The Holy Bible

Part 9 out of 30




14:36. Therefore all the men, whom Moses had sent to view the land, and
who at their return had made the whole multitude to murmur against him,
speaking ill of the land that it was naught,

14:37. Died and were struck in the sight of the Lord.

14:38. But Josue the son of Nun, and Caleb had gone to view the land.

14:39. And Moses spoke all these words to all the children of Israel,
and the people mourned exceedingly.

14:40. And behold rising up very early in the morning, they went up to
the top of the mountain, and said: We are ready to go up to the place,
of which the Lord hath spoken: for we have sinned.

14:41. And Moses said to them: Why transgress you the word of the Lord,
which shall not succeed prosperously with you?

14:42. Go not up, for the Lord is not with you: lest you fall before
your enemies.

14:43. The Amalecite and the Chanaanite are before you, and by their
sword you shall fall, because you would not consent to the Lord,
neither will the Lord be with you.

14:44. But they being blinded went up to the top of the mountain. But
the ark of the testament of the Lord and Moses departed not from the
camp.

14:45. And the Amalecite came down, and the Chanaanite that dwelt in
the mountain: and smiting and slaying them pursued them as far as
Horma.



Numbers Chapter 15


Certain laws concerning sacrifices. Sabbath breaking is punished with
death. The law of fringes on their garments.

15:1. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

15:2. Speak to the children of Israel and thou shalt say to them: When
you shall be come unto the land of your habitation, which I will give
you,

15:3. And shall make an offering to the Lord, for a holocaust, or a
victim, paying your vows, or voluntarily offering gifts, or in your
solemnities burning a sweet savour unto the Lord, of oxen or of sheep:

15:4. Whosoever immolateth the victim, shall offer a sacrifice of fine
flour, the tenth part of an ephi, tempered with the fourth part of a
hin of oil:

15:5. And he shall give the same measure of wine to pour out in
libations for the holocaust or for the victim. For every lamb,

15:6. And for every ram there shall be a sacrifice of flour of two
tenths, which shall be tempered with the third part of a hin of oil:

15:7. And he shall offer the third part the same measure of wine for
the libation, for a sweet savour to the Lord.

15:8. But when thou offerest a holocaust or sacrifice of oxen, to
fulfil thy vow or for victims of peace offerings,

15:9. Thou shalt give for every ox three tenths of flour tempered with
half a hin of oil,

15:10. And wine for libations of the same measure, for an offering of
most sweet savour to the Lord.

15:11. Thus shalt thou do

15:12. For every ox and ram and lamb and kid.

15:13. Both they that are born in the land, and the strangers

15:14. Shall offer sacrifices after the same rite.

15:15. There shall be all one law and judgment both for you and for
them who are strangers in the land.

15:16. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

15:17. Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them:

15:18. When you are come into the land which I will give you,

15:19. And shall eat of the bread of that country, you shall separate
firstfruits to the Lord,

15:20. Of the things you eat. As you separate firstfruits of your
barnfloors:

15:21. So also shall you give firstfruits of your dough to the Lord.

15:22. And if through ignorance you omit any of these things, which the
Lord hath spoken to Moses,

15:23. And by him hath commanded you from the day that he began to
command and thenceforward,

15:24. And the multitude have forgotten to do it: they shall offer a
calf out of the herd, a holocaust for a most sweet savour to the Lord,
and the sacrifice and libations thereof, as the ceremonies require, and
a buck goat for sin:

15:25. And the priest shall pray for all the multitude of the children
of Israel: and it shall be forgiven them, because they sinned
ignorantly, offering notwithstanding a burnt offering to the Lord for
themselves and for their sin and their Ignorance:

15:26. And it shall be forgiven all the people of the children of
Israel: and the strangers that sojourn among them: because it is the
fault of all the people through ignorance.

15:27. But if one soul shall sin ignorantly, he shall offer a she goat
of a year old for his sin.

15:28. And the priest shall pray for him, because he sinned ignorantly
before the Lord: and he shall obtain his pardon, and it shall be
forgiven him.

15:29. The same law shall be for all that sin by ignorance, whether
they be natives or strangers.

15:30. But the soul that committeth any thing through pride, whether he
be born in the land or a stranger (because he hath been rebellious
against the Lord) shall be cut off from among his people:

15:31. For he hath contemned the word of the Lord, and made void his
precept: therefore shall he be destroyed, and shall bear his iniquity.

15:32. And it came to pass, when the children of Israel were in the
wilderness, and had found a man gathering sticks on the sabbath day,

15:33. That they brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole
multitude.

15:34. And they put him into prison, not knowing what they should do
with him.

15:35. And the Lord said to Moses: Let that man die, let all the
multitude stone him without the camp.

15:36. And when they had brought him out, they stoned him, and he died
as the Lord had commanded.

15:37. The Lord also said to Moses:

15:38. Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt tell them to
make to themselves fringes in the corners of their garments, putting in
them ribands of blue:

Fringes. . .The Pharisees enlarged these fringes through hypocrisy,
Matt. 23.5, to appear more zealous than other men for the law of God.

15:39. That when they shall see them, they may remember all the
commandments of the Lord, and not follow their own thoughts and eyes
going astray after divers things,

15:40. But rather being mindful of the precepts of the Lord, may do
them and be holy to their God.

15:41. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of
Egypt, that I might be your God.



Numbers Chapter 16


The schism of Core and his adherents: their punishment.

16:1. And behold Core the son of Isaar, the son of Caath, the son of
Levi, and Dathan and Abiron the sons of Eliab, and Hon the son of
Pheleth of the children of Ruben,

16:2. Rose up against Moses, and with them two hundred and fifty others
of the children of Israel, leading men of the synagogue, and who in the
time of assembly were called by name.

Rose up. . .The crime of these men, which was punished in so remarkable
a manner, was that of schism, and of rebellion against the authority
established by God in the church; and their pretending to the
priesthood without being lawfully called and sent: the same is the case
of all modern sectaries.

16:3. And when they had stood up against Moses and Aaron, they said:
Let it be enough for you, that all the multitude consisteth of holy
ones, and the Lord is among them: Why lift you up yourselves above the
people of the Lord?

16:4. When Moses heard this, he fell flat on his face:

16:5. And speaking to Core and all the multitude, he said: In the
morning the Lord will make known who belong to him, and the holy he
will join to himself: and whom he shall choose, they shall approach to
him.

16:6. Do this therefore: Take every man of you your censers, thou Core,
and all thy company.

16:7. And putting fire in them to morrow, put incense upon it before
the Lord: and whomsoever he shall choose, the same shall be holy: you
take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.

16:8. And he said again to Core: Hear ye sons of Levi.

16:9. Is it a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath spared
you from all the people, and joined you to himself, that you should
serve him in the service of the tabernacle, and should stand before the
congregation of the people, and should minister to him?

16:10. Did he therefore make thee and all thy brethren the sons of Levi
to approach unto him, that you should challenge to yourselves the
priesthood also,

16:11. And that all thy company should stand against the Lord? for what
is Aaron that you murmur against him?

16:12. Then Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiron the sons of Eliab. But
they answered: We will not come.

16:13. Is it a small matter to thee, that thou hast brought us out of a
land that flowed with milk and honey, to kill us in the desert, except
thou rule also like a lord over us?

16:14. Thou hast brought us indeed into a land that floweth with rivers
of milk and honey, and hast given us possessions of fields and
vineyards; wilt thou also pull out our eyes? We will not come.

16:15. Moses therefore being very angry, said to the Lord: Respect not
their sacrifices: thou knowest that I have not taken of them so much as
a young ass at any time, nor have injured any of them.

Very angry. . .This anger was a zeal against sin; and an indignation at
the affront offered to God; like that which the same holy prophet
conceived upon the sight of the golden calf, Ex. 32.19.

16:16. And he said to Core: Do thou and thy congregation stand apart
before the Lord to morrow, and Aaron apart.

16:17. Take every one of you censers, and put incense upon them,
offering to the Lord two hundred and fifty censers: let Aaron also hold
his censer.

16:18. When they had done this, Moses and Aaron standing,

16:19. And had drawn up all the multitude against them to the door of
the tabernacle, the glory of the Lord appeared to them all.

16:20. And the Lord speaking to Moses and Aaron, said:

16:21. Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may
presently destroy them.

16:22. They fell flat on their face, and said: O most mighty, the God
of the spirits of all flesh, for one man's sin shall thy wrath rage
against all?

