Moses’ Complaint about the People
11: 10-15

Moses’ complaint about the People DIG: Why do you think the people’s attitude changed between 9:15-23 and 10:11-36? Why do you think their attitude deteriorated so rapidly? Why did Moshe become discouraged? Did Moshe consider their complaints valid? Would you? Why or why not? How does Moses display lack of faith here? In his despair and frustration, what did he ask ADONAI to do?

REFLECT: When are you, like Moshe, most likely to become discouraged with your lot in life? When discouraged, do you listen more to people’s complaints, to God’s provision, or inner doubts? Ask the LORD to forgive you for the times when you have complained about His purpose for your life. Ask God to teach you to be more content with what He has provided. What complaints damage your fellowship with God?

The burden of leadership.

Anyone who has served any length of time leading a congregation of God’s people is familiar with the frustration Moshe feels as he cries out to ADONAI. Even when things are going well, and there are no real crisis situations, and the leadership is well-liked, discontentment can begin to seep in and spread throughout the congregation. It is the way of human beings born with the disease of sin. We do not need legitimate complaints; we will always find something to complain about. This is true for any leader in a position of responsibility over a business, political, or social organization. But it is far more stressful and painful for leaders placed over a congregation because issues of spirituality, faith and relationship inevitably become entangled with discord.

As people of the Torah, we should learn from the book of Numbers. If Moshe was so distressed with leadership responsibilities that he felt suicidal, how much more so our congregational leaders. We need to take a cue from this. We need to become proactive about defending our leadership and silencing the voices of discontentment and antagonism which so quickly spread throughout the congregation. We need to encourage our congregational leaders and stand by them, even if they do turn out to be merely human beings and make mistakes like the rest of us.¹⁸⁸ Moshe heard the people crying, family after family, each person at the entrance to his tent (see the commentary on Exodus, to see link click Gy – Moses and the Tent of Meeting); the anger of ADONAI flared up violently; and in mirroring the feelings of YHVH, in the eyes of Moses it was evil (11:10). This brought pressure on Moshe, and depressed, he asked God:

Here is an example of introversion in a speech (see Ac – Numbers from a Messianic Jewish Perspective: Chiasm and introversion). This structure clearly shows that although Moses’ complaint seemingly stresses his need for assistance in administration (ABC and CBA), his main concern is expressed in the pivot (D), where his whining discloses his questioning whether God will enable him to provide Isra’el with meat.¹⁸⁹

A. Why are you treating your servant so badly (11:11a)? Moshe’s selfless concern for his people had apparently evaporated. Instead of turning to the LORD to ask that he might understand the substance of their complaint, Moses turned to the LORD to ask why he was given such an ungrateful people to lead. There is a human touch in all of this; Moshe is caught off guard, as it were – ill-prepared for the magnitude of the problem he faced in leading such a sinful group of people.¹⁹⁰

B. Why haven’t I found favor in your sight, so that you put the burden of this entire people (rather than my people) on me (11:11b)? In other words, if You really love me, You wouldn’t burden me with these people. Knowing, as we do, how ungrateful and hardheaded the people of Isra’el were, it is amazing that Moses wasn’t discouraged more often!¹⁹¹

C. Did I conceive all these people (12:a)? Was I their father, so that You should say to me, “Carry them in your arms, like a nurse carrying a baby, to the land you swore to their ancestors?” The Hebrew emphasizes the “I,” that is, “I am not the father of these people – but, God, You are! After all, it is YHVH who has conceived these people. It was He who gave them birth. He was their nurse, their mother in the wilderness. He has promised them their Land. The people were screaming at Moses; but, ultimately, they were ranting against God.¹⁹²

D. Where am I going to get meat to give to all the people? Because they keep pestering me with their crying and saying, “Give us meat to eat” (11:13)! Moses does not justify the murmuring of the people, and was doubtless conscious of their sinfulness. At the same time, however, he displays a spirit of discouragement to the point of despair, at God’s dealings with himself; and appears to treat the demand of the Israelites for meat as not being altogether unreasonable.

C. I can’t carry this entire people by myself alone – it’s too much for me (11:14)! The problem is that Moses feels alone in his responsibility, which weighs heavily on his shoulders. The stress pushes him over the edge. Moses lost his perspective and got his eyes off the LORD and onto himself, something that’s easy to do in the difficult experiences in life.¹⁹³

B. Finally, in resignation, he declares: If you are going to treat me this way, then just kill me outright (11:15a)! Moses’ despair concerning his life’s lot parallels those of other notables in Isra’el’s history. Job cursed the very day of his birth in the midst of his season of suffering (Job 3:1-4); after Elijah put the prophets of Ba’al to the sword, he became very depressed and wanted ADONAI to take his life (First Kings 19:3-4); and Jeremiah likewise bemoaned his birth in the midst of the shame he experienced in being beaten and imprisoned by Pashur in Jerusalem (20:14-18)! At this point in his leadership ministry, Moshe faced a crisis of faith and dependency, preferring death as a favor from God rather than continue to have the responsibility of directing such a rebellious people.

Notice how Moses argues with YHVH. You will recall that, after the golden calf incident (see the commentary on Exodus Gq – The Golden Calf Incident), Moshe argued for covenant renewal on the basis of the favor he had found with YHVH. Moses had prayed: Now if I have found favor in Your sight, ADONAI, I pray, let the LORD go along in our midst, even though the people are so obstinate, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your possession (Exodus 34:9). Now, however, in his despair, he argues against having to lead the people any further, and distances himself from the Israelites.

A. Please, if you have any mercy toward me! – and don’t let me go on being this miserable (11:15b)! This makes this whole passage an outpouring of Moshe’s self-pity, climaxed by this final remark. Since Ha’Shem is the author of Moses’ wretchedness, He might as well finish the job – and take his life. ADONAI responded with grace and yet also with judgment (see Bt – ADONAI’s Response). Moses would get some relief, but in the long run this was just the beginning of troublesome years to come.¹⁹⁴

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You that the number of troublesome years on earth will soon be over and there will be an eternity of peace and joy for all who love You. We all long for good times with family and respect from our work, but sometimes that does not happen. We need to keep in mind that a relationship of love with You is so much better than anything life can offer and your love lasts for all eternity. Day to day problems and personal conflicts sometimes seem to weigh us down, but there is way so much better than complaining to solve the problems. I thank You that as I pray, asking You to give me wisdom, my heart is lifted. I praise You for Your loving care in my life. It is so much better for me to appreciate You than to complain. Prayer is the first thing to do when a problem comes. How wonderful that You listen to my prayers and promise to answer me (John 5:14-15)! I love You Father God and delight in praising You for Your awesome love and indwelling presence in my life (John 14:23) – even when times are hard. You are worthy of all our love and praise! I look forward to praising You thru All eternity! In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Quail and Manna from ADONAI
11: 4-9

Quail and manna from ADONAI DIG: Who were the rabble? Were there any believers among them? What was the real reason for their complaining? How does complaining show our lack of trust in God and His purposes? What is the attitude of the Israelites in this chapter compared to Exodus 16? Have you ever complained about God’s purpose for your life?

REFLECT: Slowly, the people had become so accustomed to the miracles of ADONAI in their lives that they began to take Him for granted. Does that sound familiar? The Israelites’ long journey is so much like ours. Sometimes, too much like ours! Thank the Lord that He knows what is best for us and provides us with all we need to accomplish His purposes.

A second rebellion.

The rabble with them had an intense desire for meat (11:4a). This account appropriately begins with the rabble (Hebrew: ‘asafsuf, sometime translated riffraff, appears only here in the TaNaKh), an appropriate term for the Gentiles who followed the Hebrews out of Egypt (see the commentary on Exodus, to see link click Ca – At the End of the 430 Years, to the Very Day). This term points to a recurring source of complaints and trouble in the camp (see Bp – Complaining at Tav’erah). Those who did not know YHVH and His mercies too easily incited those who did know Him to rebel against Him. But, however the complaining began, it soon spread throughout the camp of Isra’el. It only takes a little sin to leaven the whole lump (First Corinthians (5:6-7). It is likely that familiar texts on the need for separation from people who do not share biblical faith have their genesis in this account. We can see this in the Torah (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Dy – Israelite Distinctiveness), and also in the B’rit Chadashah (see Second Corinthians Bi – Do Not be Unequally Yoked with Unbelievers). Yet, not all the people termed rabble (or who began as rabble) were unbelievers! That is, we may expect that many Gentiles would have come to faith in God in view of their daily contact with Hebrews who did believe (Exodus 14:30-31). Among the non-Hebrew people we may presume had come to faith in Ha’Shem was the Kushite (African) wife of Moshe (Numbers 12:1-2).

Whatever their origin, the rabble caused Moshe and the people of Isra’el a great deal of trouble. A similar group is creating problems for us today. In the parable of the wheat and the weeds (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ev – The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds), Yeshua taught that whenever ADONAI plants His true children, the Adversary comes along and plants counterfeits. Satan is an imitator and an infiltrator (Jude 4:2; Second Peter 2:1-2), which explains why Paul warned the Church about some who pretended to be believers (see the commentary on Galatians Ax – False Brothers slipped in to Spy Out our Freedom in Messiah), are false ministers (see the commentary on Second Corinthians Bz – Servants of Satan) and practice a false Gospel (see Galatians Aj – No Other Gospel).¹⁸¹

How did their complaining lead to rebellion? They complained about the lack of meat. The quail provided in Exodus 16 had apparently been a one-time treat. But their complaining eventually spread to the Israelites, who started wailing and joined in and declared: If only we had meat to eat! First, we suspect that meat wasn’t common food of the slaves in Egypt; secondly, it wasn’t true that they had no meat to eat. They had both flocks and herds. In Exodus 12:38 we learn that a mixed multitude also went up with the Israelites, with a great number of both flocks and herds. When they arrived in the Land forty years later, they still had flocks and herds because Numbers 32:1 tells us that the descendants of Reuben and the descendants of Gad had vast quantities of livestock. So, the question remains, what were they complaining about?

Then, they changed their minds and wanted fish. We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost. Let’s see . . . fish in the wilderness! It seems that the riffraff was so miserable that they were just making stuff up to complain about. But when the Israelites joined in with the rabble in their complaining, the Hebrews forgot the very reason they left Egypt. They were slaves only a year ago! The Egyptians made their lives bitter with hard labor – digging clay, making bricks, all kinds of field work; and in all the toil they were shown no mercy (Exodus 1:14). How did they go from being shown no mercy to cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic (11:4-5)? They were romanticizing the past because “the-good-old-days” were really “the-bad-old-days.” This is where the heart of mankind leads to when God is absent, never being grateful for what they had. Always wanting more. Just as a circle can never fill a triangle, so that heart of greed is never satisfied.

We need the Ruach Ha’Kodesh to lead us.

But then, like petulant children, they said: We have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna (11:6). After all their complaining, they didn’t want to eat anymore. What was the real issue? Verse 4 tells us that the rabble with them had greedy desires. This was beyond food, which they used as an excuse, because they could not have been hungry. Like Eve, who had all the fruits of the Garden except one, the riffraff had convinced themselves that ADONAI was withholding good things from them. So, in the end, their complaining was actually telling God that His provision did not measure up to their desires. A complaining tongue reveals an ungrateful heart. We are to be like Paul when from prison he said: I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances (Phil 4:11). He understood that everything he had was from God.¹⁸²

Numerous naturalistic explanations have been given to the account for the provision of manna by those who have traveled in the Sinai. Some point to a secretion of the tamarisk tree of small, yellow/white balls that have a sweet taste. Others believe this secretion is not the product of the tree but is the excreta of certain scale insects made on the leaves of these trees during June in some areas of the Sinai. But like the Flood (see Genesis Cj – The Waters Rose and the Ark Floated on the Surface of the Water), there are no naturally occurring events that fit the plain reading of the text.¹⁸³ The miracle was that the manna was found in such giant quantities. To feed two million people, they would have needed about nine million pounds of manna per day; that equals about forty-five hundred tons per year, or about a million tons annually for forty years. All very remarkably scheduled every morning! So any natural cause would seem to be quite a stretch.¹⁸⁴

The Spirit of God then defended the manna by telling us how marvelous it was. Manna was the perfect food. Even without the rabbi’s descriptive embellishments, there was food provided directly from heaven. It was like coriander seed and looked like resin. The people went around gathering it, and then ground it in a hand mill or crushed it in a mortar. It was not boring! They could cook it in a pot or make it into loaves. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. In Exodus 16:31 the taste of manna cakes was also compared to honey. When the dew settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down (11:7-9). According to the rabbis, the dew coated the manna, the bottom layer protecting it from the sand while the top layer protected it from being eaten by insects and flies. The manna appeared in the early morning, blown in from the heavens during the night so that enough could be gathered for the daily consumption. Yet, the Israelites had begun to long for foods they once knew. In fact, there was nothing wrong with the manna except that it wasn’t meat, fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic! Because manna was not what they desired, they rejected it, even though it was given to them by God.¹⁸⁵

Manna as bread from heaven points to the coming of Jesus as the true bread from heaven, the bread of God, and the living bread that came down from heaven (John 6:32-33 and 51), all in a spiritual sense (John 6:63). Yeshua, as both the bread of life (John 6:35 and 48) and the source of the water of life (Revelation 21:6, 22:1 and 17), can therefore say to us: He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty (John 6:35). However, Messiah made a clear distinction between manna and Himself when he said: Our forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever (John 6:58). We will live forever when we believe in Him (John 6:40).¹⁸⁶

Therefore, manna is a type of Messiah: The Sh’khinah glory was connected with the giving of the manna (John 1:14); it came down from heaven (Ephesians 4:10), it was a free gift from God (John 3:16), the manna was sent to Isra’el (Matthew 15:24), people had to gather their own manna, it was to be a personal experience (John 1:12), they were to be fed daily from it (Psalm 69:19); the manna was despised by those who were not God’s children (Numbers 11:4-6; Revelation 16:8-11), manna did not decay on the Sabbath day (Psalm 16:8-10), and it is now hidden, something you see but you don’t understand (Revelation 2:17).¹⁸⁷

Dear Heavenly Father, praise You for always being such a gracious giver! You gave the gift so that people might have a life full of abundant joy.  I have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10c)! Just as it was a personal experience to gather the manna, so salvation is a personal experience of being united to Messiah faith For, if you confess with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart it is believed for righteousness, and with the mouth it is confessed for salvation (Romans 10:9-10).

You so graciously choose the path of salvation to be made holy by being in Messiah. He chose us in the Messiah before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love (Ephesian 1:4). The blood of Messiah removes trespasses. In Him we have redemption through His blood – the removal of trespasses – in keeping with the richness of His grace (Ephesian 1:7). All who love You, You promise to make holy by their being in Messiah. Your desire is to save people from hell, but it is a personal choice, just as gathering manna was a personal choice. Making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Ephesians 1:9-10).

What an absolutely wonderful gift You gave to deliver me from sin’s awful penalty of death by Messiah’s painful death, and then to transfer all of Messiah’s righteousness to my spiritual bank account so I could come and live with You in heaven.  He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (Second Corinthians 5:21).

What a costly and loving gift You chose to give, knowing how much pain and shame it would cost You! You are so worthy of all my love! It may cost me a little to live for You in this world, but it is far worth the cost so that we may spend all eternity in heaven with You! For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). I fix my eyes on pleasing You in all we do, say and think. I have an audience of One! Trials and problems will come, but my heart will be fixed on doing Your will. You are my wonderful and loving Father, and the gracious gift-giver of eternal life! In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Graves of Greediness
11: 4-35

We observe with sadness that the memory of the cause of the burning at Tav’erah (to see link click Bp – Complaining at Tav’erah) seems to have been lost quickly. It was followed directly by another, even more serious attack on God’s mercy in the people’s rejection of manna, the bread of heaven. It is possible that there was a considerable lapse of time between the complaining that led to the burning (11:1-3) and the complaining that led to the plague of quail (11:4-35), but the placement of these stories in abrupt linking suggests that the time lapse was insignificant. It seems that this new rebellion transpired during the next stop along the march.

There is symmetry in these narratives of rebellion in the TaNaKh. The scream for “real food” rather than the divine provision of manna takes us back to the initial complaint about food in Exodus (see the commentary on Exodus Cq – If Only We Had Died by the LORD’s Hand in Egypt), where God began to provide His people with the wonder of manna; it also carries us forward to the last rebellion about food near the end of the generation in the wilderness, where the people rejected the manna as detestable, only to be forced to focus on the image that was truly detestable, the serpent (see Di – The Healing Snake), who was their only means of escape from God’s plague.

Indeed, ADONAI’s provision of food for His people (and their common actions of ingratitude for His mercy) is one of the dominant motifs in the Bible. This began in the Garden of Eden teeming with all kinds of food (Genesis 2); eating the forbidden food led to expulsion from Paradise (Genesis 3). And the Bible ends with a great banquet (see the commentary on Revelation Fg – Blessed Are Those Invited to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb). Along the way, on the journey from the paradise of Eden to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, the provision of food is a mark of God’s love and care for His people. He provides food for those who fear Him; He remembers His covenant forever (Psalm 111:5). But there is more to eating than food for the stomach. This is why we must bless God (Psalm 103:1-2), especially at meal times. Eating a satisfying meal provides the believer a wonderful reason to praise YHVH, who gives good gifts (Deuteronomy 8:10). Similarly, to blame God for a shortage of food, or for a lack of variety, is a cowardly act of irreverence. So, here, we learn the story of the graves of greediness in 11:4-35.¹⁸⁰

These verses are displayed in a chiastic fashion (see Ac – Numbers from a Messianic Jewish Perspective: Chiasm and Introversion). The inverted symmetry of this section of Scripture is clear. ADONAI punishes the people’s complaint (AA) and that of Moses (BB). In c, the divine reply of condemnation to both complaints, is pivotal, anticipating the punishment. Moshe’s panicky outburst bordering on heresy, is the main point.

A. The people’s complaint: meat (11:4-9)

B. Moses’ complaint: assistance (11:10-15)

C. ADONAI’S response to both complaints (11:16-23)

a. ADONAI’s response: superficially positive (11:16-20)

c. Moses’ response: lack of faith (11:21-22)

b. ADONAI’s response: restrained (11:23)

B. ADONAI assisted Moses by authorizing the elders (11:24-30)

A. ADONAI judged the people by supplying meat (11:31-34)

From Kivrot Ha’Ta’avah the people traveled to Harzerot, and they stayed there (11:35)

Complaining at Tav’erah
11: 1-3

Complaining at Tav’erah DIG: Why are the Israelites complaining here such a shock? How had it become a pattern of destruction? What was the spark that lit the fire? Who were the mixed-multitude? What did they have to complain about? What does the B’rit Chadashah have to say about complaining? What six things does the LORD hate?

REFLECT: What struggles have you had to face in your life since you were saved? What was your response to those struggles? How does complaining show your lack of trust in God and His purposes for your life? Do you think that your complaining stumbles unbelievers who know about your faith? Why? Why not? Who puts out your fires today?

The first rebellion became a pattern of destruction.

There is a cyclical nature to Isra’el’s rebellions against God – stubborn people tend to repeat the sins of the past. The first rebellion of the redeemed people came on the third day of the march from Egypt to Mount Sinai after their miraculous crossing of the Sea of Reeds (see the commentary on Exodus, to see link click Cn – When They Came to Marah the Water was Bitter). Now, three days out on their triumphal march to Canaan from Mount Sinai, they fell back into their complaining behavior. Nothing in the first ten chapters of Numbers has prepared us for this verse; rather, those chapters have emphasized over and over again the complete obedience of Moses and the people to the dictates of YHVH. Moses, the narrator of Numbers, has arranged his materials so carefully that this sudden outbreak of renewed pettiness against God seems unprecedented, unexpected – unbelievable. How, we wonder, with all the preparation for a holy walk, could there come such stumbling so soon?¹⁷⁴

Now the people became like those who complain of adversity (Hebrew: ra, meaning evil, distress, misery or calamity) in the hearing of ADONAI (11:1a). Here we have the first act of rebellion on the journey from Mount Sinai. God’s Word tells us that there was a group of complainers on the outskirts of the camp, and this revolt took little to reveal itself. And the complainers, Egyptians who left with the Israelites, were mixed in among the people. Complaining was, and is, contagious and the Israelites fell into that trap. Only a spark is needed to start a fire, you need only a few people to start complaining to start a rebellion.

