Numbers 21 “in the wilderness” 21
1 When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked the Israelites and captured some of them.
2 Then Israel made this vow to the LORD(Jesus): "If you will deliver these people into our hands, we will totally destroy their cities."
Destroy: The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the LORD, often by totally destroying them; also in verse 3.
3 The LORD(Jesus) listened to Israel's plea and gave the Canaanites over to them. They completely destroyed them and their towns; so the place was named Hormah [means destruction] ever since.
The Bronze Snake:
4 Then they traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way;
some translate sea of reeds instead of Red Sea. In my opinion, it is the Gulf of Aquba and it is the RED SEA!
5 they spoke against God(Elohim/Theos) and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"
(1 Corinthians 10:9)
6 In response, the LORD(Jesus) sent poisonous snakes among the people; they bit the people, and many of Israel's people died.
That part of the desert where the Israelites now were--near the head of the gulf of Akaba--is greatly infested with venomous reptiles, of various kinds, particularly lizards, which raise themselves in the air and swing themselves from branches; and scorpions, which, being in the habit of lying in long grass, are particularly dangerous to the barelegged, sandaled people of the East. The only known remedy consists in sucking the wound, or, in the case of cattle, in the application of ammonia. The exact species of serpents that caused so great mortality among the Israelites cannot be ascertained. They are said to have been "fiery," an epithet applied to them either from their bright, vivid color, or the violent inflammation their bite occasioned. (Jamieson)
7 The people came to Moses and cried, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD(Jesus) and against you. Pray that the LORD(Jesus) will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.
8 The LORD(Jesus) said to Moses:
Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.
9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.
The severity of the scourge and the appalling extent of mortality brought them to a sense of sin, and through the intercessions of Moses, which they implored, they were miraculously healed. He was directed to make the figure of a serpent in brass, to be elevated on a pole or standard, that it might be seen at the extremities of the camp and that every bitten Israelite who looked to it might be healed. This peculiar method of cure was designed, in the first instance, to show that it was the efficacy of God's power and grace, not the effect of nature or art, and also that it might be a type of the power of faith in Christ to heal all who look to Him because of their sins (John 3:14,15; see also on 2 Kings 18:4). (Jamieson)
10 The people of Israel traveled on and camped at Oboth.
11 Then they set out from Oboth and camped in Iye Abarim, in the wilderness that faces Moab toward the sunrise.
12 From there they moved on and camped in the Zered Valley.
13 From there they traveled and camped on the other side of the Arnon, in the desert; this river comes out of the territory of the Amorites. The Arnon is the boundary line between the Moabites and the Amorites.
14 That is why the Book of the Wars of the LORD(Jesus) speaks of "the town of Waheb in the area of Suphah, and the ravines; and the Arnon River
15 and its ravines, which extend as far as the settlement of Ar on the border of Moab."
16 From there they continued on to Beer, the well where the LORD(Jesus) said to Moses, Gather the people together and I will give them water.
Beer: that is, a "well." The name was probably given to it afterwards [see Judges 9:21], as it is not mentioned (Numbers 33:1-56).
17 Then Israel sang this song:
"Spring up, O well!
Sing to the well,
18 sunk by the princes,
dug by the people's leaders
with the scepter, with their staffs!"
Then they went from the wilderness to Mattanah,
19 from Mattanah to Nahaliel,
20 and from Bamoth to the valley in Moab where the top of Pisgah[peak] overlooks the wasteland.
21 Israel sent messengers to say to Sihon king of the Amorites:
22 "Let us pass through your country. We will not turn aside into any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the King's Highway until we have passed through your territory."
23 But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. He mustered his entire army and marched out into the wilderness against Israel. When he reached Jahaz, he fought with Israel.
24 But the Israelites slaughtered them and occupied their land from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River. They went only as far as the Ammonite border because the boundary of the Ammonites was fortified.
25 So Israel captured all the towns of the Amorites and settled in them, including the city of Heshbon and its surrounding villages.
26 Heshbon had been the capital of King Sihon of the Amorites. He had conquered a former Moabite king and seized all his land as far as the Arnon River.
27 That is why the poets say:
"Come to Heshbon and let it be rebuilt;
let Sihon's city be restored.
28 "For a fire went out from Heshbon,
a blaze from the city of Sihon.
It consumed Ar of Moab,
the lords of Arnon's heights.
29 Woe to you, Moab!
You are destroyed, people of Chemosh!
He has given up his sons as fugitives
and his daughters as captives
to Sihon king of the Amorites.
30 "But we have overthrown them;
Heshbon's dominion has been destroyed all the way to Dibon.
We have demolished them as far as Nophah,
which extends to Medeba."
31 So Israel settled in the land of the Amorites.
32 After Moses sent men to explore the Jazer area, they captured all the towns in the region and drove out the Amorites who lived there.
33 Then they turned and went up along the road toward Bashan, and Og king of Bashan and his whole army marched out to meet them in battle at Edrei.
34 The LORD(Jesus) said to Moses: Do not be afraid of him, for I have given you victory over Og and his entire army, giving you all his land. You will do the same to him as you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon.
35 So they struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army, leaving them no survivors. And they took possession of his land.
Numbers 22 “in the wilderness” 22
1 Then the people of Israel traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.
2 Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
3 Moab was afraid of the people because there were so many of them. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites.
4 The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, "This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field." So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time,
5 sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River, in his native land. Balak said:"A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me.
6 Please come and curse them for me because they are so numerous. Then perhaps I will be able to conquer them and drive them from the land. I know that blessings fall on the people you bless. I also know that the people you curse are doomed."
7 Balak's messengers, officials of both Moab and Midian, set out and took money with them to pay Balaam to curse Israel. They went to Balaam and urgently explained to him what Balak wanted.
8 "Stay here overnight," Balaam said. “I will report back to you with the answer the LORD(Jesus) gives me." So the Moabite officials stayed with him.
9 God(Elohim/Theos) came to Balaam and asked: Who are these men with you?
10 Balaam said to God(Elohim/Theos), "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:
11 'A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.' "
12 But God(Elohim/Theos) said to Balaam: Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.
13 The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's officials, "Go back to your own country, for the LORD(Jesus) has refused to let me go with you."
14 So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, "Balaam refused to come with us."
15 Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first.
16 They went to Balaam and gave him this message: "This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Please don't let anything stop you from coming.
17 I will pay you well and do anything you ask of me. Just come and curse these people for me!"
18 But Balaam answered them, "Even if Balak were to give me a palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the LORD(Jesus) my God(Elohim/Theos).
19 Now, please, you too, stay here tonight; so that I may find out what else the LORD(Jesus) will tell me."
20 That night God(Elohim/Theos) came to Balaam and said: If the men have come to summon you, get up and go with them; but do only what I tell you
21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials.
22 But God(Elohim/Theos) was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD(Jesus) stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
(2 Peter 2:15)
23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD(Jesus) standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road.
24 Then the angel of the LORD(Jesus) stood on the road where it became narrow as it passed among the vineyards and had stone walls on both sides.
25 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD(Jesus), it tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall. So Balaam beat the donkey again.
26 Then the angel of the LORD(Jesus) moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left.
27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD(Jesus), it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff.
28 Then the LORD(Jesus) caused the donkey to speak, and it said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?"
That this was a visionary scene is a notion which seems inadmissible, because of the improbability of a vision being described as an actual occurrence in the middle of a plain history. Besides, the opening of the ass's mouth must have been an external act, and that, with the manifest tenor of Peter's language, strongly favors the literal view [2 Peter 2:15,16]. The absence of any surprise at such a phenomenon on the part of Balaam may be accounted for by his mind being wholly engrossed with the prospect of gain, which produced "the madness of the prophet" [2 Peter 2:16]. "It was a miracle, wrought to humble his proud heart, which had to be first subjected in the school of an ass before he was brought to attend to the voice of God speaking by the angel" [CALVIN].
29 Balaam said to the donkey, "You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now."
30 The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?" He ansered, "No."
31 Then the angel of the LORD(Jesus) opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD(Jesus) standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.
32 The angel of the LORD(Jesus) asked him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.
33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it."