16:23. And the Lord said to Moses:

16:24. Command the whole people to separate themselves from the tents
of Core and Dathan and Abiron.

16:25. And Moses arose, and went to Dathan and Abiron: and the ancients
of Israel following him,

16:26. He said to the multitude: Depart from the tents of these wicked
men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be involved in their sins.

16:27. And when they were departed from their tents round about, Dathan
and Abiron coming out stood in the entry of their pavilions with their
wives and children, and all the people.

16:28. And Moses said: By this you shall know that the Lord hath sent
me to do all things that you see, and that I have not forged them of my
own head:

16:29. If these men die the common death of men, and if they be visited
with a plague, wherewith others also are wont to be visited, the Lord
did not send me.

16:30. But if the Lord do a new thing, and the earth opening her mouth
swallow them down, and all things that belong to them, and they go down
alive into hell, you shall know that they have blasphemed the Lord.

16:31. And immediately as he had made an end of speaking, the earth
broke asunder under their feet:

16:32. And opening her mouth, devoured them with their tents and all
their substance.

16:33. And they went down alive into hell, the ground closing upon
them, and they perished from among the people.

16:34. But all Israel, that was standing round about, fled at the cry
of them that were perishing: saying: Lest perhaps the earth swallow us
up also.

16:35. And a fire coming out from the Lord, destroyed the two hundred
and fifty men that offered the incense.

16:36. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

16:37. Command Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest to take up the
censers that lie in the burning, and to scatter the fire of one side
and the other: because they are sanctified

16:38. In the deaths of the sinners: and let him beat them into plates,
and fasten them to the altar, because incense hath been offered in them
to the Lord, and they are sanctified, that the children of Israel may
see them for a sign and a memorial.

16:39. Then Eleazar the priest took the brazen censers, wherein they
had offered, whom the burning fire had devoured, and beat them into
plates, fastening them to the altar:

16:40. That the children of Israel might have for the time to come
wherewith they should be admonished, that no stranger or any one that
is not of the seed of Aaron should come near to offer incense to the
Lord, lest he should suffer as Core suffered, and all his congregation,
according as the Lord spoke to Moses.

16:41. The following day all the multitude of the children of Israel
murmured against Moses and Aaron, saying: You have killed the people of
the Lord.

16:42. And when there arose a sedition, and the tumult increased,

16:43. Moses and Aaron fled to the tabernacle of the covenant. And when
they were gone into it, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord
appeared.

16:44. And the Lord said to Moses:

16:45. Get you out from the midst of this multitude, this moment will I
destroy them. And as they were lying on the ground,

16:46. Moses said to Aaron: Take the censer, and putting fire in it
from the altar, put incense upon it, and go quickly to the people to
pray for them: for already wrath is gone out from the Lord, and the
plague rageth.

16:47. When Aaron had done this, and had run to the midst of the
multitude which the burning fire was now destroying, he offered the
incense:

16:48. And standing between the dead and the living, he prayed for the
people, and the plague ceased.

16:49. And the number of them that were slain was fourteen thousand and
seven hundred men, besides them that had perished in the sedition of
Core.

16:50. And Aaron returned to Moses to the door of the tabernacle of the
covenant after the destruction was over.



Numbers Chapter 17


The priesthood is confirmed to Aaron by the miracle of the blooming of
his rod, which is kept for a monument in the tabernacle.

17:1. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

17:2. Speak to the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a
rod by their kindreds, of all the princes of the tribes, twelve rods,
and write the name of every man upon his rod.

17:3. And the name of Aaron shall be for the tribe of Levi, and one rod
shall contain all their families:

17:4. And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the covenant
before the testimony, where I will speak to thee.

17:5. Whomsoever of these I shall choose, his rod shall blossom: and I
will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel,
wherewith they murmur against you.

17:6. And Moses spoke to the children of Israel: and all the princes
gave him rods one for every tribe: and there were twelve rods besides
the rod of Aaron.

17:7. And when Moses had Laid them up before the Lord in the tabernacle
of the testimony:

17:8. He returned on the following day, and found that the rod of Aaron
for the house of Levi, was budded: and that the buds swelling it hid
bloomed blossoms, which spreading the leaves, were formed into almonds.

The rod of Aaron for the house of Levi, was budded, etc. . .This rod of
Aaron which thus miraculously brought forth fruit, was a figure of the
blessed Virgin conceiving and bringing forth her Son without any
prejudice to her virginity.

17:9. Moses therefore brought out all the rods from before the Lord to
all the children of Israel: and they saw, and every one received their
rods.

17:10. And the Lord said to Moses: Carry back the rod of Aaron into the
tabernacle of the testimony, that it may be kept there for a token of
the rebellious children of Israel, and that their complaints may cease
from me lest they die.

17:11. And Moses did as the Lord had commanded.

17:12. And the children of Israel said to Moses: Behold we are
consumed, we all perish.

17:13. Whosoever approacheth to the tabernacle of the Lord, he dieth.
Are we all to a man to be utterly destroyed?



Numbers Chapter 18


The charge of the priests and of the Levites, and their portion.

18:1. And the Lord said to Aaron: Thou, and thy sons, and thy father's
house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and
thy sons with thee shall bear the sins of your priesthood.

Thou, and thy father's house with thee, shall bear the iniquity of the
sanctuary. . .That is, you shall be punished if, through negligence or
want of due attention, you err in the discharge of the sacred functions
for which you were ordained.

18:2. And take with thee thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, and
the sceptre of thy father, and let them be ready in hand, and minister
to thee: but thou and thy sons shall minister in the tabernacle of the
testimony.

18:3. And the Levites shall watch to do thy commands, and about all the
works of the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of
the sanctuary nor the altar, lest both they die, and you also perish
with them.

18:4. But let them be with thee, and watch in the charge of the
tabernacle, and in all the ceremonies thereof. A stranger shall not
join himself with you.

18:5. Watch ye in the charge of the sanctuary, and in the ministry of
the altar: lest indignation rise upon the children of Israel.

18:6. I have given you your brethren the Levites from among the
children of Israel, and have delivered them for a gift to the Lord, to
serve in the ministries of the tabernacle.

18:7. But thou and thy sons look ye to the priesthood: and all things
that pertain to the service of the altar, and that are within the veil,
shall be executed by the priests. If any stranger shall approach, he
shall be slain.

18:8. And the Lord said to Aaron: Behold I have given thee the charge
of my firstfruits. All things that are sanctified by the children of
Israel, I have delivered to thee and to thy sons for the priestly
office, by everlasting ordinances.

18:9. These therefore shalt thou take of the things that are
sanctified, and are offered to the Lord. Every offering, and sacrifice,
and whatsoever is rendered to me for sin and for trespass, and becometh
holy of holies, shall be for thee and thy sons.

18:10. Thou shalt eat it in the sanctuary: the males only shall eat
thereof, because it is a consecrated thing to thee.

18:11. But the firstfruits, which the children of Israel shall vow and
offer, I have given to thee, and to thy sons, and to thy daughters, by
a perpetual law. He that is clean in thy house, shall eat them.

18:12. All the best of the oil, and of the wine, and of the corn,
whatsoever firstfruits they offer to the Lord, I have given them to
thee.

18:13. All the firstripe of the fruits, that the ground bringeth forth,
and which are brought to the Lord, shall be for thy use: he that is
clean in thy house, shall eat them.

18:14. Every thing that the children of Israel shall give by vow, shall
be thine.

18:15. Whatsoever is firstborn of all flesh, which they offer to the
Lord, whether it be of men, or of beasts, shall belong to thee: only
for the firstborn of man thou shalt take a price, and every beast that
is unclean thou shalt cause to be redeemed,

18:16. And the redemption of it shall be after one month, for five
sicles of silver, by the weight of the sanctuary. A sicle hath twenty
obols.

18:17. But the firstling of a cow, and of a sheep and of a goat thou
shalt not cause to be redeemed, because they are sanctified to the
Lord. Their blood only thou shalt pour upon the altar, and their fat
thou shalt burn for a most sweet odour to the Lord.

18:18. But the flesh shall fall to thy use, as the consecrated breast,
and the right shoulder shall be thine.

18:19. All the firstfruits of the sanctuary which the children of
Israel offer to the Lord, I have given to thee and to thy sons and
daughters, by a perpetual ordinance. It is a covenant of salt for ever
before the Lord, to thee and to thy sons.

