Numbers 15

Supplementary Offerings

¹ The Lord told Moses ² to speak to the Israelites and tell them this:

When you come into the land where you will live, the land which I am giving to you, ³ and you make an offering by fire ^[1] to the Lord from the herd or the flock, to make a pleasing aroma to the Lord (whether it is a burnt offering or a sacrifice, whether it is to fulfill a vow or as a voluntary offering or at your appointed festivals), ⁴ the person who presents his offering is to present to the Lord two quarts ^[2] of fine flour mixed with a quart ^[3] of oil as a grain offering. ⁵ For each lamb, for the burnt offering or the sacrifice, you are to supply a quart of wine as the drink offering.

⁶ With a ram you are to supply four quarts ^[4] of fine flour mixed with a quart and a half ^[5] of oil as a grain offering, ⁷ and you will also present a quart of wine as the drink offering, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

⁸ If you are offering a young bull as a burnt offering or a sacrifice, which is to fulfill a vow or to be a fellowship offering to the Lord, ⁹ you are to present along with the young bull six quarts ^[6] of fine flour mixed with two quarts ^[7] of oil as a grain offering, ¹⁰ and you will present two quarts of wine as the drink offering, as a gift of food ^[8] with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. ¹¹ This is to be provided for each offering from the cattle, rams, lambs, or goats. ¹² You are to supply these offerings for each sacrifice you prepare.

¹³ Everyone who is native-born is to do these things in this way when presenting a gift of food with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. ¹⁴ For your generations to come, if an alien resides with you or someone else settles among you, and he wants to present a gift offered by fire, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord, he is to do just as you do. ¹⁵ In the assembly there will be a single regulation for you and for the resident alien, a permanent regulation for your generations to come. You and the alien will be the same before the Lord. ¹⁶ There will be a single law and a single ordinance for you and the alien residing with you.

¹⁷ The Lord told Moses ¹⁸ to speak to the Israelites and tell them this:

When you come to the land to which I am bringing you ¹⁹ and when you eat from the food of the land, you are to present an elevated offering to the Lord. ²⁰ From the first of your dough you are to present a round ^[9] loaf as an elevated offering. You are to lift it up just like an elevated offering from the threshing floor. ²¹ For your generations to come, you will give to the Lord an elevated offering from the first of your dough.

Offerings for Unintentional Sins

²² When you err unintentionally and do not carry out all these commands, which the Lord has spoken to Moses— ²³ everything that the Lord has commanded you through Moses, from the day that the Lord first gave these commands and onward, for your generations to come— ²⁴ if it was done unintentionally, and the community was not aware of it, the entire community shall offer one young bull as a whole burnt offering, as a pleasing aroma to the Lord, with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and one male goat as a sin offering. ²⁵ The priest will make atonement for the entire Israelite community, and they will be forgiven, because it was an unintentional error. They are to bring their offering, a gift made by fire to the Lord, and their sin offering before the Lord for their unintentional error. ²⁶ The entire Israelite community and the aliens who reside among them will be forgiven, for all the people were involved in this error unintentionally.

²⁷ If one person errs unintentionally, he must present a year-old female goat for a sin offering. ²⁸ The priest will make atonement for the person who erred unintentionally, since by that unintentional error he sinned against the Lord. When the priest makes atonement for him, he will be forgiven. ²⁹ You shall have a single law for anyone who commits an error unintentionally, whether a native-born Israelite or an alien who resides among you.

³⁰ But a person who does anything defiantly, ^[10] whether he is native-born or an alien, is blaspheming the Lord. That person must be cut off from among his people. ³¹ Because he has despised the Lord’s word and has broken his commands, that person will be completely cut off. His guilt shall remain on him.

The Sabbath-Breaker Put to Death

³² While the Israelites were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day. ³³ The people who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses, Aaron, and the entire community. ³⁴ They put him in custody, because it had not been made clear what should be done with him.

³⁵ The Lord said to Moses, “The man must certainly be put to death. The entire community is to stone him outside of the camp.” ³⁶ The entire community brought him outside of the camp and stoned him to death, just as the Lord commanded Moses.

Tassels on Garments

³⁷ The Lord told Moses ³⁸ to speak to the Israelites and tell them this:

Numbers 13:1 – 14:10

Scouting Canaan

Numbers 13

¹ The Lord spoke to Moses: ² “Send men to scout the land of Canaan, which I myself am giving to the Israelites. You are to send one man from each ancestral tribe, each one a tribal chief among the people of Israel.”

³ Moses sent them from the Wilderness of Paran according to the Lord’s command. All of these men were heads of the Israelites. ⁴ These were their names:

¹⁶ These were the names of the men whom Moses sent to scout the land. Moses renamed Hoshea son of Nun “Joshua.” ^[1]

¹⁷ Moses sent them to scout the land of Canaan and said to them, “Go up this way through the Negev ^[2] and go up into the hill country. ^{[3] 18} See what the land is like. See if the people who live in the land are strong or weak. See if they are few or many. ¹⁹ See if the land that they live in is good or bad. See what kind of cities they live in. See if the cities are camps or fortified places. ²⁰ See what the land is like. See if the land is fertile or poor. See if there are trees in the land or not. Be courageous and bring back some of the fruit of the land.” This happened at the season of the first ripe grapes.

