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2. "When a man vows a vow to יהוה, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

3. Also when a woman vows a vow to יהוה, and binds herself by a bond, being in her father’s house, in her youth,

4. And her father hears her vow, and her bond with which she has bound her soul, and her father holds his peace at her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she has set a bound for her soul shall stand.

5. But if her father disallow her in the day that he hears, none of her vows, or of her bonds with which she has bound her soul, shall stand: and יהוה will forgive her, because her father disallowed her.

6. If she is married to a husband, while her vows are on her, or the rash utterance of her lips, with which she has bound her soul,

7. And her husband hears it, and holds his peace at her in the day that he hears it; then her vows shall stand, and her bonds with which she has bound her soul shall stand.

8. But if her husband disallows her in the day that he hears it, then he shall make void her vow which is on her, and the rash utterance of her lips, with which she has bound her soul: and יהוה will forgive her.

9. But the vow of a widow, or of her who is divorced, even everything with which she has bound her soul, shall stand against her.

10. If she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath,

11. And her husband hear it, and held his peace at her, and didn’t disallow her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she bound her soul shall stand.

12. But if her husband made them null and void in the day that he heard them, then whatever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband has made them void; and יהוה will forgive her.

13. Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.

14. But if her husband altogether holds his peace at her from day to day, then he establishes all her vows, or all her bonds, which are on her: he has established them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them.

15. But if he shall make them null and void after that he has heard them, then he shall bear her iniquity."

16. These are the statutes, which יהוה commanded Moses , between a man and his wife, between a father and his daughter, being in her youth, in her father’s house.

Chapter 31

1.  יהוה spoke to Moses , saying,

2. "Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward you shall be gathered to your people."

3. Moses  spoke to the people, saying, "Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go out against Midian, to execute יהוה’s vengeance on Midian.

4. Of every tribe one thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall you send to the war."

5. So there were delivered, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.

6. Moses  sent them, one thousand of every tribe, to the war, them and Phinehas the son of  Eleazar , the priest, to the war, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand.

7. They warred against Midian, as  יהוה commanded Moses ; and they killed every male.

8. They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian: Balaam also, the son of Beor, they killed with the sword.

9. The children of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones; and all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods, they took for a spoil.

10. All their cities in the places in which they lived, and all their encampments, they burnt with fire.

11. They took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of man and of animal.

12. They brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil to Moses  and to  Eleazar , the priest, and to the congregation of the children of Israel, to the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by the Jordan at Jericho.

13. Moses  and  Eleazar , the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them outside of the camp.

14. Moses  was angry with the officers of the hosts, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who came from the service of the war.

15. Moses  said to them, "Have you saved all the women alive?"

16. Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam , to commit trespass against יהוה in the matter of Baal Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of יהוה.

17. "Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him.

18. But all the girls, who have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.

19. Encamp outside of the camp seven days: whoever has killed any person, and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves on the third day and on the seventh day, you and your captives.

20. As to every garment, and all that is made of skin, and all work of goats’ hair, and all things made of wood, you shall purify yourselves."

21.  Eleazar , the priest, said to the men of war who went to the battle, "This is the statute of the law which יהוה has commanded Moses :

22. However the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead,

23. Everything that may abide the fire, you shall make go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water for impurity: and all that doesn’t withstand the fire you shall make to go through the water.

24. You shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you shall be clean; and afterward you shall come into the camp."

25.  יהוה spoke to Moses , saying,

26. "Take the sum of the spoil that was taken, both of man and of animal, you and  Eleazar , the priest, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the congregation;

27. And divide the spoil into two parts: between the men skilled in war, who went out to battle, and all the congregation.

28. Levy a tribute to יהוה of the men of war who went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the oxen, and of the donkeys, and of the flocks:

29. Take it of their half, and give it to  Eleazar , the priest, for יהוהs heave offering.

30. Of the children of Israel’s half, you shall take one drawn out of every fifty, of the persons, of the oxen, of the donkeys, and of the flocks, even of all the cattle, and give them to the Levites, who keep the charge of the tent of יהוה ."

