Introduction to Old Testament Studies: Pentateuch - Numbers

Numbers OT Class Notes

Bemidbar

Numbers = Census

Bemidbar = In the Wilderness

And the Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness

More appropriate name

Know as Numbers and avoided my many readers because of the four census found at the beginning of the book

Four census

Adult males - Fighting age

Levites

1st born Males

Levitical

Outline

In the wilderness

Numbers 10:11 - 2 month 2 year - Marked by the time from leaving Egypt

Deuteronomy 1:3 - 11 month 40 year - The time in which they are preparing to enter the land

Outlined by three locations

Sinai to Kadesh Barnea - Numbers 1-12

Kadesh Barnea to Plain of Moab - Numbers 13 – 22:1

Plain of Moab - Numbers 22:2 – 32

Theme

Numbers is an important book in relations to Heilsgeschichte (salvation history). It forms an essential link in that forward-directedness (the plan) from Adam to Jesus

“…it heightens our appreciation of and response to the person of Yahweh. For Christians this book is even more rewarding; for we find ourselves confronting in new ways the meaning of our salvation in Jesus Christ. He who is the goal of all history is the goal of the Book of Numbers”

Johann Christian Konrad von Hoffman (1810-1877)

The theme of the book of numbers is worship

It contains important materials for the worship patterns of Israel

Finally, we discover that the pulse of the book is worship. It is the worship of God by Moses and those who align themselves with him. By God's grace it may become a book of worship for us as well.

Allen, Ronald B. “Introduction to Numbers” In The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Volume 2. 655-700. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, © 1990.

Senior Professor of Bible Exposition , Dallas Theological Seminary

Problems

Name - Numbers" seems to be a particularly inappropriate title for a part of the revelation of God. The title seems as interesting as a book named, for example, "Telephone Directory" or, perhaps, "Principles of Arithmetic." A suspicion of increasing dullness settles in long before finishing the first chapter. By the fifth chapter the reader may have dropped out altogether. Numbers is not "fast food" literature! Indeed, some wonder whether it is any kind of literature at all. - Allen Ronald

Four major problems to face in the Book of Numbers

Seeming lack of coherence as a book

The dizzying variety of the contents

The problematic large numbers of the tribes of Israel

The fascinating but confusing story of Balaam

Number Problems

The high numbers of the able-bodied men over the age of twenty conscripted into the armies of Israel as recorded in chapters 1 and 26 continue to trouble modern scholars

603,550 in 1:46

601,730 in 26:51

This means that the total population is in excess of 2 million some argue would need to be nearly 5 million. These numbers would be exceedingly large for the time. Some say it’s a mistake in transmission. Some say ‘elep (thousand) may be an approximation. There were “thousands” of persons in each tribe. Some say ‘elep (thousand) has lost all sense of a specific numerical value and means simply a troop. Thus each tribe might be composed of 30-70 troops. Some observed that the term ‘elep (thousand) is very close to the spelling to the word ‘allup - Chieftain. Men would be 5550 men and 598 chiefs. This way population would be 15000 to 18000

A variation on the above approach is given by Noordtzij, who states that we cannot translate the term 'elep as "thousand" but only by an X as we no longer know how large it was. He concludes that the total complement of the army of Israel in Numbers 1:46 should not be read 603,550, but 603 X + 550 men (p. 27). 39

Some suggest that the large numbers in the census list are deliberately and purposefully exaggerated as a rhetorical device to bring glory to God, derision to enemy, and point forward to the fulfillment of God’s promises to the fathers that their descendants will be innumerable as the stars

In the end is our translation correct ?

Point is not to get caught up in the numbers but worship God in the numbers as he has reviled himself in them

Sinai to Kadesh Barnea

Numbers 10:10 LEB

10 “And on the day of your joy and in your appointed times, at the beginning of your months, you will blow on the trumpets in addition to your burnt offerings and in addition to the sacrifices of your fellowship offerings. And they will be as a memorial for you before your God; I am Yahweh your God.”

Organization of tribes

The people are preparing to leave Sinai. Organization of the tribes

On their way to Kadesh They don’t have enough food. They complain

Numbers 11:31 LEB

31 Then a wind set out from Yahweh, and it drove quails from the west, and he spread them out on the camp about a day’s journey on one side and about a day’s journey on the other, all around the camp, about two cubits on the surface of the land.

God sends quail up to their waste. The people are so greedy that the lords anger is kindled and he strikes them with a plague.