A covenant of salt. . .It is a proverbial expression, signifying a
covenant not to be altered or corrupted; as salt is used to keep things
from corruption; a covenant perpetual, like that by which it was
appointed, that salt should be used in every sacrifice. Lev. 2.

18:20. And the Lord said to Aaron: You shall possess nothing in their
land, neither shall you have a portion among them: I am thy portion and
inheritance in the midst of the children of Israel.

18:21. And I have given to the sons of Levi all the tithes of Israel
for a possession, for the ministry wherewith they serve me in the
tabernacle of the covenant:

18:22. That the children of Israel may not approach any more to the
tabernacle, nor commit deadly sin,

Deadly sin. . .That is, sin which will bring death after it.

18:23. But only the sons of Levi may serve me in the tabernacle, and
bear the sins of the people. It shall be an everlasting ordinance in
your generations. They shall not possess any other thing,

18:24. But be content with the oblation or tithes, which I have
separated for their uses and necessities.

18:25. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

18:26. Command the Levites, and declare unto them: When you shall
receive of the children of Israel the tithes, which I have given you,
offer the firstfruits of them to the Lord, that is to say, the tenth
part of the tenth:

18:27. That it may be reckoned to you as an oblation of firstfruits, as
well of the barnfloors as of the winepresses:

18:28. And of all the things of which you receive tithes, offer the
firstfruits to the Lord, and give them to Aaron the priest.

18:29. All the things that you shall offer of the tithes, and shall
separate for the gifts of the Lord, shall be the best and choicest
things.

18:30. And thou shalt say to them: If you offer all the goodly and the
better things of the tithes, it shall be reckoned to you as if you had
given the firstfruits of the barnfloor and the winepress:

18:31. And you shall eat them in all your places, both you and your
families: because it is your reward for the ministry, wherewith you
serve in the tabernacle of the testimony.

18:32. And you shall not sin in this point, by reserving the choicest
and fat things to yourselves, lest you profane the oblations of the
children of Israel, and die.



Numbers Chapter 19


The law of the sacrifice of the red cow, and the water of expiation.

19:1. And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:

19:2. This is the observance of the victim, which the Lord hath
ordained. Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee a
red cow of full age, in which there is no blemish, and which hath not
carried the yoke:

A red cow, etc. . .This red cow, offered in sacrifice for sin, and
consumed with fire without the camp, with the ashes of which, mingled
with water, the unclean were to be expiated and purified; was a figure
of the passion of Christ, by whose precious blood applied to our souls
in the holy sacraments, we are cleansed from our sins.

19:3. And you shall deliver her to Eleazar the priest, who shall bring
her forth without the camp, and shall immolate her in the sight of all:

19:4. And dipping his finger in her blood, shall sprinkle it over
against the door of the tabernacle seven times,

19:5. And shall burn her in the sight of all delivering up to the fire
her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, and her dung.

19:6. The priest shall also take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet
twice dyed, and cast it into the flame, with which the cow is consumed.

19:7. And then after washing his garments, and body, he shall enter
into the camp, and shall be unclean until the evening.

19:8. He also that hath burned her, shall wash his garments, and his
body, and shall be unclean until the evening.

19:9. And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the cow, and
shall pour them forth without the camp in a most clean place, that they
may be reserved for the multitude of the children of Israel, and for a
water of aspersion: because the cow was burnt for sin.

19:10. And when he that carried the ashes of the cow, hath washed his
garments, he shall be unclean until the evening. The children of
Israel, and the strangers that dwell among them, shall observe this for
a holy thing by a perpetual ordinance.

19:11. He that toucheth the corpse of a man, and is therefore unclean
seven days,

19:12. Shall be sprinkled with this water on the third day, and on the
seventh, and so shall be cleansed. If he were not sprinkled on the
third day, he cannot be cleansed on the seventh.

19:13. Every one that toucheth the corpse of a man, and is not
sprinkled with this mixture, shall profane the tabernacle of the Lord,
and shall perish out of Israel: because he was not sprinkled with the
water of expiation, he shall be unclean, and his uncleanness shall
remain upon him.

19:14. This is the law of a man that dieth in a tent: All that go into
his tent and all the vessels that are there, shall be unclean seven
days.

19:15. The vessel that hath no cover, nor binding over it, shall be
unclean.

19:16. If any man in the field touch the corpse of a man that was
slain, or that died of himself, or his bone, or his grave, he shall be
unclean seven days.

19:17. And they shall take of the ashes of the burning and of the sin
offering, and shall pour living waters upon them into a vessel.

19:18. And a man that is clean shall dip hyssop in them, and shall
sprinkle therewith all the tent, and all the furniture, and the men
that are defiled with touching any such thing:

19:19. And in this manner he that is clean shall purify the unclean on
the third and on the seventh day. And being expiated the seventh day,
he shall wash both himself and his garments, and be unclean until the
evening.

19:20. If any man be not expiated after this rite, his soul shall
perish out of the midst of the church: because he hath profaned the
sanctuary of the Lord, and was not sprinkled with the water of
purification.

19:21. This precept shall be an ordinance for ever. He also that
sprinkled the water, shall wash his garments. Every one that shall
touch the waters of expiation, shall be unclean until the evening.

19:22. Whatsoever a person toucheth who is unclean, he shall make it
unclean: and the person that toucheth any of these things, shall be
unclean until the evening.



Numbers Chapter 20


The death of Mary the sister of Moses. The people murmur for want of
water: God giveth it them from the rock. The death of Aaron.

20:1. And the children of Israel, and all the multitude came into the
desert of Sin, in the first month: and the people abode in Cades. And
Mary died there, and was buried in the same place.

20:2. And the people wanting water, came together against Moses and
Aaron:

20:3. And making a sedition, they said: Would God we had perished among
our brethren before the Lord.

20:4. Why have you brought out the church of the Lord into the
wilderness, that both we and our cattle should die?

20:5. Why have you made us come up out of Egypt, and have brought us
into this wretched place which cannot be sowed, nor bringeth forth
figs, nor vines, nor pomegranates, neither is there any water to drink?

20:6. And Moses and Aaron leaving the multitude, went into the
tabernacle of the covenant, and fell flat upon the ground, and cried to
the Lord, and said. O Lord God, hear the cry of this people, and open
to them thy treasure, a fountain of living water, that being satisfied,
they may cease to murmur. And the glory of the Lord appeared over them.

20:7. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

20:8. Take the rod, and assemble the people together, thou and Aaron
thy brother, and speak to the rock before them, and it shall yield
waters. And when thou hast brought forth water out of the rock, all the
multitude and their cattle shall drink.

20:9. Moses therefore took the rod, which was before the Lord, as he
had commanded him,

20:10. And having gathered together the multitude before the rock, he
said to them: Hear, ye rebellious and incredulous: Can we bring you
forth water out of this rock?

20:11. And when Moses bad lifted up his hand, and struck the rock twice
with the rod, there came forth water in great abundance, so that the
people and their cattle drank,

The rock. . .This rock was a figure of Christ, and the water that issued
out from the rock, of his precious blood, the source of all our good.

20:12. And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron: Because you have not
believed me, to sanctify me before the children of Israel, you shall
not bring these people into the land, which I will give them.

You have not believed, etc. . .The fault of Moses and Aaron, on this
occasion, was a certain diffidence and weakness of faith; not doubting
of God's power or veracity; but apprehending the unworthiness of that
rebellious and incredulous people, and therefore speaking with some
ambiguity.

20:13. This is the Water of contradiction, where the children of Israel
strove with words against the Lord, and he was sanctified in them.

The Water of contradiction. . .Or strife. Hebrew, Meribah.

20:14. In the mean time Moses sent messengers from Cades to the king of
Edom, to say: Thus saith thy brother Israel: Thou knowest all the
labour that hath come upon us:

20:15. In what manner our fathers went down into Egypt, and there we
dwelt a long time, and the Egyptians afflicted us and our fathers.

20:16. And how we cried to the Lord, and he heard us, and sent an
angel, who hath brought us out of Egypt. Lo, we are now in the city of
Cades, which is in the uttermost of thy borders,

20:17. And we beseech thee that we may have leave to pass through thy
country. We will not go through the fields, nor through the vineyards,
we will not drink the waters of thy wells, but we will go by the common
highway, neither turning aside to the right hand, nor to the left, till
we are past thy borders.

20:18. And Edom answered them: Thou shalt not pass by me: if thou dost
I will come out armed against thee.

