Chukat-Balak

19:1 Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 19:2 “ This is the statute of the law that the LORD has commanded: Instruct the Israelites to bring you an unblemished red heifer that has no defect and has never been placed under a yoke. 19:3 Give it to Eleazar the priest, and he will have it brought outside the camp and slaughtered in his presence. 19:4 Eleazar the priest is to take some of its blood on his finger and sprinkle it seven times toward the front of the Tent of Meeting. 19:5 Then the heifer must be burned in his sight. Its hide, its flesh, and its blood are to be burned, along with its dung. 19:6 The priest is to take cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet wool and throw them onto the burning heifer. 19:7 Then the priest must wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; after that he may enter the camp, but he will be ceremonially unclean until evening. 19:8 The one who burned the heifer must also wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and he too will be ceremonially unclean until evening. 19:9 Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to gather up the ashes of the heifer and store them in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp. They must be kept by the congregation of Israel for preparing the water of purification; this is for purification from sin. 19:10 The man who has gathered up the ashes of the heifer must also wash his clothes, and he will be ceremonially unclean until evening. This is a permanent statute for the Israelites and for the foreigner residing among them. Purification of the Unclean 19:11 Whoever touches any dead body will be unclean for seven days. 19:12 He must purify himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then he will be clean. But if he does not purify himself on the third and seventh days, he will not be clean. 19:13 Anyone who touches a human corpse and fails to purify himself defiles the tabernacle of the LORD. That person must be cut off from Israel. He remains unclean, because the water of purification has not been sprinkled on him, and his uncleanness is still on him. 19:14 This is the law when a person dies in a tent: Everyone who enters the tent and everyone already in the tent will be unclean for seven days, 19:15 and any open container without a lid fastened on it is unclean. 19:16 Anyone in the open field who touches someone who has been killed by the sword or has died of natural causes, or anyone who touches a human bone or a grave, will be unclean for seven days. 19:17 For the purification of the unclean person, take some of the ashes of the burnt sin offering, put them in a jar, and pour fresh water over them. 19:18 Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to take some hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle the tent, all the furnishings, and the people who were there. He is also to sprinkle the one who touched a bone, a grave, or a person who has died or been slain. 19:19 The man who is ceremonially clean is to sprinkle the unclean person on the third day and on the seventh day. After he purifies the unclean person on the seventh day, the one being cleansed must wash his clothes and bathe in water, and that evening he will be clean. 19:20 But if a person who is unclean does not purify himself, he will be cut off from the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water of purification has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean. 19:21 This is a permanent statute for the people: The one who sprinkles the water of purification must wash his clothes, and whoever touches the water of purification will be unclean until evening. 19:22 Anything the unclean person touches will become unclean, and anyone who touches it will be unclean until evening.” 20:1 In the first month, the whole congregation of Israel entered the Wilderness of Zin and stayed in Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried. 20:2 Now there was no water for the congregation, so they gathered against Moses and Aaron. 20:3 The people quarreled with Moses and said, “ If only we had perished with our brothers before the LORD! 20:4 Why have you brought the LORD ’s assembly into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here? 20:5 Why have you led us up out of Egypt to bring us to this wretched place? It is not a place of grain, figs, vines, or pomegranates — and there is no water to drink!” 20:6 Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. They fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them.

20:7 And the LORD said to Moses, 20:8 “ Take the staff and assemble the congregation. You and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock while they watch, and it will pour out its water. You will bring out water from the rock and provide drink for the congregation and their livestock.” 20:9 So Moses took the staff from the LORD ’s presence, just as he had been commanded. 20:10 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly in front of the rock, and Moses said to them, “ Listen now, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” 20:11 Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that a great amount of water gushed out, and the congregation and their livestock were able to drink. 20:12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “ Because you did not trust Me to show My holiness in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” 20:13 These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the LORD, and He showed His holiness among them. Edom Refuses Passage 20:14 From Kadesh, Moses sent messengers to tell the king of Edom, “ This is what your brother Israel says: You know all the hardship that has befallen us, 20:15 how our fathers went down to Egypt, where we lived many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers, 20:16 and when we cried out to the LORD, He heard our voice, sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt. Now look, we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory. 20:17 Please let us pass through your land. We will not cut through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will stay on the King ’s Highway; we will not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.” 20:18 But Edom answered, “ You may not travel through our land, or we will come out and confront you with the sword.” 20:19 “ We will stay on the main road,” the Israelites replied, “ and if we or our herds drink your water, we will pay for it. There will be no problem; only let us pass through on foot.” 20:20 But Edom insisted, “ You may not pass through.” And they came out to confront the Israelites with a large army and a strong hand. 20:21 So Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through their territory, and Israel turned away from them. The Death of Aaron