Revolt of Aaron and Miriam

Numbers 12 LEB

1 And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he took (because he took a Cushite wife); 2 and they said, “Has Yahweh spoken only through Moses? Has not Yahweh also spoken through us?” And Yahweh heard it. 3 Now the man, Moses, was more humble than any other person on the face of the earth, 4 and Yahweh said suddenly to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Go out, you three, to the tent of assembly.” So the three of them when out. 5 And Yahweh went down in a column of cloud and stood at the doorway of the tent, and he called Aaron and Miriam, and the two of them went, 6 and he said, “Please hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I, Yahweh, will make myself known to him in a vision. I will speak to him in a dream. 7 Not so with my servant Moses; in all my house he is faithful. 8 I will speak to him mouth to mouth, in clearness, not in riddles; and he will look at the form of Yahweh. Why were you not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?” 9 And Yahweh became very angry with them, and he went away. 10 And the cloud departed from on the tent, and behold, Miriam was infected with a skin disease white like snow; when Aaron turned toward Miriam, behold, she was afflicted with a skin disease. 11 So Aaron said to Moses, “Please, my lord, please do not put on us this sin in which we were foolish and in which we have sinned. 12 Please do not let her be like the dead, whose flesh is half consumed when coming out from the womb of its mother.” 13 And Moses cried to Yahweh, saying, “God, please heal her!” 14 But Yahweh said to Moses, “If her father had surely spit in her face, would she not bear her shame for seven days? Let her be confined for seven days to an outside place of the camp, and afterward she may be gathered.” 15 So Miriam was confined to the outside place of the camp seven days, and the people did not set out until Miriam was gathered. 16 And afterward the people set out from Hazeroth, and they encamped in the desert of Paran.

Aaron and Miriam lead a revolt against Moses because he married a Cushite. Cushite this the area of Ethiopia or Midian or Sinai Peninsula? They might be talking about Zipporah or another wife he picked up in Egypt. We don’t know.

They complained that he married outside the family or not a Hebrew

God Strikes Miriam with Leprosy and she becomes an outcast. Aaron seems to be easily pushed around every time that he speaks on his own it him getting in trouble.

Moses intercedes for Miriam and she is healed

Kadesh Barnea – Plain of Moab

Numbers 13 LEB

1 And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Send for yourself men, and let them explore the land of Canaan, which I am about to give to the Israelites; from each tribe of his father send one man, everyone a leader among them.” 3 So Moses sent them from the desert of Paran on the command of Yahweh; all of the men were leaders of the Israelites. 4 And these are their names: from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur; 5 from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat son of Hori; 6 from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh; 7 from the tribe of Issachar, Igal son of Joseph; 8 from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Nun; 9 from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti son of Raphu; 10 from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel son of Sodi; 11 from the tribe of Joseph, from the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi son of Susi; 12 from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel son of Gemalli; 13 from the tribe of Asher, Sethur son of Michael; 14 from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi son of Vophsi; 15 from the tribe of Gad, Geuel son of Maki. 16 These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to explore the land. And Moses called Hoshea son of Nun Joshua. 17 Moses sent them to explore the land of Canaan, and he said to them, “Go up like this to the Negev, and go up into the hill country, 18 and you will see what the land is like and if the people who inhabit it are strong or weak, or whether they are few or many, 19 and whether the land that they are inhabiting is good or bad, and whether the cities they are inhabiting are camps or fortifications, 20 and whether the land is fertile or lean, and whether there are trees on it or not. You will show yourself courageous, and you will take some of the fruit of the land.” It was the time of first ripe grapes. 21 So they went up and explored the land from the desert of Zin until Rehob, at Lebo Hamath. 22 They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai the descendants of the Anakites were. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 And they came up to the valley of Eshcol, and they cut off a vine branch and one cluster of grapes from there; they carried it on a pole between two men, with pomegranates and figs. 24 That place he called the valley of Eshcol on account of the cluster of grapes that the Israelites cut off from there. 25 They returned from exploring the land at the end of forty days. 26 And they came to Moses and Aaron and to the entire community of the Israelites in the desert of Paran at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the community, and they showed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, “We came to the land that you sent us, and it is flowing of milk and honey; this is its fruit. 28 Yet the people who are inhabiting it are strong and the cities are fortified and very large; moreover, we saw the descendants of the Anakites there. 29 The Amalekites are living in the land of the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites, and the Amorites are living in the hill country; and the Canaanites are living at the sea and on the banks of the Jordan.” 30 And Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “Surely, let us go up and let us take possession of it because surely we will be able to prevail over it.” 31 And the men who went up with him said, “We are not able to go up to the people because they are stronger than us.” 32 And they presented the report of the land that they explored to the Israelites, saying, “The land that we went through to explore is a land that eats its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in its midst are men of great size. 33 There we saw the Nephilim (the descendants of Anak came from the Nephilim), and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their eyes.”

12 Spies

12 Spies sent into the land of Canaan. One from each of the 12 tribes. They were to Scout out the land. See their weakness and to see if they could be conquered. This is the land that God had promised them

Spies report

10 out of the 12 say that the land cannot be taken. It is full of Nephilim, Giant people. Joshua and Caleb stand up and say that it can be taken. Because these two stand up they will get a special portion of the promise land, Instead of entering into the promise land now. They will be in the wilderness until that generation fades away.

