Feb 9 - Numbers 23-26
Numbers
1And Balaam said to Balak, "Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams."2Balak did as Balaam had said. And Balak and Balaam offered on each altar a bull and a ram.3And Balaam said to Balak, "Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell you." And he went to a bare height,4and God met Balaam. And Balaam said to him, "I have arranged the seven altars and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram."5And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak."6And he returned to him, and behold, he and all the princes of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering.7And Balaam took up his discourse and said, "From Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: 'Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel!'8How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?9For from the top of the crags I see him, from the hills I behold him; behold, a people dwelling alone, and not counting itself among the nations!10Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!"11And Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them."12And he answered and said, "Must I not take care to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"13And Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place, from which you may see them. You shall see only a fraction of them and shall not see them all. Then curse them for me from there."14And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.15Balaam said to Balak, "Stand here beside your burnt offering, while I meet the LORD over there."16And the LORD met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and thus shall you speak."17And he came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, "What has the LORD spoken?"18And Balaam took up his discourse and said, "Rise, Balak, and hear; give ear to me, O son of Zippor:19God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?20Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.21He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob, nor has he seen trouble in Israel. The LORD their God is with them, and the shout of a king is among them.22God brings them out of Egypt and is for them like the horns of the wild ox.23For there is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel; now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel, 'What has God wrought!'24Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up and as a lion it lifts itself; it does not lie down until it has devoured the prey and drunk the blood of the slain."25And Balak said to Balaam, "Do not curse them at all, and do not bless them at all."26But Balaam answered Balak, "Did I not tell you, 'All that the LORD says, that I must do'?"27And Balak said to Balaam, "Come now, I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there."28So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the desert.29And Balaam said to Balak, "Build for me here seven altars and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams."30And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
1When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness.2And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him,3and he took up his discourse and said, "The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,4the oracle of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered:5How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel!6Like palm groves that stretch afar, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that the LORD has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters.7Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters; his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.8God brings him out of Egypt and is for him like the horns of the wild ox; he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces and pierce them through with his arrows.9He crouched, he lay down like a lion and like a lioness; who will rouse him up? Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you."10And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times.11Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, 'I will certainly honor you,' but the LORD has held you back from honor."12And Balaam said to Balak, "Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me,13'If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the LORD speaks, that will I speak'?14And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days."15And he took up his discourse and said, "The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,16the oracle of him who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered:17I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.18Edom shall be dispossessed; Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed. Israel is doing valiantly.19And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion and destroy the survivors of cities!"20Then he looked on Amalek and took up his discourse and said, "Amalek was the first among the nations, but its end is utter destruction."21And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said, "Enduring is your dwelling place, and your nest is set in the rock.22Nevertheless, Kain shall be burned when Asshur takes you away captive."23And he took up his discourse and said, "Alas, who shall live when God does this?24But ships shall come from Kittim and shall afflict Asshur and Eber; and he too shall come to utter destruction."25Then Balaam rose and went back to his place. And Balak also went his way.
1While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab.2These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.3So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.4And the LORD said to Moses, "Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the LORD, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel."5And Moses said to the judges of Israel, "Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor."6And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were weeping in the entrance of the tent of meeting.7When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand8and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly. Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped.9Nevertheless, those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.10And the LORD said to Moses,11"Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the people of Israel in my jealousy.12Therefore say, 'Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace,13and it shall be to him and to his descendants after him the covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel.'"14The name of the slain man of Israel, who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, chief of a father's house belonging to the Simeonites.15And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, who was the tribal head of a father's house in Midian.16And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,17"Harass the Midianites and strike them down,18for they have harassed you with their wiles, with which they beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the chief of Midian, their sister, who was killed on the day of the plague on account of Peor."
