, 2 "See, I have singled out Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 3 I have filled him with the spirit of God and endowed him with skill and perception and knowledge for every kind of craft: 4 for the art of designing and working in gold and silver and bronze; 5 for cutting stone to be set, for carving wood, for every kind of craft. 6 Here and now I give him a partner, Oholiab son of Ahisdmach, of the tribe of Dan; and to all the men that have skill I have given more, for them to carry out all that I have commanded you: 7 the Tent of Meeting; the ark of the Testimony; 8 the throne of mercy that covers it, and all the furniture of the tent; the table and all its furnishings; the pure lampstand and all its accessories; the altar of incense; 9 the altar of holocaust with all its furnishings; the basin with its stand; 10 the sumptuous vestments - sacred vestment for Aaron the priest, and vestments for his sons - for the priestly functions; 11 the chrism and the fragrant incense for the sanctuary. In this they are to do exactly as I have directed you."

The sabbath rest

12 Yahweh said to Moses, 13 "Speak to the sons of Israel and say, "You must keep my sabbath carefully, because the sabbath is a sign between myself and you from generation to generation to show that it is I, Yahweh, who sanctify you. 14 You must keep the sabbath, then; it is to be held sacred by you. The man who profanes it must be put to death; whoever does any work on that day shall be outlawed from the people. 15 Work is to be done for six days, but the seventh day be a day of complete rest, consecrated to Yahweh. 16 The sons of Israel are to keep the sabbath, observing it from generation to generation: this is a lasting covenant. 17 Between myself and the sons of Israel the sabbath is a sign for ever, since in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day he rested and drew breath.""

The tablets of the Law committed to Moses

18 When he had finished speaking to Moses on the mountain of Sanai, he gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.

The golden calf

32- 1 When the people saw that Moses was a long time before coming down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to hm, "Come, make us a god to go at the head of us; this Moses, the man who brought us up from Egypt, we do not know what has become of him." 2 Aaron answered them, "Take the gold rings out of the ears of your wives and your sons and daughters, and bring them to me." 3 So they all took the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took from their hands and, in a mould, melted the metal down and cast an effigy of a calf. "Here is your God, Israel," they cried, "who brought you out of the land of Egypt!" 5 Observing this, Aaron built an altar before the effigy. "Tomorrow," he said, "will be a feast in honour of Yahweh."

6 And so, early the next day they offered holocausts and brought communion sacrifices; then all the people sat down to eat and drink, and afterward got up to amuse themselves.

Moses forewarned by Yahweh

7 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, "Go down now, because your people whom you brought out of Egypt have apostatized. 8 They have been quick to leave the way I marked out for them; they have made themselves a calf of molten metal and have worshiped it and offered it sacrifice. 'Here is your God, Israel,' they have cried, 'who brought you up from the land of Egypt!"" 9 Yahweh said to Moses, "I can see how headstrong these people are! 10 Leave me, now, my wrath shall blaze out against them and devour them; of you, however, I will make a great nation."

The prayer of Moses

11 But Moses pleaded with Yahweh his God. "Yahweh," he said, "why should your wrath blaze out against this people of yours whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with arm outstretched and mighty hand? 12 Why let the Egyptians say. 'Ah, it was in treachery that he brought them out, to do them to death in the mountains and wipe them off the face of the earth?' Leave your burning wrath; relent and do not bring this disaster on your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, your servants to whom by your own self you swore and made this promise: I will make your offspring as many as the stars of heaven, and all this land which I promise I will give to your descendants, and it shall be their heritage for ever." 14 So Yahweh relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

Moses breaks the tablets of the Law

15 Moses made his way down the mountain with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, tablets inscribed on both sides, inscribed on the front and on the back. 16 These tablets were the work of God, and the writing on them was God's writing engraved on the tablets.

17 Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting. "There is the sound of battle in the camp," he told Moses. 18 Moses answered him:

"No song of victory is this sound,

no wailing for defeat tis sound;

it is the sound of chanting that I hear."

19 As he approached the camp and saw the calf and the groups dancing, Moses' anger blazed. He threw down the tablets he was holding and broke them at the foot of the mountain. 20 He seized the calf they had made and burned it, grinding it into powder which he scattered on the water; and he made the sons of Israel drink it. 21 To Aaron Moses said, "What has this people done to you, for you to bring such a great sin on them?" 22 "Let not my lord's anger blaze like this," Aaron answered. "You know yourself how prone this people is to evil. 23 They said to me, 'Make us a god to go at our head; this Moses, the man who brought us up from Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.' 24 So I said to them, 'Who has gold?', and they took it off and brought it to me. I threw it into the fire and out came this calf."

The zeal of the Levites

25 When Moses saw the people so out of hand - for Aaron had allowed them to lapse into idolatry with enemies all around them - 26 He stood at the gate of the camp and shouted, "Who is for Yahweh? To me!" And all the sons of Levi rallied to him. 27 And he said to them, "This is the message of Yahweh, the God of Israel, ,Gird on your sword, every man of you, and quarter the camp from gate to gate, killing one of his brother, another his friend, another his neighbour.'" 28 The sons of Levi carried out the command of Moses, and of the people about three thousand men perished that day. 29 "Today," Moses said, "you have won yourselves investiture as priests of Yahweh at the cost, one of his son, another of his brother; and so he grants you a blessing today."

Moses prays again

30 On the following day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a grave sin. But now I shall go up to Yahweh: perhaps I can make atonement for your sin," 31 And Moses returned to Yahweh. "I am grieved," he cried, "this people has committed a grave sin, making themselves a gos of gold. 32 And yet, if it pleased you to forgive this sin of theirs . . . ! But if not, then blot me out from the book that you have written." 33 Yahweh answered Moses, "It is the man who has sinned against me that I shall blot out from my book. 34 Go now, lead the people to the place of which I told you. My angel shall go before you but, on the day of my visitation, I shall punish them for their sin." 35 And Yahweh punished the people for moulding the calf that Aaron had made.

The Israelites ordered to depart

33- 1 Yahweh said to Moses, "Leave this place, with the people you brought out of the land of Egypt, and go to the land that I swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob I would give their descendants. 2 I will send an angel in front of you; I will drive the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, the Jebusites. 3 Go on to the land where milk and honey flow. I shall not go with you myself - you are a headstrong people - or I might exterminate you on the way." 4 On hearing these stern words the people went into mourning, and no one wore his ornaments.

5 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Say to the sons of Israel, 'You are a headstrong people. If I were to go with you, even for a moment only, I should exterminate you. Take off your ornaments, then, that I may know how to deal with you!'" 6 So, from Mount Horeb onward, the sons of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments.

The Tent

7 Moses used to take the Tent and pitch it outside the camp, at some distance from the camp. He called it the Tent of Meeting. Anyone who had to consult Yahweh would go out to the Tent of Meeting, outside the camp. 8 Whenever Moses went out to the Tent, all the people would rise. Every man would stand at the door of his tent and watch Moses until he reached the Tent; 9 the pillar of cloud would come down and station itself at the entrance to the Tent, and Yahweh would speak with Moses. 10 When they saw the pillar of cloud stationed at the entrance to the Tent, all people would rise and bow low, each at the door of his tent. 11 Yahweh would speak with Moses face to face, as a man speaks with a friend. Then Moses would turn back to the camp, but the young man who was his servant, Joshua son of Nun, would not leave the Tent.

Moses prays

12 Moses said to Yahweh, "See, you yourself say to me, 'Make the people go on,' but you do not let me know it is you will send with me. Yet you yourself have said, 'I know you by name and you have won my favour.' 13 If indeed I have won your favour, please show me your ways, so that I can understand you and win your favour. Remember, too, that this nation is your own people." 14 Yahweh replied, "I myself will go with you, and I will give you rest." 15 Moses said, "If you are not going with us yourself, do not make us leave this place. 16 By what means can it be known that I, I and my people, have won your favour, if not by your going with us? By this we shall be marked out, I and my people, from all the peoples on the face of the earth." 17 Yahweh said to Moses, "Again I will do what you have asked, because you have won my favour and because I know you by name."

Moses on the mountain

18 Moses said, "Show me your glory, I beg you." 19 And he said, I will let all my splendour pass in front of you, and I will pronounce before you the name Yahweh. I have compassion on whom I will, and I show pity to whom I please. 20 You cannot see my face," he said, "for man cannot see me and live." 21 And Yahweh said, "Here is the place beside me. You must stand on the rock, 22 and when my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock and shield you with my hand while I pass by. 23 Then I will take my hand away and you shall see the back of me; but my face is not to be seen."

The Covenant renewed. The tablets of the Law

34- 1 Yahweh said to Moses, "Cut two tablets of stone like the first ones and come up to me on the mountain, and I will inscribe on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2 Be ready by morning, and come up to the mountain of Sanai at dawn; await my orders there at the top of the mountain. 3 No one must come up with you, no one be seen anywhere on the mountain; even the flocks and herds may not graze in front of this mountain." 4 And so Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first and, with the two tablets of stone in his hands, he went up the mountain of Sanai in the early morning as Yahweh had commanded him. 5 And Yahweh descended in the form of a cloud, and Moses stood with him there.

God appears

He called on the name of Yahweh. 6 Yahweh passed before him and proclaimed, "Yahweh, Yahweh, a God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in kindness and faithfulness; 7 for thousands he maintains his kindness, forgives faults, transgression, sin; yet he lets nothing go unchecked, punishing the father's fault in the sons and in the grandsons to the third and the fourth generation." 8 And Moses bowed down to the ground at once and worshiped. 9 "If I have won your favour, Lord," he said, "Let my Lord come with us, I beg. True, they are a headstrong people, but forgive us our faults and our sins, and adopt us as your heritage."

The Covenant

10 Yahweh said, "I am about to make a covenant with you. In the presence of all your people I shall work such wonders as have never been worked in any land or in any nation. All the people around you will see what Yahweh can do, for what I shall do through you will be awe-inspiring. 11 Mark, then, what I command you today. I mean to drive out the Amorites before you, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, the Jebusites. 12 Take care you make no pact with the inhabitants of the land you are about to enter, or this will prove a pitfall at your very feet. 13 You are to tear down their altars, smash their standing stones, cut down their sacred poles.

14 "You shall bow down to no other god, for Yahweh's name is Jealous One; he is a jealous God. 15 Make no pact with the inhabitants of the land or, when they prostitute themselves to their own gods and sacrifice to them. They may invite you and you may consent to eat from their victim; 16 or else you may choose wives for your sons from among their daughters and these, prostituting themselves to their own gods, may induce your sons to do the same.

17 "You shall make yourself no gods of molten metal.

18 "You shall celebrate the feast of Unleavened Bread: you shall eat unleavened bread, as I have commanded you, at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in that month of Abib you came out of Egypt.

19 "All that first issues from the womb is mine; every male, every first-born of flock or herd. 20 But the first-born donkey you must redeem with an animal from your flocks. If you do not redeem it, you must break its neck. You must redeem all the first-born of your sons. And no one is to come before me empty-handed.

21 "For six days you shall labour, but on the seventh day you shall rest, even at plowing time and harvest.

22 "You shall celebrate the feast of Weeks, of the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of Ingathering at the close of the year.

23 "Three times a year all you menfolk must present themselves before the Lord Yahweh, the God of Israel.

24 "When I have dispossessed the nations for you and extended your frontiers, no one will covet your land, if you present yourselves three times in the year before your God.

25 "You must not offer the blood of the victim sacrificed to me at the same time as you offer unleavened bread, nor is the victim offered at the feast of Passover to be put aside for the following day.

26 "You must bring the best of the first fruits of your oil to the house of Yahweh your God.

"You must not boil a kid in its mother's milk."

27 Yahweh said to Moses, "Put these words in writing, for they are the term of the covenant I am making with you and Israel."

28 He stayed there with Yahweh for forty days and forty nights, eating and drinking nothing. He inscribed on the tablets the words of the Covenant - the Ten Words.

Moses comes down from the mountain

29 When Moses came down from the mountain of Sanai - as he came down from the mountain, Moses had the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands - he did not know that the skin on his face was radiant after speaking with Yahweh. 30 And when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, the skin on his face shone so much that they would not venture near him. 31 But Moses called to them, and Aaron with all the leaders of the community came back to him; and he spoke to them. 32 Then all the sons of Israel came closer, and he passed on to them all the orders that Yahweh had given him on the mountain of Sanai. 33 And when Moses had finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. 34 Whenever he went into Yahweh's presence to speak with him, Moses would remove the veil until he came out again. And when he came out, he would tell the sons of Israel what he had been ordered to pass on to them, 35 and the sons of Israel would see the face of Moses radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he returned to speak with Yahweh.

The sabbath rest

35- 1 Moses assembled the whole community of the sons of Israel and said to them, "These are the things Yahweh has ordered to be done: 2 Work is to be done for six days, but the seventh is to be a holy day for you, a day of complete rest, consecrated to Yahweh. Whoever does any work on that day shall be put to death. 3 You must not light a fire on the sabbath day in any of your homes."

The materials are collected

4 Moses spoke to the whole community of the sons of Israel. "This," he said, "is what Yahweh has commanded: 5 Set aside a contribution for Yahweh out of your possessions. Let all give willingly and bring this contribution for Yahweh: gold, silver and bronze; 6 purple stuffs, of violet shade and red, crimson stuffs, fine linen, goat's hair, 7 ram's skins dyed red and fine leather, acacia wood, 8 oil for the light, spices for the chrism and for the fragrant incense; 9 Onyx stones and gems to be set in ephod and pectoral. 10 Let all the most skilled craftsmen among you come and make all that Yahweh has commanded: 11 the tabernacle, its tent and its covering, its hooks and its frames, its crossbars, its posts, and its sockets; 12 the ark with its shafts, the throne of mercy and the veil that screens it; 13 the table with its shafts and all the furnishings for it, and the loaves of offering; 14 the lampstand for the light, with its accessories, its lamps, and the oil for the light; 15 the altar of incense with its shafts, the chrism, the fragrant incense, and the screen for the entrance to the tent; 16 the altar of holocaust with its bronze grating, its shafts, and all the furnishings for it, the basin and its stand; 17 the hanging of the court, its posts, its sockets, and the screen for the gateway to the court; 18 the pegs of the tabernacle and the court, together with their cords; 19 the sumptuous vestments for the service in the sanctuary - sacred vestments for Aaron the priest, and his sons' vestment - for the priestly functions."

20 Then the whole community of Israel's sons withdrew from Moses' presence. 21 And all those heart prompted them to give came, bringing their contribution for Yahweh for making the Tent of Meeting, for all its functions and for the sacred vestments. 22 They came, men and women, all giving willingly, bringing brooches, rings bracelets, necklaces, gold things of every kind, all those who had vowed to Yahweh some article of gold. 23 All those who happened to own purple stuffs, of violet shade or red, crimson stuffs, fine linen, goat's hair, ram's skins dyed red, or fine leather, brought them. 24 All who could contribute to the collection of silver and bronze brought their contribution for Yahweh. And all who happened to own acacia wood, suitable for any of the work to be done, brought it. 25 All the skilled women set their hands to spinning, and brought purple stuffs, of violet shade and red, crimson stuffs and fine linen, from what they had spun. 26 All the women willingly used their special skill and spun the goat's hair. 27 The leaders brought onyx stones and gems to be set in ephod and pectoral, 28 and the spices and the oil for the light, for the chrism and for the fragrant incense. 29 All the men and women whose heart prompted tem to contribute to all the work that Yahweh had ordered through Moses to be done - the sons of Israel brought their free offering to Yahweh.

The craftsmen for the sanctuary

30 Moses said to the sons of Israel, "See, Yahweh has singled out Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 31 He has filled him with the spirit of God and endowed him with skill and perception and knowledge for every kind of craft: 32 for the art of designing and working in gold and silver and bronze; 33 for cutting stones to be set, for carving wood, for every kind of craft. 34 And on him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, he has bestowed the gift of teaching. 35 He has filled them with skill to carry out all the crafts of engraving, damask weaver, embroiderer in purple stuffs, of violet shade and red, in crimson stuffs and fine linen, or of the common weaver; they are able to do work of all kinds, and to do it with originality."

36- 1 Bezalel and Oholiab and all the skilled craftsmen whom Yahweh had endowed with the skill to carry out all that was required for the building of the sanctuary, did their work exactly as Yahweh had directed.

A halt is called to the collection

2 Moses then summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and all the skilled craftsmen whose hearts Yahweh had endowed with skill, all whose heart prompted them to offer to do the work. 3 From Moses they received all that the sons of Israel had brought as contributions for the work of building the sanctuary. As these continued each morning to bring 4 their offerings, the skilled craftsmen, busy with the various works on the sanctuary, all left their work 5 and went to tell Moses, "The people are bringing more than is needed for the work Yahweh has directed us to do." 6 At Moses' command, therefore, this proclamation was made throughout the camp: "Let no one, man or woman, do anything more toward the collection for the sanctuary." So people were stopped from bringing any more; 7 the material they had was enough, and more than enough, to complete all the work.

The tabernacle

8 All the most skilled craftsmen among the workers made the tabernacle. He made it with ten sheets of fine twined linen, of purple stuffs, violet shade and red, and crimson stuffs, finely brocaded with cherubs. 9 The length of a single sheet was twenty-eight cubits, its width four cubits, all the sheets being of the same size. 10 He joined five of the sheets together, and the other five similarly. 11 He attached loops of violet stuff to the border of the last sheet in one set, and did the same for the border of the last sheet in the other set. 12 He put fifty loops on the first sheet and, matching them one by one, fifty loops on the border of the last sheet in the second set. 13 He made fifty gold clasps and with them drew the sheets together. In this way the tabernacle was unified whole.

14 Next he made sheets of goat's hair to form a tent over the tabernacle; he made eleven of these. 15 The length of a single sheet was thirty cubits, its width four cubits; the eleven sheets were all of the same size. 16 He joined five of these sheets together into one set, the remaining six into another. 17 He attached fifty loops to the border of the last sheet in one set, and fifty loops to the border of the last sheet in the second set. 18 And he made fifty bronze clasps, so as to draw the tent together and make it a unified whole. 19 For the tent he made a covering of ram's skins dyed red, and a covering of fine leather to spread over it.

The framework

20 For the tabernacle he made frames of acacia wood, these to stand upright. 21 Each frame was ten cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. 22 Each frame was fitted with twin tenons; this he did for all the frames of the tabernacle. 23 He made the frames for the tabernacle: twenty frames for the southern side, facing the south country. 24 He made forty silver sockets for putting under the twenty frames; two sockets under the first frame to receive its two tenons, and so on for the other frames. 25 or the other side of the tabernacle, on the north, he made twenty frames 26 and forty sockets, two sockets under each frame. 27 For the back of the tabernacle, on the west, he made six frames. 28 And he made two frames for the corners at the back of the tabernacle. 29 These frames were coupled at their lower end and so to the top, up to the level of the first ring; this he did with the two frames that were to form the two corners. 30 Thus there were eight frames with their sixteen silver sockets; two sockets under each frame. 31 He made crossbars of acacia wood: five to hold the frames together that were to form one side of the tabernacle, 32 five on the other side to hold the frames that were to form the end of the tabernacle on the west. 33 He made the middle bar, fixed halfway up, to run from one end to the other. 34 He plated the frames with gold, and put gold rings on them to take the crossbars which he plated with gold.