38 years

Korah’s Rebellion

Numbers 16 LEB

1 Now Korah son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, the descendants of Reuben, 2 took two hundred and fifty men from the Israelites, leaders of the community summoned from the assembly, renowned men, and they confronted Moses. 3 They were assembled in front of Moses and Aaron, and they said to them, “You take too much upon yourselves! All of the community is holy, every one of them, and Yahweh is in their midst, so why do you raise yourselves over the assembly of Yahweh?” 4 When Moses heard this, he fell on his face. 5 And he said to Korah and to his entire company, saying, “Tomorrow morning Yahweh will make known who is his and who is holy, and he will bring him near to him, whomever he chooses he will bring near to him. 6 Do this: take for yourselves censers, Korah and all of your company; 7 tomorrow put fire in them and place incense on them before Yahweh; the man whom Yahweh chooses will be the holy one. You take too much upon yourselves, sons of Levi!” 8 And Moses said to Korah, “Please listen, sons of Levi! 9 Is it too little for you that the God of Israel set you apart from the community of Israel to allow you to approach him to do the work of the tabernacle of Yahweh, to stand before the community to serve them? 10 He has allowed you to approach him, you with all your brothers, the descendants of Levi, but yet you also seek the priesthood. 11 Therefore you and your company that has banded together against Yahweh. What is Aaron that you grumble against him?” 12 Moses sent to call for Dathan and Abiram son of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come! 13 Is it too little that you have brought us from a land that flows with milk and honey to kill us in the desert, and that you also appoint yourself as a ruler over us? 14 Surely, you have not brought us to a land that flows with milk and honey, and you have not given us the inheritance of fields and a vineyard. Will you gouge out the eyes of these men? We will not come!” 15 Then Moses became angry, and he said to Yahweh, “Do not notice their grain offering. I have not offered one donkey from them, and I have not mistreated one of them.” 16 And Moses said to Korah, “You and your entire company will be before Yahweh tomorrow, you and they and Aaron. 17 Each one take his censer, and put incense on it and you will present it before Yahweh, and each of you bring his censer, two hundred and fifty censers, you and Aaron, each his censer.” 18 So each of them took his censer, and they put fire on them, and they placed incense on them; they stood at the doorway of the tent of the assembly of Moses and Aaron. 19 And Korah summoned them, the entire community, by the doorway of the tent of assembly, and the glory of Yahweh appeared to all the community. 20 And Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 21 “Separate yourselves from the midst of this community, that I can destroy them in a moment.” 22 And they fell on their faces, and they said, “God, God of the spirits of all flesh, will one man sin and you become angry toward the entire community?” 23 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the community, saying, ‘Move away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’ ” 25 So Moses stood up and went to Dathan and Abiram; the elders of Israel followed after him. 26 He said to the community, saying, “Please turn away from the tents of these wicked men, and do not touch anything that belongs to them, or you will be destroyed with all their sins.” 27 And so they moved away from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out standing at the doorway of their tents, with their wives, sons, and little children. 28 And Moses said, “In this you will know that Yahweh has sent me to do all these works; it is not from my heart. 29 If they die a natural death or if a natural fate is visited upon them, Yahweh has not sent me. 30 But if Yahweh creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up and all that belongs to them, and they go down alive to Sheol, and you will know that these men have despised Yahweh.” 31 And it happened, as soon as he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open. 32 The land opened its mouth and swallowed them up with their houses and every person that belonged to Korah and all the property. 33 They went down alive to Sheol, they and all that belonged to them, and the land covered over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. 34 All Israel who were around them fled at their cry, because they said, “Lest the land swallow us up!” 35 And fire went out from Yahweh, and it consumed the two hundred and fifty men presenting the incense. 36 And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 37 “Say to Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, ‘Take out the censers from among the place of burning because they are sacred, and scatter the fire outside. 38 The censers of these who have sinned at the cost of their lives, let them be made into gilded leafing plating for the altar; because they presented them before Yahweh, they are holy; and they will be a sign for the Israelites.’ ” 39 Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers that the ones who were burned presented, and they hammered them out thinly as plating for the altar; 40 it was a memorial for the Israelites, so that no strange man who is not from the offspring of Aaron should approach the presence of Yahweh to burn a smoke offering; he will not be like Korah and his company, just as Yahweh had spoken to him by the hand of Moses. 41 The next day all the community of the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of Yahweh!” 42 Then, when the community had gathered against Moses and Aaron, they turned to the tent of assembly, and behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of Yahweh appeared. 43 And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of assembly, 44 and Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Get away from the midst of this community, and I will finish them in an instant,” but they fell on their faces. 46 And Moses and Aaron said, “Take the censer, and put fire on it from the altar. Place incense on it, and bring it quickly to the community, and make atonement for them, because wrath went out from the presence of Yahweh, and a plague has begun.” 47 And so Aaron took it just as Moses had spoken, and he ran into the midst of the assembly, for behold, the plague had begun among the people; so he gave the incense and made atonement for the people. 48 He stood between the dead and between the living, and the plague was stopped. 49 Those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died on account of Korah. 50 Then Aaron returned to Moses at the doorway of the tent of assembly, and the plague was stopped.

Korah’s rebellion

Korah leads a rebellion against Moses . Seen as a rebellion against God

Numbers 16:31–33 LEB

31 And it happened, as soon as he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open. 32 The land opened its mouth and swallowed them up with their houses and every person that belonged to Korah and all the property. 33 They went down alive to Sheol, they and all that belonged to them, and the land covered over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly.

