Thematic Bible: Priest

Aaron must burn sweet incense on this altar every morning when he takes care of the lamps. When Aaron lights the lamps at dusk he must burn incense. An incense offering must burn (smoke) constantly in Jehovah's presence for generations to come.

And Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah and Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites made the law clear to the people: and the people kept in their places. Verse Concepts

Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah; and Maasai son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer.

Their brothers who did the work of the house, eight hundred and twenty-two; and Adaiah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah, Verse Concepts

For it is announced: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. Verse Concepts

Put your hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the Tent. The priests will throw its blood against all four sides of the altar. Verse Concepts

The priest will dip his finger in some of the blood and sprinkle it seven times in Jehovah's presence in front of the veil. Verse Concepts

Some of the priests will lay these pieces on the altar and send them up in smoke with a smell that pleases me, together with the sacrifice that is offered to Jehovah. Verse Concepts

The priest will burn them on the altar. It is food, an offering by fire to Jehovah. It is a soothing aroma. All the fat belongs to Jehovah. Verse Concepts

Since there were not enough priests to kill all these animals, the Levites helped them until the work was finished. By then more priests had made themselves ritually clean. The Levites were more faithful in keeping ritually clean than the priests were. Verse Concepts

Every morning and every evening they offer him incense and animal sacrifices burned whole. They present the offerings of bread on a table that is ritually clean, and every evening they light the lamps on the gold lamp stand. We do what Jehovah has commanded! But you have abandoned him! Verse Concepts

Give it to Aaron's sons the priests. The priest will take a handful of the flour and oil and all of the incense and burn it on the altar as a memorial. It is all offered by fire to Jehovah. The odor of this food offering is pleasing to Jehovah. Verse Concepts

They were ordered to sacrifice burnt offerings to Jehovah. This happened on the altar of burnt offerings continually, morning and evening, as written in the Law of Jehovah that he gave Israel. Verse Concepts

the priests and the Levites made themselves clean together. They were all clean when they put the Passover lamb to death for all those who had come back, and for their brothers the priests and for themselves. Verse Concepts

He should lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering. It may then be accepted for him to make atonement with Jehovah on his behalf. Slaughter the bull in Jehovah's presence. Aaron's sons, the priests, will offer the blood. They will throw it against all sides of the altar that is at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Skin the burnt offering, and cut it into pieces. read more.
The sons of the priest Aaron will start a fire on the altar and lay the wood on the fire. Aaron's sons, the priests, will also lay the pieces, the head, and the fat on top of the wood burning on the altar. Wash the internal organs and legs. The priest will then burn all of it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering by fire, a soothing aroma to Jehovah. Should you are offer one of your sheep or goats; it must be a male without any defects. Slaughter it on the north side of the altar. The priests should throw its blood on all four sides of the altar. After you cut it up, the officiating priest will lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire. Wash the internal organs and the hind legs. The priest will present the sacrifice to Jehovah and burn all of it on the altar. The odor of this food offering is pleasing to Jehovah. If you are offering a bird as a burnt offering, it must be a dove or a pigeon. A priest will take the bird to the copper altar. He will wring its neck and put its head on the fire. Then he will drain out its blood on one side of the altar, Remove the bird's crop with its feathers, and throw them on the ash heap at the east side of the altar. Finally, he will take the bird by its wings, tear it partially open, and send it up in smoke with a smell that pleases Jehovah.

Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went away to the chief priests, that he might betray Jesus to them. They were glad to hear it and promised to give him money. He looked for ways how he might conveniently deliver Jesus to them.

As he spoke, Judas, one of the twelve, followed by a crowd carrying swords and spears, approached him. The chief priest and elders of the people had sent them. Verse Concepts

They seized him and led him away. They took him to the high priest's house. Peter followed from a distance. Verse Concepts

The chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council. They asked what they should do. This man does many signs and miracles. Verse Concepts

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests. He asked them: What are you willing to give me to deliver him to you? They paid him thirty pieces of silver.

Early in the morning the chief priests met hurriedly with the elders, the teachers of the Law, and the entire Council. They made their plans. They led Jesus away in chains and handed him over to Pilate. Verse Concepts

The chief priest and the elders of the people assembled at the court of Caiaphas, the high priest. All of them, using deceit, worked together to capture Jesus and kill him. They insisted: Not during the feast; it could start a riot among the people.

Look, one of them with Jesus stretched out his hand, drew his sword, and cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest. Verse Concepts

One of them struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. Verse Concepts

Suddenly, as he spoke, Judas one of the twelve arrived. A great crowd with swords and spears were with him. They were from the chief priests, scribes and elders. He who betrayed him gave them a sign. He told them the one I kiss is the one to capture and take away safely. When he arrived he went straight to him and said: Master and kissed him. read more.
They grabbed him and took him away. One of those who were near took out his sword and gave the servant of the high priest a blow, cutting off his ear.

Seraiah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God, Verse Concepts

Tell the Israelites to give the Levites some cities from their own property. They must also give the Levites the pastureland around those cities. The Levites will have cities to live in and pastureland for their cattle, the flocks they own, and any other animals they have. The land around the cities that you give the Levites will extend fifteen hundred feet from the city wall. read more.
Outside the city measure off three thousand feet on the east side, three thousand feet on the south side, three thousand feet on the west side, and three thousand feet on the north side, with the city in the center. This will be their pastureland around the city. Six of the cities you give the Levites will be cities of refuge. You must allow murderers to escape to these cities. In addition, you must also give the Levites forty-two other cities. You will give a total of forty-eight cities with pastureland to the Levites. The cities you give the Levites from the property of the other Israelites must be given based on the amount of land each tribe owns. Take more cities from larger tribes and fewer from smaller tribes.

The Levites always have the right to buy back their property in the cities they own. If any Levite buys back a house, in the jubilee the purchased house in the city will be released. This is because the houses in the Levite cities are their property among the Israelites. But a field that belongs to their cities must not be sold, because it is their property from generation to generation.

The leaders of the Levite families went to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and to the heads of the families of all the tribes of Israel. There at Shiloh in the land of Canaan they said to them: Jehovah commanded through Moses that we were to be given cities to live in, as well as pasture land around them for our livestock. So in accordance with Jehovah's command the people of Israel gave the Levites cities and pasturelands out of their own territories. read more.
The families of the Levite clan of Kohath were the first to be assigned cities. The families who were descended from Aaron the priest were assigned thirteen cities from the territories of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

In addition to Hebron, one of the cities of refuge, the following cities were assigned to the descendants of Aaron the priest: Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, Holon, Debir, read more.
Ain, Juttah, and Beth Shemesh, with their pasturelands: nine cities from the tribes of Judah and Simeon. From the territory of Benjamin they were given four cities: Gibeon, Geba, Anathoth, and Almon, with their pasturelands. Thirteen cities in all, with pasturelands, were given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

From the land that the people of Israel possessed, a total of forty-eight cities, with the pasturelands around them, was given to the Levites. Each of these towns had pasturelands surrounding it.

So the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron (a city of refuge), and Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, Hilen, Debir, Ashan, Juttah and Beth Shemesh, together with their pasturelands. read more.
And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon, Geba, Alemeth and Anathoth, together with their pasturelands. These towns, which were distributed among the Kohathite clans, were thirteen in all.

And the rest of Israel, of the priests, the Levites, in all the towns of Judah, every one in his heritage. Verse Concepts

Divide the land by drawing lots for the property you will inherit. Set aside an area forty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty feet long and thirty-five thousand feet wide for Jehovah. The entire area will be holy. An area of eight hundred and seventy-five feet square will be for the holy place with an open area eighty-seven and one half feet wide. Measure off an area forty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty feet long and seventeen thousand five hundred feet wide. The Holy Place, that is, the Most Holy Place, will be in this area. read more.
This holy part of the land will belong to the priests who serve in the Holy Place, the priests who come near to serve Jehovah. They will use this place for their homes, and it will be the location for the Holy Place. An area forty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty feet long and seventeen thousand five hundred feet wide will belong to the Levites who serve in the Temple. It will be given to them so that they have cities to live in. You must designate an area eight thousand seven hundred and fifty feet wide and forty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty feet long as the city's property. It will be located alongside the holy area. It will belong to all the people of Israel.

The land that you set aside as a special gift for Jehovah will border Judah on the south. It will be forty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty feet wide, and it will be as long as one of the sections of the tribes. It will extend from the eastern border to the western border, and the holy place will be in the middle of it. This special land that you set aside for Jehovah will be forty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty feet long and seventeen thousand five hundred feet wide. This holy area will belong to the priests. On the north side it will be forty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty feet long. On the west side it will be seventeen thousand five hundred feet wide. On the east side it will be seventeen thousand five hundred feet wide. On the south side it will be forty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty feet long. Jehovah's holy place will be in the middle of it. read more.
This land that has been set apart will belong to the priests who are descendants of Zadok. They took care of my holy place. They did not wander away with the Israelites as the Levites did. So they will have a special portion from the land. It will be the holiest part of land, next to the land belonging to the Levites. Alongside the land belonging to the priests will be the land belonging to the Levites. It will be forty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty feet long and seventeen thousand five hundred feet wide. They must not sell any of it or trade any of it. They must not let others have the best part of the land, because the land is Jehovah's and it is holy. A strip of land, eight thousand seven hundred and fifty feet wide by forty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty feet long, will be left for cities, homes, and pastures. The city will be in the middle of it. These will be the measurements for the city: On the north side it will be seven thousand eight hundred and seventy-five feet long. On the south side it will be the same length. On the east side it will be seven thousand eight hundred and seventy-five feet wide. And on the west side it will be same width. The city's pastureland will be the same on all four sides, four thousand three hundred and seventy-five feet. The rest of the land borders the holy area and runs lengthwise. This land will be seventeen thousand five hundred feet on both east and west sides. It will be used to provide food for the city workers. City workers from all the tribes in Israel will farm it. The whole area will be forty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty feet square. You must give this land as a special gift to Jehovah along with the city property.

He must then take his wife to the priest along with eight cups of barley flour as an offering for her. He must not pour olive oil on the flour or put frankincense on it, since it is a grain offering brought because of the husband's jealousy. It is an offering used for a confession, to remind someone of a sin that was committed. Verse Concepts

Those who captured Jesus took him to the house of Caiaphas, the high priest. The scribes and those in authority also gathered there. Verse Concepts

Jesus told him: Do that for which you came. They laid hands on Jesus, and captured him. Verse Concepts

When the man mentioned the Ark of God Eli fell backward from his seat beside the gate. He was so old and fat that the fall broke his neck and he died. He was a leader in Israel for forty years. Verse Concepts

If any case is too difficult for you to decide, between one kind of homicide or another, between one kind of lawsuit or another, and between one kind of assault or another, being cases of dispute in your courts, then you should go to the place Jehovah your God chooses. Approach the Levitical priest or the judge who is in office in those days. Inquire of them and they will declare to you the verdict in the case. Act according to the terms of the verdict they declare to you from that place Jehovah chooses. Be careful to abide by all that they teach you. read more.
Act according to the verdict and the terms they tell you. Do not turn away from the word they declare to you. The man who acts presumptuously and does not listen to the priest or the judge will die. This way you will purge the evil from Israel. The priests and judges are there to serve Jehovah your God. Then all the people will hear and be afraid. They will not act presumptuously again.

Paul looked straight at the Council and said: Fellow Israelites! My conscience is perfectly clear about the way in which I have lived before God to this very day. The high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. Paul said to him: God will strike you, white washed wall! Do you sit judging me according to the Law, and against law command me to be struck? read more.
Those who stood near him said, Do you revile the high priest of God? Then Paul said, I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest. It is written: You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people.

The chief priest and the elders of the people assembled at the court of Caiaphas, the high priest. Verse Concepts

When they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and those who were with him. He called the council together and all the senate of the children of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought. The officers did not find them in the prison when they came. So they returned and said, We found the prison locked with the guards standing before the doors. When we opened it we did not find a man. read more.
When the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted them. They wondered what this would come to. Someone came to them and told them: The men you put in prison are standing in the temple teaching the people. Then the captain with the officers brought them in without violence. They feared the people lest they should have been stoned. They brought them before the council and the high priest asked them: Did we command you not to teach in this name? Look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and are willing to bring this man's blood upon us.

The high priest stood up and said to him: Have you no answer? What is it these say against you? Verse Concepts

Let no man find fault and let no man reprove. After all your people are the ones who debate (argue) with a priest. Verse Concepts

Of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai, who was married to one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and took their name. Verse Concepts

The heads of the clans of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, the priests and Levites, and everyone else whose heart God had moved got ready to go and rebuild Jehovah's Temple in Jerusalem. Verse Concepts

I put on one side twelve of the chiefs of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers with them, I gave to them by weight the silver and the gold and the vessels, all the offering for the house of our God that the king and his wise men and his captains and all Israel there present had given: Measuring into their hands six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels, a hundred talents' weight, and a hundred talents of gold, read more.
And twenty gold basins, of a thousand darics, and two vessels of the best bright brass, equal in value to gold. I said to them: You are holy to Jehovah and the vessels are holy. The silver and the gold are an offering freely given to Jehovah, the God of your fathers. Take care of them and keep them, till you put them on the scales before the chiefs of the priests and the Levites and the chiefs of the families of Israel, in Jerusalem, in the rooms of the house of Jehovah. So the priests and the Levites took the weight of silver and gold and the vessels, to take them to Jerusalem into the house of our God.

