Daily Text and Bible Reading: Thursday, February 13 [Press play below]

7.1 On the day that Moses finished setting up the tabernacle, he anointed it and sanctified it, together with all its furnishings, the altar, and all its utensils. When he had anointed and sanctified these things,
7.2 the chieftains of Israel, the heads of their paternal houses, made an offering. These chieftains of the tribes who presided over the registration
7.3 brought before Jehovah their offering of six covered wagons and 12 oxen, a wagon for two chieftains and a bull for each one; and they presented them before the tabernacle.
7.4 Jehovah said to Moses:
7.5 “Accept these things from them, as they will be used for the service of the tent of meeting, and you should give them to the Levites, to each one as needed for his duties.”
7.6 So Moses accepted the wagons and the cattle and gave them to the Levites.
7.7 He gave two wagons and four oxen to the sons of Gershon, according to what was needed for their duties;
7.8 and he gave four wagons and eight oxen to the sons of Merari, according to what was needed for their duties, under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
7.9 But he did not give any to the sons of Kohath because their duties involved the service of the holy place, and they carried the holy things on their shoulders.
7.10 Now the chieftains made their presentation at the inauguration of the altar on the day it was anointed. When the chieftains presented their offering before the altar,
7.11 Jehovah said to Moses: “One chieftain each day, on successive days, will present his offering for the inauguration of the altar.”
7.12 The one who presented his offering on the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab of the tribe of Judah.
7.13 His offering was one silver dish weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing 70 shekels by the standard shekel of the holy place, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
7.14 one gold cup weighing 10 shekels, full of incense;
7.15 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year for a burnt offering;
7.16 one young goat for a sin offering;
7.17 and for a communion sacrifice, two cattle, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs each a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
7.18 On the second day, Nethanel the son of Zuar, the chieftain of Issachar, made a presentation.
7.19 He presented as his offering one silver dish weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing 70 shekels by the standard shekel of the holy place, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
7.20 one gold cup weighing 10 shekels, full of incense;
7.21 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year for a burnt offering;
7.22 one young goat for a sin offering;
7.23 and for a communion sacrifice, two cattle, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs each a year old. This was the offering of Nethanel the son of Zuar.
7.24 On the third day, the chieftain for the sons of Zebulun, Eliab the son of Helon,
7.25 made his offering of one silver dish weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing 70 shekels by the standard shekel of the holy place, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
7.26 one gold cup weighing 10 shekels, full of incense;
7.27 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year for a burnt offering;
7.28 one young goat for a sin offering;
7.29 and for a communion sacrifice, two cattle, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs each a year old. This was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.
7.30 On the fourth day, the chieftain for the sons of Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur,
7.31 made his offering of one silver dish weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing 70 shekels by the standard shekel of the holy place, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
7.32 one gold cup weighing 10 shekels, full of incense;
7.33 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year for a burnt offering;
7.34 one young goat for a sin offering;
7.35 and for a communion sacrifice, two cattle, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs each a year old. This was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.
7.36 On the fifth day, the chieftain for the sons of Simeon, Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai,
7.37 made his offering of one silver dish weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing 70 shekels by the standard shekel of the holy place, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
7.38 one gold cup weighing 10 shekels, full of incense;
7.39 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year for a burnt offering;
7.40 one young goat for a sin offering;
7.41 and for a communion sacrifice, two cattle, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs each a year old. This was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
7.42 On the sixth day, the chieftain for the sons of Gad, Eliasaph the son of Deuel,
7.43 made his offering of one silver dish weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing 70 shekels by the standard shekel of the holy place, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
7.44 one gold cup weighing 10 shekels, full of incense;
7.45 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year for a burnt offering;
7.46 one young goat for a sin offering;
7.47 and for a communion sacrifice, two cattle, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs each a year old. This was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
7.48 On the seventh day, the chieftain for the sons of Ephraim, Elishama the son of Ammihud,
7.49 made his offering of one silver dish weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing 70 shekels by the standard shekel of the holy place, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
7.50 one gold cup weighing 10 shekels, full of incense;
7.51 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year for a burnt offering;
7.52 one young goat for a sin offering;
7.53 and for a communion sacrifice, two cattle, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs each a year old. This was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.