This is probably not Jesus, so I did not make this red, but it may have been. Many times in the Torah (books of Moses), the angel of the LORD refers to the deity himself: Jesus Christ.
34 Balaam said to the angel of the LORD(Jesus), "I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back."
35 The angel of the LORD(Jesus) said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you." So Balaam went with Balak's officials.
36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, hhe went out to meet him at a Moabite town on the Arnon River at the border of his land.
37 Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not send you an urgent invitation? Why didn't you come right away? Didn't you believe me when I said I would reward you richly?"
38 "Well, I have come to you now," Balaam replied, " but I have no power to say just anything. I must speak only what God(Elohim/Theos) puts in my mouth."
39 Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth,
40 where Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and gave some to Balaam and the officials who were with him.
41 The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he could see a portion of the people.
Numbers 23 “in the wilderness” 23
1 Then Balaam said to King Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven young bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.”
2 Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
3 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offerings, and I will go to see if the LORD(Jesus) will respond to me. Then I will tell you whatever he reveals to me.” He went off to a desolate hill.
4 and God(Elohim/Theos) met Balaam who said to him, "I prepared the seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar."
5 The LORD(Jesus) gave Balaam a message for King Balak. Then he said: Go back to Balak and give him my message.
6 So Balaam returned and found the king standing beside his burnt offerings with all the officials of Moab.
7 This was the message Balaam delivered: “Balak summoned me to come from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the eastern hills. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me! Come and announce Israel’s doom.’
8 But how can I curse those whom God(Elohim/Theos) has not cursed? How can I condemn those whom the LORD(Jesus) has not condemned?
9 I see them from the cliff tops; I watch them from the hills. I see a people who live by themselves,
set apart from other nations.
10 Who can count Jacob’s descendants, as numerous as dust? Who can count even a fourth of Israel’s people? Let me die like the righteous; let my life end like theirs.”
11 Then King Balak demanded of Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies. Instead, you have blessed them!”
12 But Balaam replied, “I will speak only the message that the LORD(Jesus) puts in my mouth.”
13 Then Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place from which you may see them; you shall see only the outer part of them, and shall not see them all; curse them for me from there."
14 So he brought him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
15 Then Balaam said to the king, “Stand here by your burnt offerings while I go over there to meet the LORD(Jesus).”
16 And the LORD(Jesus) met Balaam and gave him a message. Then he said: Go back to Balak and give him my message.
17 So Balaam returned and found the king standing beside his burnt offerings with all the officials of Moab. “What did the LORD(Jesus) say?” Balak asked eagerly.
18 Then he took up his oracle and said: "Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, son of Zippor!
19 God(Elohim/Theos) is not a man, so he does not lie. Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
20 Look, I am ordered to bless; when he blesses, I can't reverse it.
21 No misfortune is in his plan for Jacob; no trouble is in store for Israel. For the LORD(Jesus) their God(Elohim/Theos) is with them; he has been proclaimed their king.
22 God(Elohim/Theos) brought them out of Egypt; for them he is as strong as a wild rhinoceros.
Israel is not as they were at the Exodus, a horde of poor, feeble, spiritless people, but powerful and invincible as a reem--that is, a rhinoceros (Job 39:9, Psalms 22:21, 92:10). Jamieson
23 For there is no sorcery against Jacob, Nor any divination against Israel. It now must be said of Jacob And of Israel, 'Oh, what God has done!'
24 Here is a people rising up like a lioness; like a lion he rears himself up -he will not lie down till he eats up the prey and drinks the blood of the slain."
25 Then Balak said to Balaam, "Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all!"
26 Balaam replied to Balak, “Didn’t I tell you that I can do only what the LORD(Jesus) tells me to do?”
27 Then Balak said to Balaam, "Please come, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God(Elohim/Theos) to let you curse them from there.”
28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor, overlooking the wasteland.
29 Balaam again told Balak, "Build me seven altars here, and prepare me seven bulls and seven rams."
30 So Balak did as Balaam ordered and offered a young bull and a ram on each altar.
Numbers 24 “in the wilderness” 24
1 By now Balaam realized that the LORD(Jesus) intended to bless Israel, so he did not resort to divination as he often did. Instead, he turned and looked out toward the wilderness,
2 where he saw the people of Israel camped, tribe by tribe. Then the [Holy]Spirit of God(Elohim) came upon him,
3 and this is the oracle he delivered: "This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of the man whose eyes see clearly,
4 who hears the words of God(El), who sees a vision from the Almighty(Shaddai), who falls down with eyes wide open:
5 How lovely are your tents, O Jacob! Your dwellings, O Israel!
6 Like valleys that stretch out, Like gardens by the riverside, Like aloes planted by the Lord, Like cedars beside the waters.
7 He shall pour water from his buckets, And his seed shall be in many waters. Their king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted.
8 God(El) brought them up from Egypt, drawing them along like a wild ox. He devours all the nations that oppose him, breaking their bones in pieces, shooting them with arrows.
9 Like a lion, Israel crouches and lies down; like a lioness, who dares to arouse her? Blessed is everyone who blesses you, O Israel, and cursed is everyone who curses you.
People are blessed that blesses us, and cursed that are against us! God protects us!!
10 King Balak anger raged against Balaam. He slapped his hands and shouted, "I called you to curse my enemies! Instead, you have blessed them three times now!
11 Now get out! Leave and go home! I had planned to reward you richly, but the LORD(Jesus) has kept you from your reward."
12 So Balaam said to Balak, "Don't you remember what I told your messengers? I said,
13 If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord, to do good or bad of my own will. What the LORD(Yahwah) says, that I must speak'?
14 Now I am returning to my own people. But first let me tell you what the Israelites will do to your people in the future."
15 He then said, "This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of the man whose eyes see clearly,
16 who hears the words of God(El), who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty(Shaddai), who falls down with eyes wide open:
17 I see him, but not in the present time. I perceive him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel. It will crush the foreheads of Moab's people, cracking the skulls of the people of Sheth.
THE STAR IS JESUS!
18 Edom will be taken over, and Seir, its enemy, will be conquered, while Israel continues on in victory.
19 Out of Jacob One shall have dominion, And destroy the remains of the city.
THE ONE IS JESUS!
20 Then he looked on Amalek, and he took up his oracle and said: "Amalek was first among the nations, But shall be last until he perishes."
21 Then he looked over at the Kenites and prophesied: "You are strongly situated; your nest is set in the rocks.
22 Nevertheless the Kenites will be destroyed when Assyria takes you captive."
23 Balaam concluded his prophecies by saying: "Alas! Who shall live when God(El) does this?
24 And ships [will come] from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.
Chittim--the countries lying on the Mediterranean, particularly Greece and Italy (Daniel 11:29,30). The Assyrians were themselves to be overthrown--first, by the Greeks under Alexander the Great and his successors; secondly, by the Romans. Some believe this may also be a reference to the British Isles and even America in the distant future.
Eber--the posterity of the Hebrews (Genesis 10:24).
he also shall perish--that is, the conqueror of Asher and Eber, namely, the Greek and Roman empires. It also may be a distant prophecy for today. REMEMBER ASSYRIA is modern Germany! The British Isles and the USA defeated Germany in WWI and WWII
25 And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his home: and Balak also left.
The message here is that God also uses FALSE PROPHETS to get His message out! Be aware of this fact!
Numbers 25 “in the wilderness” 25
WHOREDOM AND IDOLATRY WITH MOAB:
1 Israel stayed at Shittim, and there the people began whoring with the women of Moab.
Shittim--a verdant meadow, so called from a grove of acacia trees which lined the eastern side of the Jordan. (See Numbers 33:49).
2 These women invited them to attend sacrifices to their gods(Elohim/Theos), so the Israelites feasted with them and worshiped the gods(Elohim/Theos) of Moab.
3 So Israel joined in the worshipping Baal of Peor, causing the LORD(Jesus) to burn in anger to against his people.
4 The LORD(Jesus) said to Moses: Seize all the leaders of the people and hang the offenders before the LORD(Jesus) in broad daylight, so his fraging fury will turn away from the people of Israel.
5 Moses said to the judges[leaders] of Israel, “Each of you must put to death the men under your authority who have joined in worshiping Baal of Peor.”
judges of Israel--the seventy elders, who were commanded not only to superintend the execution within their respective jurisdictions, but to inflict the punishment with their own hands.