God’s people had lost sight of what He had done for them already. He had set them free from the bondage of Egypt and the cruelties of that nation toward them. He had opened the hearts and hands of the people of Egypt to bless them with much wealth as they left, so they could build the Tabernacle at Sinai. He had given them victory over Pharaoh’s army. He had opened the Sea of Reeds for them so they could walk across on dry ground. He had placed His Presence among them and led them personally, step-by-step, through the desert. He provided them with food to eat every day so that they were not hungry. But now, Isra’el was complaining about ADONAI. They had failed to appreciate what He had already done for them.¹⁷⁵

The B’rit Chadashah has much to say about this problem for it never disappeared. The heart of mankind has not changed since the time of Adam (see the commentary on Romans Bm – The Consequences of Adam). For this reason, Paul urges us not to complain, as some did, and they were destroyed by the Destroying Angel. Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come (First Corinthians 10:10-11). Paul learned to find contentment and joy in the Lord rather than in his external circumstances. I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am (Philippians 4:11). That is why, for Messiah’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong (Second Corinthians 12:10). To Timothy, he confided that godliness with contentment is great gain (First Timothy 6:6). As the people of God, we must learn from the mistakes of the generation in the wilderness and commit ourselves not to repeat them. We must put aside our complaining spirits and learn the art of gratitude.¹⁷⁶

Based upon the stories of the book of Numbers, it would appear that few things irritate Ha’Shem more than a negative attitude. There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict among brothers (Proverbs 6:16-19). Thus, when ADONAI heard it, His anger flared up, so that fire from ADONAI broke out against them and consumed the outskirts of the camp (11:1b). In God’s mercy, it did not affect Moses, Aaron, the priests, the Levites, nor the Tabernacle. Now the exact nature of the judgment is unclear, but it obviously caused a severe burning of some kind.

In the midst of His wrath YHVH remembered His mercy. Then the people cried out to Moshe, Moshe prayed to ADONAI, and the fire stopped (11:2). This is one of the ongoing themes of Scripture and thus emphasized in Numbers. The people truly deserved God’s considerable wrath. But the survivors of this outburst of His anger cried out to Moses for help on their behalf before the LORD. Moshe prayed and the fire subsequently subsided.¹⁷⁷ If Moshe had not been there, the fire would not have stopped. And Moshe is not here today, so how are our fires stopped? This is the type of question this chapter will ask of us, and it will point to the One Mediator who speaks to God on our behalf: Yeshua Messiah.

Because of the raging fire of Ha’Shem, the people named that place of awful memory Tav‘erah [burning, like hell] because ADONAI’s fire broke out against them (11:3). Two similar stories immediately follow this parashah (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Af – Parashah). The rejection of the Promised Land (see By – The Report of the Spies), and Korah’s rebellion (see Co – Korah’s Rebellion) are also based upon the same pattern as we see here.¹⁷⁸

Therefore, the unspecified complaint in Numbers 11:1-3 becomes a basic outline for the complaint stories that follow: The people complain; God’s anger is kindled; Moses intercedes; and the punishment is stopped. Ha’Shem’s anger here is hot, and the punishment was in the form of fire that broke out against them (11:1). But the fire only consumed the outskirts of the camp. Moshe prayed to ADONAI on behalf of the people and the fire stopped. The name of the place was then called Tav’erah, which in Hebrew means burning. At this point in the narrative the reader may wonder if this is only a minor, temporary, setback, since the fire only torches the fringes of the camp. Perhaps there will be a return to the blissful obedience that was the theme in Numbers 1-10. Well, we do not have to wait long to find out that such an optimistic scenario is not in the works; we quickly arrive on the heels of another story of rebellion (see Br – Quail and Manna from ADONAI).¹⁷⁹

Even when life seems all messed up and not going the way we had hoped, You are still the wise and loving Almighty Sovereign of the world who holds the keys to eternal life in heaven. We need to remember that our time on this earth is actually only for a blink of time compared to eternity. When we leave earth, all will have an eternal existence, because of our faith in You. We praise You for opening heaven’s door to those who love You by Your gift of Messiah’s righteousness (Second Corinthians 5:21). There are never any complaints in heaven; and on earth, we choose to praise You – even when it is hard for You are worthy. This life will be over soon and then heaven will be for all eternity! I will love You forever in Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Abrupt Slide into Rebellion
Chapters 11 to 20

The first ten chapters of Numbers could be called the Book of Obedience. We read phrases like: Thus, the children of Isra’el did all that ADONAI commanded. But, Numbers 11 marks a dramatic shift from the positive tone of the first ten chapters. There, the people looked forward to the Promised Land and the Israelites were assured of God’s care and protection (10:29). Numbers 11:1-3 recounts the first instance of the people’s discontent and complaining against YHVH in the book so far. But the motif of the people’s complaining to Moshe and God in the wilderness is not new; a number of complaint or murmuring stories occur in the book of Exodus before the giving of the Ten Words (see the commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Bk – The Ten Words) and the covenant at Mount Sinai, and before the golden calf incident. Yet, the complaints that Isra’el made in Exodus are treated as legitimate needs: the people needed water (Exodus 15:22-26), the people needed food (Exodus 16), and the people again needed water (Exodus 17:1-7). In each case, God took their complaints seriously and fulfilled the needs of the Israelites by turning bitter water into sweet water, by providing manna and quail for food, and by causing water to flow from a rock.

In the book of Numbers, however, the Israelites raise their voices in complaint about similar needs, but here things turn out differently. The complaints are treated as acts of unfaithfulness. The whining of the Israelites rouses Ha’Shem’s anger and punishment, which is mitigated only by Moses’ aggressive intercession. The contrasts between the parallel sets of narratives before Sinai in Exodus and after Sinai in Numbers raises the obvious questions that beg to be answered. What happened in the interim that caused this shift from divine accommodation in Exodus 15-18 to divine punishment in Numbers 11-20? What happened in between is that ADONAI had established a covenant with Isra’el at Mount Sinai.

Before Sinai, Isra’el was like a newly adopted child who did not yet know the rules of the household. Thus, God, the divine Parent, bent over backwards to satisfy the legitimate needs of Isra’el immediately out of Egypt. But by the time we reach Numbers, the Israelites knew their responsibilities in the commandments and were answerable for its relationship to YHVH. Moreover, Isra’el had already rejected the LORD once in the dramatic golden calf incident in Exodus 32. God nearly abandoned Isra’el then. His powerful and holy presence in the midst of sinful Isra’el was a divine concession to Moshe’s urgent pleas in Exodus 32-34. But the holiness of ADONAI cannot tolerate unfaithfulness and rebellion without deadly consequences for Isra’el as a people. Isra’el knew the commandments and was accountable for it, beginning with the first and most important of the Ten Words: You shall have no other gods before Me.

Throughout Numbers 11-20, God’s people continually rebel, and He punishes them with plagues and military defeats. The LORD offers signs of forgiveness and compassion, but the people in each case resume their rebellious ways. First, there is the general rebellion of the people in Numbers 11. Next, in Numbers 12, there is a rebellion for the first time in the wilderness by two leaders of the people. This is followed in Numbers 13-14 by the most serious revolt against YHVH – the spy mission into the Promised Land. The spy story defines the central theme and structure of the entire book of Numbers as a tale of the death of the Exodus generation and the birth of a new generation of hope on the edge of the Promised Land. After a word of hope is offered in Ch 15, the people, and even the Levites, resume the cycle of revolts and disobedience. The spirit of rebellion and unfaithfulness extended even to Aaron and Moses in the narrative of Chapter 20. The death of Aaron the high priest and the succession of his son Eleazar as the new high priest in Numbers 20:22-29 is a precursor to the end of the entire Exodus generation, and the dawning of an entirely new generation of hope.¹⁷³

Leaving Sinai
10: 11-36

Leaving Sinai DIG: As the Israelites begin their journey from Sinai to the Promised Land, what impressions do you get about the journey from this passage? Who’s in charge? How well do they mobilize the people for this trip? Despite such preparations, what problems are they likely to encounter in the wilderness?

REFLECT: Isra’el had been comfortable at Sinai, but God soon said to move on. In what area of your life are you comfortable, but you sense God is telling you to move on? What adventure has God prepared and mobilized you to do? How have you prepared for this? What problems do you anticipate?

Let the march begin.

Newlyweds spent a year together before going to war (Deuteronomy 24:5), so Isra’el remained at Mount Sinai for nearly twelve months. They arrived there in the third month after their deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 19:1), and it was now the second month of the second year. During that time, the Torah had been announced and the Tabernacle had been constructed and dedicated. Moshe had also dedicated the priests and the Levites, counted the soldiers, and organized the tribes. Isra’el was now a nation ready for action.¹⁶⁴

Throughout these early chapters of Numbers there is a topical presentation rather than a chronological arrangement of the material. They have been telling us the story of the Israelite’s preparations to leave Mount Sinai. In the first four chapters of Numbers, they took a census (to see link click An – The Levitical Census) and assigned the Levites to their various tasks (see Ar – The Four Camps of Levites). Numbers 7-10 is a flashback and relates how Isra’el was ready to depart from Mount Sinai. Chapters 9 and 10 tell of the final preparation before the departure from Sinai as a flashback on the twentieth of the second month of the second year (10:11); the observance of the second Passover six days earlier (9:1-14); the pillar of cloud and fire as a guide (9:15-23); the trumpet signals for assembling the people and its leaders and for breaking camp (10:1-10); the order of march (10:11-28), and a narrative relating a different marching order (10:29-36).¹⁶⁵

These verses describe the actual inauguration of Isra’el’s march and the events of the first three days. The holy camp of God’s people sets out for the first time in the wilderness of Sinai to the wilderness of Paran. The first three days of the journey go smoothly and without incident. All seems to be moving according to God’s plan and desire. But, the favorable impression will linger only for a short time, ending abruptly when we come to Chapter 11.¹⁶⁶

The march begins (10:11-13): The silver trumpets (see Bl – Two Silver Trumpets) were meant to create a sense of awe and splendor, like the court of a great king. In fact, as the children of Isra’el finally broke camp and left Mount Sinai, the entire scene is layered in dramatic pomp and pageantry. The fire-cloud (see Bk – The Pillar of Cloud and Fire), the silver trumpets, the camps, the banners were all intended to evoke images of the great and regal procession of a royal host. We are meant to imagine the Sh’khinah glory , a fire by night, a pillar of cloud by day, rising from the Tabernacle. We are meant to hear the staccato blasts of the silver trumpets, clear and inspiring, like the fanfare of a king. We are meant to imagine each camp breaking and setting out in order, each beneath its own splendid, tribal banner. On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year since the Exodus, five days after the Second Passover (see Bi – Pesach in the Wilderness). So, they had been at Mount Sinai for eleven months and twenty days. The fire-cloud was taken up from over the Tabernacle. Here we have the first movement of the Sh’khinah glory since it had come over the Tabernacle in Exodus 40 (see the commentary on Exodus Hh – The Glory of the LORD Filled the Tabernacle). And the people of Isra’el moved out in stages from the Sinai Desert. The fire-cloud stopped in the Paran Desert, at the border of the Promised Land, as we will see later in 12:16. So, they set out on their first journey, in keeping with ADONAI’s order through Moshe. As they set out, they moved as the army of ADONAI.¹⁶⁷

The grand procession of tribes and Levites (10:14-28): In the lead was Moshe, Aaron and the priests, and the banner of the camp of the descendants of Judah, whose companies moved forward; over his company was Nachshon the son of ‘Amminadav (see Am – The Camp of the Twelve Tribes of Isra’el). Over the company of the tribe of the descendants of Issachar was Nethan’el the son of Tzu‘ar. Over the company of the descendants of Zebulun was Eli’av the son of Helon (10:14-16).

Then the Tabernacle was taken down; and the descendants of Gershon (see Au – The Clan of Gershon) and the descendants of Merari (see Av – The Clan of Merari) set out, carrying the Tabernacle (10:17). When the fire-cloud stopped, they would have time to set up the Tabernacle so that the Kohathites could set the holy things in it.

Next, the banner of the camp of Reuben moved forward by companies; over his company was Elitzur the son of Sh’de’ur. Over the company of the tribe of the descendants of Simeon was Shlumi’el the son of Tzurishaddai. Over the company of the descendants of Gad was Elyasaf the son of De‘u’el (10:18-20).

Then the Kohathits set out (see At – The Clan of Kohath), carrying the holy objects so that [at the next camp] the Tabernacle would already be set up before the Kohathites arrived to set up the holy objects (10:21).

Next, the banner of the camp of the descendants of Ephraim moved forward by companies; over his company was Elishama the son of ‘Ammihud. Over the company of the tribe of the descendants of Manaseh was Gamli’el the son of P’dahtzur. Over the company of the descendants of Benjamin was Avidan the son of Gid‘oni 10:22-24).

The banner of the camp of the descendants of Dan, forming the rearguard for all the camps, moved forward by companies; over his company was Achi‘ezer the son of ‘Ammishaddai. Over the company of the tribe of the descendants of Asher was Pag‘i’el the son of ‘Okhran. Over the company of the descendants of Naphtali was Achira the son of ‘Enan. Then Moshe gives the summary: This is how the people of Isra’el traveled by companies; thus, they moved forward (10;25-28).

Hobab the Midianite (10:29-32): Here a new person is suddenly introduced. His presence is very instructive because he offers us a solid glimpse of the Gentile in the midst of Isra’el. His name was Hobab. He was Moshe’s brother-in-law (Hebrew: chothen) and the son of Reuel the Midianite (also known as Jethro, which is a title like king or pharaoh, in Exodus 3:1, 4:18). By that time it very well could have been that Jethro could have died, and if so, Habab would have been the patriarch of the Kenite branch of the Midianites. Apparently, after Jethro left for Midian (see the commentary on Exodus Cw – Moses and Jethro), Hobab had stayed with Moses until the present time. Now although the Sh’khinah glory would lead the people through the wilderness, Hobab with expert knowledge of the wilderness lands of Sinai, would be a significant aid in locating water and pastures in regions unknown to Moshe. As a result, here we have a great example of divine leadership and human wisdom.

Therefore, Moshe said to Hobab, “We are traveling to the place about which ADONAI said: I will give it to you. Come with us, and we will treat you well, because ADONAI has promised good things to Isra’el.” Paul says the same thing in Romans 11 with regard to the olive tree (see the commentary on Romans Cz – The Illustration of Isra’el’s Future). Even though the B’rit Chadashah is made with Isra’el, it doesn’t mean that it is only for Isra’el: For Messiah Himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in His own body on the cross, He broke down the wall of hostility that separated us (Ephesians 2:14 NLT). Hence, the New Covenant is not two Covenants, one with Isra’el and one with the Church. It is only one Covenant, but with two “participants,” Isra’el and the Church (see the commentary on Jeremiah Eo – The Days are Coming, declares the LORD, When I Will Make a New Covenant with the People of Isra’el: The Church’s Relationship to the B’rit Chadashah). Gentiles are not absorbed into any tribe, in other words, they don’t become Jews (see  Galatians Ak – The Hebrew Roots Movement: A Different Gospel).¹⁶⁸

But Hobab replied, “I will not go; I would rather go back to my own country (not far from Mount Sinai) and my own kinsmen.” Moshe continued, “Please don’t leave us, because you know that we have to camp in the desert, and you can serve as our guide. If you do go with us, then whatever good ADONAI does for us, we will do the same for you.” In a sense this urging was an act of evangelism. Hobob did not come easily. But subsequent biblical texts indicate that at last, he did come. In that regard, he was just like Ruth, who, leaving all behind, joined Naomi in route to the Promised Land with the promise of something ahead that was of more value than anything left at home. To come with Moses was not just to change Hobob’s address, but to change his family. To come with Moshe was to gain a New Land. To come with Moses was to believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (see  Ruth An – Your People Will Be My People and Your God My God).

Judges 1:16 indicates that Hobab accepted Moses’ requests to be the “eyes” for the Israelites in the wilderness, as his descendants received a share in the Land. But he himself did not share in the Promised Land. Presumably, the sadness of Isra’el’s impending rebellion against ADONAI included Hobab in judgment (see Bz – Faith and Obedience). He experienced God’s goodness in the same way that the rest of the Israelites did, in the providential care that YHVH gave His erring people in the inhospitable wilderness of their banishment. Hobab must have been an invaluable aide to Moshe. However, the anticipated journey of a few weeks turned out to be a lifetime for him.

The three-day procession behind the Ark (10:33-36): So, they set out from ADONAI’s mountain and traveled for three days. Ahead of them on this three-day journey went the ark of ADONAI’s covenant, searching for a new place to stop. The contradiction with 10:21 and 2:17 is obvious. Probably during the initial stage, the ark did precede the marchers because the people feared the dangers of the wilderness. The Sh’khinah glory of ADONAI was over them during the day as they set out from the camp (10:33-34). Eleven months earlier the people of Isra’el had emerged as a rag-tag group of former slaves, gathered in the wilderness in the first rush of deliverance, but unorganized and unruly. Now they were prepared for the march, the battle, and the anticipated victory.¹⁶⁹

The ark of the covenant led them into battle. These words function as a conclusion to the whole passage concerning departure and, in a sense, to the whole Sinai narrative (Exodus 19 to Numbers 10). This passage functions in a way parallel to the Aaronic blessing (see Bb – The Aaronic Blessing). Its language is elevated prose at the least with a good deal of parallelism.¹⁷⁰

Introductory prose line (five Hebrew words): When the ark moved forward, Moshe made a call for God to rise up and scatter His enemies: Arise, ADONAI! May your enemies be scattered! Let those who hate you flee before you!” This was essentially a war cry. It was as if he was the general shouting on behalf of the Commander-in-Chief to all of His enemies, “Here we come, you better run for your life!”

Introductory prose line (five Hebrew words): When Moses stopped, he called for God to rise up and bless His people: Return, ADONAI of the countless thousands of Isra’el (10:35-36)!¹⁷¹ When “the battle” was finished, the general was able to tell his Commander-in-Chief that because of His brilliantly orchestrated victory, He may now rest peacefully in the victorious camp of His army. The ark going forward at the head of Isra’el’s tribes typified Ha’Shem in front of His people protecting them, helping them, and leading them on to final victory (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Ag – The Problem of Holy War in the TaNaKh).

Thus, in these words of Moses we have a shout of victory based solidly on the faithfulness of ADONAI to His covenantal promise to the patriarchs. The people were on their way to Canaan; soon Canaan would be the land of Isra’el, or so they thought, based on these words of high-spirited confidence in YHVH. Significantly, David used these same words of Moshe in the beginning of his triumphal song in Psalm 68.¹⁷²

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for your wisdom in guiding me. Sometimes after being in one place in life for a while, it gets comfortable and I don’t want to move on; but it is very reassuring to know that when You tell me to move, You have already gone ahead of me to prepare the situation and You go with me! All praise and glory to Your gracious presence and guidance of all the details of my life! In Messiah Yeshua holy Name and His power of His resurrection. Amen

The Journey from Mount Sinai to Kadesh-barnea
10:11 to 12:16

The chronology of the first two months of the second year after the Exodus is as follows:

1. The setting up of the Tabernacle (7:1) was declared to be completed on the first day of the first month of the second year (Exodus 40:2). On this day, the Sh’khinah glory covered the Tabernacle, as we have already seen (9:15-23). Then, in response to the visible manifestation of God over the completed Tabernacle, also on that day the first of the gifts from the twelve leaders of the tribes was given to the LORD (7:3-17). The presentation of the gifts from each tribe continued until the twelfth day of the first month.