31. Moses  and  Eleazar , the priest, did as יהוה commanded Moses .

32. Now the spoil, over and above the bounty which the men of war took, was six hundred seventy-five thousand sheep,

33. And seventy-two thousand oxen,

34. And seventy-one thousand donkeys,

35. And thirty-two thousand persons in all, of the women who had not known man by lying with him.

36. The half, which was the portion of those who went out to war, was in number three hundred thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep:

37. And יהוה’s tribute of the sheep was six hundred seventy-five.

38. The oxen were thirty-six thousand; of which יהוה’s tribute was seventy-two.

39. The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred; of which יהוה’s tribute was sixty-one.

40. The persons were sixteen thousand; of whom יהוה’s tribute was thirty-two persons.

41. Moses  gave the tribute, which was יהוהs heave offering, to  Eleazar the priest, as יהוה commanded Moses .

42. Of the children of Israel’s half, which Moses  divided off from the men who warred

43. (now the congregation’s half was three hundred thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep,

44. And thirty-six thousand oxen,

45. And thirty thousand five hundred donkeys,

46. And sixteen thousand persons),

47. Even of the children of Israel’s half, Moses  took one drawn out of every fifty, both of man and of animal and gave them to the Levites who kept the charge of the tent of יהוה; as יהוה commanded Moses .

48. The officers who were over the thousands of the hosts, the captains of thousands, and the captains of hundreds, came near to Moses ;

49. And they said to Moses , "Your servants have taken the sum of the men of war who are under our charge, and there lacks not one man of us.

50. We have brought יהוה’s offering, what every man has gotten, of jewels of gold, ankle chains and bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and armlets, to make atonement for our souls before יהוה."

51. Moses  and  Eleazar the priest took the gold from them, even all worked jewels.

52. All the gold of the heave offering that they offered up to יהוה, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred fifty shekels.

53. (For the men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.)

54. Moses  and  Eleazar , the priest, took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tent of meeting, for a memorial for the children of Israel before יהוה.

Chapter 32

1. Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that behold, the place was a place for cattle;

2. The children of Gad and the children of  Reuben  came and spoke to Moses , and to  Eleazar , the priest, and to the princes of the congregation, saying,

3. "Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Sebam, and Nebo, and Beon,

4. The land which יהוה struck before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle; and your servants have cattle."

5. They said, "If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession; don’t bring us over the Jordan."

6. Moses  said to the children of Gad , and to the children of  Reuben , "Shall your brothers go to the war, and shall you sit here?

7. Why do you discourage you the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which יהוה has given them?

8. Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to see the land."

9. For when they went up to the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which יהוה had given them.

10.  יהוה’s anger was kindled in that day, and he swore, saying,

11. "Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me:

12. Save Caleb , the son of Jephunneh , the Kenizzite, and Joshua , the son of Nun ; because they have wholly followed יהוה."

13.  יהוה’s anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander back and forth in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, who had done evil in the sight of יהוה, was consumed.

14. "Behold, you are risen up in your fathers’ place, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of יהוה toward Israel.

15. For if you turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and you will destroy all this people."

16. They came near to him, and said, "We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones:

17. But we ourselves will be ready armed to go before the children of Israel, until we have brought them to their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.

18. We will not return to our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance.

19. For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan, and forward; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side of the Jordan eastward."

20. Moses  said to them, "If you will do this thing, if you will arm yourselves to go before יהוה to the war,

21. And every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan before יהוה, until he has driven out his enemies from before him,

22. And the land is subdued before יהוה; then afterward you shall return, and be guiltless towards יהוה, and towards Israel; and this land shall be to you for a possession before יהוה.

23. But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against יהוה; and be sure your sin will find you out.

24. Build cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which has proceeded out of your mouth."

25. The children of Gad and the children of  Reuben  spoke to Moses , saying, "Your servants will do as my lord commands.

26. Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock, shall be there in the cities of Gilead;

27. But your servants will pass over, every man who is armed for war, before יהוה to battle, as my lord says."

28. So Moses  gave charge concerning them to  Eleazar , the priest, and to Joshua , the son of Nun , and to the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Israel.

29. Moses  said to them, "If the children of Gad and the children of  Reuben  will pass with you over the Jordan, every man who is armed to battle, before יהוה, and the land shall be subdued before you; then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession:

30. But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan."

31. The children of Gad and the children of  Reuben  answered, saying, "As יהוה has said to your servants, so will we do.

32. We will pass over armed before יהוה into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us beyond the Jordan."

33. Moses  gave to them, even to the children of Gad , and to the children of  Reuben , and to the half-tribe of Manasseh , the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon, king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og, king of Bashan, the land, according to the cities of it with their borders, even the cities of the land round about.