The second year and third month of their coming to the house of God in Jerusalem Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, took charge of the construction. Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come from the land where they were prisoners to Jerusalem: and the Levites, of twenty years or older, were responsible for overseeing the work of the house of Jehovah. Verse Concepts

Some of the children of Israel went with some of the priests and Levites and the music-makers and the doorkeepers and the Nethinim, to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. Verse Concepts

So the priests and the Levites, the people and the music-makers, the doorkeepers and the Nethinim, took their places in their towns. Verse Concepts

The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three. The children of Immer, a thousand and fifty-two. The children of Pashhur, a thousand, two hundred and forty-seven. read more.
The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.

The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the family of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three. The children of Immer, a thousand and fifty-two. The children of Pashhur, a thousand, two hundred and forty-seven. read more.
The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.

And of the priests: the children of Hobaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai, who was married to one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and took their name. They searched for their record among the lists of families, but their names were nowhere to be seen, so they were looked on as unclean and no longer priests. And the Tirshatha (governor) said that they were not to have the most holy things for their food, till a priest came to give decision by the Urim and Thummim. read more.
The number of all the people together was forty-two thousand, three hundred and sixty. As well as their men-servants and their women-servants, of whom there were seven thousand, three hundred and thirty-seven. They had two hundred and forty-five men and women to make music. They had seven hundred and thirty-six horses, two hundred and forty-five transport beasts. They also had four hundred and thirty-five camels, six thousand, seven hundred and twenty asses. Some of the heads of families gave money for the work. The Tirshatha gave to the store a thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, and five hundred and thirty priests' robes. Some of the heads of families gave to the store for the work twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand, two hundred pounds of silver. That which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand pounds of silver, and sixty-seven priests' robes. The priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, some of the people and the Nethinim, and all Israel, were living in their towns. When the seventh months arrived, the sons of Israel were then in their cities.

Now those who put down their names were Nehemiah the Tirshatha (Governor), the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah, Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah, read more.
Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah; these were the priests.

They led Jesus away to the high priest. The chief priests, elders and scribes came together with him. Peter followed him at a distance. He followed into the court of the high priest. He was sitting with the officers staying warm by the fire. Now the chief priests and the whole council looked for witness against Jesus to put him to death. They found none. read more.
Many gave false witness against him. But their witness was not in agreement. One person falsely witnessed against him by saying: We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands. Even so their witness did not agree. The high priest stood in the middle of them, and said to Jesus: Do you not answer? What is it these say against you? But he kept quiet and said nothing. Again the high priest questioned him: Are you the Christ, the son of the Holy One? Jesus said: I am and you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven. Violently parting his robes, the high priest said: What need do we have for more witnesses? We have heard his words against God. What is your opinion? They all said he should be put to death. Some spit on him and covering his face they gave him blows. Guess who hit you, they said. The leaders took him and beat him with their hands.

It was morning. The chief priests and those in authority conspired to put Jesus to death. They tied his hands with cords and led him to the ruler, Pilate.

Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people. He said: You brought this man to me as one who perverted the people. I examined him before you and find no fault in this man. He has not done the things you accuse him of. Herod found no fault and sent him back to us. He has done nothing worthy of death. read more.
I will therefore punish him, and release him. He must release one prisoner to them at the feast. They cried out in unison: Take this man away and release to us Barabbas! He was thrown into prison for insurrection (sedition) in the city and murder. Pilate spoke to them again desiring to release Jesus. But they shouted, Impale him! Impale him! A third time he said to them: Why, what evil has this man done? I have found no reason to put him to death. I will therefore chastise him and release him. But they were insistent and spoke in loud voices asking him to impale him. And they prevailed. Pilate pronounced a sentence that what they asked for should be done.

Those who captured Jesus took him to the house of Caiaphas, the high priest. The scribes and those in authority also gathered there. But Peter kept his distance. He followed him to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the servants, to see the outcome. The chief priests and all the Sanhedrin were looking for false witness against Jesus. They wanted to put him to death. read more.
They failed, even though a number of false witnesses came. Later two witnesses came. They said: This man said, 'I am able to destroy the Temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.' The high priest stood up and said to him: Have you no answer? What is it these say against you? Jesus said nothing. The high priest said to him: I put you on oath, by the living God, that you will tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said to him: You said it yourself. And I say to you, after this you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest ripped his robes apart and said: He has said evil against God! Why do we need more witnesses? You have heard his words of blasphemy! What is your opinion? The crowd answered: Put him to death! They spat in his face and hit him, saying: Prophesy to us, you Christ; tell us who hit you!

They seized him and led him away. They took him to the high priest's house. Peter followed from a distance. They kindled a fire in the midst of the court. They sat down together. Peter sat in the midst of them. A servant girl saw him sitting by the light of the fire. She looked steadfastly upon him and said: This man was also with him. read more.
He denied it saying: Woman, I do not know him! After a little while another saw him, and said: You are one of them. Peter replied: Man I am not! Another hour passed. Someone else said: It is true this man was with him for he is a Galilean. Peter responded: I do not know what you are talking about! Immediately, while he spoke he heard the cockcrow. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he said to him: Before the cockcrow this day you will deny me three times. He left there and wept bitterly. The men that held Jesus mocked him and beat him. They blindfolded him, and asked him, saying: Prophesy: who is it that struck you? They reviled him and spoke many things against him. The next day the assembly of the elders of the people was gathered together. They included chief priests and scribes. They led him away to their council, saying: If you are the Christ, tell us. But he said to them: If I tell you, you will not believe: and if I ask you, you will not answer. Soon the Son of man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God. They all asked: Are you the Son of God? He said to them: You say that I am. They responded: What further need do we have for witnesses? We have heard this from his mouth.

Simon Peter followed Jesus and so did another disciple. The high priest knew that disciple. He entered the court of the high priest with Jesus. Peter stood outside the door. The disciple known by the high priest went out and spoke to the woman who kept the door and he brought in Peter. The maid that kept the door asked Peter: Are you also one of this man's disciples? He said: I am not. read more.
It was cold. So the servants and officers warmed themselves by the fire. Peter also stood by the fire to get warm. The high priest asked Jesus about his disciples and about the things he taught. Jesus answered him: I have spoken openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues, and in the temple where all the Jews gathered. I spoke nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask them that heard me what I spoke to them. They know the things I said. When he said this one of the officers standing nearby struck Jesus with his hand, saying: You answer the high priest! Jesus answered him: If I spoke evil, bear witness of the evil. But if I spoke honestly, why do you strike me? Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. Simon Peter stood nearby warming himself. They asked him: Are you also one of his disciples? He denied it saying: I am not. One of the servants of the high priest, being a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said: Did I see you in the garden with him? Peter denied it again. Then the cock crowed. They lead Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium. It was early and they did not enter directly into the Praetorium, that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. Pilate went to them and asked: What accusation do you make against this man? They answered: If this man were not an evildoer we would not deliver him to you. Pilate replied: Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law. The Jews said: It is not lawful for us to put any man to death. Thus the word of Jesus would be fulfilled when he spoke about the kind of death he would experience.

Levi does not have a portion or inheritance with his brothers. Jehovah is his inheritance; just as Jehovah your God spoke to him. Verse Concepts

He gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. The sacrifices of Jehovah God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as he said to them. Verse Concepts

Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and a half tribe on the other side of the Jordan. He gave no inheritance to the Levites. Verse Concepts

The Levites have no part among you. The priesthood of Jehovah is their inheritance. Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh, have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the Jehovah gave them. Verse Concepts

But he gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. Jehovah God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said to them. Verse Concepts

The Levitical priests including the entire tribe of Levi will receive no land or property of their own like the rest of the Israelites. They will eat what has been sacrificed to Jehovah. These sacrifices will be what they receive. They are to own no land, as the other tribes do. Their inheritance is the privilege of being Jehovah's priests, as Jehovah told them.

Jehovah said to Aaron: You will have no land or property of your own as the other Israelites will have. I am your possession and your property among the Israelites. Verse Concepts

Do not neglect the Levites who live in your towns. They have no property of their own. Verse Concepts

The priests will have no inheritance. I am their inheritance. Do not give them any possessions in Israel. The priests belong to me. Verse Concepts

As Solomon's father David had directed, he set up the divisions of priests for their service and the divisions of Levites for their appointed places. The Levites were to lead in praising Jehovah and to serve beside the priests by doing whatever needed to be done each day. Solomon also set up divisions of doorkeepers at every gate because this was what David, the man of God, had commanded. Verse Concepts

I made them clean from all strange people. Regular watches were fixed for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work. Verse Concepts

The divisions of Aaron's descendants were as follows: Aaron's sons were Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. Nadab and Abihu died before their father died, and neither had any children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests. David, Eleazar's descendant Zadok, and Ithamar's descendant Ahimelech divided Aaron's descendants into groups for service. read more.
Since Eleazar's descendants had more men who were family heads than Ithamar's descendants, they were divided so that Eleazar's descendants had sixteen family leaders and Ithamar's descendants had eight family leaders. Both groups were divided impartially by drawing lots so that there were officers for the holy place and officers for God among both Eleazar's and Ithamar's descendants. The scribe Shemaiah was a son of Nethanel and a descendant of Levi. Shemaiah recorded their names in the presence of the king, the princes, the priest Zadok, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the family leaders of the priests and Levites. One family was chosen for Eleazar, another for Ithamar. The first lot drawn was for Jehoiarib, the second for Jedaiah, the third for Harim, the fourth for Seorim, the fifth for Malchiah, the sixth for Mijamin, the seventh for Hakkoz, the eighth for Abijah, the ninth for Jeshua, the tenth for Shecaniah, the eleventh for Eliashib, the twelfth for Jakim, the thirteenth for Huppah, the fourteenth for Jeshebeab, the fifteenth for Bilgah, the sixteenth for Immer, the seventeenth for Hezir, the eighteenth for Happizzez, the nineteenth for Pethahiah, the twentieth for Jehezkel, the twenty-first for Jachin, the twenty-second for Gamul, the twenty-third for Delaiah, the twenty-fourth for Maaziah. These were their priestly groups when they went to serve at Jehovah's temple. Their ancestor Aaron made these rules for them, as Jehovah God of Israel had commanded him.

The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three. The children of Immer, a thousand and fifty-two. The children of Pashhur, a thousand, two hundred and forty-seven. read more.
The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.

He determined the divisions of the priests and Levites. He planned all the work done for worship in Jehovah's Temple. He designed all the utensils for worship in Jehovah's Temple. Verse Concepts

Here are the divisions of the priests and Levites for every type of worship in God's Temple. You have with you every skilled worker to do the work. In addition, all the leaders and people are at your command. Verse Concepts

Hezekiah assigned the priests and the Levites to divisions. Each priest or Levite was put in a division based on the service he performed. The services included: sacrificing burnt offerings, sacrificing fellowship offerings, serving, giving thanks, or praising within the gates of Jehovah's camp. Verse Concepts

Get yourselves ready with the family groups of your divisions, which are listed in the records of King David of Israel and the records of his son Solomon. Divide yourselves into groups. Then spread out throughout the Temple so that each family of worshipers will be able to get help from one of you.

The table should be placed in front of the Covenant Box. There is always to be the sacred bread offered to me for the table. Verse Concepts

For the holy bread, and for the regular meal offering and the regular burned offering on the Sabbaths and at the new moon and the fixed feasts, and for the sin-offerings to take away the sin of Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God. Verse Concepts

He entered into the house of God, and he and his companions ate the showbread (holy bread), which it was not lawful for them to eat. It was only lawful for the priests. Verse Concepts

A tabernacle was set up. The first room was called the Holy Place. It contained the lamp stand and table and the consecrated bread. Verse Concepts

I am building a Temple to honor Jehovah my God. It will be a holy place where my people and I will worship him by burning incense of fragrant spices. We will present offerings of sacred bread to him continuously, and we will offer burnt offerings every morning and evening, as well as on Sabbaths, New Moon Festivals, and other holy days honoring Jehovah our God. He has commanded Israel to do this from generation to generation. Verse Concepts

Every morning and every evening they offer him incense and animal sacrifices burned whole. They present the offerings of bread on a table that is ritually clean, and every evening they light the lamps on the gold lamp stand. We do what Jehovah has commanded! But you have abandoned him! Verse Concepts

Take flour and bake twelve rings of bread. Each ring will contain four quarts of flour. Put them in two stacks of six each on the gold table in Jehovah's presence. Place pure incense on top of each stack. The incense on the bread will be a reminder, an offering by fire to Jehovah. read more.
Every day of worship (sabbath day) a priest must arrange the bread in Jehovah's presence. It is a long lasting reminder of my promise to the Israelites. The bread will belong to Aaron and his sons. They will eat it in a holy place. It is very holy, set apart from Jehovah's offering by fire. This is a long lasting law.

This was in the time when Annas and Caiaphas were chief priests. The word of God was delivered to John the son of Zechariah. He was in the wilderness. Verse Concepts

Zadok the priest was there. He had Levites there carrying the sacred Ark of God. They set it down and did not pick it up again until all the people left the city. The priest Abiathar was there too. Verse Concepts

Moses sent them off to war. There were one thousand men from each tribe along with Phinehas, son of the priest Eleazar. Phinehas took with him the holy articles and the trumpets for the fanfare. Verse Concepts

The captain of the guard took the high priest Seraiah, the second priest Zephaniah, and the three doorkeepers. Verse Concepts

The leader of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest. He was in charge of those who carried out the duties in the Holy Place.

