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Bible/King James/Documentary Hypothesis/Priestly source/Levitical Laws

<Bible, English, King James, According to the documentary hypothesis | Priestly source

According to the documentary hypothesis, the torah was redacted together from a number of earlier source texts. The largest of these is referred to as the "Priestly source", due to its concentration on details which would be of interest to the Aaronid priesthood (the Kohanim).

The reconstructed text of this source contains several elements which are separable from the narrative, including several laws, and descriptions of how rituals should be carried out. It is sometimes believed that these were originally separate documents held as priestly records, or simple observations. One of the three extensive parts of these separable elements is the set of laws, which form approximately one third of the mitzvot within the torah. It should be noted that, even under the documentary hypothesis, these laws were in addition to, not in place of, the miscellany of the Holiness Code.

The text constitutes a very large proportion of Leviticus, together with some of the the later parts of Exodus, and some of the initial and end parts of Numbers.

''While based on the Torah, neither the numbering or arrangement necessarily reflects the organisation or numbering of the original text. It is reconstructed here as a law code, and arranged accordingly''

Sabbath

 * (based on Exodus 31:12-17, and Exodus 35:1-3, with a very basic example of it being carried out at Numbers 15:32-36)

1 Verily the LORD's sabbaths ye shall keep:

2 For it is a sign between him and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that the LORD that doth sanctify you.

3 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death:

4 For whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

5 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD:

6 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.

7 Whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.

8 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

9 It is a sign between the LORD and the children of Israel for ever:

10 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

Tithe

 * (based on Exodus 30:11-16)

1 When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them;

2 That there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.

3 This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary:

4 (A shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.

5 Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD.

6 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel,

7 When they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.

8 And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation;

9 That it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.

Priestly Conduct

 * (based on Leviticus 10:6-15)

1 For Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons, shall uncover not their heads, neither rend their clothes;

2 Lest they die, and lest wrath come upon all the people:

3 But let their brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled.

4 And they shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they die:

5 For the anointing oil of the LORD is upon them.

6 They shall not drink wine nor strong drink, nor their sons with them,

7 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they die:

8 It shall be a statute for ever throughout thy generations:

9 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

10 Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it is most holy:

11 And they shall eat it in the holy place, because it is their due, and their sons' due, of the sacrifices of the LORD made by fire:

12 And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall they eat in a clean place; them, and their sons, and their daughters with thee:

13 For they be their due, and their sons' due, which are given out of the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel.

14 The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the LORD;

15 And it shall be theirs, and their sons' with them, by a statute for ever; as the LORD hath commanded.

Uncleanliness during the Passover

 * (based on Numbers 9:9-14, with a very basic description of a related situation, appearing to be designed to bring about a statement of this law, at Numbers 9:1-8)

1 If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the LORD.

2 The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

3 They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it.

4 But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people:

5 Because he brought not the offering of the LORD in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.

6 And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD;

7 According to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do:

8 Ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.

Portions of Offerings due to the Priests

 * (based on Leviticus 7:28-38)

1 He that offereth the sacrifice of his peace offerings unto the LORD shall bring his oblation unto the LORD of the sacrifice of his peace offerings.

2 His own hands shall bring the offerings of the LORD made by fire, the fat with the breast,

3 It shall he bring, that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before the LORD.

4 And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the breast shall be Aaron's and his sons'.

5 And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest for an heave offering of the sacrifices of your peace offerings.

6 He among the sons of Aaron, that offereth the blood of the peace offerings, and the fat, shall have the right shoulder for his part.

7 For the wave breast and the heave shoulder have I taken of the children of Israel from off the sacrifices of their peace offerings,

8 And have given them unto Aaron the priest and unto his sons by a statute for ever from among the children of Israel.

8 This is the portion of the anointing of Aaron, and of the anointing of his sons, out of the offerings of the LORD made by fire,

10 In the day when he presented them to minister unto the LORD in the priest's office;

11 Which the LORD commanded to be given them of the children of Israel, in the day that he anointed them, by a statute for ever throughout their generations.

12 This is the law of the burnt offering, of the meat offering, and of the sin offering, and of the trespass offering, and of the consecrations, and of the sacrifice of the peace offerings;

The Rights of Priests to Consume Offerings

 * (based on Numbers 18:8-19)

1 Behold, unto Aaron, the LORD have given thee the charge of heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel;

2 Unto them have he given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever.

3 This shall be of them of the most holy things, reserved from the fire:

 * A Every oblation of their's,

 * B Every meat offering of their's,

 * C And every sin offering of their's,

 * D And every trespass offering of their's which they shall render unto me,

 * E Shall be most holy for Aaron and for his sons.

4 In the most holy place shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto them.

5 And this is for Aaron; the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel:

6 The LORD have given them unto Aaron, and to his sons and to his daughters with him, by a statute for ever:

7 Every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it.

8 All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat,

9 The firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have he given them.

10 And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto the LORD, shall be Aaron's;

11 Every one that is clean in thine house shall eat of it.

12 Every thing devoted in Israel shall be his.

13 Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be his:

14 Nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt be surely redeemed, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt be redeemed.