2. The setting apart of the Levites (8:26) presumably followed immediately after the twelve days of gifts, perhaps on the thirteenth day of the month. It seems unlikely that the setting apart of the Levites would have been on the same day as the last of the tribal gifts; to have another significant action on that day would have minimized the importance of gifts of Achira, leader of the descendants of Naftali (7:78-83).

3. The Second Passover was celebrated on the fourteenth day of the first month (9:5).

4. The census began on the first day of the second month (1:1-2).

5. Those who were ritually unclean at the time of the Second Passover were permitted to celebrate it on the fourteenth day of the second month (9:11).

6. Then, the Sh’khinah glory lifted from the Tabernacle and the march from Sinai began on the twentieth day of the second month (10:11).¹⁶²

The Israelites were about to begin a new phase in their journey to the Promised Land. Their place of rest. The Tabernacle had been set up, the priests had been ordained, and everything was in its place. We have seen the order, discipline and obedience of the people, and how they responded to the commandments of ADONAI. How they listened to Him. Therefore, up to this point, things seemed to be going perfectly. However, the honeymoon didn’t last long. In the words of the Messiah: You have abandoned your first love (see the commentary on Revelation Az – The Church at Ephesus). Then things began to fall apart. If they had kept their trust in YHVH, they would have reached their place of rest in less than ten days. But about three-thousand-five-hundred-years later, they are still looking for this rest. They are in the Land, but there is no rest. The rest will only come when Yeshua comes back. Isra’el’s journey also speaks to us today. So many begin well, filled with joy and excitement, but sometimes in time (and for some a very short time), they begin to forget the promises of God and His presence in their lives. And they look elsewhere for their rest. They began to look back and long for Egypt (or for us today, the world).¹⁶³

Two Silver Trumpets
10: 1-10

Two silver trumpets DIG: What were the purposes of the trumpets in the life of God’s people in the past? What will the trumpet’s purpose be in the future? How will these trumpets help the Israelites journey through the wilderness? What does it say about God that He is concerned with such details?

REFLECT: What aspects of your own life has ADONAI shown special concern for lately? Just how does he show His concerns? What does this teach you about Him? About yourself? When God wants to get your attention and give you marching orders, what “trumpet blast” does He use?

When the trumpets were sounded with short blasts,
it signaled that it was time to follow the fire-cloud and move the entire camp.

We now have come to the preparation for the march. At God’s command, the trumpets sounded and the people assembled in marching formation. Thus, the use of the trumpets was Isra’el’s response to the divine signal given by the fire-cloud (to see link click Bk – The Pillar of Cloud and Fire). The image of the fire-cloud and God’s leading of the people in Numbers 9, is complemented by the leadership and guidance provided by the sons of Aaron through the blowing of silver trumpets.

Throughout these early chapters of Numbers there is a topical presentation rather than a chronological arrangement of the material. They have been telling us the story of the Israelite’s preparations to leave Mount Sinai. In the first four chapters of Numbers, they took a census (see  An – The Levitical Census) and assigned the Levites to their various tasks (see Ar – The Four Camps of Levites). Numbers 7-10 is a flashback and relates how Isra’el was ready to depart from Mount Sinai. Chapters 9 and 10 tell of the final preparation before the departure from Saini as a flashback on the twentieth of the second month of the second year (10:11); the observance of the second Passover six days earlier (9:1-14); the pillar cloud and fire as a guide (9:15-23); the trumpet signals for assembling the people and its leaders and for breaking camp (10:1-10); the order of march (10:11-28), and a narrative relating a different marching order (10:29-36).¹⁵²

ADONAI said to Moshe, “Make two trumpets; make them of hammered silver. Use them for summoning the community and for sounding the call to break camp and move on” (10:1-2). The trumpets were not rams’ horns, or shofarim. They were two silver trumpets. The message depended on how the trumpets were blown. When there was a long blast with both trumpets the entire assembly of Isra’el would meet at the Tabernacle. When only one trumpet sounded, only the leaders would meet. When the trumpets were sounded with short blasts, it signaled that it was time to follow the fire-cloud  and move the entire camp. Furthermore, a series of short blasts of both trumpets was to be sounded during times of war. In addition, the trumpets were to be blown during the festivals. When they are blown, the entire community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the Tabernacle (10:3).

The two likely were slightly different size and produced varying tones; two trumpets were blown for the assembly of the people and one for the assembly of the leaders. The trumpets were blown with varying tones and lengths of blasts. The Hebrew words used in our text to describe the kinds of sounds which were to be made with the trumpets are also the same words used to describe the kind of sounds the modern shofar blower is to make on Rosh ha’Shanah. Hence, when there was to be a long blast, the Hebrew word is tekiah. The blast can be represented by a long, continuous, straight line, (_________). If only one is sounded, then just the leaders, the heads of the clans of Isra’el, are to assemble before you. When you sound an alarm, the camps to the east will commence traveling because they are in the lead. A short blast is the Hebrew word teruah. It can be drawn with nine dots, (_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _). The remaining sound of Rosh ha’Shanah is called shevarim. This one is not in this passage of Torah. It can, however, be pictured by a series of three short, short staccato blasts (_ _ _). Thus, on Rosh ha’Shanah, the main pattern for the sounding of the shofar is as follows: tekiah, shevarim, teruah, tekiah, (_________, _ _ _, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, _________).¹⁵³ The different sounds would tell the people what the sound is for and what to do. When you sound a second alarm, the camps to the south will set out; so the principle is that they will sound alarms to announce when to travel (10:4-6).

The two functions are outlined by way of summary in 10:7, and in 10:8 the priests are given the responsibility for sounding the trumpets. However, when the community is to be assembled, you are to sound; but don’t sound an alarm (10:7). It will be the sons of Aaron, the high priest, who are to sound the trumpets, and as such were Temple dependent (10:8a). In the ancient Near East, priests were an integral part of a military force (Deuteronomy 20:2-4; First Samuel 23:9 and 30:7). Basing themselves on Deuteronomy 20:2, the rabbis speak of a special priest “anointed for war.” The War Scroll of the Dead Sea sectarians goes into great detail concerning the high priest, the “priest chosen for the day of revenge.”¹⁵⁴

The trumpets are said to be given as a permanent regulation for you through all your generations (10:8b). This term is used elsewhere in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers to refer to a legal enactment that is underlined as particularly relevant or important. Other perpetual ordinances deal with matters such as the Passover (Exodus 12), Yom Kippur (Leviticus 16), and the ritual of the red heifer (Numbers 19), all of which concern the priests in a special way, although the people were also involved.¹⁵⁵

When you go to war in your Land against an adversary who is oppressing you, you are to sound an alarm with the trumpets (Joel 2:1 and Zephaniah 1:16); then you will be remembered before ADONAI your God, and you will be saved from your enemies because of God’s intervention (10:9). The trumpet blasts also serve as a prayer whose efficacy is recorded in the war between Abijah and Jeroboam (2 Chronicles 13:12-16). The Dead Sea War Scroll prescribed trumpets named “trumpets of remembrance” to be used “when the battle intervals open for the skirmishers to go forth” and bearing the inscription “vengeful remembrance at the appointed time of God.” However, trumpets used as instruments of prayer appear to be unique to Isra’el.¹⁵⁶

As in the case of battle, it appears that the blowing of the trumpets was a means of knowing that the people were remembered by ADONAI. Also, on your days of rejoicing, at your designated times (see the commentary on Leviticus Dw – God’s Appointed Times) and on Rosh-Hodesh (a new month), you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; these will be your reminder before your God (10:10a). The trumpets were used singly or together for administrative, military (2 Chronicles 13:12-14) purposes, but also for worship, and, as this verse points out, they were solely occasions for joy, verified by the ample examples of the trumpet in the Bible: in coronations (2 Kings 11:4; Psalm 98:6); the installation of the ark in David’s tent (1 Chronicles 16:6 and 42); the dedication of Solomon’s Temple (2 Chronicles 5:12-13); the rededication of the bronze altar and covenant under Asa (2 Chronicles 15:8-15); the purification of the Temple by Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 29:37); the laying of the foundation of the Second Temple (Ezra 3:10); and the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem (Neh 12:35).¹⁵⁷

In the Second Temple era, the priests used the trumpets to signal the opening of the huge Temple gates, the beginning of Shabbat, the beginning of holy days, the pouring out of the water during Sukkot (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Gp – On the Last and Greatest Day of the Feast), and other significant events in the Temple. In recent years, an inscription from the debris of the Second Temple was found. It is a plaque which was probably once on a Temple tower from which the priests sounded the trumpets. It reads, “For the House of the Trumpeting.”¹⁵⁸

The concluding phrase: I am ADONAI your God (10:10b), states in profoundly plain terms the sovereignty of God over the nation. He is the supreme LORD and ruler of His people Isra’el. The nation is the visible expression of His existence, personality, and saving power. Without Him they are meaningless, but they have been chosen specifically out of His abundant love to be a witness to the surrounding nations (Genesis 12:3) because of their being a Kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:6).¹⁵⁹

In many American Messianic congregations, trumpet blowing has become an end in itself. Biblically speaking, neither the trumpet nor the shofar was used as a layman’s worship instrument with which to punctuate a praise service. The trumpet of the Torah was the given and carefully ordered element of the liturgical service of the Levitical sacrificial system. Except for the shofar of Rosh ha’Shanah, trumpet blowing was a function of the Aaronic priesthood. Unfortunately, trumpets and shofars have become cliché’s of the Messianic movement. Probably the exotic look and sound of the shofar has endeared itself to the movement, but when it is blown at every function, it loses any real significance.¹⁶⁰ Believers should be encouraged to hear the shofar blown on Rosh ha’Shanah (see the commentary on Leviticus Ee – Rosh ha’Shanah: Trumpets), but the mitzvah of the two silver trumpets belongs exclusively to the priesthood and the Temple.

Like the righteous of the TaNaKh during the Dispensation of Torah (see the commentary on Exodus Da – The Dispensation of the Torah), the children of God today are awaiting “the sound of the trumpet” that signals our gathering together to Yeshua as well as Ha’Shem’s declaration of war against the wicked world ready for judgment (see the commentary on First Corinthians Dw – The Rapture: Victory Over Death). Until that time, we remain a pilgrim people in this wilderness world, following His Word and serving Him faithfully.¹⁶¹

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You that you will someday sound the trumpet to call your children to move from this life into their eternal home in heaven. For this we tell you, by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall in no way precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the blast of God’s shofar, and the dead in Messiah shall rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left behind, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air – and so we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore encourage one another with these words (First Thess 4:15-18). As I focus on moving soon to my eternal home of peace and joy, I am encouraged and burdens are lifted. For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18). Soon the trumpet will sound, calling me and all those who love you to move to our eternal home in heaven, where there will be no tears or sadness. (Revelation 21:4). We wait in anxious anticipation for the trumpet sound and we wisely use our time on earth for Your eternal glory. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Pillar of Cloud and Fire
9: 15-23

The pillar of cloud and fire DIG: Why were there no atheists in the camp of Isra’el? How does the pillar of cloud and fire symbolize the Word of God? How many times and ways does this passage refer to the fire-cloud above the Tabernacle? How would this fire-cloud help Moshe lead the people?

REFLECT: Are you patient enough to wait on the Lord? Or do you rush ahead? How is that working for you? What does it mean to “walk in the light” and “walk in the darkness?” How important is it to stop and remember the goodness of God? How does ADONAI guide spiritual leaders today?

Just as the Cloud marked a new chapter in Isra’el’s life in the Exodus,
so too the appearance of the Cloud motif after the Second Passover
marked a new and pivotal transition in the life of Isra’el.

Throughout these early chapters of Numbers there is a topical presentation rather than a chronological arrangement of the material. They have been telling us the story of the Israelite’s preparations to leave Mount Sinai. In the first four chapters of Numbers, they took a census (to see link click An – The Levitical Census) and assigned the Levites to their various tasks (see Ar – The Four Camps of Levites). Numbers 7-10 is a flashback and relates how Isra’el was ready to depart from Mount Sinai. Chapters 9 and 10 tell of the final preparation before the departure from Saini as a flashback on the twentieth of the second month of the second year (10:11); the observance of the second Passover six days earlier (9:1-14); the pillar cloud and fire as a guide (9:15-23); the trumpet signals for assembling the people and its leaders and for breaking camp (10:1-10); the order of march (10:11-28), and a narrative relating a different marching order (10:29-36).¹⁴⁵

As the Torah prepares us for the departure from Mount Sinai, we are reminded about the pillar of cloud and fire that led them through the wilderness. The Sh’khinah glory was the visual manifestation of YHVH. It is the same Presence that led them forth from Egypt, interposed itself between the Egyptians and the Israelites at the Sea of Reeds, and led them to Mount Sinai. It is the same Cloud that descended upon Mount Sinai, out of which they heard the voice of God and into which Moshe ascended when he climbed that mountain. When the Tabernacle was erected on the first day of the first month, the Sh’khinah glory descended from Mount Sinai and settled upon the Tabernacle, signifying that the Divine Presence had taken up residence within the Tabernacle. No one doubted that God was in their midst.

The book of Exodus ended with elevated prose, expressing the excitement of the moment, regarding the Cloud of glory. In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tabernacle, they would set out. But if the fire-cloud did not lift, they did not set out – until the day it lifted. So the fire-cloud of ADONAI was over the Tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the houses of Isra’el during their travels (Ex 40:36-38). This elevated prose is now expanded upon in Numbers 9. It is as if the interlude which began with Leviticus 1 has been completed, and we are now able to return to the subject we left off with in Exodus 40. When YHVH deemed it was time to break camp; disassemble the Tabernacle and move forward, He signaled His intent by lifting the pillar of cloud and fire from upon the Tabernacle.¹⁴⁶

In this anticipatory passage (see Ac – Numbers from a Messianic Jewish Perspective: Anticipatory Passages) Isra’el’s guidance in the wilderness by God’s Presence as condensed in the pillar of cloud and fire has already been anticipated in the Second Book of Moshe (see the commentary on Exodus Hh – The Glory of the LORD Filled the Tabernacle), and later explained on by Isaiah (see the commentary on Isaiah Ay – A Cloud of Smoke by Day and a Glow of Fire by Night). To see a short video of this pillar of cloud and fire click here.

On the day the Tabernacle was put up, the cloud covered the Tabernacle, that is, the Tent of the testimony. And in the evening, over the Tabernacle was what appeared to be fire, which remained until morning. So, it was continuously, cloud by day and it looked like fire at night (9:15-16). It must have been an extraordinary sight – that mystic cloud, that fiery heaviness, that enveloping Presence. God led Isra’el in its wilderness march not by His voice commands, but by His appointed sign, a cloud-imbedded with fire. During the day only the cloud was visible, the fire, presumably dimmed by the sunlight. But night rendered the cloud invisible, and the luminous fire could be clearly seen.¹⁴⁷ These were symbols one would not . . . could not ignore. They were awesome and eerie, unnatural and unexpected, comforting and protective. This was a very practical function for the fire-cloud. During the daytime, the cloud provided essential protection from the dangerous brilliant desert sun beating down upon the fragile elderly and the vulnerable young. At night, the fire would provide much needed heat from the cold chill which characterizes such arid climates. Ha’Shem thinks of everything!¹⁴⁸

Whenever the fire-cloud was taken up from above the Tabernacle, the people of Isra’el continued their travels; and they camped wherever the fire-cloud settled (9:17). Two significant verbs are used to describe its presence as the symbol of God’s nearness. One is the verb meaning to cover in verse 15 above; the other is the verb meaning to settle. The expression wherever the fire-cloud settled uses the significant verb sakan, which gives us the basis for the idea of the Sh’khinah glory. Surprisingly, Sh’khinah is not a biblical word. It is built on the verb meaning to dwell, the idea of the abiding presence of ADONAI among His people. The Hebrew text rings with the sound of sakan as this verb is also the basis for the term Tabernacle, miskan. This phrasing symbolizes both God’s nearness and His remoteness. He is present as a cloud, but He hovers above; He is near as a fire, but one cannot get too close. For He is YHVH!

The Sh’khinah also appeared in the B’rit Chadashah. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby [Jerusalem], keeping watch over their flocks at night. Some were probably dozing, a few were watching, when the night sky was unexpectedly split apart. Heaven and earth seemed to merge when suddenly an angel of ADONAI appeared to them, and the Sh’khinah glory of the LORD, the visible manifestation of His presence, shone around them. It was brighter than day, more like staring at the noon sun; and the sleeping shepherds awakened and, in fear, hid their eyes in the folds of their coats because they were terrified (Luke 2:9). Sensing this, their sheep may have begun to run in circles because they too were afraid. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today, in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah (Luke 2:8-11).

The Sh’khinah also reappeared during His life affirming that Yeshua is the Messiah. We can see this in the transfiguration (see The Life of Christ Gb – Jesus went up a High Mountain where He was Transfigured). As Jesus was praying the appearance of His face changed and shone like the sun (Luke 9:29a). This is very similar to the experience of Moshe on Mount Sinai (see Exodus Hd – The Radiant Face of Moses). The difference was that the shining of the face of Moses was a reflection, like the shining of the moon is a reflection of the sun. In this case Messiah is the Sh’khinah glory (see Isaiah Ju – The Glory of the LORD Rises Upon You). As a result, the shining of His face was much greater than Moses’ face. Christ’s veiled glory was unveiled. And when the three apostles . . . saw His glory (Matthew 17:2b; Luke 9:29b and 32b). And out of the cloud, that same cloud, the bat-kol, a divine voice, literally “daughter of a voice” said: This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased (Matthew 17:5b).

From the wilderness in Numbers, to the Gospels, there is a great truth that we should not miss. This cloud, the Sh’khinah glory of ADONAI, is coming back. But when? For the Lord Himself will come down with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Messiah will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in the cloud, this same Sh’khinah glory, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever (First Thessalonians 4:16-17).¹⁴⁹

At the command of ADONAI, the people of Isra’el traveled; at the order of ADONAI, they camped; and as long as the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle, they stayed in camp (9:18). The phrase at the command of ADONAI, is more literally, by the mouth of ADONAI. The fire-cloud was one of the ways in which the LORD spoke to His people. The identification of the lifting and settling of the fire-cloud and the command of ADONAI was made sure in this and the following verses. The fire-cloud was the means God used to direct the movements and the resting times of His people Isra’el.

Even when the cloud remained on the Tabernacle for a long time, the people of Isra’el did what ADONAI had charged them to do and did not travel. The movement of the cloud-fire was unpredictable. This was to impress on the people the sense that it was Ha’Shem who was leading them, not some force of nature. Sometimes the fire-cloud was a few days over the Tabernacle; according to ADONAI’s order, they remained in camp; and according to ADONAI’s order, they traveled. Sometimes the fire-cloud was there only from evening until morning; so that when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they traveled. Or even if it continued up both day and night, when the cloud was up, they traveled. Whatever the duration, the people were to move or encamp based on the movement or settling of the fire-cloud. Whether it was two days, a month or a year that the fire-cloud remained over the Tabernacle, staying on it, the people of Isra’el remained in camp and did not travel; but as soon as it was taken up, they traveled (9:19-22). Both the Israelites then, and us today, need to wait on the Lord and be patient.