The veil

35 He made the veil of purple stuffs, violet shade and red, of crimson stuffs, and of fine twined linen, skilfully embroidered with cherubs. 36 For hanging this veil he made four post of acacia wood and plated them with gold, with golden hooks, and he cast four silver sockets for them. 37 For the entrance to the tent he made a screen of purple stuffs, violet shade and red, and of crimson stuffs and fine twined linen, the work of a skilled embroiderer. 38 For the hanging of this he made five posts, and their hooks; their capitals and rods he plated with gold; their five sockets were of bronze.

The ark

37- 1 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, one and a half cubits high. 2 He plated it, inside and outside, with pure gold, and decorated it all around with gold moulding. 3 He cast four rings for the ark, attaching them to its four feet: two rings on one side and two rings on the other. 4 He also made shafts of acacia wood plating them with gold; 5 and he passed the shafts through the rings on the sides of the ark, for carrying it. 6 Also he made of pure gold a throne of mercy, two and a half cubits long, and one and a half cubits wide. 7 For the two ends of this throne of mercy he made two golden cherubs; he made them of beaten gold, 8 the first cherub for one end and the second for the other, and fastened them to the two ends of the throne of mercy so tat they made one piece with it. 9 The cherubs had their wings upward so that they overshadowed the throne of mercy. They faced one another, their faces toward the throne of mercy.

The table for the offertory bread

10 He made the table of acacia wood, two cubits long, one cubit wide, and one and a half cubits high. 11 He plated it with pure gold, and decorated it all around with gold moulding. 12 He fitted it with struts, one hand's breadth wide, and decorated these with golden moulding. 13 He cast four gold rings for it and fixed these at the four corners where the four legs were. 14 he rings lay close to the struts to hold the shafts for carrying the table. 15 He made the shafts of acacia wood and plated them with gold; these were for carrying the table. 16 He made the furnishings of pure gold for the table: dishes, cups, jars and libation bowls.

The lampstand

17 He made the lampstand of pure gold, and made the lampstand, base and stem, of beaten gold. Its cup calyx and petals - were of one piece with it. 18 Six branches extended from the sides of it, three from one side, three from the other. 19 The first branch carried three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with its calyx and petals; the second branch, too, carried three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with its calyx and petals, and similarly all six branches extending from the lampstand. 20 The lampstand itself carried four cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with its calyx and petals, 21 thus, one calyx under the first two branches extending from the lampstand, one under the next pair, one under the last pair: corresponding to the six branches extending from the lampstand. 22 The calyxes and the branches were of one piece with the lampstand, and the whole was made from a single piece of pure gold, beaten out. 23 The he made the lamps for it, seven of them, and its snuffers and trays of pure gold. 24 He used a talent of pure gold for making the lampstand and all its accessories.

The altar of incense. Chrism and incense

25 He made the altar of incense out of acacia wood. It was one cubit long, and one cubit wide - that is to say square - and two cubits high; its horn were of one piece with it, 26 he plated with pure gold, and decorated it all around with gold moulding. 27 He fixed two gold rings to it below the moulding on its two opposite sides, to take the shafts used for carrying it. 28 These shafts he made of acacia wood and plated with gold. 29 He also made the sacred chrism and the pure , fragrant incense, blending it as perfumers do.

The altar of holocaust

38- 1 He made the altar of holocaust out of acacia wood, a square five cubits long and five cubits wide, its height three cubits. 2 At its four corners he put horns, the horns being of one piece with it, and plated with bronze. 3 He made all the altar vessels: pans for the ashes, shovels, sprinkling basins, hooks, fire pans; he made a;; the vessels for the altar out of bronze. 4 He made a grating for it of bronze network which he set under the ledge, below, so that it reached halfway up the altar. 5 He cast four rings and fixed them on the four corners of the bronze grating to take the shafts. 6 He made the shafts of acacia wood and plated them with bronze. 7 He placed these through the rings fixed to the sides of the altar for carrying it, and he made the altar hollow, of boards.

The bronze basin

8 He made the bronze basin and its bronze support from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

The court

9 He made the court. For the southern side of the court, facing the south country, there were one hundred cubits of hangings of fine twined linen. 10 Their twenty posts with their twenty sockets were of bronze, their hooks and rods of silver. 11 For the northern side there were one hundred cubits of hangings; their twenty posts with their twenty sockets were of bronze, their hooks and rods of silver. 12 For the western side, fifty cubits of hangings, carried on ten posts set in ten sockets, with their hooks and rods of silver. 13 Fifty cubits, too, for the eastern side facing the sunrise. 14 On one side of the gateway there were fifteen cubits of hangings, carried on three posts set in three sockets. 15 On the other side - either side of the entrance to the court - there were fifteen cubits of hangings with their three posts and three sockets. 16 All the hangings enclosing the court were of fine twined linen. 17 The sockets for the posts were of bronze and their hooks of silver, like the plating of their capitals. The posts for the court all ad their rods of silver. 18 The screen for the gateway of the court, the work of a skilled embroiderer, was made of purple stuffs, violet shade and red, of crimson stuffs, and fine twined linen. It was twenty cubits long and, along the width of it, five cubits high, like the hangings of the court. 19 Its four posts with their four sockets were of bronze. The hooks for the posts were of silver, like the plating on their capitals and like their rods. 20 The pegs for the tabernacle and for the court enclosure were all of bronze.

The amount of metal used

21 Here is the account of metal used for the tabernacle - the tabernacle of the Testimony - the account drawn up by order of Moses, the work of the Levites under the direction of Ihtamar son of Aaron, the priest.

22 Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that Yahweh had directed Moses to have made. 23 His prtner was Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, engraver, damask weaver, embroiderer in purple stuffs, of violet shade and red, in crimson stuffs and fine linen.

24 The amount of gold used in the work - the entire work for the sanctuary - (this was gold consecrated by offering) was twenty-nine talents and seven hundred and thirty shekels (reckoning by the sanctuary shekel). 25 The silver collected when the census of the community was taken weighed one hundred talents and one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels (reckoning by the sanctuary shekel), 26 one beqa per head, or half a shekel (reckoning by the sanctuary shekel) for everyone of twenty years and over included in the census. These numbered six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty. 27 The hundred talents of silver were used for casting the sockets for the sanctuary and for the veil: one hundred sockets out of the hundred talents, or one talent per socket. 28 With the one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels he made the hooks for the posts, the plating for the capitals, and their rods. 29 The bronze consecrated by offering amounted to seventy talents and two hundred four hundred talents and two thousand four hundred shekels, 30 and with this he made the sockets for the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, the bronze altar with its grating of bronze and all the furnishings for it, 31 the sockets for the enclosure of the court, those for the gateway to the court, all the pegs for the tabernacle, and all the pegs for the court enclosure.

The vestments of the high priest

39- 1 From the purple stuffs, violet shade and red, the crimson stuffs, and the fine linen he made sumptuous vestments for service in the sanctuary. They made the sacred vestments for Aaron, as Yahweh had directed Moses.

The ephod

2 They made the ephod of gold, purple stuffs, violet shade and red, crimson stuffs, and fine twined linen. 3 They beat gold into thin plates, and cut these into fine strips to weave into the purple stuffs, violet shade and red, into the crimson stuffs and the fine linen, as does the weaver of damask. 4 For the ephod they made two shoulder straps, joined to it at the two ends. 5 The woven band on it to hold it formed one piece with it and was of similar workmanship: this was of gold, purple stuffs, violet shade and red, crimson stuffs, and fine twined linen, as Yahweh had directed Moses. 6 They fashioned the onyx stones, mounted in setting of gold mesh and engraved, as a seal is engraved, with the names of the sons of Israel. 7 They fastened the stones to the shoulder straps of the ephod, stones commemorating the sons of Israel, as Yahweh had directed Moses.

The pectoral of judgment

8 They made the pectoral, finely brocaded, of the same workmanship as the ephod, of gold, purple stuffs, violet shade and red, and fine twined linen. 9 It was square and they doubled it over, a span in length and a span in width. 10 In this they set four rows of stones. Sard, topaz, carbuncle, for the first row; 11 emerald, sapphire, diamond, the second row; 12 the third row, hyacinth, ruby, amethyst; 13 the fourth row, beryl, onyx, jasper. These were mounted in setting of gold mesh. 14 They bore the names of the sons of Israel and, like their names, were twelve in number. They were engraved as seals are, each with the name of one of the twelve tribes. 15 For the pectoral they made chains of pure gold twisted like cords. 16 They made two gold rosettes and two gold rings, 17 and they fastened the two gold cords to the two rings fixed on the corners of the pectoral. 18 The other two ends of the cords they fastened to the two rosettes; they were thus attached to the shoulder straps of the ephod, on the front. 19 They made two gold rings and fixed them to the two lower corners of the pectoral, on the inner hem, next to the ephod. 20 And they made two more gold rings and fixed them low down on the front of the two shoulder straps of the ephod, close to the join, above the woven band of the ephod. 21 They secured the pectoral by passing a ribbon of violet-purple through its rings and those of the ephod, so that the pectoral would sit above the woven band and not come apart from the ephod, as Yahweh had directed Moses.

The robe

22 Then they made the robe of the ephod woven entirely of violet-purple. 23 The opening in the centre of it was like the neck of a coat of mail; around the opening was a border to keep the robe from tearing. 24 The lower hem of the robe they decorated with pomegranates of purple stuffs, violet shade and red, crimson stuffs, and fine twined linen. 25 They also made bells of pure gold and placed them around the lower hem of the robe between the pomegranates, 26 bels and pomegranates alternately all around the lower hem of the robe of office, as Yahweh had directed Moses.

The vestments of the priests

27 Then they made the tunics of finely woven linen for Aaron and his sons, 28 the turban of fine linen, the headdresses of fine linen, the breeches of fine linen twined linen, 29 the girdles of fine twined linen, of purple stuffs, violet shade and red, and of crimson stuffs, finely embroidered, as Yahweh had directed Moses.

30 They also made the plate, the holy diadem, of pure gold, and engraved on it "Consecrated to Yahweh," as a man engraves a seal. 31 They attached to this a ribbon of violet-purple to secure it to the top of the turban, as Yahweh had directed Moses.

32 So all the work of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, was completed. In carrying it out the sons of Israel had done exactly as Yahweh had directed Moses.

The finished work presented to Moses

33 They brought to Moses the tabernacle, the Tent and all its furnishings: its hooks, frames, crossbars, posts, sockets; 34 the covering of ram's skins dyed red, the covering of fine leather, and the screening veil; 35 the ark of the testimony with its shafts and the throne of mercy; 36 the table with all its furnishings, and the loaves of offering; 37 the lampstand of pure gold with its lamps - the lamps that were to be set on it - and all its accessories; the oil, too, for the light; 38 the golden altar, the chrism, the fragrant incense, the screen for the entrance to the tent; 39 the bronze altar with its grating of bronze, its shafts and all its furnishings; the basin and its stand; 40 the hangings of the court, its posts, its sockets, and the screen for the gateway to the court, its cords, its pegs, and all the furniture for the service in the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting; 41 the sumptuous vestments for service in the sanctuary - sacred vestments for Aaron the priest, and vestments for his sons - for the priestly functions. 42 The sons of Israel had done all the work exactly as Yahweh had directed Moses.

43 Moses examined the whole work, and he could see they had done it as Yahweh had directed him. And Moses blessed them.

The sanctuary erected and consecrated

40- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said, 2 "On the first day of the first month you are to erect the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, 3 and place the ark of the Testimony in it, screening it with the veil. 4 Bring in the table, arranging what is to be set in order on it. Bring in the lampstand, too, and set up its lamps. 5 Place the golden altar of incense in front of the ark of the Testimony, and set up the screen at the entrance to the tabernacle. 6 Place the altar of holocaust in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting. 7 Place the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and fill it with water. 8 Set up the enclosure of the court and hang the screen at the gateway of the court. 9 Then, taking the chrism, anoint the tabernacle and everything in it, consecrating it with its furniture, to make it a holy place. 10 Anoint the altar of holocaust with all its furnishings; and consecrate the altar which henceforth will be the most holy thing. 11 Anoint the basin with its stand, and consecrate it. 12 Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and see that they bathe. 13 Then clothe Aaron with the sacred vestments, and anoint and consecrate him, to serve me in the priesthood. 14 Next, bring his sons and clothe them with tunics. 15 Anoint them as you have anointed their father, to serve me in the priesthood. This anointing of them is to confer the priesthood on them in perpetuity from generation to generation."

The divine commands are carried out

16 Moses did this; he did exactly as Yahweh had directed him. 17 The tabernacle was set up on the first say of the first month in the second year. 18 Moses erected the tabernacle. He fixed the sockets for it, put up its frames, put its crossbars in position, set up the posts. 19 He spread the tent over the tabernacle and on top of this the covering for the tent, as Yahweh had directed Moses. 20 He took the Testimony and placed it inside the ark. He set the shafts to the ark and placed the throne of mercy on it. 21 He brought the ark into the tabernacle and put the screening veil in place; thus he screened the ark of Yahweh, as Yahweh had directed Moses. 22 He placed the table in the Tent of Meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil, 23 and on it arranged the loaves before Yahweh, as Yahweh had directed Moses. 24 He put the lampstand in the Tent of Meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle; 25 and he set up the lamps before Yahweh, as Yahweh had directed Moses. 26 He put the golden altar in the Tent of Meeting in front of the veil, 27 and on it burned fragrant incense, as Yahweh had directed Moses. 28 Then he put the screen at the entrance to the tabernacle. 29 He put the altar of holocaust at the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, and on it offered the holocaust and the oblation, as Yahweh had directed Moses. 30 He put the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and filled it with water for the ablutions; 31 this was for Aaron and his sons to wash their hands and feet: 32 whenever they entered the Tent of Meeting or approached the altar they washed, as Yahweh had directed Moses. 33 Moses then set up the court around the tabernacle and the altar and placed the screen at the gateway to the court. Thus Moses completed the work.

Yahweh takes possession of the sanctuary

34 The cloud covered the Tent of Meeting and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because of the cloud that rested on it and because of the glory of Yahweh that filled the tabernacle.

The cloud guides the Israelites

36 At every stage of their journey, whenever the cloud rose from the tabernacle the sons of Israel would resume their march. 37 If the cloud did not rise, they waited and would not march until it did. 38 For the cloud of Yahweh rested on the tabernacle by day, and a fire shone within the cloud by night, for all the House of Israel to see. And so it was for every stage of their journey.

Holocaust

1- 1 Yahweh called Mosses, and from the Tent of Meeting addressed him, saying, 2 "Speak to the sons of Israel; say to them, 'When any of you brings an offering to Yahweh, he can offer an animal from either herd or flock.

3 'If his offering is a holocaust of an animal out of the herd, he is to offer a male without blemish; it is to be offered at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, so that it may be accepted. 4 He is to lay his hand on the victim's head, and it shall be accepted as effectual for his atonement. 5 Then he must immolate the bull before Yahweh, and the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall odder the blood. They will pour it out on the borders of the altar which stand at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 6 Then he must skin the victim and quarter it. 7 The sons of Aaron, the priests, must put fire on the altar and arrange wood on this fire. 8 The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to put the pieces, the head and the fat on the wood on the altar fire. 9 He is to wash the entrails and legs in water and the priest is to burn all of it on the altar. This holocaust will be a burnt offering and the fragrance pf it will appease Yahweh.

10 'If his offering is out of the flock, a lamb or a goat offered as a holocaust, he is to offer a male without blemish. 11 He must immolate it on the north side of the altar, before Yahweh, and the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall pour out the blood on the borders of the altar. 12 Then he is to quarter it, and the priest is to arrange the quarters, as well as the head and the fat, on the wood on the altar fire. 13 He is to wash the entrails and the legs in water, and the priest shall burn all of it on the altar. This holocaust will be a burnt offering and the fragrance of it will appease Yahweh.

14 'If his offering to Yahweh is a holocaust of a bird, he is to offer a turtledove or a young pigeon. 15 The priest shall offer it at the altar and wring off its head, which he is to burn on the altar; then its blood is to be drained out on the side of the altar. 16 Then he shall remove the crop and the feathers; these he is to throw on the eastern side of the altar, where the ashes from the fat are placed. 17 He is to divide it in two halves with a wing on each side, but without separating the two parts. Then the priest shall burn in on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire. This holocaust will be a burnt offering and its fragrance will appease Yahweh.

The Oblation

2- 1 'If anyone offers Yahweh an oblation, his offering is to consist of wheaten flour on which he is to pour wine and incense. 2 He shall bring it to the sons of Aaron, the priests; he is to take a handful of the wheaten flour and oil and all the incense, and the priest shall burn it on the altar as a memorial, a burnt offering whose fragrance will appease Yahweh. 3 The reminder of the oblation is to revert to Aaron and his sons; a most holy portion of the burnt offering of Yahweh.

4 'When you are going yo offer an oblation of dough baked in the oven, the wheaten flour is to be prepared either in the form of unleavened cakes mixed with oil, or in the form of unleavened wafers spread with oil.

5 'If your offering is an oblation cooked on the griddle, the wheaten flour mixed with oil is to contain no leavening. 6 You must break it in pieces and pour oil over it. It is an oblation.

7 'If your offering is an oblation cooked in the pan, the wheaten flour is to be prepared in oil.

8 You must bring to Yahweh the oblation that has been thus presenting it to the priest, who is to bring it to the altar. 9 The priest shall take the memorial from the oblation and burn it on the altar, as a burnt offering whose fragrance will appease Yahweh. 10 The remainder of the oblation will revert to Aaron and his sons, a most holy portion of Yahweh's burnt offering.

11 'None of the oblations that you offer to Yahweh is to be prepared with leaven, for you must never burn leaven or honey as a burnt offering for Yahweh. 12 You may offer them up to Yahweh as an offering of first fruits, but they must not go up as an appeasing fragrance at the altar. 13 You must salt every oblation that you offer, and you must never fail to put on your oblation the salt of the Covenant with your God: to every offering you are to join an offering of salt to Yahweh your God. 14 If you offer Yahweh an oblation of first fruits, you must offer roasted corn or bread made from ground corn. 15 You are to add oil to it and put incense on it; it is an oblation; 16 and the priest is to burn the memorial from part of the bread and oil (together with all the incense) as a burnt offering for Yahweh.

The Communion Sacrifice

3- 1 'If a man's sacrifice is a communion sacrifice, and if he offers an animal from the herd, male or female, whatever he offers before Yahweh must be without blemish. 2 He is to lay his hand on the victim's head and immolate it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Then the sons of Aaron, the priests, must pour out the blood on the borders of the altar. 3 He is to offer part of the sacrifice as a burnt offering for Yahweh: the fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on the entrails, 4 the two kidneys, the fat on them and on the loins, the fatty mass which he is to remove from the liver and kidneys. 5 The sons of Aaron must burn this part on the altar, in addition to the holocaust, on the wood of the fire. It will be a burnt offering and its fragrance will appease Yahweh.