15 And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt be redeemed, according to thine estimation,

16 For the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.

17 But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, shalt not be redeemed; they are holy:

18 Aaron shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.

19 And the flesh of them shall be his, as the wave breast and as the right shoulder are thine.

20 All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have he given Aaron, and his sons and his daughters with him, by a statute for ever:

21 It is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee.

Prohibited Offering

 * (based on Leviticus 21:21-22)

1 No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire:

2 He hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.

3 He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.

Overriding Vows and Oaths

 * (based on Numbers 30)

1 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond;

2 He shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

3 If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth;

4 And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her;

5 Then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand.

6 But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand:

7 And the LORD shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.

8 And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul;

9 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it:

10 Then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.

11 But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it;

12 Then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect:

13 And the LORD shall forgive her.

14 But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her.

15 And if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath;

16 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not:

17 Then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.

18 But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them;

19 Then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand:

20 Her husband hath made them void; and the LORD shall forgive her.

21 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.

22 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day;

23 Then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her:

24 He confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them.

25 But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity.

26 These are the statutes, which the LORD commanded Moses,

27 Between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father's house.

The Financial Value of Vows

 * (based on Leviticus 27)

1 When a man shall make a singular vow, the persons shall be for the LORD by thy estimation.

2 And thy estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old,

3 Even thy estimation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary.

4 And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels.

5 And if it be from five years old even unto twenty years old,

6 Then thy estimation shall be of the male twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels.

7 And if it be from a month old even unto five years old,

8 Then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver, and for the female thy estimation shall be three shekels of silver.

9 And if it be from sixty years old and above;

10 If it be a male, then thy estimation shall be fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels.

11 But if he be poorer than thy estimation, then he shall present himself before the priest, and the priest shall value him;

12 According to his ability that vowed shall the priest value him.

13 And if it be a beast, whereof men bring an offering unto the LORD, all that any man giveth of such unto the LORD shall be holy.

14 He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good:

15 And if he shall at all change beast for beast, then it and the exchange thereof shall be holy.

16 And if it be any unclean beast, of which they do not offer a sacrifice unto the LORD, then he shall present the beast before the priest:

17 And the priest shall value it, whether it be good or bad: as thou valuest it, who art the priest, so shall it be.

18 But if he will at all redeem it, then he shall add a fifth part thereof unto thy estimation.

19 And when a man shall sanctify his house to be holy unto the LORD, then the priest shall estimate it, whether it be good or bad:

20 As the priest shall estimate it, so shall it stand.

21 And if he that sanctified it will redeem his house, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be his.

22 And if a man shall sanctify unto the LORD some part of a field of his possession,

23 Then thy estimation shall be according to the seed thereof: an homer of barley seed shall be valued at fifty shekels of silver.

24 If he sanctify his field from the year of jubile, according to thy estimation it shall stand.

25 But if he sanctify his field after the jubile, then the priest shall reckon unto him the money according to the years that remain,

26 Even unto the year of the jubile, and it shall be abated from thy estimation.

27 And if he that sanctified the field will in any wise redeem it,

28 Then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be assured to him.

29 And if he will not redeem the field, or if he have sold the field to another man, it shall not be redeemed any more.

30 But the field, when it goeth out in the jubile, shall be holy unto the LORD, as a field devoted; the possession thereof shall be the priest's.

31 And if a man sanctify unto the LORD a field which he hath bought, which is not of the fields of his possession;

32 Then the priest shall reckon unto him the worth of thy estimation, even unto the year of the jubile:

33 And he shall give thine estimation in that day, as a holy thing unto the LORD.

34 In the year of the jubile the field shall return unto him of whom it was bought, even to him to whom the possession of the land did belong.

35 And all thy estimations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs shall be the shekel.

36 Only the firstling of the beasts, which should be the LORD's firstling, no man shall sanctify it; whether it be ox, or sheep: it is the LORD's.

37 And if it be of an unclean beast, then he shall redeem it according to thine estimation, and shall add a fifth part of it thereto:

38 Or if it be not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to thy estimation.

39 Notwithstanding no devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the LORD of all that he hath,

40 Both of man and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy unto the LORD.

41 None devoted, which shall be devoted of men, shall be redeemed; but shall surely be put to death.

42 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's: it is holy unto the LORD.

43 And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.

44 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.

45 He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it:

46 And if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.

The Jubilee

 * (based on Leviticus 25:11-12 and Leviticus 25:15)

1 A jubile shall that fiftieth year be unto you:

2 Ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed.