1After the plague, the LORD said to Moses and to Eleazar the son of Aaron, the priest,2"Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, by their fathers' houses, all in Israel who are able to go to war."3And Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,4"Take a census of the people, from twenty years old and upward," as the LORD commanded Moses. The people of Israel who came out of the land of Egypt were:5Reuben, the firstborn of Israel; the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the clan of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the clan of the Palluites;6of Hezron, the clan of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the clan of the Carmites.7These are the clans of the Reubenites, and those listed were 43,730.8And the sons of Pallu: Eliab.9The sons of Eliab: Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram, chosen from the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the LORD10and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, when the fire devoured 250 men, and they became a warning.11But the sons of Korah did not die.12The sons of Simeon according to their clans: of Nemuel, the clan of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the clan of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the clan of the Jachinites;13of Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the clan of the Shaulites.14These are the clans of the Simeonites, 22,200.15The sons of Gad according to their clans: of Zephon, the clan of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the clan of the Haggites; of Shuni, the clan of the Shunites;16of Ozni, the clan of the Oznites; of Eri, the clan of the Erites;17of Arod, the clan of the Arodites; of Areli, the clan of the Arelites.18These are the clans of the sons of Gad as they were listed, 40,500.19The sons of Judah were Er and Onan; and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.20And the sons of Judah according to their clans were: of Shelah, the clan of the Shelanites; of Perez, the clan of the Perezites; of Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites.21And the sons of Perez were: of Hezron, the clan of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the clan of the Hamulites.22These are the clans of Judah as they were listed, 76,500.23The sons of Issachar according to their clans: of Tola, the clan of the Tolaites; of Puvah, the clan of the Punites;24of Jashub, the clan of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the clan of the Shimronites.25These are the clans of Issachar as they were listed, 64,300.26The sons of Zebulun, according to their clans: of Sered, the clan of the Seredites; of Elon, the clan of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the clan of the Jahleelites.27These are the clans of the Zebulunites as they were listed, 60,500.28The sons of Joseph according to their clans: Manasseh and Ephraim.29The sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the clan of the Machirites; and Machir was the father of Gilead; of Gilead, the clan of the Gileadites.30These are the sons of Gilead: of Iezer, the clan of the Iezerites; of Helek, the clan of the Helekites;31and of Asriel, the clan of the Asrielites; and of Shechem, the clan of the Shechemites;32and of Shemida, the clan of the Shemidaites; and of Hepher, the clan of the Hepherites.33Now Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters. And the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.34These are the clans of Manasseh, and those listed were 52,700.35These are the sons of Ephraim according to their clans: of Shuthelah, the clan of the Shuthelahites; of Becher, the clan of the Becherites; of Tahan, the clan of the Tahanites.36And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the clan of the Eranites.37These are the clans of the sons of Ephraim as they were listed, 32,500. These are the sons of Joseph according to their clans.38The sons of Benjamin according to their clans: of Bela, the clan of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the clan of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the clan of the Ahiramites;39of Shephupham, the clan of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the clan of the Huphamites.40And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the clan of the Ardites; of Naaman, the clan of the Naamites.41These are the sons of Benjamin according to their clans, and those listed were 45,600.42These are the sons of Dan according to their clans: of Shuham, the clan of the Shuhamites. These are the clans of Dan according to their clans.43All the clans of the Shuhamites, as they were listed, were 64,400.44The sons of Asher according to their clans: of Imnah, the clan of the Imnites; of Ishvi, the clan of the Ishvites; of Beriah, the clan of the Beriites.45Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the clan of the Heberites; of Malchiel, the clan of the Malchielites.46And the name of the daughter of Asher was Serah.47These are the clans of the sons of Asher as they were listed, 53,400.48The sons of Naphtali according to their clans: of Jahzeel, the clan of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the clan of the Gunites;49of Jezer, the clan of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the clan of the Shillemites.50These are the clans of Naphtali according to their clans, and those listed were 45,400.51This was the list of the people of Israel, 601,730.52The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,53"Among these the land shall be divided for inheritance according to the number of names.54To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance; every tribe shall be given its inheritance in proportion to its list.55But the land shall be divided by lot. According to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.56Their inheritance shall be divided according to lot between the larger and the smaller."57This was the list of the Levites according to their clans: of Gershon, the clan of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the clan of the Kohathites; of Merari, the clan of the Merarites.58These are the clans of Levi: the clan of the Libnites, the clan of the Hebronites, the clan of the Mahlites, the clan of the Mushites, the clan of the Korahites. And Kohath was the father of Amram.59The name of Amram's wife was Jochebed the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt. And she bore to Amram Aaron and Moses and Miriam their sister.60And to Aaron were born Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.61But Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD.62And those listed were 23,000, every male from a month old and upward. For they were not listed among the people of Israel, because there was no inheritance given to them among the people of Israel.63These were those listed by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who listed the people of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.64But among these there was not one of those listed by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had listed the people of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.65For the LORD had said of them, "They shall die in the wilderness." Not one of them was left, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.