Eleazar, son of the priest Aaron, will be in charge of the oil for the lamps, the sweet-smelling incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil. He is in charge of the whole tent and everything in it, the holy place and its contents. Verse Concepts

In earlier times Phinehas son of Eleazar was in charge of the gatekeepers, and Jehovah was with him.

Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near. Jehovah your God has chosen them to serve him and to bless in the name of Jehovah. They will settle every dispute and every assault. Verse Concepts

If any case is too difficult for you to decide, between one kind of homicide or another, between one kind of lawsuit or another, and between one kind of assault or another, being cases of dispute in your courts, then you should go to the place Jehovah your God chooses. Approach the Levitical priest or the judge who is in office in those days. Inquire of them and they will declare to you the verdict in the case. Act according to the terms of the verdict they declare to you from that place Jehovah chooses. Be careful to abide by all that they teach you. read more.
Act according to the verdict and the terms they tell you. Do not turn away from the word they declare to you. The man who acts presumptuously and does not listen to the priest or the judge will die. This way you will purge the evil from Israel. The priests and judges are there to serve Jehovah your God. Then all the people will hear and be afraid. They will not act presumptuously again.

Jehoshaphat also appointed some Levites, some priests, and some of the family leaders to serve as judges in Jerusalem. Verse Concepts

They must teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is unholy. They must show the people how to tell the difference between what is clean and what is unclean. In all disputes the priests must act as judges and make decisions based on my Laws. They must obey my rules and my regulations at all my festivals. They must observe holy days to worship me.

A husband may have a fit of jealousy and suspect his wife, whether she was actually unfaithful or not. He must then take his wife to the priest along with eight cups of barley flour as an offering for her. He must not pour olive oil on the flour or put frankincense on it, since it is a grain offering brought because of the husband's jealousy. It is an offering used for a confession, to remind someone of a sin that was committed. The priest will have the woman come forward and stand in Jehovah's presence. read more.
The priest will then take holy water in a piece of pottery and put some dust from the floor of the tent into the water. The priest will bring the woman into Jehovah's presence and loosen her hair. In her hands he will put the offering used for a confession, that is, the grain offering brought because of the husband's jealousy. The priest will hold the bitter water that can bring a curse in his hands. The priest will say to her: 'If no other man has had sexual intercourse with you and you have not been unfaithful to your husband, you are not guilty. This bitter water that can bring a curse will not harm you. If you have indeed been unfaithful and have had sexual intercourse with another man, Jehovah will make you an example for your people to see what happens when the curse of this oath comes true: Jehovah will make your uterus drop and your stomach swell. Then the priest will administer the oath and the curse by saying: May this water that can bring a curse go into your body and make your stomach swell and your uterus drop!' Then the woman will say: Amen! Amen! The priest will write these curses on a scroll and wash them off into the bitter water. He will have the woman drink the bitter water that can bring the curse. This water will go into her and become bitter. The priest will take the grain offering she was holding. He will present it to Jehovah, and bring it to the altar. The priest will take a handful of the grain offering as a memorial portion and burn it on the altar. Then he will have the woman drink the water. If she has become unclean by being unfaithful to her husband, the water that can bring the curse will go into her and become bitter. Her stomach will swell, her uterus will drop, and she will become cursed among her people. However if the woman is not unclean and is pure, she is not guilty and will be able to have children. These are the instructions for how to deal with jealousy. They tell you what to do when a woman is unfaithful to her husband and becomes unclean. They also tell you what to do when a husband has a fit of jealousy and is suspicious of his wife. He will make his wife stand in Jehovah's presence. The priest will do everything these instructions tell him to do. The husband is not guilty of doing anything wrong. But the woman will suffer the consequences of her sin.

The two people involved must stand in Jehovah's presence, in front of the priests and judges who are serving at that time. Verse Concepts

The priests did not ask: 'Where is Jehovah? Those who deal with my Law did not know me. The rulers rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied in the name of Baal and followed things that could not help (profit) them.' Verse Concepts

The priests should teach the true knowledge of God. They are the messengers of Jehovah of Hosts. Therefore the people should learn (my will) the law from them. Verse Concepts

You must also teach the people of Israel everything that I commanded Moses to say to them. Verse Concepts

Stay away from the infection of leprosy. Diligently observe and do according to all that the Levitical priests teach you. I have commanded them, so be careful to obey. Verse Concepts

They will teach your ordinances to Jacob, and your Law to Israel. They will burn incense before you, and whole burnt offerings on your altar. Verse Concepts

The Levites will answer all the men of Israel with a loud voice:

Moses wrote this Law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi who carried the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah, and to all the elders of Israel. Moses commanded them: At the end of every seven years, at the time of the year of remission of debts, at the Feast of Booths, when all Israel comes to appear before Jehovah your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this Law in front of all Israel in their hearing. read more.
Assemble the people, the men and the women and children and the alien who is in your town. Assemble them that they may hear and learn and respect Jehovah your God, and be careful to observe all the words of this Law. Their children, who have not known, will hear and learn to respect Jehovah your God, as long as you live on the land you will possess when you cross the Jordan River.

He became a priest with an oath when God said to him: Jehovah has sworn and he will feel no regret, you are a priest forever. (Psalm 110:4) Verse Concepts

Jehovah also said: This is what you must do in order to (consecrate) set Aaron and his sons apart to serve me as priests: Take a young bull that has no defects and two rams that have no defects. Use the best wheat flour to make some unleavened bread. Bake some with olive oil, some without it, and some in the form of thin cakes brushed with oil. Put them in a basket and offer them to me when you sacrifice the bull and the two rams. read more.
Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the sacred tent of meeting and have them wash themselves. Aaron should dress in the priestly shirt and robe under the sacred vest. Put on the vest, the breast piece, and the sash. Put on his turban with its narrow strip of engraved gold. Ordain him by pouring olive oil on his head. Aaron's sons should dress in their special shirts, caps and sashes. Then ordain them, because they and their descendants will have a long lasting priesthood.

Take the other ram and Aaron and his sons are to put their hands on its head. Kill it and take some of its blood and put it on the lobes of the right ears of Aaron and his sons, on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet. Sprinkle the rest of the blood all around the altar. Take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his clothes and on his sons and their clothes. He, his sons, and their clothes will then be dedicated to me. read more.
Remove the ram's fat, the fat tail, the fat covering the internal organs, the fat attached to the liver, the two kidneys with the fat on them, and the right thigh. From the basket of bread which has been offered to me, take one loaf of each kind: one loaf made with olive oil and one made without it and one thin cake. Put all this food in the hands of Aaron and his sons and have them dedicate it to me as a special gift. The meat and bread are to be placed on the altar and sent up in smoke with a smell before Jehovah. You may eat the choice breast from this second ram, but you must first lift them up to show that this meat is dedicated to me. You shall consecrate the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the heave offering which was waved and which was offered from the ram of ordination, from the one that was for Aaron and from the one that was for his sons. It will be for Aaron and his sons as their long lasting portion from the sons of Israel. It is a heave offering. It will be a heave offering from the sons of Israel from the sacrifices of their peace offerings, even their heave offering to Jehovah. The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him. They may wear them when they are anointed and ordained. For seven days the one of his sons who is priest in his stead shall put them on when he enters the tent of meeting to minister in the holy place. You shall take the ram of ordination and boil its flesh in a holy place. Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket, at the doorway of the tent of meeting. They shall eat those things used for their atonement and their ordination and consecration. A layman shall not eat them, because they are holy. If any of the flesh of ordination or any of the bread remains until morning it should be burned with fire. It should not be eaten because it is holy. Do to Aaron and to his sons all that I have commanded you. Ordain them for seven days.

Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tabernacle, and have them take a ritual bath. Dress Aaron in the priestly garments and anoint him. Consecrate him so that he can serve me as priest. Bring his sons and put the shirts on them. read more.
Anoint them just as you anointed their father that they can serve me as priests. This anointing will make them priests for generations to come. Moses did everything just as Jehovah commanded.

This is the offering Aaron and his sons are to present to Jehovah on the day when he is anointed: a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a regular grain offering, half of it in the morning and half of it in the evening. Prepare it with oil on a griddle. Stir it well and bring it. Present the grain offering in baked pieces as a soothing aroma to Jehovah. The anointed priest who will be in his place among his sons will offer it. By a long lasting ordinance it shall be entirely offered up in smoke to Jehovah. read more.
Every grain offering made by a priest must be completely burned. It must not be eaten.

Moses had Aaron and his sons come forward. Then he washed them with water. He clothed Aaron with the embroidered tunic and tied the sash around him. He also dressed him in the linen robe that is worn with the ephod. He fastened the ephod to it. Then he placed the breastplate on him and he placed the Urim and Thummim. read more.
He put the turban on Aaron's head and fastened the gold medallion, the holy crown, to the front of the turban as Jehovah had commanded Moses. Moses took the anointing oil to anoint the tent and everything in it and dedicate them. He sprinkled the altar seven times. He anointed the altar; it's utensils, the washbasin and its pedestal. This made them holy. He also poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him to set him apart for his holy duties. Next, Moses dressed the sons of Aaron. He put shirts on them; put sashes around their waists, and tied caps on their heads, just as Jehovah commanded. Moses brought the young bull for the sin offering. Aaron and his sons put their hands on its head. Moses killed it and took some of the blood. Using his finger he put it on the projections at the corners of the altar, in order to dedicate it. He then poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. In this way he dedicated it and purified it. Moses took all the fat on the internal organs. He took the best part of the liver, and the kidneys with the fat on them, and burned it all on the altar. Finally, he took the skin and the flesh of the bull, together with the food still in its stomach, and burned them outside the camp, just as Jehovah commanded. Moses led out the ram for the sacrifice to please Jehovah. After Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head, Moses slaughtered the ram and splattered its blood against the four sides of the altar. The ram was cut into pieces. Moses burned the head with the other pieces and the fat. He washed the internal organs and the legs. Then Moses burned the whole ram on the altar as Jehovah commanded him. It was a burnt offering, a pleasant aroma, an offering by fire to Jehovah. He brought the second ram for the ordination offering. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the ram's head. Moses slaughtered it. He took some of the blood, and put it on Aaron's right ear lobe, on his right thumb, and on the big toe of his right foot. Moses also brought Aaron's sons forward. He put some of the blood on their right ear lobes, on their right thumbs, and on the big toes of their right feet. Moses threw the rest of the blood against all the sides of the altar. He took the fat from the tail, all the fat on the internal organs, the lobe of the liver, the two kidneys with their fat, and the right thigh. He took a loaf of unleavened bread, a ring of bread made with olive oil. He took a wafer from the basket of unleavened bread in Jehovah's presence. He put them on the fat and the right thigh. He placed all these things in the hands of Aaron and his sons. Moses presented all these things to Jehovah as an offering. Then he took them from their hands and burned them on top of the burnt offering on the altar. These were ordination offerings, offerings by fire, a soothing aroma to Jehovah. Moses also took the breast from the ram of the ordination offering and presented it to Jehovah. It was Moses' share, as Jehovah commanded. Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood that was on the altar. He sprinkled it on Aaron and his clothes and on his sons and their clothes. In this way he dedicated Aaron, his clothes, his sons, and their clothes. Moses told Aaron and his sons: Cook the meat at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Take the meat and the bread in the basket of the ordination offering. Eat them there as I commanded when I said: 'Aaron and his sons will eat it.' You must burn all meat or bread that is left over. You will not leave the entrance to the Tent of Meeting for seven days. Do not leave until the last day of your ordination is over. It will take seven days to ordain you. I did today what Jehovah commanded me to pay compensation for wrongdoing and make peace with Jehovah for you. You will stay at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting day and night for seven days and keep the watch as Jehovah directs you. Then you will not die. This is what I was commanded.

The priest should present the bread with the two lambs as a special gift to Jehovah for the priests. These offerings are holy. Verse Concepts

I also give you the first of the produce they give Jehovah. It is the best of all the olive oil and the best of the new wine and fresh grain. The first of all produce harvested in their land that they bring to Jehovah are yours. Anyone in your household who is clean may eat it.

When cattle or sheep are sacrificed, the priests are to be given the shoulder, the jaw, and the stomach. They are to receive the first share of the grain, wine, olive oil, and wool. Jehovah chose from all your tribes the tribe of Levi to serve him and his sons as priests forever.

As well as the first of our sons and of our cattle, as it is recorded in the law. The first lambs of our herds and of our flocks, which are to be taken to the house of our God, to the priests who are servants in the house of our God: Verse Concepts

The bread will belong to Aaron and his sons. They will eat it in a holy place. It is very holy, set apart from Jehovah's offering by fire. This is a long lasting law. Verse Concepts

You must never buy back a firstborn bull, sheep, or goat. They are holy. Throw the blood from these animals against the altar. Burn the fat as an offering by fire, a soothing aroma to Jehovah. The meat is yours, like the breast and the right thigh that are presented.