²¹ So they went up and scouted the land from the Wilderness of Zin to Rehob, toward Lebo Hamath. ²² They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron. Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) ²³ The scouts came to the Valley of Eshcol, and there they cut down a branch with one cluster of grapes. They carried it on a pole between two men, along with some pomegranates and figs. ²⁴ They named that place the Valley of Eshcol, ^[4] because of the cluster which the Israelites had cut down from there. ²⁵ At the end of forty days, they returned from scouting the land.

The Report About Canaan

²⁶ They came back to Moses, Aaron, and the entire community of the Israelites at Kadesh in the Wilderness of Paran. They brought back a report to them and to the entire community. They showed them some of the fruit of the land. ²⁷ They reported to him and said, “We went to the land where you sent us. It really does flow with milk and honey, and here is its fruit. ²⁸ However, the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. We also saw the descendants of Anak there. ²⁹ The Amalekites are living in the land of the Negev. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites are living in the hill country. The Canaanites are living by the sea and along the Jordan.”

³⁰ Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “We should go up now and take possession of it, because we can certainly conquer it!”

³¹ But the men who had gone up with Caleb said, “We are not able to go up against the people, because they are stronger than we are.” ³² So they spread a negative report to the Israelites about the land that they had scouted. They said, “The land that we explored and scouted is a land that eats up its inhabitants. All the people we saw in the land were huge. ³³ We saw there the Nephilim ^[5] (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). In our own eyes we seemed like grasshoppers. We seemed like grasshoppers in their eyes too.”

The People Rebel

Numbers 14

¹ The entire community raised a loud cry. The people wept that night. ² All of the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The entire community said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! If only we had died in this wilderness! ³ Why is the Lord bringing us to this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our children will be taken as captives! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?” ⁴ So they said to one another, “Let’s put someone in charge and return to Egypt.”

⁵ Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown before the entire assembly of the Israelite community.

⁶ Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, two of those who had scouted the land, tore their clothes. ⁷ They spoke to the entire Israelite community, “The land that we explored and scouted is a very good land. ⁸ If the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that is flowing with milk and honey. ⁹ Only do not revolt against the Lord. Do not fear the people of the land, for we will eat them up. ^[6] Their protection is taken away from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.”

¹⁰ Still the entire community threatened to stone them to death. 

Numbers 9:15 – 10:36

Numbers 9

The Cloud and the Dwelling

¹⁵ On the day that the Dwelling was set up, the cloud covered the Dwelling, that is, the Tent of the Testimony. The cloud over the Dwelling looked like fire from evening until morning. ¹⁶ It was always like this: The cloud would cover the Dwelling, and at night it looked like fire. ¹⁷ Whenever the cloud above the tent lifted up, the Israelites would set out. Wherever the cloud settled down, the Israelites would camp at that spot. ¹⁸ At the command of the Lord, the Israelites set out, and at the command of the Lord they set up camp. For the entire time that the cloud settled over the Dwelling, they would keep their camp at that place. ¹⁹ When the cloud stayed over the Dwelling for many days, the Israelites would keep the Lord’s order and would not set out. ²⁰ Sometimes the cloud would be over the Dwelling for only a few days. Then according to the command of the Lord the Israelites would remain camped at that place. Then at the command of the Lord they would set out again. ²¹ Sometimes the cloud was over the Dwelling only from evening until morning. So when the cloud lifted up in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, when the cloud lifted up, they set out. ²² Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud stayed settled over the Dwelling, the Israelites remained camped at that place and did not set out. But when it lifted up, they set out. ²³ At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord they set out. They kept the Lord’s order, following the command of the Lord given through Moses.

The Silver Trumpets

Numbers 10

¹ The Lord told Moses ² to make two trumpets of hammered silver and to use them in this way:

You will use them to summon the community and to have the camp set out.

³ When they blow both trumpets, the entire community will gather to you at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. ⁴ If they blow just one trumpet, then the tribal chiefs, the heads of the Israelite clans, will gather to you.

⁵ When you blow the signal on the trumpets, the camps that are on the east side will set out. ⁶ When you blow the signal a second time, the camps that are on the south side will set out. This will be the signal to set out.

⁷ When the community is to gather, you will blow the trumpets, but you will not sound the signal for setting out.

⁸ Aaron’s sons, the priests, will blow the trumpets. This will be a permanent regulation for you and for your descendants. ⁹ When you go out into battle in your own land against an adversary who attacks you, you will sound the signal with the trumpets. Then you will be remembered before the Lord your God, and you will be saved from your enemies.

¹⁰ Also at the times when you rejoice, at your appointed festivals and at the New Moon, you will blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your fellowship offerings. They will serve as a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.

The Israelites Leave Sinai

¹¹ On the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, the cloud lifted up above the Dwelling of the Testimony. ¹² The Israelites set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sinai. The cloud settled in the Wilderness of Paran. ¹³ For the first time, they set out according to the command of the Lord through Moses.

