Organizational Dynamics

(1) And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said to him: ‘Up, make us a god who will go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.’ (2) And Aaron said to them: ‘Break off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them to me.’ (3) And all the people broke off the golden rings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. (4) And he received it at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it a molten calf; and they said: ‘This is your god, O Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt.’ (5) And when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said: ‘Tomorrow will be a feast to the Eternal.’ (6) And they rose up early the next day, and offered burnt-offerings, and brought peace-offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to make merry. (7) And the Eternal spoke to Moses: ‘Go, get yourself down; for your people, that you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have dealt corruptly; (8) they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed to it, and said: This is your god, O Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt.’ (9) And the Eternal said to Moses: ‘I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people. (10) Now therefore let Me alone, that My wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them; and I will make of you a great nation.’ (11) And Moses besought the Eternal his God, and said: ‘Eternal, why does Your wrath wax hot against Your people, that You have brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? (12) Why should the Egyptians speak, saying: For evil did He bring them forth, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against Your people. (13) Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You did swear by Your own self, and said to them: I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give to your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.’ (14) And the Eternal repented of the evil which He said He would do to His people. (15) And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand; tablets that were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. (16) And the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tablets. (17) And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses: ‘There is a noise of war in the camp.’ (18) And he said: ‘It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome, but the noise of them that sing do I hear.’ (19) And it came to pass, as soon as he came near to the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing; and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands, and broke them beneath the mount. (20) And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire, and ground it to powder, and strewed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it. (21) And Moses said to Aaron: ‘What did this people to you, that you have brought a great sin upon them?’ (22) And Aaron said: ‘Let not the anger of my lord wax hot; you know the people, that they are set on evil. (23) So they said to me: Make us a god, which will go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him. (24) And I said to them: Whoever has any gold, let them break it off; so they gave it to me; and I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.’ (25) And when Moses saw that the people were broken loose—for Aaron had let them loose for a derision among their enemies— (26) then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said: ‘Whoever is on the Eternal's side, let him come to me.’ And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. (27) And he said to them: ‘Thus saith the Eternal, the God of Israel: Put you, every man his sword upon his thigh, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.’ (28) And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses; and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. (29) And Moses said: ‘Consecrate yourselves today to the Eternal, for every man has been against his son and against his brother; that He may also bestow upon you a blessing this day.’ (30) And it came to pass the next day, that Moses said to the people: ‘You have sinned a great sin; and now I will go up to the Eternal, peradventure I shall make atonement for your sin.’ (31) And Moses returned to the Eternal, and said: ‘Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them a god of gold. (32) Yet now, if You will forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray You, out of Your book which You have written.’ (33) And the Eternal said to Moses: ‘Whoever hath sinned against Me, him will I blot out of My book. (34) And now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken to you; behold, My angel shall go before you; nevertheless in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.’ (35) And the Eternal smote the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.

(1) And Nadav and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered strange fire before the Eternal, which He had not commanded them. (2) And there came forth fire from before the Eternal, and devoured them, and they died before the Eternal. (3) Then Moses said to Aaron: ‘This is it that the Eternal spoke, saying: Through them that are near to Me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’ And Aaron held his peace. (4) And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them: ‘Draw near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.’ (5) So they drew near, and carried them in their tunics out of the camp, as Moses had said. (6) And Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons: ‘Let not the hair of your heads go loose, neither tend your clothes, that you die not, and that He be not angry with all the congregation; but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Eternal has kindled. (7) And you will not go out from the door of the tent of meeting, lest you die; for the anointing oil of the Eternal is upon you.’ And they did according to the word of Moses.