Sin of Moses

Numbers 20 LEB

1 Then the entire community of the Israelites came to the desert of Zin on the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh; Miriam died and was buried there. 2 There was no water for the community, and they were gathered before Moses and Aaron. 3 And the people quarreled with Moses and spoke, saying, “If only we died when our brothers were dying before Yahweh! 4 Why have you brought the assembly of Yahweh, us and our livestock, into this desert to die here? 5 Why have you brought us from Egypt to bring us to this bad place? It is not a place of seed or figs or vines or pomegranate trees, and there is not water to drink.” 6 And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the doorway of the tent of assembly. They fell on their faces, and the glory of Yahweh appeared to them. 7 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the staff and summon the community, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will give water. Bring out for them water from the rock, and let the community and their livestock drink.” 9 So Moses took the staff from before Yahweh just as he command him, 10 and Moses and Aaron summoned the assembly to the presence of the rock, and he said to them, “Please listen, you rebels; can we bring out water for you from this rock?” 11 Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice. And abundant water went out, and the community and their livestock drank. 12 But Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you have not trusted in me, to regard me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land that I have given to them.” 13 Those were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with Yahweh, and he showed himself holy among them. 14 From Kadesh Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom: “Thus your brother Israel has said, ‘You know all the hardship that has found us; 15 our ancestors went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians mistreated us and our ancestors. 16 Then we cried to Yahweh, and he heard our voice; he sent an angel and brought us out from Egypt. And look, we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory. 17 Please let us go through your land. We will not go through a field or vineyard, and we will not drink water from a well. We will go along the road of the king; we will not turn aside right or left until we have gone through your territory.’ ” 18 Then Edom said to him, “You will not pass through us lest we will go out to meet you with the sword.” 19 The Israelites said to him, “We will go up on the main road, and if we and our livestock drink your water, we will pay for it. It is only a small matter; let us pass through on our feet.” 20 But he said, “You will not go through.” And Edom went out to meet them with a large army and a strong hand. 21 So Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory, and Israel turned aside from him. 22 And they set out from Kadesh. The Israelites, the whole community, came to Mount Hor. 23 Yahweh said to Moses and to Aaron on Mount Hor, on the boundary of the land of Edom, saying, 24 “Let Aaron be gathered to his people; he will not come into the land that I have given to the Israelites because you rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah. 25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and take them up Mount Hor. 26 Strip off Aaron’s garments, and put them on Eleazar his son; Aaron will be gathered to his people, and he will die there.” 27 So Moses did just as Yahweh commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor before the eyes of all the community. 28 And Moses stripped off Aaron’s garments and put them on Eleazar his son. Aaron died there on the top of the mountain; and Moses and Eleazar went down from the mountain. 29 All the community saw that Aaron died; so all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.

In this chapter both Miriam and Aaron die

The people need water. Moses is commanded to speak to the rock. Last time he struck it and He strikes it again this time. As a result he doesn’t enter the promise land

Why is this a sin?

Moses receives the honor not God

Nehushtan

Numbers 21 LEB

1 The Canaanite king of Arad, who was dwelling in the Negev, heard that Israel came along the way of Atharim; he fought against Israel and took some of them captive. 2 Israel made a vow to Yahweh, and they said, “If you will surely give this people into our hand, then we will destroy their cities.” 3 Yahweh heard the voice of Israel; he gave to them the Canaanites, and they destroyed them and their cities. They called the name of the place Hormah. 4 They set out from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient along the way. 5 The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us from Egypt to die in the desert? There is no food and no water, and our hearts detest this miserable food.” 6 And Yahweh sent among the people poisonous snakes; they bit the people, and many people from Israel died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned because we have spoken against Yahweh and against you. Pray to Yahweh and let him remove the snakes from among us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Make for yourself a snake and place it on a pole. When anyone is bitten and looks at it, that person will live.” 9 So Moses made a snake of bronze, and he placed it on the pole; whenever a snake bit someone, and that person looked at the snake of bronze, he lived. 10 The Israelites set out and encamped at Oboth. 11 They set out from Oboth and encamped at Iye Abarim in the desert, which was in front of Moab toward the sunrise. 12 From there they set out and encamped at the valley of Zered. 13 From there they set out and encamped beyond Arnon, which is in the desert that goes out from the boundary of the Amorites, because Arnon is the boundary of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. 14 Therefore thus it is said in the scroll of the Wars of Yahweh, “Waheb in Suphah, and the wadis of Arnon, 15 and the slope of the wadis that spreads out to the dwelling of Ar and lies at the boundary of Moab.” 16 From there they went to Beer, which is the water well where Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Gather the people, that I may give them water.” 17 Then Israel sang this song, “Arise, well water! Sing to it! 18 Well water that the princes dug, that the leaders of the people dug, with a staff and with their rods.” And from the desert they continued to Mattanah, 19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth; 20 and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the territory of Moab, by the top of Pisgah, which overlooks the surface of the wasteland. 21 Israel sent messengers to Sihon, the king of the Amorites, saying, 22 “Let us go through your land; we will not turn aside into a field or vineyard; we will not drink well water along the way of the king until we have gone through your territory.” 23 But Sihon did not allow Israel to go through his territory. Sihon gathered all his people and went out to meet Israel; he came to the desert, to Jahaz, and he fought against Israel. 24 But Israel struck him with the edge of the sword, and they took possession of his land from Arnon to Jabbok, until the Ammonites, because the boundary of the Ammonites was strong. 25 Israel took all these cities, and Israel inhabited all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its environs. 26 Because Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and taken all his land from his hand until Arnon. 27 Thus the ones who quote proverbs say, “Come to Heshbon! Let it be built! And let the city of Sihon be established. 28 Because fire went out from Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon; it consumed Ar of Moab, the lords of the high places of Arnon. 29 Woe to you, Moab! You have perished, people of Chemosh. He has given his sons as fugitives, and his daughters into captivity, to the king of the Amorites, Sihon. 30 We destroyed them; Heshbon has perished up to Dibon; we laid waste up to Nophah, which reaches Medeba.” 31 Thus Israel lived in the land of the Amorites. 32 Moses sent to explore Jaazer; they captured its environs and dispossessed the Amorites who were there. 33 Then they turned and went up by the way of the Bashan, and Og king of the Bashan and all his people went out to meet them for battle at Edrei. 34 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Do not fear him because I will give him and all his people and all his land into your hand. You will do to him just as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who was living in Heshbon.” 35 And so they destroyed him and his sons, and all his people until they had not spared a survivor; and they took possession of his land.