¹⁴ First, the standard for the camp of Judah’s descendants set out according to their military units. Nahshon son of Amminadab was over Judah’s unit. ¹⁵ Nethanel son of Zuar was over the unit for the tribe of Issachar’s descendants. ¹⁶ Eliab son of Helon was over the unit for the tribe of Zebulun’s descendants.

¹⁷ The Dwelling was then taken down. The sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set out, carrying the Dwelling.

¹⁸ The standard for the camp of Reuben set out according to their military units. Elizur son of Shedeur was over Reuben’s unit. ¹⁹ Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over the unit for the tribe of Simeon’s descendants. ²⁰ Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the unit for the tribe of Gad’s descendants.

²¹ The Kohathites then set out, carrying the holy things. The others would set up the Dwelling before they arrived.

²² The standard for the camp of Ephraim’s descendants set out according to their military units. Elishama son of Ammihud was over Ephraim’s unit. ²³ Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the unit for the tribe of Manasseh’s descendants. ²⁴ Abidan son of Gideoni was over the unit for the tribe of Benjamin’s descendants.

²⁵ The standard for the camp of Dan’s descendants, serving as the rear guard for the entire camp, set out according to their military units. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai was over Dan’s unit. ²⁶ Pagiel son of Ochran was over the unit for the tribe of Asher’s descendants. ²⁷ Ahira son of Enan was over the unit for the tribe of Naphtali’s descendants.

²⁸ This was the marching order for the Israelites, according to their military units. This is how they set out.

²⁹ Moses said to Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out to the place about which the Lord promised, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good concerning Israel.”

³⁰ Hobab said to him, “I will not go, but I will go to my own land and to my own relatives.”

³¹ Moses said, “Please do not leave us, because you know where we should camp in the wilderness. You can be our eyes. ³² If you will go with us, whatever good the Lord does for us, we will do for you.”

³³ They set out from the mountain of the Lord on a three-day journey. The Ark of the Lord’s Covenant set out before them for that three-day journey to find a resting place for them. ³⁴ The cloud of the Lord was over them by day, when they set out from the camp.

³⁵ Whenever the ark set out, Moses would say, “Rise up, O Lord, and may your enemies be scattered! May those who hate you flee before you!” ³⁶ When it came to rest, he would say, “Return, O Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel!”

Numbers 6:22 – 7:89

Numbers 6

The Benediction

²² The Lord told Moses ²³ to speak to Aaron and to his sons and to tell them to bless the Israelites with these words:

²⁷ In this way they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.

Offerings at the Dwelling’s Dedication

Numbers 7

¹ On the day that Moses finished setting up the Dwelling, he anointed and consecrated it with all of its furnishings and the altar with all of its utensils. He anointed and consecrated them.

² The tribal chiefs of Israel, the heads of their fathers’ houses, brought offerings. These were the chiefs of the tribes, who were in charge of the registration. ³ They brought as their offering before the Lord six covered carts ^[2] and twelve oxen—a cart for every two tribal chiefs and an ox for every tribal chief. They presented them in front of the Dwelling.

⁴ The Lord spoke to Moses: ⁵ “Accept these gifts from them so that they may be used for doing the work at the Tent of Meeting. You are to give them to the Levites as each one’s work requires.”

⁶ Moses took the carts and the oxen and gave them to the Levites. ⁷ He gave two carts and four oxen to the descendants of Gershon as their work required. ⁸ He gave four carts and eight oxen to the descendants of Merari, as required for their work under the direction of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest. ⁹ But to the descendants of Kohath he did not give any, because their work was to carry the holy things on their own shoulders.

¹⁰ The tribal chiefs also brought offerings for the dedication of the altar on the day that it was anointed. The tribal chiefs brought their offerings before the altar. ¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, “Each day one tribal chief will bring his offering for the dedication of the altar.”

¹² On the first day, the one who brought his offering was Nahshon son of Amminadab from the tribe of Judah. ¹³ His offering was one silver dish ^[3] weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, ^[4] both full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ¹⁴ one small gold bowl ^[5] weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ¹⁵ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ¹⁶ one male goat for a sin offering; ¹⁷ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, ^[6] and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Nahshon son of Amminadab.

¹⁸ On the second day Nethanel son of Zuar, the tribal chief of Issachar, brought his offering. ¹⁹ He brought for his offering: one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ²⁰ one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ²¹ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ²² one male goat for a sin offering; ²³ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Nethanel son of Zuar.

²⁴ On the third day it was the tribal chief of Zebulun’s descendants, Eliab son of Helon. ²⁵ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ²⁶ one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ²⁷ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ²⁸ one male goat for a sin offering; ²⁹ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Eliab son of Helon.

³⁰ On the fourth day it was the tribal chief of Reuben’s descendants, Elizur son of Shedeur. ³¹ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ³² one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ³³ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ³⁴ one male goat for a sin offering; ³⁵ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Elizur son of Shedeur.

³⁶ On the fifth day it was the tribal chief of Simeon’s descendants, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. ³⁷ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ³⁸ one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ³⁹ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ⁴⁰ one male goat for a sin offering; ⁴¹ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.

⁴² On the sixth day it was the tribal chief of Gad’s descendants, Eliasaph son of Deuel. ⁴³ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁴⁴ one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁴⁵ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ⁴⁶ one male goat for a sin offering; ⁴⁷ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Eliasaph son of Deuel.

