Study Desk

"‘The priest is to write these curses on a scroll^(ae) and then wash them off into the bitter water.

He shall make the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and this water that brings a curse and causes bitter suffering will enter her.

The priest is to take from her hands the grain offering for jealousy, wave it before the Lord ^(af) and bring it to the altar.

The priest is then to take a handful of the grain offering as a memorial^[e] offering^(ag) and burn it on the altar; after that, he is to have the woman drink the water.

If she has made herself impure and been unfaithful to her husband, this will be the result: When she is made to drink the water that brings a curse and causes bitter suffering, it will enter her, her abdomen will swell and her womb will miscarry, and she will become a curse.^(ah)

If, however, the woman has not made herself impure, but is clean, she will be cleared of guilt and will be able to have children.

"‘This, then, is the law of jealousy when a woman goes astray^(ai) and makes herself impure while married to her husband,

or when feelings of jealousy^(aj) come over a man because he suspects his wife. The priest is to have her stand before the Lord and is to apply this entire law to her.

The husband will be innocent of any wrongdoing, but the woman will bear the consequences^(ak) of her sin.'"

The Nazirite

The Lord said to Moses,

"Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If a man or woman wants to make a special vow^(a), a vow of dedication^(b) to the Lord as a Nazirite,^(c)

they must abstain from wine^(d) and other fermented drink and must not drink vinegar^(e) made from wine or other fermented drink. They must not drink grape juice or eat grapes^(f) or raisins.

As long as they remain under their Nazirite vow, they must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds or skins.

"‘During the entire period of their Nazirite vow, no razor^(g) may be used on their head.^(h) They must be holy until the period of their dedication to the Lord is over; they must let their hair grow long.

"‘Throughout the period of their dedication to the Lord , the Nazirite must not go near a dead body.⁽ⁱ⁾

Even if their own father or mother or brother or sister dies, they must not make themselves ceremonially unclean^(j) on account of them, because the symbol of their dedication to God is on their head.

Throughout the period of their dedication, they are consecrated to the Lord .

"‘If someone dies suddenly in the Nazirite's presence, thus defiling the hair that symbolizes their dedication,^(k) they must shave their head on the seventh day—the day of their cleansing.^(l)

Then on the eighth day^(m) they must bring two doves or two young pigeons⁽ⁿ⁾ to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting.^(o)

The priest is to offer one as a sin offering^[a](p) and the other as a burnt offering^(q) to make atonement^(r) for the Nazirite because they sinned by being in the presence of the dead body. That same day they are to consecrate their head again.

They must rededicate themselves to the Lord for the same period of dedication and must bring a year-old male lamb^(s) as a guilt offering.^(t) The previous days do not count, because they became defiled during their period of dedication.

"‘Now this is the law of the Nazirite when the period of their dedication is over.^(u) They are to be brought to the entrance to the tent of meeting.^(v)

There they are to present their offerings to the Lord : a year-old male lamb without defect^(w) for a burnt offering, a year-old ewe lamb without defect for a sin offering,^(x) a ram^(y) without defect for a fellowship offering,^(z)

together with their grain offerings^(aa) and drink offerings,^(ab) and a basket of bread made with the finest flour and without yeast—thick loaves with olive oil mixed in, and thin loaves brushed with olive oil.^(ac)

"‘The priest is to present all these^(ad) before the Lord ^(ae) and make the sin offering and the burnt offering.^(af)

He is to present the basket of unleavened bread and is to sacrifice the ram as a fellowship offering^(ag) to the Lord , together with its grain offering^(ah) and drink offering.^(ai)

"‘Then at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the Nazirite must shave off the hair that symbolizes their dedication.^(aj) They are to take the hair and put it in the fire that is under the sacrifice of the fellowship offering.