People Complain. God sends fiery serpents among the people

Nehushtan - Moses has a bronze serpent set on a standard. Anyone who was bit by a serpent looked upon the Nehushtan would be healed

We think of the serpent as Satan but here the serpent of bronze is rased up, as Christ will be raised up

2 Kings 18:4 LEB

4 He removed the high places, and he smashed the stone pillars; he cut down the poles of Asherah worship and demolished the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for up to those days the Israelites were offering incense to it and called it Nehushtan.

Hezekiah is king it is a Symbol of Healing. but raised up it is an idol

Any one seen a picture of a Nehushtan?

Plain of Moab

Numbers 22–24 LEB

1 The Israelites set out, and they encamped on the desert-plateau of Moab, across from Jericho beyond the Jordan. 2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel did to the Amorites, 3 and Moab was very terrified in the presence of the people because they were numerous; and Moab dreaded the presence of the Israelites. 4 And Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now the crowd will lick up all around us, like a bull devours the grass of the field.” And Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. 5 He sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the river, in the land of the children of his people, to summon him, saying, “Look! A people went out from Egypt. Look! They cover the surface of the land; they are about to dwell opposite me. 6 Now, please go, curse this people for me because they are stronger than me; perhaps I will be able to strike them and drive them out from the land because I know whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you cursed is cursed.” 7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went with a fee for divination in their hand; they came to Balaam and spoke the words of Balak to him. 8 He said to them, “Spend the night here, and I will return, and I will return word to you, just as Yahweh speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. 9 And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” 10 And Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent word to me, 11 ‘Look! A people went out from Egypt. Look! They cover the surface of the land. Now, go, curse them for me. Perhaps I will be able to attack them and drive them out.” 12 God said to Balaam, “You will not go with them; you will not curse the people, because they are blessed.” 13 Balaam got up in the morning, and he said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land, because Yahweh refused to allow me to go with you.” 14 The princes of Moab got up and went to Balak, and they said, “Balaam refused to come with us.” 15 Balak again sent many princes, who were more honored than the former. 16 They came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak son of Zippor, ‘Please, let nothing keep you from coming to me 17 because I will surely honor you greatly, and all that you say to me I will do. Please, come; curse this people for me.’ ” 18 Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Even though Balak gives to me his house full of silver and gold, I am not able to go beyond the command of Yahweh my God to do a little or a lot. 19 And now please, you also stay here the night, and let me find out again what Yahweh will say with me.” 20 And God came to Balaam at night, and he said to him, “If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them; but only the word that I will speak to you, you will do.” 21 So Balaam got up in the morning and saddled his donkey, and he went with the princes of Moab. 22 But God became angry because he was going, and the angel of Yahweh stood in the road as an adversary to him; he was riding on his donkey, and two servants were with him. 23 The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, and the donkey turned aside from the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back to the road. 24 The angel of Yahweh stood in the narrow path of the vineyards, with a wall on either side. 25 When the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, she pressed herself into the wall, and she pressed the foot of Balaam into the wall, so he struck her again. 26 Then the angel of Yahweh went further ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was not a way to turn aside to the right or left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, she lay down under Balaam, so Balaam became angry, and he struck the donkey with his staff. 28 Yahweh opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What did I do to you that you struck me these three times?” 29 Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you made a mockery of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!” 30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life until this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?” He said, “No.” 31 Then Yahweh exposed the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, and he bowed down and worshiped to his face. 32 The angel of Yahweh said to him, “Why have you struck this donkey three times? Look, I have come out as an adversary because your conduct is perverse before me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned aside from me these three times. If she had not turned aside from my face, then I would have killed you and kept her alive.” 34 Balaam said to the angel of Yahweh, “I have sinned because I did not know that you were standing to meet me in the road. Now, if it is displeasing to you, I will turn back.” 35 The angel of Yahweh said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I will speak to you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. 36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him by the city of Moab, which was on the boundary of Aaron at the end of the territory. 37 And Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not urgently send to meet with you? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not able to honor you?” 38 Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I came to you now. Am I really able to speak anything at all? I speak the word that God puts in my mouth.” 39 Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-Huzoth. 40 And Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he sent them to Balaam and to the princes who were with him. 41 And it happened, in the morning Balak took Balaam and took him up to Bamoth-Baal, and he saw from there the end of the nation. 1 Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me this: seven altars. And prepare for me this: seven bulls and seven rams.” 2 And Balak did just as Balaam spoke, and Balak offered Balaam a bull and a ram on the altar. 3 And Balaam said to Balak, “Station yourself at your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps Yahweh will come to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell to you.” So he went to a barren height. 