Numbers 19-21 - Prayer Tents



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Numbers 19-21
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Numbers 19

The Water of Purification

19The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,H3068H1696H4872H175H5592"Here is another legal requirement commanded by the LORD: Tell the people of Israel to bring you a red heifer, a perfect animal that has no defects and has never been yoked to a plow.H2708H8451H3068H6680H559H1696H1121H3478H3947H122H6510H8549H3971H3808H5927H59233Give it to Eleazar the priest, and it will be taken outside the camp and slaughtered in his presence.H5414H499H3548H3318H2351H4264H7819H64404Eleazar will take some of its blood on his finger and sprinkle it seven times toward the front of the Tabernaclec.H499H3548H3947H1818H676H5137H1818H5227H6440H168H4150H7651H64715As Eleazar watches, the heifer must be burned—its hide, meat, blood, and dung.H8313H6510H5869H5785H1320H1818H6569H83136Eleazar the priest must then take a stick of cedarc, a hyssop branch, and some scarlet yarn and throw them into the fire where the heifer is burning.H3548H3947H730H6086H231H8438H8144H7993H8432H8316H65107"Then the priest must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water. Afterward he may return to the camp, though he will remain ceremonially unclean until evening.H3548H3526H899H7364H1320H4325H310H935H4264H3548H2930H61538The man who burns the animal must also wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and he, too, will remain unclean until evening.H8313H3526H899H4325H7364H1320H4325H2930H61539Then someone who is ceremonially clean will gather up the ashes of the heifer and deposit them in a purified place outside the camp. They will be kept there for the community of Israel to use in the water for the purification ceremony. This ceremony is performed for the removal of sin.H376H2889H622H665H6510H3240H2351H4264H2889H4725H4931H5712H1121H3478H4325H5079H240310The man who gathers up the ashes of the heifer must also wash his clothes, and he will remain ceremonially unclean until evening. This is a permanent law for the people of Israel and any foreigners who live among them.H622H665H6510H3526H899H2930H6153H1121H3478H1616H1481H8432H2708H576911"All those who touch a dead human body will be ceremonially unclean for seven days.H5060H4191H5315H120H2930H7651H311712They must purify themselves on the third and seventh days with the water of purification; then they will be purified. But if they do not do this on the third and seventh days, they will continue to be unclean even after the seventh day.H2398H7992H3117H7637H3117H2891H2398H7992H3117H7637H3117H289113All those who touch a dead body and do not purify themselves in the proper way defile the LORD's Tabernacle, and they will be cut off from the community of Israel. Since the water of purification was not sprinkled on them, their defilement continues.H5060H4191H5315H120H4191H2398H2930H4908H3068H5315H3772H3478H4325H5079H2236H2931H293214"This is the ritual law that applies when someone dies inside a tent: All those who enter that tent and those who were inside when the death occurred will be ceremonially unclean for seven days.H8451H120H4191H168H935H168H168H2930H7651H311715Any open container in the tent that was not covered with a lid is also defiled.H6605H3627H6781H6616H293116And if someone in an open field touches the corpse of someone who was killed with a sword or who died a natural death, or if someone touches a human bone or a grave, that person will be defiled for seven days.H5060H2491H2719H6440H7704H4191H6106H120H6913H2930H7651H311717"To remove the defilement, put some of the ashes from the burnt purification offering in a jar, and pour fresh water over them.H2931H3947H6083H8316H2403H2416H4325H5414H362718Then someone who is ceremonially clean must take a hyssop branch and dip it into the water. That person must sprinkle the water on the tent, on all the furnishings in the tent, and on the people who were in the tent; also on the person who touched a human bone, or touched someone who was killed or who died naturally, or touched a grave.H2889H376H3947H231H2881H4325H5137H168H3627H5315H5060H6106H2491H4191H691319On the third and seventh days the person who is ceremonially clean must sprinkle the water on those who are defiled. Then on the seventh day the people being cleansed must wash their clothes and bathe themselves, and that evening they will be cleansed of their defilement.H2889H5137H2931H7992H3117H7637H3117H7637H3117H2398H3526H899H7364H4325H2891H615320"But those who become defiled and do not purify themselves will be cut off from the community, for they have defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. Since the water of purification has not been sprinkled on them, they remain defiled.H376H2930H2398H5315H3772H8432H6951H2930H4720H3068H4325H5079H2236H293121This is a permanent law for the people. Those who sprinkle the water of purification must afterward wash their clothes, and anyone who then touches the water used for purification will remain defiled until evening.H5769H2708H5137H4325H5079H3526H899H5060H4325H5079H2930H615322Anything and anyone that a defiled person touches will be ceremonially unclean until evening."H2931H5060H2930H5315H5060H2930H6153