20:19. And the children of Israel said: We will go by the beaten way:
and if we and our cattle drink of thy waters, we will give thee what is
just: there shall be no difficulty in the price, only let us pass
speedily.

20:20. But he answered: Thou shalt not pass. And immediately he came
forth to meet them with an infinite multitude, and a strong hand,

20:21. Neither would he condescend to their desire to grant them
passage through his borders. Wherefore Israel turned another way from
him.

20:22. And when they had removed the camp from Cades, they came to
mount Hor, which is in the borders of the land of Edom:

20:23. Where the Lord spoke to Moses:

20:24. Let Aaron, saith he, go to his people: for he shall not go into
the land which I have given the children of Israel, because he was
incredulous to my words, at the waters of contradiction.

20:25. Take Aaron and his son with him, and bring them up into mount
Hor:

20:26. And when thou hast stripped the father of his vesture, thou
shalt vest therewith Eleazar his son: Aaron shall be gathered to his
people, and die there.

20:27. Moses did as the Lord had commanded: and they went up into mount
Hor before all the multitude.

20:28. And when he had stripped Aaron of his vestments, he vested
Eleazar his son with them.

20:29. And Aaron being dead in the top of the mountain, he came down
with Eleazar.

20:30. And all the multitude seeing that Aaron was dead, mourned for
him thirty days throughout all their families.



Numbers Chapter 21


King Arad is overcome. The people murmur and are punished with fiery
serpents: they are healed by the brazen serpent. They conquer the kings
Sehon and Og.

21:1. And when king Arad the Chanaanite, who dwelt towards the south,
had heard this, to wit, that Israel was come by the way of the spies,
he fought against them, and overcoming them carried off their spoils.

21:2. But Israel binding himself by vow to the Lord, said: If thou wilt
deliver thus people into my hand, I will utterly destroy their cities.

21:3. And the Lord heard the prayers of Israel, and delivered up the
Chanaanite, and they cut them off and destroyed their cities: and they
called the name of that place Horma, that is to say, Anathema.

Anathema. . .That is, a thing devoted to utter destruction.

21:4. And they marched from mount Hor, by the way that leadeth to the
Red Sea, to compass the land of Edom. And the people began to be weary
of their journey and labour:

21:5. And speaking against God and Moses, they said: Why didst thou
bring us out of Egypt, to die in the wilderness? There is no bread, nor
have we any waters: our soul now loatheth this very light food.

Very light food. . .So they call the heavenly manna: thus worldlings
loathe the things of heaven, for which they have no relish.

21:6. Wherefore the Lord sent among the people fiery serpents, which
bit them and killed many of them.

Fiery serpents. . .They are so called, because they that were bitten by
them were burnt with a violent heat.

21:7. Upon which they came to Moses, and said; We have sinned, because
we have spoken against the Lord and thee: pray that he may take away
these serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

21:8. And the Lord said to him: Make a brazen serpent, and set it up
for a sign: whosoever being struck shall look on it, shall live.

21:9. Moses therefore made a brazen serpent, and set it up for a sign:
which when they that were bitten looked upon, they were healed.

A brazen serpent. . .This was a figure of Christ crucified, and of the
efficacy of a lively faith in him, against the bites of the hellish
serpent. John 3.14.

21:10. And the children of Israel setting forwards camped in Oboth.

21:11. And departing thence they pitched their tents in Jeabarim, in
the wilderness, that faceth Moab toward the east.

21:12. And removing from thence, they came to the torrent Zared:

21:13. Which they left and encamped over against Arnon, which is in the
desert and standeth out on the borders of the Amorrhite. For Arnon is
the border of Moab, dividing the Moabites and the Amorrhites.

21:14. Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord: As he
did in the Red Sea, so will he do in the streams of Arnon.

The book of the wars, etc. . .An ancient book, which, like several
others quoted in scripture, has been lost.

21:15. The rocks of the torrents were bowed down that they might rest
in Ar, and lie down in the borders of the Moabites.

21:16. When they went from that place, the well appeared whereof the
Lord said to Moses: Gather the people together, and I will give them
water.

21:17. Then Israel sung this song: Let the well spring up. They sung
thereto:

21:18. The well, which the princes dug, and the chiefs of the people
prepared by the direction of the lawgiver, and with their staves. And
they marched from the wilderness to Mathana.

21:19. From Mathana unto Nahaliel: from Nahaliel unto Bamoth.

21:20. From Bamoth, is a valley in the country of Moab, to the top of
Phasga, which looked towards the desert.

21:21. And Israel sent messengers to Sehon king of the Amorrhites,
saying:

21:22. I beseech thee that I may have leave to pass through thy land:
we will not go aside into the fields or the vineyards, we will not
drink waters of the wells, we will go the king's highway, till we be
past thy borders.

21:23. And he would not grant that Israel should pass by his borders:
but rather gathering an army, went forth to meet them in the desert,
and came to Jasa and fought against them.

21:24. And he was slain by them with the edge of the sword, and they
possessed his land from the Arnon unto the Jeboc, and to the confines
of the children of Ammon: for the borders of the Ammonites, were kept
with a strong garrison.

21:25. So Israel took all his cities, and dwelt in the cities of the
Amorrhite, to wit, in Hesebon, and in the villages thereof.

21:26. Hesebon was the city of Sehon the king of the Amorrhites, who
fought against the king of Moab: and took all the land, that had been
of his dominion, as far as the Arnon.

21:27. Therefore it is said in the proverb: Come into Hesebon, let the
city of Sehon be built and set up:

21:28. A fire is gone out of Hesebon, a flame from the city of Sehon,
and hath consumed Ar of the Moabites, and the inhabitants of the high
places of the Arnon.

21:29. Woe to thee Moab: thou art undone, O people of Chamos. He hath
given his sons to flight, and his daughters into captivity to Sehon the
king of the Amorrhites.

21:30. Their yoke is perished from Hesebon unto Dibon, they came weary
to Nophe, and unto Medaba.

21:31. So Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorrhite.

21:32. And Moses sent some to take a view of Jazer: and they took the
villages of it, and conquered the inhabitants.

21:33. And they turned themselves, and went up by the way of Basan, and
Og the king of Basan came against them with all his people, to fight in
Edrai.

21:34. And the Lord said to Moses: Fear him not, for I have delivered
him and all his people, and his country into thy hand: and thou shalt
do to him as thou didst to Sehon the king of the Amorrhites, the
inhabitant of Hesebon.

21:35. So they slew him also with his sons, and all his people, not
letting any one escape, and they possessed his land.



Numbers Chapter 22


Balac, king of Moab, sendeth twice for Balaam to curse Israel. In his
way Balaam is rebuked by an angel.

22:1. And they went forward and encamped in the plains of Moab, over
against where Jericho is situate beyond the Jordan.

22:2. And Balac the son of Sephor, seeing all that Israel had done to
the Amorrhite,

22:3. And that the Moabites were in great fear of him, and were not
able to sustain his assault,

22:4. He said to the elders of Madian: So will this people destroy all
that dwell in our borders, as the ox is wont to eat the grass to the
very roots. Now he was at that time king in Moab.

22:5. He sent therefore messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, a
soothsayer, who dwelt by the river of the land of the children of
Ammon, to call him, and to say: Behold a people is come out of Egypt,
that hath covered the face of the earth, sitting over against me.

22:6. Come therefore, and curse this people, because it is mightier
than I: if by any means I may beat them and drive them out of my land:
for I know that he whom thou shalt bless is blessed, and he whom thou
shalt curse is cursed.

22:7. And the ancients of Moab, and the elders of Madian, went with the
price of divination in their hands. And where they were come to Balaam,
and had told him all the words of Balac:

22:8. He answered: Tarry here this night and I will answer whatsoever
the Lord shall say to me. And while they stayed with Balaam, God came
and said to him:

22:9. What mean these men that are with thee?

22:10. He answered: Balac the son of Sephor king of the Moabites hath
sent to me,

22:11. Saying: Behold a people that is come out of Egypt, hath covered
the face of the land: come and curse them, if by any means I may fight
with them and drive them away.

22:12. And God said to Balaam: Thou shalt not go with them, nor shalt
thou curse the people: because it is blessed.

22:13. And he rose in the morning and said to the princes: Go into your
country, because the Lord hath forbid me to come with you.

22:14. The princes returning, said to Balac: Balaam would not come with
us.

22:15. Then he sent many more and more noble than he had sent before:

22:16. Who, when they were come to Balaam, said: Thus saith Balac the
son of Sephor, Delay not to come to me:

22:17. For I am ready to honour thee, and will give thee whatsoever
thou wilt: come and curse this people.