4 And God met with Balaam, and he said to him, “I have arranged seven altars, and I have offered a bull and a ram on the altar.” 5 Yahweh put a word in the mouth of Balaam and said, “Return to Balak, and you must speak thus.” 6 So he returned to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, he and all the leaders of Moab. 7 And he lifted up his oracle and said, “From Aram Balak lead me, from the mountains of the east the king of Moab, ‘Go for me, curse Jacob, and go, denounce Israel.’ 8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed, and how can I denounce whom Yahweh has not denounced? 9 Because from the top of the rocks I see him, from hilltops I watch him. Behold, a people who dwell alone, they do not consider themselves among the nations. 10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, or as a number the fourth part of Israel? Let my life die the death of an upright person, and let my end be like his!” 11 And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and look, you have surely blessed them!” 12 He answered and said, “Should I not speak what Yahweh puts in my mouth?” 13 Then Balak said, “Please walk with me to another place where you will see them, but you will only see part of them and will not see all of them; and curse them for me from there.” 14 So he took him to the field of Zophim to the top of Pisgah, and he built seven altars, and he offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 15 Balaam said to Balak, “Station yourself here at the burnt offering while I myself meet with Yahweh there.” 16 Then Yahweh met with Balaam, and he put a word in his mouth, and he said, “Return to Balak, and you must speak thus.” 17 He came to him, and behold, he was standing at his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, “What has Yahweh spoken?” 18 Then he uttered his oracle, and said, “Stand up, Balak, and hear; listen to me, son of Zippor! 19 God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of humankind, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? And has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? 20 Behold, I have received a command to bless; when he has blessed, I cannot cause it to return. 21 He has no regard for evil in Jacob, and he does not see trouble in Israel; Yahweh his God is with him, and a shout of a king is among them. 22 God, who brings them out from Egypt, is like the strength of a wild ox for them. 23 Because there is no sorcery against Jacob, and there is no divination against Israel. Now it will be said to Jacob and Israel, what God has done! 24 Look! the people will rise like the lion; he raises himself and will not lie down until he eats the prey and drinks the blood of the slain.” 25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Do not curse them at all, nor bless them at all!” 26 But Balaam answered and said to Balak, “Did I not speak to you, saying, ‘Whatever Yahweh speaks I will do’?” 27 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Please, come, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will be acceptable to God, and you will curse for me from there.” 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which looks down on the face of the Jeshimon. 29 And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me these seven altars, and prepare for me these seven bulls and seven rams.” 30 Balak did just as Balaam said, and he offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 1 And Balaam saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel, and he did not go as other times to seek out sorcery; instead, he set his face toward the desert. 2 Balaam lift up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to its tribes, and the spirit of God was upon it. 3 He uttered his oracle and said, “The declaration of Balaam son Beor, the declaration of the man whose eyes are closed, 4 the declaration of the hearer of God’s words, who sees the revelation of Shaddai, falling down but whose eyes are uncovered. 5 How good are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel! 6 They are spread out like valleys, like gardens on a river, like aloes planted by Yahweh, like cedars at the waters. 7 He will pour water from his buckets, and his offspring will be like many waters; his king will be higher than Agag, and his kingdom will be exalted. 8 God, who brings him out from Egypt, is like the strength of a wild ox for him. He will devour the nations who are his enemies; he will break their bones; he will pierce them with his arrows. 9 He crouches, he lies down like a lion, and like a lioness, who will rouse him? They who bless you will be blessed, and they who curse you will be cursed.” 10 Then Balak became angry with Balaam, and he clapped his hands and said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but look, you have surely blessed them these three times. 11 Flee to your place now. I said I would richly honor you, but look, Yahweh has withheld honor from you.” 12 Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not speak to your messengers whom you sent to me, saying, 13 ‘If Balak gave to me the fullness of his house full of silver and gold, I am not able to go beyond the command of Yahweh to do good or evil, from my heart; what Yahweh speaks, I will speak’? 14 And now, look, I am about to go to my people; I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the following days.” 15 And he uttered his oracle and said, “The declaration of Balaam son of Beor, and the declaration of the man whose eye is closed, 16 the declaration of the hearer of God’s words, and the knower of the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of Shaddai, who is falling, and his eyes are revealed. 17 I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; a star will go out from Jacob, and a scepter will rise from Israel; it will crush the foreheads of Moab and destroy all the children of Seth. 18 Edom will be a captive; Seir, its enemies, will be a captive, and Israel will be acting courageously. 19 Someone from Jacob will rule and will destroy a remnant from the city.” 20 And he looked at Amalek, uttered his oracle, and said, “Amalek is first of the nations, but his future will be forever ruin.” 21 And he looked at the Kenites, uttered his oracle, and said, “Steady is your dwelling place; in the rock is your nest. 22 Nevertheless, the Kenite will be burned; how long will Asshur keep you captive?” 23 Again he uttered his oracle and said, “Woe, who will live when God establishes this? 24 The ships will come from the hand of the Kittim, and they will afflict Asshur and will afflict Eber; also he will be forever ruin.” 25 Then Balaam got up and went and returned to his place, and Balak also went on his way.

The Moabites and Balaam

Balak - Moabite King

Balaam - Mesopotamian Holy Man.Even written about in non-biblical writings. Famous “seer of the gods”.