6 'If it is an animal from the flock that he offers as a communion sacrifice for Yahweh, he is to offer a male or female without blemish.

7 'If he offers a sheep, he is to offer it before Yahweh; 8 he is to lay his hand on the victim's head and immolate it in front of the Tent of Meeting; then the sons of Aaron shall pour out its blood on the borders of the altar. 9 Of this commuion sacrifice he is to offer the following as a burnt offering to Yahweh: the fat, all the tail taken off sacrum, the fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on the entrails, 10 the two kidneys, the fat that is on them and on the loins, the fatty mass which he will remove from the liver and kidneys. 11 The priest must burn this part on the altar as food, as a burnt offering for Yahweh

12 'If the offering is a goat, br is to offer it before Yahweh: 13 he is to lay his hand on the victim's head and immolate it in front of the Tent of Meeting, and the sons of Aaron shall pour out its blood on the borders of the altar. 14 Then this is what he is to offer as a burnt offering for Yahweh: the fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on the entrails, 15 the two kidneys, the fat that is on them and on the loins, the fatty mass which he will remove from the liver and kidneys. 16 The priest must burn these pieces on the altar as food, as a burnt offering for Yahweh.

'All the fat belongs to Yahweh. 17 This is a perpetual law for all your descendants wherever you may live: never eat either fat or blood.'"

The Sacrifice for Sin

4- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said:

2 "Speak to the sons of Israel and say:

'A man may sin inadvertently against any one of the commandments of Yahweh and do one of the forbidden things; in such a case:

a. Sins of the high priest

3 'If the one who sins is to be anointed priest, thus making the people guilty, then for the sin which he has committed he is to offer to Yahweh a young bull, an animal from the herd without blemish, as a sacrifice for sin. 4 He is to bring the bull before Yahweh at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, he is to lay his hand on its head and immolate it before Yahweh. 5 Then the anointed priest must take a little of the blood of the bull and take it into the Tent of Meeting. 6 He shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it over the veil of the sanctuary seven times, before Yahweh. 7 Then the priest must put a little of the blood of the bull on the horns of the altar of incense that smokes before Yahweh in the Tent of Meeting, and he is to pour all the rest of the bull's blood at the foot of the altar of holocaust at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

8 'Of all the fat of this bull offered as a sacrifice for sin, this is what he will remove: the fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on the entrails, 9 the two kidneys, the fat that is on them and on the loins, the fatty mass which he will remove from the liver and kidneys - 10 exactly as was done with the portion set apart in the communion sacrifice - and the priest must burn these on the altar of holocaust.

11 'The bull's skin, all its flesh, its head, legs, entrails and dung, 12 the whole of the bull, must be carried outside the camp to a place that is clean, the place where the ashes from the fat are thrown away, and the bull must be burn there.

B. Sis of the community of Israel

13 'If the whole community of Israel has sinned inadvertently, and without being aware of it as done something that is forbidden by the commandments of Yahweh, 14 the community is to offer a young bull as a sacrifice for sin, an animal of the hers without blemish, when the sin of which they have been guilty is discovered. The animal must be brought before the Tent of Meeting; 15 before Yahweh the elders of the community shall lay their hands of the bull's head and it must be immolates before Yahweh.

16 'Then the anointed priest is to carry a little of the blood of the bull into the Tant of Meeting. 17 He is to dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle the veil before Yahweh seven times. 18 Then he must put a little of the blood on the horns of the altar that stands before Yahweh inside the Tent of Meeting, and then pour out all the rest of the blood at the foot of the altar of holocaust at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

19 'Then he is to remove all the fat from the animal and burn it on the altar. 20 He must treat this bull as he did the other for the sacrifice of sin. It is to be treated in the same way; and when the priest has performed the rite of atonement over the people, they will be forgiven.

21 'He must have the bull taken out of the camp and burn it as he burned the first one. This is the sacrifice for the sin of the community.

C. ins of leaders in the community

22 'When a leader sins and inadvertently does one of the things forbidden by the commandments of Yahweh his God, thus rendering himself guilty 23 (or if anyone draws his attention to the sin thus committed), he is to bring a goat as an offering, a male without blemish. 24 He is to lay his hand on the goat's head and immolate it in the place where the holocaust are immolated before Yahweh. This is a sacrifice for sin: 25 the priest is to take a little of the victim's blood on his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of holocaust. Then he must pour out its blood at the foot of the altar of holocaust 26 and burn all the fat on the altar, as with the fat in the communion sacrifice. This is how the priest is to perform the rite of atonement over this leader to free him from his sin, and he will be forgiven.

D. Sins of private individuals

27 'If one of the people sins inadvertently and make himself guilty by doing something forbidden by the commandments of Yahweh 28 (or if anyone draws his attention to the sin he has committed), he is to bring a she-goat as an offering for the sin he has committed, a female without blemish. 29 He is to lay his hand on the victim's head and immolate it in the place where the holocaust are immolated. 30 The priest is to take a little of its blood on his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of the holocaust. Then he must pour out all the rest of the blood at the foot of the altar. 31 Then he is to remove all the fat, as the fat was removed for the communion sacrifice, and the priest shall burn it on the altar as an appeasing fragrance for Yahweh. This is how the priest is to perform the rite of atonement over the man, and he will be forgiven.

32 If he wishes to bring a lamb as an offering for his kind of sacrifice, he is to bring a female without blemish. 33 He is to lay his hand on the victim's head and immolate it as a sacrifice for sin in the place where the holocaust are immolated. 34 The priest is to take a little of the blood of this sacrifice on his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of holocaust. Then he must pour out all the rest of the blood at the foot of the altar. 35 He is to remove its fat as was done for the sheep in the communion sacrifice, and the priest shall burn it all on the altar, in addition to the burnt offering for Yahweh. This is how the priest is to perform the rite of atonement over the man, and he will be forgiven.

Some cases of Sacrifice for Sin

5- 1 'If anyone sins in any of these following cases:

'A man should have come forward to give evidence when he heard the formal adjuration, having seen the incident or know the fact; but he has not spoken out, and so bears the consequences of his fault;

2 or else touche something unclean, whatever it may be - the dead body of an unclean animal, wild or tame, or of the unclean things that swarm - and without realizing it becomes unclean, he becomes answerable for it;

3 'or else touches some human uncleanness, whatever it may be, and contact with it makes him unclean; he does not notice it, realizing it later, he becomes answerable for it;

4 'or else a man lets slip some oath to do either evil or good, in any of those matters on which a man swear unthinkingly; he does not notice it, then, realizing it later, he becomes answerable for it;

5 'if he is answerable in any of those cases, he will have to confess the sin committed, 6 and he must bring to Yahweh as a sacrifice of reparation for the sin committed a female of the flock (sheep or goat) as a sacrifice for sin; and the priest shall perform the rite of atonement over him to free him from his sin.

Sins of private individuals (continued)

7 'if he cannot afford an animal of the flock, he is to bring to Yahweh, as a sacrifice of reparation for the sin he has committed, two turtledoves or two young pigeons - one for a sacrifice for sin and the other for a holocaust. 8 He will bring them to the priest who is to offer first the one intended for the sacrifice for sin. The priest is to ring its neck, but not to remove the head. 9 He must sprinkle the side of the altar with the victim's blood, and then drain out the rest of the blood at the foot of the altar. This is a sacrifice for sin. 10 Of the other bird he is to make a holocaust according to the ritual. This is how the priest is to perform the rite of atonement over the man for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.

11 'If he cannot afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, he is to bring a tenth of an ephah of wheaten flour as an offering for the sin committed; he must not mix oil with it or put incense on it, for it is a sacrifice for sin. 12 He is to bring it to the priest, who is to take a handful of it as a memorial, and burn this in addition to the burnt offering for Yahweh. This is a sacrifice for sin. 13 This is how the priest is to perform the rite of atonement over the man for the sin he has committed in any of those cases, and he will be forgiven. In this case, the priest has the same rights as in the oblation.'"

The Sacrifice of Reparation

14 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said:

15 "If anyone is guilty of fraud and sins inadvertently by not observing Yahweh's sacred rights, he is to bring to Yahweh as a sacrifice of reparation an unblemished ram of his flock. This ram is to be valued in silver shekels according to te rate of the shekel of the sanctuary. This is a sacrifice of reparation. 16 He must restore what his sin subtracted from the sacred rights, adding one fifth to the value, and give it to the priest. The priest shall perform the rite of atonement over him with the ram for the sacrifice of reparation and he will be forgiven.

17 "If anyone sins and without realizing it does one of the things forbidden by the commandments of Yahweh, he must answer for it and must bear the consequences of his fault. 18 As a sacrifice of reparation he is to bring to the priest an unblemished ram of his flock, subject to valuation. The priest shall perform the rite of atonement over him for the oversight he has committed without realizing it and he will be forgiven. 19 This is a sacrifice of reparation; the man was certainly answerable to Yahweh."

20 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said:

21 "If anyone sins and is guilty of fraud against Yahweh by deceiving his neighbour over a deposit or a security, or by withholding something due to him or exploiting him;

22 "or if he finds lost property and denies it;

"Or if he perjures himself about any sin that a man may commit;

23 "if he sins and so becomes answerable, he is to restore what he has taken or demanded in excess: the deposit confined to him, the lost property that he found, 24 or any object about which he has perjured himself. He must add one fifth to the principal and pay the whole to whoever held the ^property rights on the day when he became answerable. 25 Then he is to bring an unblemished ram of his flock to Yahweh as a sacrifice of reparation: it must be valued according to the rate paid to the priest for a sacrifice of reparation. 26 The priest shall perform the rite of atonement over him before Yahweh and he will be forgiven, whatever the act for which he became answerable."

Priesthood and sacrifice

a. Holocaust

6- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said:

2 "Give these orders to Aaron and his sons:

'This is the ritual for the holocaust (that is, the holocaust that stays on the altar brazier all night until morning and is consumed by the fire).

3 "The priest is to put on his linen tunic and cover his body with linen. Then he must remove the ashes of the fat of the sacrifice consumed by the altar fire and place them at the side of the altar. 4 The he is to take off his clothes and put on others and carry the ashes to some place that is clean, outside the camp.

5 "The fire that consumes the holocaust on the altar must not be allowed to go out. Every morning the priest must make it up with wood. He is to arrange the holocaust on it and burn the fat from the communion sacrifices. 6 An undying fire is always to burn on the altar; it must not go out.

B. The Oblation

7 'This is the ritual for the oblation:

'One of the sons of Aaron is to bring it into the presence of Yahweh in front of the altar; 8 he is to take a handful of the wheaten flour (with the oil and incense which have been added to it); he must burn the memorial on the altar so that its fragrance will appease Yahweh; 9 and after all this has been done Aaron and his sons shall eat the remainder in the form of unleavened loaves. They are to eat it in a sacred place within the precincts of the Tent of Meeting. 10 The portion I give them of my burnt offering must not be baked with leaven. It is a most holy portion, like the sacrifice for sin and the sacrifice of reparation. 11 All the males of Aaron's family may eat this portion of Yahweh's burnt offering (this is a perpetual law for all your descendants; and everyone who touches it will be consecrated).'"

12 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said:

13 "This is the offering that Aaron and his sons are to make to Yahweh on the day of their anointing: one tenth of an ephah of wheaten flour as a perpetual oblation, half in the morning and half in the evening. 14 It must be prepared on the griddle and mixed with oil; you must bring the paste as an oblation in several pieces, offering them as a fragrance that will please Yahweh. 15 The priest among the sons of Aaron who is to be anointed in his place shall do the same. This is a perpetual law.

"This entire oblation must be burnt for Yahweh. 16 Every oblation made by a priest must be a total sacrifice; none of it is to be eaten."

C. Sacrifice for Sin

17 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said, 18 Say to Aaron and his sons:

'This is the ritual for the sacrifice for sin:

'The victim for the sacrifice is to be immolated before Yahweh in the place where the holocausts are immolated. It is a most holy thing. 19 The priest who offers this sacrifice is to eat it. It must be eaten in a holy place within the precincts of the Tent of Meeting. 20 Everything that touches the flesh of this victim will become consecrated; if any of the blood splashes on clothing, the stain must be cleaned in some holy place. 21 The earthenware vessel in which the meat is cooked must be broken; if a bronze vessel has been used for the cooking, it must be scrubbed and thoroughly rinse with water. 22 Any male who is a priest may eat it. It is a most holy thing. 23 But no one may eat any of the victims offered for sin, the blood of which has been taken into the Tent of Meeting to make atonement inside the sanctuary. These must be thrown on the fire.

D. The Sacrifice of Reparation

7- 1 'This the ritual for the sacrifice of reparation:

'It is a most holy thing. 2 The victim is to be immolated in the place where the holocausts are immolated, and the priest must pour out the blood on the borders of the altar. 3 Then he is to offer all the fat: the tail, the fat that covers the entrails, 4 the two kidneys, the fat that is on them and on the loins, the fatty mass which he will remove from the liver and kidneys. 5 The priest must burn these pieces on the altar as a burnt offering for Yahweh. This is a sacrifice of reparation. 6 Every male who is priest may eat it. It must be eaten in a holy place; it is a most holy thing.

The rights of the priest

7 'As with the sacrifice for sin, so with the sacrifice of reparation - the ritual is the same for both. The offering with which he has performed the rite of atonement is to revert to the priest. 8 The skin of the victim presented by a man to the priest to be offered as a holocaust shall revert to the priest. 9 Every oblation baked in the oven, every oblation cooked in the pan or on the griddle shall revert to the priest who offered it. 10 Every oblation, mixed with oil or dry, is to revert to all the sons of Aaron without distinction.

E. The Communion Sacrifice

(i) Sacrifice with praise

11 'This is the ritual for the communion sacrifice offered to Yahweh:

12 'If it is offered with a sacrifice with praise, there must be added to it an offering of unleavened cakes mixed with oil, unleavened wafers spread with oil, and wheaten flour in the form of cakes mixed with oil. 13 This offering, then, must be added to the cakes of unleavened bread and to the communion sacrifice with praise. 14 One of the cakes of this offering is to be presented as an offering to Yahweh; it shall revert to the priest who pours out the blood of the communion sacrifice. 15 The flesh of the victim must be eaten on the day when the offering is made; nothing must remain until the next morning.

(ii) Votive or Voluntary Sacrifices

16 'If the victim is offered as a votive or a voluntary sacrifice, it is to be eaten on the day it is offered and also on the following day; 17 but on the third day whatever remains of the victim's flesh must be thrown on the fire.

General rules

18 'If the flesh offered as a communion sacrifice is eaten on the third day, the man who has offered it will not be accepted. He is to receive no credit for it, it is defiled flesh, and the man who eats it shall bear the consequences of his fault.

19 'Flesh that has touched anything unclean cannot be eaten; it must be thrown on the fire.

'Anyone who is clean may eat flesh, 20 but anyone unclean who eats the flesh of a communion sacrifice offered to Yahweh shall be outlawed from his people. 21 If anyone touches anything unclean, human or animal, or any foul thing, and then eats the flesh of a communion sacrifice offered to Yahweh, this man shall be outlawed from his people.'"

22 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said, 23 "Speak to the sons of Israel, say to them:

'You must not eat the fat of ox, sheep or goat. 24 The fat of an animal that has died natural death or been savaged b beasts may be used for any other purpose, but you must not eat it. 25 Anyone who eats the fat of an animal offered as a burnt offering to Yahweh shall be outlawed from his people.

26 'Wherever you live, you must not eat blood, whether it be of bird or beast. 27 Anyone who eats blood, whoever he may be, shall be outlawed from his people.'"

The priest's portion

28 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said: 29 "Speak to the sons of Israel, say to them:

'Anyone who offers a communion sacrifice to Yahweh is to bring him part of his sacrifice as an offering. 30 He is to bring Yahweh's burnt offering - that is, the fat that adheres to the breast - with his own hands. He is to bring it, and also the breast, with which he must make the gesture of offering before Yahweh. 31 The priest must burn the fat on the altar, and the breast shall revert to Aaron and his sons. 32 You must set aside the right thigh from your communion sacrifices and give it to the priest. 33 This right thigh shall be the portion of the sons of Aaron who offers the blood and fat of the communion sacrifice. 34 Thus, I keep back this breast and thigh out of the communion sacrifices offered by the sons of Israel, and give these to Aaron the priest and to his sons; this is a perpetual law binding the sons of Israel.'"

Conclusion

35 This, then, was the portion of Aaron and of his sons in Yahweh's burnt offerings on the day he presented them to Yahweh to be his priests. 36 This is what the orders of Yahweh bind the sons of Israel to give them on the day they are anointed: this is a perpetual law for all their descendants.

37 Such then is the ritual for holocaust, oblation, sacrifice for sin, sacrifice of reparation, investiture and communion. 38 This is what Yahweh commanded Moses on Mount Sinai when he ordered the sons of Israel to make their offerings to Yahweh in the wilderness of Sinai.

Ordination rites

8- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said:

2 "Take Aaron, his sons with him, and the vestments, and the chrism, the bull for the sacrifice for sin, the two rams and the basket of unleavened bread. 3 Then call the whole community together at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting."

4 Moses followed the orders of Yahweh; the community gathered at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, 5 and Moses said to them, "This is what Yahweh has ordered to be done."

6 He made Aaron and his sons come forward, and washed them with water.

7 He put the tunic on him, passed the girdle around his waist, dressed him in the robe and put the ephod on him. Then he put around his waist the woven band of the ephod with which he clothed him. 8 He put the pectoral on him, and placed the Urim and Thummim in it. 9 He put the turban on his head, with the golden plate on the front; this is the sacred diadem as Yahweh prescribed it to Moses.

10 Then Moses took the chrism and anointed the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and its furnishings, the basin and its stand, to consecrate them. 11 He sprinkled the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and its furnishings, the basin and its stand, to consecrate them. 12 Then he poured the chrism on Aaron head, consecrating him by unction.

13 Then Moses made Aaron's sons come forward; he put on their headdress, as Yahweh had ordered Moses.

14 Then he had the bull for the sacrifice for sin brought forward. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the victim's head 15 and Moses immolated it. Then he took the blood and with his finger put some of it on the horns around the altar, to take away its sin. Then he poured out the rest of the blood at the foot of the altar, which he consecrated by performing the rite of atonement over it. 16 Then he took all the fat that covers the entrails, the fatty mass which is over the liver, the two kidneys and their fat; and he burned them all on the altar. 17 The bull's skin, its flesh and its dung he burned outside the camp, as Yahweh had ordered Moses.

18 Then ha had the ram for the holocaust brought forward. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head 19 and Moses immolated it. He pour its blood out on the borders of the altar. 20 Then he quartered the ram and burned the head, the pieces and the fat. 21 He washed the entrails and legs, and burned the whole ram on the altar. This was a holocaust whose fragrance would appease Yahweh; a burnt offering for Yahweh, as Yahweh had ordered Moses.

