Numbers 7

• 1. On the day Moses set up the Tabernacle, he anointed it and set it apart as holy, along with all its furnishings and the altar with its utensils.
• 2. Then the leaders of Israel--the tribal leaders who had organized the census--came and brought their offerings.
• 3. Together they brought six carts and twelve oxen. There was a cart for every two leaders and an ox for each leader. They presented these to the LORD in front of the Tabernacle.
• 4. Then the LORD said to Moses,
• 5. "Receive their gifts and use these oxen and carts for the work of the Tabernacle. Distribute them among the Levites according to the work they have to do."
• 6. So Moses presented the carts and oxen to the Levites.
• 7. He gave two carts and four oxen to the Gershonite division for their work,
• 8. and four carts and eight oxen to the Merarite division for their work. All their work was done under the leadership of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
• 9. But he gave none of the carts or oxen to the Kohathite division, since they were required to carry the sacred objects of the Tabernacle on their shoulders.
• 10. The leaders also presented dedication gifts for the altar at the time it was anointed. They each placed their gifts before the altar.
• 11. The LORD said to Moses, "Let each leader bring his gift on a different day for the dedication of the altar."
• 12. On the first day Nahshon son of Amminadab, leader of the tribe of Judah, presented his offering.
• 13. The offering consisted of a silver platter weighing about 3 1/4 pounds and a silver basin of about 1 3/4 pounds. These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour mixed with olive oil.
• 14. He also brought a gold container weighing about four ounces, which was filled with incense.
• 15. He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb as a burnt offering;
• 16. a male goat for a sin offering;
• 17. and two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering brought by Nahshon son of Amminadab.
• 18. On the second day Nethanel son of Zuar, leader of the tribe of Issachar, presented his offering.
• 19. The offering consisted of a silver platter weighing about 3 1/4 pounds and a silver basin of about 1 3/4 pounds. These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour mixed with olive oil.
• 20. He also brought a gold container weighing about four ounces, which was filled with incense.
• 21. He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb as a burnt offering;
• 22. a male goat for a sin offering;
• 23. and two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering brought by Nethanel son of Zuar.
• 24. On the third day Eliab son of Helon, leader of the tribe of Zebulun, presented his offering.
• 25. The offering consisted of a silver platter weighing about 3 1/4 pounds and a silver basin of about 1 3/4 pounds. These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour mixed with olive oil.
• 26. He also brought a gold container weighing about four ounces, which was filled with incense.
• 27. He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb as a burnt offering;
• 28. a male goat for a sin offering;
• 29. and two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering brought by Eliab son of Helon.
• 30. On the fourth day Elizur son of Shedeur, leader of the tribe of Reuben, presented his offering.
• 31. The offering consisted of a silver platter weighing about 3 1/4 pounds and a silver basin of about 1 3/4 pounds. These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour mixed with olive oil.
• 32. He also brought a gold container weighing about four ounces, which was filled with incense.
• 33. He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb as a burnt offering;
• 34. a male goat for a sin offering;
• 35. and two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering brought by Elizur son of Shedeur.
• 36. On the fifth day Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, leader of the tribe of Simeon, presented his offering.
• 37. The offering consisted of a silver platter weighing about 3 1/4 pounds and a silver basin of about 1 3/4 pounds. These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour mixed with olive oil.
• 38. He also brought a gold container weighing about four ounces, which was filled with incense.
• 39. He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb as a burnt offering;
• 40. a male goat for a sin offering;
• 41. and two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering brought by Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.
• 42. On the sixth day Eliasaph son of Deuel, leader of the tribe of Gad, presented his offering.
• 43. The offering consisted of a silver platter weighing about 3 1/4 pounds and a silver basin of about 1 3/4 pounds. These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour mixed with olive oil.
• 44. He also brought a gold container weighing about four ounces, which was filled with incense.
• 45. He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb as a burnt offering;
• 46. a male goat for a sin offering;