Next, Moses dressed the sons of Aaron. He put shirts on them; put sashes around their waists, and tied caps on their heads, just as Jehovah commanded. Verse Concepts

Make sacred clothes for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor. Tell all the skilled men whom I have given this ability to make Aaron's clothes. These clothes will set him apart as holy when he serves me as priest. The clothes they will make are as follows: a breastplate, an ephod and the robe that is worn with it, another specially woven linen robe, the chief priest's turban, and a cloth belt. They will make these holy clothes for your brother Aaron and his sons so that they will be able to serve me as priests. read more.
Take the gold and blue thread and wool that is dyed bright read and the fine linen and prepare the ephod with fine linen yarn. Embroider gold, violet, purple, and bright red yarn into the fabric. It should have two shoulder straps attached at the top corners so it can be fastened. Make the belt that is attached to the ephod from the same fabric. Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on two onyx stones. Engrave them in order of their birth. Place six names on each stone. Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the same way a jeweler engraves a signet ring. Mount them in gold settings. Then fasten them on the shoulder straps of the ephod as reminders of who the Israelites are. In this way Aaron will carry their names on his shoulders as a reminder in Jehovah's presence. Make gold settings. Also make two chains of pure gold. These gold chains should be twisted like ropes. Fasten these chains to the settings. Prepare the breast piece for decision-making using a skilled craftsman. Make it like the ephod out of gold, violet, purple, and bright red yarn and out of fine linen yarn. Fold it in half so it is nine inches square. Fasten four rows of precious stones on it. Put red quartz, topaz, and emerald in the first row. Place turquoise, sapphire, and crystal in the second row. In the third row put jacinth, agate, and amethyst. In the fourth row put beryl, onyx, and gray quartz. Mount them in gold settings. The stones represent the twelve sons of Israel, by name, each stone engraved like a signet ring with the name of one of the twelve tribes. Make chains out of pure gold, twisted like ropes for the breastplate. Make two gold rings for the breastplate. Attach them to the two top corners of the breastplate. Fasten the two gold ropes to the rings at the top corners of the breastplate. Fasten the other ends of the ropes to the two settings on the shoulder straps of the ephod so that the breastplate hangs in front of it. Make two gold rings, and connect them to the other two corners of the breastplate on the inside edge next to the ephod. Make two more gold rings, and fasten them to the bottom of the shoulder straps on the front of the ephod. This will be close to the seam just above the belt of the ephod. Then the breastplate should be fastened by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a violet cord. Attach it just above the belt of the ephod. This will hold the breastplate in place. When Aaron goes into the holy place, he will carry the names of the sons of Israel over his heart as a continual reminder in Jehovah's presence. He must do this by wearing the breast piece for decision-making. Put the Urim and Thummim into the breast piece for decision-making. They, too, will be over Aaron's heart when he comes into Jehovah's presence. In this way when he is in Jehovah's presence, Aaron will always be carrying over his heart the means for determining Jehovah's decisions for the Israelites. Make the robe that is worn with the ephod entirely of violet material. Provide an opening for the head in the center with a reinforced edge like a leather collar all around it to keep it from tearing. Along the hem of the robe weave pomegranates of blue, purple, and red wool with a gold bell between each of them. A gold bell should alternate with a pomegranate all around the hem of the robe. Aaron should wear it when he serves as priest. The sound of the bells must be heard when he comes into and goes out of Jehovah's presence in the holy place so that he will not die. Also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engravings of a seal: Holy to Jehovah. Fasten it on a blue cord and on the turban. It should be at the front of the turban. It shall be on Aaron's forehead. Aaron will take away the iniquity of the holy things that the sons of Israel consecrate. Concerning their holy gifts it will always be on his forehead that they may be accepted before Jehovah. Weave the tunic of checkered work of fine linen. Make a turban of fine linen and a sash, the work of a weaver. Make linen robes, belts, and turbans for Aaron's sons. These clothes will give them dignity and honor. Dress your brother Aaron and his sons in these clothes and anoint them, ordain them, and set them apart to serve me as priests. Make linen undergarments to cover them down to their thighs. Aaron and his sons must wear them when they go into the tent of meeting or when they come near the altar to serve as priests in the holy place. They will be blameless and will not die. This is a long lasting law for him and his descendants.

From the violet, purple, and bright red yarn they made special clothes worn for official duties in the holy place. They also made the holy clothes for Aaron. They obeyed Jehovah's instructions to Moses. The ephod was made out of fine linen yarn and gold, violet, purple, and bright red yarn. The gold was hammered into thin sheets and cut up. They twisted the gold into threads, which they creatively worked into each strand of the violet, purple, and bright red yarn, and throughout the fine linen. read more.
From this they made two shoulder straps for the ephod and attached them to its sides, so that it could be fastened. The finely woven belt, made of the same materials, was attached to the ephod so as to form one piece with it. This was as Jehovah had commanded Moses. They prepared the carnelians and mounted them in gold settings. They were skillfully engraved with the names of the twelve sons of Jacob. They placed them on the shoulder straps of the ephod to represent the twelve tribes of Israel. Again, this was just as Jehovah commanded Moses. The breast piece was made of the same materials as the ephod and with similar embroidery. It was square and folded double, nine inches long and nine inches wide. They mounted four rows of precious stones on it. Ruby was mounted on the first row along with topaz, and garnet. Included in the second row was an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. The third row contained a turquoise, an agate, and an amethyst. The fourth row contained a beryl, a carnelian, and jasper. These were mounted in gold settings. Each of the twelve stones had engraved on it the name of one of the sons of Jacob, in order to represent the twelve tribes of Israel. They made chains out of pure gold, twisted like ropes. These were for the breastplate. Two gold settings and two gold rings were prepared and attached, the two rings to the top two corners of the breast piece. They fastened the two gold ropes to the rings at the top corners of the breastplate. They fastened the other ends of the ropes to the two settings on the shoulder straps of the ephod. The breastplate hung in front of it. They made two gold rings and fastened them to the other two corners of the breast piece on the inside edge next to the ephod. They made two more gold rings and fastened them to the bottom of the shoulder straps on the front of the ephod. This was close to the seam just above the belt of the ephod. Finally they fastened the breast piece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a violet cord. So the breast piece was attached just above the belt of the ephod and was held in place. They followed Jehovah's instructions to Moses. They made the robe that is worn with the ephod. It was woven entirely of violet yarn. The opening in the center of the robe had a finished edge, somewhat like a leather collar, all around it to keep it from tearing. On the hem of the robe they made pomegranates of violet, purple, and bright red yarn, and fine yarn. Bells were made out of pure gold. They were fastened in between the pomegranates all around the hem of the robe. A gold bell alternated with a pomegranate all around the hem of the robe that is worn by Aaron when he served as priest. They followed Jehovah's instructions to Moses. They wove inner robes out of fine linen for Aaron and his sons. They also made the chief priest's turban and the other beautiful turbans out of fine linen. They made the undergarments and belt out of fine linen yarn. The belt was embroidered with violet, purple, and bright red yarn. They followed Jehovah's instructions to Moses.

The priest must put on his linen clothes. This includes linen undergarments. Then he will remove the ashes left on the altar from the fire that consumed the burnt offering and will put them next to the altar. He will take off these clothes and put on some others. He will take the ashes to a clean place outside the camp.

They must wear linen clothes when they enter the gateways to the inner courtyard. They must have no wool on them while they serve in the gateways to the inner courtyard and in the Temple. They must wear linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments. They must not wear anything that makes them sweat. When they go out among the people in the outer courtyard, they must take off the clothes that they wore as they served. They must leave their clothes in the side rooms of the holy place and put on other clothes so that they do not transfer the holiness from their clothes to the people.

You made them kings and priests to our God. They will reign as kings over the earth. Verse Concepts

Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them. They shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall rule as kings with him for the thousand years. Verse Concepts

You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people for God's own possession, that you may show the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Verse Concepts

You will be called the priests of Jehovah. You will be spoken of as ministers of our God. You will eat the wealth of nations, you will boast in their riches. Verse Concepts

You will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation. These are the words you must speak to the children of Israel.' Verse Concepts

He made us to be a kingdom of kings and priests to his God and Father. To him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen. Verse Concepts

Then ordain them, because they and their descendants will have a long lasting priesthood. Verse Concepts

The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart, he and his descendants from generation to generation, to consecrate the most holy things, to offer sacrifices before Jehovah, to minister before him and to pronounce blessings in his name as long as they live. Verse Concepts

Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests. Anyone else who tries to do the priests' duties must be put to death. Verse Concepts

Only you and your sons may do the work of priests, everything done at the altar and under the canopy. This is my gift to you: You may serve me as priests. Anyone else who comes near the holy place to do this work must die. Verse Concepts

I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar. I will also consecrate Aaron and his sons to minister as priests to me. Verse Concepts

Jehovah continued: Bring your brother Aaron and his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar to you from all the Israelites. They will serve me as priests. Make sacred clothes for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor. Tell all the skilled men whom I have given this ability to make Aaron's clothes. These clothes will set him apart as holy when he serves me as priest. read more.
The clothes they will make are as follows: a breastplate, an ephod and the robe that is worn with it, another specially woven linen robe, the chief priest's turban, and a cloth belt. They will make these holy clothes for your brother Aaron and his sons so that they will be able to serve me as priests.

After these things were done, the captains came to me and said: The people of Israel and the priests and Levites have not kept themselves separate from the people of the lands. They have taken part in the disgusting ways of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. They have taken their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons. They have mingled the holy race with peoples around them. In fact the leaders and officials were first to do this evil.

I made controllers over the storehouses, Shelemiah the priest and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and with them was Hanan, the son of Zaccur the son of Mattaniah. They were taken to be honest men and their business was the distribution of these things to their brothers. Verse Concepts

One of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib, the chief priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite, so I sent him away from me. Keep them in mind, O my God, because they have put shame on the priests' name and on the agreement of the priests and the Levites.

Before this, Eliashib the priest had been placed over the rooms of the house of our God. He was a friend of Tobiah. Had made a great room ready for him. This is where they once kept the meal offerings, the perfume, the vessels and the tenths of the grain and wine and oil. They were given by order to the Levites and the music-makers and the gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. I was not at Jerusalem all this time in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes, king of Babylon. I went to the king; and after some days, I got the king to let me go. read more.
I went to Jerusalem. It was clear to me what evil Eliashib had done for Tobiah by making ready for him a room in the buildings of the house of God. It was evil in my eyes so I had all Tobiah's things removed from the room. Then I gave orders, and they made the rooms clean. I put the vessels of the House of God, along with the meal offerings and the perfume, back in the rooms.

Among the sons of the priests who were married to strange women were these: of the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak and his brothers, Maaseiah and Eliezer and Jarib and Gedaliah. They gave their word that they would put away their wives; and for their sin, they gave an offering of a male sheep of the flock. Of the sons of Immer, Hanani and Zebadiah. read more.
Of the sons of Harim, Maaseiah and Elijah and Shemaiah and Jehiel and Uzziah. Of the sons of Pashhur, Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

That is where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Verse Concepts

King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High. Verse Concepts

As he said in another place: You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Verse Concepts

Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him. Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything to him. He was first of all, by translation of his name, King of Righteousness, and then he was also ruler of Salem, which means, King of Peace. He was without father or mother or genealogy, and neither had beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he continues as a priest forever. read more.
See how great he was! Abraham the patriarch gave him a tenth of the spoils. The descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the Law to take tithes from the people. This is from their brothers, for these are descended from Abraham. But this man does not have their genealogy. He received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. It is beyond dispute that the superior blesses the inferior. In this instance mortal men receive tithes, in the other by the one of whom it is testified that he lives. One might even say that Levi, the priest who takes the tenth from the people, gave his tenth through Abraham. He was still in the loins of his ancestor (not yet born) when Melchizedek met him. If perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people received the Law, what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, instead of one named after the order of Aaron? The priesthood was changed, and therefore it is necessary to also change the Law. The one about whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. It is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. This is clear if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, He would become such, not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life. For it is announced: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. The former commandment was set aside because it was weak and useless. The Law could not make anything perfect. A better hope has been provided through which we can draw near to God. It was not without an oath. Others were made priest without any oath. He became a priest with an oath when God said to him: Jehovah has sworn and he will feel no regret, you are a priest forever. (Psalm 110:4)

He was called by God to be a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. We have many things to say about him and it is hard to explain it to you, for you are dull of hearing (slow to learn).

Aaron must keep the lamps lit in the Tent of Meeting from evening until morning. This is outside the canopy where the words of my covenant are in Jehovah's presence. It is a long lasting law for generations to come. Aaron must keep the lamps on the pure gold lamp stand lit in Jehovah's presence.

Command the Israelites that the lighting must be provided by pure virgin olive oil so that the lamps will not go out. Keep the lamps lit in the tent of meeting outside the canopy where the words of my covenant are. Aaron and his descendants must keep the lamps lit in Jehovah's presence from evening until morning. This is a long lasting law among the Israelites for generations to come.

When Aaron lights the lamps at dusk he must burn incense. An incense offering must burn (smoke) constantly in Jehovah's presence for generations to come. Verse Concepts

So Aaron set up the lamps on the lamp stand to illuminate the area in front of it, as Jehovah commanded Moses.