6 Just then, in the sight of Moses and the whole community of Israel, as they were weeping at the entrance to the Tabernacle, a man from Israel came by, bringing to his family a woman from Midian.
7 When Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the priest saw this, he jumped up and left the church, with a spear in his hand.
8 and rushed after the man into his tent. Phinehas thrust the spear all the way through the man’s body and into the woman’s stomach. So the plague against the Israelites was stopped,
9 nevertheless, 24,000 died in the plague
Only twenty-three thousand perished (1 Corinthians 10:8) from pestilence. Moses includes those who died by the execution of the judges.
10 Then the LORD(Jesus) said to Moses:
11 Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the priest has deflected my anger from the people of Israel by being as zealous as I am, so that I didn't destroy them in my own zeal.
12 Therefore say, 'Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace;
13 And it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God(Elohim/Theos), and made atonement for the children of Israel.'
14 The name of the man from Israel who was killed, put to death with the woman from Midian, was Zimri the son of Salu, leader of one of the families from the tribe of Simeon.
15 The woman’s name was Cozbi; she was the daughter of Zur, the leader of a Midianite family.
16 Then the LORD(Jesus) said to Moses:
17 Attack the Midianites, and destroy them!
18 because they are treating you as enemies bby the trickery they used to deceive you in the Peor matter, and because of Cozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader, who was killed at the time of the plague because of what happened at Peor.
The friendship of the wicked is more dangerous than their enmity; for none can prevail against God's people if they are not overcome by their inbred lusts; nor can any enchantment hurt them, but the enticements of worldly interests and pleasures. Here is the sin of Israel, to which they are enticed by the daughters of Moab and Midian. Those are our worst enemies who draw us to sin, for that is the greatest mischief any man can do us. Israel's sin did that which all Balaam's enchantments could not do; it set God against them. Diseases are the fruits of God's anger, and the just punishments of prevailing sins; one infection follows the other. Ringleaders in sin ought to be made examples of justice. (Matthew Henry)
Numbers 26 “in the wilderness” 26
THE SECOND CENSUS:
1 After the plague had ended, the LORD(Jesus) said to Moses and to Eleazar son of Aaron the priest:
The plague had swept away the the rest of the old generation, to whom God swore in His wrath that they should not enter Canaan (Psalms 95:11).
2 Take a census of all of the people of Israel twenty years old and over, by their ancestral families, all who are subject to military service in Israel.
3 So Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho, saying:
4 “List all the men of Israel twenty years old and older, just as the LORD(Jesus) commanded Moses, and the children of Israel who came out of the land of Egypt.”
{The census results begin with}
5 Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. The children of Reuben were: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites;
6 of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.
7 These were the families of Reuben. Their registered troops numbered 43,730.
8 And the sons of Pallu was Eliab.
9 Eliab was the father of Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. This Dathan and Abiram are the same community leaders who conspired with Korah against Moses and Aaron, rebelling against the LORD(Jesus).
10 But the earth opened up its mouth and swallowed them with Korah, and fire consumed 250 of their followers. This served as a sign of warning to the entire nation of Israel.
11 However, the sons of Korah did not die that day.
Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not--Either they were not parties to their father's crime, or they withdrew from it by timely repentance. His descendants became famous in the time of David, and are often mentioned in the Psalms [Psalms 42:1, 44:1, 45:1, 46:1, 47:1, 48:1, 49:1, 84:1, 85:1, 87:1, 88:1], also in 1 Chronicles 6:22,38.) JAMIESON
12 The sons of Simeon according to their families were: of Nemuel, F35 the family of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites;
13 of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites; of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.
14 These were the families of Simeon. Their registered troops numbered 22,200.
15 The sons of Gad according to their families were: of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the family of the Haggites; of Shuni, the family of the Shunites;
16 of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites;
17 of Arod, the family of the Arodi; and of Areli, the family of the Areli.
18 These were the families of Gad. Their registered troops numbered 40,500.
19 Judah had two sons, Er and Onan, who had died in the land of Canaan.
20 And the sons of Judah according to their families were: of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites; of Perez, the family of the Parzites; of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites.
21 And the sons of Perez were: of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites.
22 These were the families of Judah. Their registered troops numbered 76,500.
23 These were the families descended from the sons of Issachar: The Tolaite clan, named after their ancestor Tola. The Puite clan, named after their ancestor Puah.
24 The Jashubite clan, named after their ancestor Jashub.The Shimronite clan, named after their ancestor Shimron.
25 These were the families of Issachar. Their registered troops numbered 64,300.
26 The sons of Zebulun according to their families were: of Sered, the family of the Sardites; of Elon, the family of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites.
27 These were the families of Zebulun. Their registered troops numbered 60,500.
28 Two families were descended from Joseph through Manasseh and Ephraim.
29 These were the families descended from Manasseh: The sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites; and Machir begot Gilead; of Gilead, the family of the Gileadites.
30 These are the sons of Gilead: of Jeezer, the family of the Jeezerites; of Helek, the family of the Helekites;
31 Of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites;
32 The Shemidaites, named after their ancestor Shemida. The Hepherites, named after their ancestor Hepher.
33 Now Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters; and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
34 These were the families of Manasseh. Their registered troops numbered 52,700.
35 These are the sons of Ephraim according to their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthalhites; of Becher, the family of the Bachrites; of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites.
36 This was the subfamily descended from the Shuthelahites: The Eranites, named after their ancestor Eran.
37 These were the families of Ephraim. Their registered troops numbered 32,500. These families of Manasseh and Ephraim were all descendants of Joseph.
38 The sons of Benjamin according to their families were: of Bela, the family of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites;
39 The Shuphamite clan, named after their ancestor Shupham and the Huphamite clan, named after their ancestor Hupham.
40 And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites; of Naaman, the family of the Naamites.
41 These were the families of Benjamin. Their registered troops numbered 45,600.
42 These are the sons of Dan according to their families: of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan according to their families.
43 These were the Shuhamite families of Dan. Their registered troops numbered 64,400.
44 The sons of Asher according to their families were: of Jimna, the family of the Jimnites; of Jesui, the family of the Jesuites; of Beriah, the family of the Beriites.
45 Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites; of Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites.
46 Asher also had a daughter named Serah.
47 These were the families of Asher. Their registered troops numbered 53,400.
48 The sons of Naphtali according to their families were: of Jahzeel, F49 the family of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the family of the Gunites;
49 of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.
50 These were the families of Naphtali. Their registered troops numbered 45,400.
51 The summary of the registered troops of all Israel numbered 601,730.
52 Then the LORD(Jesus) spoke to Moses and said:
53 The land is to be parceled out among these as a possession to be inherited, according to the number of names.
54 Give the larger tribes more land and the smaller tribes less land, each group receiving a grant in proportion to the size of its population.
55 But you must assign the land by lot, and give land to each ancestral tribe according to the number of names on the list.
56 Each grant of land must be assigned by lot among the larger and smaller tribal groups.
57 And these are those who were numbered of the Levites according to their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites; of Merari, the family of the Merarites.
58 These are the families of the Levites: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, and the family of the Korathites. And Kohath begot Amram.
59 The name of Amram's wife was Jochebed the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and to Amram she bore Aaron and Moses and their sister Miriam.
Here we see the names of Moses' mother and father
60 To Aaron were born Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
61 But Nadab and Abihu died when they burned before the LORD(Jesus) the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded.
62 The males one month old or more counted of the Levi were 23,000. These were not included in the census of the people of Israel, because no land for inheritance was given to them among the people of Israel.
63 These are the ones counted by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who took a census of the people of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho.
64 There was not a man on this list had been among those listed in the previous registration taken by Moses and Aaron in the wilderness of Sinai.
65 For the LORD(Jesus) had said of them: They will all die in the wilderness. Not one of them survived except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
COMMENTARY FROM Jamieson:
Among these there was not a man . . . numbered . . . in the wilderness of Sinai--The statement in this verse must not be considered absolute. For, besides Caleb and Joshua, there were alive at this time Eleazar and Ithamar, and in all probability a considerable number of Levites, who had no participation in the popular defections in the wilderness. The tribe of Levi, having neither sent a spy into Canaan, nor being included in the enumeration at Sinai, must be regarded as not coming within the range of the fatal sentence; and therefore it would exhibit a spectacle not to be witnessed in the other tribes of many in their ranks above sixty years of age.