20:22 After they had set out from Kadesh, the whole congregation of Israel came to Mount Hor. 20:23 And at Mount Hor, near the border of the land of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 20:24 “Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will not enter the land that I have given the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against My command at the waters of Meribah. 20:25 Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up Mount Hor. 20:26 Remove Aaron’s priestly garments and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will be gathered to his people and will die there.” 20:27 So Moses did as the LORD had commanded, and they climbed Mount Hor in the sight of the whole congregation. 20:28 After Moses had removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. 20:29 When the whole congregation saw that Aaron had died, the entire house of Israel mourned for him thirty days. 21:1 When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked Israel and captured some prisoners. 21:2 So Israel made a vow to the LORD: “If You will deliver this people into our hands, we will devote their cities to destruction.” 21:3 And the LORD heard Israel ’s plea and delivered up the Canaanites. Israel devoted them and their cities to destruction; so they named the place Hormah. The Bronze Serpent 21:4 Then they set out from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, in order to bypass the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient on the journey 21:5 and spoke against God and against Moses: “ Why have you led us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!” 21:6 So the LORD sent venomous snakes among the people, and many of the Israelites were bitten and died. 21:7 Then the people came to Moses and said, “ We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Intercede with the LORD so He will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses interceded for the people. 21:8 Then the LORD said to Moses, “ Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.” 21:9 So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. If anyone who was bitten looked at the bronze snake, he would live. The Journey to Moab 21:10 Then the Israelites set out and camped at Oboth. 21:11 They journeyed from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim in the wilderness opposite Moab to the east. 21:12 From there they set out and camped in the Valley of Zered. 21:13 From there they moved on and camped on the other side of the Arnon, in the wilderness that extends into the Amorite territory. Now the Arnon is the border between the Moabites and the Amorites. 21:14 Therefore it is stated in the Book of the Wars of the LORD: “ Waheb in Suphah and the wadis of the Arnon, 21:15 even the slopes of the wadis that extend to the site of Ar and lie along the border of Moab.” 21:16 From there they went on to Beer, the well where the LORD said to Moses, “Gather the people so that I may give them water.” 21:17 Then Israel sang this song: “ Spring up, O well, all of you sing to it! 21:18 The princes dug the well; the nobles of the people hollowed it out with their scepters and with their staffs.” From the wilderness the Israelites went on to Mattanah, 21:19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth, 21:20 and from Bamoth to the valley in Moab where the top of Pisgah overlooks the wasteland. The Defeat of Sihon (Deuteronomy 2:24–37)

