After this, the men whom Moses sent out to explore the land, who returned and made the whole congregation complain against him by bringing an evil report concerning the land,

After Moses had told all of this to the Israelis, the people deeply mourned.

Do this for each bullock, ram, male lamb, or goat.

When Moses heard this, he fell on his face.

"Separate yourselves from among this community, and I'll destroy them in a moment."

Now Korah, Dathan, and Abiram stood at the entrance to their tents with their wives, sons, and little children. Then Moses said, "This is how you'll know that the LORD has sent me to do all these awesome works they're not coming merely from me.

After this, fire came from the LORD and incinerated the 250 men who offered the incense.

"Leave this community, so I can annihilate them in a moment."

This is what is to belong to you from consecrated offerings spared from the fire: all of their offerings, grain offerings, sin offerings, and trespass offerings that they render to me. They're to be considered most sacred to you and your sons.

The descendants of Levi are to perform the service of the Tent of Meeting and they are to bear their iniquity. This is to be a statute forever, throughout your generations, that they are not to receive an inheritance among the Israelis,

"This is the ordinance of the law that the LORD commanded that the Israelis be told: They are to bring you a spotless red heifer, without physical defect, that has never been fitted with a yoke.

Then someone who is unclean is to gather the ashes of the heifer and lay them outside the camp in a clean place. This is to be done for the community of Israel to use for water of purification from sin.

Whoever gathers the ashes of the heifer is to wash his clothes and is to remain unclean until the evening. This ordinance is to remain for the benefit of both the Israelis and the resident aliens who live among them."

"This is the procedure to follow when a man dies in his tent: Everyone who enters the tent and everyone in it is to remain unclean for seven days.

Why did you bring the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness? So we and our cattle could die here?

Why did you take us out of Egypt and bring us to this terrible place? There's no place to plant seeds, fig trees, vines, or pomegranates! And there's no water to drink!"

Then Moses and Aaron gathered the community together in front of the rock. "Pay attention, you rebels!" Moses told them. "Are we to bring you water from this rock?"

But the LORD rebuked Moses and Aaron, telling Moses: "Because you both didn't believe me, because you didn't consecrate me as holy in the presence of the Israelis, you won't be the ones to bring this congregation into the land that I'm about to give them."

Because the Israelis argued with the LORD and he was set apart among them, this place was called the Meribah Springs.

Later, Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom with this message: "This is what your relative Israel says: "You know all the hardships we've encountered.

Then Israel made this vow in the LORD's presence: "If you give these people into our control, we intend to devote their cities to total destruction."

After this, they traveled from Mount Hor along the caravan route by way of the Sea of Reeds and went around the land of Edom. But when the people got impatient because it was a long route,

the people complained against the LORD and Moses. "Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?" they asked. "There's no food and water, and we're tired of this worthless bread."

After this, the Israelis traveled and encamped at Oboth.

That's also where Israel sang this song: Rise up, well! Sing to it!

Later, Israel sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who conveyed this request:

the Moabites told the elders of Midian, "This horde of people is about to lick up everything around us, like an ox licks up the green ground."

So come right now and curse this people for me, because there are too many of them for me to handle. Perhaps I'll be able to strike them down and drive them out of the land, since I know that whomever you bless is blessed and whomever you curse is cursed."

who approached Balaam with this message: "This is what Zippor's son Balak says: "Don't let anything get in the way of your coming to me.

I'm determined to reward you generously, and I'll do everything you tell me to do. So come right away and curse this people for me.'"

At this, the anger of the LORD flared up against Balaam, because he was leaving. So the angel of the LORD stood in the way to oppose him. As Balaam was riding his donkey, accompanied by two of his servants,

But in response, the donkey asked Balaam, "I'm your donkey that you've ridden on in the past without incident, am I not, and I'm the same donkey you're riding on right now, am I not? Am I in the habit of treating you like this?" "No," he admitted.

If she hadn't turned away from me, I would have killed you by now and left her alive!" At this, Balaam replied to the angel of the LORD, "I've sinned! I didn't know that you were standing to meet me on the road. So now, since it displeases you, let me go back."

