Study Desk

"Every first-born child or animal that the Israelites present to me belongs to you. But you must accept payment to buy back every first-born child, and must also accept payment for every first-born animal that is ritually unclean.

But the first-born of cows, sheep, and goats are not to be bought back; they belong completely to me and are to be sacrificed. Throw their blood against the altar and burn their fat as a food offering, an odor pleasing to me.

You will not become guilty when you eat it, as long as you have presented the best of it to the Lord . But be sure not to profane the sacred gifts of the Israelites by eating any of the gifts before the best part is offered; if you do, you will be put to death."

After that, he is to wash his clothes and pour water over himself, and then he may enter the camp; but he remains ritually unclean until evening.

The one who burned the cow must also wash his clothes and pour water over himself, but he also remains unclean until evening.

The one who collected the ashes must wash his clothes, but he remains unclean until evening. This regulation is valid for all time to come, both for the Israelites and for the foreigners living among them.

They must purify themselves with the water for purification on the third day and on the seventh day, and then they will be clean. But if they do not purify themselves on both the third and the seventh day, they will not be clean.

But the Lord reprimanded Moses and Aaron. He said, "Because you did not have enough faith to acknowledge my holy power before the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land that I promised to give them."

But the Edomites answered, "We refuse to let you pass through our country! If you try, we will march out and attack you."

The Israelites left Mount Hor by the road that leads to the Gulf of Aqaba, in order to go around the territory of Edom. But on the way the people lost their patience

But Sihon would not permit the people of Israel to pass through his territory. He gathered his army and went out to Jahaz in the wilderness and attacked the Israelites.

But the Israelites killed many of the enemy in battle and occupied their land from the Arnon River north to the Jabbok, that is, to the Ammonites, because the Ammonite border was strongly defended.

But now their descendants are destroyed, All the way from Heshbon to Dibon, From Nashim to Nophah, near Medeba."

But Balaam answered, "Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not disobey the command of the Lord my God in even the smallest matter.

But please spend the night, as the others did, so that I may learn whether or not the Lord has something else to tell me."

That night God came to Balaam and said, "If these men have come to ask you to go with them, get ready and go, but do only what I tell you."

But your donkey saw me and turned aside three times. If it hadn't, I would have killed you and spared the donkey."

Balaam replied, "I have sinned. I did not know that you were standing in the road to oppose me; but now if you think it is wrong for me to go on, I will return home."

But the angel said, "Go on with these men, but say only what I tell you to say." So Balaam went on with them.

Balaam answered, "I came, didn't I? But now, what power do I have? I can say only what God tells me to say."