3 For it is the jubile; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field.

4 According to the number of years after the jubile thou shalt buy of thy neighbour,

5 And according unto the number of years of the fruits he shall sell unto thee:

Land Rights

 * (based on Leviticus 25:23 and Leviticus 25:26-34)

1 The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is the LORDs, for ye are strangers and sojourners with him.

2 If a man have none to redeem it, and himself be able to redeem it;

3 Then let him count the years of the sale thereof, and restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it;

4 That he may return unto his possession.

5 But if he be not able to restore it to him, then that which is sold shall remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until the year of jubile:

6 And in the jubile it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession.

7 And if a man sell a dwelling house in a walled city, then he may redeem it within a whole year after it is sold;

8 Within a full year may he redeem it. And if it be not redeemed within the space of a full year,

9 Tthe house that is in the walled city shall be established for ever to him that bought it throughout his generations: it shall not go out in the jubile.

10 But the houses of the villages which have no wall round about them shall be counted as the fields of the country:

11 They may be redeemed, and they shall go out in the jubile.

12 Notwithstanding the cities of the Levites, and the houses of the cities of their possession, may the Levites redeem at any time.

13 And if a man purchase of the Levites, then the house that was sold, and the city of his possession, shall go out in the year of jubile:

14 For the houses of the cities of the Levites are their possession among the children of Israel.

15 But the field of the suburbs of their cities may not be sold; for it is their perpetual possession.

Slavery

 * (based on Leviticus 25:39-40, Leviticus 25:42, Leviticus 25:44-52, and Leviticus 25:54-55)

1 If thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant:

2 But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubile.

3 For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen.

4 Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you;

5 Of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids.

6 Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy,

7 And of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession.

8 And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever:

9 But over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigour.

10 And if a sojourner or stranger wax rich by thee, and thy brother that dwelleth by him wax poor,

11 And sell himself unto the stranger or sojourner by thee, or to the stock of the stranger's family:

12 After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of his brethren may redeem him:

13 Either his uncle, or his uncle's son, may redeem him, or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him;

14 Or if he be able, he may redeem himself.

15 And he shall reckon with him that bought him from the year that he was sold to him unto the year of jubile:

16 And the price of his sale shall be according unto the number of years, according to the time of an hired servant shall it be with him.

17 If there be yet many years behind, according unto them he shall give again the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for.

18 And if there remain but few years unto the year of jubile, then he shall count with him,

19 And according unto his years shall he give him again the price of his redemption.

20 And if he be not redeemed in these years, then he shall go out in the year of jubile, both he, and his children with him.

21 For unto the LORD the children of Israel are servants; they are servants whom he brought forth out of the land of Egypt:

Restitution

 * (based on Numbers 5:5-10)

1 When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the LORD, and that person be guilty;

2 Then they shall confess their sin which they have done:

3 And he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed.

4 But if the man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass unto, let the trespass be recompensed unto the LORD, even to the priest;

5 Beside the ram of the atonement, whereby an atonement shall be made for him.

6 And every offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they bring unto the priest, shall be his.

7 And every man's hallowed things shall be his: whatsoever any man giveth the priest, it shall be his.

Ownership Rights of Levites

 * (based on Numbers 18:20-32)

1 Aaron shall have no inheritence in the land, neither shall he have any part among them:

2 The LORD is his part and his inheritance among the children of Israel.

3 And behold, the LORD have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance,

4 For their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

5 Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die.

6 But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity:

7 It shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance.

8 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, he have given to the Levites to inherit:

9 Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.

10 When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which the LORD have given you from them for your inheritance,

11 Then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe.

12 And this your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshingfloor, and as the fulness of the winepress.

13 Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the LORD of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel;

14 And ye shall give thereof the LORD's heave offering to Aaron the priest.

15 Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the LORD, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it.

16 Therefore thou shalt say unto them,

17 When ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshingfloor, and as the increase of the winepress.

18 And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation.

19 And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved from it the best of it:

20 Neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die.

Death without a son

 * (based on Numbers 27:8-11, with a very basic description of a directly related situation, appearing to be designed to make the statement of the law appear a natural part of the narrative, at Numbers 27:1-7)

1 If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter.

2 And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren.

3 And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father's brethren.

4 And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it:

5 And it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Levirite Marriage

 * (based on Numbers 36:7-9, with a very basic description of a directly related situation, appearing to be designed to make the statement of the law appear a natural part of the narrative, at Numbers 36:1-6, and another basic description of it being implemented at Numbers 36:10-12)

1 The inheritance of the children of Israel shall not remove from tribe to tribe:

2 For every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

3 And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel,

4 Shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers.

5 Neither shall the inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe;

6 But every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall keep himself to his own inheritance.

Confirming Leprosy and Plague

 * (based on Leviticus 13, with a subsequent very basic description of it being carried within Numbers 5:1-4)

1 When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy;

2 Then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests:

3 And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh:

4 And when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh,

5 It is a plague of leprosy: And the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.

6 If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white;

7 Then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days: And the priest shall look on him the seventh day:

8 And, behold, if the plague in his sight be at a stay, and the plague spread not in the skin;

9 Then the priest shall shut him up seven days more: And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day:

10 And, behold, if the plague be somewhat dark, and the plague spread not in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean:

11 It is but a scab: And he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.

12 But if the scab spread much abroad in the skin, after that he hath been seen of the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen of the priest again.