• 47. and two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering brought by Eliasaph son of Deuel.
• 48. On the seventh day Elishama son of Ammihud, leader of the tribe of Ephraim, presented his offering.
• 49. The offering consisted of a silver platter weighing about 3 1/4 pounds and a silver basin of about 1 3/4 pounds. These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour mixed with olive oil.
• 50. He also brought a gold container weighing about four ounces, which was filled with incense.
• 51. He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb as a burnt offering;
• 52. a male goat for a sin offering;
• 53. and two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering brought by Elishama son of Ammihud.
• 54. On the eighth day Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, leader of the tribe of Manasseh, presented his offering.
• 55. The offering consisted of a silver platter weighing about 3 1/4 pounds and a silver basin of about 1 3/4 pounds. These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour mixed with olive oil.
• 56. He also brought a gold container weighing about four ounces, which was filled with incense.
• 57. He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb as a burnt offering;
• 58. a male goat for a sin offering;
• 59. and two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering brought by Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.
• 60. On the ninth day Abidan son of Gideoni, leader of the tribe of Benjamin, presented his offering.
• 61. The offering consisted of a silver platter weighing about 3 1/4 pounds and a silver basin of about 1 3/4 pounds. These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour mixed with olive oil.
• 62. He also brought a gold container weighing about four ounces, which was filled with incense.
• 63. He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb as a burnt offering;
• 64. a male goat for a sin offering;
• 65. and two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering brought by Abidan son of Gideoni.
• 66. On the tenth day Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, leader of the tribe of Dan, presented his offering.
• 67. The offering consisted of a silver platter weighing about 3 1/4 pounds and a silver basin of about 1 3/4 pounds. These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour mixed with olive oil.
• 68. He also brought a gold container weighing about four ounces, which was filled with incense.
• 69. He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb as a burnt offering;
• 70. a male goat for a sin offering;
• 71. and two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering brought by Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.
• 72. On the eleventh day Pagiel son of Ocran, leader of the tribe of Asher, presented his offering.
• 73. The offering consisted of a silver platter weighing about 3 1/4 pounds and a silver basin of about 1 3/4 pounds. These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour mixed with olive oil.
• 74. He also brought a gold container weighing about four ounces, which was filled with incense.
• 75. He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb as a burnt offering;
• 76. a male goat for a sin offering;
• 77. and two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering brought by Pagiel son of Ocran.
• 78. On the twelfth day Ahira son of Enan, leader of the tribe of Naphtali, presented his offering.
• 79. The offering consisted of a silver platter weighing about 3 1/4 pounds and a silver basin of about 1 3/4 pounds. These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour mixed with olive oil.
• 80. He also brought a gold container weighing about four ounces, which was filled with incense.
• 81. He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb as a burnt offering;
• 82. a male goat for a sin offering;
• 83. and two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs for a peace offering. This was the offering brought by Ahira son of Enan.
• 84. So this was the dedication offering for the altar, brought by the leaders of Israel at the time it was anointed: twelve silver platters, twelve silver basins, and twelve gold incense containers.
• 85. In all, the silver objects weighed about 60 pounds, about 3 1/4 pounds for each platter and 1 3/4 pounds for each basin.
• 86. The weight of the donated gold came to about three pounds, about four ounces for each of the gold containers that were filled with incense.
• 87. Twelve bulls, twelve rams, and twelve one-year-old male lambs were donated for the burnt offerings, along with their prescribed grain offerings. Twelve male goats were brought for the sin offerings.
• 88. Twenty-four young bulls, sixty rams, sixty male goats, and sixty one-year-old male lambs were donated for the peace offerings. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed.
• 89. Whenever Moses went into the Tabernacle to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the Ark's cover--the place of atonement--that rests on the Ark of the Covenant. The LORD spoke to him from there.

