Read Parshat Behaalotecha in English

And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying:

'Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him: When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the candlestick.’’

And Aaron did so: he lighted the lamps thereof so as to give light in front of the candlestick, as the Lord commanded Moses.

And this was the work of the candlestick, beaten work of gold; unto the base thereof, and unto the flowers thereof, it was beaten work; according unto the pattern which the Lord had shown Moses, so he made the candlestick.

And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying:

'Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.

And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of purification upon them, and let them cause a razor to pass over all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and cleanse themselves.

Then let them take a young bullock, and its meal-offering, fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin-offering.

And thou shalt present the Levites before the tent of meeting; and thou shalt assemble the whole congregation of the children of Israel.

And thou shalt present the Levites before the Lord; and the children of Israel shall lay their hands upon the Levites.

And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord for a wave-offering from the children of Israel, that they may be to do the service of the Lord.

And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks; and offer thou the one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering, unto the Lord, to make atonement for the Levites.

And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for a wave-offering unto the Lord.

Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel; and the Levites shall be Mine.

And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tent of meeting; and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for a wave-offering.

For they are wholly given unto Me from among the children of Israel; instead of all that openeth the womb, even the first-born of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto Me.

For all the first-born among the children of Israel are Mine, both man and beast; on the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for Myself.

And I have taken the Levites instead of all the first-born among the children of Israel.

And I have given the Levites--they are given to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tent of meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel, that there be no plague among the children of Israel, through the children of Israel coming nigh unto the sanctuary.’’

Thus did Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the Levites; according unto all that the Lord commanded Moses touching the Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them.

And the Levites purified themselves, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them for a sacred gift before the Lord; and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them.

And after that went the Levites in to do their service in the tent of meeting before Aaron, and before his sons; as the Lord had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they unto them. {S}

And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying:

'This is that which pertaineth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to perform the service in the work of the tent of meeting;

and from the age of fifty years they shall return from the service of the work, and shall serve no more;

but shall minister with their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, but they shall do no manner of service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charges.’’

And the Lord spoke unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying:

'Let the children of Israel keep the passover in its appointed season.

In the fourteenth day of this month, at dusk, ye shall keep it in its appointed season; according to all the statutes of it, and according to all the ordinances thereof, shall ye keep it.’’

And Moses spoke unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the passover.

And they kept the passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at dusk, in the wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel.

But there were certain men, who were unclean by the dead body of a man, so that they could not keep the passover on that day; and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day.

And those men said unto him: “We are unclean by the dead body of a man; wherefore are we to be kept back, so as not to bring the offering of the Lord in its appointed season among the children of Israel?'

And Moses said unto them: “Stay ye, that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.’’

And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying:

'Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: If any man of you or of your generations shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the Lord;

in the second month on the fourteenth day at dusk they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs;

they shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break a bone thereof; according to all the statute of the passover they shall keep it.

But the man that is clean, and is not on a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, that soul shall be cut off from his people; because he brought not the offering of the Lord in its appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.

And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the Lord: according to the statute of the passover, and according to the ordinance thereof, so shall he do; ye shall have one statute, both for the stranger, and for him that is born in the land.’’ {S}

And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, even the tent of the testimony; and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until morning.

So it was alway: the cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night.

And whenever the cloud was taken up from over the Tent, then after that the children of Israel journeyed; and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel encamped.

At the commandment of the Lord the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the Lord they encamped: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they remained encamped.

And when the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord, and journeyed not.

And sometimes the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the Lord they remained encamped, and according to the commandment of the Lord they journeyed.

And sometimes the cloud was from evening until morning; and when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they journeyed; or if it continued by day and by night, when the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.

Whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, abiding thereon, the children of Israel remained encamped, and journeyed not; but when it was taken up, they journeyed.

At the commandment of the Lord they encamped, and at the commandment of the Lord they journeyed; they kept the charge of the Lord, at the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying:

'Make thee two trumpets of silver; of beaten work shalt thou make them; and they shall be unto thee for the calling of the congregation, and for causing the camps to set forward.

And when they shall blow with them, all the congregation shall gather themselves unto thee at the door of the tent of meeting.

And if they blow but with one, then the princes, the heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee.

And when ye blow an alarm, the camps that lie on the east side shall take their journey.

And when ye blow an alarm the second time, the camps that lie on the south side shall set forward; they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.

But when the assembly is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.

And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for a statute for ever throughout your generations.

And when ye go to war in your land against the adversary that oppresseth you, then ye shall sound an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.

Also in the day of your gladness, and in your appointed seasons, and in your new moons, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt-offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace-offerings; and they shall be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the Lord your God.’’

And it came to pass in the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, that the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle of the testimony.

And the children of Israel set forward by their stages out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud abode in the wilderness of Paran. --

And they took their first journey, according to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

And in the first place the standard of the camp of the children of Judah set forward according to their hosts; and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar.

