Oil for the Lampstand
Study note
The lampstand in the Tabernacle had to burn constantly, from evening until morning. The Israelites were to provide pure, pressed olive oil to keep the lamps lit. Aaron was responsible for tending the lamps. The never-ending light symbolized God's constant presence among his people and their ongoing relationship with him.
1 Then the Lord gave Moses these instructions: And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 "Tell the people of Israel to bring you pure, pressed olive oil. Use it to keep the lamps burning all the time." Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually.
3 "Aaron must tend these lamps in the Lord's presence from evening until morning, every night. They burn outside the curtain that hangs in front of the tablets of the covenant inside the Tabernacle. This is a permanent rule for every generation." Without the veil of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning before the LORD continually: it shall be a statute for ever in your generations.
4 "He must keep the lamps on the pure gold lampstand burning continually in the Lord's presence." He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the LORD continually.
The Sacred Bread
Study note
Every Sabbath, twelve loaves of bread were placed on the special table in the Tabernacle, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. They were arranged in two rows of six. Frankincense was placed on each row as a memorial offering. When new bread was set out, the old bread became food for Aaron and his sons, to be eaten in a sanctuary. This bread of the Presence was a constant reminder that God provided for all twelve tribes.
5 "Use fine flour to bake twelve large loaves of bread. Each loaf should be made from about four quarts of flour." And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake.
6 "Arrange the loaves in two rows of six on the pure gold table in the Lord's presence." And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD.
7 "Set pure frankincense alongside each row. The frankincense will serve as the memorial portion -- a fire offering to the Lord." And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
8 "Fresh bread must be set on the table every Sabbath day for the Israelites. This is part of a lasting covenant." Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant.
9 "The bread belongs to Aaron and his sons. They must eat it in a sacred area, because it is the most sacred portion of the Lord's fire offerings. This is their permanent right." And it shall be Aaron's and his sons'; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute.
The Blasphemer Is Punished
Study note
A man whose mother was Israelite and whose father was Egyptian got into a fight and cursed God's name. He was brought to Moses, and God commanded that the whole community stone him. This severe punishment showed how seriously God took the honor of his name. The same law applied to foreigners and Israelites alike. Blaspheming God's name struck at the very foundation of Israel's identity and their covenant relationship with God.
10 One day, a man got into a fight in the camp with an Israelite. His mother was an Israelite. His father was an Egyptian. And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp;
11 During the fight, the man with the Israelite mother cursed and insulted the name of the Lord. So the people brought him to Moses. (His mother's name was Shelomith. She was the daughter of Dibri, from the tribe of Dan.) And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the LORD, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:)
12 They held the man in custody while they waited for the Lord to reveal what should be done. And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them.
13 Then the Lord gave Moses the answer: And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
14 "Take the man who cursed outside the camp. Everyone who heard the curse must lay their hands on his head. Then the entire community must stone him to death." Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.
15 "Also tell the Israelites. Anyone who curses their God must accept what happens to them. Their sin brings these results." And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.
16 "Anyone who insults the name of the Lord must be executed. The entire community must stone that person. It does not matter whether the person is a foreigner or a native-born Israelite -- anyone who insults the Lord's name must die." And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death.
The Principle of Equal Justice
Study note
God used this incident to establish broader principles of justice: a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. This law was not meant to encourage revenge but to limit punishment to fit the crime. It ensured that the rich and powerful could not get away with harming the poor, and that punishments would not be excessive. The same law applied equally to foreigners and native Israelites.
17 "Anyone who takes another person's life must be put to death." And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death.
18 "Anyone who kills someone's animal must replace it -- one life for another." And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast.
19 "Anyone who hurts another person must get the same injury back." And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him;
20 "A broken bone for a broken bone, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Whatever harm a person causes to someone else, the same must be done to them." Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.
21 "Whoever kills an animal must replace it. Whoever kills a person must be executed." And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.
22 "The same law applies to everyone -- foreigners and native-born citizens alike. I am the Lord your God." Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God.
23 After Moses told the Israelites what the Lord had said, they took the man who had cursed outside the camp and stoned him to death. The people did exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses. And Moses spake to the children of Israel, that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones. And the children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses.