Nu 27: Who's next?

       Numbers 27 opens with the Zelophehad’s daughters. Their compelling status and request move the LORD to clarify directions regarding inheritance when there is no male heir.

       Next, the LORD instructs Moses to ascend Mount Abarim {= “regions beyond”}. There he will see {har ra'ah} the land which the LORD has given {Ntn nathan} to the children of Israel. After he has seen, looked at, perceived, considered it, Moses will be gathered unto his people as Aaron was.

       It is probably no surprise to Moses why the LORD is doing this.

       12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel. 13 And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered. 14 For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.

       Moses responds akin to that wonderful way he did in Exodus 33. In that amazing (to me) account, Moses dares to tell the LORD that if He doesn’t go with Moses, Moses doesn’t want to go.

       [If you want to have your socks blessed off and if you want to grasp a deeper perspective of the LORD, spend some time in Exodus 33 and 34. I’ve spent days, perhaps weeks, meditating on this passage.]

       Back to Mount Abarim. Like Solomon years later, Moses is concerned for the well being of his people, of God’s people.

       15 And Moses spake unto the LORD, saying,

 16 Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, 17 Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.

       Even as Moses goes to face his own judgment, he thinks about the children of Israel. The LORD responds with His choice.

       This man was known for his confidence in God’s ability. In the same chapter of Exodus, Exodus 33, we see that this man didn’t leave the tabernacle. The LORD notes his spiritual state, too. Who is he?

       Joshua.

       18 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; 19 And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight. 20 And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient. 21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.

         22 And Moses did as the LORD commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation: 23 And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

Nu 26

       24,000 people have just died. Phinehas’ zeal stopped the plague. What next? Take a census.

       Numbers 26 is the resulting census of all who can go to war. Before you fear you’ll be bored to tears with bean counting, give it a read. You’ll find some narrative tidbits and refreshers.

       Remember Dathan, Abiram and Korah? Remember that they rebelled and were swallowed by an earthquake? Look at verse 11. Korah’s children weren’t wiped out. That might be an important clue some time.

       How about Er and Onan? There’s a story in itself. That’s in Genesis 38. It’s not rated G.

       What was the name of the man who had no sons? Zelophehad’s daughters were granted the inheritance and a new rule was established. (Feminists and readers of Jane Austen should take notice. The old English concept of “entailment” is antibiblical, hence the anger we feel at the injustice the Misses Bennett may suffer.) This concept is so important that the story of Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah is repeated in Numbers 27 and 36 and Joshua 17 and I Chronicles 7.

       Next, Nadab and Abihu are referenced. Even though they died for their sin, they are still remembered generations later.

       Verses 64-65 tell us that there are none of the first generation of wilderness walkers except for Caleb and Joshua. Their faith and confidence in God brought them out of the wilderness into the promised land. That’s a great way to end a chapter.

Nu 14: Enough is Enough (Part 1 of a few)

Nu 14 Yikes! Enough is enough.

       The weeping, moaning, faithless congregation has finally provoked the LORD enough to incur a final judgment against them.

·      1-4: the congregation complains

·      5-9: Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb urge the people to get a grip

·      10: The people want to stone them and the LORD appears

·      11-19: the LORD tells Moses He’ll wipe them out and make a mighty nation of Moses; Moses talks the LORD out of it

·      20-38: only Caleb and Joshua will see the promised land; they will wander 40 years and all the people over 20 years old will die in the wilderness

·      39-40: the people think they can make right and go to fight the Amalekites; the Amalekites and Canaanites soundly beat them back.

       Desperate for the people to understand, Moses and Aaron fall on their faces before the congregation. Joshua and Caleb tear their clothes.

       It’s an exceedingly good [bwj towb] land. Towb is a good Hebrew word to know. It means “good.” It’s used 559 times.

       Joshua and Caleb say to the people:

       8 If the LORD delight [Upx chaphets] in us, then he will bring [awb bow'] us into this land, and give [Ntn nathan] it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.

o  Chaphets = to delight in, take pleasure in, desire, be pleased with, favor

o  Bow ’= lead in, carry in, bring in, bring to pass

o  Nathan = give, put, set, cause (a primitive root, used 2008 times); multiple layers of meaning.