34. The children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,

35. And Atrothshophan, and Jazer, and Jogbehah,

36. And Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran: fortified cities, and folds for sheep.

37. The children of  Reuben  built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kiriathaim,

38. And Nebo, and Baal Meon, (their names being changed), and Sibmah: and they gave other names to the cities which they built.

39. The children of Machir, the son of Manasseh , went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were there.

40. Moses  gave Gilead to Machir, the son of Manasseh ; and he lived there.

41. Jair, the son of Manasseh , went and took its towns , and called them Havvoth Jair.

42. Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages, and called it Nobah, after his own name.

1. The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.

2. To whom the word of יהוה’s  came to him in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.

3. It came also in the days of Jehoiakim,the son of Josiah, king of Judah, to the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, to the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.

4. Now the word ofיהוה came to me, saying,

5. “Before I formed you in the belly, I knew you.  And before you came forth out of the womb, I sanctified you.   I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

6. Then I said, “Ah, Lord  יהוה ! Behold, I don’t know how to speak; for I am a child.”

7. But יהוה said to me, “Don’t say, ‘I am a child;’ for to whoever I send you, you shall go and whatever I shall command you, you shall speak.

8. Don’t be afraid because of them, for I am with you to deliver you,” says יהוה.

9. Then יהוה put forth  his hand, and touched my mouth. And  יהוה said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.

10. Behold, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up  and to break down, and to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”

11. Moreover, the word of   יהוה  came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?”  I said, “I see a rod of an almond tree.”

12. Then  יהוה said to me, “You have seen well; for I watch over my word to perform it.”

13.  The word of יהוה  came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?”  I said, “I see a boiling cauldron; and the face of it is from the north.”

14. Then יהוה said to me, “Out of the north, evil shall break forth on all the inhabitants of the land.

15. For, behold, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north,” says יהוה.  “And they shall come, and they shall  set every one his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem,   and against all the walls of  the ground about, and against all the cities of Judah.

16. I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness,  in that they have forsaken me,  and have burned incense to other gods,   and worshiped the works of their own hands.

17. “You therefore gird up your loins and arise, and speak to them all that I command you. Don’t be dismayed at them, lest I dismay you before them.

18. For, behold, I have made you this day a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes of it, against the  priests of it, and against the people of the land.

19. They shall fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you; for I am with you”, says יהוה, “to deliver you.”

Chapter 2

1. The word of יהוה came to me, saying,

2. “Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘ thus says יהוה,  “I remember for you the kindness of your youth,  the love of your weddings;  how you went after me in the wilderness,   in a land that was not sown.

3. Israel was holiness to  יהוה ,  the first fruits of his increase.   All who devour him shall be held guilty.   Evil shall come on them,”’ says יהוה.”

1. These are the journeys of the children of Israel, when they went forth out of the land of Egypt by their hosts under the hand of Moses and Aaron .

2. Moses  wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of יהוה: and these are their journeys according to their goings out.

3. They traveled from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the next day after the Passover the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians,

4. While the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom יהוה had struck among them: on their gods also יהוה executed judgments.

5. The children of Israel traveled from Rameses, and encamped in Succoth.

6. They traveled from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.

7. They traveled from Etham, and turned back to Pihahiroth, which is before Baal Zephon: and they encamped before Migdol.

8. They traveled from before Hahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness: and they went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham, and encamped in Marah.

9. They traveled from Marah, and came to Elim: and in Elim were twelve springs of water, and seventy palm trees; and they encamped there.