⁴⁸ On the seventh day it was the tribal chief of Ephraim’s descendants, Elishama son of Ammihud. ⁴⁹ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁵⁰ one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁵¹ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ⁵² one male goat for a sin offering; ⁵³ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Elishama son of Ammihud.

⁵⁴ On the eighth day it was the tribal chief of Manasseh’s descendants, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. ⁵⁵ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁵⁶ one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁵⁷ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ⁵⁸ one male goat for a sin offering; ⁵⁹ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.

⁶⁰ On the ninth day it was the tribal chief of Benjamin’s descendants, Abidan son of Gideoni. ⁶¹ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁶² one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁶³ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ⁶⁴ one male goat for a sin offering; ⁶⁵ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Abidan son of Gideoni.

⁶⁶ On the tenth day it was the tribal chief of Dan’s descendants, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. ⁶⁷ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁶⁸ one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁶⁹ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ⁷⁰ one male goat for a sin offering; ⁷¹ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.

⁷² On the eleventh day it was the tribal chief of Asher’s descendants, Pagiel son of Ochran. ⁷³ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁷⁴ one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁷⁵ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ⁷⁶ one male goat for a sin offering; ⁷⁷ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Pagiel son of Ochran.

⁷⁸ On the twelfth day it was the tribal chief of Naphtali’s descendants, Ahira son of Enan. ⁷⁹ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁸⁰ one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁸¹ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ⁸² one male goat for a sin offering; ⁸³ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Ahira son of Enan.

⁸⁴ These were the offerings from the tribal chiefs of Israel for the dedication of the altar on the day that it was anointed: twelve silver dishes, twelve silver sprinkling basins, twelve small gold bowls. ⁸⁵ Each silver dish weighed one hundred thirty shekels, and each sprinkling basin weighed seventy shekels. All the silver vessels weighed two thousand four hundred shekels according to the sanctuary shekel. ⁸⁶ The twelve gold bowls, filled with incense, weighed ten shekels each, according to the sanctuary shekel. All the gold bowls weighed one hundred twenty shekels. ⁸⁷ All the cattle for the whole burnt offering were twelve young bulls, twelve rams, twelve one-year-old male lambs, along with their grain offerings. Also there were twelve male breeding goats for a sin offering. ⁸⁸ All the cattle for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering were twenty-four young bulls, sixty rams, sixty male breeding goats, and sixty one-year-old male lambs. These were the offerings for the dedication of the altar after it was anointed.

⁸⁹ When Moses went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the Lord’s voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the atonement seat ^[7] that was on the Ark of the Covenant. In this way the Lord spoke to him.

Numbers 3 – 4

Aaron’s Sons and the Duties of the Levites

Numbers 3

¹ This is the family history of Aaron and Moses at the time when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.

² These are the names of Aaron’s sons: Nadab the firstborn, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ³ These are the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, whom he ordained to serve as priests.

⁴ Nadab and Abihu died in the presence of the Lord when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord in the Wilderness of Sinai, and they had no sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the presence of Aaron their father.

⁵ The Lord spoke to Moses: ⁶ “Bring the tribe of Levi near and have them stand before Aaron the priest so that they may assist him. ⁷ They will perform the duties for him and for the entire congregation in front of the Tent of Meeting by doing the work for the Dwelling. ⁸ They will take care of all the furnishings for the Tent of Meeting and perform the duties of the Israelites by doing the work for the Dwelling. ⁹ You will give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons. They are completely given to him from among the Israelites. ¹⁰ But you will appoint Aaron and his sons, and they will serve in the priesthood. Any unauthorized person who goes near must be put to death.”

The Census of the Levites

¹¹ The Lord spoke to Moses, ¹² “See, I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites instead of every firstborn that opens the womb among the Israelites. The Levites are mine, ¹³ for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, both human and animal. They are mine. I am the Lord.”

¹⁴ The Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, ¹⁵ “Register the Levites according to their fathers’ houses, by their clans. You are to register every male a month old and up.”

¹⁶ So Moses registered them as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.

¹⁷ These were the names of the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

The following were the clans of the Levites according to their fathers’ houses.

²¹ From Gershon came the Libnite clan and the Shimeite clan. These were the Gershonite clans. ²² Those who were registered, counting all the males who were a month old and up, were 7,500. ²³ The Gershonite clans camped behind the Dwelling on the west side. ²⁴ The tribal chief of the father’s house for the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael. ²⁵ The duties of the descendants of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting involved the dwelling and the tent, ^[1] its coverings, and the screen for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, ²⁶ also the hangings of the courtyard, and the screen for the entrance to the courtyard which surrounds the Dwelling and the altar, and its ropes—everything related to this work.

²⁷ From Kohath came the Amramite clan, the Izharite clan, the Hebronite clan, and the Uzzielite clan. These were the Kohathite clans. ²⁸ Counting all the males who were a month old and up, there were 8,600 to perform the duties of the sanctuary. ²⁹ The clans of the descendants of Kohath camped on the south side of the Dwelling. ³⁰ The tribal chief of the father’s house for the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel. ³¹ Their duties involved the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the sanctuary utensils with which they serve, and the screen—everything related to this work. ³² The tribal chief over the Levite tribal chiefs was Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest. He was in charge of those performing the duties of the sanctuary.