Once a year Aaron must make atonement with Jehovah by putting blood on its horns. Once a year for generations to come blood from the offering must be placed on the altar to make atonement with Jehovah. It is most holy to Jehovah. Verse Concepts

Only the high priest enters the inner room. Once a year he entered with blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people. Verse Concepts

That is why he must offer sacrifices, for his own and for the people's sins. Verse Concepts

Almost all things are by the Law purified with blood. There is no forgiveness unless blood is poured out. It was necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these. But the heavenly things should be cleansed with better sacrifices than these.

Whenever there was a large amount of money in the box, the royal secretary and the High Priest would come, melt down the silver, and weigh it. Verse Concepts

Go to Hilkiah the high priest. Let him count the money brought into the Temple of Jehovah that the keepers of the door gathered from the people. Verse Concepts

They came to the chief priest Hilkiah and gave him the money that had been brought into God's Temple. It was the money that the Levite doorkeepers had collected from the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim, from all who were left in Israel, from everyone in the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and from the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Verse Concepts

The king called for the chief priest Jehoiada and asked him: Why have you not required the Levites to bring the contributions from Judah and Jerusalem? Jehovah's servant Moses and the assembly required Israel to give contributions for the use of the Tent of Testimony of God's promise. The sons of that wicked woman Athaliah had broken into God's Temple and used all the holy things of Jehovah's Temple to worship other gods, the Baals. The king issued an order. They made a box and placed it outside the gate of Jehovah's Temple. read more.
They issued a proclamation in Judah and Jerusalem that the contributions should be brought to Jehovah. Moses required Israel to make contributions while they were in the desert. All the officials and all the people were filled with joy. They brought money and dropped it into the box until it was full. When the Levites brought the box to the king's officers and they saw a lot of money. The king's scribe and the chief priest's officer would empty the box and put it back in its place. They would do this every day. They collected a lot of money. The king and Jehoiada gave the money to the foremen who were working on Jehovah's Temple. They hired masons and carpenters to renovate Jehovah's Temple. They also hired men who worked with iron and bronze to repair Jehovah's Temple. The men worked and the project progressed under the foremen's guidance. They restored God's Temple to its proper condition and reinforced it. When the repairs were finished, the remaining gold and silver was given to the king and Jehoiada. They used it to have bowls and other utensils made for the Temple. As long as Jehoiada was alive, sacrifices were offered regularly at the Temple.

Moses sent them off to war. There were one thousand men from each tribe along with Phinehas, son of the priest Eleazar. Phinehas took with him the holy articles and the trumpets for the fanfare. Verse Concepts

God is with us as our leader. His priests will sound their trumpets to call the army to fight you. Men of Israel do not wage war against Jehovah the God of your ancestors. You will not succeed. Verse Concepts

Make two trumpets of hammered silver to use for calling the people together and for breaking camp. When long blasts are sounded on both trumpets, the whole community is to gather around you at the entrance to the tent of my presence. When only one trumpet is sounded, then only the leaders of the clans are to gather around you. read more.
When short blasts are sounded, the tribes camped on the east will move out. When short blasts are sounded a second time, the tribes on the south will move out. So short blasts are to be sounded to break camp, Long blasts are to be sounded to call the congregation together. Aaron's sons the priests are to blow the trumpets. The following rule is to be observed for all time to come. When there is war in your land and you defend yourselves against an enemy attack, sound the signal for battle on these trumpets. I, Jehovah your God, will help you and save you from your enemies. Joyful occasions such as your New Moon Festivals and your other religious festivals, you are to blow the trumpets when you present your burnt offerings and your fellowship offerings. Then I will help you. I AM JEHOVAH YOUR GOD!

Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the profane. They have not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean. They hide their eyes from my Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. Verse Concepts

The prophets and priests are godless. Even in my Temple I have found them doing evil, declares Jehovah. That is why their own way will become like a slippery path in the dark. They will be chased away, and they will fall down in the dark. I will bring disaster on them. It is time for them to be punished, proclaims Jehovah.

A priest traveled on that road. When he saw him he passed by on the other side. Verse Concepts

Aaron must keep the lamps lit in the Tent of Meeting from evening until morning. This is outside the canopy where the words of my covenant are in Jehovah's presence. It is a long lasting law for generations to come. Aaron must keep the lamps on the pure gold lamp stand lit in Jehovah's presence.

Command the Israelites that the lighting must be provided by pure virgin olive oil so that the lamps will not go out. Keep the lamps lit in the tent of meeting outside the canopy where the words of my covenant are. Aaron and his descendants must keep the lamps lit in Jehovah's presence from evening until morning. This is a long lasting law among the Israelites for generations to come.

Every morning and every evening they offer him incense and animal sacrifices burned whole. They present the offerings of bread on a table that is ritually clean, and every evening they light the lamps on the gold lamp stand. We do what Jehovah has commanded! But you have abandoned him! Verse Concepts

Among the sons of the priests who were married to strange women were these: of the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak and his brothers, Maaseiah and Eliezer and Jarib and Gedaliah. They gave their word that they would put away their wives; and for their sin, they gave an offering of a male sheep of the flock.

After these things were done, the captains came to me and said: The people of Israel and the priests and Levites have not kept themselves separate from the people of the lands. They have taken part in the disgusting ways of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. They have taken their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons. They have mingled the holy race with peoples around them. In fact the leaders and officials were first to do this evil.

And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gate keepers, the music-makers, the Nethinim, and all those who made themselves separate from the peoples of the lands, to keep the Law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, everyone who had knowledge and wisdom; Verse Concepts

Then Ezra got up, and made the chiefs of the priests and the Levites and all Israel take an oath that they would do this. So they took an oath. Verse Concepts

The leader of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest. He was in charge of those who carried out the duties in the Holy Place.

This is the work of the Gershonite families in the tent of meeting. Ithamar, son of the priest Aaron, will be in charge of them. Verse Concepts

Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons. The Levites will be the only Israelites given to them.

In earlier times Phinehas son of Eleazar was in charge of the gatekeepers, and Jehovah was with him.

This is what the Merarite families will do as they work at the tent of meeting. Ithamar, son of the priest Aaron, will be in charge of them.

This is what you must do so that they will not die when they come near the most holy things: Aaron and his sons will go into the holy place and tell each man what he will do and what he will carry. Verse Concepts

The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart, he and his descendants from generation to generation, to consecrate the most holy things, to offer sacrifices before Jehovah, to minister before him and to pronounce blessings in his name as long as they live. Verse Concepts

Aaron must burn sweet incense on this altar every morning when he takes care of the lamps. When Aaron lights the lamps at dusk he must burn incense. An incense offering must burn (smoke) constantly in Jehovah's presence for generations to come.

Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod in my presences me? Did I give to the house of your father all the offerings made by fire from the sons of Israel? Verse Concepts

If any of you fail to do your duty by unintentionally doing something wrong with any of Jehovah's holy things, bring a guilt offering to Jehovah. It must be a ram that has no defects or its value in silver weighed according to the official standards of the holy place. Verse Concepts

The money given for the repayment offerings and for the offerings for sin was not deposited in the box. It belonged to the priests. Verse Concepts

That part of the most holy offerings that is not burned belongs to you. It may come from a grain offering, an offering for sin, or a guilt offering. Whatever is brought to me, as a most holy offering will belong to you and your sons. Verse Concepts

Bring to the priest as a repayment offering a male sheep or goat without any defects. Its value is to be determined according to the official standard. The priest shall offer the sacrifice for the sin that you committed unintentionally. You will be forgiven. Verse Concepts

Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near. Jehovah your God has chosen them to serve him and to bless in the name of Jehovah. They will settle every dispute and every assault. Verse Concepts

The Levitical priests arose and blessed the people. Their voice was heard and their prayer came to God's holy dwelling place, to heaven. Verse Concepts

Jehovah said to Moses: Tell Aaron and his sons: 'This is how you will bless the Israelites. Say to them: Jehovah will bless you and watch over you.' read more.
Jehovah will smile on you and be kind to you. Jehovah will look on you with favor and give you peace! Whenever they use my name to bless the Israelites, I will bless them.'

Make sacred clothes for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor. Tell all the skilled men whom I have given this ability to make Aaron's clothes. These clothes will set him apart as holy when he serves me as priest. The clothes they will make are as follows: a breastplate, an ephod and the robe that is worn with it, another specially woven linen robe, the chief priest's turban, and a cloth belt. They will make these holy clothes for your brother Aaron and his sons so that they will be able to serve me as priests. read more.
Take the gold and blue thread and wool that is dyed bright read and the fine linen and prepare the ephod with fine linen yarn. Embroider gold, violet, purple, and bright red yarn into the fabric. It should have two shoulder straps attached at the top corners so it can be fastened. Make the belt that is attached to the ephod from the same fabric. Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on two onyx stones. Engrave them in order of their birth. Place six names on each stone. Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the same way a jeweler engraves a signet ring. Mount them in gold settings. Then fasten them on the shoulder straps of the ephod as reminders of who the Israelites are. In this way Aaron will carry their names on his shoulders as a reminder in Jehovah's presence. Make gold settings. Also make two chains of pure gold. These gold chains should be twisted like ropes. Fasten these chains to the settings. Prepare the breast piece for decision-making using a skilled craftsman. Make it like the ephod out of gold, violet, purple, and bright red yarn and out of fine linen yarn. Fold it in half so it is nine inches square. Fasten four rows of precious stones on it. Put red quartz, topaz, and emerald in the first row. Place turquoise, sapphire, and crystal in the second row. In the third row put jacinth, agate, and amethyst. In the fourth row put beryl, onyx, and gray quartz. Mount them in gold settings. The stones represent the twelve sons of Israel, by name, each stone engraved like a signet ring with the name of one of the twelve tribes. Make chains out of pure gold, twisted like ropes for the breastplate. Make two gold rings for the breastplate. Attach them to the two top corners of the breastplate. Fasten the two gold ropes to the rings at the top corners of the breastplate. Fasten the other ends of the ropes to the two settings on the shoulder straps of the ephod so that the breastplate hangs in front of it. Make two gold rings, and connect them to the other two corners of the breastplate on the inside edge next to the ephod. Make two more gold rings, and fasten them to the bottom of the shoulder straps on the front of the ephod. This will be close to the seam just above the belt of the ephod. Then the breastplate should be fastened by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a violet cord. Attach it just above the belt of the ephod. This will hold the breastplate in place. When Aaron goes into the holy place, he will carry the names of the sons of Israel over his heart as a continual reminder in Jehovah's presence. He must do this by wearing the breast piece for decision-making. Put the Urim and Thummim into the breast piece for decision-making. They, too, will be over Aaron's heart when he comes into Jehovah's presence. In this way when he is in Jehovah's presence, Aaron will always be carrying over his heart the means for determining Jehovah's decisions for the Israelites. Make the robe that is worn with the ephod entirely of violet material. Provide an opening for the head in the center with a reinforced edge like a leather collar all around it to keep it from tearing. Along the hem of the robe weave pomegranates of blue, purple, and red wool with a gold bell between each of them. A gold bell should alternate with a pomegranate all around the hem of the robe. Aaron should wear it when he serves as priest. The sound of the bells must be heard when he comes into and goes out of Jehovah's presence in the holy place so that he will not die. Also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engravings of a seal: Holy to Jehovah. Fasten it on a blue cord and on the turban. It should be at the front of the turban. It shall be on Aaron's forehead. Aaron will take away the iniquity of the holy things that the sons of Israel consecrate. Concerning their holy gifts it will always be on his forehead that they may be accepted before Jehovah. Weave the tunic of checkered work of fine linen. Make a turban of fine linen and a sash, the work of a weaver. Make linen robes, belts, and turbans for Aaron's sons. These clothes will give them dignity and honor. Dress your brother Aaron and his sons in these clothes and anoint them, ordain them, and set them apart to serve me as priests. Make linen undergarments to cover them down to their thighs. Aaron and his sons must wear them when they go into the tent of meeting or when they come near the altar to serve as priests in the holy place. They will be blameless and will not die. This is a long lasting law for him and his descendants.