Tribes Chap. 1 Chap. 26 Increase Decrease
Reuben 46,500 43,730 -- 2,770
Simeon 59,300 22,200 -- 37,100
Gad 45,650 40,500 -- 5,150
Judah 74,600 76,500 1,900 --
Issachar 54,400 64,300 9,900 --
Zebulun 57,400 60,500 3,100 --
Ephraim 40,500 32,500 -- 8,000
Manasseh 32,200 52,700 20,500 --
Benjamin 35,400 45,600 10,200 --
Dan 62,700 64,400 1,700 --
Asher 41,500 53,400 11,900 --
Naphtali 53,400 45,400 -- 8,000
Total 603,550 601,730 59,200 61,020
Total decrease 1,820
Numbers 27 “in the wilderness” 27
EQUAL RIGHTS FOR WOMEN:
1 Then the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Mahlah, the son of Noah, the son of Hoglah, the son of Milcah, and the son of Tirzah. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
2 These women stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the tribal leaders, and the entire community at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
3 “Our father died in the desert,” they said. “He wasn't part of the group of Korah’s followers, who rebelled against the LORD(Jesus); he died because of his own sin. But he had no sons.
died in his own sin--that is, by the common law of mortality to which men, through sin, are subject.
4 Why should the name of our father disappear from his family just because he had no sons? Give us property along with the rest of our relatives.”
Those young women perceived that the males only in families had been registered in the census. Because there were none in their household, their family was omitted. So they made known their grievance to Moses, and the authorities conjoined with him in administering justice. The case was important; and as the peculiarity of daughters being the sole members of a family would be no infrequent or uncommon occurrence, the law of inheritance, under divine authority, was extended not only to meet all similar cases, but other cases also--such as when there were no children left by the proprietor, and no brothers to succeed him. A distribution of the promised land was about to be made; and it is interesting to know the legal provision made in these comparatively rare cases for preserving a patrimony from being alienated to another (Jamieson)
5 So Moses brought their case before the LORD(Jesus).
6 And the LORD(Jesus) answered Moses:
7 The daughters of Zelophehad claim is legitimate. You must give them a grant of land along with their father’s relatives. Assign them the property that would have been given to their father.
8 Moreover, say to the people of of Israel: If a man dies and has no son, then give his inheritance to his daughters.
9 And if he has no daughter either, transfer his inheritance to his brothers.
10 If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.
11 But if his father has no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan. This is a legal requirement for the people of Israel, just as the LORD(Jesus) commanded Moses.
Joshua to Lead Israel:
12 Now the LORD(Jesus) said to Moses: Climb this mountain in the Abarim Range, and look out at the land which I have given the people of Israel.
13 After you have seen it, you will die like your brother, Aaron,
14 for you both rebelled against my instructions in the wilderness of Zin. When the people of the church rebelled, you failed to demonstrate my holiness to them at the waters.” (These are the waters of Meribah at Kadesh Spring in the Zin Desert.)
15 Then Moses said to the LORD(Jesus),
16 “O LORD(Jesus), you are the God(Elohim/Theos) who gives breath to all creatures. Please appoint a new man as leader for the community(church).
17 Give them someone who will guide them wherever they go and will lead them into battle, so the community of the LORD(Jesus) will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”
Moses takes his death like a man!
18 The LORD(Jesus) spoke again to Moses:
Take Joshua son of Nun, a man who has the [Holy]Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him.
Laying of the hands still is how Christians transform the Holy Spirit after Baptism.
19 Put him in front of Eleazar the priest and before the whole church community, and publicly inaugurate him to lead the people.
20 Delegate to him some of your authority, so the whole church of Israel will obey him.
Joshua only gets “some” of Moses' power, not all! It would not be until Christ came that anyone had the power of Moses from God.
21 When direction from the LORD(Jesus) is needed, he will stand before Eleazar the priest, who will use the Urim to cast lots before the LORD(Jesus)—to determine his will. This is how Joshua and the rest of the church of Israel will determine everything they should do.
22 So Moses did as the LORD(Jesus) commanded. He presented Joshua to Eleazar the priest and the whole church.
23 Moses laid his hands on him and inaugurated him, just as the LORD(Jesus) had commanded through Moses.
Numbers 28 “in the wilderness” 28
1 The LORD(Jesus) spoke to Moses, saying:
2 Command the children of Israel, and say to them, 'You are to take care to offer me at the proper time the food presented to me as offerings made by fire, providing a fragrant aroma for me.'
3 Tell them: 'This is the offering you must bring to the LORD(Jesus) as your daily burnt offering. You must offer two one-year-old male lambs without defects.
4 Sacrifice one lamb in the morning and the other in the evening,
5 along with two quarts of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with one quart of oil from pressed olive oil.
6 This is the regular burnt offering, the same as was offered at Mount Sinai to give a pleasing aroma, a burnt offering by fire to the LORD(Jesus).
7 And the drink offering must be one quart of strong wine[or liquor] with each lamb, poured out in the Holy Place as an burnt offering to the LORD(Jesus).
8 The second lamb is to be offered in the evening with the same grain offering and drink offering. It, too, is a burnt offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD(Jesus).
SABBATH OFFERINGS:
9 On the Sabbath day, at dusk, sacrifice two one-year-old male lambs without blemishes (defects). They must be accompanied by a grain offering of four quarts (a gallon) of fine flour moistened with olive oil, and a drink offering.
10 This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath day, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its accompanying drink offering.
This is the first time that this offering for the Sabbath is mentioned.....
11 On each new month, present an extra burnt offering to the LORD(Jesus) of two young bulls, one ram, and seven one-year-old male lambs, all without defects.
Hebrew: Rosh-Hodesh. It is a mistake to make the connect of a new moon with a new month. Like in our language, our word for month means moonth, yet the position of the moon has nothing to do with the beginning of our months. The same applies here and is misunderstood by those who render this a new moon. It is not. It is a new month. A new SOLAR month. Before the flood, each month started on a new moon, which at that time occurred exactly 30 days apart. After the flood, the earth slowed from 360 days to 365 days, throwing the monthly moon cycles off. God's calendar is SOLAR not LUNAR!
12 These must be accompanied by grain offerings of choice flour moistened with pressed olive oil—six quarts with each bull, four quarts with the ram,
13 and two quarts with each lamb. This burnt offering will be a special offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD(Jesus).
14 Their drink offerings will be two quarts of wine for a bull, one-and-one-third quarts for the ram, and one quart for each lamb. This is the burnt offering for every new month, throughout the months of the year.
15 Also a male goat is to be offered as a sin offering to the LORD(Jesus). This is in addition to the regular burnt offering and its accompanying drink offering.
PASSOVER:
16 On the fourteenth day of the first month is the LORD(Jesus)’s Passover.
This is the real New Year and Not the seventh month holiday.
17 On the following day—the fifteenth day of the month—is to be a feast [for seven days]. Matzoh(unleavened bread) is to be eaten for seven days.
18 The first day [the 15th] will be a holy day, and no ordinary work may be done.
19 As a special offering you must present a burnt offering to the LORD(Jesus)—two young bulls, one ram, and seven one-year-old male lambs, all without defects.
20 These will be accompanied by grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil—six quarts with each bull, four quarts with the ram,
21 and two quarts with each of the seven lambs.
22 And one goat for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you.
23 Present them in addition to your regular morning burnt offering.
24 In this fashion you are to offer daily, for seven days, the food of the offering made by fire, making a fragrant aroma for the LORD(Jesus). These will be offered in addition to the regular burnt offerings and drink offerings.
25 On the seventh day you are to hold another holy assembly, and no ordinary work may be done on that day.
Festival of First-fruit Harvest:(Pentecost):
26 On the day of First-fruit Harvest(Pentecost), when you bring a new grain offering to the LORD(Jesus), you must call for holy assembly, and you may do no ordinary work.