"‘After the Nazirite has shaved off the hair that symbolizes their dedication, the priest is to place in their hands a boiled shoulder of the ram, and one thick loaf and one thin loaf from the basket, both made without yeast.^(ak)

The priest shall then wave these before the Lord as a wave offering;^(al) they are holy^(am) and belong to the priest, together with the breast that was waved and the thigh that was presented.^(an) After that, the Nazirite may drink wine.^(ao)

"‘This is the law of the Nazirite^(ap) who vows offerings to the Lord in accordance with their dedication, in addition to whatever else they can afford. They must fulfill the vows^(aq) they have made, according to the law of the Nazirite.'"

The Lord said to Moses,

"Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless^(ar) the Israelites. Say to them:

"‘"The Lord bless you^(as) and keep you;^(at)

the Lord make his face shine on you^(au) and be gracious to you;^(av)

the Lord turn his face^(aw) toward you and give you peace.^(ax)"'

"So they will put my name^(ay) on the Israelites, and I will bless them."

Offerings at the Dedication of the Tabernacle

When Moses finished setting up the tabernacle,^(a) he anointed^(b) and consecrated it and all its furnishings.^(c) He also anointed and consecrated the altar and all its utensils.^(d)

Then the leaders of Israel,^(e) the heads of families who were the tribal leaders in charge of those who were counted,^(f) made offerings.

They brought as their gifts before the Lord six covered carts^(g) and twelve oxen—an ox from each leader and a cart from every two. These they presented before the tabernacle.

The Lord said to Moses,

"Accept these from them, that they may be used in the work at the tent of meeting. Give them to the Levites as each man's work requires."

So Moses took the carts and oxen and gave them to the Levites.

He gave two carts and four oxen to the Gershonites,^(h) as their work required,

and he gave four carts and eight oxen to the Merarites,⁽ⁱ⁾ as their work required. They were all under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest.

But Moses did not give any to the Kohathites,^(j) because they were to carry on their shoulders^(k) the holy things, for which they were responsible.

When the altar was anointed,^(l) the leaders brought their offerings for its dedication^(m) and presented them before the altar.

For the Lord had said to Moses, "Each day one leader is to bring his offering for the dedication of the altar."

The one who brought his offering on the first day was Nahshon⁽ⁿ⁾ son of Amminadab of the tribe of Judah.

His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels^[a] and one silver sprinkling bowl^(o) weighing seventy shekels,^[b](p) both according to the sanctuary shekel,^(q) each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering;^(r)

one gold dish^(s) weighing ten shekels,^[c](t) filled with incense;^(u)

one young bull,^(v) one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;^(w)

one male goat for a sin offering^[d];^(x)

and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering.^(y) This was the offering of Nahshon son of Amminadab.^(z)

On the second day Nethanel son of Zuar,^(aa) the leader of Issachar, brought his offering.

The offering he brought was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering;

one gold dish^(ab) weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

one male goat for a sin offering;

and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Nethanel son of Zuar.

On the third day, Eliab son of Helon,^(ac) the leader of the people of Zebulun, brought his offering.

His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering;

one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

one male goat for a sin offering;

and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Eliab son of Helon.

On the fourth day Elizur son of Shedeur,^(ad) the leader of the people of Reuben, brought his offering.

His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering;

one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

one male goat for a sin offering;

and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Elizur son of Shedeur.

On the fifth day Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai,^(ae) the leader of the people of Simeon, brought his offering.

His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering;

one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

one male goat for a sin offering;

and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.

On the sixth day Eliasaph son of Deuel,^(af) the leader of the people of Gad, brought his offering.

His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering;

one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

one male goat for a sin offering;

and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Eliasaph son of Deuel.

On the seventh day Elishama son of Ammihud,^(ag) the leader of the people of Ephraim, brought his offering.

His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering;

one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

one male goat for a sin offering;

and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Elishama son of Ammihud.^(ah)

On the eighth day Gamaliel son of Pedahzur,^(ai) the leader of the people of Manasseh, brought his offering.

His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering;

one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

one male goat for a sin offering;

and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.