Numbers 30 to 36 (end)

Numbers 30
Moses to heads of Tribes of Israel:
“If a man makes a vow to God”

• Man makes a vow his word shall stand
• Woman makes a vow
• In her youth and her father says nothing - it shall stand
• Father forbids - none of her vows obligations
• Married - husband speaks same as father confirm or annul
• Widow or divorced - word stands just as a man’s vow.

Numbers 31
God to Moses
“Take full vengeance for Israel on the Midianites”

• Armed for war 1,000 from each tribe - 12,000 total
• Killed all the Midianite males and all the Kings
• took the plunder to Eleazar the priest to the plains of Moab
• Captured the women
• ALL Israelites gathered there
• Moses was angry that they spared the women
• He ordered them to kill the women “who had been known intimately” and all the male boys
• Cleansing ordered
• Counting of the booty and split accordingly (tax for the priests):
• ½ to warriors - tax 1/500 on share
• ½ to congregation - tax 1/50 on share
• V 49 - not even one Israelite warrior lost in battle
• 12,000 warriors -> 32,000 females and children in booty

Numbers 32
Sons of Reuben and Gad and half tribe sons of Manasseh:

• Saw that the Gilead land on his side of Jordan was suitable for livestock and since they had livestock they asked Moses if they could just stay there.
• Moses angered because they wouldn’t be participating in the taking of the land for Israel.
• They promised they would go and do battle on behalf of sons of Israel and stay with them until they were settled. However they wanted to leave women, children and belongings there.
• Moses agreed with warning if they defaulted.
• V23 - “be sure your sin will find you out.”

Numbers 33
Egypt → Moab (In review)
“These are the journeys of the sons of Israel” from Egypt under leadership of Moses and Aaron according to their starting places:

• Ramses → Succoth
• 1st month 15th day
• Next day after Passover
• BOLDLY in sight of Egyptians who were busy buring their first born killed in Passover
• Succoth → Etham
• Edge of the wilderness
• Etham → Pi Hahiroth
• Hahiroth → through sea → wilderness → Marah
• Marah → Elim (12 springs water and 70 palm trees)
• Elim → Red Sea
• Red Sea → Wilderness of Sin
• Sin → Dophkah
• Dophkah → Alush
• Alush → Rephidim (no water to drink)
• Rephidim → Sinai
• Sinai → Kibroth-hatavah
• Kibroth-hatavah → Hazeroth
• Hazeroth → Rithmah
• → Rimon-perez
• → Libnah
• → Rissah
• → Kehelathah
• → Mount Shepher
• → Haradah
• → Makheloth
• → Tahath
• → Terah
• → Mithkah
• → Hashmonah
• → Moseroth
• → Benejackan
• → Hor-haggidad
• → Jotbathah
• → Abronah
• → Eziongeber
• → Zin (Kadesh)
• → Mount Hor (edge of Edom)
• Aaron (123 years old) went up on Mount Hor and died there
• 40th year 1st day 15th month
• Mount Hor → Zalmonah
• → Punon
• → Oboth
• → Iyeabarim (@border of Moab)
• Iyim → Dibon-gad
• → Almon-diblathaim
• → Abarim (mountains)
• → Moab (plains)
• By the Jordan opposite Jericho
• V50 - God to Moses: When you cross the Jordan into Canaan:
• Drive them all out
• Destroy all idols
• Inherit the land by lot by families according to size
• V55 if you don’t drive everyone out those left behind will be thorn in side

Numbers 34

• God describes the boundaries of the land of Canaan (v 1-12)
• This land was to be given by lots to the remaining 9 ½ tribes
• Eleazar the Priest and Joshua son of Nun would apportion

Tribe	Man to whom apportioned	Son of
Judah	Caleb	Jephunneh
Simeon	Samuel	Ammihud
Benjamin	Elidad	Chislon
Dan	Bukki	Jogli
Manasseh (son of Joseph)	Hanniel	Ephod
Ephraim (son of Joseph)	Kennuel	Shiptan
Zebulun	Elizaphan	Parnach
Issachar	Paltiel	Azzan
Asher	Ahihud	Shelomi
Naphtali	Pedahel	Ammihud

Numbers 35

God instructs them on giving land and cities to the Levites

• Some of these cities would be cities of refuge for manslayers
• Intentional → death
• Unintentional
• Judged by congregation
• Must be testimony of more than one person
• Found guilty must remain in refuge until priest dies. Then could return to home and possessions

Numbers 36

The inheritance to go to women:

• These women had to marry within their tribe in order to keep the inheritance in the tribe
• Inheritance could not be transferred to another tribe
• V13 - these are the commandments and the ordinances
• God → Israel through Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho.

Numbers 14, Numbers 15 and Psalm 90

Numbers 14

All the congregation wept and cried and grumbled against Moses and Aaron.

V2ff Their disbelief in God is made evident

V4 – Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.

V5 – Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the congregation. Caleb and Joshua tore their clothes.

V7-9 – “The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land.”

V 10 – The people threatened to stone them.

GOD SHOWS UP

He says to Moses “how long will this people spurn me? And how long will they not believe in ME despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst?”

(Note: list of the signs thus far………..)

God does have a limit and the children of Israel had reached it…………..

They have tested ME 10 times. (?what were the 10 times? Get list)

VV11-21 God threatens to annihilate Israel – Moses please with Him to forgive them one more time as He had all the way from Egypt till now (v19)

V22-23 God says – all the men who have seen My signs and My glory which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness – they will not see the land promised to them.

V24 – exception – Caleb – “he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully.”

V26 – ordered to move out to the wilderness by the Red Sea.

God said to Moses – as I live, just as you have spoken in My hearing, so will I surely do to you. (see v.2 – “would that we had died in this wilderness!) All who are 20 years old and up will die in this wilderness.