Balak sends for Balaam. On his way to see him he is riding on a donkey. The Donkey sees an angel and turns out of the way into a field. Balaam doesn’t see the angel and turns the donkey back onto the path. Balaam Strikes her. The donkey sees an angel again standing in the way, this time while walking in between two walls of vineyards. The donkey tries to turn and smashes Balaam’s foot. He hits the donkey again. Then the donkey sees the angel again, this time it is in a narrow place where there is no way to turn around. The donkey just lays down. Balaam it’s the donkey with its stick. The Lord opens the mouth of the donkey. Gets his attention. Then the angel of the Lord appears and reminds Balaam to say only what God told him to say. Not to be a yes man. He tells the king that God will bless the Israelites and curse the Moabites

Struggle with Prostitutes

Numbers 25 LEB

1 When Israel dwelled in Shittim, the people began to prostitute themselves with the daughters of Moab. 2 And they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and worshiped their gods. 3 So Israel was joined together to Baal Peor, and Yahweh became angry with Israel. 4 Yahweh said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and kill them before the sun, so the fierce anger of Yahweh will turn from Israel.” 5 So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill his men who are joined together with Baal Peor.” 6 And behold, a man from the Israelites came and brought to his brothers a Midianite woman before the eyes of Moses and before the eyes of all of the community of the Israelites, and they were weeping at the doorway of the tent of assembly. 7 When Phinehas son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest saw, he got up from the midst of the community and took a spear in his hand. 8 He went after the man of Israel into the woman’s section of the tent, and he drove the two of them, the man of Israel and the woman, into her belly. And the plague among the Israelites stopped. 9 The ones who died in the plague were twenty-four thousand. 10 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 11 “Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, turned away my anger from among the Israelites when he was jealous with my jealousy in their midst, and I did not destroy the Israelites with my jealousy. 12 Therefore say, ‘Behold, I am giving to him my covenant of peace, 13 and it will be for him and his offspring after him a covenant of an eternal priesthood because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the Israelites.’ ” 14 The name of the man of Israel who was struck with the Midianite woman was Zimri son of Salu, a leader of the family of the Simeonites. 15 The name of the Midianite woman who was struck was Cozbi daughter of Zur, a leader of a tribe of the family in Midian. 16 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 17 “Attack the Midianites and strike them 18 because they were attacking you with their deception, with which they have deceived you on the matter of Peor and on the matter of Cozbi the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister who was struck on the day of the plague because of the matter of Peor.”

Peor which known for their fertility gods. Worship often included Holy women involved in sacred prostitution.

Sacred prostitution is a Major problem for Israel through most of the pre-exilic period.

Balaam is killed because he was associated the prostitutes

2 1/2 Tribes

Numbers 32 LEB

1 The descendants of Reuben and the descendants of Gad had a very large number of livestock. And they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, and behold it was a place for livestock. 2 The descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben came, and they said to Moses and to Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the community, saying, 3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon, 4 the land that Yahweh struck before the community of Israel, is a land of livestock, and your servants have livestock.” 5 They said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as property; do not lead us across the Jordan.” 6 But Moses said to the descendants of Gad and to the descendants of Reuben, “Will your brothers go to war while you yourselves live here? 7 Why are you discouraging the hearts of the Israelites from crossing into the land that Yahweh gave to them? 8 This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to see the land. 9 When they went up to the valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the Israelites so that they did not come to the land that Yahweh gave to them. 10 So Yahweh’s anger burned on that day, and he swore an oath, saying, 11 ‘The men who went up from Egypt, from those twenty years old and above, will not see the land that I swore with an oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob because they have not wholly followed me, 12 except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, because they followed Yahweh wholly.’ 13 And Yahweh became angry, and he made them wander in the desert forty years until the entire generation who did evil in the sight of Yahweh had died. 14 Behold, you stand in the place of your fathers, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more Yahweh’s fierce anger against Israel. 15 If you turn from following him, he will again abandon them in the wilderness, and you would have destroyed all these people.” 16 They came near to him and said, “We will build sheep pens here for the flock of our livestock and cities for our little children; 17 but we ourselves will become armed and ready before the Israelites until we have brought them to their place, and our little children will live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our houses until the Israelites each obtain their inheritance for themselves. 19 For we will not take possession with them from across the Jordan and beyond because our inheritance has come to us from across the Jordan to the east.” 20 So Moses said to them, “If you do this thing, if you arm yourselves before Yahweh for the war, 21 and everyone of you armed cross the Jordan before Yahweh until he has driven out his enemies from before him, 22 and the land is subdued before Yahweh, then afterward you will return and be free of obligation from Yahweh and from Israel, and this land will be your property before Yahweh. 23 But if you do not do so, behold, you have sinned against Yahweh, and know that your sin will find you. 24 Build for yourselves cities for your little children and sheep pens for your flocks; what has gone out from your mouth you will do.” 25 So the descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben said to Moses, saying, “Your servants will do just as my lord commands. 26 Our little children, our wives, our livestock, and all of our animals will remain in the cities of Gilead, 27 but your servants, everyone who is armed for battle, will cross over before Yahweh to the war, just as my lord says.” 28 So Moses commanded them, Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the tribes of the Israelites. 29 Moses said to them, “If the descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben, everyone who is armed for the war, cross over the Jordan before Yahweh, and the land is subdued before you, you will give them the land of Gilead as property. 30 But if they will not cross over with you armed, they will acquire land in your midst in Canaan.” 31 The descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben answered and said, “What Yahweh has commanded your servants, we will do. 32 We ourselves will cross over armed before Yahweh to the land of Canaan, and the property of our inheritance will remain with us beyond the Jordan.” 33 So Moses gave to them, to the descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben, and to half of the tribe of Joseph’s son Manasseh, the kingdom of Sihon the king of Amorites and the kingdom of Og the king of the Bashan, the land with its cities and their territories, the cities of the surrounding land. 34 The descendants of Gad rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth, and Aroer, 35 and Atroth Shophan, Jazer, and Jogbehah, 36 and Beth Nimrah and Beth Haran, the cities of Mibzar, and the sheep pens for flocks. 37 The descendants of Reuben rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, and Kiriathaim, 38 and Nebo, Baal Meon (their names were changed), and Sibmah, and they renamed the cities that they rebuilt. 39 The descendants of Makir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and they captured it and drove out the Amorites who were in it. 40 So Moses gave Gilead to Makir son of Manasseh, and he lived in it. 41 And Jair son of Manasseh went and captured their unwalled villages, and he called them Havvoth Jair. 42 Nobah went and captured Kenath and its villages, and he called it Nobah after his own name.