From the violet, purple, and bright red yarn they made special clothes worn for official duties in the holy place. They also made the holy clothes for Aaron. They obeyed Jehovah's instructions to Moses. The ephod was made out of fine linen yarn and gold, violet, purple, and bright red yarn. The gold was hammered into thin sheets and cut up. They twisted the gold into threads, which they creatively worked into each strand of the violet, purple, and bright red yarn, and throughout the fine linen. read more.
From this they made two shoulder straps for the ephod and attached them to its sides, so that it could be fastened. The finely woven belt, made of the same materials, was attached to the ephod so as to form one piece with it. This was as Jehovah had commanded Moses. They prepared the carnelians and mounted them in gold settings. They were skillfully engraved with the names of the twelve sons of Jacob. They placed them on the shoulder straps of the ephod to represent the twelve tribes of Israel. Again, this was just as Jehovah commanded Moses. The breast piece was made of the same materials as the ephod and with similar embroidery. It was square and folded double, nine inches long and nine inches wide. They mounted four rows of precious stones on it. Ruby was mounted on the first row along with topaz, and garnet. Included in the second row was an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. The third row contained a turquoise, an agate, and an amethyst. The fourth row contained a beryl, a carnelian, and jasper. These were mounted in gold settings. Each of the twelve stones had engraved on it the name of one of the sons of Jacob, in order to represent the twelve tribes of Israel. They made chains out of pure gold, twisted like ropes. These were for the breastplate. Two gold settings and two gold rings were prepared and attached, the two rings to the top two corners of the breast piece. They fastened the two gold ropes to the rings at the top corners of the breastplate. They fastened the other ends of the ropes to the two settings on the shoulder straps of the ephod. The breastplate hung in front of it. They made two gold rings and fastened them to the other two corners of the breast piece on the inside edge next to the ephod. They made two more gold rings and fastened them to the bottom of the shoulder straps on the front of the ephod. This was close to the seam just above the belt of the ephod. Finally they fastened the breast piece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a violet cord. So the breast piece was attached just above the belt of the ephod and was held in place. They followed Jehovah's instructions to Moses. They made the robe that is worn with the ephod. It was woven entirely of violet yarn. The opening in the center of the robe had a finished edge, somewhat like a leather collar, all around it to keep it from tearing. On the hem of the robe they made pomegranates of violet, purple, and bright red yarn, and fine yarn. Bells were made out of pure gold. They were fastened in between the pomegranates all around the hem of the robe. A gold bell alternated with a pomegranate all around the hem of the robe that is worn by Aaron when he served as priest. They followed Jehovah's instructions to Moses. They wove inner robes out of fine linen for Aaron and his sons. They also made the chief priest's turban and the other beautiful turbans out of fine linen. They made the undergarments and belt out of fine linen yarn. The belt was embroidered with violet, purple, and bright red yarn. They followed Jehovah's instructions to Moses. The flower-shaped medallion, the holy crown, was fashioned out of pure gold. The statement: HOLY TO JEHOVAH was engraved on it. They fastened a violet cord to it and tied it on top of the turban. They followed Jehovah's instructions to Moses.

He clothed Aaron with the embroidered tunic and tied the sash around him. He also dressed him in the linen robe that is worn with the ephod. He fastened the ephod to it. Then he placed the breastplate on him and he placed the Urim and Thummim. He put the turban on Aaron's head and fastened the gold medallion, the holy crown, to the front of the turban as Jehovah had commanded Moses.

They cried out in unison: Take this man away and release to us Barabbas! Verse Concepts

The chief priests influenced the crowd, that he should release Barabbas to them instead. Verse Concepts

The chief priests and elders got the people to request Barabbas, and for Jesus to be put to death. Verse Concepts

They opposed King Uzziah. They said to him: Uzziah, you have no right to burn incense as an offering to Jehovah. That right belongs to the priests, Aaron's descendants, who have been given the holy task of burning incense. Get out of the holy place because you have been unfaithful. Jehovah God will not honor you for this. Verse Concepts

Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests. Anyone else who tries to do the priests' duties must be put to death. Verse Concepts

Only you and your sons may do the work of priests, everything done at the altar and under the canopy. This is my gift to you: You may serve me as priests. Anyone else who comes near the holy place to do this work must die. Verse Concepts

Speak to the Levites and say to them: 'You will take one-tenth of the Israelites' income that I am giving you as your property. When you do, you must contribute one-tenth of that income as your contribution to Jehovah. Your contribution will be considered to be grain from the threshing floor or juice from the winepress. You will also contribute one-tenth of your income to Jehovah out of all that you receive from the Israelites' income. You will give Jehovah's contribution to the priest Aaron. read more.
Out of all the gifts you receive, you must contribute the best and holiest parts to Jehovah.' Also tell them: 'When you contribute the best part, your contribution will be considered to be produce from the threshing floor or winepress. You and your households may eat it anywhere. This is because it is the wages you receive for your work at the tent of meeting. When you contribute the best part, you will not suffer the consequences of any sin. You will not be dishonoring the holy offerings given by the Israelites, and you will not die.'

Jehovah said to Aaron: I have placed you in charge of all the contributions given to me. I have given you and your descendants all the holy gifts from the Israelites as your share. These contributions will be yours from generation to generation. That part of the most holy offerings that is not burned belongs to you. It may come from a grain offering, an offering for sin, or a guilt offering. Whatever is brought to me, as a most holy offering will belong to you and your sons. Eat it in a most holy place. Any male may eat it. You must consider it holy. read more.
The contributions that come as gifts taken from the offerings presented by the Israelites are also yours. I give these to you, your sons, and your daughters. They will be yours from generation to generation. Anyone in your household who is clean may eat them. I also give you the first of the produce they give Jehovah. It is the best of all the olive oil and the best of the new wine and fresh grain. The first of all produce harvested in their land that they bring to Jehovah are yours. Anyone in your household who is clean may eat it. Anything in Israel that is claimed by Jehovah is yours. Every firstborn male, human or animal that is brought to Jehovah is yours. But you must buy back every firstborn son and the firstborn male of any unclean animal. When they are one month old, you must buy them back at the fixed price of two ounces of silver using the standard weight of the holy place. You must never buy back a firstborn bull, sheep, or goat. They are holy. Throw the blood from these animals against the altar. Burn the fat as an offering by fire, a soothing aroma to Jehovah. The meat is yours, like the breast and the right thigh that are presented.

The priest, the son of Aaron, is to be with the Levites, when the Levites take the tenths. The Levites are to take a tenth of the tenths into the house of our God, to the rooms, into the storehouse. Verse Concepts

Anything in Israel that is claimed by Jehovah is yours. Verse Concepts

When the field is released in the jubilee year, it will be holy like a field claimed by Jehovah. It will become the property of the priest. Verse Concepts

Any contribution over and above the holy offerings that the Israelites bring to the priest belongs to the priest. Each person's holy offerings will belong to that person. Everything given to the priest will belong to the priest.'

I have given you, your sons, and your daughters all the holy contributions which the Israelites offer to Jehovah. These contributions will be yours from generation to generation. It is an everlasting promise of salt in Jehovah's presence for you and your descendants. Verse Concepts

The contributions that come as gifts taken from the offerings presented by the Israelites are also yours. I give these to you, your sons, and your daughters. They will be yours from generation to generation. Anyone in your household who is clean may eat them. Verse Concepts

A priest's slaves, bought with his own money or born in his home, may eat the food the priest receives. A priest's daughter who marries someone who is not a priest may not eat any of the sacred offerings. A widowed or divorced daughter who has no children and who has returned to live in her father's house as a dependent may eat the food her father receives as a priest. Only a member of a priestly family may eat any of it.

There may be no heir to whom the payment can be made. In that case, the payment for what you did wrong must be given to Jehovah for the priest to use. This payment is in addition to the ram that is used to pay compensation for the wrongdoing makes peace with Jehovah. Verse Concepts

You must make the payments you have failed to hand over and must pay an additional twenty percent. Give it to the priest. The priest will offer the animal as a sacrifice for your sin. You will be forgiven. Verse Concepts

If any people who are not members of a priestly family eat any of the sacred offerings without intending to, they must repay the priest its full value plus an additional twenty percent. Verse Concepts

Tell the Israelites: 'When you come to the land I am going to give you and you harvest grain, bring a bundle of the first grain you harvest to the priest. He will present it to Jehovah so that you will be accepted. He will present it on the day after Passover.

Go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him: I declare this day to Jehovah my God! I have entered the land Jehovah swore to our fathers to give us. The priest will take the basket from your hand and set it down before the altar of Jehovah your God.

Then ordain them, because they and their descendants will have a long lasting priesthood. Verse Concepts

Keep the lamps lit in the tent of meeting outside the canopy where the words of my covenant are. Aaron and his descendants must keep the lamps lit in Jehovah's presence from evening until morning. This is a long lasting law among the Israelites for generations to come. Verse Concepts

Aaron and his sons must wear them when they go into the tent of meeting or when they come near the altar to serve as priests in the holy place. They will be blameless and will not die. This is a long lasting law for him and his descendants. Verse Concepts

He will wash his body in the holy place and put on his other clothes. Then he will come out and sacrifice the burnt offering for himself and for the people to make peace with Jehovah for his own sins and the sins of the people. Verse Concepts

Aaron must sacrifice the bull as his own offering for sin. By doing this, he will pay compensation for wrongdoing and make peace with Jehovah for himself and his family. Verse Concepts

When he enters the inner courtyard of the holy place to serve in the holy place, he must bring his offering for sin, declares the Lord Jehovah. Verse Concepts

He will wash his body in the holy place and put on his other clothes. Then he will come out and sacrifice the burnt offering for himself and for the people to make peace with Jehovah for his own sins and the sins of the people. Verse Concepts

He put the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing. Moses, Aaron, and his sons used this water to wash their hands and feet. They washed whenever they went into the tent of meeting or whenever they approached the altar. Moses obeyed Jehovah's instructions.

Never marry prostitutes, those who have lost their virginity, or divorced women because a priest is God's holy man. Be holy because you offer the food of your God. Be holy because I, Jehovah, am holy. I set you apart as holy. When a priest's daughter dishonors herself by becoming a prostitute, she dishonors her father. She must be burned. read more.
The priest who is anointed with oil and wears the chief priest's clothes is chief over his brothers. He must never mourn by leaving his hair uncombed or by tearing his clothes. He must not go near any dead bodies or become unclean, even for his father or mother. He must not leave the holy tent of his God. If he does, he will be dishonoring it, because he is dedicated with the anointing oil of his God. I am Jehovah. The anointed priest should marry a virgin. He must not marry a widow, a divorced woman, a woman who has lost her virginity, or a prostitute. He may only marry a virgin from his own people. He must not dishonor his children among his people because I, Jehovah, set him apart as holy.

They must not marry widows or women who have been divorced. They may marry only virgins from the nation of Israel or widows of priests.' Verse Concepts

The leader of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest. He was in charge of those who carried out the duties in the Holy Place.

The priest who is anointed with oil and wears the chief priest's clothes is chief over his brothers. He must never mourn by leaving his hair uncombed or by tearing his clothes. He must not go near any dead bodies or become unclean, even for his father or mother. He must not leave the holy tent of his God. If he does, he will be dishonoring it, because he is dedicated with the anointing oil of his God. I am Jehovah. read more.
The anointed priest should marry a virgin. He must not marry a widow, a divorced woman, a woman who has lost her virginity, or a prostitute. He may only marry a virgin from his own people. He must not dishonor his children among his people because I, Jehovah, set him apart as holy.

There are two hundred and seventy-three more firstborn male Israelites than there are Levites. It will cost you two ounces of silver per person, using the standard weight of the holy place, to buy them back. Give the silver to Aaron and his sons. It will buy back those Israelites who outnumber the Levites. read more.
Moses took this ransom money from the Israelites who outnumbered the Levites. The silver Moses collected for the firstborn Israelites weighed thirty-four pounds using the standard weight of the holy place. Then Moses did what Jehovah said and gave Aaron and his sons this ransom money as he had been commanded.

Every firstborn male, human or animal that is brought to Jehovah is yours. But you must buy back every firstborn son and the firstborn male of any unclean animal. When they are one month old, you must buy them back at the fixed price of two ounces of silver using the standard weight of the holy place.

Jehovah said to Aaron: You, your sons, and your family will be responsible for any sins against the holy place. You and your sons will also be responsible for any sins you commit when you work as priests. Verse Concepts

Only you and your sons may do the work of priests, everything done at the altar and under the canopy. This is my gift to you: You may serve me as priests. Anyone else who comes near the holy place to do this work must die. Verse Concepts

When the camp is to move, Aaron and his sons will go in and take down the canopy that hangs over the Ark containing the words of God's Covenant. First they will cover the Ark with the canopy. Over this they will put a covering of fine leather. On top of that they will spread a cloth made entirely of violet material. Then they will put the poles in place. They will spread a violet cloth over the table of the presence and put on it the plates, dishes, bowls, and pitchers for the wine offerings. The bread that is always in Jehovah's presence will also be on it. read more.
They will spread a bright red cloth over everything on the table. They will then cover all this with fine leather. Then they will put the poles in place. They will use a violet cloth to cover the lamp stand, as well as the lamps, snuffers, trays, and all the containers for the olive oil used in the lamps. Then they will put the lamp stand and all its utensils under a covering of fine leather and put them on a frame to carry them. They will spread a violet cloth over the gold altar and cover the cloth with fine leather. Then they will put the poles in place. They will take all the articles that are used in the holy place and put them in a violet cloth. Then they will cover that with fine leather, and put them on a frame to carry them. After they take the ashes away, they will spread a purple cloth over the altar. They will put all the accessories used at the altar on it. These are the trays, forks, shovels, and bowls-all the altar's accessories. They will spread a covering of fine leather (sealskin) over all this. Then they will put the poles in place. When Aaron and his sons finished covering the holy things and the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites will come to carry all the holy articles. They must never touch the holy things, or they will die. The Kohathites will carry all the things from the tent of meeting.

You and your sons alone must fulfill the responsibilities for the Holy Place and the altar. That way my anger will not again break out against the people of Israel. Verse Concepts

Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. They stood them in their presence and asked: By what power or by what name do you do this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said: You rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, read more.
If we are on trial for a good deed done to a sick man, concerning how this man was made well; Let it be known to you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you impaled and whom God raised from the dead, even by him this man stands before you healed. This is the stone that was rejected by you builders. It became the chief corner stone. There is no salvation in anyone else. For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. They observed the confidence of Peter and John. Yet they thought they were uneducated (not formally educated) and ordinary men. They were amazed and recognized them as having been with Jesus. Seeing the man who was healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply. They ordered them to leave the council. Then they conferred among themselves. They said: What shall we do to these men? The fact that a notable miracle has been done by them is evident to all who live in Jerusalem. And we cannot deny it. We must warn these men not to speak about it in order to stop this from spreading further among the people. They called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. Peter and John answered: You judge whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God. We cannot stop speaking the things we have seen and heard. When they further threatened them, they let them go. They found no basis for punishment because of the people for all men glorified God for that which was done.