This is not the same as the Feast of First-fruits, which is the 8th day of Passover, this is the day of the First Harvest, fifty days after firstfruits, or the day of Pentecost.
27 Present a special burnt offering on that day as a pleasing aroma to the LORD(Jesus). It will consist of two young bulls, one ram, and seven one-year-old male lambs.
28 These will be accompanied by grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil—six quarts with each bull, four quarts with the ram,
29 and two quarts with each of the seven lambs.
30 Also a male goat to make atonement for you.
31You are to offer these in addition to the regular burnt offering and its grain offering (they are to be without defect for you), with their drink offerings.
Notes from Jamieson:
And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the Lord--These were held as sacred festivals; and though not possessing the character of solemn feasts, they were distinguished by the blowing of trumpets over the sacrifices (Numbers 10:10), by the suspension of all labor except the domestic occupations of women (Amos 8:5), by the celebration of public worship (2 Kings 4:23), and by social or family feasts (1 Samuel 20:5). These observations are not prescribed in the law though they obtained in the practice of a later time. The beginning of the month was known, not by astronomical calculations, but, according to Jewish writers, by the testimony of messengers appointed to watch the first visible appearance of the new moon; and then the fact was announced through the whole country by signal-fires kindled on the mountain tops. The new-moon festivals having been common among the heathen, it is probable that an important design of their institution in Israel was to give the minds of that people a better direction; and assuming this to have been one of the objects contemplated, it will account for one of the kids being offered unto the Lord (Numbers 28:15), not unto the moon, as the Egyptians and Syrians did. The Sabbath and the new moon are frequently mentioned together.
16-25. in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover--The law for that great annual festival is given (Leviticus 23:5), but some details are here introduced, as certain specified offerings are prescribed to be made on each of the seven days of unleavened bread [Numbers 28:18-25].
26, 27. in the day of the first-fruits . . . offer the burnt offering--A new sacrifice is here ordered for the celebration of this festival, in addition to the other offering, which was to accompany the first-fruits (Leviticus 23:18).
Numbers 29 “in the wilderness” 29
FEAST OF TRUMPETS (ROSH HASHANAH):
1 In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you are to have a holy church service and do no regular work on the day. It is a day of blowing trumpets for you.
In ancient Israel, God commanded the priests to make two silver trumpets to be used for sounding an alarm. Turn to Numbers 10:1–10. Think of them as air raid alarms, or the beeping sound that your TV makes for breaking news. This is a Holy Day of Newscasters! God's Newscasters. Our job is to sound the alarm (blow the trumpets) of the coming Day of the Lord. Jesus Christ, was the greatest newscaster ever!
2 On that day you must present a burnt offering as a pleasing aroma to the LORD(Jesus). It will consist of one young bull, one ram, and seven one-year-old male lambs, all without defects.
3 These must be accompanied by grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil, six quarts with the bull, a gallon for a ram,
4 and two quarts with each of the seven lambs.
5 also one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you.
6 These special sacrifices are in addition to your regular monthly and daily burnt offerings, and they must be given with their prescribed grain offerings and drink offerings. These offerings are given as an offering to the LORD(Jesus), a sacrifice made by fire.
DAY OF ATONEMENT:
7 Ten days later, on the tenth day of the month, you are to have a holy church service. You are to deny[fast] yourselves, and you are not to do any kind of work;
8 But you are to present a burnt offering to the LORD(Jesus). It will consist of one young bull, one ram, and seven one-year-old male lambs, all without defects.
9 These offerings must be accompanied by the prescribed grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil, six quarts of choice flour with the bull, four quarts of choice flour with the ram,
10 and two quarts of choice flour with each of the seven lambs.
11 You must also sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering. This is in addition to the sin offering of atonement and the regular daily burnt offering with its grain offering, and their accompanying drink offerings.
FEAST OF TABERNACLES:
12 On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you are to have a holy service. You are not to do any kind of ordinary work, and you are to observe a feast to the LORD(Jesus) for seven days.
13 On the first day of the festival, you must present a burnt offering as a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the LORD(Jesus). It will consist of thirteen young bulls, two rams, and fourteen one-year-old male lambs, all without defects.
14 Each of these offerings must be accompanied by a grain offering of choice flour moistened with olive oil, six quarts for each of the thirteen bulls, four quarts for each of the two rams,
15 and two quarts for each of the fourteen lambs.
16 You must also sacrifice a male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its accompanying grain offering and drink offering.
17 On the second day of this seven-day festival, sacrifice twelve young bulls, two rams, and fourteen one-year-old male lambs, all without defects.
18 Each of these with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams and lambs, according to their number, in keeping with the rule;
19 also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the regular burnt offering, its grain offering and their drink offerings.
20 On the third day of the festival, sacrifice eleven young bulls, two rams, and fourteen one-year-old male lambs, all without defects.
21 Each of these with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams and lambs, according to their number, in keeping with the rule;
22 also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.
23 On the fourth day ten bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs in their first year, without defect;
24 with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams and lambs, according to their number, in keeping with the rule;
25 also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.
26 On the fifth day of the festival, sacrifice nine young bulls, two rams, and fourteen one-year-old male lambs, all without defects.
27 Each of these offerings of bulls, rams, and lambs must be accompanied by its prescribed grain offering and drink offering.
28 You must also sacrifice a male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its accompanying grain offering and drink offering.
29 On the sixth day eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs in their first year, without defects;
30 each of these offerings of bulls, rams, and lambs must be accompanied by its prescribed grain offering and drink offering.
31 You must also sacrifice a male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its accompanying grain offering and drink offering.
32 On the seventh day seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs in their first year, without defects;
33 with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams and lambs, according to their number, in keeping with the rule;
34 also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offerings.
35 On the eighth day you are to have a festive assembly: you are not to do any kind of ordinary work;
36 but you are to present a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, giving a fragrant aroma to the LORD(Jesus)-one bull, one ram, seven male lambs in their first year, without defect;
37 with the grain and drink offerings for the bull, the ram and the lambs, according to their number, in keeping with the rule;
38 also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.
39 You must present these offerings to the LORD(Jesus) at your annual feasts. These are in addition to the sacrifices and offerings you present in connection with vows, or as thanksgiving offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings, drink offerings, or peace offerings.'
From the statements made in this and the preceding chapter, it appears that the yearly offerings made to the altar at the public expense, without taking into account a vast number of voluntary vow and trespass offerings, were calculated at the following amount:--goats, fifteen; kids, twenty-one; rams, seventy-two; bullocks, one hundred thirty-two; lambs, 1,101; sum-total of animals sacrificed at public cost, 1,241. This, of course, is exclusive of the prodigious addition of lambs slain at the passover, which in later times, according to JOSEPHUS, amounted in a single year to the immense number of 255,600. (Jamieson)
40 And Moses told the children of Israel according to all that the LORD(Jesus) commanded Moses.
Numbers 29:40 is numbered 30:1 in Hebrew text.
Numbers 30 “in the wilderness” 30
Vows:
Verses 30:1-16 are numbered 30:2-17 in Hebrew text.
1 Then Moses spoke the leaders of the tribes of Israel and told them, “This is what the LORD(Jesus) has commanded.
2 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD(Jesus) or swear an oath, he is not to break his word but is to do everything he said he would do.
Oaths are binding. This is why Jesus said make no oaths at all. It is better to not make an oath and try to do something, then to make a vow and break it.
3 If a woman also makes a vow to the LORD(Jesus) or a pledge under oath while she is a minor living in her father's house;
4 then, if her father has heard what she vowed or obligated herself to do and holds his peace, then all her vows remain binding - every obligation she has bound herself to will stand.
5 But if her father refuses to let her fulfill the vow or pledge on the day he hears of it, then all her vows and pledges will become invalid. The LORD(Jesus) will forgive her because her father would not let her fulfill them.
6 If, having made vows or rashly committed herself to an obligation, she gets married;
7 and her husband learns of her vow or pledge and does not object on the day he hears of it, her vows and pledges will stand.
8 But if her husband refuses to accept her vow or impulsive pledge on the day he hears of it, he nullifies her commitments, and the LORD(Jesus) will forgive her.
10 If a woman made the vow in her husband's house or obligated herself with an oath;
11 and if her husband hears of it and does not object to it, her vow or pledge will stand.