As the end of the 38 years comes close to an end. Three tribes request land in the Transjordan

Reuben

Gad

½ Manasseh

They are granted the land but must still help in the taking of Canaan

Establishment of Levitical Cities and Cities of Refuge

Numbers 35 LEB

1 Yahweh spoke to Moses on the desert plains of Moab beyond the Jordan across Jericho, saying, 2 “Command the Israelites that they give to the Levites from the inheritance of their property cities to live in; and you will give to the Levites pastureland all around the cities. 3 The cities will be theirs to live in, and their pasturelands will be for their domestic animals, for their possessions, and their animals. 4 “The pasturelands of the cities that you will give to the Levites will extend from the wall of the city to a distance of a thousand cubits all around. 5 You will measure outside the city the eastern edge two thousand cubits, for the southern edge two thousand cubits, for the western edge two thousand cubits, and for the northern edge two thousand cubits, with the city in the middle; this will be for them the pasturelands of the cities. 6 “All the cities that you will give the Levites will be six cities of refuge, to which the killer can flee; in addition to them you will give forty-two cities. 7 All the cities that you will give to the Levites will be forty-eight cities, them with their pasturelands. 8 And the cities that you will give from the property of the Israelites, you will take more from the larger group and less from the smaller group; each of them will give according to the portion of their inheritance according to the portion that he inherits.” 9 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them, ‘When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 11 you will select for yourselves cities for your cities of refuge, that a killer who has killed a person unintentionally can flee there. 12 The cities will be to you a refuge from a redeemer, so that the killer will not die until he stands before the community for judgment. 13 The cities that you are to give will be your six cities of refuge. 14 You will give three cities across the Jordan and three cities in the land of Canaan; they will be cities of refuge. 15 To the Israelites, to the alien, and to the temporary resident in their midst there will be these six cities as a refuge to which anyone who unintentionally kills a person may flee. 16 “ ‘But if he hit him with an object of iron, so that he dies, the killer must surely be put to death. 17 And if he hit him with a stone in the hand, by which he will die, and he does die, he is a killer; the killer must surely be put to death. 18 Or if he hit him with a wooden object, by which he will die, and he does die, he is a killer; the killer must surely be put to death. 19 The blood avenger himself will put the killer to death; he must put him to death when meeting him. 20 If he shoves him in hatred, or he throws something at him with intention, and he dies, 21 or if he hits him in hostility with his hand, and he dies, the one that struck him will put to death the killer when meeting him. 22 “ ‘Or if in an instant he shoved him, not in hostility, or threw something at him without intention, 23 or with any stone, without seeing it dropped on him so that he dies, while he was not seeking his injury, 24 then the community will judge between the striker and between the blood avenger according to these ordinances. 25 The community will deliver the killer from the hand of the blood avenger, and the community will restore him to the city of his refuge to which he fled; and he will live there in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with holy oil. 26 But if the killer surely goes out of the territory of the city of his refuge to which he fled, 27 and the blood avenger finds him outside the territory of the city of his refuge, and the blood avenger kills the killer, he will not be guilty of blood 28 because he must live in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest the killer will return to the land of his property. 29 These things will be as a decree of justice for you for your generations in all your dwellings. 30 “ ‘If anyone kills a person, the killer will be put to death according to the testimony of witnesses, but someone cannot die on testimony of one person. 31 Also, you will not take a ransom payment for the life of a killer who is guilty of death; indeed, he must surely be put to death. 32 You will not take a ransom payment for the one that flees to the city of his refuge, so that he may return to live in the land before the death of the priest. 33 So you will not pollute the land in which you are; because blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is poured out on it except with the blood of the one who poured it out. 34 You will not defile the land on which you are living because I am living in the midst of it; I am Yahweh; I am living in the midst of the Israelites.’ ”

Establishment of 48 Levitical cities. Divided according to the tribe. 6 cities of refuge a place where someone could go to get away from being killed because of revenge

Who are the priest?

Levites are priest