³³ From Merari came the Mahlite clan and the Mushite clan. These were the Merarite clans. ³⁴ Those who were registered, counting all the males who were a month old and up, were 6,200. ³⁵ The tribal chief of the father’s house for the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail. They camped on the north side of the Dwelling. ³⁶ The appointed duties for the sons of Merari involved the Dwelling’s boards, its crossbars, its posts, its bases, all its equipment—everything related to this work, ³⁷ also the posts for the surrounding courtyard, their bases, their tent pegs, and their ropes.

³⁸ Those who camped in front of the Dwelling on the east side, in front of the Tent of Meeting, toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and Aaron’s sons, who were performing the duties of the sanctuary on behalf of the Israelites. Any unauthorized person who goes near shall be put to death. ³⁹ All of the Levities who were registered when the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron to register them according to their clans, every male a month old and up, were 22,000.

Redemption of the Firstborn

⁴⁰ The Lord said to Moses, “Register all the firstborn males of the Israelites one month old and up, and make a list of their names. ⁴¹ You are to take the Levites for me—I am the Lord—instead of every firstborn among the Israelites, and take the livestock of the Levites instead of every firstborn among the livestock of the Israelites.” ⁴² So Moses registered all the firstborn among the Israelites as the Lord commanded. ⁴³ All the firstborn males listed by name, one month old and up, when registered, totaled 22,273.

⁴⁴ The Lord spoke to Moses: ⁴⁵ “Take the Levites instead of every firstborn among the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock. The Levites will be mine. I am the Lord. ⁴⁶ For the redemption of the 273 firstborn Israelites who outnumber the Levites, ⁴⁷ you are to collect five shekels apiece for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel (this shekel is twenty gerahs ^[2]). ⁴⁸ You are to give the money, the redemption price for the additional Israelites, to Aaron and his sons.”

⁴⁹ Moses collected the redemption money from those who outnumbered the ones redeemed by the Levites who took their place. ⁵⁰ He collected the money from the firstborn of the Israelites, 1,365 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel. ⁵¹ Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and to his sons, in obedience to the word of the Lord, just as the Lord commanded Moses.

The Duties of the Kohathites

Numbers 4

¹ The Lord told Moses and Aaron ² to take a census of the descendants of Kohath among the Levites, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, ³ from thirty years old to fifty years old, everyone eligible for the service of performing the tasks at the Tent of Meeting.

⁴ This is the work for the descendants of Kohath at the Tent of Meeting: to take care of the most holy things. ⁵ When the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons are to go into the Dwelling. They are to take down the veil that screens the ark, cover the Ark of the Testimony with it, ⁶ put a covering made from the hides of sea cows ^[3] over it, spread a solid blue cloth over that, and insert its poles.

⁷ Over the table for the Bread of the Presence ^[4] they are to spread a blue cloth and put the dishes, the small bowls, the larger bowls, and the pitchers for the drink offering on it. ^[5] The bread that is continually there is to remain on it. ⁸ Then they are to spread a scarlet cloth over these things, cover them with a covering made from the hides of sea cows, and insert its poles.

⁹ They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand used for light, its lamps, its snuffers, its fire pans, and all the jars of oil used to supply it. ¹⁰ They are to put the lampstand and all its accessories under a cover made from the hides of sea cows and put it on a carrying frame.

¹¹ Over the golden altar they are to spread a blue cloth, cover it with a covering made from the hides of sea cows, and insert its poles. ¹² They are to take all the utensils which they use in the sanctuary and put them in a blue cloth, cover them with a covering made from the hides of sea cows, and put them on a carrying frame.

¹³ They are to remove the fat-soaked ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth over it. ¹⁴ They are to put on it all the utensils which they use around the altar: the fire pans, the meat hooks, ^[6] the shovels, and the basins—the utensils of the altar. They will spread a covering made of the hides of sea cows over the altar and insert its poles.

¹⁵ After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the items of the sanctuary, when the camp sets out, the descendants of Kohath will come to carry them. But they are not to touch the sanctuary or they will die. The descendants of Kohath are to carry these things associated with the Tent of Meeting.

¹⁶ Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, shall be in charge of the lamp oil, the fragrant incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil. He shall be in charge of the entire Dwelling, everything in it, the holy objects, and its furnishings.

¹⁷ The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, ¹⁸ “Do not allow the tribe of the Kohathite clans to be cut off from among the Levites. ¹⁹ Do this for them so that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things: Aaron and his sons are to go in and assign to each one of them what he is to do and what he is to carry. ²⁰ But the Kohathites must not go in to see the sanctuary even for a moment or they will die.”

The Duties of the Gershonites

²¹ The Lord also told Moses ²² to take a census of the descendants of Gershon, according to their fathers’ houses, by their clans, ²³ and to register those from thirty years old to fifty years old, everyone eligible for the service of doing the work at the Tent of Meeting.