12 But if her husband refuses to accept it on the day he hears of it, her vow or pledge will be nullified, and the LORD(Jesus) will forgive her.
13 So her husband may either confirm or nullify any vows or pledges she makes to deny herself.
14 But if he does not object on the day he hears of it, then he is agreeing to all her vows and pledges.
15 If he makes them null and void after he has heard them, then he will bear the consequent guilt.
16 These are the laws which the LORD(Jesus) gave Moses concerning relationships between a man and his wife, and between a father and a young daughter who still lives at home.
Numbers 31 “in the wilderness” 31
1 And the LORD(Jesus) spoke to Moses, saying:
2 On behalf of the people of Israel, take revenge on the Midianites for leading them into idolatry. After that, you will die and join your ancestors.
3 So Moses said to the people, “Choose some men, and arm them to fight the LORD(Jesus)’s war of revenge against Midian.
4 From each tribe of Israel, send 1,000 men into battle.”
5 So they chose 1,000 men from each tribe of Israel, a total of 12,000 men armed for battle.
6 Then Moses sent them out, 1,000 men from each tribe, and Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest led them into battle. They carried along the holy objects of the sanctuary and the trumpets for sounding the charge.
7 They attacked Midian as the LORD(Jesus) had commanded Moses, and they killed all the men.
8 All five of the Midianite kings—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—died in the battle. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.
9 Then the Israelite army captured the Midianite women and children and seized their cattle and flocks and all their wealth as plunder.
10 They burned all the towns and villages where the Midianites had lived.
11 After they had gathered the plunder and captives, both people and animals,
12 they brought them all to Moses and Eleazar the priest, and to the whole community of Israel, which was camped on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River, across from Jericho.
13 Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp.
14 But Moses was angry with the army officers, the commanders of thousands and the hundreds coming in from the battlefield.
15 Moses asked: “Why have you let all the women live?”
16 Why, these are the ones who followed Balaam’s advice and caused the people of Israel to rebel against the LORD(Jesus) at Mount Peor. They are the ones who caused the plague to strike the LORD(Jesus)’s people.
17 So kill all the boys and all the women who have had sexual intercourse with a man.
18 Only the young girls who are virgins may live; you may keep them for yourselves.
This is allowed because very young girls can be brought up in the true faith and not long to follow after Baal.
19 Pitch your tents outside the camp for seven days. Whoever has killed a person or touched the corpse of someone slain, purify yourselves on the third and seventh days, you and your captives.
20 Purify all your clothing, too, and everything made of leather, goat hair, or wood.”
21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the men who were in the battle, “The LORD(Jesus) has given Moses this legal regulation:
22 Anything made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, or lead;
23 can all withstand fire, so that you are indeed to purify everything made of these materials by having them pass through fire; nevertheless they must also be purified with the water for purification. Everything that can't withstand fire you are to have go through the water.
24 On the seventh day you are to wash your clothes, and you will be clean; after that you may enter the camp."
25 And the LORD(Jesus) spoke to Moses, saying:
26 Take all the booty, both people and animals, you, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of clans in the community;
27 and divide the booty into two parts: half for the experienced soldiers who went out to battle, and half for the rest of the community.
28 From the portion of the soldiers, first give the LORD(Jesus) his share of the plunder... One of every 500 of the prisoners and of the cattle, donkeys, sheep, and goats.
29 Give this share of the army’s half to Eleazar the priest as an offering to the LORD(Jesus).
30 From the half that goes to the people of Israel, take one of every fifty of the prisoners and of the cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, and other animals. Give this share to the Levites, who are in charge of maintaining the LORD(Jesus)’s Tabernacle.
31 So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD(Jesus) commanded Moses.
32 The plunder remaining from everything the fighting men had taken totaled 675,000 sheep and goats,
33 72,000 cattle,
34 61,000 donkeys,
35 and 32,000 virgin girls.
36 Half of the plunder was given to the fighting men. It totaled 337,500 sheep and goats,
37 of which 675 were the LORD(Jesus)’s share;
38 36,000 cattle, of which 72 were the LORD(Jesus)’s share;
39 30,500 donkeys, of which 61 were the LORD(Jesus)’s share;
40 and 16,000 virgin girls, of whom 32 were the LORD(Jesus)’s share.
41 Moses gave all the LORD(Jesus)’s share to Eleazar the priest, just as the LORD(Jesus) had directed him.
42 Half of the plunder belonged to the people of Israel, and Moses separated it from the half belonging to the fighting men.
43 It totaled 337,500 sheep and goats,
44 36,000 cattle,
45 30,500 donkeys,
46 and 16,000 virgin girls.
47 From the half-share given to the people, Moses took one of every fifty prisoners and animals and gave them to the Levites, who maintained the LORD(Jesus)’s Tabernacle. All this was done as the LORD(Jesus) had commanded Moses.
48 Then all the generals and captains and lieutenants came to Moses.
49 and said to him, "Your servants have counted all the soldiers under our command, and not one of us is missing.
50 We have brought an offering for the LORD(Jesus), what every man has obtained in the way of gold jewelry -armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings and belts -to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD(Jesus)."
51 So Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted their gold, and all the jewelry.
52 All the gold that the generals and captains and lieutenants gave to the LORD(Jesus) weighed about 420 pounds.
53 For the soldiers had taken the plunder, every man for himself.
54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took from the generals and captains and lieutenants the gold to the Tabernacle as a reminder to the LORD(Jesus) that the people of Israel belong to him.
Numbers 32 “in the wilderness” 32
1 The descendants of Reuben and Gad owned vast numbers of livestock. So when they saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were ideally suited for their flocks and herds,
2 they came to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the other leaders of the community. They said,
3 “Notice the towns of Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sibmah, Nebo, and Beon.
4 the country that the LORD(Jesus) conquered before the community of Israel, is livestock country; and your servants have livestock.
5 If you regard us favorably," they went on, "let this land be given to your servants as their possession; and don't have us cross the Jordan."
6 Moses asked the men of Gad and Reuben. “Do you intend to stay here while your brothers go across and do all the fighting?”
7 “besides, hy do you want to discourage the rest of the people of Israel from going across to the land the LORD(Jesus) has given them?
8 This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-Barnea to see the land.
9 For they went up to the Eshcol valley and explored the land, they discouraged the people of Israel from entering the land the LORD(Jesus) had given them.
10 Then the LORD(Jesus) was very angry with them, and he swore, saying:
11 None of the people aged twenty or more who came out of Egypt will see the land I swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; because they haven't followed me unreservedly...
12 The only exceptions are Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they have wholeheartedly followed the LORD(Jesus).
13 And the LORD'S(Yahweh) anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all that generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD(Jesus), was dead.
14 But here you are, a brood of sinners, doing exactly the same thing! You are making the LORD(Jesus) even angrier with Israel.
15 If you turn away from him like this and he abandons them again in the wilderness, you will be responsible for destroying this entire nation!
16 And they came near Moses and said, “We simply want to build pens for our livestock and fortified towns for our wives and children.
17 Then we will arm ourselves and lead our fellow Israelites into battle until we have brought them safely to their land. Meanwhile, our families will stay in the fortified towns we build here, so they will be safe from any attacks by the local people.
18 We will not return to our homes until all the people of Israel have received their portions of land.
19 But we do not claim any of the land on the other side of the Jordan. We would rather live here on the east side and accept this as our grant of land.”
20 Then Moses said, “If you keep your word and arm yourselves for the LORD(Jesus)’s battles,
21 and if your troops cross the Jordan and keep fighting until the LORD(Jesus) has driven out his enemies,
22 and if the land has been conquered before the LORD(Jesus), and only after that do you return - then you will be clear before the LORD(Jesus) and before Israel, and this land here will be yours to possess before the LORD(Jesus).
23 But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the LORD(Jesus), and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.
24 Build cities for your little ones and enclosures for your sheep; then do what you said you would do."
25 Then the men of Gad and Reuben replied, “We, your servants, will follow your instructions exactly.
26 Our children, wives, flocks, and cattle will stay here in the towns of Gilead.
27 But we will cross over to fight for the LORD(Jesus), just as you have said.”
28 So Moses gave orders to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and thfe leaders of the families of Israel.