22 Then he had the other ram brought forward, for the sacrifice of investiture. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head 23 and Moses immolated it. He took some of the blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron's right ear, the thumb of his right hand, and the big toe of his right foot. 24 Then he made the sons of Aaron come forward and he put some of the blood on the lobes of their right ears, the thumb of their right hands and the big toes of their right feet. Next Moses poured the rest of the blood on the borders of the altar. 25 Then he took the fat: the tail, all the fat that is on the entrails, the fatty mass which is over the liver, the two kidneys and their fat, and the right thigh. 26 From the basket of unleavened bread placed before Yahweh, he took an unleavened cake, a cake of bread made with oil, and a wafer; he placed these on the fat and the right thigh, 27 and put it all into Aaron hands and those of his sons, and made the gesture of offering before Yahweh. 28 Then Moses took them back and burned them on the altar in addition to the holocaust. This was the sacrifice of investiture whose fragrance would appease Yahweh, a burnt offering to Yahweh. 29 Then Moses took the breast and made the gesture of offering before Yahweh. This was the portion of the ram of investiture that reverted to Moses, as Yahweh had ordered Moses.

30 Then Moses took the chrism and the blood that was on the altar and sprinkled Aaron and his vestments with it, and his sons vestments. In this way he consecrated Aaron and his vestments, and his sons and their vestments.

31 Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons, "Cook the meat at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and eat it there, as also the bread for the sacrifice of investiture that is in the basket, as I ordered, when I said: Aaron and his sons are to eat it. 32 What remains of the meat and the bread you will burn. 33 For seven days you must not leave the entrance to the of Meeting, until the time of your investiture is complete; for your investiture will require seven days. 34 Yahweh has ordered us to do as we have done today to perform the rite of atonement over you: 35 and for seven days, day and night, you must remain at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting observing Yahweh's ritual; do this, and you will not die. For this is the order I received." 36 And Aaron and his sons did everything that Yahweh ordered through Moses.

The priest assume their functions

9- 1 On the eighth day Moses summoned Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel; 2 he said to Aaron, "Take a calf to offer a sacrifice for sin, and a ram for holocaust, both without blemish, and bring them before Yahweh. 3 Then say to the sons of Israel, 'Take a goat to be offered as a sacrifice for sin, and as holocaust a calf and a lamb both one year old and without blemish, 4 and for communion sacrifice an ox and a ram to be immolated before Yahweh; and finally an oblation mixed with oil. For Yahweh will appear to you today.'"

5 They brought what Moses had commanded in front of the Tent of Meeting; then the whole community came and stood before Yahweh. 6 Moses said, "This is what Yahweh has ordered to be done, so that his glory may be visible to you." 7 Moses addressed Aaron, "Go to the altar and offer your sacrifice for sin and your holocaust, and so perform the rite of atonement for them, as Yahweh has ordered."

8 Aaron went to the altar and immolated the calf as a sacrifice for his own sin. 9 Then the sons of Aaron presented the blood to him; he dipped his finger in it and put some on the horns of the altar, and then he poured out the rest of the blood at the foot of the altar. 10 The fat of the sacrifice for sin and the kidneys and the fatty mass which is over the liver, he burned on the altar, as Yahweh had commanded Moses; 11 the flesh and the skin he burned outside the camp.

12 Next Aaron immolated the holocaust; his sons handed him the blood and he poured it on the borders of the altar. 13 Then they handed him the quartered victim, and its head too, and he burned these on the altar. 14 He washed the entrails and legs and burned them on the altar in addition to the holocaust.

15 He then presented the people's offering. He took the goat for the people's sacrifice for sin, immolated it, and made a sacrifice for sin with it in the same way as with the first. 16 Then he had the holocaust brought forward and proceeded according to the ritual. 17 Next he had the oblation brought forward, took a handful of it and burned it on the altar in addition to the holocaust.

18 Finally, he immolated the ox and the ram as a communion sacrifice for the people. Aaron's sons handed him the blood and he poured it out on the borders of the altar. 19 The fat of the ox and of the ram - the tail, the fatty covering, the kidneys, the fatty mass over the liver - 20 all of this he laid on the breast and burned it all on the altar. 21 With the breasts and the right thigh Aaron made the gesture of offering as Yahweh had ordered Moses.

22 Then Aaron raised his hands toward the people and blessed them. Having thus performed the sacrifice for sin, the holocaust and the communion sacrifice, he came down 23 and entered the Tent of Meeting with Moses. Then they came out together to bless the people and the glory of Yahweh appeared to the whole people - 24 a flame leaped forth from before Yahweh and consumed the holocaust and the fat that was on the altar. At this sight the people shouted for joy and fell on their faces.

Complementary legislation

a. A lesson in exact observance

10- 1 Nadab and Habihu, sons of Aaron, each took his censer, put fire in it and incense the fire, and presented unlawful fire before Yahweh, fire which he had not prescribed for them. 2 Then Yahweh's presence a flame leaped out and consumed them, and they perished in the presence of Yahweh. 3 And Moses said to Aaron, "That is what Yahweh meant when he said;

'In those who are close to me I show holiness,

and before all the people I show my glory.'"

Aaron remained silent.

b. Removal of the bodies

4 Moses summoned Michael and Elzaphan, sons of Aaron's uncle Uzziel, and said to them, "Come and take your brother's far away from the sanctuary, out of the camp." 5 They came and carried them away, still in their tunics, out of the camp, as Moses ordered.

c. Rules for priestly mourning

6 Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not disorder your hair nor tear your garments; you are not going to die. It is with the whole community that he is angry; it is the whole House of Israel that must lament your brothers, the victims of Yahweh's fire. 7 Do not leave the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, lest you die; for the chrism of Yahweh is on you." And they obeyed the words of Moses.

d. Wine forbidden

8 Yahweh spoke to Aaron; he said:

9 "When you come to the Tent of Meeting, you and your sons with you, do not take wine or strong drink; then you will not die. This is a perpetual law for all your descendants. 10 And so be it too when you separate the sacred from the profane, the unclean from the clean, 11 and when you teach the sons of Israel any of the laws that Yahweh has pronounced for them through Moses."

e. The priests' portion in offerings

12 Moses said to Aaron and his serving sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, "Take the oblation that is left over from Yahweh's burnt offering. Eat the unleavened part of it beside the altar, because it is a most holy thing. 13 Eat it in a holy place; it is the portion of Yahweh's burnt offering prescribed for you and your sons; this is the order I received.

14 "The breast that was offered up and the thigh that was set aside you will eat in some place that is clean, you, your sons and your daughters with you; this is the portion of the communion sacrifices of the sons of Israel that is prescribed for you and your sons. 15 The thigh that was set aside and the breast that as offered up, when the fat was burned, revert to you, to you and your sons with you, after they have been presented before Yahweh by the gesture of offering, in virtue of a perpetual law as Yahweh has ordered."

f. A special regulation concerning Sacrifice for Sin

16 Then Moses inquired about the goat offered as a sacrifice for sin, and found that they had burned it. He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's surviving sons; 17 "Why," he asked, "did you not eat this victim in the holy place? For it is a most holy thing given to you to take away the fault of the community, by performing the rite of atonement over it before Yahweh. 18 Since its blood was not taken inside the sanctuary, you should have eaten its flesh there, as I ordered you." 19 Aaron said to Moses, "Today they have offered their sacrifice for sin and their holocaust before Yahweh. If I had been concerned, if I had eaten the victim for sin today, would that have seemed good to Yahweh?" 20 And when Moses heard this, he was satisfied.

Clean and unclean beasts

a. On land

11- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron and said to them, 2 "Speak to the sons of Israel and say:

'Of all the beasts on the earth these are the animals you may eat:

3 'You may eat any animal that have cloven hoof, divided into two parts, and that is a ruminant. 4 The following, which either chew the cud or have a cloven foot, are the ones you may not eat: the camel must be held unclean, because though it is a ruminant, it has not a cloven hoof; 5 the hyrax must be held unclean, because though it is a ruminant, it has not a cloven hoof; 6 the hare must be held unclean, because though it is a ruminant, it has not a cloven hoof; 7 the pig must be held unclean, because though it has a cloven hoof, divided into two parts, it is not a ruminant. 8 You must not eat of such animals nor touch their dead bodies; you must hold them unclean.

b. In water

9 'Of all that lives in water, these you may eat:

'Anything that has fins and scale, and lives in the water, whether in sea or river, you may eat. 10 But anything in sea or river that has not fins or scales, of all the small creatures and all the living things there, must be held detestable. 11 You must hold them detestable; you are not to eat their flesh and you must avoid their carcasses. 12 Anything that lives in water, but has no fins or scales, is to be held detestable.

c. Birds

13 'Among the birds here are those you must hold detestable; they may not be eaten, they are detestable:

'The tawny vulture, the griffon, the osprey, 14 the kite, the several birds of buzzard, 15 all kinds of raven, 16 the ostrich, the screech owl, 17 ibis, pelican, 18 white vulture, 19 stork, the several kinds of heron, hoopoe and bat.

d. Winged insects

20 'All winged insects that move on for feet you must hold detestable. 21 Of all these winged insects you may eat only the following: those that have legs above their feet so that they can leap over the ground. 22 These are the ones you may eat: the several kinds of migratory locust, solham, hargol and hagab locusts in their several kinds. 23 But all winged insects on four feet you are to hold detestable.

Contact with unclean animals

24 'By these you will be made unclean. Anyone who touches the carcass of one will be unclean until evening. 25 Anyone who picks up their carcasses must wash his clothing and will be unclean until evening. 26 Animal that have hoofs, but not cloven, and that are not ruminant, you are to hold unclean; anyone who touches them will be unclean. 27 Those four-footed animals which walk on the flat of their foot must he held unclean; anyone who touches their carcasses will be unclean until evening, 28 and anyone who picks up their carcasses must wash his clothing and will be unclean until evening. You are to hold them unclean.

e. Small ground beasts

29 'These are the small beasts crawling on the ground that you are to hold unclean: the mole, the rat, the several kinds of lizard; 30 gecko, koah, letaah, chameleon and tinshameth.

Further rules on contact with things unclean

31 'Of all the small beasts, these are the creatures that you are to hold unclean. Anyone who touches them when they are dead will be unclean until evening.

32 'Any object on which one of these creatures falls when it is dead becomes unclean: wooden utensil, clothing, skin, sackcloth - any utensil at all. It must be dipped in water and will remain unclean until evening: then it will be clean. 33 If the creature falls into an earthenware vessel, the vessel must be broken; whatever the vessel contains is unclean. 34 Any food that is eaten will be unclean, even if it is steeped in water; any liquid that is drunk will be unclean, no matter what its container. 35 Anything on which a carcass of such a creature may fall will be unclean: oven or stove must be destroyed, for unclean they are and unclean they must be for you 36 (although springs, well and stretches of water will remain clean); anyone who touches a carcass of theirs will be unclean. 37 If one of their carcasses falls on any seed whatever, the seed will remain clean; 38 but if the seed has been wet, and a carcass of theirs falls on it, the you must hold it unclean.

39 'If one of the animals that you use as food dies, the anyone who touches the carcass will be unclean until evening; 40 anyone who eats the dead meat must wash his clothing and will remain unclean until evening; anyone who picks up the carcass must wash his clothing and will remain unclean until evening.

The religious aspect

41 'Any small beast that crawls on the ground is detestable; you must not eat it. 42 Anything the moves on its belly, anything that moves on four legs or more - in short all small beasts that crawl on the ground - you must not eat these because they are detestable. 43 Do not make yourselves detestable with all these crawling beasts; do not defile yourselves with them, do not be defiled by them. 44 For it is I, Yahweh, who am your God. You have been sanctified and have become holy because I am holy: do not defile yourselves with all these beasts that crawls on the ground. 45 Yes, it is I, Yahweh, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God: you therefore must be holy because I am holy.'"

Conclusion

46 Such is the law concerning animals, birds, all living creatures that move in water and every creature that crawls on the ground. 47 Its purpose is to separate the clean from the unclean; creatures that may be eaten from those that must not be eaten.

Purification of a woman after childbirth

12- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said, 2 "Speak to the sons of Israel and say: 'If a woman conceives and gives birth to a boy, she is to be unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly periods. 3 On the eighth day the child's foreskin must be circumcised, 4 and she must wait another thirty-three days for her blood to be purified. She must not touch anything consecrated nor go to the sanctuary until the time of her purification is over.

5 'If she gives birth to a girl, she is to be unclean for two weeks, as during her monthly periods; and she must wait another sixty-six days for her blood to be purified.

6 'When the period off purification is over, for either a boy or a girl, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting a lamb one year old for a holocaust, and a young pigeon or turtledove as a sacrifice for sin. 7 The priest is to offer this before Yahweh, perform the rite of atonement over her and she will be purified from her flow of blood.

'Such is the law concerning a woman who gives birth to either a boy or a girl. 8 If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for the holocaust and the other for the sacrifice for sin. The priest is to perform the rite of atonement over her and she will be purified.'"

Human leprosy

a. Swellings, scabs, discolorations

13- 1 Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, 2 "If a swelling or scab or shiny spot appears on a man's skin, a case of leprosy of the skin is to be suspected. He man must be taken to Aaron, the priest, or to one of the priests who are his sons. 3 The priest must examine the disease on the skin. If the hair on the diseased part turned white, or if the disease bites into the skin, then it is indeed a case of leprosy, and after examination the priest must declare the man unclean. 4 But if there is a shiny spot on the skin without any visible depression of the skin and without whitening of the hair, the priest is to isolate the sick person for seven days. 5 On the seventh day he must examine him, and if he sees with his own eyes that the disease persists though without spreading over the skin, he is to isolate him for a further seven days 6 and examine him again on the seventh day. If he finds that the diseased part is no longer shiny and has not spread over the skin, then the priest is to declare the man clean. It is a scab merely. Having washed his clothing he will be clean.

7 "But if the scab spreads over the skin after the sick person has been examined by the priest and declared clean, then he must presents himself again to the priest. 8 After examining him and certifying the spread of the scab over the skin, the priest must declare him unclean: it is leprosy.

b. Chronic leprosy

9 "When a leprous disease strikes a man, he must be taken to the priest, 10 who must examine him, and if he finds on the skin a whitish swelling with whitening of the hair and an ulcer forming, 11 then it is chronic leprosy in the skin and the priest must declare him unclean. He is not to isolate him; he is unclean beyond doubt.

12 "But if the leprosy spreads all through the skin, if it covers him entirely from head to foot so far as the priest can see, 13 then the priest must examine the sick person and, if he finds that the leprosy covers his whole body, declare the sick person clean. Since it has become white, he is clean. 14 But as soon as an ulcer appears on him, he will be unclean. 15 After examining the ulcer, the priest is to declare him unclean: the ulcer is unclean, it is leprosy. 16 But if the ulcer becomes white again, the man must go to the priest; 17 the priest must examine him and if he finds that the disease has turn white, he is to declare the sick person clean: he is clean.

c. Boils

18 "When a boil appears on a man's skin, which, after healing, 19 leaves in its place a whitish swelling or a shiny spot of reddish white, the man must show himself to the priest. 20 The priest must examine him, and if he finds a visible depression in the skin and a whitening of the hair, he is to declare him unclean: it is a case of leprosy that has broken out in a boil. 21 But if on examination the priest finds neither white hair nor depression of the skin, but a fading of the affected part, he is to isolate the sick person for seven days. 22 If the disease has indeed spread over the skin, he must declare him unclean: it is a case of leprosy. 23 But if the shiny spot is still restricted and has not spread, then it is the scar of a boil and the priest is to declare the man clean.

d. Burns

24 "If someone has had a burn, and on the burn an ulcer forms, a shiny spot reddish whitish in colour, 25 then the priest must examine it. If he finds a whitening of the hair or a visible depression of the mark on the skin, this means that leprosy has broken out in the burn. The priest is to declare the man unclean: it is a case of leprosy. 26 If on the other hand the priest on examination does not find white hair on the mark or depression of the skin, but a fading of the mark, then the priest is to isolate him for seven days. 27 On the seventh day he must examine him, and if the disease has spread on the skin, he must declare him unclean: it is a case of leprosy. 28 If the mark is still restricted and has not spread over the skin, but faded instead, this means that it is only a swelling due to the burn. The priest is to declare the man clean: it is merely a burn scar.

e. Diseases of the scalp and chin

29 "If a man or a woman has a sore on the head or the chin, 30 the priest must examine this sore; and if he finds a depression visible in the skin, with the hair on it yellow and thin, he must declare the sick person unclean. It is tinea, that is to say, leprosy of the head or chin. 31 If on examining this case of tinea the priest finds no visible depression in the skin nor yellow hair, he is to isolate the person so affected for seven days. 32 He must examine the infected part on the seventh day, and if he finds that the tinea has not spread, that the hair on it is not yellow, and that there is no visible depression in the skin, 33 the sick person will shave his hair, all except the part affected with tinea, and the priest is to isolate him again for seven days. 34 He must examine the infected part on the seventh day, and if he finds that it has not spread over the skin, and there is no visible depression of the skin, the priest is to declare the sick person clean. After washing his clothes he will be clean. 35 But if after this purification the tinea does spread over the skin, 36 the priest must examine him; if he finds that the tinea has indeed spread over the skin, this means that the sick person is unclean, and there is no need to verify whether the hair is yellow. 37 Whereas if, so far as he can see, the tinea is arrested and dark hair is beginning to grow on it, this means that the sick person is cured. He is clean, and the priest is to declare him clean.

f. Rash

38 "If shiny spots break out on the skin of a man or woman, and if these spots are white, 39 the priest must examine them. If he finds that these patches are of a dull white, it is a rash that has broken out on the skin: the sick person is clean.

g. Loss of hair

40 "If a man loses the hair of his scalp, this is baldness of the scalp but the man is clean. 41 If he loses his hair off the front of the head, this is baldness of the forehead but the man is clean. 42 If however, a reddish white sore appears on scalp or forehead, this means that leprosy has broken out on the man's scalp or forehead. 43 The priest must examine it, and if he finds a reddish white swelling on the scalp or forehead, of the same appearance as leprosy of the skin, 44 that means that the man is leprous: he is unclean. The priest must declare him unclean; he is suffering from leprosy of the head.

A regulation for lepers

45 "A man infected with leprosy must wear his clothing torn and his hair disordered; he must shield his upper lip and cry, 'Unclean, unclean.' 46 As long as the disease lasts he must be unclean; and therefore he must live apart: he must live outside the camp.

Leprosy of clothes

47 "When a piece of clothing is infected with leprosy - woolen or linen clothing, 48 linen or woolen fabric or covering, leather or leatherwork - 49 and if this clothing, fabric, covering, leather or leatherwork appears greenish or reddish, it is a case of leprosy to be shown to the priest. 50 The priest must examine the infection and isolate the object for seven days. 51 If on the seventh day he observes that the infection has spread on the garment, fabric, covering, leather or leatherwork, whatever it may be, it is a case of contagious leprosy and the object is unclean. 52 He will burn this clothing, fabric, linen or woolen covering, leather article of any kind, on which the infection has spread; for it is a contagious leprosy which must be destroyed by fire.

53 "But if on examination the priest finds that the infection has not spread on the clothing, fabric, covering, or leather object whatever it may be, 54 he is to order the infected article to be washed and is to isolate it again for a period of seven days. 55 After the cleaning he must examine the infection and if he finds that there is no change in its appearance, even though it has not spread, the article is unclean. It must be destroyed by fire; it is infected through and through.

