The Living Bible (54 page)
Authors: Inc. Tyndale House Publishers
Tags: #BIBLES / Other Translations / Text
One day the daughters of Zelophehad came to the entrance of the Tabernacle to give a petition to Moses, Eleazar the priest, the tribal leaders, and others who were there. The names of these women were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They were members of the half-tribe of Manasseh (a son of Joseph). Their ancestor was Machir, son of Manasseh. Manasseh’s son Gilead was their great-grandfather, his son Hepher was their grandfather, and his son Zelophehad was their father.
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“Our father died in the wilderness,” they said, “and he was not one of those who perished in Korah’s revolt against the Lord—it was a natural death, but he had no sons. Why should the name of our father disappear just because he had no son? We feel that we should be given property along with our father’s brothers.”
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So Moses brought their case before the Lord.
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And the Lord replied to Moses, “The daughters of Zelophehad are correct. Give them land along with their uncles; give them the property that would have been given to their father if he had lived.
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Moreover, this is a general law among you, that if a man dies and has no sons, then his inheritance shall be passed on to his daughters.
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And if he has no daughter, it shall belong to his brothers.
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And if he has no brother, then it shall go to his uncles.
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But if he has no uncles, then it shall go to the nearest relative.”
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One day the Lord said to Moses, “Go up into Mount Abarim and look across the river to the land I have given to the people of Israel.
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After you have seen it, you shall die as Aaron your brother did,
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for you rebelled against my instructions in the wilderness of Zin. When the people of Israel rebelled, you did not glorify me
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before them by following my instructions to order water to come out of the rock.” He was referring to the incident at the waters of Meribah (“Place of Strife”) in Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin.
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Then Moses said to the Lord,
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“O Jehovah, the God of the spirits of all mankind, before I am taken away
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please appoint a new leader for the people,
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a man who will lead them into battle and care for them, so that the people of the Lord will not be as sheep without a shepherd.”
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The Lord replied, “Go and get Joshua (son of Nun), who has the Spirit in him,
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and take him to Eleazar the priest, and as all the people watch, charge him with the responsibility of leading the people.
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Publicly give him your authority so that all the people of Israel will obey him.
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He shall be the one to consult with Eleazar the priest in order to get directions from the Lord. The Lord will speak to Eleazar through the use of the Urim, and Eleazar will pass on these instructions to Joshua and the people. In this way the Lord will continue to give them guidance.”
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So Moses did as Jehovah commanded and took Joshua to Eleazar the priest. As the people watched,
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Moses laid his hands upon him and dedicated him to his responsibilities, as the Lord had commanded.
The Lord gave Moses these instructions to give to the people of Israel: “The offerings which you burn on the altar for me are my food, and are a pleasure to me; so see to it that they are brought regularly and are offered as I have instructed you.
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“When you make offerings by fire, you shall use yearling male lambs—each without defect. Two of them shall be offered each day as a regular burnt offering.
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One lamb shall be sacrificed in the morning, the other in the evening.
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With them shall be offered a grain offering of three quarts of finely ground flour mixed with three pints of oil.
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This is the burnt offering ordained at Mount Sinai, to be regularly offered as a fragrant odor, an offering made by fire to the Lord.
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Along with it shall be the drink offering, consisting of three pints of strong wine with each lamb, poured out in the holy place before the Lord.
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Offer the second lamb in the evening with the same grain offering and drink offering. It too is a fragrant odor to the Lord, an offering made by fire.
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“On the Sabbath day, sacrifice two yearling male lambs—both without defect—in addition to the regular offerings. They are to be accompanied by a grain offering of six quarts of fine flour mixed with oil, and the usual drink offering.
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“Also, on the first day of each month there shall be an extra burnt offering to the Lord of two young bulls, one ram, and seven male yearling lambs—all without defect.
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Accompany them with nine quarts of finely ground flour mixed with oil as a grain offering with each bull; and six quarts of finely ground flour mixed with oil as a grain offering for the ram;
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and for each lamb, three quarts of finely ground flour mixed with oil for a grain offering. This burnt offering shall be presented by fire and will please the Lord very much.
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Along with each sacrifice shall be a drink offering—six pints of wine with each bull, four pints for a ram, and three pints for a lamb. This, then, will be the burnt offering each month throughout the year.
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“Also on the first day of each month you shall offer one male goat for a sin offering to the Lord. This is in addition to the regular daily burnt offering and its drink offering.
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“On April first
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you shall celebrate the Passover—when the death angel passed over the oldest sons of the Israelites in Egypt, leaving them unharmed.
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On the following day a great, joyous seven-day festival will begin, but no leavened bread shall be served.
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On the first day of the festival all the people shall be called together before the Lord. No hard work shall be done on that day.
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You shall offer as burnt sacrifices to the Lord two young bulls, one ram, and seven yearling male lambs—all without defect.
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With each bull there shall be a grain offering of nine quarts of fine flour mixed with oil; with the ram there shall be six quarts; and with each of the seven lambs there shall be three quarts of fine flour.
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You must also offer a male goat as a sin offering, to make atonement for yourselves.
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These offerings shall be in addition to the usual daily sacrifices.
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This same sacrifice shall be offered on each of the seven days of the feast; they will be very pleasant to the Lord.