They obeyed ADONAI’s order, they camped; and at ADONAI’s order, they traveled – they did what ADONAI had charged them to do through Moshe (9:23). This is a beautiful illustration of a people following their God, they obeyed ADONAI’s order. The repetitious nature of this file enhances the expectation of continued obedience to the sure direction of the LORD in Isra’el’s movements through the wilderness. The role of Moses is mentioned for balance. Moshe was God’s agent who interpreted the movement of the fire-cloud as signaling the movement of the people. The level of the tragedy of their subsequent disobedience is heightened by this paragraph of great obedience.¹⁵⁰

It is interesting to note that the miraculous pillar of cloud and fire brought light to the Israelites but darkness to their enemies. Next, the Angel of ADONAI, who was going ahead of the camp of Isra’el, moved away and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved away from in front of them and stood behind them. It stationed itself between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Isra’el – there was cloud and darkness here, but light by night there; so that the one did not come near the other all night long (Exodus 14:19-20). In this respect, it symbolizes the Word of God, because those who don’t know Messiah by faith simply can’t understand what the Word is saying (see the commentary on Second Corinthians Aw – Veiling and Unveiling). In order to know the mind of YHVH, we must submit to the will of God, and the first step is to put saving faith in Yeshua Messiah (Ephesians 2:8-9). Then you move out of the darkness and into God’s wonderful light (John 3:18-21; First Peter 2:9; Second Corinthians 4:6, and Colossians 1:13).

The priests, who lived near the Tabernacle, probably assigned Levites to keep watch day and night so they would know when the pillar of cloud and fire was moving. If we sincerely want to do the will of God, we must keep our eyes open and be alert at all times. The B’rit Chadashah word for this attitude of alertness and expectancy is watch (Matthew 24:42 and 25:13; 1 Corinthians 16:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:6; First Peter 4:7).

Yeshua called Himself the light of the world (John 8:12), and He promised those who had faith, trust, or belief (Greek: pisteo) in Him that they would never walk in darkness. It’s a great privilege to walk in the light and enjoy fellowship with God and His people (First John 1:4-10). To walk in darkness means to be out of the will of Ha’Shem, apart from the blessing of God, and in danger of the discipline of the LORD (see the commentary on Hebrews Cz – God Disciplines His Children). Why live in the shadows or in darkness when you can have ADONAI’s smiling face shining on you (Numbers 6:24-26).¹⁵¹

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You so much for not only saving me from sin’s punishment, but You also so graciously are always there within me to guide me. Your guidance is always the wisest thing to do, for You are all wise and omniscient, seeing clearly all that will happen in the future (Dani’el Chapters 2 and 7). Your wisdom extends to the details of life, putting events and people together. No detail misses Your attention, just as Your careful attention to the creation of huge galaxies and also to the tiny atom’s parts with microscopic electrons, protons and neutrons. No worry for You to guide me. You are both Sovereign Ruler of the world (Isaiah 7:7, 25:8, 28:16, 30:15, 40:10, 38:16, 49:22, 50:4,5,7,9, 51:22, 52:4, 56:8, 61:1,11, 65:13,15) ; and live within me to see and understand all that is happening to me. Yeshua answered and said to him: If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him (John 14:23). Your abiding presence (John 14:23) is such a comfort even in the hardest of times! I love You and seek to follow closely Your guidance in Your Word and by Your Spirit. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Preparation for the Departure
9:15 to 10:10

Throughout these early chapters of Numbers there is a topical presentation rather than a chronological arrangement of the material. They have been telling us the story of the Israelite’s preparations to leave Mount Sinai. In the first four chapters of Numbers, they took a census (to see link click An – The Levitical Census) and assigned the Levites to their various tasks (see Ar – The Four Camps of Levites). Numbers 7-10 is a flashback and relates how Isra’el was ready to depart from Mount Sinai. Chapters 9 and 10 tell of the final preparation before the departure from Sinai as a flashback on the twentieth of the second month of the second year (10:11); the observance of the second Passover six days earlier (9:1-14); the pillar cloud and fire as a guide (9:15-23); the trumpet signals for assembling the people and its leaders and for breaking camp (10:1-10); the order of march (10:11-28), and a narrative relating a different marching order (10:29-36).¹⁴⁴

Pesach in the Wilderness
9: 1-14

Pesach in the wilderness DIG: Who feels excluded from this festival? Why would this first celebration of Passover since Egypt be so important to the Israelites? The first thing Moshe did to prepare for conquest was to celebrate the Pesach. Why was this an important thing to do?

REFLECT: Is your place of worship flexible in how things are done? Can you think of some examples? Can your place of worship be too flexible? How might either extreme hinder your relationship with God? How important is it that we stop and take time to remember the goodness of God?

God works with us where we are.

Throughout these early chapters of Numbers there is a topical presentation rather than a chronological arrangement of the material. They have been telling us the story of the Israelite’s preparations to leave Mount Sinai. In the first four chapters of Numbers, they took a census (to see link click An – The Levitical Census) and assigned the Levites to their various tasks (see Ar – The Four Camps of Levites). Numbers 7-10 is a flashback and relates how Isra’el was ready to depart from Mount Sinai. Chapters 9 and 10 tell of the final preparation before the departure from Saini as a flashback on the twentieth of the second month of the second year (10:11); the observance of the second Passover six days earlier (9:1-14); the pillar cloud and fire as a guide (9:15-23); the trumpet signals for assembling the people and its leaders and for breaking camp (10:1-10); the order of march (10:11-28), and a narrative relating a different marching order (10:29-36).¹³⁶

Pesach in the wilderness (9:1-5): The Torah is not necessarily in chronological order. The book of Numbers begins with the census on the first day of the second month, two weeks after the Egyptian Passover (see the commentary on Exodus Bv – The Egyptian Passover). Numbers 9 begins several days before the second Passover. ADONAI commands them to keep the Passover. Why was it necessary for him to give this commandment when they have already received the instructions for Pesach in Exodus 12 and Leviticus 23? The Exodus passage made the celebration of the Passover seem as if it is contingent upon the children of Isra’el entering the Promised Land. And it will come about when you enter the Land which ADONAI will give you, as He has promised, that you shall observe this rite (Exodus 12:25). The Israelites had not yet entered the Land. One might say that they were running behind schedule. The incident with the golden calf had already cost them eighty additional days, so they were more than two months behind where they ought to have been. By all rights, they should have already been in the Promised Land, preparing to celebrate their second Passover. Instead, they were still encamped at Mount Sinai.

ADONAI spoke to Moshe in the Sinai Desert in the first month of the second year after they had left the land of Egypt; he said, “Let the people of Isra’el observe Pesach at its appointed time. On the fourteenth day of this month, at dusk, denoting that period of time between sunset and true darkness, which starts the fifteenth day of the month because the Jewish day starts at dusk, you are to observe it – at its designated time (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ke – Go and Make Preparations for the Passover). You are to observe it according to all its regulations and rules.” Moshe told the people of Isra’el to observe Pesach. So, they observed Pesach at dusk on the fourteenth day of the month in the Sinai Desert; the people of Isra’el acted in accordance with all that ADONAI had ordered Moshe.

What we learn here is the difference between God’s perfect will and His permissive will. Ideally, the Israelites should have been already in the Land of Isra’el celebrating their second Passover. However, they were still at Mount Sinai. Possibly some would have said, “There is no point in celebrating the Passover this year because we are not in the Land.” But God works with us where we are. Presently, the world is an imperfect place, and we are imperfect people. We rarely find ourselves in ideal circumstances.

The Torah worldview is idealistic, but it is also very practical. Those living according to the Torah’s teaching are much better equipped for dealing with God’s permissive will than those who continually are continually legalistic. Life is full of detours and unanticipated delays. As some have said, “Life happens!” Things rarely work out the way we planned or imagined. Therefore, we follow Torah to the extent that we are able. If we cannot celebrate Pesach in the Land, we will keep it the wilderness. If we cannot keep the Sabbath in its fullness, we will keep it to the extent that we are able. Learning to be flexible and working with any situation that arises is a valuable coping skill for life in general, but it is a crucial talent for navigating the topsy-turvy world of Messianic Judaism. In a very real sense, all of our Passovers are in the wilderness. We will not celebrate any of the festivals according to the perfect will of God until Messiah comes.

Pesach Sheni (9:6-13): This section raises an issue not covered by the original Passover mitzvah of either Exodus or Leviticus. But there were certain people who had become unclean because of someone’s corpse, so that they could not observe Passover on that day. They had become ritually unclean, and one who was in that state was not allowed to make a sacrifice or eat the meat of a sacrifice (see the commentary on Leviticus Bk – Ritually Clean and Unclean Animals). So, they came before Moshe and Aaron that day and said to him, “We are unclean because of someone’s corpse; but why must we be kept from bringing the offering for ADONAI at the time designated for the people of Isra’el” (9:6-7)? In essence they were saying, “Why should we be left out.”¹³⁷

Moshe answered them, “Wait, so that I can hear what ADONAI will order concerning you.” We may observe that Moses’ response to the genuine needs of believing people is a mark of his spiritual leadership, his humility before God, and his desire to be the spokesman not only for ADONAI to the people but also for the people back to ADONAI. In this scenario we have not only a historical instance but also a template for how such decisions should be made. Another dramatic example of this process is found later regarding the problem of the estate of a father who has daughters, but no sons (see Ey – The Daughters of Zelophehad).

ADONAI said to Moshe, “These people are right to ask. They can have their own Passover. But do it next month. The grace of the LORD can be seen, not only in the words of His response to Moses, but also in that He responded at all. We need to grasp again the concept of the audacity of faith: by what right, excepting only God’s great grace, did Moshe dare to go before YHVH, the Creator of the universe, and request a provision for exception from His demands? All God’s actions and words to His people were gracious, undeserved, and unmerited. That He spoke at all, was a mark of His condescension; that He spoke favorably in response to the request of Moses was astonishing. Throughout this section we have a sense of the ongoing wonder and grace.¹³⁸ Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘If any of you now or in future generations is unclean because of a corpse, or if he is on a trip abroad, nevertheless he is to observe Pesach. But he will observe it in the second month on the fourteenth day at dusk. They are to eat it with matzah and bitter herbs, they are to leave none of it until morning, and they are not to break any of its bones – they are to observe it according to all the regulations of Pesach’ (9:8-12).”

The rabbis disagree how far away from the Temple an Israelite must live in order to be exempt from observing the Passover on its appointed date in the first month. Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yose apply this exemption to anyone who cannot reach the Temple threshold, whereas Rabbi Akiba (more logically according to Ramban) applies to anyone living beyond the city of Modin (the home of the Maccabees), that is, a radius of 28 kilometers or 17.5 miles.¹³⁹

But the Torah also warns that Pesach Sheni was not to be used as an alternative Passover except by those who were unclean or unable to make it to the Tabernacle/Temple. In the context of the last plague in Egypt, the penalty for failing to observe the Passover was death at the hands of the Destroyer (see the commentary on Exodus Bx – He Will See the Blood and Pass Over that Doorway). The person who is clean and not on a trip who intentionally fails to observe Pesach will be cut off from his people; because he did not bring the offering for ADONAI at its designated time, that person will bear the consequences of his sin (9:13).

As far as being cut off from his people, rabbinic literature calls the penalty karet, or being “cutting off.” In priestly literature, the penalty of karet was understood to include a series of related punishments at the hand of God, ranging from the immediate death of an offender, as in 20:17, to his premature death at a later time, and even to the death of his descendants. In Mishnah Sanhedrin 9:6 and Mishnah Keritot 1:2, this penalty was characterized as mitah biydei shamayim, or “death at the hands of heaven.” Since in 7:20-21 karet is mentioned as childlessness, there is the implication that it took that course as well.¹⁴⁰

Historically, the application of Pesach Sheni occurred during the reign of Hezekiah (Second Chronicles 30:1-27). After the reestablishment of worship in the Temple, messengers were sent throughout Judah and the Israelite territories to the North inviting the Israelites of all the tribes to celebrate the Passover. Matters of purification and distance are both cited in the text as the reason some were unable to celebrate Pesach in the first month. An adequate number of ritually pure priests were not available to carry out the festival, and many people were so remote when the initial invitation was sent out that they were unable to travel to Jerusalem in time. Thousands of Jews gathered in Jerusalem, and the priests were enlisted to carry out their duties for those who were not ritually clean. Hezekiah prayed that ADONAI would bless the people who ate the Passover, and God responded faithfully.¹⁴¹

Some Messianic communities have begun hosting a special event on Pesach Sheni to remember the mitzvah of Nicodemus and Joseph of Aramathea (see The Life of Christ Lx – The Burial of Jesus in the Tomb of Joseph of Arimathea). They were the two secret believers among the Great Sanhedrin who removed the Master’s body from the cross. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus then wrapped the Lord’s body with the spices, in strips of clean linen cloth. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. They washed the body as best they could before placing it in the tomb.

But, by touching the body of the Master, both men rendered themselves ritually unclean. As a result, neither of them would have been allowed to partake of the Passover that evening. Both Nicodemus and Joseph were men of prestige and influence. They both could have sent servants to take care of the burial of Yeshua so as not to forfeit their Passover Seders that evening. However, those two obscure disciples of the Master showed their love and devotion by attending to His body personally.

One month later, somewhere in Jerusalem, on the fifteenth day of the second month, Nicodemus and Joseph of Aramathea sat down to make their Seders. Perhaps, as they reclined at a table together, they lifted the third cup (see The Life of Christ Kk – The Third Cup of Redemption) and gave thanks to the resurrected One.

The foreigner and Pesach (9:14): If a foreigner is staying with you and wants toobserve Pesach for ADONAI, he is to do it according to the regulations and rules of Pesach – you are to have the same mitzvah for the foreigner as for the citizen of the land. Gentiles were forbidden to make a Passover sacrifice or to eat from the Pesach sacrifice unless they were circumcised. An uncircumcised Gentile might still participate in the other elements of the Seder; in other words, the bitter herbs, the matzah and the wine, but he would not be able to eat the Pesach lamb. This prohibition is, of course, irrelevant in a world without a Temple or sacrifice on the bronze altar.¹⁴²

This was the last Passover the Jews celebrated until Joshua led them into the Promised Land nearly forty years later (Joshua 5:10). Because of their unbelief and rebellion at Kadesh-Barnea (see Bv – The Sin of Kadesh-barnea), the people twenty years old and older were rejected by Ha’Shem during Isra’el’s wilderness wanderings. After their forty year trek when they reached the Promised Land for the second time, the Passover was celebrated at Gilgal after the circumcision of the males born in the wilderness. When Joshua led the new generation into Canaan, the males received the sign of the covenant (see the commentary on Genesis En – Every Male Who Is Eight Days Old Must be Circumcised), and ADONAI restored His people into His good favor (Joshua 5:2-9). It was a new beginning for Isra’el in their new Land.¹⁴³

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for Your love in passing over those covered by the blood at the Passover. Thank You for Messiah Yeshua’s great offer of sacrificing Himself as the Lamb of God (John 1:29) so you can pass over those who love You. Your gift to those who love you, of Messiah’s death, satisfied the demands of death because of sin (Romans 6:23). So graciously You then bestow Messiah’s righteousness (Second Corinthians 5:21) on Your children so they can enter into Your holy heaven and have a relationship with you living in them. Yeshua answered and said to him: If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him (John 14:23). Just as the first thing Moshe did to prepare for conquest was to celebrate the Pesach, so the first thing Your children should do to prepare for conquering temptation and problems, is to prepare their hearts to celebrate Messiah’s death and resurrection so You could pass over our sins and bestow Messiah’s righteousness on those who love You. In Messiah Yeshua’s name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Separation of the Levites
8: 5-26

The separation of the Levites DIG: What does it mean to be “set apart?” What were the responsibilities for the Levites? How were they set apart? How do people today get chosen and ready for spiritual service? What role has God given you in His Kingdom? Have you been faithful in what He has called you to do? How does this setting apart of the Levites compare with how the Nazirites were set apart in Chapter 6.

REFLECT: What are the dangers of becoming isolated from the real world? When we feel competitive, prideful, or shameful in our spiritual service, what can we learn from God’s choice of the priests and Levites? What role has God given you in His Kingdom? Ask the Lord to show you what role He has for you, and how to be faithful in that role. How can we keep a balance between separation and involvement?

The entire tribe of Levi was to assist the priests in their ministry.

Throughout these early chapters of Numbers there is a topical presentation rather than a chronological arrangement of the material. They have been telling us the story of the Israelite’s preparations to leave Mount Sinai. In the first four chapters of Numbers, they took a census (to see link click An – The Levitical Census) and assigned the Levites to their various tasks (see Ar – The Four Camps of Levites). Numbers 7-10 is a flashback and relates how Isra’el was ready to depart from Mount Sinai. The setting aside of the Levites (8:26) presumably followed immediately after the twelve days of gifts by the twelve tribes (see Be – Gifts of the Twelve Tribes), perhaps on the thirteenth day of the month.

The Levites had redeemed the Israelite firstborn (see Ap – Redeeming the Firstborn) and had been assigned other duties of guarding (3:14-39) and removing (4:1-33) the Tabernacle. But before the Levite workforce is permitted to dismantle and handle the holy things, they must be ritually qualified, which requires that it be purified of impurities such as contact with the dead. This purification, however, should not be compared with the ordination ceremony of the priests (Lev 8:1-36), who were consecrated with anointing oil (see the commentary on Exodus Ge – The Dedication of Aaron and His Family), in order to gain a holy status so that they could have access to the sacred objects, that is to officiate at the bronze altar and enter the Sanctuary. The Levites, on the other hand, were forbidden to enter the Sanctuary or officiate at the bronze altar (18:3-4). Their ministry was only to assist the priests in their duties, to guard the Tabernacle, and transport it and its sacred objects after they were covered by the priests.¹²⁸

These verses are displayed in a chiastic fashion (see Ac – Numbers from a Messianic Jewish Perspective: Chiasm and introversion). This section of Scripture is symmetrically balanced (AB-BA), with the singular rationale (C) placed in the center. Though the rationale is traceable to a previous source (3:9-13), a new element is added – the Levites as a ransom for the Israelites (3:19), a factor that will play a crucial role in defining the Levitical responsibilities in the Sanctuary (18:23).

A. Introduction (8:5-7a): ADONAI said to Moshe, “Now set the Levites apart from the rest of the people of Isra’el and make them ceremonially clean.” During the dedication of the bronze altar, the Levites did not bring any gifts. But here, we realize that they themselves were to be the gift. The entire tribe of Levi was to assist the priests in their ministry of the temporary covering of sin at the bronze altar.

B. Set procedure (7b-15): Their purification service began when they were sprinkled with purification water and ashes from the red heifer (see De – The Red Heifer). Then, like the leper at the outset of his purification, all their hair was shaved off of their entire body (14:8). The shaving was a purification ritual, apparently intending to insure that every inch of his flesh would be washed in the mikvah. But it may also have added significance of symbolizing the start of their term of dedication to ADONAI. We learned in the mitzvot of the Nazarite (see Ba – The Nazarite Vow) that the length of one’s hair while under a vow was indicative of the length of service one had devoted to YHVH. Most likely, Nazarites began their vows with a clean head. Perhaps a similar reason is behind the Levitical shave. It was a sign of the start of their new life of service and dedication. Finally, clean-shaven and rather newborn like, they were to wash their clothes and immerse in the mikvah.¹²⁹

The sacrifices for the appointment of the Levites consisted of two bulls. Then they are to take a young bull for a burnt offering (see the commentary on Leviticus Ao – The ‘Olah Offering: Providing Access to God), with its accompanying grain offering (see Leviticus Ap – The Minhah: Assuring People of God’s Acceptance), which is to be fine flour mixed with olive oil; while you take another bull for a purification offering (see Leviticus Aq – The Chatta’th Offering: Communicating God’s Forgiveness) (8:8). 

A bull was ordinarily brought only for the purification offering made on behalf of the priesthood or the whole community of Isra’el (Leviticus 4:3-20). Purification offerings made on behalf of the community, but not including the priesthood, were typically goats (the bull and goat combination of Yom Kippur represented the priesthood and the community, respectively). Why, then, were the Levites required to bring a bull for a purification offering? Wouldn’t a goat have sufficed?

To understand why the Levites required a bull for a purification offering, we must first understand the two roles that the Levites played on behalf of the community. We have already learned that the Levites were offered to God as a substitute for the firstborn of the sons of the twelve tribes. But in addition to that, the Levites were to represent all Isra’el in matters pertaining to the holy things of the Sanctuary (see 8:18-19 below). You are to present the Levites in front of the Tabernacle, and assemble the entire community of the people of Isra’el (8:9). 