56 "But if on examination the priest finds that the infection has diminished after washing, he is to cut out of the clothing, leather, fabric or covering. 57 But if the infection reappears on the same clothing, fabric, covering or leather article whatever it may be, this means that the infection is active and you must destroy by fire whatever is infected. 58 The clothing, fabric, covering or leather article whatever it may be, from which the infection disappears after washing, is to be clean after it has been washed a second time.

59 "Such is the law for a case of leprosy in a linen or woolen garment, a fabric or covering or leather article whatever it may be, when it is a question of declaring them clean or unclean."

Purification of lepers

14- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said:

2 "This is the law to be applied to a leper on the day he is purified. He must be taken to the priest, 3 and the priest must go outside the camp. If he finds on examination that the leper is cured of his leprosy, 4 he shall order the following to be brought for the man's purification: two live birds that are clean, cedar wood, scarlet and hyssop. 5 Then he is to give orders for one of the birds to be immolated in an earthenware pot over running water. 6 Then he is to take the live bird, the cedar wood, the scarlet and the hyssop and he must dip all of this (including the bird) into the blood of the bird immolated over the running water. 7 Then he must sprinkle the man who is to be purified of leprosy seven times, and having declared him clean, must set the live bird free to fly off into the open country. 8 The man who is undergoing purification is to wash his clothing, shave all his hair, and wash himself; then he will be clean. After this he may return to the camp, although he must remain seven days outside his tent. 9 On the seventh day he must shave off all his hair - head, beard and eyebrows; he must shave off all his hair. After washing his clothing and his body he will be clean.

10 "On the eighth day, he is to take two lambs without blemish, an unblemished ewe one year old, three tenth of wheaten flour mixed with oil for the oblation, and one log of oil. 11 The priest who is performing the purification is to station the man who is being purified, with all his offerings, at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, before Yahweh. 12 Then he must take one of the lambs and offer it as a sacrifice of reparation, as also the log of oil. With these he is to make the gesture of offering before Yahweh. 13 Then he must immolate the lamb on that spot inside the sacred precincts where the victims of the sacrifice for sin and of the holocaust are immolated. This offering of reparation, like the sacrifice for sin, reverts to the priest: it is a most holy thing. 14 The priest must take the blood of this sacrifice and put some of it on the lobe of the right ear, the thumb of the right hand, and the big toe of the right foot of the man who is being purified. 15 Then he is to take the log of oil and pour a little into the hollow of his left hand. 16 He must dip a finger of his right hand into the oil in the hollow of his left hand, and with this oil make seven sprinklings with his finger before Yahweh. 17 Then he is to take a little of the oil that remains in the hollow of his hand and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the man who is being purified, and on the thumb of his right hand and on his big toe of his right foot (this in addition to the blood of the sacrifice of reparation). 18 The rest of the oil in the hollow of his hand he is to put on the head of the man who is being purified. In this way he will have performed over him the rite of atonement before Yahweh.

19 "Then the priest must offer the sacrifice for sin, and perform the rite of atonement for uncleanness over the man who is being purified. After this he must immolate the holocaust, 20 and send up holocaust and oblation on the altar. When the priest has performed the rite of atonement over him in this way, the man will be clean.

21 "If he is poor and cannot afford all this, he need take only one lamb, the one for the sacrifice of reparation, and it is to be presented with the gesture of offering to perform the rite of atonement over the man. And he is to take for the oblation only one tenth of wheaten flour mixed with oil, and the log of oil, 22 and finally two turtldoves or two young pigeons - if he can afford them - one to be used as a sacrifice for sin and the other for the holocaust. 23 On the eighth day he must bring them to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting before Yahweh, for his purification. 24 The priest is to take the lamb for the sacrifice of reparation and the log of oil, and present them before Yahweh with the gesture of offering. 25 Then he must immolate the lamb for the sacrifice of reparation, take some of its blood and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the man who is being purified, on the thumb of the right hand and on the big toe of the right foot. 26 He is to pour oil into the hollow of his left hand, 27 and with this oil in the hollow of his left hand he must make seven sprinklings with his finger before Yahweh. 28 He is to put some of it on the lobe of the right ear of the man who is being purified, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot, as he did with the blood of the sacrifice of reparation. 29 The remainder of the oil in the hollow of his hand he must put on the head of the man who is being purified, performing the rite of atonement over him before Yahweh. 30 Of the two turtledoves or two young pigeons - if he can afford them - he is to offer 31 a sacrifice for sin with one, and with the other with an oblation - if he can afford them. In this way the priest will have performed before Yahweh the rite of atonement over the person who is being purified.

32 "Such is the law concerning a person afflicted by leprosy who cannot afford the means for his purification."

Leprosy of houses

33 Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron; he aid:

34 "When you reach the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as an inheritance, if I strike a house with leprosy in the land you are to possess, 35 the owner must come and warn the priest; he must say, 'I have seen something like leprosy in the house.' 36 The priest is to give orders for the house to be emptied before he goes to examine the infection; thus nothing in the house will become unclean. Then the priest must go and look at the house; 37 and if on examination he finds the walls of the house with reddish or greenish depressions, 38 the priest is to go out of the house, to the door, and shut it up for seven days. 39 On the seventh day he must go back again, and if on examination he finds that the infection has spread over the walls of the house, 40 he must give orders for the infected stones to be removed and thrown into some unclean place outside the town. 41 Then he must have all the inside of the house scraped, and the plaster that comes off must be emptied out into an unclean place outside the town. 42 The stones must be replaced by new ones and the house given a new coat of plaster.

43 "If the infection spreads again after the stones have been removed and the house scraped and replastered, 44 the priest is to come and examine it. If he finds that the infection has spread, this mean that there is a contagious leprosy in the house: it is unclean. 45 It must be pulled down and the stones, woodwork and all the plaster be taken to an unclean place outside the town.

46 "Anyone who enters the house while it is closed will be unclean until evening. 47 Anyone who sleeps there must wash his clothing. Anyone who eats there must wash their clothing. 48 But if the priest finds, when he comes to examine the infection, that has not spread in the house since it was plastered, he is to declare the house clean, for the infection is cured.

49 "As a sacrifice for the sin of the house, he is to take two birds, cedar wood, scarlet and hyssop. 50 He must immolate one of the birds in an earthenware pot over running water. 51 Then he is to take the cedar wood, the hyssop, the scarlet and the live bird, and must dip them into the blood of the bird that was immolated and into the running water. He is to sprinkle the house seven times; 52 and after having offered a sacrifice for the sin of the house with the blood of the bird, the running water, the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop and the scarlet, 53 he must set the live bird free to fly out of the town into the open country. When the rite of atonement has been performed over the house in this way it will be clean.

54 "Such is the law far all cases of leprosy and tinea, 55 leprosy of clothing and houses, 56 swellings, scabs and shiny spots. It defines the occasions when things are unclean and when clean. 57 Such is the law on leprosy."

Sexual impurities

a. Of men

15- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron; he said:

2 "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them:

'When a man has a discharge from his body, that discharge is unclean. 3 While the discharge continues, the nature of uncleanness is as follow:

'Whether his body allows the discharge to flow or whether it retains it, he is unclean.

4 'Any bed the man lies on and any seat he sits on shall be clean.

5 'Anyone who touches his bed must wash his clothing and wash himself and will be unclean until evening.

6 'Anyone who sits on a seat where the man has sat must wash his clothing and wash himself and will be until evening.

7 'Anyone who touches the body of a man so affected must wash his clothing and wash himself and will be unclean until evening.

8 'If the sick man spits on someone clean, that person must wash his clothing and wash himself and will be unclean until evening.

9 'Any saddle the sick man travels on will be unclean.

10 'All those who touch any object that may be under him will be unclean until evening.

'Anyone who picks up such object must wash his clothing and wash himself and will be unclean until evening.

11 'All those whom the sick man touches without washing his hands must wash their clothing and wash themselves and will be unclean until evening.

12 'Any earthenware vessel the sick man touches must be broken and any wooden utensil must be rinsed.

13 "When the man suffering from a discharge is cured, he must allow seven days for his purification. He must wash his clothing and wash his body in running water and he will be clean. 14 On the eighth day he must take two turtledoves or two young pigeons and come before Yahweh at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and give them to the priest. 15 The priest is to offer a sacrifice for sin with one of them, and with the other a holocaust. So the priest will perform the rite of atonement over him before Yahweh for his discharge.

16 'When a man has a seminal discharge, he must wash his whole body with water and he shall be unclean until evening. 17 Any clothing or leather touched by the seminal discharge must be washed and it will be unclean until evening. 18 When a woman has slept with a man, both of them must wash and they will be unclean until evening.

b. Of women

19 'When a woman has a discharge of blood, and blood flows from her body, this uncleanness of her monthly periods shall last for seven days.

'Anyone who touches her will be unclean until the evening.

20 'Any bed she lies on in this state will be unclean; any seat she sits on will be unclean.

21 'Anyone who touches her bed must wash his clothing and wash himself and will be unclean until evening.

22 'Anyone who touches any seat she has sat on must wash his clothing and wash himself and will be unclean until evening. 23 If there is anything on the bed or the chair on which she sat, anyone who touches it will be unclean until evening.

24 'If a man sleeps with her, he will be affected by the uncleanness of her monthly periods. He shall be unclean for seven days. Any bed he lies on will be unclean.

25 'If a woman has a flow of blood for several days outside the period, or if the period is prolonged, during the time this flow last she shall be in the same state of uncleanness as during her monthly periods. 26 Any bed she lies on during the time this flow lasts will be in the same condition as the bed she lies on during her monthly periods. Any seat she sits on will be unclean as it would be during her monthly periods. 27 Anyone who touches them will be unclean; he must wash his clothing and wash himself and will be unclean until evening.

28 'When she is cured of her flow, she will let seven days pass; the she will be clean. 29 On the eighth day she is to take two turtledoves or two young pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 30 With one of them the priest is to offer a sacrifice for sin and with the other a holocaust. This is the way in which the priest will perform the rite of atonement over her before Yahweh for the flow that caused her uncleanness.'

Conclusion

31 "You must warn the sons of Israel of their uncleanness lest they should die because of it, by being a defilement to the tabernacle which is set among them.

32 "Such is the law concerning a man with a discharge, anyone made unclean by a seminal discharge, 33 a woman in the uncleanness of her monthly periods, a man or woman with a discharge, a man who sleeps with an unclean woman."

The great Day of Atonement

16- 1 After the death of the two sons of Aaron who died through offering unlawful fire before Yahweh, 2 Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said:

"Tell Aaron your brother that he must not enter the sanctuary beyond the veil, in front of the throne of mercy that is over the ark, whenever he chooses. He may die; for I appear in a cloud on the throne of mercy.

3 "This is how he is to enter the sanctuary: with a young bull for sacrifice for sin and a ram for a holocaust. 4 He is to put on a tunic of consecrated linen wear linen on his body, a linen girdle around his waist, and a linen turban on his head. These are the sacred vestments he must put on after washing himself with water.

5 "He is to receive two goats for a sacrifice for sin and a ram for the holocaust from the community of the sons of Israel. 6 After offering the bull as a sacrifice for his own sin and performing the rite of atonement for himself and his family, 7 Aaron must take the two goats and set them before Yahweh at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 8 He is to draw lots for the two goats and allot one to Yahweh and the other to Azazel. 9 Aaron is to offer up the goat whose lot was marked 'For Yahweh,' and offer it as a sacrifice for sin. 10 The goat whose lot was marked 'For Azazel,' shall be set before Yahweh, still alive, to perform the rite of atonement over it, sending it out into the desert to Azazel.

11 "Aaron must offer the bull which is to be a sacrifice for his own sin, then he must perform the rite of atonement for himself and for his family, and immolate the bull. 12 Then he is to fill a censer with live coals from the altar that stands before Yahweh; and take two handfuls of finely ground aromatic incense. He is to take these through the veil 13 and then to put the incense on the fire before Yahweh, and with a cloud of incense he must cover the throne of mercy that is on the Testimony; if he does this, he shall not die. 14 Then he must take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the eastern side of the throne of mercy; in front of the throne of mercy he must sprinkle this blood seven times with his finger.

15 "He must then immolate the goat for the sacrifice for the sin of the people, and take its blood through the veil. With this blood he is to do as with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it on the throne of mercy and in front of it. 16 This is how he is to perform the rite of atonement over the sanctuary for the uncleanness of the sons of Israel, for their transgressions and for all their sins.

"This also is how he must deal with the Tent of Meeting which remains with them, surrounded by their uncleanness. 17 Let no one stay in the Tent of Meeting, from the moment he enters to make atonement in the sanctuary until the time he comes out.

"When he has made atonement for himself, for his family, and for the whole community of Israel, 18 he is to come out and go to the altar which is before Yahweh, and perform over it the rite of atonement. He must take some of the blood of the bull and of the goat, and put it on the horns around the altar. 19 With this blood he must sprinkle the altar seven times with his finger. This is how he will render it clean and sacred, purified and separated from the uncleanness of the sons of Israel.

20 "When the atonement of the sanctuary, the Tent of Meeting and the altar is complete, he is to bring the other goat that is still alive. 21 Aaron must lay his hands on its head and confess all the faults of the sons of Israel, all their transgressions and all their sins, and lay them to its charge. Having thus laid them on the goat's head, he shall send it out into the desert led by a man waiting ready, 22 and the goat will bear all their faults away with it into a desert place.

"When he has sent the goat into the wilderness, 23 Aaron is to return to the Tent of Meeting and remove the linen vestments he wore to enter the sanctuary. He must leave them there 24 and wash his body in a consecrated place. Then he is to put the vestments on again and go out to offer his own and the people's holocaust. He must perform the rite of atonement for himself and for the people; 25 he must burn up the fat of the sacrifice for sin on the altar.

26 "The man who leads out the goat to Azazel must wash his clothing and his body, and then he can return to camp. 27 The bull and the goat offered as a sacrifice for sin, whose blood has been taken into the sanctuary for the rite of atonement, are to be taken out of the camp where their skin, flesh and dung are to be burned. 28 The man who burns them must wash his clothing and his body, and then he can return to the camp.

29 "This shall be a perpetual law for you.

"On the tenth da of the seventh month you must fast and refrain from work, the native and the stranger who lives among you. 30 For this is the day on which the rite of atonement shall be performed over you, to purify you. Before Yahweh you will be clean of all your sins. 31 It shall be a sabbath rest for you and you are to fast. This is a perpetual law.

32 "The rite of atonement must be performed by the priest who has been anointed and installed to officiate in place of his father. He is to put on the linen, the sacred vestments, 33 and to perform the atonement of the sacred sanctuary, the Tent of Meeting and the altar. Then he must perform the rite of atonement over the priests and all the people of the community. 34 This shall be a perpetual law for you; once a year the rite of atonement must be made over the sons of Israel for all their sins."

And it was done as Yahweh commanded Moses.

Immolation and sacrifice

17- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said:

2 "Speak to Aaron and his sons and all the sons of Israel and say to them:

'This is the word of Yahweh, his command:

3 Any man of the House of Israel who immolates an ox, lamb or goat, whether inside the camp or outside it, 4 must first bring it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting to make an offering of it to Yahweh before his tabernacle; and anyone who fails to do this must answer for the blood that is spilt; he shall be outlawed from his people. 5 Thus, the sacrifices that the sons of Israel whish to make in the open country will be brought to the priest, for Yahweh, at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and with them they will make communion sacrifices for Yahweh. 6 The priest shall sprinkle the blood on the altar of Yahweh that stands at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and he shall burn the fat, and its fragrance will appease Yahweh. 7 They must no longer offer their sacrifices to the satyrs in whose service they once prostituted themselves. This is a perpetual law for them and their descendants.'

8 "You will also say to them, 'Any man of the House of Israel or stranger living among you who offers holocaust or sacrifice 9 without bringing it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting to offer it to Yahweh shall be outlawed from his people.

10 'If any man of the house of Israel or stranger living among you eats blood of any kind, I will set my face against the man who has eaten the blood and will outlaw him from his people. 11 The life of the flesh is in the blood. This blood I myself have given you to perform the rite of atonement for your lives at the altar; for it is the blood that atones for a life. 12 That is why I have said to the sons of Israel: None of you nor any stranger living among you shall eat blood.

13 'If any son of Israel or any stranger living among you catches game or bird that is lawful to eat, he must pour out its blood and cover it with earth. 14 For the life of all flesh is its blood, and I have said to the sons of Israel: You must not eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of the flesh is in the blood, and anyone who eats it shall be outlawed from his people.

15 'Anyone, native or stranger, who eats an animal that has died a natural death or been savaged by beasts must wash his clothing and wash himself; he shall be unclean until evening, then he will be clean. 16 But if he does not wash his clothing and wash his body, he must bear the consequences of his fault.'"

Rules for conjugal relationships

18- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said:

2 "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them:

'I am Yahweh your God. 3 You must not behave as they do in Egypt where once you lived; you must not behave as they do in Canaan where I am taking you. You must not follow their laws. 4 You must follow my customs and keep my laws; by them you must lead your life.

'I am Yahweh your God. 5 You must keep my laws and customs. Wherever complies with them will find life in them.

'I am Yahweh.

6 'None of you may approach a woman who is closely related to him, to uncover her nakedness, I am Yahweh.

7 'You must not uncover the nakedness of your father or mother. She is your mother - you must not uncover her nakedness.

8 'You must not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness.

9 'You must not uncover the nakedness of your sister, whether she is your father's or your mother's daughter. Whether she is born in the same house or elsewhere, you must not uncover her nakedness.

10 'You must not uncover the nakedness of the daughter of your son or daughter; for their nakedness is your own.

11 'You must not uncover the nakedness of the daughter of your father's wife, born of your father. She is your sister; you must not uncover her nakedness.

12 'You must not uncover the nakedness of your father's sister; for it is your father's flesh.

13 'You must not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister; for it is your mother's flesh.

14 'You must not uncover the nakedness of your father's brother; you must therefore not approach his wife, for she is your aunt.

15 'You must not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law. She is your son's wife; you must not uncover her nakedness.

16 'You must not uncover the nakedness of your brother's wife; for she is your brother's nakedness.

17 'You must not uncover the nakedness of a woman and of her daughter too; you must not take the daughter of her son or of her daughter to uncover their nakedness. They are your own flesh; it would be incest.

18 'You must not take into your harem a woman and her sister at the same time, uncovering the latter's nakedness while the former is still alive.

19 'You must not approach and uncover the nakedness of a woman who is unclean by reason of her monthly periods.

20 'You must not give your marriage bed to your neighbour's wife; you would thereby become unclean.

21 'You will not hand over any of your children to have them passed to Molech, nor must you profane the name of your God in this way, I am Yahweh.

22 'You must not lie with a man as with a woman. This is a hateful thing.

23 'You must not lie with any animal; you would thereby become unclean. A woman must not offer herself to an animal, to have intercourse with it. This would be a foul thing.

24 'Do not make yourself unclean by any of these practices, for it was by such things that the nations that I have expelled to make way for you made themselves unclean.

25 'The land became unclean; I exacted the penalty for its fault and the land had to vomit out its inhabitants.