13 And if the priest see that, behold, the scab spreadeth in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a leprosy.

14 When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the priest; And the priest shall see him:

15 And, behold, if the rising be white in the skin, and it have turned the hair white, and there be quick raw flesh in the rising;

16 It is an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean, and shall not shut him up: for he is unclean.

17 And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of him that hath the plague from his head even to his foot,

18 Wheresoever the priest looketh; then the priest shall consider:

19 And, behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: it is all turned white: he is clean.

20 But when raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean.

21 And the priest shall see the raw flesh, and pronounce him to be unclean: for the raw flesh is unclean: it is a leprosy.

22 Or if the raw flesh turn again, and be changed unto white, he shall come unto the priest; and the priest shall see him:

23 And, behold, if the plague be turned into white; then the priest shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: he is clean.

24 The flesh also, in which, even in the skin thereof, was a boil, and is healed,

25 And in the place of the boil there be a white rising, or a bright spot, white, and somewhat reddish, and it be shewed to the priest;

26 And if, when the priest seeth it, behold, it be in sight lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be turned white;

27 The priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague of leprosy broken out of the boil.

28 But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hairs therein, and if it be not lower than the skin, but be somewhat dark;

29 Then the priest shall shut him up seven days:

30 And if it spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague.

31 But if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not, it is a burning boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

32 Or if there be any flesh, in the skin whereof there is a hot burning, and the quick flesh that burneth have a white bright spot, somewhat reddish, or white;

33 Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the hair in the bright spot be turned white, and it be in sight deeper than the skin;

34 It is a leprosy broken out of the burning: wherefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy.

35 But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hair in the bright spot, and it be no lower than the other skin, but be somewhat dark;

36 Then the priest shall shut him up seven days: and the priest shall look upon him the seventh day:

37 And if it be spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy.

38 And if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not in the skin, but it be somewhat dark;

39 It is a rising of the burning, and the priest shall pronounce him clean: for it is an inflammation of the burning.

40 If a man or woman have a plague upon the head or the beard;

41 Then the priest shall see the plague: and, behold, if it be in sight deeper than the skin; and there be in it a yellow thin hair;

42 Then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a dry scall, even a leprosy upon the head or beard.

43 And if the priest look on the plague of the scall, and, behold, it be not in sight deeper than the skin, and that there is no black hair in it;

44 Then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague of the scall seven days: and in the seventh day the priest shall look on the plague:

45 And, behold, if the scall spread not, and there be in it no yellow hair, and the scall be not in sight deeper than the skin;

46 He shall be shaven, but the scall shall he not shave;

47 And the priest shall shut up him that hath the scall seven days more: and in the seventh day the priest shall look on the scall:

48 And, behold, if the scall be not spread in the skin, nor be in sight deeper than the skin;

49 Then the priest shall pronounce him clean: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.

50 But if the scall spread much in the skin after his cleansing; then the priest shall look on him:

51 And, behold, if the scall be spread in the skin, the priest shall not seek for yellow hair; he is unclean.

52 But if the scall be in his sight at a stay, and that there is black hair grown up therein;

53 The scall is healed, he is clean: and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

54 If a man also or a woman have in the skin of their flesh bright spots, even white bright spots;

55 Then the priest shall look: and, behold, if the bright spots in the skin of their flesh be darkish white;

56 It is a freckled spot that groweth in the skin; he is clean.

57 And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, he is bald; yet is he clean.

58 And he that hath his hair fallen off from the part of his head toward his face, he is forehead bald: yet is he clean.

59 And if there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white reddish sore; it is a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or his bald forehead.

60 Then the priest shall look upon it:

61 Aand, behold, if the rising of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh;

62 He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague is in his head.

63 And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.

64 All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean:

65 He shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.

66 The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woollen garment, or a linen garment;

67 Whether it be in the warp, or woof; of linen, or of woollen; whether in a skin, or in any thing made of skin;

68 And if the plague be greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin;

69 It is a plague of leprosy, and shall be shewed unto the priest:

70 And the priest shall look upon the plague, and shut up it that hath the plague seven days: and he shall look on the plague on the seventh day:

71 If the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, or in any work that is made of skin;

72 The plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean.

73 He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in woollen or in linen, or any thing of skin, wherein the plague is:

74 For it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire.

75 And if the priest shall look, and, behold, the plague be not spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin;

76 Then the priest shall command that they wash the thing wherein the plague is, and he shall shut it up seven days more: and the priest shall look on the plague, after that it is washed:

77 And, behold, if the plague have not changed his colour, and the plague be not spread;

78 It is unclean; thou shalt burn it in the fire; it is fret inward, whether it be bare within or without.

79 And the priest shall look on the plague, after that it is washed: and, behold, if the plague have not changed his colour, and the plague be not spread; it is unclean; thou shalt burn it in the fire; it is fret inward, whether it be bare within or without.