Then the high priest rose up, and all those of the sect of the Sadducees who were with him were filled with zeal (indignation). They captured the apostles and put them in the common prison. During the night God's angel opened the prison doors, brought them out and said: read more.
Go stand in the temple and speak to the people all the sayings about this life. When they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and those who were with him. He called the council together and all the senate of the children of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought. The officers did not find them in the prison when they came. So they returned and said, We found the prison locked with the guards standing before the doors. When we opened it we did not find a man. When the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted them. They wondered what this would come to. Someone came to them and told them: The men you put in prison are standing in the temple teaching the people. Then the captain with the officers brought them in without violence. They feared the people lest they should have been stoned. They brought them before the council and the high priest asked them: Did we command you not to teach in this name? Look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and are willing to bring this man's blood upon us. Peter and the other apostles answered: We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed. You hanged him on a stake. God exalted him to his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses of these things. The Holy Spirit, which God gave to those who obey him, also witnessed. When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to kill them. One of the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had a reputation among all the people. He commanded to put the apostles outside for a while. He said to them: You men of Israel be careful what you intend to do to these men. Sometime ago Theudas claimed to be somebody. About four hundred men joined and obeyed him. He was killed and they finally dispersed. After this man Judas of Galilee rose in the days of the taxing, and drew away many people after him. He also perished and all who obeyed him dispersed. I tell you: Leave these men alone. If this message and this work are from men it will come to nothing. But if it is from God, you cannot overthrow it; otherwise you may find yourselves fighting against God. They agreed with him and called the apostles. They beat them and commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus. Then they let them go. They left the council and rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

All priests must observe the regulations that I have given. Otherwise, they will become guilty and die, because they have disobeyed the sacred regulations. I am Jehovah and I make them holy. Verse Concepts

Be God's holy men. Do not dishonor the name of your God. Be holy because you bring sacrifices by fire to Jehovah. It is the food (bread) of your God. Never marry prostitutes, those who have lost their virginity, or divorced women because a priest is God's holy man.

by letting any unauthorized people eat them. This would bring guilt and punishment on such people. I am Jehovah and I make the offerings holy.' Verse Concepts

Your descendants who survive will have to go to that priest and ask him for money and food, and beg to be allowed to help the priests, in order to have something to eat.' Verse Concepts

This is what you must do so that they will not die when they come near the most holy things: Aaron and his sons will go into the holy place and tell each man what he will do and what he will carry. Verse Concepts

Now after these things, when Artaxerxes was king of Persia, Ezra, the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, read more.
The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest: Ezra came from Babylon. He was a scribe (copyist) and an expert in the Law of Moses which Jehovah, the God of Israel, had given. The king was moved by Jehovah his God to give him whatever he requested.

Nehemiah, who was the Tirshatha (Governor), and Ezra, the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were the teachers of the people, said to all the people: This day is holy to Jehovah your God. Let there be no sorrow or weeping. For all the people were weeping on hearing the words of the law. Verse Concepts

The commander wanted to find out for sure what the Jews were accusing Paul of. The next day he had Paul's chains taken off and ordered the chief priests and the whole Council to meet. Then he took Paul and made him stand before them. Verse Concepts

Paul looked straight at the Council and said: Fellow Israelites! My conscience is perfectly clear about the way in which I have lived before God to this very day. The high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. Paul said to him: God will strike you, white washed wall! Do you sit judging me according to the Law, and against law command me to be struck? read more.
Those who stood near him said, Do you revile the high priest of God? Then Paul said, I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest. It is written: You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people.

Jeroboam built worship sites on hilltops. He appointed men who were not descended from Levi to be priests. Verse Concepts

King Jeroboam of Israel still did not turn from his evil ways. He continued to choose priests from ordinary families to serve at the altars he had built. He ordained as priest anyone who wanted to be one. Verse Concepts

Once the priests enter the Holy Place, they must not go out of the Holy Place into the outer courtyard until they leave behind the clothes that they wore as they served. These clothes are holy. The priests must put on other clothes. Then they can go into the area that is for the people. Verse Concepts

When they go out among the people in the outer courtyard, they must take off the clothes that they wore as they served. They must leave their clothes in the side rooms of the holy place and put on other clothes so that they do not transfer the holiness from their clothes to the people. Verse Concepts

He will depend on Eleazar the priest, who will learn my will by using the Urim and Thummim. In this way Eleazar will direct Joshua and the whole congregation of Israel in all their affairs. Verse Concepts

Jehovah said to Moses: Take Joshua son of Nun, a capable man, and place your hands on his head. Have him stand in front of Eleazar the priest and the entire congregation, and there before them all proclaim him as your successor.

Eli was very old. He heard everything his sons did to Israel. He heard how they slept with the women who served at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Verse Concepts

The sons of Eli were corrupt. They did not know Jehovah. The priests had a custom with the people. If any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came while the flesh was boiling, with a fork of three teeth in his hand. He stuck it into the pan, kettle, caldron or pot. All that the flesh-hook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites that came there. read more.
Before they burned the fat the priest's servant came and said to the man who sacrificed: Give flesh to roast for the priest. For he will not have boiled flesh from you, but raw! If any man said to him: Let them burn the fat first, you may take as much as you desire. Then he would answer him, No! But you will give it now! If not, I will take it by force. The sin of the young men was very great before Jehovah. For men despised the offering of Jehovah.

Jehovah spoke to Joshua, saying: Command the priests who carry the Ark of the Testimony that they come up from the Jordan. Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying: Come up from the Jordan. read more.
When the priests that carried the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah were up out of the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up onto the dry land that the waters of Jordan returned to their place, and flowed over all its banks, as they did before.

They stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and pursued him. They caught him and brought him to the council. They brought false witnesses, which said: This man will not stop speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law. We heard him say: 'This Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.' read more.
All who sat in the council looked intently at him and saw his face was like the face of an angel.

Every high priest taken from among men is appointed in behalf of men in things relating to God. He may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. Verse Concepts

Every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices. It is necessary to have something to offer. Verse Concepts

This included Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, who had three thousand seven hundred under his command. This also included Zadok, a young warrior, with twenty-two members of his family who were all officers.

The man said to me: This room that faces south is for the priests who serve in the temple. The room that faces north is for the priests who serve at the altar. These priests are Zadok's descendants. They are the only Levites who are able to come near Jehovah and serve him.

A priest must not make himself unclean by going near a dead body. But a priest may become unclean if the dead person is his father, mother, son, daughter, brother, or unmarried sister. After a priest is made clean, he must wait seven days.

You and Eleazar the priest and the heads of the families of the congregation take a count of the booty that was captured, both of man and of animal. Divide the booty between the warriors who went out to battle and the entire congregation. Levy a tax for Jehovah from the men of war who went out to battle, one in five hundred of the persons and of the cattle and of the donkeys and of the sheep. read more.
Take it from their half and give it to Eleazar the priest, as an offering to Jehovah.

Only you and your sons may do the work of priests, everything done at the altar and under the canopy. This is my gift to you: You may serve me as priests. Anyone else who comes near the holy place to do this work must die. Verse Concepts

Bring the other Levites from your ancestor's tribe to join you and help you and your sons serve in front of the tent of the words of my promise. Verse Concepts

You and your sons alone must fulfill the responsibilities for the Holy Place and the altar. That way my anger will not again break out against the people of Israel. Verse Concepts

He assembled the priests and Levites in the square on the east side of the temple. He said: Listen to me, Levites. Perform the ceremonies to make the temple of Jehovah the God of your ancestors holy. Remove anything that has been corrupted from the holy place. Our ancestors were unfaithful and did what Jehovah our God considered evil. They deserted him. They turned away from Jehovah's tent and turned their backs on him. read more.
They also shut the doors of the temple's entrance hall. They extinguished the lamps, and did not burn incense or sacrifice burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel. Jehovah was angry with Judah and Jerusalem. He made them something that shocks and terrifies people and that people ridicule, as you can see with your own eyes. Our fathers were killed in battle. Our sons, daughters, and wives are prisoners because of this. Now I intend to make a pledge to Jehovah the God of Israel so that he may turn his burning anger away from us. Do not be negligent, my sons. Jehovah has chosen you to stand in front of him, serve him, be his servants, and burn sacrifices. So the Levites started to work. From Kohath's descendants were Mahath, son of Amasai, and Joel, son of Azariah. From Merari's descendants were Kish, son of Abdi, and Azariah, son of Jehallelel. From Gershon's descendants were Joah, son of Zimmah, and Eden, son of Joah. From Elizaphan's descendants were Shimri and Jeiel. From Asaph's descendants were Zechariah and Mattaniah. From Heman's descendants were Jehiel and Shimei. From Jeduthun's descendants were Shemaiah and Uzziel. These men gathered their relatives and performed the ceremonies to make themselves holy. They obeyed the king's order from Jehovah's word and entered the Temple to make it clean. The priests entered Jehovah's temple to make it clean. They carried into the courtyard every unclean thing that they found in Jehovah's Temple. Then the Levites took the unclean items outside the city to the Kidron Brook. They started on the first day of the first month. On the eighth day they went into Jehovah's entrance hall. For eight days they performed the ceremonies to make Jehovah's Temple holy. They finished on the sixteenth day of the first month.

Of the priests: Jedaiah; Jehoiarib; Jakin; Azariah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the official in charge of the house of God; Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah; and Maasai son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer. read more.
The priests, who were heads of families, numbered one thousand seven hundred and sixty. They were able men, responsible for ministering in the house of God.

Tell Aaron: 'If any of your descendants, now or in future generations, has a physical defect, he must never bring food to offer to God. No one who has a physical defect may ever come near the altar. That means anyone who is blind or lame, who has a disfigured face, a deformity, or a crippled hand or foot, read more.
who is a hunchback or dwarf, who has defective sight, skin diseases, or crushed testicles. If a descendant of the priest Aaron has a physical defect, he must never bring sacrifices by fire to Jehovah. He has a defect. He must never bring food to offer to God. He may eat the food of his God, what is holy and what is very holy. However, he must never come up to the canopy or to the altar, since he has a physical defect. He must never dishonor the holy places because I, Jehovah, set them apart as holy.'

He faithfully executed the priest's duties before God. The custom was to draw lots to see who served in the temple. It was his turn to enter into the temple of God and burn incense.

When the days of his priestly service ended he went home. Verse Concepts

Jehovah replied to him: You and Aaron come up to me. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to Jehovah, or he will destroy some of them. Verse Concepts

Let the priests who come near to Jehovah consecrate (purify) themselves, or else Jehovah will destroy them. Verse Concepts

The land that you set aside as a special gift for Jehovah will border Judah on the south. It will be forty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty feet wide, and it will be as long as one of the sections of the tribes. It will extend from the eastern border to the western border, and the holy place will be in the middle of it. This special land that you set aside for Jehovah will be forty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty feet long and seventeen thousand five hundred feet wide. This holy area will belong to the priests. On the north side it will be forty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty feet long. On the west side it will be seventeen thousand five hundred feet wide. On the east side it will be seventeen thousand five hundred feet wide. On the south side it will be forty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty feet long. Jehovah's holy place will be in the middle of it. read more.
This land that has been set apart will belong to the priests who are descendants of Zadok. They took care of my holy place. They did not wander away with the Israelites as the Levites did. So they will have a special portion from the land. It will be the holiest part of land, next to the land belonging to the Levites. Alongside the land belonging to the priests will be the land belonging to the Levites. It will be forty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty feet long and seventeen thousand five hundred feet wide. They must not sell any of it or trade any of it. They must not let others have the best part of the land, because the land is Jehovah's and it is holy.

He told the people living in Jerusalem to give the priests and Levites the portions they were due so that they could devote themselves to Jehovah's Law. As soon as the order was given, the people of Israel brought gifts of their finest grain, wine, olive oil, honey, and other farm produce, and they also brought the tithes of everything they had. All the people who lived in the cities of Judah brought tithes of their cattle and sheep. They also brought large quantities of gifts they dedicated to Jehovah their God. read more.
The gifts started arriving in the third month. They continued to pile up for the next four months. King Hezekiah and his officials saw how much had been given. They praised Jehovah and praised his people Israel. The king spoke to the priests and the Levites about these gifts, and Azariah the High Priest, a descendant of Zadok, said to him: Since the people started bringing their gifts to the temple, there has been enough to eat and a large surplus besides. We have all this because Jehovah has blessed his people. On the king's orders they prepared storerooms in the Temple area and put all the gifts and tithes in them for safekeeping. They placed a Levite named Conaniah in charge and made his brother Shimei his assistant. Ten Levites were assigned to work under them: Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah. This was done by authority of King Hezekiah and Azariah the High Priest. Kore son of Imnah, a Levite who was chief guard at the East Gate of the temple, was in charge of receiving the gifts offered to Jehovah and of distributing them. In the other cities where priests lived, he was faithfully assisted in this by other Levites: Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah. They distributed the food equally to their fellow Levites according to what their duties were. They were appointed to distribute them to males who were at least three years old. The way they were enrolled in the genealogical records did not matter. The six men who served under Kore were to distribute the offerings to everyone who went to Jehovah's Temple to perform the daily service that each division was responsible for. They were to distribute offerings to the priests who were enrolled by families and to the Levites who were at least twenty years old. Distribution was based on the way they served in their divisions. The priests and Levites were enrolled with their wives, sons, daughters, and other people who depended on them in the community. The priests and Levites had to be faithful in keeping themselves holy for the holy work. Men were appointed to give a portion of the offerings to all the males in the priestly families and to everyone listed in the genealogies of the Levites. These men were Aaron's descendants, priests who lived in the pasturelands of every Levite city.

