Numbers 10-18 (Translated)

Chapter 10[edit]

Verse	King James Version	Proposed Conservative Translation	Analysis
1	And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2	Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.
3	And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
4	And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee.
5	When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward.
6	When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.
7	But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.
8	And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.
9	And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.
10	Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God.
11	And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony.
12	And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.
13	And they first took their journey according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
14	In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
15	And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethaneel the son of Zuar.
16	And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.
17	And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle.
18	And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur.
19	And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
20	And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
21	And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary: and the other did set up the tabernacle against they came.
22	And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud.
23	And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
24	And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.
25	And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward, which was the rereward of all the camps throughout their hosts: and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
26	And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran.
27	And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.
28	Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their armies, when they set forward.
29	And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses' father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel.
30	And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred.
31	And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes.
32	And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness the LORD shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee.
33	And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them.
34	And the cloud of the LORD was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp.
35	And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.
36	And when it rested, he said, Return, O LORD, unto the many thousands of Israel.

Chapter 11[edit]

Verse	King James Version	Proposed Conservative Translation	Analysis
1	And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.
2	And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched.
3	And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burnt among them.
4	And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
5	We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:
6	But our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.
7	And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium.
8	And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.
9	And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.
10	Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.
11	And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?
12	Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?
13	Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.
14	I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.
15	And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.
16	And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.
17	And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.
18	And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.
19	Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;
20	But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?
21	And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.
22	Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?
23	And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD's hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.
24	And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.
25	And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
26	But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
27	And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
28	And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.
29	And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD's people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!
30	And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.
31	And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth.
32	And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.
33	And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.
34	And he called the name of that place Kibroth-hattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted.
35	And the people journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah unto Hazeroth; and abode at Hazeroth.

Chapter 12[edit]

Verse	King James Version	Proposed Conservative Translation	Analysis
1	And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
2	And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.
3	(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)
4	And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.
5	And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.
6	And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
7	My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
8	With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
9	And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed.
10	And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.
11	And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned.
12	Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb.
13	And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.
14	And the LORD said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again.
15	And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.
16	And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.

Chapter 13[edit]

Verse	King James Version	Proposed Conservative Translation	Analysis
1	And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2	Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.
3	And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.
4	And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur.
5	Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori.
6	Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
7	Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph.
8	Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun.
9	Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu.
10	Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi.
11	Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.
12	Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli.
13	Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael.
14	Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi.
15	Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.
16	These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.
17	And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain:
18	And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;
19	And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds;
20	And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.
21	So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath.
22	And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
23	And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs.
24	The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence.
25	And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
26	And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.
27	And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.
28	Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
29	The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.
30	And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
31	But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
32	And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
33	And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Chapter 14[edit]

Verse	King James Version	Proposed Conservative Translation	Analysis
1	And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
2	And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
3	And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
4	And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
5	Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
6	And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
7	And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.
8	If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
9	Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.
10	But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
11	And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?
12	I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.
13	And Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;)
14	And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.
15	Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying,
16	Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.
17	And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,
18	The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
19	Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.
20	And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word:
21	But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.
22	Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;
23	Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:
24	But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.
25	(Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) To morrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.
26	And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
27	How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.
28	Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:
29	Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me,
30	Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
31	But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.
32	But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.
33	And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.
34	After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
35	I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.
36	And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land,
37	Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD.
38	But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.
39	And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly.
40	And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the LORD hath promised: for we have sinned.
41	And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the LORD? but it shall not prosper.
42	Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies.
43	For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the LORD, therefore the LORD will not be with you.
44	But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses, departed not out of the camp.
45	Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.