80 And if the priest look, and, behold, the plague be somewhat dark after the washing of it;

81 Then he shall rend it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof:

82 And if it appear still in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin;

83 It is a spreading plague: thou shalt burn that wherein the plague is with fire.

84 And the garment, either warp, or woof, or whatsoever thing of skin it be, which thou shalt wash, the plague be departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and shall be clean.

85 If the plague be departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and shall be clean.

86 This is the law of the plague of leprosy in a garment of woollen or linen, either in the warp, or woof, or any thing of skins,

87 To pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.

Bodily Discharges

 * (based on Leviticus 15, with a subsequent very basic description of it being carried within Numbers 5:1-4)

1 When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean.

2 And this shall be his uncleanness in his issue: whether his flesh run with his issue, or his flesh be stopped from his issue, it is his uncleanness.

3 Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and every thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean.

4 And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

5 And he that sitteth on any thing whereon he sat that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

6 And he that toucheth the flesh of him that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

7 And if he that hath the issue spit upon him that is clean; then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

8 And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean.

9 And whosoever toucheth any thing that was under him shall be unclean until the even:

10 And he that beareth any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

11 And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue, and hath not rinsed his hands in water,

12 He shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

13 And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

14 And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing,

15 And wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean.

16 And on the eighth day he shall take to him two turtledoves, or two young pigeons,

17 And come before the LORD unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and give them unto the priest:

18 And the priest shall offer them, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering;

19 And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD for his issue.

20 And if any man's seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even.

21 And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even.

22 The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the even.

23 And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days:

24 And whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.

25 And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean.

26 And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

27 And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

28 And if it be on her bed, or on any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the even.

29 And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days;

30 And all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean.

31 And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation;

32 All the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean.

33 Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation:

34 And whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation.

35 And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

36 But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.

37 And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons,

38 And bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

39 And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering;

40 And the priest shall make an atonement for her before the LORD for the issue of her uncleanness.

41 Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness;

42 That they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them.

43 This is the law of him that hath an issue, and of him whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled therewith;

44 And of her that is sick of her flowers, and of him that hath an issue, of the man, and of the woman, and of him that lieth with her that is unclean.

Impurity after Childbirth

 * (based on Leviticus 12)

1 If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days;

2 According to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.

3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days;

5 She shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.

6 But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation:

7 And she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.

8 And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter,

9 She shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering,

10 Unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest:

11 Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood.

12 This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female.

13 And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons;

14 The one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering:

15 And the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.

The Prohibitions against eating Fat

 * (based on Leviticus 7:22-25)

1 Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat.

2 And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, and the fat of that which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other use:

3 But ye shall in no wise eat of it.

4 For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD,

5 Even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people.

The Prohibition against consuming Blood

 * (based on Leviticus 7:26-27)

1 Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings.

2 Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

The Prohibition against consuming the Naturally Dead

 * (based on Leviticus 17:15-16)

1 And every soul that eateth that which died of itself, or that which was torn with beasts,

2 Whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger,

3 He shall both wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even: then shall he be clean.

4 But if he wash them not, nor bathe his flesh; then he shall bear his iniquity.

The Test for Adultery

 * (based on Numbers 5:11-31)

1 If any man's wife go aside, and commit a trespass against him,

2 And a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and she be defiled,

3 And there be no witness against her, neither she be taken with the manner;

4 And the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled:

5 Or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled:

6 Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal;

7 He shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon;

8 For it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance.

9 And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the LORD:

10 And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel;

11 And of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water:

12 And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and uncover the woman's head,

13 And put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering:

14 And the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse:

15 And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the woman,

16 If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead of thy husband,

17 Be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse:

18 But if thou hast gone aside to another instead of thy husband,

19 And if thou be defiled, and some man have lain with thee beside thine husband:

20 Then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman,

21 The LORD make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when the LORD doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell;

22 And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot:

23 And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.

24 And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water:

25 And he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water that causeth the curse:

26 And the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter.

27 Then the priest shall take the jealousy offering out of the woman's hand,

28 And shall wave the offering before the LORD, and offer it upon the altar:

29 And the priest shall take an handful of the offering, even the memorial thereof, and burn it upon the altar,

30 And afterward shall cause the woman to drink the water.

31 And when he hath made her to drink the water, then it shall come to pass, that,

32 If she be defiled, and have done trespass against her husband,

33 That the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot:

34 And the woman shall be a curse among her people.

35 And if the woman be not defiled, but be clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive seed.

36 This is the law of jealousies, when a wife goeth aside to another instead of her husband, and is defiled;

37 Or when the spirit of jealousy cometh upon him, and he be jealous over his wife,

38 And shall set the woman before the LORD, and the priest shall execute upon her all this law.

39 Then shall the man be guiltless from iniquity, and this woman shall bear her iniquity.

Sexual relations with slaves

 * (based on Leviticus 19:20-22)

1 And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her;

2 He shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,

3 Even a ram for a trespass offering.

4 And the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the LORD for his sin which he hath done:

5 And the sin which he hath done shall be forgiven him.

Murder

 * (based on Numbers 35:6-34)

1 And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge,

2 Which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities.

3 So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall ye give with their suburbs.

4 And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many;

5 But from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth.

6 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them,

7 When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan;

8 Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you;

9 That the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares.

10 And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger;

11 That the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.

12 And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge.

13 Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge.