Numbers 8

• 1. The LORD said to Moses,
• 2. "Tell Aaron that when he sets up the seven lamps in the lampstand, he is to place them so their light shines forward."
• 3. So Aaron did this. He set up the seven lamps so they reflected their light forward, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
• 4. The entire lampstand, from its base to its decorative blossoms, was made of beaten gold. It was built according to the exact design the LORD had shown Moses.
• 5. Then the LORD said to Moses,
• 6. "Now set the Levites apart from the rest of the people of Israel and make them ceremonially clean.
• 7. Do this by sprinkling them with the water of purification. And have them shave their entire body and wash their clothing. Then they will be ceremonially clean.
• 8. Have them bring a young bull and a grain offering of choice flour mixed with olive oil, along with a second young bull for a sin offering.
• 9. Then assemble the whole community of Israel and present the Levites at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
• 10. When you bring the Levites before the LORD, the people of Israel must lay their hands on them.
• 11. Aaron must present the Levites to the LORD as a special offering from the people of Israel, thus dedicating them to the LORD's service.
• 12. "Next the Levites will lay their hands on the heads of the young bulls and present them to the LORD. One will be for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, to make atonement for the Levites.
• 13. Then have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons, and present them as a special offering to the LORD.
• 14. In this way, you will set the Levites apart from the rest of the people of Israel, and the Levites will belong to me.
• 15. After this, they may go in and out of the Tabernacle to do their work, because you have purified them and presented them as a special offering.
• 16. "Of all the people of Israel, the Levites are reserved for me. I have claimed them for myself in place of all the firstborn sons of the Israelites; I have taken the Levites as their substitutes.
• 17. For all the firstborn males among the people of Israel are mine, both people and animals. I set them apart for myself on the night I killed all the firstborn sons of the Egyptians.
• 18. Yes, I claim the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons of Israel.
• 19. And of all the Israelites, I have assigned the Levites to Aaron and his sons. They will serve in the Tabernacle on behalf of the Israelites and make atonement for them so no plague will strike them when they approach the sanctuary."
• 20. So Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel dedicated the Levites, carefully following all the LORD's instructions to Moses.
• 21. The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes, and Aaron presented them to the LORD as a special offering. He then performed the rite of atonement over them to purify them.
• 22. From then on the Levites went into the Tabernacle to perform their duties, helping Aaron and his sons. So they carried out all the commands that the LORD gave Moses concerning the Levites.
• 23. The LORD also instructed Moses,
• 24. "This is the rule the Levites must follow: They must begin serving in the Tabernacle at the age of twenty-five,
• 25. and they must retire at the age of fifty.
• 26. After retirement they may assist their fellow Levites by performing guard duty at the Tabernacle, but they may not officiate in the service. This is how you will assign duties to the Levites."

Numbers 9

• 1. The LORD gave these instructions to Moses in early spring, during the second year after Israel's departure from Egypt, while he and the rest of the Israelites were in the wilderness of Sinai:
• 2. "Tell the Israelites to celebrate the Passover at the proper time,
• 3. at twilight on the appointed day in early spring. Be sure to follow all my laws and regulations concerning this celebration."
• 4. So Moses told the people to celebrate the Passover
• 5. in the wilderness of Sinai as twilight fell on the appointed day. And they celebrated the festival there, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
• 6. But some of the men had been ceremonially defiled by touching a dead person, so they could not offer their Passover lambs that day. So they came to Moses and Aaron that day
• 7. and said, "We have become ceremonially unclean by touching a dead person. But why should we be excluded from presenting the LORD's offering at the proper time with the rest of the Israelites?"
• 8. Moses answered, "Wait here until I have received instructions for you from the LORD."
• 9. This was the LORD's reply:
• 10. "Say to the Israelites: `If any of the people now or in future generations are ceremonially unclean at Passover time because of touching a dead body, or if they are on a journey and cannot be present at the ceremony, they may still celebrate the LORD's Passover.
• 11. They must offer the Passover sacrifice one month later, at twilight on the appointed day. They must eat the lamb at that time with bitter herbs and bread made without yeast.
• 12. They must not leave any of the lamb until the next morning, and they must not break any of its bones. They must follow all the normal regulations concerning the Passover.
• 13. " `But those who are ceremonially clean and not away on a trip, yet still refuse to celebrate the Passover at the regular time, will be cut off from the community of Israel for failing to present the LORD's offering at the proper time. They will suffer the consequences of their guilt.
• 14. And if foreigners living among you want to celebrate the Passover to the LORD, they must follow these same laws and regulations. The same laws apply both to you and to the foreigners living among you.'"
• 15. The Tabernacle was set up, and on that day the cloud covered it. Then from evening until morning the cloud over the Tabernacle appeared to be a pillar of fire.
• 16. This was the regular pattern--at night the cloud changed to the appearance of fire.
• 17. When the cloud lifted from over the sacred tent, the people of Israel followed it. And wherever the cloud settled, the people of Israel camped.
• 18. In this way, they traveled at the LORD's command and stopped wherever he told them to. Then they remained where they were as long as the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle.
• 19. If the cloud remained over the Tabernacle for a long time, the Israelites stayed for a long time, just as the LORD commanded.
• 20. Sometimes the cloud would stay over the Tabernacle for only a few days, so the people would stay for only a few days. Then at the LORD's command they would break camp.
• 21. Sometimes the cloud stayed only overnight and moved on the next morning. But day or night, when the cloud lifted, the people broke camp and followed.
• 22. Whether the cloud stayed above the Tabernacle for two days, a month, or a year, the people of Israel stayed in camp and did not move on. But as soon as it lifted, they broke camp and moved on.
• 23. So they camped or traveled at the LORD's command, and they did whatever the LORD told them through Moses.

New Living Translation: 43 of 324 days.