10. They traveled from Elim, and encamped by the Red Sea.

11. They traveled from the Red Sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.

12. They traveled from the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah.

13. They traveled from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush.

14. They traveled from Alush, and encamped in Rephidim, where was no water for the people to drink.

15. They traveled from Rephidim, and encamped in the wilderness of Sinai.

16. They traveled from the wilderness of Sinai, and encamped in Kibroth Hattaavah.

17. They traveled from Kibroth Hattaavah, and encamped in Hazeroth.

18. They traveled from Hazeroth, and encamped in Rithmah.

19. They traveled from Rithmah, and encamped in Rimmon Perez.

20. They traveled from Rimmon Perez, and encamped in Libnah.

21. They traveled from Libnah, and encamped in Rissah.

22. They traveled from Rissah, and encamped in Kehelathah.

23. They traveled from Kehelathah, and encamped in Mount Shepher.

24. They traveled from Mount Shepher, and encamped in Haradah.

25. They traveled from Haradah, and encamped in Makheloth.

26. They traveled from Makheloth, and encamped in Tahath.

27. They traveled from Tahath, and encamped in Terah.

28. They traveled from Terah, and encamped in Mithkah.

29. They traveled from Mithkah, and encamped in Hashmonah.

30. They traveled from Hashmonah, and encamped in Moseroth.

31. They traveled from Moseroth, and encamped in Bene Jaakan.

32. They traveled from Bene Jaakan, and encamped in Hor Haggidgad.

33. They traveled from Hor Haggidgad, and encamped in Jotbathah.

34. They traveled from Jotbathah, and encamped in Abronah.

35. They traveled from Abronah, and encamped in Ezion Geber.

36. They traveled from Ezion Geber, and encamped in the wilderness of Zin (the same is Kadesh).

37. They traveled from Kadesh, and encamped in Mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom.

38. Aaron , the priest, went up into Mount Hor at the commandment of יהוה, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fifth month, on the first day of the month.

39. Aaron was one hundred twenty-three years old when he died in Mount Hor.

40. The Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the South in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel.

41. They traveled from Mount Hor, and encamped in Zalmonah.

42. They traveled from Zalmonah, and encamped in Punon.

43. They traveled from Punon, and encamped in Oboth.

44. They traveled from Oboth, and encamped in Iye Abarim, in the border of Moab.

45. They traveled from Iyim, and encamped in Dibon Gad.

46. They traveled from Dibon Gad, and encamped in Almon Diblathaim.

47. They traveled from Almon Diblathaim, and encamped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo.

48. They traveled from the mountains of Abarim, and encamped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

49. They encamped by the Jordan, from Beth Jeshimoth even to Abel Shittim in the plains of Moab.

50. יהוה spoke to Moses  in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,

51. "Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

52. Then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places:

53. And you shall take possession of the land, and dwell there; for to you have I given the land to possess it.

54. You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the more you shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer you shall give the less inheritance: wherever the lot falls to any man, that shall be his; according to the tribes of your fathers shall you inherit.

55. But if you will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then shall those who you let remain of them be as pricks in your eyes, and as thorns in your sides, and they shall vex you in the land in which you dwell.

56. It shall happen that as I thought to do to them, so will I do to you."

Chapter 34

1. יהוה spoke to Moses , saying,

2. "Command the children of Israel, and tell them, When you come into the land of Canaan (this is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan according to its borders),

3. Then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the side of Edom, and your south border shall be from the end of the Salt Sea eastward;

4. And your border shall turn about southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass along to Zin; and the goings out of it shall be southward of Kadesh Barnea; and it shall go forth to Hazar Addar, and pass along to Azmon;

5. And the border shall turn about from Azmon to the brook of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea.

6. For the western border, you shall have the great sea and the border of it: this shall be your west border.

7. This shall be your north border: from the great sea you shall mark out for you Mount Hor;

8. From Mount Hor you shall mark out to the entrance of Hamath; and the goings out of the border shall be at Zedad;

9. And the border shall go forth to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazar Enan: this shall be your north border.

10. You shall mark out your east border from Hazar Enan to Shepham;

11. And the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall go down, and shall reach to the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward;

12. And the border shall go down to the Jordan, and the goings out shall be at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land according to the borders of it round about."

13. Moses  commanded the children of Israel, saying, "This is the land which you shall inherit by lot, which יהוה has commanded to give to the nine tribes, and to the half-tribe;

14. For the tribe of the children of Reuben according to their fathers’ houses, and the tribe of the children of Gad according to their fathers’ houses, have received, and the half-tribe of Manasseh has received, their inheritance:

15. The two tribes and the half-tribe have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, toward the sunrise."

16. יהוה spoke to Moses , saying,

17. "These are the names of the men who shall divide the land to you for inheritance: Eleazar, the priest, and Joshua , the son of Nun .