²⁴ This is the work for the Gershonite clans: the work of moving the Dwelling. ²⁵ They are to carry the curtains of the Dwelling, the Tent of Meeting, its covering, and the covering made of sea cow hides that is on top of that, ^[7] the screen for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, ²⁶ the hangings for the courtyard, the screen for the entrance through the gate into the courtyard which surrounds the Dwelling and the altar, the ropes, and all the items related to this work. They are responsible for everything that is to be done with these things. ²⁷ All the work of the descendants of the Gershonites, everything they are to carry and all the work they are to do, is to be done at the command of Aaron and his sons. You are to assign to each of them everything they are to carry. ²⁸ This is the work for the clans of the descendants of the Gershonites in regard to the Tent of Meeting. They are to serve under the direction of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.

The Duties of the Merarites

²⁹ As for the descendants of Merari, register them according to their clans, according to their fathers’ houses. ³⁰ Register all of them who are between thirty years old and fifty years old, everyone eligible for service, to do the work for the Tent of Meeting. ³¹ This is what they are responsible for as their entire work at the Tent of Meeting: to carry the Dwelling’s boards, its crossbars, its posts, its bases, ³² the posts of the surrounding courtyard and their bases, their tent pegs, their ropes with all their equipment, and everything related to this work. You are to specify by name the items that they are responsible to carry. ³³ This is the work for the clans of the descendants of Merari, regarding all their work in regard to the Tent of Meeting, under the direction of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.

The Census of the Levites

³⁴ Moses, Aaron, and the tribal chiefs of the community registered the descendants of the Kohathites according to their clans and their fathers’ houses, ³⁵ from thirty years old to fifty years old, everyone eligible for service, for work at the Tent of Meeting. ³⁶ The ones registered according to their clans were 2,750. ³⁷ These were the ones registered from the clans of the Kohathites, all those who worked at the Tent of Meeting. Moses and Aaron registered them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

³⁸ The descendants of Gershon were registered according to their clans and according to their fathers’ houses, ³⁹ from thirty years old to fifty years old, everyone eligible for service, for work at the Tent of Meeting. ⁴⁰ The ones registered according to their clans, according to their fathers’ houses, were 2,630. ⁴¹ These were the ones registered from the clans of the descendants of Gershon, all those who worked at the Tent of Meeting. Moses and Aaron registered them according to the Lord’s command.

⁴² The clans of the descendants of Merari were registered according to their clans, according to their fathers’ houses, ⁴³ from thirty years old to fifty years old, everyone eligible for service, for work at the Tent of Meeting. ⁴⁴ Those registered by their clans were 3,200. ⁴⁵ These were the ones registered from the clans of the descendants of Merari. Moses and Aaron registered them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

⁴⁶ Every one of the Levites was registered. Moses and Aaron and the tribal chiefs of Israel registered them according to their clans and their fathers’ houses, ⁴⁷ from thirty years old to fifty years old, everyone who was eligible to perform the work of serving at or carrying the Tent of Meeting. ⁴⁸ Those registered totaled 8,580. ⁴⁹ According to the Lord’s command, they were registered by Moses, along with what each man was assigned to do and to carry. They were registered just as the Lord commanded Moses.

Hebrews 13:9-25

Hebrews 13

⁹ Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. For it is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which are of no help to those who make them a way of life.

¹⁰ We have an altar from which those who minister at the tent have no right to eat. ¹¹ For the high priest brings the blood of the animals sacrificed for sins into the Most Holy Place, and then their bodies are burned outside the camp. ¹² Jesus suffered outside the gate for this reason: to sanctify people by his own blood. ¹³ So then let us go to him, outside of the camp, bearing his disgrace. ¹⁴ For we do not have a permanent city here, but we are looking for the city that is coming. ¹⁵ Through Jesus, therefore, let us constantly offer to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. ¹⁶ And do not forget to do good and share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

¹⁷ Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls as men who will give an account. Obey them, so that they may do this with joy and not with groaning, ^[1] for that would be of no benefit to you.

¹⁸ Pray for us, because we are sure that we have a good conscience, and because in everything we want to conduct ourselves in an honorable way. ¹⁹ I urge you to do this even more, so that I may be restored to you quickly.

Conclusion

²⁰ Now may the God of peace—who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, in connection with his blood, which established the eternal testament ^[2]— ²¹ may he equip you with every good thing ^[3] to do his will, as he works in us ^[4] what is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

²² Now I urge you, brothers, to bear with this word of encouragement, for I have written you only a brief letter. ²³ I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives very soon, he and I will see you.

²⁴ Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you. ²⁵ Grace be with you all. Amen. ^[5]

Hebrews 12:18-29

Hebrews 12

You Have Come to Mount Zion

¹⁸ You have not come to a mountain that can be touched ^[1] and to burning fire, to darkness, to gloom, to a raging storm, ¹⁹ to the sound of a trumpet, and to a voice that spoke. Those who heard the voice asked that not one more word be added, ²⁰ because they could not endure what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” ^{[2] 21} The sight was so terrifying that even Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” ^[3]

²² Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God; to the heavenly Jerusalem; to tens of thousands of angels in joyful assembly; ²³ to the church of the firstborn whose names are written in heaven; to God, who is the judge of all; to the spirits of righteous people who have been made perfect; ²⁴ to Jesus, the mediator of a new testament; ^[4] and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better message than the blood of Abel.