Because the Levites were to represent all Isra’el in their service in the Tabernacle, all Isra’el needed to lay their hands on them to transfer that corporate identity to them. You will present the Levites before ADONAI, the people of Isra’el will lay their hands on the Levites (8:10). How this actually happened is hard to imagine, it was probably done by individual leaders of the twelve tribes. But the meaning is clear. In the sacrificial system, a man or a woman laid their hands on the head of the animal they meant to sacrifice in order to transfer their identity to the animal, that it may be accepted for [the offeror] to make atonement on [the offeror’s] behalf (Leviticus 1:4). The animal sacrifice was meant to go to the bronze altar instead of the person offering it. The same principle applied to the Levites. The representatives of all the people laid their hands on the Levites, thereby transferring the identity of all Isra’el to them. Thus, the Levites could minister in the Tabernacle on behalf of the entire nation.

Since the Levites were invested with the identity of all Isra’el (including the priesthood which is, technically, a part of the Levites), a bull was required for their purification offering, for it was not only on their behalf, but on behalf of the whole nation. As a result, the representatives of the people laid their hands on the Levites, and the Levites laid their hands upon the bull.

As the Levites were presented as a gift to ADONAI on behalf of all Isra’el (see below), Aaron and Moshe were instructed to offer the Levites before ADONAI as a wave offering from the people of Isra’el, so that they qualify to do ADONAI’s service. The Levites will lay their hands on the heads of the bulls; the one you will offer as a purification offering and the other as a burnt offering to ADONAI to make atonement for the Levites. You are to place the Levites before the priesthood, Aaron and his sons, and offer them as a wave offering to ADONAI (8:11-13). A wave offering was traditionally understood to entail lifting an object before YHVH and waving it in six directions: East, South, West, North, up, and down. It is difficult to understand how Moshe and Aaron accomplished such a service with the whole tribe of Levi. Rather tongue in cheek, the Midrash Rabbah comments on the amazing strength required to wave all those Levites. “When Aaron waved the Levites, he lifted 22,000 of them in one day? How did he wave them? Forward, backwards, upwards, and downward? This proves that he was a man of great strength (Leviticus Rabbah 1:26).

We don’t know the method by which Aaron actually waved the Levites. One suspects it was a token waving on behalf of the whole tribe. We do, however, know what waving represents. As we compare the sacrificial instructions, we see a variety of items that receive waving. The gold and bronze contributed for the Tabernacle were waved (Exodus 38:24 and 29); the barley sheaf of the omer and two loaves of Shavu’ot bread were waved (Leviticus 23:11-17); the memorial portion of grain offering was waved in the ritual of the suspected adulteress (Numbers 5:25); and in every instance the priestly portions (breast and right thigh) of the peace offerings (see the commentary on Leviticus Ak – The Peace Offerings: At Peace with God) were waved. So, the items waved before ADONAI seem to be those things which were withheld from the bronze altar. In other words, the wave offering was a substitute for offering something up on the altar of sacrifice. Sacrificial elements were ordinarily withheld from the bronze altar because they were the priest’s portion of the sacrifices (see Cy – The Portion for the Levites).

This interpretation makes sense in Numbers 8. First, the Israelites laid hands upon the Levites as they would upon a sacrifice. As stated above, the Levites were designated as the sacrificial substitutes of the people. Then Aaron and Moshe waved at the Levites. They were not to be sacrificed. Instead they were to be the property of the priesthood. The Levites were withheld from the bronze altar just as the breast and right thigh of the peace offering was withheld from the altar of sacrifice. Immediately after their waving, the head of the clans of Levites (Kohath, Gershon, an Merari) would lay their hands on the two bulls which were to go to the bronze altar of sacrifice instead of the Levites. By means of that symbolic waving, the Levites were separated. In this way you will separate the Levites from the people of Isra’el, and the Levites will belong to me. After that, the Levites will enter and do the service of the tent of meeting. You will cleanse them and offer them as a wave offering (8:14-15).¹³⁰

C. Rationale (8:16-19): Because they are entirely given to me from among the people of Isra’el; I have taken them for Myself in place of all those who come first out of the womb, that is, the firstborn males of the people of Isra’el. For all the firstborn among the people of Isra’el are mine, both humans and animals; on the day I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set them apart for myself (8:16-17). But I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the people of Isra’el, and I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron (just as believers are a gift from Yeshua to the Father as seen in John 10:29) and his sons from among the people of Isra’el to do the service of the people of Isra’el in the Tabernacle and to make atonement [as a substitute] for the people of Isra’el, so that no plague will fall on them in consequence of their coming too close to the Sanctuary” (8:18-19). As the Levites laid their hands on the sacrifices, so Isra’el laid their hands on the Levites, as if they were a living sacrifice (Romans Dc – Responding to the Mercies of ADONAI). Like the Levites, we cannot save other people, but we can lead them to our High Priest, Yeshua Messiah. In this anticipatory passage the need for the Levites to make atonement for the people (8:19) is resolved in 18:23.¹³¹

B. Set Procedure (8:20-22a): This is what Moshe, Aaron and all the community of the people of Isra’el did to the Levites. The people of Isra’el acted in accordance with everything that ADONAI had ordered Moshe in regard to the Levites. The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes (see De – The Red Heifer). Then Aaron offered them as a holy gift before ADONAI and made atonement for them in order to cleanse them. After that, the Levites came to do their service in the Tabernacle in front of Aaron and his sons. These verses are presented in the standard structural pattern. Moses (the leader-prophet), Aaron and the Levites (the priests and their assistants), and all Isra’el (the people) are pictured in harmony as they fulfill God’s commands concerning the dedication and separation of the Levites.

A. conclusion (8:22b): They acted in accordance with ADONAI’s orders to Moshe in regard to the Levites. This verse serves two purposes: it reports the completion of the act of separation as a literary device; it also reports the obedience of the people as a mark of their initial compliance to the will and work of YHVH.¹³²

The age of their service (8:23-36): The final section of mitzvah regarding the Levites in the book of Numbers gives the age limits for the Levitical labors. These figures have already been stated in the Levitical census of Chapter 4. However, the present passage is essential not only because it informs us that the Levite must cease from the arduous task of breaking down and setting up the Tabernacle when he reached the age of fifty, but also because it stipulates that he does not withdraw into retirement but continues to perform guard duty and teach the people, other duties of the Levites.¹³³

ADONAI said to Moshe, “Here are instructions concerning the Levites: The rabbi’s understood that when they reach the age of twenty-five they would start their apprenticeship. Then, when they were thirty (4:3), they began performing their duties serving in the Tabernacle. Yeshua also began His ministry about thirty years old (Luke 3:23). David began to reign as king over Judah at the age of thirty (Second Samuel 5:4). And Joseph was thirty when he entered the service of Pharaoh (Genesis 41:46). And when they reach the age of fifty, they are to stop performing this work and not serve any longer. The Hebrew literally reads, “Return from the warfare of the work.” In 4:3 we learn that the Levites were to serve from thirty to age fifty. For believers today, we never stop using our spiritual gifts to build up the Church. They will assist their brothers in guarding the Tabernacle, but they themselves will not do any of the physical work. This is what you are to do with the Levites in regard to their duties.”¹³⁴

Basically, the Levites worked under the supervision of the priesthood (Aaron’s sons Eleazar and Ithamar), and that the work of the priests and Levites was different. The priests functioned primarily inside the Sanctuary with the holy things and the Bronze Altar; while the Levites assisted the priests by guarding the outside of the Tabernacle from any encroachment by any Israelite in the camp, carrying the holy things on the march, teaching the people the Torah, being gatekeepers, singers, and also serving as judges in the cities of refuge. ADONAI knew that the priests would need reliable helpers who could assist them in their duties.

What we have seen from Genesis to Numbers is a narrowing selection from many to one. This took place in four stages. First, out of all nations, the nation of Isra’el, was chosen; secondly, out of the nation of Isra’el, the Levites were chosen; thirdly, out of all the Levites, the descendants of Aaron were chosen, who are to be the priests; and fourthly, out of all the priests, only one is chosen to be the high priest.¹³⁵

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for being such an extraordinarily wonderful, loving and just Heavenly Father! Thank You also that after Messiah died and rose, You make those who love you to be Your priests. You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house – a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Messiah Yeshua (First Peter 1:5). It is such a deep joy and pleasure to bring a sacrifice to You. Thank You for making a way that all those who love You, though they are not of the Levitical line nor have taken the Nazarite vow, can offer sacrifices up to You.

The answer to life’s trials and problems is in the focus of our heart. When we choose to praise You for how wonderful You are, it brings great joy and peace to our whole bodies! We praise You that for all eternity, those who love You will have great joy in living with You in Your eternal home of peace and joy. He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more. Nor shall there be mourning or crying or pain any longer, for the former things have passed away (Revelation 21:4).  What a comfort to know that Messiah Yeshua is preparing a place in heaven to bring those who love Him.  In My Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?  If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself, so that where I am you may also be (John 14:2-3).

It is a delight to offer You daily a sacrifice of praise. Beginning the day with thoughts of praise to you and ending our day remembering Your Almighty power and love, is a great way to fill us up with Your peace. We choose to focus on You and not on our problems. BIG PROBLEM – small God, but BIG GOD small problem – Yes! You are our Big God who is also our loving Father to whom we love to offer up many sacrifices of praise! In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Menorah
8: 1-4

The Menorah DIG: What is the difference between a Hannukah and a Menorah? Why are these verses placed here? Where was the Menorah located? What was its practical significance? Of what did the Menorah remind the priests? What does the oil for the Menorah represent? Where is the Menorah seen in the B’rit Chadashah?

REFLECT: How can we be like a Menorah in a dark world today? What are the challenges of doing this, and how can the Ruach help us overcome them? What are the dangers of becoming isolated from the real world in which we live? How can we keep a balance between separation and involvement in the world? How are we lamps of the Menorah?

Parashah 36: B’Ha’alot’kha (When you set up) 8:1 to 12:16
(See my commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Af – Parashah)

The Key People are Moshe, Aaron and sons, Levites, tribes and leaders, Jethro, the rabble, 70 elders, Eldad, Medad, Joshua, Miriam, and Moshe’s Cushite/Ethiopian wife.

The Scenes include the wilderness of Sinai and Paran, Taberah, Kibroth Hattaavah “graves of craving” and Hazerot.

The Main Events include guide for lighting lamps and observing Passover, the cloud/pillar to guide their journey, trumpet signals, the first move after two plus years, Arise, ADONAI, complaints about manna, 70 elders to help Moshe; quail and plague; Miryam and Aaron speaking against Moses, ADONAI confirming Moshe’s authority, Miryan being cast out of the camp for 7 days, and the camp moving along.

The Menorah also represents the nation of Isra’el, for she was called to be a light to the nations.

Throughout these early chapters of Numbers there is a topical presentation rather than a chronological arrangement of the material. They have been telling us the story of the Israelite’s preparations to leave Mount Sinai. In the first four chapters of Numbers, they took a census (to see link click An – The Levitical Census) and assigned the Levites to their various tasks (see Ar – The Four Camps of Levites). Numbers 7-10 is a flashback and relates how Isra’el was ready to depart from Mount Sinai.

When you entered the courtyard of the Tabernacle, the first thing you encountered was the bronze altar (see the commentary on Exodus Fa – Build Altar of Acacia Wood Overlaid with Bronze), which represents our salvation. There I see Yeshua. Without His sacrifice, no one can approach the presence of God in the Most Holy Place. Next, we come to the bronze basin, which represents our sanctification. There, we are cleansed with the washing of water by the Word (Ephesians 5:26). There, things in our minds, things that deal with conduct, things that have to do with character and attitude, are all cleansed by the Word. Then, we can enter the Holy Place, where the light of the Menorah lightens the rest of our path.123

Like the bronze altar, the Menorah had to be tended by priests twice daily (Exodus 29:38-42 and 30:7-8); and on both sacred objects, fire had to be kept burning continually (Leviticus 6:2 and 24:2-4). In the passages dealing with the construction of the holy things of the Tabernacle, the Menorah is mentioned most often: instructions for its construction (Exodus 25:31-40); instructions for its lighting (Exodus 27:20-21, 30:7-8, 40:4: Leviticus 24:1-3); the execution of the construction (Exodus 37:17-24); and here, instructions on how to mount the lamps and the execution of these instructions (Numbers 8:1-3). It must be remembered that the lamps were detachable pieces (4:9) that were cleaned in the morning (Exodus 30:7) and lit in the evening (Exodus 30:8). This passage now adds that the lamps must be affixed so that they will cast their light forward. Since the Menorah is located against the southern wall of the Sanctuary (Exodus 26:35), the lamps should cast their light northward for the maximum illumination of the Altar of Incense and the bread of the Presence, which stand in the center and along the northern wall, respectively.

The question as to why these verses are placed here, at the head of Chapter 8, may be resolved by the previous verse (see Bf – The Voice of God). Only when ADONAI began to speak to Moses from the Most Holy Place, after the construction of the Tabernacle, did Moshe receive the final instructions concerning the operation of the Menorah.¹²⁴

Lighting the Menorah: The golden Menorah was shaped after the pattern of an almond tree shown to Moses on the mountain. It took the form of a seven-branched flowering tree. It was lit with oil, which is a symbol of the Spirit of God (Leviticus 2:1-2; Luke 4:18). God said to Moshe, “Tell Aaron, ‘When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps are to cast their light forward, in front of the Menorah’ (8:1-2).” Aaron did this: he lit its lamps so as to give light in front of the Menorah, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe (8:3). Without the light of the Menorah, the priests could not minister at all, for it was the only source of light in the Holy Place. Here is how the Menorah was made: it was hammered, or shaped, from one single piece of gold, from its shaft to its flowers (Exodus 25:33), hammered work, following the pattern ADONAI had shown Moshe. This is how he made the Menorah (8:4).

That tree of light recalls the tree of life of Genesis 2:10 and 3:22-24, crafted with seven tiers, symbolic of God’s perfect presence and life illuminating His Sanctuary and, through Moses, His people. The Menorah also represents the nation of Isra’el for she was called to be a light to the nations (Isaiah 42:6). The writer to the Hebrews reminds us that the earthly Tabernacle was but a shadowy imitation of the heavenly Sanctuary, an illustration for the present time (Hebrews 9:9). But the fullness of light dawned when Messiah appeared as High Priest of the good things that are happening already, then, through the greater and more perfect Tent which is not man-made (that is, it is not of this created world), He entered the Most Holy Place once and for all. And he entered not by means of the blood of goats and calves, but by means of his own blood, thus setting people free forever (Hebrews 9:11-12).¹²⁵

Reflection of the seven lamps: The Tabernacle below (on Earth) is a reflection of the Tabernacle above (in Heaven) (Revelation 4:5). The seven lamps of the Menorah correspond to the divine number seven, but why is the number seven a universal divine number (see the commentary on Genesis Ae – The Number Seven)? In the book of Revelation, the correspondence between the seven lights of the Menorah and the seven stars is made clear. Yeshua is seen standing among the seven lamps, holding His right hand seven stars (see the commentary on Revelation Al – I Turned Around and Saw Someone like a Son of Man). He is titled: The One who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands (Revelation 2:1c). The imagery of the Menorah and the stars is explained in mysterious language: The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches (see the commentary on Revelation Am – I Hold the Keys of Death and Hades).

Later in the vision, John again sees a blazing Menorah before the throne of God which he identifies as the seven Spirits of God (Revelation 4:5). Again, Messiah is titled: The One who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden Menorahs (Revelation 3:1). And when Messiah is seen as the atoning Lamb which was slain, John describes Him with seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God (see the commentary on Revelation Cf – You Are Worthy to Take the Scroll).¹²⁶

Hannukah: The Menorah became an important symbol in the celebration of Hannukah, alternately called the Festival of Dedication or the Festival of Lights, and typically celebrated in early or mid-December. This festival recalls the purification and dedication of the Jewish Temple after being desecrated by pagans and then recaptured by the Jewish Maccabees, as recounted in the apocryphal book of Second Maccabees. The book of Revelation, with its vision of the heavenly Temple and the cosmic struggles between believers and the enemies of God (see Revelation Dx – The Seventh Trumpet: God’s Temple in Heaven was Opened), continues the tradition of the Menorah and the tree branches in the B’rit Chadashah.¹²⁷

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for Your costly love and great sacrifice to be the Light of the World! During the days of the Tabernacle, ADONAI spoke to Moses. Thank You so much for giving Your Living Holy Word for me to read and grow by. It is so wonderful to read each story and see your awesome characteristics moving behind the scenes. It is so important to make time in this busy world to read and meditate on Your Word. Thank You so much for the joy that we don’t have to wait for you to speak to the High Priest from the Holy of Holies, but You now speak daily to each of me as I read Your Holy Word. We love to obey and honor You! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Voice of God
7: 89

The voice of God DIG: What had changed in the dynamic between Moses and ADONAI? What was significant about the change as far as the people were concerned? Ask the Lord to show you what He wants you to contribute toward the work of His Kingdom.

REFLECT: This chapter ends with a statement about how God revealed His presence in the Tabernacle. What does the conclusion of this chapter teach us about what is really important? Thank the Lord that He is willing to provide all you need for the ministry and life that He has called you to live.

Yeshua Messiah is our mediator today (First Timothy 2:5).

Throughout these early chapters of Numbers there is a topical presentation rather than a chronological arrangement of the material. They have been telling us the story of the Israelite’s preparations to leave Mount Sinai. In the first four chapters of Numbers, they took a census (to see link click An – The Levitical Census) and assigned the Levites to their various tasks (see Ar – The Four Camps of Levites). Numbers 7-10 is a flashback and relates how Isra’el was ready to depart from Mount Sinai. This is made certain when we are told that Moses had free access to the Tabernacle where he heard the Voice of God speaking to him from the mercy seat between the Cherubim (see the commentary on Exodus Fs – The Mercy Seat in the Most Holy Place: Christ at the Throne of Grace). This was a breakthrough because prior to this, YHVH would call Moshe to come and speak to Him at the tent of meeting (see Exodus Gy – Moses and the Tent of Meeting). So, it started out with God speaking to Moshe, but now Moses was speaking to God (7:89). It was only after the people agreed, recognizing that God was their Provider and Master of the universe, that the Most High was willing to hear their requests through Moshe, their mediator. As a result, it was no longer necessary to stay at Mount Sinai to communicate with YHVH. God was ready to go with Isra’el.¹²¹

Haftarah Naso: Judges 13:24-25
(see the commentary on Deuteronomy Af – Parashah)

Strength often impresses mankind. Samson’s very name, derived from shemesh (sun), recalls the power of the preincarnate appearance of Messiah as the Angel of ADONAI, who announced his birth (Judges 13:3) and then disappeared in an ascending flame (Judges 13:20). Samson’s mother followed the Angel’s instructions. Once barren, she carried the burden of her child’s life-long Nazarite vow (see Ba – The Nazirite Vow). She avoided grapes, grape products, and food that wasn’t kosher (Judges 13:4-5 and 13-14). Her obedience was rewarded, when she gave birth to Isra’el’s most powerful man ever! Samson grew to become a mighty judge (see the commentary on Judges Bt – The Twelfth Cycle: Samson), who brought Isra’el a measure of rest from the Philistines. Final rest from the Philistine foe would come later when David would slay their greatest warrior, Goliath. Samson, however, fell short. His lust for women ultimately led to his downfall. He allowed a Philistine woman to shave his hair, thus breaking the Nazirite vow and cutting his power to save the nation.

