Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all ¹  nor bless them at all!” ² 

“Bring trouble ¹  to the Midianites, and destroy them,

The Levites purified themselves ¹  and washed their clothing; then Aaron presented them like a wave offering before the Lord, and Aaron made atonement for them to purify them.

And do this ¹  to them to purify them: Sprinkle water of purification ²  on them; then have them shave ³  all their body ⁴  and wash ⁵  their clothes, and so purify themselves. ⁶ 

Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place from which you can observe them. You will see only a part of them, but you will not see all of them. Curse them for me from there.”

But if he should nullify them after he has heard them, then he will bear her iniquity.” ¹ 

“Take the Levites from among the Israelites and purify ¹  them.

But if her husband clearly nullifies ¹  them when he hears them, then whatever she says ²  by way of vows or obligations will not stand. Her husband has made them void, and the Lord will release her from them.

Would they have enough if the flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? If all the fish of the sea were caught for them, would they have enough?”

I will strike them with the pestilence, ¹  and I will disinherit them; I will make you into a nation that is greater and mightier than they!”

“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 

‘Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land that he swore to them, he killed them in the wilderness.’

Then they must take all the utensils of the service, with which they serve in the sanctuary, put them in a blue cloth, cover them with a covering of fine leather, and put them on a carrying beam.

those of them numbered were 8,580.

who will go out before them, and who will come in before them, ¹  and who will lead them out, and who will bring them in, so that ²  the community of the Lord may not be like sheep that have no shepherd.”

“After this, the Levites will go in ¹  to do the work ²  of the tent of meeting. So you must cleanse them ³  and offer them like a wave offering. ⁴ 

The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he departed.

When Moses sent ¹  them to investigate the land of Canaan, he told them, “Go up through the Negev, ²  and then go up into the hill country

“Separate yourselves ¹  from among this community, ²  that I may consume them in an instant.”

So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran at the command ¹  of the Lord. All of them were leaders ²  of the Israelites.