Numbers 33:1-56, NLT

Numbers 33

Remembering Israel’s Journey

1This is the route the Israelites followed as they marched out of Egypt under the leadership of Moses and Aaron.

2At the Lord’s direction, Moses kept a written record of their progress. These are the stages of their march, identified by the different places where they stopped along the way.

3They set out from the city of Rameses in early spring—on the fifteenth day of the first month*33:3 This day in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in late March, April, or early May.—on the morning after the first Passover celebration. The people of Israel left defiantly, in full view of all the Egyptians.

4Meanwhile, the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn sons, whom the Lord had killed the night before. The Lord had defeated the gods of Egypt that night with great acts of judgment!

5After leaving Rameses, the Israelites set up camp at Succoth.

6Then they left Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness.

7They left Etham and turned back toward Pi-hahiroth, opposite Baal-zephon, and camped near Migdol.

8They left Pi-hahiroth*33:8a As in many Hebrew manuscripts, Samaritan Pentateuch, and Latin Vulgate (see also 33:7); most Hebrew manuscripts read left from in front of Hahiroth. and crossed the Red Sea*33:8b Hebrew the sea. into the wilderness beyond. Then they traveled for three days into the Etham wilderness and camped at Marah.

9They left Marah and camped at Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees.

10They left Elim and camped beside the Red Sea.*33:10 Hebrew sea of reeds; also in 33:11.

11They left the Red Sea and camped in the wilderness of Sin.*33:11 The geographical name Sin is related to Sinai and should not be confused with the English word sin.

12They left the wilderness of Sin and camped at Dophkah.

13They left Dophkah and camped at Alush.

14They left Alush and camped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.

15They left Rephidim and camped in the wilderness of Sinai.

16They left the wilderness of Sinai and camped at Kibroth-hattaavah.

17They left Kibroth-hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth.

18They left Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah.

19They left Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez.

20They left Rimmon-perez and camped at Libnah.

21They left Libnah and camped at Rissah.

22They left Rissah and camped at Kehelathah.

23They left Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher.

24They left Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah.

25They left Haradah and camped at Makheloth.

26They left Makheloth and camped at Tahath.

27They left Tahath and camped at Terah.

28They left Terah and camped at Mithcah.

29They left Mithcah and camped at Hashmonah.

30They left Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth.

31They left Moseroth and camped at Bene-jaakan.

32They left Bene-jaakan and camped at Hor-haggidgad.

33They left Hor-haggidgad and camped at Jotbathah.

34They left Jotbathah and camped at Abronah.

35They left Abronah and camped at Ezion-geber.

36They left Ezion-geber and camped at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.

37They left Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, at the border of Edom.

38While they were at the foot of Mount Hor, Aaron the priest was directed by the Lord to go up the mountain, and there he died. This happened in midsummer, on the first day of the fifth month*33:38 This day in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in July or August. of the fortieth year after Israel’s departure from Egypt. 39Aaron was 123 years old when he died there on Mount Hor.

40At that time the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev in the land of Canaan, heard that the people of Israel were approaching his land.

41Meanwhile, the Israelites left Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah.

42Then they left Zalmonah and camped at Punon.

43They left Punon and camped at Oboth.

44They left Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim on the border of Moab.

45They left Iye-abarim*33:45 As in 33:44; Hebrew reads Iyim, another name for Iye-abarim. and camped at Dibon-gad.

46They left Dibon-gad and camped at Almon-diblathaim.

47They left Almon-diblathaim and camped in the mountains east of the river,*33:47 Or the mountains of Abarim; also in 33:48. near Mount Nebo.

48They left the mountains east of the river and camped on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River, across from Jericho.

49Along the Jordan River they camped from Beth-jeshimoth as far as the meadows of Acacia*33:49 Hebrew as far as Abel-shittim. on the plains of Moab.

50While they were camped near the Jordan River on the plains of Moab opposite Jericho, the Lord said to Moses,

51“Give the following instructions to the people of Israel: When you cross the Jordan River into the land of Canaan, 52you must drive out all the people living there. You must destroy all their carved and molten images and demolish all their pagan shrines. 53Take possession of the land and settle in it, because I have given it to you to occupy. 54You must distribute the land among the clans by sacred lot and in proportion to their size. A larger portion of land will be allotted to each of the larger clans, and a smaller portion will be allotted to each of the smaller clans. The decision of the sacred lot is final. In this way, the portions of land will be divided among your ancestral tribes. 55But if you fail to drive out the people who live in the land, those who remain will be like splinters in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will harass you in the land where you live. 56And I will do to you what I had planned to do to them.”