14 These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them:

15 That every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.

16 And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer:

17 The murderer shall surely be put to death.

18 And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer:

19 The murderer shall surely be put to death.

20 Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer:

21 The murderer shall surely be put to death.

22 The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.

23 But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die;

24 Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die:

25 He that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer:

26 The revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.

27 But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait,

28 Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he die, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm:

29 Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments:

30 And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood,

31 And the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled:

32 And he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil.

33 But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled;

34 And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge,

35 And the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood:

36 Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest:

37 But after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.

38 So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

39 Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses:

40 But one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.

41 Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.

42 And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge,

43 That he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.

44 So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land:

45 And the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

46 Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.


text:
Bible/King James/Documentary Hypothesis/Priestly source/Levitical duties

<Bible, English, King James, According to the documentary hypothesis | Priestly source

According to the documentary hypothesis, the torah was redacted together from a number of earlier source texts. The largest of these is referred to as the "Priestly source", due to its concentration on details which would be of interest to the Aaronid priesthood.

The reconstructed text of this source contains several elements which are separable from the narrative, including several laws, and descriptions of how rituals should be carried out. It is sometimes believed that these were originally separate documents held as priestly records, or simple observations. One of these separable elements is the list of duties for the three groups of Levites who were not Kohanim.

This is spliced between some of the census data concerning the levites, and the description of how to pack the tabernacle. Consequently it appears at Numbers 3:7-13, 3:25-26, 3:31-32, 3:36-37, 4:4, 4:15b-21, 4:24-28, 4:31-33, and 8:23-26. A basic description of some of this being carried out appears at Numbers 10:17, and 10:21.

Duties of the Levite families
1 The tribe of Levi shall keep charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.

2 And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation,

3 And the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.

4 Behold, the LORD hath taken the Levites from among the children of Israel

A Instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel:

B Because all the firstborn are the LORDs; for on the day that he smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt

C All the firstborn in Israel were hallowed unto him, both man and beast:

5 And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation

 * A They shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle,

 * B And the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof,

 * C And the covering of the badgers' skins that is above upon it,

 * D And the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,

 * E And the hangings of the court, and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle,

 * F And by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.

 * G And their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and all that is made for them: so shall they serve.

 * H This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation:

 * I And their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

6 And the charge of the sons of Kohath shall be

 * A The ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars,

 * B And the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.

 * C But shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die.

 * D These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.

 * E Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites:

7 And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari

 * A Shall be the boards of the tabernacle,

 * B And the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof,

 * C And all the vessels thereof, and all that serveth thereto,

 * D And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.

 * E With all their instruments, and with all their service:

 * F And by name ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden.

 * G This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tabernacle of the congregation,

 * H Under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

8 And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest

 * A Pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily meat offering,

 * B And the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle,

 * C And of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof.

9 This is it that belongeth unto the Levites:

 * A From twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation:

 * B And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more:

 * C But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service.

 * D Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


text:
Bible/King James/Documentary Hypothesis/Priestly source/Levitical object descriptions

<Bible, English, King James, According to the documentary hypothesis | Priestly source

According to the documentary hypothesis, the torah was redacted together from a number of earlier source texts. The largest of these is referred to as the "Priestly source", due to its concentration on details which would be of interest to the Aaronid priesthood.

The reconstructed text of this source contains several elements which are separable from the narrative, including several laws, and descriptions of how rituals should be carried out. It is sometimes believed that these were originally separate documents held as priestly records, or simple observations. One of these separable elements is the description of the tabernacle, vestments, and associated objects.

This is expressed at Exodus 25, 26, 27, 28, 30:1-6, 30:17-25, and 30:34-36. A passage appearing to be based on it then appears at Exodus 31:1-11, and is then followed by a description of the construction of the objects at Exodus 35, 36, 37, 38, and 39, which almost completely duplicates the earlier description.

''While the following text is based on that appearing in the relevant parts of Exodus, it does not duplicate it exactly, but reconstructs it from the point of view of an eye witness. The numbering of the text does not necessarily reflect that of the original''

Part 1 - Introduction
1 Gold, and silver, and brass,

2 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair,

3 And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood.

4 Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,

5 Onyx stones, and stones to be set.

Part 2 - The Tabernacle
1 An Ark of shittim wood:

 * A Two cubits and a half is the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth and height thereof.

 * B An overlay of pure gold, within and without,

 * C And upon it a crown of gold round about.

 * D And four rings of gold for it, in the four corners thereof; two rings in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it.