       9 Only rebel [drm marad] not ye against the LORD, neither fear [ary yare'] ye the people of the land; for they are bread [Mxl lechem] for us: their defence [lu tsel] is departed [rwo cuwr] from them, and the LORD is with us: fear [ary yare'] them not.

o  Marad = rebel, revolt, be rebellious

o  Yare’ = fear, revere, be afraid

o  Lechem = bread, food, grain

o  Tsel = shadow, shade, defense

o  Cuwr = depart, turn aside (primitive root used 301 times

       [Yare’ and cuwr appeared in chapter 12. Then, the LORD asked why Miriam and Aaron weren’t yare’ to speak against Moses. It is good to yare’ speaking against God’s man. It is not good to yare’ God’s enemies. As the cloud cuwr-d from the tabernacle, so the defense of the people of the land has cuwr-d.]

       Joshua and Caleb’s words of faith didn’t help. The congregation wants to stone (kill!) them. The dwbk kabowd, the glory of the LORD, appears before all the children of Israel.

       If this is all happening in rapid succession, Moses and Aaron are either still on their faces, or perhaps the mob has grabbed all four of them.

       When the kabod appears, did everyone stand motionless? Did they run away? Maybe they let go of the four men and Moses enters the tabernacle. In verse 39, it says Moses tells the children of Israel what the LORD said.

       I muse about this moment because it seems that the children of Israel have no clue what Moses has just done for them. He saves their skins, he declines an amazing offer for his own life and reminds the LORD of His character, all the while talking the LORD into preserving His own reputation.

       In a way, it really doesn’t matter if they heard what Moses just did for them, since even witnessing miracles didn’t change their hearts. It’s mighty hard to shake some sense into someone who won’t change. That does little for my urge to grab someone and holler, “Don’t you see what he has just done? Don’t you get it?”

       There’s a William Wyler film (besides Ben Hur), called The Big Country. It’s a little violent and harsh although the violence pales in comparison to today’s films. James McKay (Gregory Peck) quietly proves his manhood while his fiancée Patricia Terrill (Carroll Baker) wants him to show it. In one scene, Patricia argues with Julie Maragon (Jean Simmons), saying if he loved her, he’d prove himself. Julie says if she loved him, he shouldn’t have to. Sadly, Patricia never gets it.

       Shameless promo: Atticus Finch on horseback. Can't go wrong with that. Oh yeah, Charlton Heston is in it too. Watch it on your next “oldies” night.  

Nu 13: 12 spies with mixed results

       At the LORD’s command, Moses sends out 12 rulers of Israel to scope out Canaan. I never noticed before that these 12 are rulers/princes [aysn nasiy'] and heads [var ro'sh] of Israel. Keep that in mind.

1.    of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur.

2.   of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori.

3.    of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

4.   of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph.

5.    of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun.

6.   of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu.

7.    of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi.

8.   of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.

9.   of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli.

10.  of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael.

11. of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi.

12. of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.

         Manasseh and Ephraim are the 2 tribes from Joseph. Moses didn’t send out a Levite on the expedition. Here are the meanings of their names.

1.    Renowned the son of Mindful.

2.   He Hath Judged the son of Cave Dweller.

3.    Dog the son of He Will Be Facing.

4.   He Redeems the son of Jehovah Has Added.

5.    Salvation the son of Fish/Posterity.

6.   My Deliverance the son of Healed.

7.    God Is My Fortune the son of Acquaintance.

8.   My Fortune the son of My Horse.

9.   My Kinsman Is God the son of Camel Driver.

10.  Hidden the son of Who Is Like God.

11. Hidden the son of Rich.

12. Majesty of God the son of Decrease.

       We don’t need to draw any great spiritual meaning from their names. I just think names and the meanings of names are cool.

       Moses nicknames Oshea Jehoshua, or “Jehovah is Salvation.” We know him as Joshua.

       Moses sends out the 12 to spy on the land. He tells them to be of good courage [qzx chazaq] and to bring back samples. It’s grape season.

       They check out Flat Place and Broad Place near Fortress. They go to Association where the children of Anak live. They go to Cluster and get a cluster of grapes so large that two carried it on a staff. They also bring pomegranates and figs. They search the land for forty days.

       They return for “show and tell.” It’s a place flowing with milk and honey.

    But.

     Most of the 12 men freak at the walled cities and size of the people. In verse 30, only Caleb speaks positively.

    30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

    The other leaders that went say the inhabitants are like giants and they seemed to themselves like grasshoppers in comparison. The people feed off the lack of faith of their leaders:

         14:1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. 2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! 3 And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

          4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

       Here we go again. Sigh.