Numbers 20

Moses Strikes the Rock

20In the first month of the yearc, the whole community of Israel arrived in the wilderness of Zin and camped at Kadesh. While they were there, Miriam died and was buried.H935H1121H3478H5712H4057H6790H7223H2320H5971H3427H6946H4813H4191H6912 2There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled against Moses and Aaron.H4325H5712H6950H4872H175 3The people blamed Moses and said, "If only we had died in the LORD's presence with our brothers!H5971H7378H4872H559H559H3863H1478H251H1478H6440H3068 4Why have you brought the congregation of the LORD's people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock?H935H6951H3068H4057H1165H4191 5Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates, and no water to drink!"H5927H4714H935H7451H4725H4725H2233H8384H1612H7416H4325H8354 6Moses and Aaron turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Tabernaclec, where they fell face down on the ground. Then the glorious presence of the LORD appeared to them,H4872H175H935H6440H6951H6607H168H4150H5307H6440H3519H3068H7200 7and the LORD said to Moses,H3068H1696H4872H559 8"You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock."H3947H4294H6950H5712H175H251H1696H5553H5869H5414H4325H3318H4325H5553H8248H5712H1165H8248 9So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the LORD.H4872H3947H4294H6440H3068H6680 10Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. "Listen, you rebels!" he shouted. "Must we bring you water from this rock?"H4872H175H6950H6951H6440H5553H559H8085H4784H3318H4325H5553 11Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill.H4872H7311H3027H4294H5221H5553H6471H4325H3318H7227H5712H8354H1165 12But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!"H3068H559H4872H175H539H6942H5869H1121H3478H935H6951H776H5414 13This place was known as the waters of Meribah (which means "arguing") because there the people of Israel argued with the LORD, and there he demonstrated his holiness among them.H1992H4325H4809H1121H3478H7378H3068H6942

Edom Refuses Israel Passage

14While Moses was at Kadesh, he sent ambassadors to the king of Edom with this message: "This is what your relatives, the people of Israel, say: You know all the hardships we have been through.H4872H7971H4397H6946H4428H123H559H251H3478H3045H8513H4672 15Our ancestors went down to Egypt, and we lived there a long time, and we and our ancestors were brutally mistreated by the Egyptians.H1H3381H4714H3427H4714H7227H3117H4714H7489H1 16But when we cried out to the LORD, he heard us and sent an angel who brought us out of Egypt. Now we are camped at Kadesh, a town on the border of your land.H6817H3068H8085H6963H7971H4397H3318H4714H6946H5892H7097H1366 17Please let us travel through your land. We will be careful not to go through your fields and vineyards. We won't even drink water from your wells. We will stay on the king's road and never leave it until we have passed through your territory."H5674H776H5674H7704H3754H8354H4325H875H3212H4428H1870H5186H3225H8040H5674H1366 18But the king of Edom said, "Stay out of my land, or I will meet you with an army!"H123H559H5674H3318H7125H2719 19The Israelites answered, "We will stay on the main road. If our livestock drink your water, we will pay for it. Just let us pass through your country. That's all we ask."H1121H3478H559H5927H4546H4735H8354H4325H5414H4377H1697H5674H7272 20But the king of Edom replied, "Stay out! You may not pass through our land." With that he mobilized his army and marched out against them with an imposing force.H559H5674H123H3318H7125H3515H5971H2389H3027 21Because Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through their country, Israel was forced to turn around.H123H3985H5414H3478H5674H1366H3478H5186

