<t /><p class="bodytext">Balak said to Balaam, &#8220;Neither curse them at all<n id="1" /> nor bless them at all!&#8221;<n id="2" />

&#8220;Also take a census of the Gershonites, by their clans and by their families.

They<n id="1" /> said, &#8220;Has the <sc>Lordsc> only<n id="2" /> spoken through Moses? Has he not also spoken through us?&#8221;<n id="3" /> And the <sc>Lordsc> heard it.<n id="4" />p>

He has brought you near and all your brothers, the sons of Levi, with you. Do you now seek<n id="1" /> the priesthood also?

When you have seen it, you will be gathered<n id="1" /> to your ancestors,<n id="2" /> as Aaron your brother was gathered to his ancestors.<n id="3" />

They must be responsible to care for you and to care for the entire tabernacle. However, they must not come near the furnishings of the sanctuary and the altar, or both they and you will die.

<t /><n id="1" /><p class="bodytext">Now the mixed multitude<n id="2" /> who were among them craved more desirable foods,<n id="3" /> and so the Israelites wept again<n id="4" /> and said, &#8220;If only we had meat to eat!<n id="5" />

Is it a small thing<n id="1" /> that you have brought us up out of the land that flows with milk and honey,<n id="2" /> to kill us in the wilderness? Now do you want to make yourself a prince<n id="3" /> over us?

Now therefore, please stay<n id="1" /> the night here also, that I may know what more the <sc>Lordsc> might say to me.&#8221;<n id="2" />

The donkey saw me and turned from me these three times. If<n id="1" /> she had not turned from me, I would have killed you but saved her alive.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">Balaam said to Balak, &#8220;Did I not also tell your messengers whom you sent to me,

Thus you are to offer up a raised offering to the <sc>Lordsc> of all your tithes which you receive from the Israelites; and you must give the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s raised offering from it to Aaron the priest.