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.

And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who bore the tabernacle, set forward.

And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their hosts; and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur.

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

And the Kohathites the bearers of the sanctuary set forward, that the tabernacle might be set up against their coming.

And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their hosts; and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud.

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.

And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan, which was the rearward of all the camps, set forward according to their hosts; and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ochran.

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.

Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their hosts. --And they set forward. {S}

And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Reuel 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.’’

And he said unto him: “I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred.’’

And he said: “Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou shalt be to us instead of eyes.

And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what good soever the Lord shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee.’’

And they set forward from the mount of the Lord three days' journey; and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them three days' journey, to seek out a resting-place for them.

And the cloud of the Lord was over them by day, when they set forward from the camp. {S}

And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said: “Rise up, O Lord, and let Thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate Thee flee before Thee.’’

And when it rested, he said: “Return, O Lord, unto the ten thousands of the families of Israel.’’

And the people were as murmurers, speaking evil in the ears of the Lord; and when the Lord heard it, His anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and devoured in the uttermost part of the camp.

And the people cried unto Moses; and Moses prayed unto the Lord, and the fire abated.

And the name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the Lord burnt among them.

And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting; and the children of Israel also wept on their part, and said: “Would that we were given flesh to eat!

We remember the fish, which we were wont to eat in Egypt for nought; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic;

but now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all; we have nought save this manna to look to.’’ --

Now the manna was like coriander seed, and the appearance thereof as the appearance of bdellium.

The people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in mortars, and seethed it in pots, and made cakes of it; and the taste of it was as the taste of a cake baked with oil.

And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it. --

And Moses heard the people weeping, family by family, every man at the door of his tent; and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly; and Moses was displeased.

And Moses said unto the Lord: “Wherefore hast Thou dealt ill with Thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in Thy sight, that Thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?

Have I conceived all this people? have I brought them forth, that Thou shouldest say unto me: Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing-father carrieth the sucking child, unto the land which Thou didst swear unto their fathers?

Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they trouble me with their weeping, saying: Give us flesh, that we may eat.

I am not able to bear all this people myself alone, because it is too heavy for me.

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 look upon my wretchedness.’’

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 tent of meeting, that they may stand there with thee.

And I will come down and speak 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.

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: Would that we were given flesh to eat! for it was well with us in Egypt; therefore the Lord will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.

Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;

but a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you; because that ye have rejected the Lord who is among you, and have troubled Him with weeping, saying: Why, now, came we forth out of Egypt?'

And Moses said: “The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand men on foot; and yet Thou hast said: I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month!

If flocks and herds be slain for them, will they suffice them? or if all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, will they suffice them?'

And the Lord said unto Moses: “Is the Lord’s hand waxed short? now shalt thou see whether My word shall come to pass unto thee or not.’’

And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the Lord; and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the Tent.

And the Lord came down in the cloud, and spoke unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and put it upon the seventy elders; and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, but they did so no more.

But there remained two 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 recorded, but had not gone out unto the Tent; and they prophesied in the camp.

And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said: “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.’’

And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses from his youth up, answered and said: “My Lord Moses, shut them in.’’

And Moses said unto him: “Art thou jealous for my sake? would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put His spirit upon them!'

And Moses withdrew into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.

And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought across quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, about a day's journey on this side, and a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and about two cubits above the face of the earth.

And the people rose up all that day, and all the night, and all the next day, and gathered the quails; he that gathered least gathered ten heaps; and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.

While the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague.

And the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people that lusted.

From Kibroth-hattaavah the people journeyed unto Hazeroth; and they abode at Hazeroth.

And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a Cushite woman.

And they said: “Hath the Lord indeed spoken only with Moses? hath He not spoken also with us?' And the Lord heard it. --

Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men that were upon the face of the earth. -- {S}

And the Lord spoke suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam: “Come out ye three unto the tent of meeting.’’ And they three came out.

And the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the door of the Tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forth.

And He said: “Hear now My words: if there be a prophet among you, I the Lord do make Myself known unto him in a vision, I do speak with him in a dream.

My servant Moses is not so; he is trusted in all My house;

with him do I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord doth he behold; wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses?'

And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and He departed.

And when the cloud was removed from over the Tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow; and Aaron looked upon Miriam; and, behold, she was leprous.

And Aaron said unto Moses: “Oh my Lord, lay not, I pray thee, sin upon us, for that we have done foolishly, and for that we have sinned.

Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb.’’

And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying: “Heal her now, O God, I beseech Thee.’’

And the Lord said unto Moses: “If her father had but spit in her face, should she not hide in shame seven days? let her be shut up without the camp seven days, and after that she shall be brought in again.’’

And Miriam was shut up without the camp seven days; and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.

And afterward the people journeyed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.