how our ancestors went down into Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time, ¹  and the Egyptians treated us and our ancestors badly. ² 

God brought them ¹  out of Egypt. They have, as it were, the strength of a wild bull. ² 

So they said to one another, ¹  “Let’s appoint ²  a leader ³  and return ⁴  to Egypt.”

There the border will turn from Azmon to the Brook of Egypt, and then its direction is to the sea. ¹ 

¹ These are the journeys of the Israelites, who went out of the land of Egypt by their divisions under the authority ²  of Moses and Aaron.

¹ Now the Lord ²  spoke ³  to Moses in the tent of meeting ⁴  in the wilderness ⁵  of Sinai ⁶  on the first day of the second month of the second year after ⁷  the Israelites ⁸  departed from the land of Egypt. ⁹  He said:

For all the firstborn males among the Israelites are mine, both humans and animals; when I destroyed ¹  all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I set them apart for myself.

¹ The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out ²  of the land of Egypt:

We remember ¹  the fish we used to eat ²  freely ³  in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.

When they went up through the Negev, they ¹  came ²  to Hebron where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, ³  descendants of Anak, were living. (Now Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan ⁴  in Egypt.)

Why has the Lord brought us into this land only to be killed by the sword, that our wives and our children should become plunder? Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?”

Please forgive ¹  the iniquity of this people according to your great loyal love, ²  just as you have forgiven this people from Egypt even until now.”

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord your God.”

Why ¹  have you brought us up from Egypt only to bring us to ²  this dreadful place? It is no place for grain, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink!”

So when we cried to the Lord, he heard our voice and sent a messenger, ¹  and has brought us up out of Egypt. Now ²  we are here in Kadesh, a town on the edge of your country. ³ 

And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness, for there is no bread or water, and we ¹  detest this worthless ²  food.”

“Look, a nation has come out ¹  of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Come now and put a curse on them for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them ²  and drive them out.” ³ 

God brought them out of Egypt. They have, as it were, the strength of a young bull; they will devour hostile people ¹  and will break their bones and will pierce them through with arrows.

“Number the people ¹  from twenty years old and upward, just as the Lord commanded Moses and the Israelites who went out from the land of Egypt.”

because all the firstborn are mine. When I destroyed ¹  all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set apart for myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They belong to me. I am the Lord.” ²