 * E And staves of shittim wood, with overlay of gold.

 * F The staves in the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.

 * H And in the ark the testimony.

2 And a mercy seat of pure gold:

 * A Two cubits and a half the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.

 * B And two cherubims of gold, of beaten work, in the two ends of the mercy seat.

 * C And one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end:

 * D And the cherubims stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings,

 * E And their faces look one to another; toward the mercy seat.

 * F And the mercy seat lies above upon the ark;

 * G And there the LORD will meet with thee, from above the mercy seat,

 * H From between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony,

3 Also a table of shittim wood:

 * A Two cubits the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

 * B An overlay of pure gold, and a crown of gold round about.

 * C And a border of an hand breadth round about, and a golden crown to the border round about.

 * D And four rings of gold, in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof.

 * E Over against the border, the rings for places of the staves to bear the table.

 * F And the staves of shittim wood, with overlay of gold, that the table may be borne with them.

 * G And the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold.

 * H And set upon the table shewbread alway.

4 And a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work:

 * A His shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, of the same.

 * B And six branches come out of the sides of it;

 * C Three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:

 * D Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch;

 * E And three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower:

 * F So in the six branches that come out of the candlestick.

 * G And in the candlesticks, four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers.

 * H And a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same,.

 * I And a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick.

 * J Their knops and their branches of the same: all one beaten work of pure gold.

 * K And the seven lamps thereof: and they light the lamps thereof, that they give light over against it.

 * L And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, of pure gold.

 * M Of a talent of pure gold.

5 Moreover ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet:

 * A With cherubims of cunning work.

 * B The length of one curtain: eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains has one measure.

 * C The five curtains coupled together one to another; and other five curtains coupled one to another.

 * D And loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling;

 * E And likewise in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second.

 * F Fifty loops in the one curtain, and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second; that the loops may take hold one of another.

 * G And the curtains couple together with fifty taches of gold: and it forms one tabernacle.

6 And eleven curtains of goats' hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle:

 * A The length of one curtain: thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains all of one measure.

 * B And five curtains couple by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and the sixth curtain double in the forefront of the tabernacle.

 * C And fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second.

 * D And fifty taches of brass in the loops, to couple the tent together, that it may be one.

7 And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent,

 * A The half curtain that remaineth, hangeth over the backside of the tabernacle.

 * B And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent,

 * C Hangeth over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it.

8 And a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers' skins.

9 And boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up.

 * A Ten cubits the length of a board, and a cubit and a half the breadth of one board.

 * B Two tenons in one board, set in order one against another:

 * C Thus for all the boards of the tabernacle.

 * D And twenty boards on the south side southward.

 * E And forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards;

 * F Two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons.

 * G And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side: twenty boards:

 * H And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.

 * I And for the sides of the tabernacle westward: six boards.

 * J And two boards for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides.

 * K And they couple together beneath, and they couple together above the head of it unto one ring:

 * L Thus for them both; for the two corners.

 * M And eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets;

 * N Two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.

10 And bars of shittim wood;

 * A Five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle,

 * B And five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the two sides westward.

 * C And the middle bar in the midst of the boards reacheth from end to end.

 * D And for the boards an overlay of gold, and rings of gold for places for the bars: and an overlay of gold for the bars.

11 And a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims:

 * A And it hangeth upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks of gold, upon the four sockets of silver.

 * B And the vail hangeth up under the taches, and within the vail the ark of the testimony:

 * C And the vail divideth between the holy place and the most holy.

12 And the mercy seat lieth upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.

13 And thou the table lieth without the vail, on the north side.

14 And the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south:

15 And an hanging for the door of the tent,

 * A Of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework.

 * B And for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood,.

 * C And an overlay for them of gold, and their hooks of gold:

 * D And five sockets of brass for them.

16 And an altar of shittim wood, before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation:

 * A Hollow with boards

 * B Five cubits long, and five cubits broad; foursquare: and the height thereof three cubits.

 * C And the horns of it upon the four corners thereof:

 * D His horns of the same: and an overlay for it of brass.

 * E And pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans:

 * F All the vessels thereof made of brass.

17 And for it a grate of network of brass;

 * A And upon the net: four brasen rings in the four corners thereof.

 * B And it lieth under the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst of the altar.

18 And staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood, and an overlay for them of brass.

 * A And the staves lieth in the rings, and the staves upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it.

19 And the court of the tabernacle:

 * A For the south side southward:

 * i Hangings for the court of fine twined linen of an hundred cubits long for one side:

 * ii And the twenty pillars thereof and their twenty sockets of brass;

 * iii The hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.

 * B And likewise for the north side

 * i In length hangings of an hundred cubits long,

 * ii And his twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of brass;

 * iii The hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.

 * C And for the breadth of the court on the west side

 * i Hangings of fifty cubits:

 * ii Their pillars ten, and their sockets ten.

 * D And the breadth of the court on the east side eastward is fifty cubits.

 * i The hangings of one side of the gate is fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.