The Death of Aaron

22The whole community of Israel left Kadesh and arrived at Mount Hor.H1121H3478H5712H5265H6946H935H2022H2023 23There, on the border of the land of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,H3068H559H4872H175H2022H2023H1366H776H123H559 24"The time has come for Aaron to join his ancestors in death. He will not enter the land I am giving the people of Israel, because the two of you rebelled against my instructions concerning the water at Meribah.H175H622H5971H935H776H5414H1121H3478H4784H6310H4325H4809 25Now take Aaron and his son Eleazar up Mount Hor.H3947H175H499H1121H5927H2022H2023 26There you will remove Aaron's priestly garments and put them on Eleazar, his son. Aaron will die there and join his ancestors."H6584H175H899H3847H499H1121H175H622H4191 27So Moses did as the LORD commanded. The three of them went up Mount Hor together as the whole community watched.H4872H6213H3068H6680H5927H2022H2023H5869H5712 28At the summit, Moses removed the priestly garments from Aaron and put them on Eleazar, Aaron's son. Then Aaron died there on top of the mountain, and Moses and Eleazar went back down.H4872H6584H175H899H3847H499H1121H175H4191H7218H2022H4872H499H3381H2022 29When the people realized that Aaron had died, all Israel mourned for him thirty days.H5712H7200H175H1478H1058H175H7970H3117H1004H3478

Numbers 21

Victory over the Canaanites

21The Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that the Israelites were approaching on the road through Atharim. So he attacked the Israelites and took some of them as prisoners.H4428H6166H3669H3427H5045H8085H3478H935H1870H871H3898H3478H7617H76282Then the people of Israel made this vow to the LORD: "If you will hand these people over to us, we will completely destroyc all their towns."H3478H5087H5088H3068H559H5414H5414H5971H3027H2763H58923The LORD heard the Israelites' request and gave them victory over the Canaanites. The Israelites completely destroyed them and their towns, and the place has been called Hormahc ever since.H3068H8085H6963H3478H5414H3669H2763H5892H7121H8034H4725H2767

The Bronze Snake

4Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Seac to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient with the long journey,H5265H2022H2023H1870H5488H3220H5437H776H123H5315H5971H7114H18705and they began to speak against God and Moses. "Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?" they complained. "There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this horrible manna!"H5971H1696H430H4872H5927H4714H4191H4057H3899H4325H5315H6973H7052H38996So the LORD sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died.H3068H7971H8314H5175H5971H5391H5971H7227H5971H3478H41917Then the people came to Moses and cried out, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take away the snakes." So Moses prayed for the people.H5971H935H4872H559H2398H1696H3068H6419H3068H5493H5175H4872H6419H59718Then the LORD told him, "Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!"H3068H559H4872H6213H8314H7760H5251H5391H7200H24259So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed!H4872H6213H5175H5178H7760H5251H5175H5391H376H5027H5175H5178H2425