7.54 On the eighth day, the chieftain for the sons of Manasseh, Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur,
7.55 made his offering of one silver dish weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing 70 shekels by the standard shekel of the holy place, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
7.56 one gold cup weighing 10 shekels, full of incense;
7.57 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year for a burnt offering;
7.58 one young goat for a sin offering;
7.59 and for a communion sacrifice, two cattle, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs each a year old. This was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
7.60 On the ninth day, the chieftain for the sons of Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gideoni,
7.61 made his offering of one silver dish weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing 70 shekels by the standard shekel of the holy place, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
7.62 one gold cup weighing 10 shekels, full of incense;
7.63 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year for a burnt offering;
7.64 one young goat for a sin offering;
7.65 and for a communion sacrifice, two cattle, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs each a year old. This was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.
7.66 On the tenth day, the chieftain for the sons of Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai,
7.67 made his offering of one silver dish weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing 70 shekels by the standard shekel of the holy place, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
7.68 one gold cup weighing 10 shekels, full of incense;
7.69 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year for a burnt offering;
7.70 one young goat for a sin offering;
7.71 and for a communion sacrifice, two cattle, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs each a year old. This was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
7.72 On the 11th day, the chieftain for the sons of Asher, Pagiel the son of Ochran,
7.73 made his offering of one silver dish weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing 70 shekels by the standard shekel of the holy place, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
7.74 one gold cup weighing 10 shekels, full of incense;
7.75 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year for a burnt offering;
7.76 one young goat for a sin offering;
7.77 and for a communion sacrifice, two cattle, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs each a year old. This was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ochran.
7.78 On the 12th day, the chieftain for the sons of Naphtali, Ahira the son of Enan,
7.79 made his offering of one silver dish weighing 130 shekels and one silver bowl weighing 70 shekels by the standard shekel of the holy place, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
7.80 one gold cup weighing 10 shekels, full of incense;
7.81 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year for a burnt offering;
7.82 one young goat for a sin offering;
7.83 and for a communion sacrifice, two cattle, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs each a year old. This was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan.
7.84 This was the inauguration offering of the altar from the chieftains of Israel when it was anointed: 12 silver dishes, 12 silver bowls, 12 gold cups;
7.85 each silver dish weighing 130 shekels and each bowl weighing 70 shekels, all the silver of the vessels amounting to 2,400 shekels by the standard shekel of the holy place;
7.86 the 12 gold cups full of incense each weighed 10 shekels by the standard shekel of the holy place, all the gold of the cups amounting to 120 shekels.
7.87 All the cattle for the burnt offering were 12 bulls, 12 rams, 12 male lambs each a year old and their grain offerings, and 12 young goats for a sin offering;
7.88 and all the cattle of the communion sacrifice amounted to 24 bulls, 60 rams, 60 male goats, and 60 male lambs each a year old. This was the inauguration offering of the altar after it was anointed.
7.89 Whenever Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with God, he would hear the voice conversing with him from above the cover of the ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubs; and God would speak to him.
8.1 Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying:
8.2 “Speak to Aaron and tell him, ‘When you light up the lamps, the seven lamps should shine on the area in front of the lampstand.’”
8.3 So Aaron did this: He lit up its lamps for the area in front of the lampstand, just as Jehovah had commanded Moses.
8.4 This is how the lampstand was made: It was hammered work of gold; from its stem to its blossoms, it was hammered work. The lampstand was made according to the vision that Jehovah had shown Moses.
8.5 Jehovah spoke again to Moses, saying:
8.6 “Take the Levites from among the Israelites, and cleanse them.
8.7 This is how you should cleanse them: Sprinkle sin-cleansing water on them, and they must shave their whole body with a razor, wash their garments, and cleanse themselves.
8.8 Then they will take a young bull and its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you will take another young bull for a sin offering.
8.9 And you are to present the Levites before the tent of meeting and gather all the assembly of the Israelites.
8.10 When you present the Levites before Jehovah, the Israelites are to lay their hands on the Levites.
8.11 And Aaron must offer the Levites before Jehovah as a wave offering from the Israelites, and they will carry out the service of Jehovah.
8.12 “Then the Levites will lay their hands on the heads of the bulls. After that, offer the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to Jehovah to make atonement for the Levites.
8.13 And you will have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons and offer them as a wave offering to Jehovah.
8.14 You must separate the Levites from among the Israelites, and the Levites will become mine.
8.15 Afterward, the Levites will come in to serve at the tent of meeting. This is how you should cleanse them and offer them as a wave offering.