26 'But you must keep my laws and customs, you must not do any of these hateful things, neither native nor stranger living among you. 27 For all these hateful things were done by the people who inhabited this land before you, and the land became unclean. 28 If you make it unclean, will it not vomit you out as it vomited the nation that was here before you? 29 Yes, anyone who does one of these hateful things, whatever it may be, any person doing so must be cut off from his people. 30 Keep to my rules; do not observe the hateful practices that were observed before you came, then you will not be made unclean by them. I am Yahweh your God.'"

Worship

19- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses: he said:

2 "Speak to the whole community of the sons of Israel and say to them:

'Be holy, for I, Yahweh your God, am holy.

3 'Each of you must respect his father and mother.

'And you must keep my sabbaths; I am Yahweh your God.

4 'Do not turn to idols, and cast no gods of metal. I am Yahweh your God.

5 If you offer a communion sacrifice to Yahweh, make yourselves acceptable and so offer it. 6 It must be eaten the same day or the day after; whatever is left the day after must be burned. 7 If eaten on the third day it would be a corrupt offering, it would not be acceptable. 8 Anyone who eats it must bear the consequences of his fault, for he will have profaned the holiness of Yahweh; this person shall be outlawed from his people.

9 'When you gather the harvest of your land, you are not to harvest to the very end of the field. You are not to gather the gleanings of the harvest. 10 You are neither to strip your vine bare nor to collect the fruit that has fallen in your vineyard, You must leave them for the poor and the stranger. I am Yahweh your God.

11 'You must not steal deceitfully or fraudulently with your neighbour. 12 You must not swear falsely by my name, profaning the name of your God. I am Yahweh. 13 You must not exploit or rob your neighbour. You must not keep back the labourer's wage until next morning. 14 You must not curse the dumb, nor put an obstacle in a blind's manway, but you must fear your God, I am Yahweh.

15 'You must not be guilty of unjust verdicts. You must neither be partial to the little man nor overawed by the great; you must pass judgment on your neighbour according to justice. 16 You must not slander your own people, and you must not jeopardize your neighbour's life. I am Yahweh. 17 You must not bear hatred for your brother in your heart. You must openly tell him, your neighbour, of his offense; this way you will not take a sin upon yourself. 18 You must not exact vengeance, nor must you bear a grudge against the children of your people. You must love your neighbour as yourself. I am Yahweh.

19 You keep my laws.

'You are not to mate your cattle with those of another kind; you are not to sow two kinds of grain in your field; you are not to wear a garment made from two kinds of fabric.

20 'If a man sleeps with a woman as though married to her, she being another's concubine slave not yet purchased or given freedom, then the man is to be answerable for infringement of rights, but he shall not be put to death, since she was not a free woman. 21 He must bring a sacrifice of reparation for Yahweh to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. This is to be a ram of reparation. 22 With this ram of reparation the priest must perform the rite of atonement over the man before Yahweh for the sin committed; and the sin he has committed will be forgiven.

23 'Once you have entered this land and planted a fruit tree of any sort, you are to regard its fruits as its foreskin. For three years it shall be a thing uncircumcised, and you must not eat it. 24 In the fourth year, all the fruit shall be consecrated to Yahweh in a feast of praise. 25 In the fifth year you may eat the fruit and gather the produce for yourselves. I am Yahweh your God.

26 'You must eat nothing with blood in it. You must not practice divination or magic.

27 'You are not to round off your hair at the edges nor trim the edges of your beard. 28 You are not to gash your bodies when someone dies, and you are not to tattoo yourselves. I am Yahweh.

29 'Do not profane your daughter by making her a prostitute; thus the land will not be prostituted and filled with incest.

30 'You must keep the sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary. I am Yahweh.

31 'Do not have recourse to the spirits of the dead or to magicians; they will defile you. I am Yahweh your God.

32 'You are to rise up before gray hairs, you are to honour old age and fear your God, I am Yahweh.

33 'If a stranger lives with you in your land, do not molest him. 34 You must count him as one of your own countrymen and love him as yourself - for you were once strangers yourselves in Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.

35 'Your legal verdicts, your measurements - length, weight and capacity - must all be just. 36 Your scales and weights must be just, a just ephah and a just hin. I am Yahweh who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

37 'Keep all my laws and customs, put them into practice. I am Yahweh.'"

Penalties

a. Offenses against true worship

20- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said:

2 "Tell the sons of Israel:

'Any son of Israel or any stranger living in Israel must die if he hands over any of his children to Molech. The people of the country must stone him, 3 and I shall set my face against that man and outlaw him from his people; for in handing over his children to Molech he has defiled my sanctuary and profaned my holy name. 4 It the people of the country choose to close their eyes to the man's action in handing over his children to Molech, and they do not put him to death, 5 I myself shall turn my face against him and his clan. I shall outlaw them from their people, him and all those after him who prostitute themselves by following Molech.

6 'If a man has recourse to the spirits of the dead or to magicians, to prostitute himself by following them, I shall set my face against that man and outlaw him from his people.

7 'You must make yourselves holy, for I am Yahweh your God.

b. Offenses against the family

8 'You must keep my law and put them into practice, for it is I, Yahweh, wo make you holy. 9 Hence:

'Anyone who curses father or mother must die. Hence he has cursed his father or mother, his blood shall be on his own head.

10 'The man who commits adultery with a married woman:

"The man who commits adultery with his neighbour's wife must die, he and his accomplice.

11 'The man who lies with his father's wife has uncovered his father's nakedness. Both of them must die, their blood shall be on their own heads.

12 'The man who lies with his daughter-in-law: both of them must die; they have defiled each other, their blood shall be on their heads.

13 'The man who lies with a man in the same way as with a woman: they have done a hateful thing together; they must die, their blood shall be on their own heads.

14 'The man who takes a woman and her mother to wife: that is incest. They must be burn to death - he and they: there must be no incest among you.

15 'The man who lies with an animal: he must die and the animal must be killed.

16 'The woman who approaches any animal to have intercourse with it: you shall kill the woman and the animal. They must die, their blood shall be on their own heads.

17 'The man who takes the daughter of his father or mother to wife: if he sees her nakedness and she sees his, it is a disgrace. They must be executed in public, for the man has uncovered the nakedness of his sister and he must bear the consequences of his fault.

18 'The man who lies with a woman during her monthly periods and uncovers her nakedness: he has laid bare the source of her blood, and she has uncovered the source of her blood: both of them must be outlawed from their people.

19 'You must not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister or your father's sister, a man has thus uncovered his own flesh. And they must bear the consequences of their fault.

20 'The man who lies with the wife of his paternal uncle: he has uncovered his uncle's nakedness, they must bear the consequences of their fault and die childless.

21 'The man who takes to wife the wife of his brother: that is impurity; he has uncovered his brother's nakedness, and they shall be childless.

c. Appendix: the clean and the unclean

22 'You must keep all my laws, all my customs, and put them into practice: thus you will not be vomited out by the land where I am taking you to live. 23 You must not follow the laws of the nations that I expel to make way for you; they practiced all these things and for this I have come to detest them. 24 I have told you already: You shall take possession of their soil, I myself will give you possession of it, a land where milk and honey flow.

'I Yahweh your God, have set you apart from these peoples. 25 Therefore you must set the clean animal apart from the unclean, the unclean bird apart from the clean. Do not defile yourselves with these animal or birds, or things that creep on the ground: I have made you set them apart as unclean.

Conclusion

26 'Be consecrated to me, because I, Yahweh, am holy, and I will set you apart from all these peoples so that you may be mine.

27 'Any man or woman who is a necromancer or magician must be put to death by stoning; their blood shall be on their own heads.'"

The holiness of the priesthood

a. The priests

21- 1 Yahweh said to Moses:

"Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them:

'None of them is to make himself unclean by going near a corpse of one of his family, 2 unless it be of his closest relations - father, mother, son, daughter, brother. 3 He may also make himself unclean for his virgin sister: if she is still a close relation since she has not belong to a man. 4 If a husband, he must not make himself unclean for his family; in doing so he would profane himself.

5 'They must not wear tonsures, shave the edges of their beards, or gash their bodies. 6 They shall be consecrated to their God and must not profane the name of their God. For it is they who bring the burnt offerings to Yahweh, the food of their God; and they must be in holy condition.

7 'They must not marry a woman profaned by prostitution, or one divorced by her husband; for the priest is consecrated to his God.

8 'You shall treat him as holy, for he offers up the food of your God. He shall be a holy person to you, because I, Yahweh, am holy, who sanctify you.

9 'If the daughter of a man who is a priest profanes herself by prostitution, she profanes her father and must be burned to death.

b. The high priest

10 'The priest who is pre-eminent over his brothers, on whose head the chrism is poured, and who, clothed with the sacred robes, receives investiture, is not to disorder his hair or tear his garments; 11 he must not go near a dead man corpse, he must not make himself unclean even for his father or mother. 12 He must not leave the holy place, so that he may not profane the sanctuary of his God; for he bears on himself the consecration of his God, given by the oil of anointing. I am Yahweh.

13 'He must take to wife a woman who is still a virgin. 14 He must not marry a woman who is a widow or divorced or profaned by prostitution: only a virgin from his own family may he take to wife. 15 He must not profane his levitical descendants, for it is I, Yahweh, who have sanctified him.'"

c. Impediments to the priesthood

16 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said:

17 "Speak to Aaron and say:

'None of your descendants, in any generation, must come forward to offer the food of his God if he has any infirmity - 18 no one must come near if he has an infirmity such as blindness or lameness, if he is disfigured or deformed, 19 if he has an injured foot or harm, 20 if he his hunchback or a dwarf, if he has a disease of the eyes or of the skin, if he has a running sore, or if he is a eunuch. 21 No descendants of Aaron the priest must come forward to offer the burnt offerings of Yahweh if ha has any infirmity; if he has an infirmity, he must not come forward to offer the food of his God.

22 'He may eat the food of his God, things most holy and things holy; 23 but he must not go near the veil or approach the altar, because he has an infirmity, and must not profane my holy things; for it is I, Yahweh, who has sanctified them.'"

24 And Moses told this to Aaron, to his sons, and to the sons of Israel.

Holiness in consuming the sacred meal

a. The priests

22- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said:

2 "Speak to Aaron and his sons: let them be consecrated through the holy offerings of the sons of Israel, and not profane my holy name; for my sake they are to sanctify it; I am Yahweh. 3 Tell them this:

'Any one of your descendants, in any generation, who in a state of uncleanness approaches the holy offerings consecrated to Yahweh by the sons of Israel, shall be outlawed from my presence. I am Yahweh.

4 'Anyone of Aaron's line who is afflicted with leprosy or with a discharge must not eat holy things until he is clean. Anyone who touches something made unclean by a dead body, or has a seminal discharge, 5 or is made unclean by touching either some creeping thing or some man who has communicated to him his own uncleanness of whatever kind, 6 in short, anyone who has had any such contact shall be unclean until evening, and must not eat holy thins until he has washed his body. 7 At sunset he will be clean and may then eat holy things, for these are his food.

8 'He must not eat an animal that has died a natural death or been savaged by beasts; he would contract uncleanness from it. I am Yahweh.

9 'Let them keep my rules and not burden themselves with sin. If they profane them, they shall die: it is I, Yahweh, who have sanctified them.

b. Lay people

10 'No lay person may eat holy things: neither the guest of a priest, nor his hired servant. 11 But if the priest has acquired a slave by purchase, the slave may eat them like anyone born in the house; for they eat his own food.

12 'If a priest's daughter marries a layman, she must not eat the holy portion set aside; 13 but if she is widowed or divorced and being childless, has had to return to her father's house as when she was young, she may eat her father's food. No lay person may eat of it; 14 if someone does eat a holy thing by inadvertence, he shall restore it to the priest with one fifth added.

15 'They must not profane the holy offerings which the sons of Israel have set aside for Yahweh. 16 To eat these would lay on them a fault demanding a sacrifice of reparation; for it is I, Yahweh, who have sanctified these offerings.'"

c. Animals sacrificed

17 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said:

18 "Tell this to Aaron, to his sons, and to all the sons of Israel:

'Any man of the House of Israel or any stranger living in Israel who brings an offering either in payment of a vow or as a voluntary gift, and makes a holocaust with it for Yahweh, 19 must, if he is to be acceptable, offer a male without blemish, ox, sheep or goat. 20 You must not offer one that is blemished; for it would not make you acceptable.

21 'If anyone offers to Yahweh a communion sacrifice, either to fulfill a vow or a voluntary offering, the animal - from the herd or the flock - must be without blemish if it is to be acceptable; no defect must be found in it. 22 You must not offer to Yahweh an animal that is blind, lame, mutilated, ulcerous, or suffering from skin disease or sore. No part of such an animal shall be laid on the altar as a burnt offering for Yahweh. 23 As a voluntary offering, you may offer a bull or a lamb that is underdeveloped or deformed; but such will not be acceptable in payment of a vow. 24 An animal must not be offered to Yahweh if its testicles have been bruised, crushed, remove or cut. You are not to do that in your country, 25 and you are not to accept any such from the hands of a stranger, to be offered as food for your God. Their deformity is a blemish, and they would not be acceptable.'"

26 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said:

27 "A calf, lamb, or kid shall stay with its dam seven days after birth. From the eighth day it will be acceptable as a burnt offering to Yahweh. 28 But no animal, whether cow or ewe, shall be immolated on the same day as the young.

29 "If you offer Yahweh a sacrifice with praise, do it in the acceptable manner; 30 it must be eaten the same day, with nothing left till the morning. I am Yahweh.

d. Final exhortation

31 "You must keep my commandments and put them into practice. I am Yahweh. 32 You must not profane my holy name, so that I may be proclaimed holy among the sons of Israel, I, Yahweh who sanctify you. 33 I who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God, I am Yahweh."

The ritual for the annual feasts

23- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses: he said:

2 "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them:

(The solemn festivals of Yahweh to which you summon them are sacred assemblies)

'These are my solemn festivals.

a. Sabbath

3 'You may work for six days, but the seventh must be a day of complete rest, a day for the sacred assembly on which you do no work at all. Wherever you may live, this is a sabbath for Yahweh.

4 'These are Yahweh's solemn festivals, the sacred assemblies to which you are to summon the sons of Israel on the appointed day.

b. The passover and the feast of the Unleavened Bread

5 'The fourteenth day of the first month, between the two evenings, is the Passover of Yahweh; 6 and the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of Unleavened Bread for Yahweh. For seven days you shall eat bread without leaven. 7 On the first day you are to hold a sacred assembly; you must do no heavy work. 8 For seven days you shall offer burnt offering to Yahweh. The seventh day is to be a day of the assembly; you must do no work.'"

c. The first sheaf

9 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said:

10 "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them:

"When you enter the land that I give you, and gather in the harvest there, you must bring the first sheaf of your harvest to the priest, 11 and he is to present it to Yahweh with the gesture of offering, so that you may be acceptable. The priest shall make this offering on the day after the sabbath, 12 and on the same day as you make this offering, you are to offer Yahweh the holocaust of an unblemished lamb one year old. 13 The oblation for that day shall be two tenths of wheaten flour mixed with oil, a burnt offering whose fragrance will appease Yahweh. The libation is to be one quarter of a hin of wine. 14 You are to eat no bread, roasted corn or baked bread, before this day, before making the offering to your God. This is a perpetual law for all your descendants, wherever you live.

d. The feast of weeks

15 'From the day after the sabbath, the day on which you bring the sheaf of offering, you are to count seven full weeks. 16 You are to count fifty days, to the day after the seventh sabbath, and then you are to offer Yahweh a new oblation. 17 You must bring bread from your house to present with the gesture of offering - two loaves, made of two tenth of wheaten flour baked with leaven; these are first fruits for Yahweh. 18 In addition to the bread you must offer seven unblemished lambs one year old, a young bull and two rams, as a holocaust to Yahweh, together with an oblation and a libation, a burnt offering whose fragrance will appease Yahweh. 19 You are also to offer a goat as a sacrifice for sin, and two lambs one year old as a communion sacrifice. 20 The priest shall present them before Yahweh with the gesture of offering, in addition to the bread of the first fruits. These, and the two lambs, are holy things for Yahweh, and will revert to the priest.

21 'This same day you are to hold an assembly; this shall be a sacred assembly for you; you will do no heavy work. This is a perpetual law for your descendants, wherever you live.

22 'When you gather the harvest in your country, you are not yo harvest to the very end of your field, and you are not to gather the gleanings of the harvest. You are to leave them for the poor and the stranger. I am Yahweh your God.'"

e. The First Day of the seventh Month

23 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said:

24 "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them:

'The first day of the seventh month shall be a day of rest for you, a sacred assembly proclaimed wit trumpet call. 25 You must not do any heavy work and you must offer a burnt offering to Yahweh.'"

f. The Day of Atonement

26 Yahweh spoke to Moses: he said:

27 "But the tenth day of this month shall be the Day of Atonement. You are to hold a sacred assembly. You must fast, and you must offer a burnt offering to Yahweh. 28 You are not to do any heavy work that day, for it is the Day of Atonement, on which the rite of atonement will be performed over you before Yahweh your God. 29 Indeed, anyone who fails to fast that day shall be outlawed from his people; 30 anyone who works that day I will remove from his people. 31 No work must be done - this is a perpetual law for your descendants wherever you live. 32 This is to be a day of sabbath rest for you. You must fast; on the evening of the ninth day of the month, from this to the following evening, you must cease to work."

g. The feast of Tabernacles

33 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said:

34 "Speak the sons of Israel and say to them:

'The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of Tabernacles for Yahweh, lasting seven days. 35 The first day is a day of sacred assembly; you must do no heavy work. 36 For seven days you must offer a burnt offering to Yahweh. On the eighth day you are to hold a sacred assembly, you must offer a burnt offering to Yahweh. It is a day of solemn meeting; you must do no heavy work.

Conclusion

37 'These are the solemn festival of Yahweh to which you are to summon the children of Israel, sacred assemblies for the purpose of offering burnt offerings, holocaust, oblations, sacrifices and libations to Yahweh, according to the ritual of each day, 38 besides the sabbaths of Yahweh and the presents, and the votive and voluntary gifts that you make to Yahweh.

Recapitulation on the feast of Tabernacles

39 'But on the fifteenth of the seventh month, when you are harvested the produce of the land, you are to celebrate the feast of Yahweh for seven days. On the first and eighth days there shall be a complete rest. 40 On the first day you shall take choice fruits, palm branches, boughs of leafy trees and willows from the river bank, and for the seven days you shall rejoice in the presence of Yahweh your God. 41 You are to celebrate a feast for Yahweh in this way for seven days every year. This is a perpetual law for your descendants.

You are to keep this feast in the seventh month. 42 For seven days you are to live in shelters: all natives of Israel must live in shelters, 43 so that your descendants may know that I made the sons of Israel live in shelters when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.'"