Israel’s Journey to Moab

10The Israelites traveled next to Oboth and camped there.H1121H3478H5265H2583H8811Then they went on to Iye-abarim, in the wilderness on the eastern border of Moab.H5265H88H2583H5863H4057H6440H4124H4217H812112From there they traveled to the valley of Zered Brook and set up camp.H5265H2583H5158H221813Then they moved out and camped on the far side of the Arnon River, in the wilderness adjacent to the territory of the Amorites. The Arnon is the boundary line between the Moabites and the Amorites.H5265H2583H5676H769H4057H3318H1366H567H769H1366H4124H4124H56714For this reason The Book of the Wars of the LORD speaks of "the town of Waheb in the area of Suphah, and the ravines of the Arnon River,H559H5612H4421H3068H2052H5492H5158H76915and the ravines that extend as far as the settlement of Ar on the border of Moab."H793H5158H5186H3427H6144H8172H1366H412416From there the Israelites traveled to Beerc, which is the well where the LORD said to Moses, "Assemble the people, and I will give them water."H876H875H3068H559H4872H622H5971H622H5414H432517There the Israelites sang this song: "Spring up, O well! Yes, sing its praises!H3478H7891H7892H5927H875H603018Sing of this well, which princes dug, which great leaders hollowed out with their scepters and staffs." Then the Israelites left the wilderness and proceeded on through Mattanah,H8269H2658H875H5081H5971H3738H2710H4938H4057H498019Nahaliel, and Bamoth.H4980H5160H5160H112020After that they went to the valley in Moab where Pisgah Peak overlooks the wastelandc.H1120H1516H7704H4124H7218H6449H8259H6440H3452

Victory over Sihon and Og

21The Israelites sent ambassadors to King Sihon of the Amorites with this message.H3478H7971H4397H5511H4428H567H55922"Let us travel through your land. We will be careful not to go through your fields and vineyards. We won't even drink water from your wells. We will stay on the king's road until we have passed through your territory."H5674H776H5186H7704H3754H8354H4325H875H3212H4428H1870H5674H136623But King Sihon refused to let them cross his territory. Instead, he mobilized his entire army and attacked Israel in the wilderness, engaging them in battle at Jahaz.H5511H5414H3478H5674H1366H5511H622H5971H622H3318H7125H3478H4057H935H3096H3898H347824But the Israelites slaughtered them with their swords and occupied their land from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River. They went only as far as the Ammonite border because the boundary of the Ammonites was fortifiedc.H3478H5221H6310H2719H3423H776H769H2999H1121H5983H1366H1121H5983H579425So Israel captured all the towns of the Amorites and settled in them, including the city of Heshbon and its surrounding villages.H3478H3947H5892H3478H3427H5892H567H2809H132326Heshbon had been the capital of King Sihon of the Amorites. He had defeated a former Moabite king and seized all his land as far as the Arnon River.H2809H5892H5511H4428H567H3898H7223H4428H4124H3947H776H3027H76927Therefore, the ancient poets wrote this about him: "Come to Heshbon and let it be rebuilt! Let the city of Sihon be restored.H4911H559H935H2809H5892H5511H1129H355928A fire flamed forth from Heshbon, a blaze from the city of Sihon. It burned the city of Ar in Moab; it destroyed the rulers of the Arnon heights.H784H3318H2809H3852H7151H5511H398H6144H4124H1181H76929What sorrow awaits you, O people of Moab! You are finished, O worshipers of Chemosh! Chemosh has left his sons as refugees, his daughters as captives of Sihon, the Amorite king.H188H4124H6H5971H3645H5414H1121H6412H1323H7622H5511H4428H56730We have utterly destroyed them, from Heshbon to Dibon. We have completely wiped them out as far away as Nophah and Medebac."H3384H2809H6H1769H8074H5302H431131So the people of Israel occupied the territory of the Amorites.H3478H3427H776H56732After Moses sent men to explore the Jazer area, they captured all the towns in the region and drove out the Amorites who lived there.H4872H7971H7270H3270H3920H1323H3423H3423H56733Then they turned and marched up the road to Bashan, but King Og of Bashan and all his people attacked them at Edrei.H6437H5927H1870H1316H5747H4428H1316H3318H7125H5971H4421H15434The LORD said to Moses, "Do not be afraid of him, for I have handed him over to you, along with all his people and his land. Do the same to him as you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon."H3068H559H4872H3372H5414H3027H5971H776H6213H6213H5511H4428H567H3427H280935And Israel killed King Og, his sons, and all his subjects; not a single survivor remained. Then Israel occupied their land.H5221H1121H5971H1115H7604H8300H3423H776


New Living Translation (NLT). Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. More details.
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