(1) And the people were as murmurers, speaking evil in the ears of the Eternal; and when the Eternal heard it, His anger was kindled; and the fire of the Eternal burnt among them, and devoured in the uttermost part of the camp. (2) And the people cried to Moses; and Moses prayed to the Eternal, and the fire abated. (3) And the name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the Eternal burnt among them. (4) And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting; and the children of Israel also wept on their part, and said: ‘Would that we were given flesh to eat! (5) We remember the fish, which we were wont to eat in Egypt for nought; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic; (6) but now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all; we have nought save this manna to look to.’— (7) Now the manna was like coriander seed, and the appearance thereof as the appearance of bdellium. (8) The people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in mortars, and seethed it in pots, and made cakes of it; and the taste of it was as the taste of a cake baked with oil. (9) And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.— (10) And Moses heard the people weeping, family by family, every man at the door of his tent; and the anger of the Eternal was kindled greatly; and Moses was displeased. (11) And Moses said to the Eternal: ‘Why have You dealt ill with Your servant? and why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You lay the burden of all this people upon me? (12) Have I conceived all this people? have I brought them forth, that You should say to me: Carry them in your bosom, as a nursing-father carries the sucking child, unto the land which You swore to their fathers? (13) From where should I have flesh to give to all this people? for they trouble me with their weeping, saying: Give us flesh, that we may eat. (14) I am not able to bear all this people myself alone, because it is too heavy for me. (15) And if You deal thus with me, kill me, I pray You, out of hand, if I have found favor in Your sight; and let me not look upon my wretchedness.’ (16) And the Eternal said to Moses: ‘Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them to the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with you. (17) And I will come down and speak with you there; and I will take of the spirit which is on you, and will put it on them; and they will bear the burden of the people with you, that you bear it not yourself alone. (18) And say you to the people: Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow, and you shall eat flesh; for you have wept in the ears of the Eternal, saying: Would that we were given flesh to eat! for it was well with us in Egypt; therefore the Eternal will give you flesh, and you shall eat. (19) You shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; (20) but a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it is loathsome to you; because that you have rejected the Eternal who is among you, and have troubled Him with weeping, saying: Why, now, came we forth out of Egypt?’

(1) Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men; (2) and they rose up in face of Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty men; they were princes of the congregation, the elect men of the assembly, men of renown; (3) and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them: ‘You take too much on you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Eternal is among them; why then lift you up yourselves above the assembly of the Eternal?’ (4) And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face. (5) And he spoke to Korah and to all his company, saying: ‘In the morning the Eternal will show who are His, and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to Him; even him whom He may choose will He cause to come near to Him. (6) Do this: take you censers, Korah, and all his company; (7) and put fire in them, and put incense on them before the Eternal tomorrow; and it will be that the man whom the Eternal does choose, he will be holy; you take too much upon you, you sons of Levi.’ (8) And Moses said to Korah: ‘Hear now, you sons of Levi: (9) is it but a small thing to you, that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the Eternal, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them; (10) and that He has brought you near, and all your brethren the sons of Levi with you? and will you seek the priesthood also? (11) Therefore you and all your company that are gathered together against the Eternal—; and as to Aaron, what is he that you murmur against him?’ (12) And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; and they said: ‘We will not come up; (13) is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, but you must need to make yourself also a prince over us? (14) Moreover you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards; will you put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.’ (15) And Moses was very angry, and said to the Eternal: ‘Respect not you their offering; I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.’ (16) And Moses said to Korah: ‘Be you and all your congregation before the Eternal, you, and they, and Aaron, tomorrow; (17) and take you every man his fire-pan, and put incense on them, and bring you before the Eternal every man his fire-pan, two hundred and fifty fire-pans; you also, and Aaron, each his fire-pan.’ (18) And they took every man his fire-pan, and put fire in them, and laid incense on it, and stood at the door of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron. (19) And Korah assembled all the congregation against them to the door of the tent of meeting; and the glory of the Eternal appeared to all the congregation. (20) And the Eternal spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying: (21) ’Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.’ (22) And they fell upon their faces, and said: ‘O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will You be angry with all the congregation?’ (23) And the Eternal spoke unto Moses, saying: (24) ’Speak to the congregation, saying: Get you up from about the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’ (25) And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. (26) And he spoke to the congregation, saying: ‘Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be swept away in all their sins.’ (27) So they got them up from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side; and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, and their sons, and their little ones. (28) And Moses said: ‘Hereby you shall know that the Eternal has sent me to do all these works, and that I have not done them of mine own mind. (29) If these men die the common death of all men, and be visited after the visitation of all men, then the Eternal has not sent Me. (30) But if the Eternal makes a new thing, and the ground open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down alive into the pit, then you shall understand that these men have despised the Eternal.’ (31) And it came to pass, as he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground did cleave asunder that was under them. (32) And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. (33) So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit; and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the assembly. (34) And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them; for they said: ‘Lest the earth swallow us up.’ (35) And fire came forth from the Eternal, and devoured the two hundred and fifty men that offered the incense.