22:18. Balaam answered: If Balac would give me his house full of silver
and gold, I cannot alter the word of the Lord my God, to speak either
more or less.

22:19. I pray you to stay here this night also, that I may know what
the Lord will answer me once more.

To stay. . .His desiring them to stay, after he had been fully informed
already that it was not God's will he should go, came from the
inclination he had to gratify Balac, for the sake of worldly gain. And
this perverse disposition God punished by permitting him to go (though
not to curse the people as he would willingly have done), and suffering
him to fall still deeper and deeper into sin, till he came at last to
give that abominable counsel against the people of God, which ended in
his own destruction. So sad a thing it is to indulge a passion for
money.

22:20. God therefore came to Balaam in the night, and said to him: If
these men be come to call thee, arise and go with them: yet so, that
thou do what I shall command thee.

22:21. Balaam arose in the morning, and saddling his ass went with
them.

22:22. And God was angry. And an angel of the Lord stood in the way
against Balaam, who sat on the ass, and had two servants with him.

22:23. The ass seeing the angel standing in the way, with a drawn
sword, turned herself out of the way, and went into the field. And when
Balaam beat her, and had a mind to bring her again to the way,

22:24. The angel stood in a narrow place between two walls, wherewith
the vineyards were enclosed.

22:25. And the ass seeing him, thrust herself close to the wall, and
bruised the foot of the rider. But he beat her again:

22:26. And nevertheless the angel going on to a narrow place, where
there was no way to turn aside either to the right hand or to the left,
stood to meet him.

22:27. And when the ass saw the angel standing, she fell under the feet
of the rider: who being angry beat her sides more vehemently with a
staff.

22:28. And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said: What
have I done to thee? Why strikest thou me, lo, now this third time?

Opened the mouth, etc. . .The angel moved the tongue of the ass, to
utter these speeches, to rebuke, by the mouth of a brute beast, the
brutal fury and folly of Balaam.

22:29. Balaam answered: Because thou hast deserved it, and hast served
me ill: I would I had a sword that I might kill thee.

22:30. The ass said: Am not I thy beast, on which thou hast been always
accustomed to ride until this present day? tell me if I ever did the
like thing to thee. But he said: Never.

22:31. Forthwith the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the
angel standing in the way with a drawn sword, and he worshipped him
falling flat on the ground.

22:32. And the angel said to him: Why beatest thou thy ass these three
times? I am come to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse, and
contrary to me:

Perverse. . .Because thy inclinations are wicked in being willing for
the sake of gain to curse the people of whom I am the guardian.

22:33. And unless the ass had turned out of the way, giving place to me
who stood against thee, I had slain thee, and she should have lived.

22:34. Balaam said: I have sinned, not knowing that thou didst stand
against me: and now if it displease thee that I go, I will return.

22:35. The angel said: Go with these men, and see thou speak no other
thing than what I shall command thee. He went therefore with the
princes.

22:36. And when Balac heard it he came forth to meet him in a town of
the Moabites, that is situate in the uttermost borders of Arnon.

22:37. And he said to Balaam: I sent messengers to call thee, why didst
thou not come immediately to me? was it because I am not able to reward
thy coming?

22:38. He answered him: Lo, here I am: shall I have power to speak any
other thing but that which God shall put in my mouth?

22:39. So they went on together, and came into a city, that was in the
uttermost borders of his kingdom.

22:40. And when Balac had killed oxen and sheep, he sent presents to
Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.

22:41. And when morning was come, he brought him to the high places of
Baal, and he beheld the uttermost part of the people.



Numbers Chapter 23


Balaam, instead of cursing Israel, is obliged to bless them, and
prophesy good things of them.

23:1. And Balaam said to Balac: Build me here seven altars, and prepare
as many calves, and the same number of rams.

23:2. And when he had done according to the word of Balaam, they laid
together a calf and a ram upon every altar.

23:3. And Balaam said to Balac: Stand a while by thy burnt offering,
until I go, to see if perhaps the Lord will meet me, and whatsoever he
shall command, I will speak to thee.

23:4. And when he was gone with speed, God met him. And Balaam speaking
to him, said: I have erected seven altars, and have laid on everyone a
calf and a ram.

23:5. And the Lord put the word in his mouth, and said: Return to
Balac, and thus shalt thou speak.

23:6. Returning he found Balac standing by his burnt offering, with all
the princes of the Moabites:

23:7. And taking up his parable, he said: Balac king of the Moabites
hath brought me from Aram, from the mountains of the east: Come, said
he, and curse Jacob: make haste and detest Israel.

23:8. How shall I curse him, whom God hath not cursed? By what means
should I detest him, whom the Lord detesteth not?

23:9. I shall see him from the tops of the rocks, and shall consider
him from the hills. This people shall dwell alone, and shall not be
reckoned among the nations.

23:10. Who can count the dust of Jacob, and know the number of the
stock of Israel? Let my soul die the death of the just, and my last end
be like to them.

23:11. And Balac said to Balaam: What is this that thou dost? I sent
for thee to curse my enemies: and thou contrariwise blessest them.

23:12. He answered him: Can I speak any thing else but what the Lord
commandeth?

23:13. Balac therefore said: Come with me to another place from whence
thou mayest see part of Israel, and canst not see them all: curse them
from thence.

23:14. And when he had brought him to a high place, upon the top of
mount Phasga, Balaam built seven altars, and laying on every one a calf
and a ram,

23:15. He said to Balac: Stand here by thy burnt offering while I go to
meet him.

23:16. And when the Lord had met him, and had put the word in his
mouth, he said: Return to Balac, and thus shalt thou say to him.

23:17. Returning he found him standing by his burnt sacrifice, and the
princes of the Moabites with him. And Balac said to him: What hath the
Lord spoken?

23:18. But he taking up his parable, said: Stand, O Balac, and give
ear: hear, thou son of Sephor:

23:19. God is not a man, that he should lie, nor is the son of man,
that he should be changed. Hath he said then, and will he not do? hath
he spoken, and will he not fulfil?

23:20. I was brought to bless, the blessing I am not able to hinder.

23:21. There is no idol in Jacob, neither is there an image god to be
seen in Israel. The Lord his God is with him, and the sound of the
victory of the king in him.

23:22. God hath brought him out of Egypt, whose strength is like to the
rhinoceros.

23:23. There is no soothsaying in Jacob, nor divination in Israel. In
their times it shall be told to Jacob and to Israel what God hath
wrought.

23:24. Behold the people shall rise up as a lioness, and shall lift
itself up as a lion: it shall not lie down till it devour the prey, and
drink the blood of the slain.

23:25. And Balac said to Balaam: Neither curse, nor bless him.

23:26. And he said: Did I not tell thee, that whatsoever God should
command me, that I would do?

23:27. And Balac said to him: Come and I will bring thee to another
place; if peradventure it please God that thou mayest curse them from
thence.

23:28. And when he had brought him upon the top of mount Phogor, which
looketh towards the wilderness,

23:29. Balaam said to him: Build me here seven altars, and prepare as
many calves, and the same number of rams.

23:30. Balac did as Balaam had said: and he laid on every altar, a calf
and a ram.



Numbers Chapter 24


Balaam still continues to prophesy good things in favour of Israel.

24:1. And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord that he should bless
Israel, he went not as he had gone before, to seek divination: but
setting his face towards the desert,

24:2. And lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel abiding in their tents by
their tribes: and the spirit of God rushing upon him,

24:3. He took up his parable and said: Balaam the son of Beor hath
said: The man hath said, whose eye is stopped up:

24:4. The bearer of the words of God hath said, he that hath beheld the
vision of the Almighty, he that falleth, and so his eyes are opened:

24:5. How beautiful are thy tabernacles O Jacob, and thy tents, O
Israel!

24:6. As woody valleys, as watered gardens near the rivers, as
tabernacles which the Lord hath pitched, as cedars by the waterside.

24:7. Water shall flow out of his bucket, and his seed shall be in many
waters. For Agag his king shall be removed, and his kingdom shall be
taken away.

24:8. God hath brought him out of Egypt, whose strength is like to the
rhinoceros. They shall devour the nations that are his enemies, and
break their bones, and pierce them with arrows.

24:9. Lying down he hath slept as a lion, and as a lioness, whom none
shall dare to rouse. He that blesseth thee, shall also himself be
blessed: he that curseth thee shall be reckoned accursed.