B’rit Chadashah Naso: John 12:36a

Yeshua told the crowd: . . . as for Me, when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself (John 12:32). The claim extended beyond accepting the shame and humiliation of death on the cross to save sinful mankind. In fact, God the Father elevated Yeshua to the very throne of heaven itself (Psalm 89:37 and Matthew 26:64). In this way, Messiah’s lifting up conjoins his death and exaltation in a single word. The crowd that listened that day was keenly aware that Yeshua had raised Lazarus from the dead (John 12:17-18). Then, the Master said: If someone is serving Me, let him follow Me; wherever I am, My servant will be there also. My Father will honor anyone who serves Me (John 12:26). Yeshua closed His message by urging those listening to act on the light that they had (John 12:35). He urged those in the crowd to believe so that they might become sons and daughters of light (see Bg – The Menorah)!¹²²

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for being the light of the world (John 8:12)! How wonderful to walk according to Your light, and the light of Your Word. We can know how to walk when we read Your Word and follow its light. Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalms 119:105). What a comfort that Your light shines thru all the centuries and spreads its light to all countries. The true light, coming into the world, gives light to every man (John 1:9). Your light lights up the future and provides us with wisdom. You are totally omniscient, knowing all the future kingdoms of the world (Daniel 2, 7) which means that no deeds of darkness can hide from Your light, even in the future. You plan ahead to protect and deliver Your people, as you did with Moses, Joseph, Esther and Dani’el. Thank You, God, for sending Messiah Yeshua to be the Light of the World, its Redeemer. For your Maker is your husband- ADONAI-Tzva’ot is His Name – the Holy One of Isra’el is your Redeemer. He will be called God of all the earth. (Isaiah 54:5). In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Gifts of the Twelve Tribes
7: 10-88

Gifts of the twelve tribes DIG: How do these gifts relate to the Aaronic blessing (6:22-27)? Why do you think that we are given such detail about the offerings that the heads of the tribes brought at the inauguration of the Tabernacle? Why do you think each tribe gave them an identical gift? How would this help in the unity between the tribes? How would this act help the people to identify with the Tabernacle?

REFLECT: What encouragement and what challenge can we draw from the long account of the offerings of the tribal leaders? What special offering could you bring to the Lord? What kind of gifts do you give to God in tithes and offerings, or the use of your spiritual gifts(s)? What motivates you to give these gifts? How do these gifts make you feel about God? How does God use these gifts to aid you in your spiritual journey?

ADONAI is a God of relationship. He is seeking your friendship. True love wants to share.

Throughout these early chapters of Numbers there is a topical presentation rather than a chronological arrangement of the material. They have been telling us the story of the Israelite’s preparations to leave Mount Sinai. In the first four chapters of Numbers, they took a census (to see link click An – The Levitical Census) and assigned the Levites to their various tasks (see Ar – The Four Camps of Levites). Numbers 7-10 is a flashback and now returns to the theme of preparation, telling us how the Levites came to be in possession of six fine carts and twelve head of oxen to pull them. In order to relate this story, we are returned to the first day of the first month, the day the Tabernacle was set up (see the commentary on Exodus Hg – The Tabernacle was Set Up on the First Day of the Month), that the Sh’khinah glory of God filled the Most Holy Place (see the commentary on Exodus Hh – The Glory of the LORD Filled the Tabernacle), and that YHVH called Moses from within the Tabernacle, and that Aaron and his sons began their seven-day orientation (see the commentary on Leviticus Ba – The Meal and Seven Days of Training).

Starting on the day that the Tabernacle was set up, the leader of each tribe brought an offering for the dedication of the bronze altar (see the commentary on Exodus Fa – Build Altar of Acacia Wood Overlaid with Bronze). And ADONAI said to Moshe, “They are to present their offerings, each leader on his own day” (7:10-11). In a gesture of brotherhood, each tribe gave exactly the same amount. One at a time, one per day, the tribal leaders brought their offering to ADONAI for the dedication of the Tabernacle. This passage is a traditional reading for the festival of Hanukkah, which means dedication. Hanukkah is so named because it is the annual festival commemorating the dedication (chanukah) of the bronze altar during the days of Judah Maccabee. Leviticus 7 lends itself well to the festival of Hanukkah because it is the story of “the dedication of the bronze altar when it was anointed . . . (Numbers 7:10).¹¹⁸

Nachshon the son of ‘Amminadab, from the tribe of Judah, presented his offering on the first day. He offered one silver dish weighing 130 shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventy shekels (using the sanctuary shekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering; one gold pan of ten shekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering, one male goat as a sin offering, and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Nachshon the son of ‘Amminadab (7:12-17).

On the second day Nethanel, the son of Tzu‘ar, leader of Issakhar, presented his offering. He offered one silver dish weighing 130 shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventy shekels (using the sanctuary shekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering; one gold pan of ten shekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering, one male goat as a sin offering, and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Nethanel the son of Tzu‘ar (7:18-23).

On the third day Eli’ab the son of Helon, leader of Zebulun, presented his offering. He offered one silver dish weighing 130 shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventy shekels (using the sanctuary shekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering; one gold pan of ten shekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering, one male goat as a sin offering, and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Eli’ab the son of Helon (7:24-29).

On the fourth day was Elitzur the son of Sh’de’ur, leader of the descendants of Reuben. He offered one silver dish weighing 130 shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventy shekels (using the sanctuary shekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering; one gold pan of ten shekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering, one male goat as a sin offering, and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Elitzur the son of Sh’de’ur (7:30-35).

On the fifth day was Shlumi’el the son of Tzurishaddai, leader of the descendants of Shimeon. He offered one silver dish weighing 130 shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventy shekels (using the sanctuary shekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering; ³⁸ one gold pan of ten shekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering, one male goat as a sin offering, and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Shlumi’el the son of Tzurishaddai (7:36-41).

On the sixth day was Elyasaf the son of De‘u’el, leader of the descendants of Gad. He offered one silver dish weighing 130 shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventy shekels (using the sanctuary shekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering; one gold pan of ten shekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering, one male goat as a sin offering, and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Elyasaf the son of De‘u’el (7:42-47).

On the seventh day was Elishama the son of ‘Ammihud, leader of the descendants of Ephraim. He offered one silver dish weighing 130 shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventy shekels (using the sanctuary shekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering; one gold pan of ten shekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering, one male goat as a sin offering, and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Elishama the son of ‘Ammihud (7:48-53).

On the eighth day was Gamli’el the son of P’dahtzur, leader of the descendants of Manasseh. He offered one silver dish weighing 130 shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventy shekels (using the sanctuary shekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering; one gold pan of ten shekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering, one male goat as a sin offering, and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Gamli’el the son of P’dahtzur (7:54-59).

On the ninth day was Avidan the son of Gid‘oni, leader of the descendants of Benjamin. He offered one silver dish weighing 130 shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventy shekels (using the sanctuary shekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering; one gold pan of ten shekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering, one male goat as a sin offering, and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Avidan the son of Gid‘oni (7:60-65).

On the tenth day was Achi‘ezer the son of ‘Ammishaddai, leader of the descendants of Dan. He offered one silver dish weighing 130 shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventy shekels (using the sanctuary shekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering; one gold pan of ten shekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering, one male goat as a sin offering, and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Achi‘ezer the son of ‘Ammishaddai (7:66-71).

On the eleventh day was Pag‘i’el the son of ‘Okhran, leader of the descendants of Asher. He offered one silver dish weighing 130 shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventy shekels (using the sanctuary shekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering; one gold pan of ten shekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering, one male goat as a sin offering, and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Pag‘i’el the son of ‘Okhran (7:72-77).

On the twelfth day was Achira the son of ‘Enan, leader of the descendants of Naftali. He offered one silver dish weighing 130 shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and one silver basin of seventy shekels (using the sanctuary shekel) [one-and-three-quarters pounds], both full of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering; one gold pan of ten shekels [one-quarter pound], full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year as a burnt offering, one male goat as a sin offering, and, for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Achira the son of ‘Enan (7:78-83).

A passage like this is perplexing to us. If we were to write the Torah by our standards, we would simply say, “And the same was offered by all the other tribes,” and we would leave it at that. We would not be compelled to repeat the same exact list twelve times, varying only the names of the tribes and their leader. But the list also was used for public reading. Originally, the Torah was read aloud to the public assemblies of Isra’el. Members of all the tribes were present, gathered at the Temple. As each tribe’s name was mentioned, there was probably a cheer that rose from those belonging to that particular tribe.

Here is the list of the offerings brought by each tribe:

Grain Offering: Flour and oil, in a silver dish
Grain Offering: Four and oil, in a silver bowl
Incense: Incense on a golden plate
Burnt Offering (‘Olah): Ram
Burnt Offering (‘Olah): Lamb
Burnt Offering (‘Olah): Lamb
Burnt Offering (‘Olah): Lamb
Peace Offering: Two oxen
Peace Offering: Five rams
Peace Offering: Five rams
Peace Offering: Five male goats
Peace Offering: Five lambs
Grain Offering: Flour, oil and frankincense

The summary: This was the offering for dedicating the altar which was given by the leaders of Isra’el on the day of its anointing: twelve silver dishes, twelve silver basins and twelve gold pans. Each silver dish weighed 130 shekels [three-and-a-quarter pounds] and each basin seventy shekels [one-and-three-quarters pounds]; all the silver of the vessels weighed 2,400 shekels (using the sanctuary shekel) [just over sixty pounds]. The twelve gold pans, full of incense, weighed ten shekels apiece (using the sanctuary shekel) [one-quarter pound]; all the gold of the pans weighed 120 shekels [three pounds]. The livestock for the burnt offering consisted of twelve bulls, twelve rams and twelve male lambs in their first year, with their grain offering. There were twelve male goats for a sin offering. The livestock for the sacrifice of peace offerings consisted of twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty male goats and sixty male lambs in their first year. This was the offering for dedicating the altar after it had been anointed (7:84-88). Why so many verses here? This was a moment of fellowship and encouragement between the Creator and His creation. Throughout the Scriptures, we know this is something He desires to have. Therefore, our LORD decreed that this beautiful moment would last for twelve days. Numbered like the days of creation. One day for each tribe.¹¹⁹

The reading of the tribal names is important. The tribal names were etched into the stone of the breastpiece of the high priest (see the commentary on Exodus Ga – Fashion a Breastpiece for Making Decisions), and carved onto the gates of the New Jerusalem (see the commentary on Revelation Fu – A Great High Wall with Twelve Gates). The names of the twelve tribes represent the totality of Isra’el, and they are prophetic types of all the tribes and nations of the Earth that will one day surround the throne in Heaven (see the commentary on Revelation Cs – God Will Wipe Away Every Tear From Their Eyes).

The Torah picture of the tribal heads bringing their offerings and treasures for the dedication of the bronze altar is a foreshadowing of the Messianic Age when all the tribes of the earth will carry their wealth to Jerusalem to worship ADONAI. And let all kings bow down before him, all nations serve Him (Psalm 72:11). And your gate will be open continually; they will not be closed day or night, so that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations, with their kings led in procession (Isaiah 60:11). “And I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations; and I will fill this house with glory,” says ADONAI-Tzva’ot. “The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,” declares ADONAI-Tzva’ot (Haggai 2:7-8).¹²⁰

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for being such a wonderful Heavenly Father, a father who desires a relationship! We love receiving Your gifts and we love giving gifts back to You. How we live our life is a way for Your children to give back to You. Your gift of salvation cost You so much (Hebrews 12:2), we desire to say thank You and to bless You for all You have done. Your children desire to abide in you and to produce much fruit. In this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples.  “Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you. Abide in My love!  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love (John 15:7-10). How wonderful that by abiding in You, we receive the gift of Joy! When we seek to give a gift to you of our joyful obedience, like Abraham who rose early in the morning to go to sacrifice his son Isaac (Genesis 22:3), then You give us back joy. Giving to You is actually a wonderful way to receive joy! These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and your joy may be full (John 15:11). We love to bless You by our gift of praise, worship and joyful obedience. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Carts and Oxen for the Levites
7: 1-9

Throughout these early chapters of Numbers there is a topical presentation rather than a chronological arrangement of the material. They have been telling us the story of the Israelite’s preparations to leave Mount Sinai. In the first four chapters of Numbers, they took a census (to see link click An – The Levitical Census) and assigned the Levites to their various tasks (see Ar – The Four Camps of Levites). Numbers 7-10 is a flashback and now returns to the theme of preparation, telling us how the Levites came to be in possession of six fine carts and twelve head of oxen to pull them. In order to relate this story, we are returned to the first day of the first month, the day the Tabernacle was set up (see the commentary on Exodus Hg – The Tabernacle was Set Up on the First Day of the Month), that the Sh’khinah glory of God filled the Most Holy Place (see the commentary on Exodus Hh – The Glory of the LORD Filled the Tabernacle), and that YHVH called Moses from within the Tabernacle, and that Aaron and his sons began their seven-day orientation (see the commentary on Leviticus Ba – The Meal and Seven Days of Training).

On the day Moshe finished putting up the Tabernacle, he anointed and consecrated it, all its furnishings, and the altar with its utensils. On that day, the leaders of Isra’el, who were heads of their father’s clans, began to bring a series of offerings (see Be – Gifts of the Twelve Tribes). These were the tribal leaders in charge of those counted in the census. They brought their offering before ADONAI, six covered carts and twelve oxen for transporting the Tabernacle through the wilderness – a cart for every two leaders and for each an ox (7:3-5a). The carts were given to the Levitical house of Gershon (see Au – The Clan of Gershon) and Merari (see Av – The Clan of Merari).

ADONAI told Moses to give them to the Levites, to each as needed for his duties. Therefore, Moshe took the wagons and oxen and gave them to the Levites. He gave two wagons and four oxen to the descendants of Gershon, in keeping with the needs of their duties.  Four wagons and eight oxen he gave to the descendants of Merari, in keeping with the needs of their duties, directed by Itamar the son of Aaron the high priest. But to the descendants of Kohath he gave none (see At – The Clan of Kohath), because their duties involved the holy objects, which they carried on their own shoulders. The Kohathites did not get any carts because they were responsible for carrying the furniture of the Tabernacle. Those furnishings were equipped with poles and meant to be carried upon the shoulders. Riding a cart was deemed a far less noble means of transportation than being borne on the shoulders of one’s servants.¹¹⁷

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for your Awesome Holiness and purity! Isaiah heard the Seraphim calling out, “Holy, holy, holy, is ADONAI-Tzva’ot! He saw an awesome vision of your holiness:  I saw ADONAI sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the Temple. Seraphim were standing above Him. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.  One called out to another, and said: “Holy, holy, holy, is ADONAI-Tzva’ot! The whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:2-3). Father, we want to love You with all our heart and to keep in mind that You are a holy and Sovereign God. It is such a wonderful privilege to be given the right to be Your child (John 1:12) because of our faith in You (Romans 4:3-5, Ephesians 2:8-9); but it is a right that we must hold in high regard and remember to always approach You very respectfully. Great as it is to be a child of the King, we need to remember to worship You with awe and come into Your presence in a loving and respectful way. You are both our Heavenly Father whom we love to please You by our attitudes; however, You are also the holy and Sovereign King of the World whom we worship in reverence and awe. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Offerings at the Dedication of the Tabernacle
7: 1-89

Throughout these early chapters of Numbers there is a topical presentation rather than a chronological arrangement of the material. They have been telling us the story of the Israelite’s preparations to leave Mount Sinai. In the first four chapters of Numbers, they took a census (to see link click An – The Levitical Census) and assigned the Levites to their various tasks (see Ar – The Four Camps of Levites). Numbers 7-10 is a flashback and relates how Isra’el was ready to depart from Mount Sinai. The longest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 119, the chapter on the Word of God. It is fully devoted to the power of the Scriptures. The next longest chapter is Deuteronomy 28, the chapter of the choice between blessings and cursings. There, Moshe gave the people a choice. If they followed God they would be blessed; otherwise, they would be cursed. But for those who would obey Him, Numbers 7 is the third longest chapter in the Scriptures. It is a chapter of blessing, communion, and dedication. In fact, the word Hanukkah, which means dedication, is mentioned four times in this chapter, and only three times in the rest of the Scriptures. So, from the message of the Word of God in Psalm 119, to the one who chooses blessing in Deuteronomy 28, to the one who communes with God in Numbers 7, the rest of the blessings of the Bible are yours to be enjoyed.¹¹⁶

The Aaronic Blessing
6: 22-27

The Aaronic blessing DIG: What does it mean to bless someone? How do we bless God? What are some of the promises in the B’rit Chadashah that Messiah will keep us? What is the full meaning of the word “shalom” and how does Messiah give it to His people? When you read or hear Aaron’s blessing, which images are especially touching to you?

REFLECT: Why do you think that the priests were to say the Aaronic Blessing to the people? What purpose did it serve? What does the blessing ADONAI gave to Aaron teach us about the desire of God for us? Thank the Lord that He delights to draw close to us. Ask the Lord to continue to “keep you” as you face difficulties that this life will bring.

The main objective of this passage is for God, through the Levites,
to extend a blessing on the people of Isra’el.

Among the chief duties of the priest was to bless Isra’el in the name of ADONAI (Deuteronomy 19:8 and 21:5). However, the blessing issues solely from ADONAI; the priest’s function was to channel it. This point is made emphatically clear by the threefold use of the divine Name in the blessing formula itself. And if this were not enough, the authorization for the priests to pronounce the blessing concludes with the warning that even though the priests utter the divine Name, it is not they but ADONAI who alone can activate the blessing. This repeated emphasis on the divine source of the blessing is projected into even bolder relief when it is contrasted with the formula of welcome pronounced upon the worshiper as he entered the Temple, “We bless you from the House of ADONAI (Psalm 118:26). Clearly our text has taken great pains to underscore that, although the priest is holy (Leviticus 8:30 and 22:9), indeed, one of God’s set apart one’s (Leviticus 10:3), he possesses no divine powers of his own. He is the representative of Isra’el, but whether his purpose is blessing or forgiveness (Leviticus 4:20), consent and implementation reside solely with God.¹⁰⁶

This blessing was bestowed on Isra’el every day during Temple times. Each day, following the daily, continual burnt offering (see the commentary on Leviticus, to see link click Ai – The Burnt Offering: Accepted by God), the priests would recite this blessing over the Israelites. In modern observance, this passage is prayed by anyone, but on the festival days, the cantor in the synagogue actually calls the rabbi to step forward at that point in the liturgy. Those who are descended from Aaron approach the front of the congregation, turn to the assembly, lift their hands in the prescribed manner shown here, and chant the priestly blessing.¹⁰⁷

The blessing is couched in poetic Hebrew style, an elevated form of speech characterized by parallelism, terseness, and the use of metaphor. In Hebrew, the first line of the blessing in verse 24 consists of three Hebrew words; the second line has five Hebrew words, and the third line has seven Hebrew words. The progression in the number of words mirrors the outward movement and flow of God’s blessing through the single priest to the broader community. Each of the three lines consists of two clauses. The first clause invokes God’s movement toward the people (bless, make His face shine on you, lift His face toward), and the second clause names the results of these three divine movements toward the people (keep you, be gracious to you, and give you shalom).¹⁰⁸

ADONAI said to Moshe, “Speak to Aaron and his sons, and tell them that this is how you are to bless the people of Isra’el: you are to say to them . . . (6:22-23). Furthermore, there are three lines, each line building upon the other as they add an additional thought to the previous one. Each line begins by invoking the sacred name of ADONAI. This is the Name that stresses God’s covenant keeping attributes. This blessing is an absolute and unconditional imparting of benefits from Ha’Shem to His people. There is no “if” clause in the blessing. By repeating it three times, the text puts the proper emphasis where it belongs – on ADONAI Himself, Who is the only source for any blessing.¹⁰⁹

The God who keeps: May ADONAI bless you and keep you (6:24) The first request for blessing is to ask the Holy One to keep Isra’el. This word “keep” (Hebrew: shomer) is the usual word for “guard” or “protect.” This is quite relevant for as I write these words, Isra’el is at war with Hamas and Hezbollah. The Scriptures teach that God is the Keeper of Isra’el. Only He has the ability to preserve the nation from war, sin and famine. While He planned difficult times of distress and trial, ultimately, in the end, this blessing will come true. Isra’el, despite all of her sin and enemies, will be kept secure by ADONAI. This is what God says: He who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar – ADONAI-Tzva’ot is His Name. “Only if these decrees vanish from My sight,” declares ADONAI, “will the descendants of Isra’el ever cease to be a nation before Me” (Jeremiah 31:35-36).

