Study Desk

The same teaching is for everyone who sins accidentally—for those born Israelites and for foreigners living among you.

So Korah, you and all your followers do this: Get some pans for burning incense.

on the stick from Levi, write Aaron's name. There must be one stick for the head of each tribe.

The next day, when Moses entered the Tent, he saw that Aaron's stick (which stood for the family of Levi) had grown leaves. It had even budded, blossomed, and produced almonds.

The Lord said to Aaron, "You, your sons, and your family are now responsible for any wrongs done against the Holy Place; you and your sons are responsible for any wrongs done against the priests.

I myself chose your fellow Levites from among the Israelites as a gift given for you to the Lord , to work at the Meeting Tent.

Then the Lord said to Aaron, "I myself make you responsible for the offerings given to me. All the holy offerings that the Israelites give to me, I give to you and your sons as your share, your continual portion.

Your share of the holy offerings is that part which is not burned. When the people bring me gifts as most holy offerings, whether they are grain or sin or penalty offerings, they will be set apart for you and your sons.

The first one born to any family, whether people or animals, will be offered to the Lord . And that will be yours. But you must make a payment for every firstborn child and every firstborn animal that is unclean.

When they are one month old, you must make a payment for them of two ounces of silver, as set by the Holy Place measure.

"But you must not make a payment for the firstborn ox or sheep or goat. Those animals are holy. Sprinkle their blood on the altar and burn their fat as an offering made by fire. The smell is pleasing to the Lord .

Anything the Israelites present as holy gifts I, the Lord , give to you, your sons and daughters as your continual portion. This is a lasting agreement of salt before the Lord for you and your children forever."

"When the people of Israel give me a tenth of what they make, I will give that tenth to the Levites. This is their payment for the work they do serving at the Meeting Tent.

But the other Israelites must never go near the Meeting Tent, or they will die for their sin.

Only the Levites should work in the Meeting Tent and be responsible for any sins against it. This is a rule from now on. The Levites will not inherit any land among the other Israelites,

You and your families may eat all that is left anywhere, because it is your pay for your work in the Meeting Tent.

The man who collected the cow's ashes must wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. This is a lasting rule for the Israelites and for the foreigners among them.

"Those who touch a dead person's body will be unclean for seven days.

"This is the teaching about someone who dies in a tent: Anyone in the tent or anyone who enters it will be unclean for seven days.

If anyone is outside and touches someone who was killed by a sword or who died a natural death, or if anyone touches a human bone or a grave, that person will be unclean for seven days.