Then the LORD gave Balaam this message. "Return to Balak and speak to him."

Then Balaam uttered this prophetic statement: "King Balak of Moab brought me from Aram, from the eastern mountains, and told me, "Come and curse Jacob for me. Come and curse Israel.'

I saw them from the top of the rocks. I watched them from the hills. Truly this is a people that lives by itself and doesn't matter among the nations.

In response, Balaam uttered this prophetic statement: "Stand up, Balak, and pay attention! Listen to me, you son of Zippor!

Balaam uttered this prophetic statement: "A declaration by Beor's son Balaam, a declaration by the strong, blind man.

Meanwhile, since I have to return to my people, come and listen while I tell you what this people will be doing to your people in the last days."

Then Balaam uttered this prophetic statement: "The declaration by Beor's son Balaam, a declaration by the strong, blind man.

Next, Balaam looked directly at Amalek and then uttered this prophetic statement: "Even though Amalek is an international leader, his future is permanent destruction."

Balaam also uttered this prophetic statement about the Kenites: "Your dwelling places are stable, because your nest is carved in solid rock.

Finally, he uttered this prophetic statement: "Ah, who can live, unless God makes it happen?

When Eleazar's son Phinehas, grandson of Aaron the priest saw this, he jumped up from the middle of the community, grabbed a javelin in his hand,

because they've acted deceitfully, bringing trouble to you in this incident at Peor with Cozbi, daughter of a prince from Midian, who was killed during the plague that came about because of the incident at Peor."

So this has been a list of those who were registered by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they numbered the Israelis in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

If his father doesn't have brothers, then give his inheritance to a relative who is nearest to him from the family and he'll take possession of it. This is to be a permanent ordinance for the Israelis, just as the LORD commanded Moses."

Tell them that this is the offering, presented by fire, that you are to offer to the LORD: two one year old lambs, offered daily every day.

This burnt offering, which was prescribed at Mount Sinai, is to be offered every day as a pleasing aroma made by fire to the LORD.

This burnt offering is to be presented every Sabbath, as well as the regular burnt offering, along with its corresponding drink offering."

and one tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering for each lamb. This burnt offering will be a pleasing aroma, incinerated as an offering to the LORD.

Their drink offerings are to be half a hin of wine for each bull, one third of a hin for the ram, and one fourth of a hin for each lamb. This burnt offering is to be presented each and every month throughout the year.

You are to hold a festival on the fifteenth day of this month for seven days, during which time unleavened bread is to be eaten."

Do this every day for seven days, as an edible sacrifice to the LORD made by fire, a pleasing aroma. It is to be offered apart from the regular burnt offering and its corresponding drink offering.

You are to offer this burnt offering as a pleasing aroma to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, and seven one year old lambs,

This is to be separate and apart from the burnt offering for the New Moon, with its corresponding grain offering, the regular burnt offering with its corresponding grain offering, and their drink offerings, according to their respective ordinances, as a pleasing aroma, an incinerated offering made to the LORD.

"You are to hold a sacred assembly on the tenth day of this same seventh month. You are to humble yourselves, and no servile work is to be done.

Later, Moses told the elders of the Israeli tribes, "This is what the LORD has commanded:

After this, the Israelis took captive the Midianite women and children and confiscated as spoils of war all their cattle, livestock, and their goods.

Eleazar the priest told the soldiers who had gone to battle, "This is the ordinance of the law that the LORD commanded Moses

"After this, you are to exact a tribute for the LORD from the soldiers who went to war, consisting of the tribute earned by one person out of every 500, whether from people, cattle, donkeys, or flocks.

If we've found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as our possession instead of us crossing the Jordan River."

If you stop following him, he will once again abandon them in the wilderness. You'll end up destroying this entire people."

since our inheritance will not be with them across the Jordan River and beyond. Instead, our inheritance is on this side of the Jordan River, facing eastward."