This is also the same on a spiritual level for all who rely on the Holy One. If we are part of the holy community, the redeemed community by faith in the atonement and resurrection of Yeshua Messiah, ADONAI will also keep us, for we are eternally secure in Him (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer). Even if our halo slips, if we are truly His, He will keep us, just as He promised to keep Isra’el.¹¹⁰

The God who is gracious: May ADONAI make His face shine on you and be gracious to you (6:25). How is it that God can keep and guard such a people who knowingly sin against Him? The answer lies in the second request, the second blessing: ADONAI be gracious to you. The Hebrew word translated gracious is from the root chanan. It can be translated to show favor or to be gracious. This word, in conjunction with its Greek counterpart in the B’rit Chadashah just oozes with unconditional forgiveness. The best illustration of this word is in the story of Hosea and Gomer. Just as Hosea was instructed to relate to his estranged and unfaithful wife Gomer, so does God relate to His sometimes estranged and unfaithful people, Isra’el. Despite their sorry spiritual state, God always grants forgiveness freely.

This is also the same way He acts towards us. Ephesians 1:7 teaches that God “lavished” His grace on us who believe in Yeshua Messiah, despite knowing how rebellious our flesh can be. Specifically, we are told that we have . . . forgiveness of our sins in accordance with the riches of God’s grace (Ephesians 1:7-8).¹¹¹

One expression of God’s grace is that He makes His face, or countenance, to shine upon us. This metaphor of light reminds us that light connotes clarity, revelation, the warmth of sunshine, rescue from cold darkness, renewal of life, and the brightness of joy. The bright shining of God’s face upon Isra’el is the theme in Psalm 67 of His blessing and deliverance in times of trouble. The psalm begins: May God be gracious to us and bless us, and make His face shine upon us; may Your ways be known on earth, your salvation among the nations (Psalm 67:1-2). The psalm’s focus on all the nations and all creation suggests a wider picture of God as Creator of all. As the life-giving rays of the warm sun extend over all the world, so the blessing of God’s shining face radiates to the end of the earth. Psalm 67 concludes: The Land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear Him (Psalm 67:6-7).

The shining of the divine face leads to God’s being gracious, dealing with people not according to their sins, but with freely given love and compassion. And ADONAI said: I will cause all My goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim My Name, YHVH, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion (Exodus 33:19).¹¹²

The God who grants peace: The third line of blessing brings the passage to a climax. May ADONAI lift up His face toward you and give you shalom (6:26). Since God keeps and freely lavishes us with His grace, then one thing is certain . . . we will have His shalom. The midrash says this about shalom: Great is shalom, for no vessel can retain blessing so effectively as shalom. The blessings are of no avail unless shalom goes with them (Bemidbar Rabbah 11.7). Shalom is certainly one of the “pillars of the world,” according to the Talmud. In seeking to bless the Israelites with shalom, the Holy One undoubtedly meant wholeness of life, and freedom from war with their enemies. But I think it goes way beyond that, as great as those blessings are. Shalom, according to the ArtScroll . . . is not simply the absence of war. It is a harmony between two conflicting forces. It is the proper balance between the needs of the body and his higher duty to the soul (ArtScroll Chumash, page 765).

Yeshua Messiah, the Prince of Peace (see the commentary on Isaiah Ck – He Will Be Called the Prince of Peace), said that He came to give us such peace (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Kq – No One Comes to the Father Except Through Me). ADONAI also promises to those who believe in Him . . . the peace that passes all understanding, guarding our hearts and our minds (Philippians 4:7).¹¹³

The ultimate goal of God’s blessing is summed up by the final word of shalom, or peace, which is the outcome of Ha’Shem’s lifting up His face and is the ultimate word of the blessing as a whole. Shalom denotes a rich array of benefits (but no guaranties): prosperity (Psalm 37:11 and Proverbs 3:2); longevity, happiness in a family (Psalm 128:6), safety, security (Psalm 4:9 and 122:6-8), good health (Psalm 38:4), friendship (Jeremiah 38:22), and general well-being. In the Psalms, shalom and righteousness go together: Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet, righteousness and shalom will kiss each other (Psalm 85:10).

In this way they (the priests) are to place my Name on the people of Isra’el, so that I will bless them (6:27). The book of Genesis ends with Jacob’s last words to his twelve sons couched in the form of a blessing (Genesis 49:3-27). Moshe’s last words to Isra’el the day before he died at the end of Deuteronomy were extended words of blessing for the twelve tribes (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Fy – This is the Blessing). Most of the major prophetic books of the TaNaKh end with words of promise and blessing in spite of earlier words of judgment. Whether in the congregational practice of worship or in ADONAI’s ultimate will for God’s people throughout biblical history, the word of blessing and hope is the LORD’s final word. The provisions for the priestly blessing of the community round out this section of Numbers with its obedient concern for the holiness of the camp and the enjoyment of God’s blessing in Isra’el’s midst. The Israelites bear the Name of God as a community, with His presence in her midst, a Name and presence whose ultimate will is peace, mercy and blessing.¹¹⁴

The pronouns in this blessing are singular, meaning God’s blessings come to us personally, but there is a plural pronoun in Numbers 6:27, “I will bless them.” ADONAI blesses the nation by blessing individuals, and by blessing the nation, He blesses the world. YHVH promised Abraham, “I will bless you . . . and you will be a blessing (Genesis 12:2). We bless the world by sharing God’s truth, often one person at a time.

We need the blessings that God lists here: to be cared for by the Lord, who watches over us; to have His face shine on us and be gracious to us; to have the riches of His grace given to us; to have Him pay attention to us when we call; and, as the result of these things, to enjoy His presence in our hearts. Shalom is one of the greatest words in the Hebrew vocabulary, and it means much more than the absence of storms and trouble around us. It involves quietness of heart within us, spiritual health and spiritual prosperity, adequacy for the demands of life, and the kind of spiritual well-being that rises above circumstances. Paul said it this way: Don’t worry about anything; on the contrary, make your requests known to God by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving. Then God’s shalom, passing all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with the Messiah Yeshua. In conclusion, brothers, focus your thoughts on what is true, noble, righteous, pure, lovable or admirable, on some virtue or on something praiseworthy. Keep doing what you have learned and received from me, what you have heard and seen me doing; then the God who gives shalom will be with you (Philippians 5:6-9).¹¹⁵

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for sending Your one and only Son to be the sacrificial Lamb who paid the penalty for our sin (John 1:29), and so graciously give Messiah Yeshua’s righteousness (Second Corinthians 5:21) to all those who love and follow Him as Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-10). Thank You for guiding the priests to bestow this blessing on Isra’el every day during Temple times. What a wonderful blessing it must have been!

Make Your face to shine on Your people today. When the sun is shining brightly and the wind is blowing ever so softly – come what may, our hearts are at peace and our face is smiling. However, when Your face shines on us, it is much better than even the brightest sunshine. When you bless Your children, You fill them with a warm peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Your Almighty power and strength cause any fear or worry to evaporate into thin air! How comforting it is to know, that Your face is the face of not only the most powerful ruling Monarch of the world, but You are also the kindest and best loving Heavenly Father! How much we love You and want to bless you back by living our lives as a continual offering of praise of You, and in humble and quick obedience of all You say. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Nazarite Vow
6: 1-21

The Nazarite vow DIG: Why was one of the main characteristics of a Nazirite the growth of his or her hair? What did it symbolize? Why do you think that the LORD required a Nazirite to abstain from specific things? What similarities are there between the Nazirites and the priesthood? In what ways were Nazarites like priests? In what way did Yeshua Messiah become a Nazirite?

REFLECT: Why do you think a person would become a Nazirite? Why do you think a Nazirite was required to bring a sin offering at the conclusion of his or her vow? Can a Nazirite Vow be taken in today’s world? What aspect of it cannot be fulfilled today? Have you ever felt the need to take time apart to be with the Lord in a special way? What was it that brought you to that place in your life?

The Nazirites were lay people within the community,
who had been set apart as especially holy and dedicated to ADONAI.

The Hebrew word for Nazirite is nazir. It is from the verb nazar, meaning to separate. From its usage in the Torah, it would seem that nazir means a separated one. The Nazirites were under an unusual vow of separation, who were lay people within the community who had been set apart as especially holy and dedicated to ADONAI. Such dedications to special service to YHVH were made either by their parents or by the Nazirites themselves. The three most famous Nazirites of the Bible were Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist. Yet these three were exceptional because they were all set apart as Nazirites prior to birth. The normal Nazirite vow was for a short term, from only one month to several years. Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist were all conceived in otherwise barren wombs, and were therefore dedicated by their grateful mothers into lives of separation under the Nazarite vow. But according to Torah, the life of the Nazir was open to any and all who desired it.

According to the Oral Law (see the commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Ei – The Oral Law), there were two components to undertaking the Nazarite vow. There was an oral declaration and a statement of duration. The oral declaration was regarded as binding even if it was stated in less than explicit language. Thus, one who said, “I will abstain from haircuts,” or “I will abstain from grape seeds,” or “I will be like Samson” are all regarded as having formally taken a Nazirite vow (M.Nazir 1:1-2). It is also said, “If they filled a cup [of wine] for him and he said, ‘I will be an abstainer (Nazir) from it’ then he becomes a Naziri (M.Nazir 2:2). The Master’s words: I tell you the truth, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, are formulated as a statement of vow. In addition to the oral declaration, a statement of duration was necessary. Thirty days was the minimum duration of the vow. One who did not state the length of his or her vow was bound to at least thirty days (M.Nazir 1:3-7). The Master stated the duration of His vow at the outset. He would not drink of the fruit of the vine again: until that day when I drink it again with you in My Father’s Kingdom.

During the days of the Second Temple, the Nazirite vow could only be completed by the specified sacrifices there. However, Nazirite vows were regularly practiced long after the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. Even in the days while the Temple still stood, Jews living outside the land of Isra’el practiced Nazirite vows. Distance from the Temple prevented them from completing the vow according to prescribed Temple ritual. But it did not prevent them from otherwise observing the vow. Because a Nazirite vow can only be truly fulfilled at the Temple, the Sages say that one who takes and completes a Nazirite vow outside of the Land must repeat the vow within the land of Isra’el.⁹⁹

These verses are displayed in a chiastic fashion (see Ac – Numbers from a Messianic Jewish Perspective: Chiasm and introversion). The Nazir who successfully observed these prohibitions underwent the prearranged ritual (AB-BA). However, if his vow was cut short by contamination, another ritual was also set (C), which is the main point. It explains the placement of this portion of Scripture. After the census of the Israelites (see Ai – The First Census: The Old Generation of Rebellion), the positioning of the people and the Levites, and the detailing of the responsibilities of the priesthood in the wilderness march (Chapters 1-4), concern is expressed regarding the defilement of the camp both ritually (5:1-8) and ethically (5:11-31). Thus, the possibility of the defilement of the holy Nazarite occupies center stage here.¹⁰⁰

An Introduction (6:1-2): ADONAI said to Moshe, “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘When either a man or a woman makes a special kind of vow, the vow of a Nazir, consecrating himself to ADONAI . . .” When one thinks of the term Nazirite, the name Samson may come to mind (see the commentary on Judges Bt – The Twelfth Cycle: Sampson). But it turns out that his situation did not reflect the normal meaning of the Nazirite vow (and, as is well known, he didn’t keep the vows well at all!). Neither is it generally known that these vows of special devotion to YHVH could be made by a woman as well as a man. Most simply assume that the religious vows of the Nazir were intended for men only. However, this text expressly begins: when either a man or a woman. Thus, women were not precluded from this vow.

The Hebrew text uses an extremely strong verb in describing the vow of the Nazir in the phrase makes a special (Hebrew: pala) kind of vow. The verb pala in the Hiphil means to make a hard, extraordinary vow. This verb in the Niphal is used extensively throughout the TaNaKh with ADONAI as the subject and is often rendered by words of amazement. Moshe declares in Exodus 3:20: . . . the wonders that I will perform, and Psalm 118:23 . . . it is marvelous in our eyes. In our passage here in Numbers, as in Leviticus 27:2, the Hiphil is used as an extraordinary vow of a believer of YHVH. This vow, then, does not describe a routine matter or even an expected act of devotion one might make from time to time. This vow was an act of unusual devotion to God, based on an intense desire to demonstrate to the LORD one’s utter separation to Him alone.¹⁰¹

B Prohibitions (6:3-8): While under the term of the vow, the Nazir was prohibited from consuming any fruit of the vine. He is to abstain from wine and other intoxicating liquor, he is not to drink vinegar from either source, he is not to drink grape juice, and he is not to eat grapes or raisins. As long as he remains a Nazir he is to eat nothing derived from the grapevine, not even the grape-skins or the seeds (6:3-4). The significance of abstaining from the fruit of the vine and intoxication seems to be a direct connection to the priesthood. Just as the priests were forbidden from drinking alcohol while on duty in the Temple, the nazarite was forbidden from drinking alcohol while under his vow. Yet, the nazarite’s prohibitions far exceeded those of the priesthood. One who undertook a Nazirite vow would need to be scrupulously careful to avoid any food made with grape products, even if the amounts were small.¹⁰²

Throughout the period of his vow as a Nazir, he is not to shave his head. Until the end of the time for which he has consecrated himself to ADONAI he is to be holy: he is to let the hair on his head grow long (6:5). The significance of the hair is that it indicated the duration of the vow. At a minimum, a Nazirite vow was thirty days, but there was no upper limit. A Nazir could take the vow for years. When the vow was finally completed, the Nazir shaved his hair and offered it up in the Temple as part of the sacrificial service in the Chamber of the Nazirites in the Court of the Women (see the commentary on Acts Co – Paul’s Arrest in Jerusalem). In Acts, where we are told that Paul had his hair cut off, for he was keeping a vow. Perhaps he was completing (or beginning) a personal Nazirite vow in the diaspora with the intention of repeating it in Jerusalem under the authority of the priesthood. At any rate, he was seen fulfilling a Nazirite vow in Acts 21:20-26.

Throughout the period for which he has consecrated himself to ADONAI, he is not to approach a corpse. He is not to make himself unclean for his father, mother, brother or sister when they die, since his consecration to God is on his head. Throughout the time of his being a Nazir he is holy to the LORD (6:6-8). In respect to the prohibition of coming into contact with the dead, the Nazir resembles the High Priest, who was also forbidden to contaminate himself attending the burial rites of the members of his immediate family (Leviticus 21:11).

C Defilement (6:9-12): If someone next to him died very suddenly, so that he defiles his consecrated head, then he is to shave his head on the day of his purification; he is to shave it on the seventh day. On the eighth day he is to bring two doves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance to the Tabernacle. The priest is to prepare one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering and thus make atonement for him, inasmuch as he sinned because of the dead body. That same day he is to re-dedicate his head; he is to consecrate to ADONAI the full period of his being a nazir by bringing a male lamb in its first year as a guilt offering. The previous days will not be counted, because his dedication became defiled.

When the Nazirite period ended because of corpse contamination it needed to start all over again. During Temple times, a Nazir that came into contact with a dead body was required to go through a seven-day purification via the waters of the red heifer (see De – The Red Heifer). In this respect, the demands on the Nazir were more stringent than the corpse-contaminated priest, who, as in the case of a layman, underwent a seven-day purification, but did not have to bring any sacrifices. While the Nazir had to bring the sacrifices as seen below.¹⁰³

B Completion (6:13-20): This is the mitzvah for the Nazir when his period of dedication to ADONAI is over: he is to be brought to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where he will present his offering to ADONAI – one male lamb in its first year without defect as a burnt offering, one female lamb in its first year without defect as a sin offering, one ram without defect as peace offerings, a basket of matzah, loaves made of fine flour mixed with olive oil, unleavened wafers spread with olive oil, their grain offering and their drink offerings. The priest is to bring them before ADONAI, offer his purification offering (see the commentary on Leviticus  Al – The Purification Offering: Purified by Blood), his burnt offering (see Ai – The Burnt Offering: Accepted by God), and his ram as a sacrifice of peace offerings to ADONAI, with the basket of matzah. The priest will also offer the grain offering and drink offering that go with the peace offering. The Nazir will shave his dedicated head at the entrance to the Tabernacle, take the hair removed from his dedicated head and put it on the fire under the sacrifice of peace offerings (see Leviticus Ak – The Peace Offerings: At Peace with God). These sacrifices resemble the sacrifices offered by the priesthood on their day of ordination. When the ram has been boiled, the priest is to take its shoulder, one loaf of matzah from the basket and one unleavened wafer, and place them in the hands of the Nazir, after he has shaved his dedicated head. The priest is to wave them as a wave offering before ADONAI; this is set aside for the priest, along with the breast for waving and the raised-up thigh. Following that, the Nazir may drink wine.

This is the primary aspect of the Nazirite vow that cannot be kept today. Without a Temple, the Nazirite vow can never be properly completed. Therefore, one who understands the Nazirite prohibitions is never able to fully resolve his or her vow.

Summary (6:21): The Torah goes on to suggest that a Nazir completing his vow may well want to bring more than these minimum sacrifices. This is the mitzvah for the Nazir who makes a vow and for his offering to ADONAI for his being a Nazir. He should at least bring these in addition to anything more for which he has sufficient means. In keeping with whatever vow he makes, he must do it according to the mitzvah for the Nazir. It seems that most Nazirites could not even afford the minimum though. In Acts 21, Jacob (James) had four Nazirite believers in the community who could not pay their own expenses to complete their vow. So it was suggested that Paul pay for their expenses, and go with them to Jerusalem and complete his own vow (see the commentary on Acts Cn – Paul’s Advice from Jacob and the Elders at Tziyon).

Priests and Nazirites: But why would anyone want to be a Nazir? What was the allure of Nazirite life? What did it mean to be under a Nazarite vow? One cannot help but notice that the mitzvot of the Nazir bear a striking resemblance to several of the mitzvot of the priesthood. Just as the priesthood was forbidden to drink wine or any fermented drink when serving in the Tabernacle or Temple, so too the Nazir was forbidden any wine or fermented drink. Just as the priesthood was commanded to avoid ritual contamination through a human corpse, so the Nazir was forbidden. In fact, the Nazirite prohibition from corpse contact extended further that of the average priest. The average priest was allowed to become unclean for close relatives. Only the high priest was under purity restrictions as severe as the Nazirites (Leviticus 21:11; Numbers 6:7).

The parallels go even further. The priests were not allowed to uncover their heads or use a razor on their hair, but they were to trim it (Leviticus 10:6; Ezeki’el 44:20). The Nazirites were not allowed to use a razor or even trim their hair while under the vow. Obviously the priesthood and Nazirites share a similar status. The Torah even explicitly states that the high priest has been separated (nezer) by virtue of the anointing oil poured on his head (Leviticus 21:10-12). The Torah uses almost identical language to explain the Nazirite’s high level of purity (Numbers 6:6-7). Notice the identical construction of the Nazirite passage and the high priest passage. By virtue of their construction and content, the two passages clearly point to each other. Therefore, the Ruach Ha’Kodeah means for us to make a comparison between a priest and Nazir. Both high priest and the Nazir enjoy a status of separation called nezer which is theirs by virtue of a ritual marking on their heads. For the high priest, it is the anointing oil poured out on his head that grants him the nezer status. For the Nazir, it is the hair on his head that grants him the nezer status.

The Torah gives us another connection between the Nazirite and the priesthood and things on their heads. The engraved plate which the high priest wore was part of the priestly clothing. The words: Holy to the LORD were inscribed on it (see the commentary on Exodus Gc – Make an Engraved Plate: Holy to the LORD). During the period of his vow, the Nazirite is holy to the LORD (6:8). This is the same status attributed to the priesthood, especially the high priest.