8.16 For they are given ones, given to me from among the Israelites. In place of all those who are firstborn of the Israelites, I will take them for myself.
8.17 For every firstborn among the Israelites is mine, both man and animal. I sanctified them to myself on the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt.
8.18 I will take the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the Israelites.
8.19 I will give the Levites as given ones to Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites, to carry out the service in behalf of the Israelites at the tent of meeting and to make atonement for the Israelites, so that no plague may occur among the Israelites because the people of Israel come near the holy place.”
8.20 Moses and Aaron and all the assembly of the Israelites did this with the Levites. In accord with all that Jehovah had commanded Moses regarding the Levites, that is what the Israelites did with them.
8.21 So the Levites purified themselves and washed their garments, after which Aaron offered them as a wave offering before Jehovah. Then Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them.
8.22 Thereafter, the Levites went in to carry out their service at the tent of meeting before Aaron and his sons. Just as Jehovah had commanded Moses respecting the Levites, so they did with them.
8.23 Jehovah now spoke to Moses, saying:
8.24 “This applies to the Levites: From 25 years old and up, a man will join the company of those in the service of the tent of meeting.
8.25 But after the age of 50 years, he will retire from the service company and not serve any longer.
8.26 He may minister to his brothers who are taking care of the responsibilities at the tent of meeting, but he must not perform the service there. This is what you are to do regarding the Levites and their responsibilities.”
9.1 Jehovah spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying:
9.2 “The Israelites should prepare the Passover sacrifice at its appointed time.
9.3 On the 14th day of this month at twilight, you should prepare it at its appointed time. According to all its statutes and all its set procedures, you should prepare it.”
9.4 So Moses told the Israelites to prepare the Passover sacrifice.
9.5 Then they prepared the Passover sacrifice in the first month, on the 14th day of the month at twilight, in the wilderness of Sinai. According to all that Jehovah had commanded Moses, so the Israelites did.
9.6 Now there were men who had become unclean by touching a dead body, so that they were not able to prepare the Passover sacrifice on that day. So those men presented themselves before Moses and Aaron on that day
9.7 and said to him: “We are unclean because of touching a dead body. Why should we be kept from presenting the offering to Jehovah at its appointed time among the Israelites?”
9.8 At this Moses said to them: “Wait there, and let me hear what Jehovah may command regarding you.”
9.9 Then Jehovah said to Moses:
9.10 “Tell the Israelites, ‘Although any man among you or of your future generations should become unclean by touching a dead body or should be off on a distant journey, he must still prepare the Passover sacrifice to Jehovah.
9.11 They should prepare it in the second month, on the 14th day at twilight. They should eat it together with unleavened bread and bitter greens.
9.12 They must not let any of it remain until morning, and they should not break any bone in it. They should prepare it according to every statute regarding the Passover.
9.13 But if a man was clean or was not off on a journey and neglected to prepare the Passover sacrifice, that person must then be cut off from his people, because he did not present the offering of Jehovah at its appointed time. That man will answer for his sin.
9.14 “‘And if a foreign resident is residing with you, he should also prepare the Passover sacrifice to Jehovah. He should do so according to the statute of the Passover and its set procedure. There should exist one statute for you, both for the foreign resident and for the native of the land.’”
9.15 Now on the day the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony, but in the evening what appeared to be fire remained over the tabernacle until morning.
9.16 That is what continued to take place: The cloud would cover it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
9.17 Whenever the cloud lifted from the tent, the Israelites would promptly depart, and in the place where the cloud would remain, there is where the Israelites would encamp.
9.18 At the order of Jehovah the Israelites would depart, and at the order of Jehovah they would encamp. As long as the cloud remained over the tabernacle, they would remain encamped.
9.19 When the cloud would stay over the tabernacle for many days, the Israelites would obey Jehovah and not depart.
9.20 Sometimes the cloud would remain for a few days over the tabernacle. At the order of Jehovah they would remain encamped, and at the order of Jehovah they would depart.
9.21 Sometimes the cloud would remain only from evening until morning, and when the cloud lifted in the morning, they would depart. Whether it was day or night when the cloud lifted, they would depart.
9.22 Whether it was two days, a month, or longer, as long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, the Israelites remained encamped and would not depart. But when it lifted, they would depart.
9.23 At the order of Jehovah they would encamp, and at the order of Jehovah they would depart. They kept their obligation to Jehovah at the order of Jehovah through Moses.