18. You shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land for inheritance.

19. These are the names of the men: Of the tribe of Judah , Caleb , the son of Jephunneh .

20. Of the tribe of the children of Simeon , Shemuel ,the son of Ammihud .

21. Of the tribe of Benjamin , Elidad, the son of Chislon.

22. Of the tribe of the children of Dan a prince, Bukki ,the son of Jogli.

23. Of the children of Joseph : of the tribe of the children of Manasseh a prince, Hanniel, the son of Ephod.

24. Of the tribe of the children of Ephraim a prince, Kemuel, the son of Shiphtan.

25. Of the tribe of the children of Zebulun a prince, Elizaphan, the son of Parnach.

26. Of the tribe of the children of Issachar a prince, Paltiel, the son of Azzan.

27. Of the tribe of the children of Asher a prince, Ahihud, the son of Shelomi.

28. Of the tribe of the children of Naphtali a prince, Pedahel, the son of Ammihud."

29. These are they whom יהוה commanded to divide the inheritance to the children of Israel in the land of Canaan.

Chapter 35

1. יהוה spoke to Moses  in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,

2. "Command the children of Israel that they give to the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and suburbs for the cities round about them shall you give to the Levites.

3. The cities shall they have to dwell in; and their suburbs shall be for their cattle, and for their substance, and for all their animals.

4. The suburbs of the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, shall be from the wall of the city and outward one thousand cubits round about.

5. You shall measure outside of the city for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the middle. This shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.

6. The cities which you shall give to the Levites, they shall be the six cities of refuge, which you shall give for the manslayer to flee to: and besides them you shall give forty-two cities.

7. All the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty-eight cities; them shall you give with their suburbs.

8. Concerning the cities which you shall give of the possession of the children of Israel, from the many you shall take many; and from the few you shall take few: everyone according to his inheritance which he inherits shall give of his cities to the Levites."

9. יהוה spoke to Moses , saying,

10. "Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

11. Then you shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.

12. The cities shall be to you for refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer not die, until he stands before the congregation for judgment.

13. The cities which you shall give shall be for you six cities of refuge.

14. You shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities shall you give in the land of Canaan; they shall be cities of refuge.

15. For the children of Israel, and for the stranger and for the foreigner living among them, shall these six cities be for refuge; that everyone who kills any person unwittingly may flee there.

16. But if he struck him with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

17. If he struck him with a stone in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

18. Or if he struck him with a weapon of wood in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

19. The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death: when he meets him, he shall put him to death.

20. If he stabs him out of hatred, or throws something at him while lying in wait, so that he died,

21. Or in enmity strikes him with his hand, so that he dies; he who struck him shall surely be put to death; he is a murderer: the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when he meets him.

22. But if he injures him suddenly without hatred, or throws something on him without lying in wait,

23. Or with any stone, by which a man may die, not seeing him, cast it on him, so that he dies, and he was not his enemy, neither sought his harm;

24. Then the congregation shall judge between the striker and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances;

25. And the congregation shall deliver the manslayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, where he was fled: and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

26. But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the border of his city of refuge, where he flees,

27. And the avenger of blood find him outside of the border of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kill the manslayer; he shall not be guilty of blood,

28. Because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the manslayer may  return into the land of his possession.

29. These things shall be for a statute and ordinance to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

30. Whoever kills any person, the murderer shall be slain at the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person that he die.

31. Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death; but he shall surely be put to death.

32. You shall take no ransom for him who is fled to his city of refuge, that he may come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.

33. So you shall not pollute the land in which you are: for blood, it pollutes the land; and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, but by the blood of him who shed it.

34. You shall not defile the land which you inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell: for I, יהוה, dwell in the midst of the children of Israel."

Chapter 36

1. The heads of the fathers’ houses of the family of the children of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh , of the families of the sons of Joseph , came near, and spoke before Moses , and before the princes, the heads of the fathers’ houses of the children of Israel:

2. And they said, "יהוה commanded my lord to give the land for inheritance by lot to the children of Israel: and my lord was commanded by יהוה to give the inheritance of Zelophehad, our brother, to his daughters.

3. If they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then will their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of our fathers, and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they shall belong: so will it be taken away from the lot of our inheritance.

4. When the jubilee of the children of Israel shall come then will their inheritance be added to the inheritance of the tribe from which they shall belong: so will their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.

5. Moses  commanded the children of Israel according to the word of יהוה, saying, "The tribe of the sons of Joseph speaks right.

6. This is the thing which יהוה does command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them be married to whom they think best; only into the family of the tribe of their father shall they be married.