A further parallel between priests and Nazirites is obvious in the list of sacrifices both are to present to ADONAI. The sacrifices the priests were to bring for their ordination are listed in Exodus 29 and Leviticus 8. They include a purification offering, a burnt offering, and a peace offering for ordination along with a basket of unleavened bread, cakes mixed with oil and wafers spread with oil. The sacrifices the Nazirite needed to bring at the termination of his vow included the same combinations.

Three would-be priests: What was the connection the Torah is emphasizing between the priest and the Nazir. Perhaps the Nazirite vow was the laymen’s response to the priesthood. To the average Israelite, the priesthood was inaccessible, because according to the Torah, only the descendants of Aaron qualified for the priesthood. Therefore, a Reubenite or a Simeonite found himself excluded from position among the priests of ADONAI. Perhaps the Nazarite vow was the next best thing, a sort of quasi-priestly status which could be attained by anyone who was willing to make the vow.

This may help to explain how Samuel the prophet rose to the office of high priest. He was not from the House of Aaron. It is likely that his formal adoption into the family of Eli granted him a position in Aaron’s house to take on the role of priest. But it is also possible that his status of being a Nazirite since birth allowed him priestly privileges which would have otherwise not have been available to him. At any rate, the connection between the priesthood and the Nazir is again emphasized in the story of Samuel.

John the Baptist was another Nazir from birth. Unlike Samuel, John was already from a priestly family and was kosher to serve in the priesthood by any standard. However, like the Essene sect of his day, he opted out of participating in the Temple services with a politically compromised and morally corrupt priesthood. When he reached the age of priesthood (that is 30), rather than going to serve as a priest, he went to the Jordan River and baptized the multitudes in a “back to God” movement. Perhaps his lifelong status as a Nazir, was priesthood enough for him.

A third and particularly tantalizing Nazirite account is that of James the Righteous, the brother of the Master. Eusebius quotes Hegesippus in his ecclesiastical History regarding the martyrdom of James. He writes, “James drank no wine or intoxicating liquor; no razor came near his head. He alone was permitted to enter the Holy Place, for his garments were not of wool but of linen. He used to enter the Sanctuary alone, and was often found on his knees beseeching forgiveness for the people . . .” This text raises an intriguing problem. We find here a very strong and early tradition about James that places him inside the Temple Sanctuary, which was forbidden to all except for the priesthood. How is it that James, a man descended from the House of David and the tribe of Judah was allowed access to the Sanctuary where only the priests were allowed? How is it that we find James clothed in linen garments, that is priestly garments, praying inside the Temple proper? Is it because James was a Nazir, and as a Nazir, he obtained some kind of quasi-priestly status? We must either accept it as so, or reject the tradition of Hegesippus altogether. Regardless of which one we choose, we cannot ignore that once again a connection between priest and Nazirite has been drawn.

The Torah itself goes on to tie the priesthood and the Nazirite more tightly together by following the passage about the Nazarites with the priestly benediction (see Bb – The Aaronic Blessing). It seems to be an awkward association unless there is some connection between the Nazarite vow and the priesthood.¹⁰⁴

Nobody is saved by making and keeping a vow. Salvation is the gift of ADONAI to those who believe (Ephesians 2:8-9), not a reward to those who behave. However, there are some people who are led by the Lord to make special vows to God; not to get something from Him but to give something to Him. And as long as those vows don’t contradict Scripture, they can be blessed by YHVH (Psalm 22:25; 50:14; 61:5 and 8, 76:11 and 116:14). People will make vows to God just so He’ll get them out of trouble (Psalm 66:13-14); Jonah 2:9), and some of these people will forget their promises when they’re safe and comfortable again. But it’s a dangerous thing to make promises to God and not keep them (Ecclesiastes 5:1-7).¹⁰⁵

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for being such a wonderful Heavenly Father. Thank You for the joy of being able to offer back to You the spiritual sacrifice of praise.  You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house- a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Messiah Yeshua (First Peter 2:5). You, God, are so worthy of our praise! Through Yeshua then, let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips giving thanks to His name (Hebrews 13:15).  What a privilege it is to have a loving relationship with You as our Heavenly Father and a joy to follow and obey all You say in Your Holy Word. Thank You for being willing to live within those who love You.  Yeshua answered and said to him: If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him (John 14:23). You are awesome and I thank You for letting me, though I may not be a Levite, to offer sacrifices of praise to You! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Suspected Adulteress
5: 11-31

The suspected adulteress DIG: Why was this strange mitzvah required for a woman suspected of adultery? Why was the woman’s head uncovered? Why was the “holy water” holy? Why was it mixed with dust from the Tabernacle floor? Why was the oath written on a scroll then erased in the bitter water? Why was it so important? What was the lesson?

REFLECT: Is it possible for a marriage to recover after adultery? How so? What effect do you think this ritual would have had on the rest of the community? What effect do you think it may have had on the woman in question, or her marriage if she was found innocent? Why do you think this ritual did not apply if a man was unfaithful to his wife? Or did it?

The priest would take the case out of the hands of a human court,
and placed it in the hands of God.

The ritual of bitter water flows naturally after the mitzvah of sending the unclean out of the camp (to see link click Ax – The Purification of the Camp), and the mitzvah of confessing one’s sin (see Ay – Restitution and Repentance). The scene pictured here was an irate husband who suspected that his wife had been unfaithful. Having no proof, his only recourse was to bring her to the Tabernacle where she underwent the ordeal of bitter water. The priest would make her drink a potion consisting of holy water to which dust from the floor of the Tabernacle and a scroll containing a curse had been added. The curse spelled out the consequences. If she was guilty, her womb shriveled up and wasted away, and she would no longer be able to conceive. If, however, the bitter water had no effect on her, she was declared righteous, her womb would be fruitful and she was blessed to conceive and bear children.⁸⁹ This section is clearly connected with the previous one by the repetition of the word translated unfaithful. In previous teaching, we looked at a case where a person, who defrauded or robbed someone else, committed an unfaithful act against God (5:6). Here we see a case where a wife was thought to be unfaithful to her husband. The same Hebrew word, ma’al, is used in both cases.

A The case (5:11-14): ADONAI said to Moshe, “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘If a man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him; that is, if another man goes to bed with her without her husband’s knowledge, so that she becomes unclean (see the commentary on Leviticus Bk – Ritually Clean and Unclean Animals) secretly, and there is no witness against her, and she was not caught in the act; then, if a spirit of zealousness comes over him, and he was zealous for his wife, and she has become unclean – or, for that matter, if the spirit of zealousness comes over him, and he is zealousness of his wife, and she has not become unclean. 

The Hebrew root qinah combines the two concepts of jealousy and zeal. So, zeal, or zealousness, meaning a passionate devotion to, would be a better term to use than jealous, which has negative, even petty connotations. Therefore, a husband’s zealousness would burn for his wife, just as ADONAI is zealous for His wife. YHVH is making an important point here. By making provision for the proper expression of a husband’s zealousness, Ha’Shem is teaching us that zealousness for the right reason is not wrong. Because God and Isra’el are viewed as married, Isra’el is viewed as the wife of ADONAI (Deuteronomy 5:1-3, 6:10-15, 7:6-11; Isaiah 54:1-8, 62:4-5; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezeki’el 16:8; Hosea 2:14-23). For that very reason, ADONAI declares that He is a zealous God (Exodus 20:5)! God has a right to be zealous over what is rightfully His, and the husband, in this analogy, also had every right to be zealous over what was rightfully his.

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You, that You are a just and fair God. You give respect to both men and women and You offer a fair way to protect both of them. It is so wise to put the final verdict into Your hands. Thank You, for protecting women in many ways! Under the Torah, You lovingly made provision for women who were trapped in marriages with hard- hearted husbands. You gave protection for women who had been sold into slavery as slave brides but then were not wanted. You gave three mitzvot for providing for a slave wife. Since legal protection is provided for a slave wife, how much more would it apply to a free wife in Isra’el? Whoever purchased and married a slave woman had to provide her with “food” (the Hebrew word signifies high-quality food), “clothing”, and “marriage rights” (probably a reference to regular marital relations so that she could have children). If the husband violated his responsibility to make such provisions, he was to let his wife “go out free”. Which can mean no less than formal divorce (Exodus 21:7-11). The point being, that if this woman, sold as a slave-wife, is no longer to be a wife, she cannot be kept as a slave on the pretext that she is the man’s wife. Instead, she is to be given her freedom.

There are more ways you protect women. You protected prisoners of war whom men no longer desired to be their wives. According to Moses, even a woman who was taken as a wife from the spoils of war was to be given legal protection. If her husband became dissatisfied with her, he had to treat her as he would a wife from his own people. He was not allowed to subject her to brutal treatment. Instead, the mitzvah required him to give her a certificate of divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1).

You also so graciously protected women who were no longer loved. It is noteworthy that the mitzvah in Deuteronomy 24:1-4 apparently did not require the husband to prove that he had valid grounds for the divorce. Neither did it subject either the man or the woman to community discipline. The only restriction was that the man who divorced his wife forfeited his right to remarry if she married someone else in the interim. We can probably safely conclude, however, that the husband is not making a public accusation of adultery. The mitzvah of Moses required death for adulterers, not a provision of divorce (Deuteronomy 22:22).

Thank You, Ruach, for guiding Paul to address new protection for women when he answered new questions from the Corinthian believers (First Corinthians 7:10-16). Father, You designed marriage to be a loving covenant that lasts forever, but if hard, heartedness, causes the marriage not to last, You, God, are righteous and fair and make provision for the one who is abused. Praise You always for your purity and holiness that are wrapped in Your love and wisdom. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The first interesting point about this passage is that it teaches compassionate sensitivity toward both the husband’s and the wife’s needs. The need of the husband in this case was to claim his zealousness regarding the possibility of his wife’s unfaithfulness with another man. Should the husband passively ignore the sin? The Torah answers with a resounding, “NO!” It fights off a potentially dangerous situation caused by the unchecked zealousness of the husband, by outlining a judicial process to see if his fears were justified or not.

The Sages make it clear that the suspicion must be warranted. Though no witness to an illicit act was required (5:13), there must have been at least a witness to ascertain that the woman had the opportunity to commit adultery by being secluded with another man. A simple suspicion of adultery was not sufficient cause for the ritual. Furthermore, per the interpretation of the Sages, the words: he was zealous for his wife (5:14) are understood to mean that he had expressed his zealousness to her and explicitly warned her about being seduced with a certain man (Chofez Chaim 1:2). If after being warned, she had secluded herself with him, then there was certainly cause for suspicion. Accordingly the Oral Law (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ei – The Oral Law), the Sages of the Second Temple ear would only allow a trial if these criteria had been met.⁹⁰

B Preparation of the ritual (5:15-18): The husband was to bring his wife to the priest, along with a grain offering for her. It was unlike other grain offerings (see Leviticus Aj – The Grain Offerings: Dedicated to God) because it was a grain offering for zealousness, a grain offering for remembering, for recalling guilt to mind (5:15). The function of every offering was to bring a person near (korban) to ADONAI. This was usually a positive experience. The person bringing the sacrifice, even when it was a purification offering (see Leviticus Al – The Purification Offering: Purified by Blood) or guilt offering (see Leviticus Am – The Guilt Offering: Evidence of Repentance), did so to purposely draw near to God. In this case, the grain offering for zealousness was brought to bring his wife near to God. He brought it on her behalf for either vindication or condemnation. The offering was a reminder of the iniquity with which she had been charged. Because of the nature of the sacrifice, it was made of two courts of barley flour (the cheapest of flours), on which he has not poured olive oil or put frankincense.

The priest will bring her forward and place her before ADONAI, that is, at the gate of the Tabernacle (see the commentary on Exodus Ez – The Gate of the Tabernacle: Christ, The Way to God). In the Second Temple era, she would have been brought to the Nicanor Gate in the Court of the Women as seen here. He will put holy water probably taken from the bronze basin (see Exodus Fh – The Bronze Basin: Christ, our Cleanser) in a clay pot and then he will take some of the dust on the floor of the Tabernacle and put it in the water (5:16-17). The holy water was not holy because it was blessed; it was holy because it was Tabernacle water. Though the woman, in her state of suspected uncleanness, was not allowed to tread the sacred ground of the Tabernacle, the sacredness of the Tabernacle was brought to her, so to speak.

Then, the priest will place the woman before ADONAI, unbind the woman’s hair. This was probably understood as a symbolic act representing the vulnerability of her married status. As she stood before God, she no longer stood under her husband’s authority, but before God alone. After that, the priest put the grain offering for zealousness in her hands while he had in his hand the cup of bitter water and cursing (5:18). This was equivalent to the laying on of hands that was performed with an animal offering. The grain offering is invested with her identity. It will be waved before ADONAI with its memorial portion going onto the bronze altar (5:25). Through the grain offering, she will be vicariously brought into the presence of the LORD where He will decide regarding her innocence or guilt. Only after the offering up of the grain offering for zealousness was she to drink the bitter water.⁹¹

Many have noticed similarities between the ritual of the wife drinking the bitter water and the story of Isra’el’s golden calf apostasy (see Exodus Gu – They Gave Me This Gold, I Threw It into a Fire and Out Came this Calf). There, Moshe mixed water with the dust of the golden calf, which had been ground into powder. The dust presumably functioned as a trial by ordeal and brought punishment upon the Israelites who were guilty of worshiping the idolatrous golden calf, just as the waters of bitterness brought judgment upon the unfaithful wife here in Numbers 5. Jeremiah also used the imagery of Isra’el bringing judgment on itself by drinking the poisonous water of its idolatry (Jeremiah 9:15 and 23:15).

As far as the wife was concerned, if she was innocent, she needed to have her name cleared of any suspicion. This ritual was provided for such justice. It actually protected her from the lynch-mob mentality of an angry community or zealous husband. The priest would take case out of the hands of a human court and placed it under divine judgment.⁹²

Why is there no trial of bitter water for men when a wife suspected her husband of adultery? In the Dispensation of Torah (see the commentary on Exodus Da – The Dispensation of the Torah), a man had the right to issue a certificate of divorce, but the wife did not. Even if she suspected him of adultery, she could not divorce him, whereas he could divorce her on those same grounds. Therefore, the trial of bitter water was meant to prevent divorce. Most likely this ritual doesn’t sit well with us, but we must remember that YHVH treated people differently in different Dispensations. It was all part of His progressive revelation. Lastly, we must remember this mitzvah was an attempt to save a marriage by exonerating the wife who was falsely accused.⁹³

C The oath-spoken curse (5:19-24): The wife was required to take an oath in the name of ADONAI. The Oral Law allowed her to back out and refuse to take the oath. If she did, she was to be given a certificate of divorce without payment of any of her wedding contract’s alimony terms. Even with her confession, she could not be stoned for adultery because, as had already been determined, there were no witnesses to testify against her in a court of law (Numbers 5:13; Deut 19:15).

The priest will make her swear by saying to her, “If no man has gone to bed with you, if you have not gone astray to make yourself unclean while under your husband’s authority, then be free from this bitter water and cursing. But if you have in fact gone astray while under your husband’s authority and become unclean, because some man other than your husband has gone to bed with you” then the priest is to make the woman swear with an oath that includes a curse; the priest will say to the woman, “may ADONAI make you an object of cursing and condemnation among your people by making your womb shrivel up and waste away and your abdomen swell! May this water that causes the curse go into your inner parts and make your abdomen swell and your genital area will distend (and she would no longer be able to conceive, a disgrace in the Jewish community)!” – and the woman is to respond, “Amen! Amen!” This confirmed the acceptance of the curse (Deut 27:15-26; Numbers 5:13). Then the priest is to write these curses on a scroll, wash them off into the water of embitterment and make the woman drink the water of embitterment and cursing – the water of cursing will enter her and become bitter. This mitzvah is the only explicit instance in Scripture of trial by ordeal. After the Temple was destroyed, the ritual was abolished.⁹⁴

According to the rabbis, the priest would encourage her to confess by adding these words, “Wine can be responsible for much, or foolishness can be responsible for much, or childishness can be responsible for much. Many have been guilty before you and were swept away (when they refused to confess and then drank the bitter water). Do not cause the great Name to be blotted out in the water of bitterness.” Then he told her of the affair of Reuben with Bilhah (Gen 35:22), and of Judah with Tamar (Gen 38:15ff). They confessed and inherited life in the next world.⁹⁵

B Execution of the ritual (5:25-28): Then the priest is to remove the grain offering for zealousness from the woman’s hand, wave the grain offering before ADONAI and bring it to the bronze altar. The priest is to take a handful of the grain offering as its memorial portion and make it go up in smoke on the altar; afterwards, he is to make the woman drink the water. When he has made her drink the water, then, if she is unclean and has been unfaithful to her husband, the bitter water would have an immediate effect on her. The water that causes the curse will enter her and become bitter, so that her abdomen swells and her womb shrivels up and wastes away; thus, she would be barren and become an object of cursing among her people. Though the Torah only specifies that her womb shriveled up and wasted away, the Sages assure us that the effect was fatal. She had barely begun to drink before her face turned yellow, her eyes bulged and her veins swell. They say, “Take her away!” Take her away!” so that the Temple court will not be made unclean [by her corpse] (m.Sotah 3.4). According to the traditional understanding, the man who committed adultery with her also died the same death. Since their sin was in secret, it could not be prosecuted by a court of law. Thus, their verdict was handed to them by Heaven, but only after the woman was given ample opportunity to confess and repent.⁹⁶

But if the woman is not unclean but clean and innocent, then the water had a different effect on her. Rather than having her womb shrivel up and waste away, her womb would be fruitful and she was blessed to conceive and bear children.

Now let’s consider some of the issues involved in this ritual. There’s no record in Scripture that any husband ever used it, or that any accused wife asked for it. Perhaps the very existence of this ritual provided a barrier to adultery and a warning that sin would be found out. There were clearly some built-in roadblocks that would make a husband hesitate to rush to the priest and ask for his wife to undergo this ritual. To begin with, it was a public event, performed at the gate of the Tabernacle, and the whole camp would know about it. Would a husband want to expose his marital problems openly, especially when he couldn’t know the results of the ritual? Furthermore, what transpired there told something about the husband as well as the wife. If the husband loved his wife and was deeply hurt by her possible infidelity, why would he want to expose her publicly? But if he didn’t love her and only wanted to hurt her, he might be embarrassed and proved wrong. A wise man would think twice (maybe three or four times) before having his wife judged in this way.⁹⁷

A The mitzvah (5:29-20): This is the mitzvah of zealousness: when either a wife under her husband’s authority goes astray and becomes unclean, or the spirit of zealousness comes over a husband and he becomes zealous for his wife, then he is to place the woman before ADONAI, and the priest is to deal with her in accordance with all of this mitzvah.

Postscript (5:31): The husband will be clear of guilt, but, if guilty, the wife will bear the consequences of her guilt. However, if she is innocent, her name and standing will be cleared before the whole community. The purity and sanctity of the community was thereby assured, so that the nation would be prepared to move out from Sinai to the Promised Land and experience the fullest blessing of ADONAI.

The Torah and the Bitter Water: In a spiritual sense, we are all like the woman who stood accused. The holy water we drink is the water of the Torah. It is water from the Tabernacle in heaven, mixed with the words of the Scroll. Those words will either exonerate us or condemn us, depending on our innocence or guilt. Unfortunately, we are all guilty. All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away (Isaiah 64:6). The words of Torah can only condemn us. This was the ministry of the Dispensation of Torah. To the guilty, the words or the Scroll are poison, resulting in death. In Messiah, however, our old nature has already died. We know that the curse of the Torah has already been met. Having confessed our sins and have become a new creation in Messiah, we are able to strand the trial of bitter water with confidence. For us then, the bitter water is not bitter water, but holy water. It is not a ministry of death; but a ministry of life. Rather than working death within us, a life has been conceived within us . . . Messiah’s life.⁹⁸