21:21 Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 21:22 “ Let us pass through your land. We will not cut through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will stay on the King ’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.” 21:23 But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. Instead, he gathered his whole army and went out to confront Israel in the wilderness. When he came to Jahaz, he fought against Israel. 21:24 And Israel put him to the sword and took possession of his land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok — but only up to the border of the Ammonites, because it was fortified. 21:25 Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites and occupied them, including Heshbon and all its villages. 21:26 Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and taken all his land as far as the Arnon. 21:27 That is why the poets say: “ Come to Heshbon, let it be rebuilt; let the city of Sihon be restored. 21:28 For a fire went out from Heshbon, a blaze from the city of Sihon. It consumed Ar of Moab, the rulers of Arnon’s heights. 21:29 Woe to you, O Moab! You are destroyed, O people of Chemosh! He gave up his sons as refugees, and his daughters into captivity to Sihon king of the Amorites. 21:30 But we have overthrown them; Heshbon is destroyed as far as Dibon. We demolished them as far as Nophah, which reaches to Medeba.” The Defeat of Og (Deuteronomy 3:1–11) 21:31 So Israel lived in the land of the Amorites. 21:32 After Moses had sent spies to Jazer, Israel captured its villages and drove out the Amorites who were there. 21:33 Then they turned and went up the road to Bashan, and Og king of Bashan and his whole army came out to meet them in battle at Edrei. 21:34 But the LORD said to Moses, “ Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand, along with all his people and his land. Do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.” 21:35 So they struck down Og, along with his sons and his whole army, until no remnant was left. And they took possession of his land. 22:1 Then the Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan, across from Jericho. 22:2 Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, 22:3 and Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous. Indeed, Moab dreaded the Israelites. 22:4 So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “ This horde will devour everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Since Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time, 22:5 he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people. “ Behold, a people has come out of Egypt,” said Balak. “ They cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. 22:6 So please come now and put a curse on this people, because they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.” 22:7 The elders of Moab and Midian departed with the fees for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and relayed to him the words of Balak. 22:8 “ Spend the night here,” Balaam replied, “ and I will give you the answer that the LORD speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. 22:9 Then God came to Balaam and asked, “ Who are these men with you?” 22:10 And Balaam said to God, “ Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: 22:11 ‘ Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them away.’” 22:12 But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.”

22:13 So Balaam got up the next morning and said to Balak ’s princes, “ Go back to your homeland, because the LORD has refused to let me go with you.” 22:14 And the princes of Moab arose, returned to Balak, and said, “ Balaam refused to come with us.” 22:15 Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first messengers. 22:16 They came to Balaam and said, “ This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘ Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me, 22:17 for I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. So please come and put a curse on this people for me!’” 22:18 But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything small or great to go beyond the command of the LORD my God. 22:19 So now, please stay here overnight as the others did, that I may find out what else the LORD has to tell me.” 22:20 That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you.” 22:21 So in the morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. The Angel and Balaam’s Donkey 22:22 Then God ’s anger was kindled because Balaam was going along, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 22:23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the path and went into a field. So Balaam beat her to return her to the path. 22:24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow passage between two vineyards, with walls on either side. 22:25 And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD and pressed herself against the wall, crushing Balaam ’s foot against it. So he beat her once again. 22:26 And the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn to the right or left. 22:27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he became furious and beat her with his staff. 22:28 Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “ What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?” 22:29 Balaam answered the donkey, “ You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!” 22:30 But the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not the donkey you have ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” “ No,” he replied. 22:31 Then the LORD opened Balaam ’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. And Balaam bowed low and fell facedown. 22:32 The angel of the LORD asked him, “ Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you, because your way is perverse before me. 22:33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, then by now I would surely have killed you and let her live.” 22:34 “ I have sinned,” Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “ for I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me. And now, if this is displeasing in your sight, I will go back home.” 22:35 But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “ Go with the men, but you are to speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. 22:36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite city on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory. 22:37 And he said to Balaam, “ Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not able to richly reward you?” 22:38 “ See, I have come to you,” Balaam replied, “ but can I say just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.”

22:39 So Balaam accompanied Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. 22:40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he gave portions to Balaam and the princes who were with him. 22:41 The next morning, Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see the outskirts of the camp of the people. 23:1 Then Balaam said to Balak, “ Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.” 23:2 So Balak did as Balaam had instructed, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 23:3 “Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone,” Balaam said to Balak. “Perhaps the LORD will meet with me. And whatever He reveals to me, I will tell you.” So Balaam went off to a barren height, 23:4 and God met with him. “I have set up seven altars,” Balaam said, “ and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.” 23:5 Then the LORD put a message in Balaam ’s mouth, saying, “ Return to Balak and give him this message.” 23:6 So he returned to Balak, who was standing there beside his burnt offering, with all the princes of Moab. 23:7 And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “ Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east. ‘ Come,’ he said, ‘ put a curse on Jacob for me; come and denounce Israel!’ 23:8 How can I curse what God has not cursed? How can I denounce what the LORD has not denounced? 23:9 For I see them from atop the rocky cliffs, and I watch them from the hills. Behold, a people dwelling apart, not reckoning themselves among the nations. 23:10 Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous; let my end be like theirs!” 23:11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “ What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and behold, you have only blessed them!” 23:12 But Balaam replied, “ Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?” Balaam’s Second Oracle 23:13 Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place where you can see them. You will only see the outskirts of their camp— not all of them. And from there, curse them for me.” 23:14 So Balak took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, where he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 23:15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt offering while I meet the LORD over there.” 23:16 And the LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth, saying, “ Return to Balak and speak what I tell you.” 23:17 So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with the princes of Moab. “ What did the LORD say?” Balak asked. 23:18 Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “ Arise, O Balak, and listen; give ear to me, O son of Zippor. 23:19 God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill? 23:20 I have indeed received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot change it. 23:21 He considers no disaster for Jacob; He sees no trouble for Israel. The LORD their God is with them, and the shout of the King is among them. 23:22 God brought them out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox. 23:23 For there is no spell against Jacob and no divination against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and Israel, ‘ What great things God has done!’ 23:24 Behold, the people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion, not resting until they devour their prey and drink the blood of the slain.” 23:25 Now Balak said to Balaam, “ Then neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!” 23:26 But Balaam replied, “ Did I not tell you that whatever the LORD says, I must do?”