Jehovah spoke to Moses: You and Eleazar the priest and the heads of the families of the congregation take a count of the booty that was captured, both of man and of animal. Divide the booty between the warriors who went out to battle and the entire congregation. read more.
Levy a tax for Jehovah from the men of war who went out to battle, one in five hundred of the persons and of the cattle and of the donkeys and of the sheep. Take it from their half and give it to Eleazar the priest, as an offering to Jehovah.

Aaron will present the Levites to Jehovah as an offering from the Israelites. Then they will be ready to do Jehovah's work. The Levites will place their hands on the heads of the young bulls. Sacrifice one of them as an offering for sin and the other one as a burnt offering to Jehovah. These sacrifices will pay compensation for wrongdoing and make peace with Jehovah for the Levites. Make the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons, and present them as an offering to Jehovah. read more.
In this way you will separate the Levites from the other Israelites. The Levites will be mine. Once you have made them clean and presented them as an offering, the Levites may come and do their work at the tent of meeting. They will be the only Israelites given to me. I have taken them to be mine as substitutes for every firstborn male offspring of the Israelites. When I killed all the first-born in Egypt, I consecrated as my own the oldest son of each Israelite family and the first-born of every animal. I am now taking the Levites instead of all the first-born of the Israelites. I assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons, as a gift from the Israelites. They are to work in the tent for the people of Israel and to protect the Israelites from the disaster that would strike them if they came too near the Holy Place. Moses, Aaron, and all the people of Israel dedicated the Levites, as Jehovah commanded Moses. So the Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes. Aaron dedicated them as a special gift to Jehovah. He also performed the ritual of purification for them.

The second year and third month of their coming to the house of God in Jerusalem Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, took charge of the construction. Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come from the land where they were prisoners to Jerusalem: and the Levites, of twenty years or older, were responsible for overseeing the work of the house of Jehovah. Then Jeshua with his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel with his sons, the sons of Hodaviah, together took up the work of overseeing the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad with their sons and their brothers, the Levites. When the builders laid the foundation of the Temple of Jehovah, the priests, dressed in their robes, took their places with horns, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with brass instruments, to give praise to Jehovah in the way ordered by David, king of Israel. read more.
They praised Jehovah and thanked him, saying: He is good; his loving kindness to Israel is for all generations. All the people gave a joyful cry. They praised Jehovah because the foundation of Jehovah's house was in place. Some of the priests, Levites, heads of families and old men who had seen the first house were present. When the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes they were overcome with weeping; and a number were crying out with joy: So that in the ears of the people the cry of joy was mixed with the sound of weeping. The cries of the people were loud and came to the ears of those who were a long way off.

The fire must always be burning on the altar. It must never go out. The priest will burn wood on it every morning. He will lay the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat of the fellowship offering. The fire must always be burning on the altar. It must never go out.

The person who is too poor to pay the required amount must stand in front of the priest. The priest will determine the amount based on what the person can afford. Verse Concepts

The priest will determine what its value is. The value will be whatever the priest decides. Verse Concepts

If it is the High Priest who sins and brings guilt on the people, he should present a young bull without any defects and sacrifice it to Jehovah for his sin. The priest must lead the bull to the entrance of the sacred tent. He must lay his hand on its head and kill it there. He will take a bowl of the blood inside the tent, read more.
dip a finger in the blood, and sprinkle some of it seven times toward the sacred chest behind the curtain. In my presence, he will smear some of the blood on each of the four corners of the incense altar, before pouring out the rest at the foot of the copper altar near the entrance to the tent. He must remove from it all the fat of the bull of the sin offering: the fat that covers the entrails, and all the fat which is on the entrails, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys It is to be removed from the bull of the sacrifice of peace offerings. The priest is to offer them up in smoke on the altar of burnt offering. But the hide of the bull and all its flesh with its head and its legs and its entrails and its refuse, He is to bring the rest of the bull to a clean place outside the camp where the ashes are poured out. There he will burn it on wood with fire; where the ashes are poured out it shall be burned.

The priests and Levites in every region of Israel aligned with Rehoboam.

When the seventh month came, and the children of Israel were in the towns, the people came together like one man to Jerusalem. Then Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, with his brothers, got up and built the altar of the God of Israel for burned offerings. This was according to the Law of Moses, the man of God. The returning exiles were afraid of the people who were living in the land. Regardless of that, they rebuilt the altar where it had stood before. Then they began once again to burn on it the regular morning and evening sacrifices. read more.
They celebrated the Festival of Booths according to what is written. Each day they offered the sacrifices required for that day. They also offered the regular sacrifices to be burned whole and those to be offered at the New Moon Festival and at all the other Festivals of Jehovah, as well as all the offerings that were given to Jehovah voluntarily. The people had not yet started to rebuild the Temple. Yet they began on the first day of the seventh month to burn sacrifices to Jehovah. They gave money to the stoneworkers and woodworkers. Meat and drink and oil were given to the people of Zidon and of Tyre, for the transport of cedar-trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, as Cyrus, king of Persia, had given them authority to do.

All the officials, the priests, and the people became increasingly unfaithful and followed all the disgusting practices of the nations. Although Jehovah made the Temple in Jerusalem holy, they made the Temple unclean. Verse Concepts

They must not shave their heads or let their hair grow long. They must keep the hair on their heads trimmed. Verse Concepts

A priest must come and speak to the troops before the battle begins. He should say: Listen, Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not lose your courage! Do not be afraid. Do not tremble because of them. Jehovah your God is going with you. He will fight for you against your enemies and give you victory.

The army of Israel retreated to their camp. The leaders of Israel asked: Why has Jehovah used the Philistines to defeat us today? Let us get the Ark of Jehovah's Covenant from Shiloh so that he may be with us and save us from our enemies. They sent men to Shiloh to bring back the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah of Hosts who is enthroned over the angels. Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas came along with God's ark. When Jehovah's Ark came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook.

John gave his witness even as Jewish authorities sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem. They asked him: Who are you? Verse Concepts

Greetings, he replied, I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah. Perform the ceremonies to make yourselves holy, and come with me to the sacrifice. He performed the ceremonies for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. Verse Concepts

The prophet Jeremiah sent a letter from Jerusalem to the rest of the leaders among the captives. He also sent it to the priests, the prophets, and all the people that Nebuchadnezzar took away as captives from Jerusalem to Babylon. Verse Concepts

In addition, we make it clear to you, that it will be against the law to put any tax or payment in goods or forced payment on any of the priests or Levites, the music-makers, doorkeepers, Nethinim, or any servants of this house of God. Verse Concepts

When the field is released in the jubilee year, it will be holy like a field claimed by Jehovah. It will become the property of the priest. Verse Concepts

The priest must figure out the field's value until the jubilee year. You will pay its value on that day as something holy, belonging to Jehovah. Verse Concepts

And we, the priests and the Levites and the people, made selection, by the decision of Jehovah, of those who were to take the wood offering into the house of God, by families at the regular times, year by year, to be burned on the altar of Jehovah our God, as it is recorded in the law; Verse Concepts

The priest, the son of Aaron, is to be with the Levites, when the Levites take the tenths. The Levites are to take a tenth of the tenths into the house of our God, to the rooms, into the storehouse. Verse Concepts

You must separate the Israelites from anything that keeps them from being presentable to me. Otherwise they will die. This is because they defile my tent, which is among them, and make it unclean. Verse Concepts

Every day of worship (sabbath day) a priest must arrange the bread in Jehovah's presence. It is a long lasting reminder of my promise to the Israelites. Verse Concepts

Then Paul said, I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest. It is written: You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people. Verse Concepts

The High Priest and the whole Council can prove that I am telling the truth. I received letters from them written to fellow Jews in Damascus, so I went there to arrest these people and bring them back in chains to Jerusalem to be punished. Verse Concepts

The priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came to draw water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. Verse Concepts

When these things are prepared, the priests enter the outer room often to carry on their services. Verse Concepts

who is at least twenty years old. You and Aaron must register everyone in Israel who is eligible for military duty. List them by divisions. Verse Concepts

Do not let your speech cause you to sin. Do not say to the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry because of what you say and destroy the work of your hands? Verse Concepts

Thematic Bible: Priest

Thematic Bible

Altar of incense » Priest » Burned » Incense » Every morning

Jamin » Priest » expounded » The law » returned exciles

Jeroham » Priest » Father » of adaiah » lives in

Jesus Christ » Names of » Priest

Priest » Duties of » To offer sacrifices

Priest » Miscellaneous facts concerning » Conspire to destroy jesus

Priest » Benefits of » Provided with cities and suburbs

Priest » The function he served was superior to that of other priests » Judicial

Priest » Miscellaneous facts concerning » Return from the captivity

Priest » Miscellaneous facts concerning » Put on trial and condemn jesus

Priest » Benefits of » No part of the land of canaan allowed to

Priest » The time of moses » Twenty-four divisions (shifts) of

Priest » Benefits of » The shewbread

Priest » The function he served was superior to that of other priests » A second priest, under the high priest

Priest » Duties of » To act as magistrates

Priest » Duties of » Teach the law

Priest » The time of moses » Consecration of

Priest » Benefits of » First fruits

Priest » The time of moses » Vestments of

Priest » Figurative

Priest » The time of moses

Priest » Miscellaneous facts concerning » Instances of » Of the captivity

Priest » Before moses » Melchizedek

Priest » The function he served was superior to that of other priests » To light the lamps of the tabernacle

Priest » The function he served was superior to that of other priests » On the day of atonement

Priest » The function he served was superior to that of other priests » To have charge of the treasury

Priest » Duties of » Sound the trumpet in summoning assemblies and in battle

Priest » Miscellaneous facts concerning » Corrupt

Priest » Duties of » Light the lamps in the tabernacle

Priest » Miscellaneous facts concerning » Polluted by marrying idolatrous wives

Priest » Duties of » Chiefs of levites

Priest » The function he served was superior to that of other priests » To burn incense

Priest » Benefits of » Trespass money and other trepass offerings

Priest » Duties of » Pronounce benedictions

Priest » The function he served was superior to that of other priests » Vestments of

Priest » Miscellaneous facts concerning » Incite the people to ask that barabbas be released and jesus be destroyed

Priest » The time of moses » Usurpations of office of

Priest » Benefits of » Tithes of the tithes

Priest » Benefits of » Things devoted

Priest » Benefits of » For the sustenance of their families

Priest » Benefits of » Fines

Priest » Duties of » To offer the firstfruits

Priest » The time of moses » Hereditary, descent of office

Priest » The time of moses » Atonement for

Priest » The time of moses » Ablutions of

Priest » The time of moses » Marriage of

Priest » The function he served was superior to that of other priests » The title appears after the institution of the office

Priest » Benefits of » Of the firstborn

Priest » Duties of » Responsible for the sanctuary

Priest » Miscellaneous facts concerning » Reprove and threaten peter and john

Priest » The time of moses » Is holy

Priest » The function he served was superior to that of other priests » To designate subordinate priests for duty

Priest » Duties of » To act as scribes

Priest » Miscellaneous facts concerning » Paul brought before

Priest » The time of moses » Priests who were not from the sons of levi were appointed by jeroboam

Priest » The time of moses » Don vestments in the temple area

Priest » The function he served was superior to that of other priests » Officiate at the choice of a ruler

Priest » Miscellaneous facts concerning » Instances of » Eli's sons

Priest » Duties of » Carry the ark of the covenant » Through the jordan river

Priest » Miscellaneous facts concerning » Put on trial, condemn, and stone stephen

Priest » The function he served was superior to that of other priests » To offer sacrifices

Priest » The time of moses » Armed and organized for war at the time of the disaffection toward saul

Priest » The time of moses » Chambers for, in the temple area

Priest » The time of moses » Defilement and purification of

Priest » The function he served was superior to that of other priests » Distribute the plunder of war

Priest » The function he served was superior to that of other priests » Duties of » Had charge of the sanctuary and altar

Priest » Miscellaneous facts concerning » Zeal of, in purging the temple

Priest » Miscellaneous facts concerning » Instances of » Zealous

Priest » The time of moses » Must be without blemish

Priest » The time of moses » Chosen by lot

Priest » Before moses » Priests in israel before the giving of the law

Priest » Benefits of » Portion of land allotted to, in redistribution in ezekiel's vision

Priest » Benefits of » Regulations by hezekiah concerning benefits to the priests

Priest » Benefits of » Part of the plunder of war, including captives

Priest » The function he served was superior to that of other priests » To officiate in consecrations of levites

Priest » Miscellaneous facts concerning » Supervise the building of the new temple

Priest » Duties of » Keep the sacred fire always burning

Priest » Duties of » Valuate things devoted