 * ii And on the other side lieth hangings of fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.

 * E And for the gate of the court is an hanging of twenty cubits,

 * i Of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework:

 * ii And their pillars four, and their sockets four.

 * F All the pillars round about the court filleted with silver; their hooks of silver, and their sockets of brass.

 * G The length of the court is an hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty every where, and the height five cubits

20 All the vessels of the tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court, of brass.

21 And a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal:

 * A And with water therein.

 * B Between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar.

Part 3 - The Vestments
1 A breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle:

2 The ephod:

 * A Of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work.

 * B The two shoulderpieces joined at the two edges thereof;

 * C And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, of the same;

 * i Even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.

 * D And two onyx stones, upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel:

 * i And graven on them the names of the children of Israel: set in ouches of gold.

 * ii Six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth.

 * iii With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet,

 * E And two chains of pure gold at the ends; of wreathen work, and the wreathen chains fasten to ouches of gold

3 Thebreastplate of judgment is of cunning work; after the work of the ephod;

 * A Of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen.

 * B Foursquare, it being doubled; a span the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof.

 * C And set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones, upon his heart:

 * i The first row a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle:

 * ii And the second row an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.

 * iii And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.

 * iv And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings.

 * v Set in gold in their inclosings.

 * vi And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel,

 * a Twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet;

 * b Every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.

 * C And upon the breastplate: two rings of gold on the two ends of the breastplate.

 * D And two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings which are on the ends of the breastplate.

 * E And the other two ends of the two wreathen chains fasten in the two ouches, and on the shoulderpieces of the ephod before it.

 * F And two rings of gold, upon the two ends of the breastplate in the border thereof, which is in the side of the ephod inward.

 * G And two other rings of gold on the two sides of the ephod underneath,

 * H Toward the forepart thereof, over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod.

 * I And they bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue,

 * J That it may be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate be not loosed from the ephod.

 * K And in the breastplate of judgment, upon the heart, the Urim and the Thummim;

4 And the robe of the ephod:

 * A All of blue.

 * B And an hole in the top of it, in the midst thereof:

 * C A binding of woven work round about the hole of it, as it were the hole of an habergeon, that it be not rent.

 * D And beneath upon the hem of it:

 * i Pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem thereof;

 * ii And bells of gold between them round about:

 * iii A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about.

5 The mitre of fine linen:

 * A Upon the forefront of the mitre; a plate of pure gold, on a blue lace

 * i Graven upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

6 And a coat of fine linen, and a girdle of needlework.

7 And linen breeches to cover nakedness;

 * A From the loins even unto the thighs they reach:

Part 4 - Incense, Oil, and Perfume
1 In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony,

A Pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.

2 And an altar to burn incense upon:

 * A Of shittim wood shalt thou make it.

 * B A cubit length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare:

 * C And two cubits the height thereof: the horns thereof the same.

 * D And for it an overlay of pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof;

 * E And unto it a crown of gold round about.

 * F And two golden rings under the crown of it, by the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it; places for the staves to bear it withal.

 * G And staves of shittim wood, and an overlay for them of gold.

 * H And the alter lieth before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony.

3 And holy anointing oil:

 * A Its principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels,

 * B And of sweet cinnamon half so much, Even two hundred and fifty shekels,

 * C And of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels,

 * D And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary,

 * E And of oil olive an hin:

4 And a perfume:

 * A Sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum;

 * B These sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each a like weight:

 * C Tempered together, pure and holy:

 * D Some of it beaten very small, and put before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation,


text:
Bible/King James/Documentary Hypothesis/Priestly source/Midianite spoils list

<Bible, English, King James, According to the documentary hypothesis | Priestly source

According to the documentary hypothesis, the torah was redacted together from a number of earlier source texts. The largest of these is referred to as the "Priestly source", due to its concentration on details which would be of interest to the Aaronid priesthood.

The reconstructed text of this source contains several elements which are separable from the narrative, including several laws, and descriptions of how rituals should be carried out. It is sometimes believed that these were originally separate documents held as priestly records. One of these separable elements is the spoils from the battle against the midianites (expressed somewhat repetatively at Numbers 31:25-54):

The text is based on numbers 31:25-54, but does not reproduce it, instead presenting a simplified version containing the same information

The Midianite spoils list
1 Take the sum of the prey that was taken,

2 And divide the prey into two parts; between them that took the war upon them, who went out to battle, and between all the congregation:

3 And levy a tribute unto the LORD of the men of war which went out to battle, take it of their half:

4 One soul of five hundred, for an heave offering of the LORD.

5 And of the children of Israel's half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty,

6 And give them unto the Levites, which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.

7 And the officers which were over thousands of the host, the captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds,

8 Brought an oblation for the LORD, what every man hath gotten,

9 Of jewels of gold, chains, and bracelets, rings, earrings, and tablets, to make an atonement for our souls before the LORD.

10 And all the gold of the offering that they offered up to the LORD, was 16,750 shekels.