Chapter 15[edit]

Verse	King James Version	Proposed Conservative Translation	Analysis
1	And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2	Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you,
3	And will make an offering by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the LORD, of the herd, or of the flock:
4	Then shall he that offereth his offering unto the LORD bring a meat offering of a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of oil.
5	And the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering shalt thou prepare with the burnt offering or sacrifice, for one lamb.
6	Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare for a meat offering two tenth deals of flour mingled with the third part of an hin of oil.
7	And for a drink offering thou shalt offer the third part of an hin of wine, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.
8	And when thou preparest a bullock for a burnt offering, or for a sacrifice in performing a vow, or peace offerings unto the LORD:
9	Then shall he bring with a bullock a meat offering of three tenth deals of flour mingled with half an hin of oil.
10	And thou shalt bring for a drink offering half an hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
11	Thus shall it be done for one bullock, or for one ram, or for a lamb, or a kid.
12	According to the number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to every one according to their number.
13	All that are born of the country shall do these things after this manner, in offering an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
14	And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever be among you in your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD; as ye do, so he shall do.
15	One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD.
16	One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.
17	And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
18	Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land whither I bring you,
19	Then it shall be, that, when ye eat of the bread of the land, ye shall offer up an heave offering unto the LORD.
20	Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for an heave offering: as ye do the heave offering of the threshingfloor, so shall ye heave it.
21	Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the LORD an heave offering in your generations.
22	And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, which the LORD hath spoken unto Moses,
23	Even all that the LORD hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that the LORD commanded Moses, and henceforward among your generations;
24	Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour unto the LORD, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering.
25	And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their ignorance:
26	And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance.
27	And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering.
28	And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.
29	Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them.
30	But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
31	Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.
32	And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.
33	And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.
34	And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.
35	And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
36	And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.
37	And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
38	Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:
39	And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:
40	That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.
41	I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God.

Chapter 16[edit]

Verse	King James Version	Proposed Conservative Translation	Analysis
1	Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
2	And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:
3	And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?
4	And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:
5	And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.
6	This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;
7	And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.
8	And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi:
9	Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?
10	And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also?
11	For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?
12	And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up:
13	Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?
14	Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.
15	And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.
16	And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the LORD, thou, and they, and Aaron, to morrow:
17	And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the LORD every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer.
18	And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.
19	And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.
20	And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
21	Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.
22	And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?
23	And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
24	Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
25	And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.
26	And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.
27	So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.
28	And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.
29	If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.
30	But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.
31	And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
32	And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
33	They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
34	And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
35	And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.
36	And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
37	Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed.
38	The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.
39	And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar:
40	To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses.
41	But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD.
42	And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared.
43	And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation.
44	And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
45	Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.
46	And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun.
47	And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.
48	And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.
49	Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.
50	And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.

Chapter 17[edit]

Verse	King James Version	Proposed Conservative Translation	Analysis
1	And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2	Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon his rod.
3	And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.
4	And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.
5	And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.
6	And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.
7	And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.
8	And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.
9	And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.
10	And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.
11	And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.
12	And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.
13	Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?

Chapter 18[edit]

Verse	King James Version	Proposed Conservative Translation	Analysis
1	And the LORD said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father's house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood.
2	And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness.
3	And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die.
4	And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.
5	And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel.
6	And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.
7	Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest's office for every thing of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest's office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
8	And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever.
9	This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every oblation of theirs, every meat offering of theirs, and every sin offering of theirs, and every trespass offering of theirs, which they shall render unto me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy sons.
10	In the most holy place shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee.
11	And this is thine; the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel: I have given them unto thee, and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it.
12	All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee.
13	And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto the LORD, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine house shall eat of it.
14	Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine.
15	Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.
16	And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.
17	But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.
18	And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave breast and as the right shoulder are thine.
19	All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee.
20	And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.
21	And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.
22	Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die.
23	But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance.
24	But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.
25	And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
26	Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe.
27	And this your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshingfloor, and as the fullness of the winepress.
28	Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the LORD of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the LORD's heave offering to Aaron the priest.
29	Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the LORD, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it.
30	Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshingfloor, and as the increase of the winepress.
31	And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation.
32	And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved from it the best of it: neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die.