29 He said, “The men of Gad and Reuben who are armed for battle must cross the Jordan with you to fight for the LORD(Jesus). If they do, give them the land of Gilead as their property when the land is conquered.
30 But if they do not cross with you armed, they are to possess land along with you in Canaan.”
31 The tribes of Gad and Reuben said again, “We are your servants, and we will do as the LORD(Jesus) has commanded!
32 We will cross the Jordan into Canaan fully armed to fight for the LORD(Jesus), but our property will be here on this side of the Jordan.”
33 So Moses gave the land to the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph. He gave them the territory of King Sihon of the Amorites and the land of King Og of Bashan—the whole land with its cities and surrounding lands.
34 The descendants of Gad built the towns of Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,
35 Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah,
36 Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran. These were all fortified towns with pens for their flocks.
37 The descendants of Reuben built the towns of Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,
38 Nebo, Baal-meon, and Sibmah. They changed the names of some of the towns they conquered and rebuilt.
39 Then the descendants of Makir of the tribe of Manasseh went to Gilead and conquered it, and they drove out the Amorites living there.
40 And Moses gave Gilead to the Makirites, descendants of Manasseh, and they settled there.
41 And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns and called them Havot-Ya'ir (villages of Ya'ir).
42 Nobah captured the town of Kenath and its surrounding villages, and he renamed that area Nobah after himself.
Here is the good effect of plain dealing. Moses, by showing their sin, and the danger of it, brought them to their duty, without murmuring or disputing. All men ought to consider the interests of others as well as their own; the law of love requires us to labour, venture, or suffer for each other as there may be occasion. They propose that their men of war should go ready armed before the children of Israel into the land of Canaan, and that they should not return till the conquest of Canaan was ended. Moses grants their request, but he warns them of the danger of breaking their word. If you fail, you sin against the Lord, and not against your brethren only; God will certainly reckon with you for it. Be sure your sin will find you out. Sin will surely find out the sinner sooner or later. It concerns us now to find our sins out, that we may repent of them, and forsake them, lest they find us out to our ruin. (Matthew Henry)
Numbers 33 “in the wilderness” 33
Israel’s long journey:
1 These are the stages in the journey of the people of Israel as they left the land of Egypt divided into groups under the leadership of Moses and Aaron.
2 Moses recorded each of the stages of their journey by order of the LORD(Jesus); here are the starting-points of each stage:
3 They set out from the city of Rameses in early spring—on the fifteenth day of the first month, on the morning after the Passover celebration. The people of Israel left defiantly, in full view of all the Egyptians.
4 Meanwhile, the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn sons, whom the LORD(Jesus) had killed the night before. The LORD(Jesus) had defeated the gods of Egypt that night with great acts of judgment!
5 And the children of Israel moved from Rameses, and camped in Succoth.
16th day of 1st month
6 Then they left Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness.
17h day of 1st month
7 They left Etham and turned back toward Pi-hahiroth, opposite Baal-zephon, and camped near Migdol.
18th day of 1st month
8 They left Pi-hahiroth and crossed the Red Sea into the wilderness beyond. Then they traveled for three days into the Etham wilderness and camped at Marah.
19th day of 1st month This would be the 5th day of Passover
9 They moved on from Marah and came to Eilim; in Eilim were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, so they camped there.
10 They left Elim and camped beside the Red Sea.
11 And they moved from the Red Sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.
12 They left the wilderness of Sin and camped at Dophkah.
13 They left Dophkah and camped at Alush.
14 They left Alush and camped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.
15 They left Rephidim and camped in the wilderness of Sinai.
16 They left the wilderness of Sinai and camped at Kibroth-hattaavah.
17 They left Kibroth-hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth.
18 They left Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah.
19 They left Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez.
20 They left Rimmon-perez and camped at Libnah.
21 They left Libnah and camped at Rissah.
22 They left Rissah and camped at Kehelathah.
23 They left Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher.
24 They left Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah.
25 They left Haradah and camped at Makheloth.
26 They left Makheloth and camped at Tahath.
27 They left Tahath and camped at Terah.
28 They left Terah and camped at Mithcah.
29 They left Mithcah and camped at Hashmonah.
30 They left Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth.
31 They left Moseroth and camped at Bene-jaakan.
32 They left Bene-jaakan and camped at Hor-haggidgad.
33 They left Hor-haggidgad and camped at Jotbathah.
34 They left Jotbathah and camped at Abronah.
35 They left Abronah and camped at Ezion-geber.
36 They left Ezion-geber and camped at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.
37 They left Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, at the border of Edom.
38 While they were at the foot of Mount Hor, Aaron the priest was directed by the LORD(Jesus) to go up the mountain, and there he died. This happened in midsummer, on the first day of the fifth month of the fortieth year after Israel’s departure from Egypt.
This is July 19th in the Solar Calendar
39 Aaron was 123 years old when he died there on Mount Hor.
40 At that time the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev in the land of Canaan, heard that the people of Israel were approaching his land.
41 So the Israelites left Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah.
42 Then they left Zalmonah and camped at Punon.
43 They left Punon and camped at Oboth.
44 They left Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim on the border of Moab.
45 They left Iye-abarim and camped at Dibon-gad.
46 They left Dibon-gad and camped at Almon-diblathaim.
47 And they moved from Almondiblathaim, and pitched their tents in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo.
48 They left the mountains east of the river and camped on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River, across from Jericho.
49 Along the Jordan River they camped from Beth-jeshimoth as far as the meadows of Abelshittim on the plains of Moab.
Abelshittim: or, the plains of Shittim
50 And the LORD(Jesus) spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying:
51 Give the following instructions to the people of Israel: 'When you cross the Jordan River into the land of Canaan,
52 you must drive out all the people living there. You must destroy all their carved and molten images and demolish all their pagan shrines.
53 Drive out the inhabitants of the land, and live in it, for I have given the land to you to possess.
54 You will inherit the land by lot according to your families. You are to give more land to the larger families and less to the smaller ones. Wherever the lot falls to any particular person, that will be his property. You will inherit according to the tribes of your ancestors.
55 But if you don't drive out the inhabitants of the land from in front of you, then those you allow to remain will become like thorns in your eyes and stings in your sides - they will harass you in the land where you are living.
56 And I will do to you what I had planned to do to them.
Numbers 34 “in the wilderness” 34
1 Then the LORD(Jesus) said to Moses”
2 Command the children of Israel, and say to them, When you come into the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as your special possession, these will be the boundaries.
3 The southern portion of your country will extend from the wilderness of Zin, along the edge of Edom. The southern boundary will begin on the east at the Dead Sea (Salt Sea).
4 It will then run south past the ascent of Akrabbim in the direction of Zin. Its southernmost point will be Kadesh-barnea, from which it will go to Hazar-addar, and on to Azmon.
5 From Azmon the boundary will turn toward the Brook of Egypt and end at the [Mediterranean] Sea.
6 Your western boundary will be the coastline of the great [Mediterranean] Sea.
7 Your northern boundary will begin at the great [Mediterranean Sea] and run east to Mount Hor,
8 then to Lebo-hamath, and on through Zedad
9 and Ziphron to Hazar-enan. This will be your northern boundary.
10 The eastern boundary will start at Hazar-enan and run south to Shepham,
11 then down to Riblah on the east side of Ain. From there the boundary will run down along the eastern edge of the Sea of Kinnereth [Sea of Galilee],
12 and then along the Jordan River to the Dead Sea. These are the boundaries of your land.
13 Then Moses commanded the Israelites, “This territory is the homeland you are to divide among yourselves by sacred lot. The LORD(Jesus) has commanded that the land be divided among the nine and a half remaining tribes.
14 The families of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh have already received their grants of land
15 on the east side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho toward the sunrise.”
16 And the LORD(Jesus) said to Moses:
17 Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun are the men designated to divide the grants of land among the people.