V30 – except Caleb and Joshua

V31 – your children, whom you said would become prey – I will bring them in.

V33 – 40 years – in the wilderness (note: so they actually were in the wilderness longer than 40 years. – time left Egypt to now approximately 2 to 3 years? So 42-43 years?)

V36-37 – the 10 men who brought back a bad report were immediately killed by plague

V40 – the people went up to the hill country they decided they would “repent and take the land now.”

(note: they thought they would repent and not face the consequences of their sin. Those who tried to go anyway were killed. They did not go with God’s authority or power. (I wonder how many died here?)

Numbers 15

God gives Moses instruction on the offerings the people are to make when they enter the land.

V13-16 – If there were foreigners who were with them they had the option to do the same things.

V 16 – there was to be a single law which governed the Jews and the foreigners that were with them…

V17-29 – God makes provision/instructions for unintentional sin.

V30-31 – Anyone who does something defiantly – whether native or alien – he should be cut off form the people.

V32-36 – a man was caught gathering wood on the Sabbath. God told them ot stone him to death.

V37 – make tassels of blue cord to hang on the corners of their garments. These tassels to remind them to keep the commandments and not follow after their own eyes.

V41 – I am the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt to be yoru God. I am the Lord your God!

Psalm 90

A prayer of Moses to God:

• ·         God is eternal
• ·         Man is not
• ·         Our lives are limited and even if they were longer labor and sorrow will make it a mixed “blessing.”
• ·         Show us your loving-kindness so there can be some meaning to this existence.

Numbers 16 to Numbers 17

Numbers 16

These four “took action”

• ·         Korah (descendant of Levi)
• ·         Dathan
• ·         Abiram
• ·         On

They gathered 250 leaders – men of renown rose up against Moses and Aaron. “you have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy every one of them…….” (v3) (NOTE: WOW what pride!!)

Moses fell on his face.

(NOTE the intensity of this chapter)

Once again God wants to wipe everyone out.

Moses tells the 250 men to get their censers and to light incense. He separates everyone from them and their families – lest they be consumed as well.

The earth opens up and swallow all of the families and possessions of these people. They go to Sheol ALIVE.

The rest of the people grumble at Moses and Aaron saying they caused it. Moses and Aaron start scrambling to save their lives.

God kills an additional 14,700 before Moses and Aaron were able to get the plague in check.

The censers of the 250 were hammered down and placed at the altar as a reminder.

Numbers 17

God instructed Moses to get 12 rods and to write the names of the 12 tribes on the rods.

Aaron’s name was to be written on the rod of Levi.

The rods were to be put in the tent of meeting. Whoever’s rod sprouted was to be the chosen one.

Aaron’s (Levi’s) rod sprouted, blossomed, and had ripe almonds. Aaron was chosen by God and God provided this sign to the people – so they would stop quarreling.

Numbers 18 to Numbers 20

Numbers 18

God said to Aaron and the Levites: “you shall bear the guilt in connection with the sanctuary.”

They were the priests chosen by God and anyone else who came near them would be put to death.

V7 – “I am giving you the priesthood as a bestowed service”…..

V 11 – everything included sons and daughters

All of the offerings would belong to them. It was their compensation. However: v 20 – “you shall have no inheritance in their land, nor any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the sons of Israel.”

Numbers 19

Red Heifer sacrifice

There were specific instructions for how to perform the sacrifice. The heifer’s ashes were to be placed outside the tent and water added. This was called the water for impurity. It was to be used by the people for various reason. i.e. to cleanse after touching a dead body.

NOTE: Isn’t’ it interesting that ashes and water are used to make lye today – which is used to make soap.

Numbers 20

The people moved to Kadesh – in the wilderness of Zin.

Miriam died.

There was no water and the people complained again.

Moses was instructed to take his rod and speak to the people. He was told to speak to the rock that it would turn to water.

Instead Moses struck the rock two times with his rod. Water still came out but God said Moses would not take the people to the promised land because he disobeyed.

The waters were called “Meribah” because the sons of Israel contended with the Lord and He proved Himself holy among them.

V14 – Moses sent messengers to the King of Edom requesting to pass through. The King refused and threatened them if they did.

Kadeshà Mount Hor

While on Mt Hor, God instructed that Aaron be stripped of his clothes and that they be put on his son Eleazor. Aaron was to die (and did) on Mt Hor. The people mourned for 30 days.

Numbers 21 to Numbers 22

Numbers 21

The Israelites faced opposition by the Canaanite when they tried to pas through. The Israelites asked God for help – He did – they defeated the Canaanites and the land was called Hormah.

The people started going around Edom and complained because of the journey. “Why Why Why” 

God sent fiery serpents and many died.

THOUGHT: I wonder if they had just asked God for help again how things would have turned out.

PROGRESS

V7 – “We have sinned.” They asked Moses to make a fiery serpent and put it on a standard. Moses mad ethe bronze serpent. Those who had been bitten looked at it and lived.

Moved to Obath à Lyeabarim à Wadi Zered à Armon à Beer

The well where God said to Moses “assemble the people” so He could give them water.

   è Mattamah à…….

They requested permission from the Amorites to pass through Sihon (the Kind) fought Israel and lost. The Israelites took the land. Isreal lived in the land of the Amorites.

Then Og the King of Basham confronted them. They defeated him as well and they possessed his land.

Numbers 22

Journeyed to Moab beyond Jordan opposite Jericho.

Balak – (over the Moabites) sends for Balaam – he wants Balaam to curse Israel so that the Moabites can defeat Israel. Balaam receives word from God that Israel is blessed so Balaam may not curse them.

God gives Balaam permission to travel with Balak – but he is only to say to him what God tells him.

Confrontation with Balaam’s donkey.