"If you do this," Moses replied to them, "that is, if you equip yourselves for war in the LORD's presence

and subjugated the land before him, then afterwards when you return, you'll be able to stand blameless before the LORD and before Israel. This land will then be your possession before the LORD.

"But if you won't do so, look out! You will be sinning against the LORD. Be certain of this, that your sin will catch up to you!

"We are to cross over in battle array in the LORD's presence into the land of Canaan, and afterwards the possession of our inheritance will be on this side of the Jordan River."

"Issue these orders to the Israelis: "You're about to enter the land of Canaan. This territory has been apportioned to you as your inheritance: the entire land of Canaan, all the way to its borders.'"

""The western border is to be the Mediterranean Sea. This is to be the western border.'"

then through Ziphron, and then to Hazar-enan. This is to be the northern border.'"

The border is to continue along the Jordan River all the way to the Dead Sea. This is to be your land, as measured by its boundaries.'"

Moses commanded the Israelis, "You are to inherit this land by lot, just as the LORD commanded to give it to the remaining nine and a half tribes.

These two and a half tribes received their inheritance this side of the Jordan River, east of Jericho, facing the rising sun."

You are to measure from outside the wall of the town on the east side 2,000 cubits, on the south side 2,000 cubits, on the west side 2,000 cubits, and on the north side 2,000 cubits, with the town placed at the center. This reserved area is to serve as grazing land for their towns.

Appoint three towns this side of the Jordan River and three towns in the land of Canaan to serve as the towns of refuge,

This is what the LORD is commanding the daughters of Zelophehad: If they decide it's a good idea in their opinion to get married only within the family of their father's tribe, then let them get married

This took place after he defeated Sihon, king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon and Og, king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth at Edrei.

East of the Jordan River, in the land of Moab, Moses began to expound this Law:

"The LORD our God spoke to us in Horeb. He said, "You have been at this mountain long enough.

You answered by saying that this plan is a good thing.

Because this suggestion seemed good to me, I chose twelve men from among you, one from each tribe.

In the desert you saw that the LORD carried you like a man carries his son, on every road you traveled until you reached this place.'

But despite this, you didn't trust in the LORD your God,

"I swear that not one man of this evil generation will see the good land that I promised to give to your ancestors,

"You've walked around this mountain long enough. Turn northward

and command this people, "You are about to pass through the territory of your relatives, the descendants of Esau who live around Seir. They will be afraid of you so be very careful.

Indeed, the LORD your God blessed all the works of your hands. He knows about your travels through this vast desert. The LORD your God was with you these past 40 years, so that you didn't lack anything.

This is what he did for the descendants of Esau who live in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites before them. So they dispossessed them and settled there in their place, where they live to this day.

"I sent messengers from the desert of Kedemoth to King Sihon of Heshbon with this message of peace:

Manasseh's son Jair captured all the Argob region as far as the territory of the descendants of Geshur and the descendants of Maacath. Bashan was named after him; that's why it is called Havvoth-jair to this day.

"Then I commanded you at that time, "The Lord your God gave you this land as a possession. Those equipped for battle every man a warrior will cross before your fellow Israelis.

"I also charged Joshua at that time, "You witnessed everything that the LORD your God did to the two kings. Indeed, the LORD will do this to all the kingdoms which you are about to enter.

"However, the LORD was furious with me because of you. He did not listen to me. Instead, the LORD said, "You are not to speak to me about this matter again!

Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift your eyes toward the west, north, south, and east. Look with your own eyes, since you won't be able to cross this Jordan River.

Therefore charge Joshua to be doubly strong, because he will lead this people and cause them to inherit the land that you'll see.'

Observe them carefully, because this will show your wisdom and discernment in the eyes of people who'll listen to all these decrees. Then they'll say: "Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people.'

And what great nation has all the decrees and righteous ordinances like all this teaching that I'm giving you today?

I'm going to die in this land and I won't cross the Jordan River, but you're about to cross over to possess that good land.

"Indeed, ask from one end of the heavens to the other about days of old, before your time, when God created mankind on the earth. Did we ever have anything as great as this, or ever hear of anything like it?