<t /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> said to Moses, &#8220;How long will this people despise<n id="1" /> me, and how long will they not believe<n id="2" /> in me, in spite of the signs that I have done among them?

then they will tell it to the inhabitants<n id="1" /> of this land. They have heard that you, <sc>Lordsc>, are among this people, that you, <sc>Lord,sc> are seen face to face,<n id="2" /> that your cloud stands over them, and that you go before them by day in a pillar of cloud and in a pillar of fire by night.

You will by no means enter into the land where<n id="1" /> I swore<n id="2" /> to settle<n id="3" /> you. The only exceptions are Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

And they assembled against Moses and Aaron, saying to them, &#8220;You take too much upon yourselves,<n id="1" /> seeing that the whole community is holy, every one of them, and the <sc>Lordsc> is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the community of the <sc>Lordsc>?&#8221;p>

Does it seem too small a thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the community of Israel to bring you near to himself, to perform the service of the tabernacle of the <sc>Lord,sc> and to stand before the community to minister to them?

Moreover,<n id="1" /> you have not brought us into a land that flows with milk and honey, nor given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Do you think you can blind<n id="2" /> these men? We will not come up.&#8221;p>

And he said to the community, &#8220;Move away from the tents of these wicked<n id="1" /> men, and do not touch anything they have, lest you be destroyed because<n id="2" /> of all their sins.&#8221;<n id="3" />

So Aaron did<n id="1" /> as Moses commanded<n id="2" /> and ran into the middle of the assembly, where the plague was just beginning among the people. So he placed incense on the coals and made atonement for the people.

&#8220;Speak to the Israelites, and receive from them a staff from each tribe,<n id="1" /> one from every tribal leader,<n id="2" /> twelve staffs; you must write each man&#8217;s name on his staff.

<p class="bodytext">On the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony &#8211; and<n id="1" /> the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted, and brought forth buds, and produced blossoms, and yielded almonds!<n id="2" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> said to Moses, &#8220;Bring Aaron&#8217;s staff back before the testimony to be preserved for a sign to the rebels, so that you may bring their murmurings to an end<n id="1" /> before me, that they will not die.&#8221;<n id="2" />

<t /><n id="1" /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> said to Aaron, &#8220;You and your sons and your tribe<n id="2" /> with you must bear the iniquity of the sanctuary,<n id="3" /> and you and your sons with you must bear the iniquity of your priesthood.p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> spoke to Aaron, &#8220;See, I have given you the responsibility for my raised offerings; I have given all the holy things of the Israelites to you as your priestly portion<n id="1" /> and to your sons as a perpetual ordinance.

&#8220;Take the staff and assemble the community, you and Aaron your brother, and then speak<n id="1" /> to the rock before their eyes. It will pour forth<n id="2" /> its water, and you will bring water out of the rock for them, and so you will give the community and their beasts water to drink.&#8221;p>

Then Moses and Aaron gathered the community together in front of the rock, and he said to them, &#8220;Listen, you rebels,<n id="1" /> must we bring<n id="2" /> water out of this rock for you?&#8221;

And the <sc>Lordsc> said to Moses, &#8220;Do not fear him, for I have delivered him and all his people and his land into your hand. You will do to him what you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.

<p class="bodytext">So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, &#8220;Now this mass of people<n id="1" /> will lick up everything around us, as the bull devours the grass of the field. Now Balak son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at this time.

And he sent messengers to Balaam<n id="1" /> son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates River<n id="2" /> in the land of Amaw,<n id="3" /> to summon him, saying, &#8220;Look, a nation has come out of Egypt. They cover the face<n id="4" /> of the earth, and they are settling next to me.

<p class="bodytext">Balaam replied<n id="1" /> to the servants of Balak, &#8220;Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the commandment<n id="2" /> of the <sc>Lordsc> my God<n id="3" /> to do less or more.

The donkey said to Balaam, &#8220;Am not I your donkey that you have ridden ever since I was yours until this day? Have I ever attempted<n id="1" /> to treat you this way?&#8221;<n id="2" /> And he said, &#8220;No.&#8221;