7. So shall no inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe; for the children of Israel shall cleave everyone to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

8. Every daughter, who possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife to one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may possess every man the inheritance of his fathers.

9. So shall no inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe; for the tribes of the children of Israel shall cleave everyone to his own inheritance."

10. Even as יהוה commanded Moses , so did the daughters of Zelophehad:

11. For Mahlah, Tirzah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married to their father’s brothers’ sons.

12. They were married into the families of the sons of Manasseh , the son of Joseph ; and their inheritance remained in the tribe of the family of their father."

13. These are the commandments and the ordinances which יהוה commanded by Moses  to the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

4. Hear you the word of יהוה, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel!

5. Thus says יהוה,  “What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me,  that they have gone far from me,  and have walked after vanity,   and have become vain?

6. Neither said they, ‘Where is  יהוה who brought us up out of the land of Egypt,  who led us through the wilderness,  through a land of deserts and of pits,  through a land of drought and of the shadow of death,   through a land that none one pass through,  and where no man lived?’

7. I brought you into a plentiful land,  to eat its fruit and its goodness;  but when you entered, you defiled my land,   and made my heritage an abomination.

8. The priests didn’t say, ‘Where is  יהוה ?’  and those who handle the law didn’t know me.  The rulers also transgressed against me,   and the prophets prophesied by Baal,   and walked after things that do not profit.

9. “Therefore I will yet contend with you,” says  יהוה ,   “and with your children’s children  will I  contend .

10. For pass over to the islands of Kittim, and see;   and send to Kedar, and consider diligently;   and see if there has been such a thing.

11. Has a nation changed its gods,   which are yet  no gods?   But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit.

12. “Be astonished, you heavens, at this,   and be horribly afraid.  Be you very desolate,” says יהוה.

13. “For my people have committed two evils:   they have forsaken me, the spring of living waters,   and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

14. Is Israel a servant?   Is he a home born slave?   Why has he become a prey?

15. The young lions have roared on him, and yelled.   And they have made his land waste.   His cities are burned up, without inhabitant.

16. The children also of Memphis and Tahpanhes have broken the crown of your head.

17. “Haven’t you procured this to yourself,  and that you have forsaken יהוה your God, when he led you by the way?

18. Now what have you to do in the way of  Egypt, to drink the waters of  Shihor?   Or what have you to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?

19.“Your own wickedness shall correct you,  and your backsliding  shall reprove you.  Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing,   that you have forsaken יהוה your God,   and that my fear is not in you,” says the יהוה of Hosts.

20. “For of old time,  I have broken  your yoke,   and burst your bonds and y ou said, ‘I will not serve;’   for on every high hill and under every green tree you did bow yourself,   playing the prostitute.

21. Yet I had planted you a noble vine,   wholly a right seed.   How then are you turned into the degenerate branches of a foreign vine to me?

22. For though you wash yourself with lye,   and use much soap,   yet your iniquity is marked before me,” says the Lord יהוה.

23. “How can you say, ‘I am not defiled.   I have not gone after the Baals’?  See your way in the valley.   Know what you have done.  You are a swift dromedary traversing her ways;

24. A wild donkey used to the wilderness, that sniffs up the wind in her desire.   In her occasion, who can turn her away?  All those who seek her will not weary themselves. In her month, they shall find her.

25. “Withhold your foot from being unshod,   and your throat from thirst.  But you said, ‘It is in vain.   No, for I have loved strangers,   and after them I will go .’

26. As the thief is ashamed when he is found,   so is the house of Israel ashamed;   they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets;

27. Who tell a stalk, ‘You are my father;’   and say to a stone, ‘You have brought me forth:’  for they have turned their back to me,   and not their face;   but in the time of their trouble they will say, ‘Arise, and save us.’

28. “But where are your gods that you have made?   Let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble:   for according to the number of your cities are your gods,  Judah.

Chapter 4

1. “If you will return, Israel,” says יהוה , “if you will return to me, and if you will put away your abominations out of my sight; then you will not be removed;  2. and you will swear, ‘As יהוה lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness. The nations will bless themselves in him, and they will glory in him.”

Etz Chaim

It is a tree of life for those who cling to it,

and those who uphold it are happy!

Its ways are pleasant and all of its paths peaceful.

Return us to you, Lord, so that we shall return,

Renew our days as of old.