18 Enlist one leader from each tribe to help them with the task.
19 These are the tribes and the names of the leaders: from Judah — Caleb son of Jephunneh;
20 from Simeon — Shemuel son of Ammihud;
21 from Benjamin — Elidad son of Kislon;
22 from Dan — Bukki son of Jogli;
23 from Manasseh son of Joseph — Hanniel son of Ephod;
24 from Ephraim son of Joseph — Kemuel son of Shiphtan;
25 from Zebulun — Elizaphan son of Parnach;
26 from Issachar — Paltiel son of Azzan;
27 from Asher — Ahihud son of Shelomi;
28 and from Naphtali — Pedahel son of Ammihud;
29 These are the men the LORD(Jesus) has appointed to divide the grants of land in Canaan among the Israelites.
Numbers 35 “in the wilderness 35
Towns for the Levites:
1 And the LORD(Jesus) spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying:
2 Command the people of Israel to give to the Levites from their property certain towns to live in, along with the surrounding pasturelands.
3 These towns will be for the Levites to live in, and the surrounding lands will provide pasture for their cattle, flocks, and other livestock.
4 The pastureland assigned to the Levites around these towns will extend 1,500 feet from the town walls in every direction.
5 Measure off 3,000 feet outside the town walls in every direction—east, south, west, north—with the town at the center. This area will serve as the larger pastureland for the towns.
6 Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities of refuge, where a person who has accidentally killed someone can flee for safety. In addition, give them forty-two other towns.
7 In all, forty-eight towns with the surrounding pastureland will be given to the Levites.
8 These towns will come from the property of the people of Israel. The larger tribes will give more towns to the Levites, while the smaller tribes will give fewer. Each tribe will give property in proportion to the size of its land.
Cities of Refuge:
This is how God deals with criminals. There are no jails in the Bible. God's punishment calls for restitution, not jail time! Sending someone to jail does the victim or society no good at all. In fact, it can be argued that it does more harm by hardening the criminal to a life of crime. If you murdered someone, you died, if you intentionally harmed someone, what you did would be done to you! If you did it unintentionally, then you paid it back! Should drunk drivers spend the rest of their lives in jail, or should they become slaves to those who family members they killed? Think about that...
9 The LORD(Jesus) said to Moses:
10 Tell the people of Israel, 'When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
11 designate cities of refuge to which people can flee if they have killed someone accidentally.
12 These cities will be places of protection from a dead person’s relatives who want to avenge the death. The slayer must not be put to death before being tried by the community.
13 Designate six cities of refuge for yourselves,
14 three on the east side of the Jordan River and three on the west in the land of Canaan.
15 These cities are for the protection of Israelites, foreigners living among you, and traveling merchants. Anyone who accidentally kills someone may flee there for safety.
16 But if someone strikes and kills another person with a piece of iron, it is murder, and the murderer must be executed.
17 Or if someone with a stone in his hand strikes and kills another person, it is murder, and the murderer must be put to death.
18 Or if someone strikes and kills another person with a wooden object, it is murder, and the murderer must be put to death.
19 The victim’s nearest relative is responsible for putting the murderer to death. When they meet, the avenger must put the murderer to death.
20 So if someone hates another person and pushes him or throws a dangerous object at him and he dies, it is murder.
21 Or if someone hates another person and hits him with a fist and he dies, it is murder. In such cases, the avenger must put the murderer to death when they meet.
22 But suppose someone pushes another person without having shown previous hostility, or throws something that unintentionally hits another person,
23 or, without seeing him, being his enemy or seeking to harm him, he throws a stone big enough to cause death; and the person dies.
24 Then the community is to judge between the one who struck him and the next-of-kin avenger in accordance with these rules;
25 The community must protect the slayer from the avenger and must escort the slayer back to live in the city of refuge to which he fled. There he must remain until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
The death of the High Priest ends the crime. Jesus, our High priest, death, put and end to our crime!
26 But if the killer ever goes beyond the limits of the city of refuge he fled to,
27 and the next-of-kin avenger finds him outside the limits of his city of refuge, and the avenger kills the killer, he will not be guilty of the man's blood;
28 because he must stay in his city of refuge until the death of the high priestl. But after the death of the high priset the killer may return to the land he owns.
29 These things shall constitute your standard for judgment through all your generations, wherever you live.
30 All murderers must be put to death, but only if evidence is presented by more than one witness. No one may be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.
31 Also, you are not to accept a ransom in lieu of the life of a murderer condemned to death; rather, he must be put to death.
32 Likewise, you are not to accept for someone who has fled to his city of refuge a ransom that would allow him to return to his land before the death of the high priest.
33 In this way you will not defile the land in which you are living. For blood defiles the land, and in this land no atonement can be made for the blood shed in it except the blood of him who shed it.
34 You must not defile the land where you live, for I live there myself. I am the LORD(Jesus), who lives among the people of Israel.
There were six cities of refuge; one or other might be reached in less than a day's journey from any part of the land. To these, man-slayers might flee for refuge, and be safe, till they had a fair trial. If acquitted from the charge, they were protected from the avenger of blood; yet they must continue within the bounds of the city till the death of the high priest. Thus we are reminded that the death of the great High Priest is the only means whereby sins are pardoned, and sinners set at liberty. These cities are plainly alluded to, both in the Old and New Testament, we cannot doubt the typical character of their appointment. Turn ye to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope, saith the voice of mercy, Zec 9:12, alluding to the city of refuge. St. Paul describes the strong consolation of fleeing for refuge to the hope set before us, in a passage always applied to the gracious appointment of the cities of refuge, Heb 6:18. The rich mercies of salvation, through Christ, prefigured by these cities, demand our regard. 1. Did the ancient city rear its towers of safety on high? See Christ raised up on the cross; and is he not exalted at the right hand of his Father, to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and remission of sins? 2. Does not the highway of salvation, resemble the smooth and plain path to the city of refuge? Survey the path that leads to the Redeemer. Is there any stumbling-block to be found therein, except that which an evil heart of unbelief supplies for its own fall? 3. Waymarks were set up pointing to the city. And is it not the office of the ministers of the gospel to direct sinners to Him? 4. The gate of the city stood open night and day. Has not Christ declared, Him that cometh unto me I will in nowise cast out? 5. The city of refuge afforded support to every one who entered its walls. Those who have reached the refuge, may live by faith on Him whose flesh is meat indeed, and whose blood is drink indeed. 6. The city was a refuge for all. In the gospel there is no respect of persons. That soul lives not which deserves not Divine wrath; that soul lives not which may not in simple faith hope for salvation and life eternal, through the Son of God.
(Matthew Henry)
Numbers 36 “in the wilderness” 36
Women that Inherit Property:
1 Then the leaders of the families of Gilead—descendants of Makir, son of Manasseh, son of Joseph—came to Moses and the family leaders of Israel with a petition.
2 They said, “the LORD(Jesus) instructed you my lord(adown) you to divide the land by sacred lot among the people of Israel. You were told by the LORD(Jesus) to give the grant of land owned by our brother Zelophehad to his daughters.
My lord= or SIR. Comes from the hebrew “adown” and has NOTHING to do with God.
3 But if they get married to anyone belonging to another of the tribes of the people of Israel, then their inheritance will be taken away from the inheritance of our ancestors and be added to the inheritance of the tribe they will then belong to; thus it will be taken away from the sum total of our inheritance.
4 Then when the Year of Jubilee comes, their portion of land will be added to that of the new tribe, causing it to be lost forever to our ancestral tribe.”
5 So Moses gave the Israelites this command from the LORD(Jesus): The claim of the men of the tribe of Joseph is a legitimate one.
6 This is what the LORD(Jesus) commands concerning the daughters of Zelophehad: Let them marry anyone they like, as long as it is within their own ancestral tribe.
7 None of the territorial land may pass from tribe to tribe, for all the land given to each tribe must remain within the tribe to which it was first allotted.
8 The daughters throughout the tribes of Israel who are in line to inherit property must marry within their tribe, so that all the Israelites will keep their ancestral property.
9 No grant of land may pass from one tribe to another; each tribe of Israel must keep its allotted portion of land.
10 The daughters of Zelophehad did as the LORD(Jesus) commanded Moses.
11 Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah all married cousins on their father’s side.
12 They married into the families of Manasseh son of Joseph. Thus, their inheritance of land remained within their ancestral family.
13 These are the commands and regulations that the LORD(Jesus) gave to the people of Israel through Moses while they were camped on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River across from Jericho.