24:10. And Balac being angry against Balaam, clapped his hands together
and said: I called thee to curse my enemies, and thou on the contrary
hast blessed them three times.

24:11. Return to thy place. I had determined indeed greatly to honour
thee, but the Lord hath deprived thee of the honour designed for thee.

24:12. Balaam made answer to Balac: Did I not say to thy messengers,
whom thou sentest to me:

24:13. If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I
cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to utter any thing of my
own head either good or evil: but whatsoever the Lord shall say, that I
will speak?

24:14. But yet going to my people, I will give thee counsel, what this
people shall do to thy people in the latter days.

24:15. Therefore taking up his parable, again he said: Balaam the son
of Beor hath said: The man whose eye is stopped up, hath said:

24:16. The hearer of the words of God hath said, who knoweth the
doctrine of the Highest, and seeth the visions of the Almighty, who
falling hath his eyes opened:

24:17. I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not near.
A STAR SHALL RISE out of Jacob and a sceptre shall spring up from
Israel: and shall strike the chiefs of Moab, and shall waste all the
children of Seth

24:18. And he shall possess Idumea: the inheritance of Seir shall come
to their enemies, but Israel shall do manfully.

24:19. Out of Jacob shall he come that shall rule, and shall destroy
the remains of the city.

24:20. And when he saw Amalec, he took up his parable, and said: Amalec
the beginning of nations, whose latter ends shall be destroyed.

24:21. He saw also the Cinite: and took up his parable, and said: Thy
habitation indeed is strong: but though thou build thy nest in a rock,

24:22. And thou be chosen of the stock of Cin, how long shalt thou be
able to continue? For Assur shall take thee captive.

24:23. And taking up his parable, again he said: Alas, who shall live
when God shall do these things?

24:24. They shall come in galleys from Italy, they shall overcome the
Assyrians, and shall waste the Hebrews, and at the last they themselves
also shall perish.

24:25. And Balaam rose, and returned to his place: Balac also returned
the way that he came.



Numbers Chapter 25


The people fall into fornication and idolatry; for which twenty-four
thousand are slain. The zeal of Phinees.

25:1. And Israel at that time abode in Settim, and the people committed
fornication with the daughters of Moab,

25:2. Who called them to their sacrifices. And they ate of them, and
adored their gods.

25:3. And Israel was initiated to Beelphegor: upon which the Lord being
angry,

Initiated to Beelphegor. . .That is, they took to the worship of
Beelphegor, an obscene idol of the Moabites, and were consecrated, as
it were, to him.

25:4. Said to Moses: Take all the princes of the people, and hang them
up on gibbets against the sun: that my fury may be turned away from
Israel.

25:5. And Moses said to the judges of Israel: Let every man kill his
neighbours, that have been initiated to Beelphegor.

25:6. And behold one of the children of Israel went in before his
brethren to a harlot of Madian, in the sight of Moses and of all the
children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle.

25:7. And when Phinees the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest
saw it, he rose up from the midst of the multitude, and taking a
dagger,

25:8. Went in after the Israelite into the brothel house, and thrust
both of them through together, to wit, the man and the woman in the
genital parts. And the scourge ceased from the children of Israel.

25:9. And there were slain four and twenty thousand men.

25:10. And the Lord said to Moses:

25:11. Phinees the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, hath
turned away my wrath from the children of Israel: because he was moved
with my zeal against them, that I myself might not destroy the children
of Israel in my zeal.

25:12. Therefore say to him: behold I give him the peace of my
covenant,

25:13. And the covenant of the priesthood for ever shall be both to him
and his seed, because he hath been zealous for his God, and hath made
atonement for the wickedness of the children of Israel.

25:14. And the name of the Israelite, that was slain with the woman of
Madian, was Zambri the son of Salu, a prince of the kindred and tribe
of Simeon.

25:15. And the Madianite woman, that was slain with him, was called
Cozbi the daughter of Sur, a most noble prince among the Madianites.

25:16. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

25:17. Let the Madianites find you their enemies, and slay you them:

25:18. Because they also have acted like enemies against you, and have
guilefully deceived you by the idol Phogor, and Cozbi their sister, a
daughter of a prince of Madian, who was slain in the day of the plague
for the sacrilege of Phogor.



Numbers Chapter 26


The people are again numbered by their tribes and families.

26:1. After the blood of the guilty was shed, the Lord said to Moses
and to Eleazar the son of Aaron, the priest:

26:2. Number the whole sum of the children of Israel from twenty years
old and upward, by their houses and kindreds, all that are able to go
forth to war.

26:3. Moses therefore and Eleazar the priest, being in the plains of
Moab upon the Jordan over against Jericho, spoke to them that were

26:4. From twenty years old and upward, as the Lord had commanded: and
this is the number of them:

26:5. Ruben the firstborn of Israel. His sons were Henoch, of whom is
the family of the Henochites: and Phallu, of whom is the family of the
Phalluites:

26:6. And Hesron, of whom is the family of the Hesronites: and Charmi,
of whom is the family of the Charmites.

26:7. These are the families of the stock of Ruben: whose number was
found to be forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty.

26:8. The son of Phallu was Eliab.

26:9. His sons, were Namuel and Dathan and Abiron. These are Dathan and
Abiron the princes of the people, that rose against Moses and Aaron in
the sedition of Core, when they rebelled against the Lord:

26:10. And the earth opening her mouth swallowed up Core, many others
dying, when the fire burned two hundred and fifty men. And there was a
great miracle wrought,

26:11. That when Core perished, his sons did not perish.

26:12. The sons of Simeon by their kindreds: Namuel, of him is the
family of the Namuelites: Jamin, of him is the family of the Jaminites:
Jachim, of him is the family of the Jachimites:

26:13. Zare, of him is the family of the Zarites: Saul, of him is the
family of the Saulites.

26:14. These are the families of the stock of Simeon, of which the
whole number was twenty-two thousand two hundred.

26:15. The sons of Gad by their kindreds: Sephon, of him is the family
of the Sephonites: Aggi, of him is the family of the Aggites: Suni, of
him is the family of the Sunites:

26:16. Ozni, of him is the family of the Oznites: Her, of him is the
family of the Herites:

26:17. Arod, of him is the family of the Arodites: Ariel, of him is the
family of the Arielites.

26:18. These are the families of Gad, of which the whole number was
forty thousand five hundred.

26:19. The sons of Juda, Her and Onan, who both died in the land of
Chanaan.

26:20. And the sons of Juda by their kindreds were: Sela, of whom is
the family of the Selaites: Phares, of whom is the family of the
Pharesites: Zare, of whom is the family of the Zarites.

26:21. Moreover the sons of Phares were: Hesron, of whom is the family
of the Hesronites: and Hamul, of whom is the family of the Hamulites.

26:22. These are the families of Juda, of which the whole number was
seventy-six thousand five hundred.

26:23. The sons of Issachar, by their kindreds: Thola of whom is the
family of the Tholaites: Phua, of whom is the family of the Phuaites:

26:24. Jasub, of whom is the family of the Jasubites: Semran, of whom
is the family of the Semranites.

26:25. These are the kindreds of Issachar, whose number was sixty-four
thousand three hundred.

26:26. The sons of Zabulon by their kindreds: Sared, of whom is the
family of the Saredites: Elon, of whom is the family of the Elonites:
Jalel, of whom is the family of the Jalelites.

26:27. These are the kindreds of Zabulon, whose number was sixty
thousand five hundred.

26:28. The sons of Joseph by their kindred, Manasses and Ephraim.

26:29. Of Manasses was born Machir, of whom is the family of the
Machirites. Machir begot Galaad, of whom is the family of the
Galaadites.

26:30. Galaad had sons: Jezer, of whom is the family of the Jezerites:
and Helec, of whom is the family of the Helecites:

26:31. And Asriel, of whom is the family of the Asrielites: and Sechem,
of whom is the family of the Sechemites:

26:32. And Semida, of whom is the family of the Semidaites: and Hepher,
of whom is the family of the Hepherites.

26:33. And Hepher was the father of Salphaad, who had no sons, but only
daughters, whose names are these: Maala, and Noa, and Hegla, and
Melcha, and Thersa.

26:34. These are the families of Manasses, and the number of them
fifty-two thousand seven hundred.

26:35. And the sons of Ephraim by their kindreds were these: Suthala,
of whom is the family of the Suthalaites: Becher, of whom is the family
of the Becherites: Thehen, of whom is the family of the Thehenites.