²⁵ See to it that you do not refuse to listen to the one who is speaking. For if those people did not escape when they refused to listen to the one who spoke God’s message on earth, how much less likely is it that we will escape, if we turn away from the one who spoke God’s message to us from heaven? ²⁶ At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also heaven.” ^[5]

²⁷ The words “once more” clearly indicate the removal of the things that are being shaken, that is, the things that have been made, so that the things that cannot be shaken remain permanently. ²⁸ Therefore, since we are going to receive an unshakeable kingdom, let us be thankful. This is how we serve God in an acceptable way, with reverence and awe. ²⁹ For our God is a consuming fire.

Hebrews 11:23-40

Hebrews 11

²³ By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after he was born, because they saw he was a special child, and they were not afraid of the king’s order.

²⁴ By faith Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter when he grew up. ²⁵ He chose to be mistreated with God’s people rather than enjoy sin for a little while. ²⁶ He considered disgrace for the sake of Christ as greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.

²⁷ By faith he left Egypt without fearing the king’s wrath, because he persevered as one who sees him who is invisible.

²⁸ By faith he celebrated the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not strike them down.

²⁹ By faith they passed through the Red Sea, as if going through on dry ground. When the Egyptians tried it, they were drowned.

³⁰ By faith the walls of Jericho fell after the people marched around them for seven days.

³¹ By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with the unbelievers, because she welcomed the spies in peace.

³² And what more should I say? There would not be enough time for me to continue to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. ³³ By faith they conquered kingdoms, carried out justice, obtained things that were promised, shut the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the power of fire, escaped the edges of the sword, were made powerful after being weak, became mighty in battle, and caused foreign armies to flee. ³⁵ Women received back their dead by resurrection. And others who were tortured did not accept their release, so that they may take part in a better resurrection. ³⁶ Still others experienced mocking and lashes, in addition to chains and imprisonment. ³⁷ They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were tempted; ^[1] they were killed with the sword; they went around in sheepskins and goatskins, needy, afflicted, and mistreated. ³⁸ The world was not worthy of them as they wandered in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.

³⁹ All of these were commended in Scripture by faith, yet they did not receive what was promised, ⁴⁰ because God had planned something better for us, namely, that they would not reach the goal apart from us.

Hebrews 10:19-39

Hebrews 10

Confidence Through Christ

¹⁹ Brothers, ^[1] we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place through the blood of Jesus. ²⁰ It is a new and living way he opened for us through the curtain, that is, his flesh. ²¹ We also have a great priest over the house of God. ²² So let us approach with a sincere heart, in the full confidence of faith, because our hearts have been sprinkled to take away a bad conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold on firmly to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful.

Do Not Keep On Sinning

²⁴ Let us also consider carefully how to spur each other on to love and good works. ²⁵ Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have the habit of doing. Rather, let us encourage each other, and all the more as you see the Day ^[2] approaching.

²⁶ For if we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the full knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains any sacrifice for sins. ²⁷ Instead, there is a certain fearful expectation of judgment and a raging fire that is going to consume the enemies of God. ²⁸ Anyone who rejected the law of Moses was put to death without pity, on the basis of the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁹ How much greater punishment do you think will be deserved by the person who trampled the Son of God underfoot, who considered insignificant the blood of the covenant, by which he was sanctified, and who insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know the one who said:

And again:

³¹ It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Endure Suffering Patiently

³² Remember the former days when, after you were enlightened, you patiently endured a great struggle of sufferings. ³³ Sometimes you were publicly shamed by insults and persecutions. At other times you became companions of those who were treated this way. ³⁴ Indeed, you also sympathized with those in prison, ^[5] and when your possessions were seized, you accepted it with joy, because you knew that you yourselves had a better and lasting possession. ³⁵ So do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. ³⁶ Certainly you need patient endurance so that, after you do God’s will, you may receive what was promised. ³⁷ For in just a little while:

³⁹ Now we are not part of those who shrink back, resulting in destruction, but of those who have faith, resulting in the soul’s salvation.

Hebrews 9:16-28

Hebrews 9

¹⁶ For where a will ^[1] exists, it is necessary to establish the death of the one who made the will. ¹⁷ For a will takes effect at the time of death, since it is never in force when the one who made the will is still living.

¹⁸ For this reason, the first covenant was not ratified without blood. ¹⁹ Indeed, after every command was spoken by Moses to all the people, in accordance with the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, ^[2] with water and scarlet wool and a hyssop branch, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people. ²⁰ He said, “This is the blood of the covenant that God established for you.” ^{[3] 21} In the same way he sprinkled blood on the tent and all the objects for worship. ²² And nearly everything is cleansed with blood according to the law. And, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.

One Perfect Sacrifice

²³ Therefore, it was necessary that the copies of the things in heaven be cleansed by these sacrifices, but it was necessary that the heavenly things themselves be cleansed with sacrifices better than these. ²⁴ For Christ did not enter a handmade sanctuary, a representation of the true sanctuary. Instead, he entered into heaven itself, now to appear before God on our behalf. ²⁵ And he did not enter to offer himself many times, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own. ²⁶ Otherwise he would have needed to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once and for all, at the climax of the ages, in order to take away sin by the sacrifice of himself. ²⁷ And, just as it is appointed for people to die only once and after this comes the judgment, ²⁸ so also Christ was offered only once to take away the sins of many, and he will appear a second time—without sin—to bring salvation to those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Hebrews 8

A Better Promise

¹ The main point of what we are saying is this: We have the kind of high priest who has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven. ² He is the minister in the Holy Place, which is the true sanctuary, which the Lord set up, not man. ³ For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices, and for that reason this priest also needed to have something that he offered.