44 And Moses described the solemn festivals of Yahweh to the sons of Israel.

Complementary ritual prescriptions

a. The perpetual flame

24- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said:

2 "Order the sons of Israel to bring you pure olive oil for the lampstand, and keep a flame burning there continually. 3 Outside the veil of Testimony, in the Tent of Meeting. Aaron is to see to this flame. It shall burn there before Yahweh from evening to morning continually. This is a perpetual law for your descendants: 4 Aaron is to see to the lamps on the pure lampstand before Yahweh, continually.

b. The bread on the Golden Table

5 "You are to take wheaten flour and with it bake twelve cobs, each of two tenths of an ephah. 6 Then you must set them in two rows of six on the pure table that stands before Yahweh. 7 On each row you shall place pure incense. This will be the food offered as a memorial, a burnt offering for Yahweh. 8 Continually, every sabbath they shall be set before Yahweh. The sons of Israel are to provide them by unending covenant. 9 They will belong to Aaron and his sons, who shall eat them in a holy place, for they are a most holy portion for him of Yahweh burnt offerings. This is a perpetual law."

A case of blasphemy. The law of retaliation

10 There was a man whose mother was an Israelite woman and whose father was Egyptian. He came out of his house and in the camp, surrounded by the sons of Israel, he began to quarrel with a man who was an Israelite. 11 Now this son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the name and cursed it. So they brought him to Moses (his mother's name was Shelomith daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.) 12 He was put under guard until the will of Yahweh should be made clear to them.

13 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said:

14 "Take the man who pronounced the curse outside the camp. Let all who have heard him lay their hands on his head, and let the whole community stone him. 15 Then say to the sons of Israel:

'Any man who curses his God shall bear the burden of his fault. 16 The one who blasphemes the name of Yahweh must die; the whole community must stone him. Stranger or native, if he blasphemes the name, he dies.

17 'If a man strikes down any human being, he must die.

18 'If a man strikes an animal down he must male restitution for it: a life for a life.

19 'If a man injures a neighbour, what he has done must be done to him: broken limb for broken limb, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. As the injury inflicted, so must be the injury suffered. 20 The one who strikes an animal down 21 must make restitution for it, and the one who strikes down a man must die. 22 The sentence you pass shall be the same whether it be on native or on stranger; for I am Yahweh your God.'"

23 When Moses had said this to the sons of Israel, they took the man who had pronounced the curse out of the camp and stoned him. In this way the sons of Israel carried out the order of Yahweh to Moses.

The Holy Years

a. The Sabbatical Year

25- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses on Mount Sanai; he said:

2 "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them:

'When you enter the land that I am giving you, the land is to keep a sabbath's rest for Yahweh. 3 For six years you shall sow your fields, for six years you shall prune your vine and gather its produce. 4 But in the seventh year the land is to have its rest, a sabbath for Yahweh. You must not sow your field or prune your vine, 5 or harvest your ungathered corn or gather grapes from your untrimmed vine. It is to be a year of rest for the land. 6 The sabbath of the land will itself feed you and your servants, men and women, your hired labourer, your guest, and all who live with you. 7 For your cattle too, and animals on your land, all its produce will serve as food.

b. The Year of Jubilee

8 'You are to count seven weeks of years - seven times seven ears, that is to say a period of seven weeks of years, forty-nine years. 9 And on the tenth day of the seventh month you shall sound the trumpet; on the Day of Atonement you shall sound the trumpet throughout the land. 10 You will declare this fiftieth year sacred and proclaim the liberation of all inhabitants of the land. This is to be a jubilee for you; each of you will return to his ancestral home, each to his own clan. 11 This fiftieth year is to be a jubilee year for you; you will not sow, you will not harvest the ungathered corn, you will not gather from the untrimmed vine. 12 The jubilee is to be a holy thing for you, you will eat what comes from the fields.

13 'In this year of jubilee each of you is to return to his ancestral home. 14 If you buy or sell with your neighbour, let no one wrong his brother. 15 If you buy from your neighbour, this must take into account the number of years since the jubilee: according to the number of productive years he will fix the price. 16 The greater the number of years, the higher shall be the price demanded; the less the number of years, the greater the reduction; for what he is selling you is a certain number of harvest. 17 Let none of you wrong his neighbour, but fear your God; I am Yahweh your God.

18 'You must put my laws and customs into practice; you must keep them, practice them; and so you shall be secure in your possession of the land. 19 The land will give its fruit, you will eat your fill and live in security.

The divine guarantee

20 'In case you should ask: What shall we eat in the seventh year if we do not sow or harvest the produce? 21 I have ordered my blessing to be on you every sixth year, which will therefore provide for you for three years. 22 You will have the old produce to eat while you are sowing in the eighth year and even as late as the ninth year; you will eat the old produce, while waiting for the harvest of that year.

Consequences of the holiness of land and people

a. The land: redemption of land property

23 'Land must not be sold in perpetuity, for the land belongs to me, and to me you are only strangers and guests. 24 You will allow a right of redemption on all your landed property. 25 If your brother falls on evil days and has to sell his patrimony, his nearest relation shall come to him and exercise his right of redemption on what his brother has sold. 26 The man who has no one to exercise this right can regain his property in this way: when he has found the means to effect the redemption, 27 he his to calculate the number of years that the alienation would have lasted, repay to the purchaser the sum due for the time still to run, and so return the property. 28 If he cannot find the sum for paying the compensation, the property sold shall remain in the possession of the purchaser until the jubilee year. In the jubilee year, the latter must relinquish it and return to his own property.

29 'If anyone sells a dwelling house that is in his walled town, he shall have the right of redemption until the expiry of the year following the sale. His right of redemption is limited to the year; 30 and if the redemption has not been effected by the end of the year, this house in the town shall be the property of the purchaser and his descendants in perpetuity; he need not relinquish it at the jubilee. 31 But houses in villages not enclosed by walls will be considered as situated in the open country; they carry the right of redemption, and the purchaser must relinquish them at the jubilee.

32 'As regards the towns of the Levites, any property in the towns possessed by them shall carry a perpetual right of redemption in their favour. 33 If it is a Levite who is affected by the right of redemption, at the jubilee he must come out of the property that was sold and return to his house, to the town in which he has a title to property. For the houses in towns of the Levites are their property in the midst of the sons of Israel, 34 and the arable land depending on these towns cannot be sold, for it is their property for ever.

b. The people: loans and enfranchisement

35 'If your brother who is living with you falls on evil days and is unable to support himself with you, you must support him as you would a stranger or a guest, and he must continue to live with you. 36 Do not make him work for you, do not take interest from him; fear your God, and let your brother live with you. 37 You are not to lend him money at interest, or give him food to make profit out of it. 38 I am Yahweh your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.

39 'If your brother falls on evil days when he is with you and sells himself to you, you must not impose a slave's work on him; 40 he shall be like a hired man or a guest, and shall work with you until the jubilee year. 41 Then he shall leave you, he and his children; he shall return to his clan and regain possession of his ancestral property. 42 For they are my servants, these whom I have brought out of Egypt, and they must not be sold like slaves. 43 You must not be a hard master to him, but you must fear your God.

44 'The servants you have, men and women, shall come from the nations around you; from these you may purchase servants, men and women. 45 You may also purchase them from the children of the strangers who live among you, and from their families living with you who have been born on your soil. They shall be your property 46 and you may leave them as an inheritance to your sons after you, to hold in perpetual possession. These you may have for slaves; but to your brothers, the sons of Israel, you must not be hard masters.

47 'If a stranger or settler among you grows rich, and your brother falls on evil days and is in difficulties with him and sells himself to him, to his stranger or settler among you or to one of his descendants, 48 he shall enjoy the right of redemption after sale, and one of his brothers may redeem him. 49 His paternal uncle, his uncle's son, or a member of his own family may redeem him; if he has the means, he may redeem himself. 50 By agreement with his purchaser, he must count the number of years between the year of the sale and the jubilee year; the sum of the price of sale must be calculated at the annual rate for these years, his time being valued as that of a hired man. 51 If there are still many years to run, in proportion to their number he must refund part of his price as payment for his redemption. 52 And if there are only a few years still to run before the jubilee year, he must calculate in proportion to the number of these years what shall be refunded for his redemption, 53 the calculation being made as if he were hired by the year. You must see that the man is not hardly dealt with.

54 'If he has not been redeemed in any of these ways, he shall go free in the jubilee year, he and his children with him. 55 For they are my servants, these sons of Israel; they are my servants whom I have brought out of the land of Egypt, I am Yahweh your God.

Summary: conclusion

26- 1 'You must make no idols; you must setup neither carved image nor standing stone, set up no sculpture stone in your land, to prostrate yourselves in front of it; for it is I, Yahweh, who am your God. 2 You must keep my sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary. I am Yahweh.

Blessings

3 'If you live according to my laws, if you keep my commandments and put them into practice, 4 I will give you the rain you need at the right time; the earth shall give its produce and the trees of the countryside their fruits; 5 you shall thresh until vintage time and gather grapes until sowing time. You shall eat your fill of bread and live secure in your land.

6 'I will give peace to the land, and you shall sleep with none to frighten you. I will rid the land of beasts of prey. The sword shall not pass through your land. 7 You shall pursue your enemies and they shall fall before your sword; 8 five of you pursuing a hundred of them, one hundred pursuing ten thousand; and your enemies shall fall before your sword.

9 'I will turn toward you, I will make you be fruitful and multiply, and I will uphold my Covenant with you.

10 'You shall eat your fill of last year's harvest, and still throw out the old to make room for the new.

11 'I will set up my dwelling among you, and I will not cast you off. 12 I will live in your midst; I will be your God and you shall be my people. 13 It is I, Yahweh your God, who have brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you should be their servants no longer. I have broken the yoke that bound you and have made you walk with head held high.

Curses

14 'But if you do not listen to me, and do not observe each one of these commandments, 15 if you refuse my laws and disregard my customs, and break my Covenant by not observing each one of my commandments, 16 then I will deal in like manner with you.

'I will inflict terror on you, consumption and fever that waste the eyes away and exhaust the breath of life. You shall sow your seed in vain - your enemies shall feed on it. 17 I will turn against you and you shall be defeated by your enemies. Your foes shall have the mastery over you, and you shall take flight when there is no one pursuing you.

18 'And if in spite of this, you do not listen to me, I will still punish you sevenfold for your sins. 19 I will break your proud strength. I will give you a sky of iron, an earth of bronze. 20 You shall wear out your strength in vain, your land shall not yield its produce any longer nor the trees their fruit.

21 'If you set yourselves against me and will not listen to me, I will heap these plagues on you in sevenfold punishment for you sins. 22 I will let wild beasts loose against you to make away with your children, destroy your cattle, and reduce you in number until your roads are deserted.

23 'And if that does not reform you, and you still set yourselves against me, 24 I too will set myself against you and I will strike you with sevenfold punishment for your sins. 25 I will send out the sword against you, to avenge the Covenant. You may huddle inside your towns: I will send pestilence among you, and you shall be delivered into the hands of the enemy. 26 I will take away from you your bread, which is your staff, and one oven shall suffice for ten women to bake your bread; they shall dole this bread out by weight, and you shall eat and not be filled.

27 'And if, in spite of this, you do not listen to me but set yourselves against me, 28 I will set myself against you in fury and punish you sevenfold for your sins. 29 You shall eat the flesh of your own sons, and you shall eat the flesh of your own daughters. 30 I will destroy your high places and smash your altars of incense; I will pile your corpses on the corpses of your idols, and I will cast you off. 31 I will reduce your cities to ruins; I will lay your sanctuaries waste; I will no longer breathe the fragrance that would appease me. 32 I, yes I, will make such desolation of the land that your enemies who come to live there will be appalled by it. 33 And I will scatter you among the nations. I will unsheathe the sword against you to make your land waste and your towns a ruin. 34 Then the land will observe its sabbaths indeed, lying desolate there, while you are in the land of your enemies. Then indeed the land will rest and observe its sabbaths. 35 And as it lies desolate it will rest, as it never did on your sabbaths when you lived in it. 36 I will strike fear into the hearts of those of you that are left; in the land of their enemies the sound of a falling leaf shall send them fleeing as men flee from the sword, and they shall fall though there is no one pursuing them. 37 They shall stumble over one another as if the sword were upon them even when there is no one pursuing them. You shall be powerless to stand before your enemies; 38 you shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall swallow you up. 39 For their sins, those of you who are left shall perish in the lands of their enemies; they shall perish too for the sins of their fathers added to their own. 40 Then they shall confess their sins of their fathers, sins by which they betrayed me - worse, by which they set themselves against me.

41 'I in my turn will set myself against them and take them to the land of their enemies. Then their uncircumcised heart will be humbled, then they will atone for their sins. 42 I shall remember my Covenant with Jacob, and my Covenant with Isaac and my Covenant with Abraham; and I shall remember the land.

43 'Abandoned by them, the land will keep its sabbaths, as it lies desolate when they are gone. But they must atone for their sin, for they have spurned my customs and abhorred my laws.

44 'Yet this is not the end. When they are in the land of their enemies, I will not spurn them or abhor them as to destroy them altogether and break my Covenant with them; for I am Yahweh their God. 45 For their sake I will remember the Covenant I made with those first generations that I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I would be their God, I, Yahweh.'"

46 These are the laws, customs and rules which Yahweh laid down between himself and the sons of Israel on Mount Sanai through the mediation of Moses.

Tariffs and estimates

a. Persons

27- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses; he said:

2 "Speak to the sons of Israel and tell them:

'If anyone vows the value of a person to Yahweh and wishes to discharge the vow:

3 ' a man between twenty and sixty years of age shall be valued at fifty silver shekels - the sanctuary shekel; 4 a woman shall be valued at thirty shekels;

5 'between five and twenty years, a boy shall be valued at twenty shekels, a girl at ten shekels;

6 'between one month and five years, a boy shall be valued at five shekels, a girl at three shekels;

7 'at sixty years and over, a man shall be valued at fifteen shekels and a woman at ten shekels.

8 'If a person who made the vow cannot meet this valuation, he must present the person concerned to the priest, and the priest shall set a value proportionate to the resources of the person who made the vow.

b. Animals

9 'If it is a question of an animal for offering to Yahweh, any such animal given to Yahweh shall be a consecrated thing. 10 It cannot be exchanged or a substitute offered - good for bad, bad for good. If one animal is substituted for the other, both of them shall be consecrated. 11 If it is a question of an unclean animal, and not suitable for offering to Yahweh, whatever it may be it must be presented to the priest 12 and he shall set a value on it, judging it good or bad. You must abide by his valuation; 13 but if the person wishes to redeem it, he must add one fifth to the value.

c. Houses

14 If a man consecrates his house to Yahweh, the priest shall set a value on it, judging whether its value is great or little. You must abide by the priest's valuation, 15 but if the man who has vowed his house wishes to redeem it, he must add one fifth to the valuation, and it shall revert to him.

d. Fields

16 'If a man consecrates one of the fields of his patrimony to Yahweh, its value shall be calculated according to its productivity, at the rate of fifty silver shekels to one omer of barley.

17 'If he consecrates the field during the jubilee year, he must stand by this valuation. 18 But if he consecrates it after the jubilee, the priest shall calculate the price on the basis of the number of years still to run until the next jubilee and the valuation shall be reduced accordingly.

19 'If he wishes to redeem the field, he shall add one fifth to the valuation, and the field shall revert to him. 20 If he does not redeem it but sells it to another, the right of redemption ceases; 21 when the buyer has relinquish it at the jubilee year, it becomes a thing consecrated to Yahweh, the same as a field laid under ban: the man's property passes to the priest.

22 'If he consecrates to Yahweh a field which he has bought, but which is not part of his patrimony, 23 the priest shall assess the valuation on the basis of the number of years still to run before the jubilee year; and the man pay this sum the same day, as for a thing consecrated to Yahweh. 24 In the jubilee year, the field shall return to the seller, to the man to whose patrimony the land belongs. 25 All valuation must be made in sanctuary shekels, at the rate of twenty gerahs to a shekel.

Particular rules for the redemption

a. of first-born

26 'No one, whoever, may consecrate the first-born of his cattle, for it belongs to Yahweh by right: whether ox or sheep, it belongs to Yahweh. 27 But if it is an unclean animal it may be repurchased at the valuation price with one fifth added; if it is not redeemed, the animal shall be sold at the valuation price.

b. of things under the ban

28 'Nothing, however, that a man lays under the ban for Yahweh may redeemed; nothing he possesses, whether man, beasts, or fields of his patrimony. What is laid under the ban is always a most holy thing and belongs to Yahweh. 29 A human being laid under the ban cannot be redeemed, he must be put to death.

c. tithes

30 'All tithes of the land, levied on the produce of the earth or the fruits of trees, belongs to Yahweh; they are consecrated to Yahweh; 31 If a man wishes to redeem part of the tithe, he must add one fifth to its value.

32 'In all tithes of flock or herd, the tenth animal of all that pass under the herdsman's staff shall be a thing consecrated to Yahweh; 33 there must be no picking out of good and bad, no substitution. If substitution takes place, both the animal and its substitute shall be things consecrated without possibility of redemption.'"

34 These are the commandments that Yahweh laid down for Moses on Mount Sanai, for the sons of Israel.

1- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, in the wilderness of Sanai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after the exodus from the land of Egypt. He said:

2 "Take the census of the whole community of Israel's sons, by clans and families, taking a count of the names of all the males, head by head. 3 Every man of Israel, twenty years of age and over, fit to bear arms, must be registered by you and Aaron and assigned to his fighting position. 4 You are to take a man from each tribe, the head of the family, to help you in this.

The census officials

5 "These are the names of those who are to be helpers:

For Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur.

6 For Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.

7 For Judah, Nashbon son of Amminadab.

8 For Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar.

9 For Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon.

10 Of the sons of Joseph: for Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud; for Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.

11 For Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni.

12 For Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.

13 For Asher, Pagiel son of Ochran.

14 For Gar, Eliasaph son of Reuel.

15 For Nephtali, Ahira son of Enan."

16 These were men of repute in the community; they were leaders of their ancestral clans, chiefs of Israel's host.

17 Moses ans Aaron took these men who have been named, 18 and on the first day of the second month they mustered the whole community. The sons of Israel established their kinship by clans and families, and one by one the names of all men of twenty years and over were singled out. 19 As Yahweh had commanded, Moses took a census of them in the wilderness of Sanai.

The census

20 When the kinship of the sons of Reuben, Israel's first-born, had been established by clans and families, the names of all the males of twenty years and over, fit to bear arms, were singled out one by one. 21 The total of these for the tribe of Reuben was forty-six thousand five hundred.

22 When the kinship of the sons of Simeon had been established by clans and families, the names of all the males of twenty years and over, fit to bear arms, were singled out one by one. 23 The total of these for the tribe of Simeon was fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

24 When the kinship of the sons of Gad had been established by clans and families, the names of all the males of twenty years and over, fit to bear arms, were singled out one by one. 25 The total of these for the tribe of Gad was forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.

26 When the kinship of the sons of Judah had been established by clans and families, the names of all males of twenty years and over, fit to bear arms, were singled out one by one. 27 The total of these for the tribe of Judah was seventy-four thousand six hundred.

28 When the kinship of the sons of Issachar had been established by clans and families, the names of all the males of twenty years and over, fit to bear arms, were singled out one by one. 29 The total of these for the tribe of Issachar was fifty-four thousand four hundred.

30 When the kinship of the sons of Zebulun had been established by clans and families, the names of all the males of twenty years and over, fit to bear arms, were singled out one by one. 31 The total of these for the tribe of Zebulun was fifty-seven thousand four hundred.