26:36. Now the son of Suthala was Heran, of whom is the family of the
Heranites.

26:37. These are the kindreds of the sons of Ephraim: whose number was
thirty-two thousand five hundred.

26:38. These are the sons of Joseph by their families. The sons of
Benjamin in their kindreds: Bela, of whom is the family of the
Belaites: Asbel, of whom is the family of the Asbelites: Ahiram, of
whom is the family of the Ahiramites:

26:39. Supham, of whom is the family of the Suphamites: Hupham, of whom
is the family of the Huphamites.

26:40. The sons of Bela: Hered, and Noeman. Of Hered, is the family of
the Heredites: of Noeman, the family of the Noemanites.

26:41. These are the sons of Benjamin by their kindreds, whose number
was forty-five thousand six hundred.

26:42. The sons of Dan by their kindreds: Suham, of whom is the family
of the Suhamites: These are the kindreds of Dan by their families.

26:43. All were Suhamites, whose number was sixty-four thousand four
hundred.

26:44. The sons of Aser by their kindreds: Jemna, of whom is the family
of the Jemnaites: Jessui, of whom is the family of the Jessuites: Brie,
of whom is the family of the Brieites.

26:45. The sons of Brie: Heber, of whom is the family of the Heberites:
and Melchiel, of whom is the family of the Melchielites.

26:46. And the name of the daughter of Aser, was Sara.

26:47. These are the kindreds of the sons of Aser, and their number
fifty-three thousand four hundred.

26:48. The sons of Nephtali by their kindreds: Jesiel, of whom is the
family of the Jesielites: Guni, of whom is the family of the Gunites:

26:49. Jeser, of whom is the family of the Jeserites: Sellem, of whom
is the family of the Sellemites.

26:50. These are the kindreds of the sons of Nephtali by their
families: whose number was forty-five thousand four hundred.

26:51. This is the sum of the children of Israel, that were reckoned
up, six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty.

26:52. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

26:53. To these shall the land be divided for their possessions
according to the number of names.

26:54. To the greater number thou shalt give a greater portion, and to
the fewer a less: to every one, as they have now been reckoned up,
shall a possession be delivered:

26:55. Yet so that by lot the land be divided to the tribe and
families.

26:56. Whatsoever shall fall by lot, that shall be taken by the more,
or the fewer.

26:57. This also is the number of the sons of Levi by their families:
Gerson, of whom is the family of the Gersonites: Caath, of whom is the
family of the Caathites: Merari, of whom is the family of the
Merarites.

26:58. These are the families of Levi: The family of Lobni, the family
of Hebroni, the family of Core. Now Caath begot Amram:

26:59. Who had to wife Jochabed the daughter of Levi, who was born to
him in Egypt. She bore to her husband Amram sons, Aaron and Moses, and
Mary their sister.

26:60. Of Aaron were born Nadab and Abiu, and Eleazar and Ithamar:

26:61. Of whom Nadab and Abiu died, when they had offered the strange
fire before the Lord.

26:62. And all that were numbered, were twenty-three thousand males
from one month old and upward: for they were not reckoned up among the
children of Israel, neither was a possession given to them with the
rest.

26:63. This is the number of the children of Israel, that were enrolled
by Moses and Eleazar the priest, in the plains of Moab upon the Jordan,
over against Jericho.

26:64. Among whom there was not one of them that were numbered before
by Moses and Aaron in the desert of Sinai.

26:65. For the Lord had foretold that they should die in the
wilderness. And none remained of them, but Caleb the son of Jephone,
and Josue the son of Nun.



Numbers Chapter 27


The law of inheritance. Josue is appointed to succeed Moses.

27:1. Then came the daughters of Salphaad, the son of Hepher, the son
of Galaad, the son of Machir, the son of Manasses, who was the son of
Joseph: and their names are Maala, and Noa, and Hegla, and Melcha, and
Thersa.

27:2. And they stood before Moses and Eleazar the priest, and all the
princes of the people at the door of the tabernacle of the covenant,
and said:

27:3. Our father died in the desert, and was not in the sedition, that
was raised against the Lord under Core, but he died in his own sin: and
he had no male children. Why is his name taken away out of his family,
because he had no son? Give us a possession among the kinsmen of our
father.

27:4. And Moses referred their cause to the judgment of the Lord.

27:5. And the Lord said to him:

27:6. The daughters of Salphaad demand a just thing: Give them a
possession among their father's kindred, and let them succeed him in
his inheritance.

27:7. And to the children of Israel thou shalt speak these things:

27:8. When a man dieth without a son, his inheritance shall pass to his
daughter.

27:9. If he have no daughter, his brethren shall succeed him.

27:10. And if he have no brethren, you shall give the inheritance to
his father's brethren.

27:11. But if he have no uncles by the father, the inheritance shall be
given to them that are the next akin. And this shall be to the children
of Israel sacred by a perpetual law, as the Lord hath commanded Moses.

27:12. The Lord also said to Moses: Go up into this mountain Abarim,
and view from thence the land which I will give to the children of
Israel.

27:13. And when thou shalt have seen it, thou also shalt go to thy
people, as thy brother Aaron is gone:

27:14. Because you offended me in the desert of Sin in the
contradiction of the multitude, neither would you sanctify me before
them at the waters. These are the waters of contradiction in Cades of
the desert of Sin.

27:15. And Moses answered him:

27:16. May the Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh provide a man,
that may be over this multitude:

27:17. And may go out and in before them, and may lead them out, or
bring them in: lest the people of the Lord be as sheep without a
shepherd.

27:18. And the Lord said to him: take Josue the son of Nun, a man in
whom is the Spirit, and put thy hand upon him.

27:19. And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest and all the
multitude:

27:20. And thou shalt give him precepts in the sight of all, and part
of thy glory, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may
hear him.

27:21. If any thing be to be done, Eleazar the priest shall consult the
Lord for him. He and all the children of Israel with him, and the rest
of the multitude shall go out and go in at his word.

27:22. Moses did as the Lord had commanded. And, when he had taken
Josue, he set him before Eleazar the priest, and all the assembly of
the people,

27:23. And laying his hands on his head, he repeated all things that
the Lord had commanded.



Numbers Chapter 28


Sacrifices are appointed as well for every day as for sabbaths, and
other festivals.

28:1. The Lord also said to Moses:

28:2. Command the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them: Offer
ye my oblation and my bread, and burnt sacrifice of most sweet odour,
in their due seasons.

28:3. These are the sacrifices which you shall offer: Two lambs of a
year old without blemish every day for the perpetual holocaust:

28:4. One you shall offer in the mornings, and the other in the
evening:

28:5. And the tenth part of an ephi of flour, which shall be tempered
with the, purest oil, of the measure of the fourth part of a hin.

28:6. It is the continual holocaust which you offered in mount Sinai
for a most sweet odour of a sacrifice by fire to the Lord.

28:7. And for a libation you shall offer of wine the fourth part of a
hin for every lamb in the sanctuary of the Lord.

28:8. And you shall offer the other lamb in like manner in the evening
according to all the rites of the morning sacrifice, and of the
libations thereof, an oblation of most sweet odour to the Lord.

28:9. And on the sabbath day you shall offer two lambs of a year old
without blemish, and two tenths of flour tempered with oil in
sacrifice, and the libations,

28:10. Which regularly are poured out every sabbath for the perpetual
holocaust.

28:11. And on the first day of the month you shall offer a holocaust to
the Lord, two calves of the herd, one ram, and seven lambs of a year
old, without blemish,

28:12. And three tenths of flour tempered with oil in sacrifice for
every calf: and two tenths of flour tempered with oil for every ram:

28:13. And the tenth of a tenth of flour tempered with oil in sacrifice
for every lamb. It is a holocaust of most sweet odour and an offering
by fire to the Lord.

28:14. And these shall be the libations of wine that are to be poured
out for every victim: Half a hin for every calf, a third for a ram, and
a fourth for a lamb. This shall be the holocaust for every month, as
they succeed one another in the course of the year.

28:15. A buck goat also shall be offered to the Lord for a sin offering
over and above the perpetual holocaust with its libations.

28:16. And in the first month, on the four tenth day of the month,
shall be the phase of the Lord,

28:17. And on the fifteenth day the solemn feast: seven days shall they
eat unleavened bread.

28:18. And the first day of them shall be venerable and holy: you shall
not do any servile work therein.