23:27 “ Please come,” said Balak, “ I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you curse them for me from there.” 23:28 And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the wasteland. 23:29 Then Balaam said, “ Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.” 23:30 So Balak did as Balaam had instructed, and he offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 24:1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as on previous occasions, but he turned his face toward the wilderness. 24:2 When Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him, 24:3 and he lifted up an oracle, saying: “ This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of a man whose eyes are open, 24:4 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open: 24:5 How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel! 24:6 They spread out like palm groves, like gardens beside a stream, like aloes the LORD has planted, like cedars beside the waters. 24:7 Water will flow from his buckets, and his seed will have abundant water. His king will be greater than Agag, and his kingdom will be exalted. 24:8 God brought him out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox, to devour hostile nations and crush their bones, to pierce them with arrows. 24:9 He crouches, he lies down like a lion; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? Blessed are those who bless you and cursed are those who curse you.” Balak Dismisses Balaam 24:10 Then Balak ’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together and said to Balaam, “ I summoned you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have persisted in blessing them these three times. 24:11 Therefore, flee at once to your home! I said I would richly reward you, but instead the LORD has denied your reward.” 24:12 Balaam answered Balak, “ Did I not already tell the messengers you sent me 24:13 that even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD? I will speak whatever the LORD says. 24:14 Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you what this people will do to your people in the days to come.” Balaam’s Fourth Oracle 24:15 Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying, “ This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of a man whose eyes are open, 24:16 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open: 24:17 I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab and strike down all the sons of Sheth. 24:18 Edom will become a possession, as will Seir, his enemy; but Israel will perform with valor. 24:19 A ruler will come from Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.” Balaam’s Final Three Oracles 24:20 Then Balaam saw Amalek and lifted up an oracle, saying: “ Amalek was first among the nations, but his end is destruction.” 24:21 Next he saw the Kenites and lifted up an oracle, saying: “ Your dwelling place is secure, and your nest is set in a cliff. 24:22 Yet Kain will be destroyed when Asshur takes you captive.” 24:23 Once more Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Ah, who can live unless God has ordained it? 24:24 Ships will come from the coasts of Cyprus; they will subdue Asshur and Eber, but they too will perish forever.” 24:25 Then Balaam arose and returned to his homeland, and Balak also went on his way. 25:1 While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab, 25:2 who also invited them to the sacrifices for their gods. And the people ate and bowed down to these gods. 25:3 So Israel joined in worshiping Baal of Peor, and the anger of the LORD burned against them. 25:4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “ Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that His fierce anger may turn away from Israel.” 25:5 So Moses told the judges of Israel, “Each of you must kill all of his men who have joined in worshiping Baal of Peor.” The Zeal of Phinehas 25:6 Just then an Israelite man brought to his family a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and the whole congregation of Israel while they were weeping at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 25:7 On seeing this, Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, got up from the assembly, took a spear in his hand, 25:8 followed the Israelite into his tent, and drove the spear through both of them — through the Israelite and on through the belly of the woman. So the plague against the Israelites was halted, 25:9 but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.