⁴ If this priest were on earth, he would not even be a priest, because there are priests ^[1] who are designated by the law to offer gifts. ⁵ They serve at a place that is a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary, a place exactly like that about which Moses was told when he was about to complete the tent. ^[2] For God said, “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown to you on the mountain.” ^[3]

⁶ But now, Jesus has obtained a ministry that is as much superior as the covenant that he mediates is better, because it has been established on the basis of better promises. ⁷ Indeed, if that first covenant were without fault, there would have been no reason to look for a second. ⁸ But because God found fault with the people, he said: ^[4]

¹³ When God said “new,” he made the first covenant obsolete, and something that is obsolete and growing old is going to disappear.

Hebrews 7:1-14

Hebrews 7

A Priest Forever

¹ This Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, is the one who met Abraham as he was returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, ^{[1] 2} and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. ^[2] First, Melchizedek means “king of righteousness,” and then “king of Salem,” which is “king of peace.” ³ He is without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, and resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.

⁴ Consider how great this man was. Even Abraham, the patriarch, gave him a tenth from the best of the spoils. ⁵ According to the law, those sons of Levi who received the priesthood have a command to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brother Israelites, even though they also came from Abraham’s body. ⁶ But here the one who was not descended from them collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. ⁷ And without any question, it is the lesser who is blessed by the greater.

⁸ In the one case, those who are mortal collect the tenth; in the other case, the one who collects has testimony in Scripture ^[3] that he lives. ⁹ And, through Abraham, even Levi, who collects the tenth, has paid a tenth, so to speak, ¹⁰ because he was still in the body of his forefather when Melchizedek met Abraham.

¹¹ So if everything could have been brought to its goal through the Levitical priesthood (for the people received the law on the basis of that priesthood), what further need was there for another priest to arise who was like Melchizedek, yet not said to be like Aaron? ¹² For when the priesthood is changed, by necessity a change in the law also happens. ¹³ Yet these things are said about the one who belonged to another tribe, from which no one had served at the altar. ¹⁴ It is certainly clear that our Lord is descended from Judah. Moses said nothing about priests in connection with that tribe.

Hebrews 5:11 – 6:8

Hebrews 5

Milk or Solid Food

¹¹ We have much to say about this, and it is difficult to explain, because you have become too lazy to listen. ¹² In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the beginning principles of God’s word all over again. You have become people who need milk, not solid food. ¹³ For everyone who lives on milk is not acquainted with the word of righteousness, because he is still an infant. ¹⁴ But solid food is for mature people, who have their senses trained by practice to distinguish between good and evil.

Moving On Toward Maturity

Hebrews 6

¹ Therefore, leaving the beginning discussion of Christ, let us press on toward matters that require greater maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith in God, ² of the teaching about baptisms, ^[1] of the laying on of hands, of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. ³ And we will do this, if God permits.

⁴ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift and shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵ who have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the coming age, ⁶ and who then fell away, to be restored to repentance because ^[2] they are crucifying the Son of God again, to their own harm, and exposing him to public ridicule.

⁷ For the land that drinks the rain that often falls on it and produces plants useful to those farming it, this land receives a blessing from God. ⁸ But the land that grows thorns and thistles is worthless and will soon be cursed—its end is to be burned.

Hebrews 3:7 – 4:13

Hebrews 3

Do Not Harden Your Hearts

⁷ Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:

¹² Watch out, brothers, so that there is not an evil, unbelieving heart in any of you that turns away from the living God. ¹³ But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “today,” so that none of you are hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. ¹⁴ For we have become people who share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firmly until the end. ¹⁵ As it is said:

¹⁶ Who was it who heard and rebelled? Wasn’t it all those who left Egypt, led by Moses? ¹⁷ And with whom was God angry for forty years? Surely it was with the ones who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness, wasn’t it? ¹⁸ And about whom did he swear an oath that they would not enter his rest, if it wasn’t concerning those who were disobedient? ¹⁹ So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.

Some Will Enter God’s Rest

Hebrews 4

¹ Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be fearful that any one of you may be judged to have failed to reach it. ² In fact, we have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did. But the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united in faith with those who did listen. ³ Indeed, we who believe are going to enter his rest.

It happened just as he vowed when he said:

And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. ⁴ For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in this way:

⁵ And again in this statement:

⁶ Therefore, since it is still the case that some do enter this rest, and yet those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not enter because of disobedience, ⁷ God again set a certain day, namely, “today,” when he later said through David, as quoted before:

⁸ For, if Joshua had given them rest, then God would not have spoken later about another day.

⁹ So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. ¹⁰ For the one who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God rested from his work. ¹¹ Therefore, let us make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.

¹² For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to the point of dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, even being able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart. ¹³ And there is no creature hidden from him, but everything is uncovered and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we will give an account.