28:19. And you shall offer a burnt sacrifice a holocaust to the Lord,
two calves of the herd, one ram, seven lambs of a year old, without
blemish:

28:20. And for the sacrifice of every one three tenths of flour which
shall be tempered with oil to every calf, and two tenths to every ram,

28:21. And the tenth of a tenth, to every lamb, that is to say, to all
the seven lambs:

28:22. And one buck goat for sin, to make atonement for you,

28:23. Besides the morning holocaust which you shall always offer.

28:24. So shall you do every day of the seven days for the food of the
fire, and for a most sweet odour to the Lord, which shall rise from the
holocaust, and from the libations of each.

28:25. The seventh day also shall be most solemn and holy unto you, you
shall do no servile work therein.

28:26. The day also of firstfruits, when after the weeks are
accomplished, you shall offer new fruits to the Lord, shall be
venerable and holy: you shall do no servile work therein.

28:27. And you shall offer a holocaust for a most sweet odour to the
Lord, two calves of the herd, one ram, and seven lambs of a year old,
without blemish:

28:28. And in the sacrifices of them three tenths of flour tempered
with oil to every calf, two to every ram,

28:29. The tenth of a tenth to every lamb, which in all are seven
lambs: a buck goat also,

28:30. Which is slain for expiation: besides the perpetual holocaust
and the libations thereof.

28:31. You shall offer them all without blemish with their libations.



Numbers Chapter 29


Sacrifices for the festivals of the seventh month.

29:1. The first day also of the seventh month shall be venerable and
holy unto you; you shall do no servile work therein, because it is the
day of the sounding and of trumpets.

29:2. And you shall offer a holocaust for a most sweet odour to the
Lord, one calf of the herd, one ram and seven lambs of a year old,
without blemish.

29:3. And for their sacrifices, three tenths of flour tempered with oil
to every calf, two tenths to a ram,

29:4. One tenth to a lamb, which in all are seven lambs:

29:5. And a buck goat for sin, which is offered for the expiation of
the people,

29:6. Besides the holocaust of the first day of the month with the
sacrifices thereof, and the perpetual holocaust with the accustomed
libations. With the same ceremonies you shall offer a burnt sacrifice
for a most sweet odour to the Lord.

29:7. The tenth day also of this seventh month shall be holy and
venerable unto you, and you shall afflict your souls; you shall do no
servile work therein.

29:8. And you shall offer a holocaust to the Lord for a most sweet
odour, one calf of the herd, one ram, and seven lambs of a year old,
without blemish:

29:9. And for their sacrifices, three tenths of flour tempered with oil
to every calf, two tenths to a ram,

29:10. The tenth of a tenth to every lamb, which are in all seven
lambs:

29:11. And a buck goat for sin, besides the things that are wont to be
offered for sin, for expiation, and for the perpetual holocaust with
their sacrifice and libations.

29:12. And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, which shall be
unto you holy and venerable, you shall do no servile work, but shall
celebrate a solemnity to the Lord seven days.

29:13. And you shall offer a holocaust for a most sweet odour to the
Lord, thirteen calves of the herd, two rams, and fourteen lambs of a
year old, without blemish:

29:14. And for their libations three tenths of flour tempered with oil
to every calf, being in all thirteen calves: and two tenths to each
ram, being two rams,

29:15. And the tenth of a tenth to every lamb, being in all fourteen
lambs:

29:16. And a buck goat for sin, besides the perpetual holocaust, and
the sacrifice and the libation thereof.

29:17. On the second day you shall offer twelve calves of the herd, two
rams and fourteen lambs of a year old, without blemish:

29:18. And the sacrifices and the libations for every one, for the
calves and for the rams and for the lambs you shall duly celebrate:

29:19. And a buck goat for a sin offering besides the perpetual
holocaust, and the sacrifice and the libation thereof.

29:20. The third day you shall offer eleven calves, two rams, and
fourteen lambs of a year old, without blemish:

29:21. And the sacrifices and the libations of every one for the calves
and for the rams and for the lambs you shall offer according to the
rite:

29:22. And a buck goat for sin, besides the perpetual holocaust, and
the sacrifice, and the libation thereof.

29:23. The fourth day you shall offer ten calves, two rams, and
fourteen lambs of a year old, without blemish:

29:24. And the sacrifices and the libations of every one for the calves
and for the rams and for the lambs you shall celebrate in right manner:

29:25. And a buck goat for sin, besides the perpetual holocaust, and
the sacrifice and the libation thereof.

29:26. The fifth day you shall offer nine calves, two rams, and
fourteen lambs of a year old, without blemish:

29:27. And the sacrifices and the libations of every one for the calves
and for the rams and for the lambs you shall celebrate according to the
rite:

29:28. And a buck goat for sin, besides the perpetual holocaust, and
the sacrifice and the libation thereof.

29:29. The sixth day you shall offer eight calves, two rams, and
fourteen lambs of a year old, without blemish:

29:30. And the sacrifices and the libations of every one for the calves
and for the rams and for the lambs you shall celebrate according to the
rite:

29:31. And a buck goat for sin, besides the perpetual holocaust, and
the sacrifice and the libation thereof.

29:32. The seventh day you shall offer seven calves and two rams, and
fourteen lambs of a year old, without blemish:

29:33. And the sacrifices and the libations of every one for the calves
and for the rams and for the lambs you shall celebrate according to the
rite:

29:34. And a buck goat for sin, besides the perpetual holocaust, and
the sacrifice and the libation thereof.

29:35. On the eighth day, which is most solemn, you shall do no servile
work:

29:36. But you shall offer a holocaust for a most sweet odour to the
Lord, one calf, one ram, and seven lambs of a year old, without
blemish:

29:37. And the sacrifices and the libations of every one for the calves
and for the rams and for the lambs you shall celebrate according to the
rite:

29:38. And a buck goat for sin, besides the perpetual holocaust, and
the sacrifice and the libation thereof.

29:39. These things shall you offer to the Lord in your solemnities:
besides your vows and voluntary oblations for holocaust, for sacrifice,
for libation, and for victims of peace offerings.



Numbers Chapter 30


Of vows and oaths: and their obligation.

30:1. And Moses told the children of Israel all that the Lord had
commanded him:

30:2. And he said to the princes of the tribes of the children of
Israel: This is the word that the Lord hath commanded:

30:3. If any man make a vow to the Lord, or bind himself by an oath: he
shall not make his word void but shall fulfil all that he promised.

30:4. If a woman vow any thing, and bind herself by an oath, being in
her father's house, and but yet a girl in age: if her father knew the
vow that she hath promised, and the oath wherewith she hath bound her
soul, and held his peace, she shall be bound by the vow:

30:5. Whatsoever she promised and swore, she shall fulfil in deed.

30:6. But if her father, immediately as soon as he heard it, gainsaid
it, both her vows and her oaths shall be void, neither shall she be
bound to what she promised, because her father hath gainsaid it.

30:7. If she have a husband, and shall vow any thing, and the word once
going out of her mouth shall bind her soul by an oath,

30:8. The day that her husband shall hear it, and not gainsay it, she
shall be bound to the vow, and shall give whatsoever she promised.

30:9. But if as soon as he heareth he gainsay it, and make her promises
and the words wherewith she had bound her soul of no effect: the Lord
will forgive her.

30:10. The widow, and she that is divorced, shall fulfil whatsoever
they vow.

30:11. If the wife in the house of her husband, hath bound herself by
vow and by oath,

30:12. If her husband hear, and hold his peace, and doth not disallow
the promise, she shall accomplish whatsoever she had promised.

30:13. But if forthwith he gainsay it, she shall not be bound by the
promise: because her husband gainsaid it, and the Lord will be merciful
to her.

30:14. If she vow and bind herself by oath, to afflict her soul by
fasting, or abstinence from other things, it shall depend on the will
of her husband, whether she shall do it, or not do it.

30:15. But if the husband hearing it hold his peace, and defer the
declaring his mind till another day: whatsoever she had vowed and
promised, she shall fulfil: because immediately as he heard it, he held
his peace.

30:16. But if he gainsay it after that he knew it, he shall bear her
iniquity.

30:17. These are the laws which the Lord appointed to Moses between the
husband and the wife, between the father and the daughter that is as
yet but a girl in age, or that abideth in her father's house.



Numbers Chapter 31


The Madianites are slain for having drawn the people of Israel into
sin. The dividing of the booty.

31:1. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

31:2. Revenge first the children of Israel on the Madianites, and so


 


Back to Full Books