32 The sons of Joseph: when the kinship of the sons of Ephraim had been established by clans and families, the names of all males of twenty years and over, fit to bear arms, were singled out one by one. 33 he total of these for the tribe of Ephraim was forty five thousand five hundred. 34 When the kinship of the sons of Manasseh had been established by clans and families, the names of twenty years and over, fit to bear arms, were singled out one by one. 35 The total of these for the tribe of Manasseh was thirty-two thousand two hundred.

36 When the kinship of the sons of Benjamin had been established by clans and families, the names of all males twenty years and over, fit to bear arms, were singled out one by one. 37 The total of these for the tribe of Benjamin was thirty-five thousand four hundred.

38 When the kinship of the sons of Dan had been established by clans and families, the names of all males of twenty and over, fit to bear arms, were singled out one by one. 39 The total for the tribe of Dan was sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

40 When the kinship of the sons of Asher had been established by clans and families, the names of all males twenty years and over, fit to bear arms, were singled out one by one. 41 The total of these for the tribe of Asher was forty-one thousand five hundred.

42 When the kinship of the sons of Naphtali had been established by clans and families, the names of all males twenty years and over, fit to bear arms, were singled out one by one. 43 The total of these for the tribe of Naphtali was fifty-three thousand four hundred.

44 Such were the men registered by Moses, Aaron and the leaders of Israel, of whom there were twelve, each representing his patriarchal House. 45 Every man of Israel of twenty years and over, fit to bear arms, was counted according to his patriarchal House. 46 Altogether the full total was six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty.

47 But the Levites and their patriarchal tribe were not included in the count.

Statute for the Levites

48 Yahweh spoke to Moses and he said:

49 "Do not, however, take the census of the Levites, or register them among the sons of Israel. 50 You yourself must enroll the Levites to serve the tabernacle of the Testimony and look after its furnishings and its belongings. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they are to take care of it and pitch their camp around it. 51 Whenever the tabernacle is moved the Levites are to be the people to dismantle it; whenever the tabernacle is set up again, they are to do this. Any layman coming near it must be put to death. 52 The sons of Israel are to pitch their tents in formation each in their own encampment, every man by his standard. 53 But the Levites are to pitch their tents around the tabernacle of the Testimony. In this way the wrath will be kept from falling on the whole community of the sons of Israel. The Levites are to be in charge of the tabernacle of the Testimony."

54 The sons of Israel did exactly as Yahweh had ordered Moses. They did as he said.

Order of the tribes

2- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron.

He said:

2 "The sons of Israel are to pitch their tents, every man by his own standard, under the banner of his patriarchal House. They are to pitch their tents all around the tabernacle of the Testimony, at a measured distance.

3 "Those who are to pitch their tents on the east side:

"Toward the sunrise, the standard of the camp of Judah, in battle array. Leader of the sons of Judah: Nahshon son of Amminadab. 4 His command: seventy-four thousand six hundred men.

5 "Encamped next to him:

"The tribe of Issachar. Leader of the sons of Issachar: Nethanel son of Zuar, 6 His command: fifty-four thousand four hundred.

7 "The tribe of Zebulun. Leader of the sons of Zebulun: Eliab son of Helon. 8 His command: fifty-seven thousand four hundred men.

9 "The assembled strenght of the camp of Judah numbers in all a hundred and eighty-six thousand four hundred. These are to be first in order of breaking camp.

10 "On the south side, the standard of the camp of Reuben, in battle array. Leader of the sons of Reuben: Elizur son of Shedeur. 11 His command: forty-six thousand five hundred men.

12 "Encamped next to him:

"The tribe of Simeon. Leader of the sons of Simeon: Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. 13 His command: fifty-nine thousand three hundred men.

14 "The tribe of Gad. Leader of the sons of Gad: Eliasaph son of Reuel. 15 His command: forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty men.

16 "The assembled strength of the camp of Reuben numbers in all a hundred and fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty. They are to be second in order of breaking camp.

17 "Next the Tent of Meeting will move, since the camp of the Levites is situated in the middle of the other camps. The order of the movement is to be the order of encampment, every man under his own standard.

18 "On the west side, the standard of the camp of Ephraim, in battle array. Leader of the sons of Ephraim: Elishama son of Ammihud. 19 His command: forty thousand five hundred men.

20 "Next to him:

"The tribe of Manasseh. Leader of the tribe of Manasseh: Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. 21 His command: thirty-two thousand two hundred men.

22 "The tribe of Benjamin. Leader of the sons of Benjamin: Abidan son of Gideoni. 23 His command: thirty-five thousand four hundred men.

24 "The assembled strength of the camp of Ephraim numbers in all a hundred and eight thousand one hundred. They are to be third in order of breaking camp.

25 "On the north side, the standard of the camp of Dan, in battle array. Leader of the sons of Dan: Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. 26 His command: sixty-two thousand seven hundred men.

27 "Encamped next to him:

28 "The tribe of Asher, leader of the sons of Asher: Pagiel son of Ochran. His command: forty-one thousand five hundred men.

29 "The tribe of Naphtali. Leader of the sons of Naphtali: Ahira son of Enan. 30 His command: fifty-three thousand four hundred men.

31 "The assembled strength of the camp of Dan numbers in all a hundred and fifty-seven thousand six hundred. They are the last in order of breaking camp."

(This concerns their stationing by standards.)

32 Such was the telly of the sons of Israel when the census was made according to patriarchal Houses. The full count of the entire camp, grouped under the various commands, is six hundred and three thousand and fifty. 33 The Levites, as Yahweh had commanded Moses, were not included in this census of the sons of Israel.

34 The sons of Israel did exactly as Yahweh had ordered Moses. This was how they pitched camp, grouped by standards. This was how they broke camp, each in his own clan, every man with his own family.

The tribe of Levi

a. The priests

3- 1 These are the descendants of Aaron and Moses, at the time when Yahweh spoke to Moses on Mount Sanai.

2 These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the eldest, then Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

3 These are the names of Aaron's sons, priests anointed and invested with the power of the priesthood. 4 Nadab and Abihu died in the presence of Yahweh, in the wilderness of Sanai, when they offered fire that was unlawful. They left no children and so it fell to Eleazar and Ithamar to exercise the priesthood under their father Aaron.

b. The Levites: their duties

5 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said:

6 "Muster the tribe of Levi and put it at the disposal of Aaron the priest: they are to be at his service. 7 They are to undertake the duties that are laid on him and on the entire community before the Tent of Meeting, in their service of the tabernacle. 8 The furnishings for the Tent of Meeting are to be in their charge, and they are to undertake the duties that are laid on the sons of Israel in their service of the tabernacle. 9 You are to give the Levites to Aaron and his sons as 'oblates'; that are to be given to him by the sons of Israel.

10 "You are to enroll Aaron and his sons, and they are to carry out their priestly duty. But any layman who comes near is to be put to death."

c. Their divine election

11 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said:

12 "I myself have chosen the Levites from among the sons of Israel, in place of the first-born, those who open the mother's womb among the sons of Israel; these Levites therefore belong to me. 13 For every first-born belongs to me. On the day when I struck all the first-born in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the first-born of Israel. They are mine; I am Yahweh."

d. Census of the Levites

14 Yahweh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sanai. He said:

15 "You are to take the census of the sons of Levi by families and clans; all the males of the age of one month and over must be counted."

16 At Yahweh's word, Moses took his census, as Yahweh had ordered. 17 These are the names of the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

18 These are the names of Gershon's sons by their clans: Libni and Shimei; 19 Kohath's sons by their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel; 20 Merari's sons by their clans: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of Levi, grouped according to their patriarchal families.

21 From Gershon are descended the Libnite and the Shimeite clans; these are the Gershonite clans. 22 Their full number, counting the males of one month and over, came to seven thousand five hundred. 23 The Gershonite clans pitched their camo behind the tabernacle, on the west side. 24 The leader of the House of Gershon was Eliasaph son of Lael. 25 In the Tent of Meeting the sons of Gershon had charge of the tabernacle, the Tent and its covering, the screen for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, 26 the hangings in the court, the screen for the entrance to the court surrounding the tabernacle and the altar, and the cords needed for all the work.

27 From Kohath are descended the Amramite, the Izharite, the Hebronite and the Uzielite clans; these are the Kohathite clans. 28 Their full number, counting the males of one month and over, came to eight thousand three hundred. They were in charge of the sanctuary. 29 The Kohathite clans pitched their camp on the south side of the tabernacle. 30 The leader of the House of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel. 31 They were in charge of the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the sacred vessels used in the liturgy, and the screen with all its fittings.

32 The chief of the Levite leaders was Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest. He was the head of all those who were in charge of the sanctuary.

33 From Merari are descended the Mahlite and the Mushite clans; these are the Merarite clans. 34 Their full number, counting the males of one month and over, came to six thousand two hundred. 35 The leader of the house of the Merarite clans was Zuriel, son of Abihail. They pitched their camp on the north side of the tabernacle. 36 The sons of Merari were in charge of the framework of the tabernacle, with its crossbars, posts and sockets, all its accessories and fittings, 37 and also the posts around the court, with their sockets, pegs and cords.

38 Finally, on the east side, facing the tabernacle and the Tent of Meeting, toward the sunrise, was the camp of Moses and Aaron and his sons, who had charge of the sanctuary on behalf of the sons of Israel. Any layman coming near was to be put to death.

39 Altogether, the total count of Levites of the age of one month and over, whom Moses numbered by clans as Yahweh had ordered, came to twenty-two thousand.

c. The Levites and the ransoming of the first-born

40 Yahweh said to Moses:

"Take the census of all the first-born among the sons of Israel, all the males from the age of one month and over; take a census of them by name. 41 Then you will present the Levites to me, in place of the first-born of Israel; in the same way you will give me their cattle in place of the first-born cattle of the sons of Israel."

42 As Yahweh ordered, Moses took a census of all the first-born of the sons of Israel. 43 The total count, by name, of the first-born from the age of one month and over came to twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.

44 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,

45 "Take the Levites in the place of the first-born of Israel's sons, and the cattle of the Levites in place of their cattle; the Levites shall be my own, Yahweh's own. 46 For the ransom of the two hundred and seventy-three of the first-born of the sons of Israel in excess of the number of Levites, 47 You are to take five shekels for each, reckoning by the sanctuary shekel, twenty gerahs to the shekel; 48 you must then give this money to Aaron and his sons as the ransom price for the extra number."

49 Moses received this money as the ransom for this extra number unransomed by the Levites. 50 He received the money for the first-born of the sons of Israel, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, sanctuary shekels. 51 Moses handed over this ransom money to Aaron and his sons, at the bidding of Yahweh, as Yahweh had ordered Moses.

The Levite clans

a. The Kohathites

4- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said:

2 "Take the census of those Levites who are sons of Kohath, by clans and families: 3 count all the men thirty and fifty years of age, those fit to bear arms, who are liable for the service in the Tent of Meeting.

4 "These are the duties of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting: they are to have charge of the most holy things.

5 "When camp is broken, Aaron and his sons are to come and take down the veil of the screen. With it they must cover up the ark of the Testimony. 6 On top of this they must pt a covering of fine leather, and spread over the whole a cloth all of violet. Then they are to fix the poles to the ark.

7 "Over the offertory table they are to spread a violet cloth, and put on it the dishes, cups, bowls and libation jars; the bread of perpetual offering is also to be on it. 8 Over these they must spread a cloth of scarlet and cover the whole with a covering of fine leather. Then they are to fix the poles to the table.

9 "They are to take a cloth of violet and cover the light-bearing lampstand, together with the lamps, snuffers, trays and all the oil jars that belongs to it. 10 They are to put it, with all its accessories, on a covering of fine leather and place it on the litter.

11 "Over the golden altar they must spread a violet cloth, and cover that with a covering of fine leather. Then they are to fix the poles to it.

12 "They are also to take all the other objects used in the service of the sanctuary. They must put them all on a violet cloth, cover them with a covering of fine leather, and place them together on the litter.

13 "When they have removed the ashes from the altar, they must spread a scarlet cloth over it, 14 and place on this all the objects used in the liturgical service, the fire pans, hooks, scoops, sprinkling basins and all the altar vessels. Over the whole they must spread a covering of fine leather. Then they are to fix the poles to it.

15 "When Aaron and his sons have finished covering all the sacred objects and all their accessories at the breaking of the camp, the sons of Kohath are to come to take the burden, but without touching any sacred things; otherwise they would de. This is the charge entrusted to the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting. 16 It is to fall to Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, to watch over the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the perpetual oblation and the chrism; he must watch over the whole tabernacle and everything in it: the sacred objects and their accessories."

17 Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said:

18 "Do not cut off the tribe of the clans of Kohath from the number of the Levites. 19 But deal with them in this way, so that they may live on and not incur death when they approach the most holy things: Aaron and his sons must go in and assign to each of them his task and his burden. 20 In this way they can go in and yet not cast their eyes, even for a moment, on any of the holy things; if they did, they would die."

b. The Gershonites

21 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said to him:

22 "Take a census also of the sons of Gershon, by families and clans: 23 count all the men between thirty and fifty years of age, those fit to bear arms, who are liable for the service in the Tent of Meeting.

24 These are the duties of the Gershonite clans, their functions and their burdens. 25 They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting with its covering and the covering of fine leather that goes over it, the screen for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, 26 the hangings of the court, the screen for the entrance to the court that surrounds the tabernacle and the altar, the cords and all the accessories, and all the necessary equipment.

They are responsible for these things. 27 All the duties of the sons of Gershon - their functions and their tasks - are to be carried out under the direction of Aaron and his sons: you must see that they fulfill their charge. 28 Such shall be the duties of the Gershonite clans in the Tent of Meeting. Their work will be supervised by Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest.

c. The Merarites

29 "You are to count the sons of Merari, by clans and families. 30 Count all the men between thirty and fifty years of age, those fit to bear arms, who are liable for the service in the Tent of Meeting.

31 "The burden they are to carry and the duties that are to fall to them in the Tent of Meeting shall be as follows: the framework of the tabernacle, its crossbars,, its posts and sockets, 32 the posts around the court with their sockets, pegs, cords and all the tackle. You are to draw up a list of their names with the burden that each man must carry.

33 "These are the duties of the Merarite clans. All their duties in the Tent of Meeting will be supervised by Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest."

Census of the Levites

34 Moses, Aaron and the leaders of the community took the census of the sons of Kohath, by clans and families; 35 of every man between thirty and fifty years of age, fit to bear arms and liable for service in the Tent of Meeting. 36 The total of their clans was two thousand seven hundred and fifty men. 37 This was the number of the Kohathite clans, of all those who were liable for service in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted at the bidding of Yahweh given through Moses.

38 A census was taken of the sons of Gershon, by clans and families: 39 of every man between thirty and fifty years of age, fit to bear arms and liable for service in the Tent of Meeting. 40 By clans and families the total was two thousand six hundred and thirty men. 41 This was the number of the Gershonite clans, of all those who were liable for the service in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted at the bidding of Yahweh.

42 A census was taken of the clans of the sons of Merari, by clans and families: 43 of every man between thirty and fifty years of age, fit to bear arms and liable for the service in the Tent of Meeting. 44 The total of their clans was three thousand two hundred men. 45 This was the number of the Merarite clans, whom Moses and Aaron counted at the bidding of Yahweh through Moses.

46 The total number of Levites, counted according to clans and families by Moses and Aaron and the leaders of Israel - 47 all the men between thirty and fifty years of age, fit to bear arms and liable for serving or carrying in the Tent of Meeting - 48 amounted to eight thousand five hundred and eight. 49 At the bidding of Yahweh through Moses, the census was taken to assign to every man his duty and his task; they were numbered as Yahweh had ordered Moses.

Expulsion of the unclean

5- 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said:

2 "Order the sons of Israel to put out of the camp all lepers, and all who suffer from a discharge, or who have become unclean by touching a corpse. 3 Man or woman, you must put them out and forbid them the camp. The sons of Israel must not defile in this way the camp where I swell among them."

4 The sons of Israel did so: they put them out of the camp. The sons of Israel did as Yahweh had ordered Moses.

Restitution

5 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said, 6 "Tell the sons of Israel:

"If a man or a woman commits any of the sins by which men break faith with Yahweh, that person incurs guilt.

7 'He must confess the sin he has committed and restore in full amount foe which he is liable, with one fifth added. Payment is to be made to the person whom was wronged.

8 "If, however, the latter has no kinsman to whom this restitution can be made, the restitution due to Yahweh reverts to the priest, over and above the ram of atonement with which the priest makes atonement for the guilty man. 9 For of everything consecrated by the sons of Israel and brought to the priest he has a right to the portion set aside. 10 Whatever a man consecrates is his own; whatever is given to the priest belongs to the priest.'"

Oblation in cases of jealousy

11 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said: 12 "Say this to the sons of Israel:

'If anyone has a wife who goes astray and is unfaithful to him, 13 if some other man sleeps with the woman without the husband's knowledge, if she disgraces herself in secret in this way, without any witness against her, and without anyone catching her in the act; 14 then, if the spirit of jealousy comes over the husband and makes him jealous for the wife who has disgraced herself, or again if this spirit of jealousy comes upon him and makes him jealous for his wife even when she is innocent: 15 the man must bring his wife before the priest, and on her behalf make an offering of one tenth of an ephah of barley meal. He is not to pour oil on it or incense on it, because this is an "oblation for jealousy," a memorial offering to record a fault.

16 "The priest is then to bring the woman forward and stand her before Yahweh. 17 Then he shall take living water in an earthen jar, and on the water throw dust that he has taken from the floor of the tabernacle. 18 After he has placed the woman before Yahweh, he shall unbind her hair and put in her hands the commemorative oblation (that oblation for jealousy). In his own hands the priest will hold the water of bitterness and of cursing.

19 'He is then to put the woman on oath. He shall say to her: If it is not true that a man has slept with you, that you have gone astray and disgraced yourself while under your husband's authority, then may this water of bitterness and the cursing do you no harm. 20 But if it is true that you have gone astray, while under your husband's authority, that you have disgraced yourself by sharing your bed with a man other than your husband . . . 21 Here the priest shall impose an imprecatory oath on the woman. He shall say to her . . . May Yahweh make of you an execration and a curse among your people, making your thigh shrivel and your belly swell! 22 May this water of cursing enter your bowels to swell your belly and shrivel your organs! The woman must answer: Amen! Amen!

23 'Then the priest shall commit these curses to writing and wash them off in the water of bitterness. 24 He must make the woman drink this water of bitterness and of cursing, and this water of cursing shall go into her and be bitter inside her

25 'The priest shall then take the oblation for jealousy from the woman's hands, and hold it up before Yahweh with a gesture of offering, and so carry it up to the altar. 26 He shall take a handful as a memorial, and burnt it on the altar.

'He shall then make the woman drink the water. 27 After he has made her drink it, if it is true that she has disgraced herself, deceiving her husband, then the water of cursing that goes into her shall indeed be bitter: her belly will swell and her thigh shrivel, and she will be an execration among her people. 28 But if she has not disgraced herself and is clean, then she will go unscathed and will bear children.