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On the seventh day there shall again be a holy and solemn assembly of all the people, and during that day you may do no hard work.
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“On the first day of the Harvest Festival
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all the people must come before the Lord for a special, solemn assembly to celebrate the new harvest. On that day you are to present the first of the new crop of grain as a grain offering to the Lord; there is to be no regular work by anyone on that day.
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A special burnt offering, very pleasant to the Lord, shall be offered that day. It shall consist of two young bulls, one ram, and seven yearling male lambs.
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These shall be accompanied by your grain offering of nine quarts of fine flour mixed with oil with each bull, six quarts with the ram, and three quarts with each of the seven lambs.
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Also offer one male goat to make atonement for yourselves.
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These special offerings are in addition to the regular daily burnt offerings and grain offerings and drink offerings. Make sure that the animals you sacrifice are without defect.
“The Festival of Trumpets shall be celebrated on the fifteenth day of September
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each year; there shall be a solemn assembly of all the people on that day, and no hard work may be done.
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On that day you shall offer a burnt sacrifice consisting of one young bull, one ram, and seven yearling male lambs—all without defect. These are sacrifices which the Lord will appreciate and enjoy.
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A grain offering of nine quarts of fine flour mingled with oil shall be offered with the bull, six quarts with the ram, and three quarts with each of the seven lambs.
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In addition, there shall be a male goat sacrificed as a sin offering, to make atonement for you.
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These special sacrifices are in addition to the regular monthly burnt offering for that day,
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and also in addition to the regular daily burnt sacrifices, which are to be offered with the respective grain offerings and drink offerings, as specified by the ordinances governing them.
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“Ten days later
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another convocation of all the people shall be held. This will be a day of solemn humility before the Lord, and no work of any kind may be done.
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On that day you shall offer a burnt sacrifice to the Lord—it will be very pleasant to him—of one young bull, one ram, seven yearling male lambs—each without defect—
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and their accompanying grain offerings. Nine quarts of fine flour mixed with oil are to be offered with the bull, six with the ram, and three with each of the seven lambs.
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You are also to sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering. This is in addition to the sin offering of the Day of Atonement offered annually on that day,
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and in addition to the regular daily burnt sacrifices, grain offerings, and drink offerings.
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“Five days later
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there shall be yet another assembly of all the people, and on that day no hard work shall be done; it is the beginning of a seven-day festival before the Lord.
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Your special burnt sacrifice that day, which will give much pleasure to the Lord, shall be thirteen young bulls, two rams, and fourteen male yearling lambs—each without defect—
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accompanied by the usual grain offerings—nine quarts of fine flour mingled with oil for each of the thirteen young bulls; six quarts for each of the two rams;
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and three quarts for each of the fourteen lambs.
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There must also be a male goat sacrificed for a sin offering, in addition to the regular daily burnt sacrifice with its accompanying grain offerings and drink offerings.
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“On the second day of this seven-day festival you shall sacrifice twelve young bulls, two rams, and fourteen male yearling lambs—each without defect—
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accompanied by the usual grain offerings and drink offerings.
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Also, in addition to the regular daily burnt sacrifice, you are to sacrifice a male goat with its accompanying grain offering and drink offering for a sin offering.
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“On the third day of the festival, offer eleven young bulls, two rams, fourteen male yearling lambs—each without defect—
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and the usual grain offering and drink offering with each sacrifice.
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And in addition to the regular daily burnt sacrifices, sacrifice a male goat for a sin offering, with its accompanying grain offering and drink offering.
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“On the fourth day of the festival, you are to sacrifice ten young bulls, two rams, and fourteen male yearling lambs—each without defect—
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each with its accompanying grain offering and drink offering;
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also a male goat as a sin offering (along with the usual grain and drink offerings) in addition to the regular daily sacrifices.
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“On the fifth day of the festival, sacrifice nine young bulls, two rams, and fourteen male yearling lambs—each without defect—accompanied by the usual grain offerings and drink offerings;
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also sacrifice a male goat with the usual grain and drink offerings, as a special sin offering, in addition to the usual daily sacrifices.
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“On the sixth day of the festival, you must sacrifice eight young bulls, two rams, and fourteen male yearling lambs—each without defect—
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along with their usual grain and drink offerings.
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In addition to the usual daily sacrifices, sacrifice a male goat and the usual grain and drink offerings as a sin offering.
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“On the seventh day of the festival, sacrifice seven young bulls, two rams, and fourteen male yearling lambs—each without defect—
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each with its customary grain and drink offerings;
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also sacrifice an extra sin offering of one male goat, with the usual grain and drink offerings, in addition to the regular daily sacrifices.
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“On the eighth day summon the people to another solemn assembly; you must do no hard work that day.
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Sacrifice a burnt offering—they are very pleasant to the Lord—of one young bull, one ram, seven male yearling lambs—each without defect—
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and the customary grain and drink offerings.
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Sacrifice also one male goat with the usual grain and drink offerings for a sin offering, in addition to the regular daily sacrifices.
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These offerings are compulsory at the times of your annual feasts, and are in addition to sacrifices and offerings you present in connection with vows, or as freewill offerings, burnt sacrifices, grain offerings, drink offerings, or peace offerings.”
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So Moses gave all of these instructions to the people of Israel.