Seder 129: Numbers 32---Distributing the Transjordan Territory

 During the fortieth and final year of Israel's time in the wilderness, the Israelites conquered some territory on the eastern side of the Jordan River (Num 21).  Seeing that this land was good for grazing livestock, the tribes of Gad and Reuben requested that they be able to settle in some of this land (Num 32:1-5).  

Since some Israelites would end up settling there, it wasn't wrong in itself to make such a request.  But these tribes were asking for something more.  They asked to just stay east of the Jordan and not cross the river with the rest of the tribes to conquer Canaan (verse 5).  In making such a request, they were thinking of their own interest above that of the nation as a whole.  

This situation has a parallel in the book of Genesis.  When Lot was looking for more grazing land, he was drawn to area of Sodom and Gomorrah, not taking into account the spiritual consequences of a move to Sodom.  Similarly, the tribes of Reuben and Gad were thinking of their economic interests above the welfare of the nation (compare Num 32:1 with Gen 13:10).  

To their credit, however, these tribes were receptive to the correction they received from Moses.  They agreed that they would settle the Transjordan territory only after they assisted the other tribes in conquering Canaan.  

The tribes of Reuben and Gad were not the only ones that would receive some territory east of the Jordan.  Numbers 32:33 mentions that part of the tribe of Manasseh also would occupy some land east of the Jordan.    

Was the tribe of Manasseh involved in the negotiations with Moses described in Numbers 32.  It's possible.  The Bible sometimes adds information at the end of a narrative in this fashion.  The Samaritan Pentateuch makes this explicit, mentioning Manasseh along with Reuben and Gad throughout the chapter.  

On the other hand, the situation with the tribe of Manasseh seems to have been different.  The Bible indicates that there was territory east of the Jordan taken by that tribe specifically (Num 32:39-42), and so Moses in verse 33 may have been making official something that had already been agreed upon.  Moreover, most of the tribe would be settling west of the Jordan.  There is no indication that this tribe was asking not to have to cross the river.  They would be settling on both sides of the river in an area where the river was not a major barrier.  In this way they might be able to help unify the nation.  

There is also an interesting theory, one going back a thousand years or more, speculating that people from the tribe of Manasseh had been living in that region for a long time, since the time of Joseph or shortly thereafter.  

Joseph's son Manasseh, who was born and grew up in Egypt, had an Aramean concubine (1 Chr 7:14) who was the mother of his son Machir.  The speculation is that Machir, who had a son named Gilead, may have gone to the Gilead region and started a settlement there, during a time when his family was influential in Egypt and Egypt was the major power in the region.  The activity of the tribe of Manasseh described in Numbers 32:39-42 may refer to what had happened centuries before, perhaps along with later efforts 40 years after the Exodus to solidify the hold of some clans of Manasseh over that territory.  Manasseh's population did increase substantially in the second census.  Were some of the additions from people who had been living in the Gilead region all along?  I don't know if these speculations are true, but they are certainly interesting.  Michael Morales devotes an excursus on this theory in his commentary on Numbers.

Seder 128: Numbers 31:25-54---Distributing the Spoils of Battle

 God's judgment of five clans of Midianites in Numbers 31 was a special kind of holy war, more religious ceremony than military operation.  We see this, for example, in the precise manner in which the spoils of battle were distributed.  The total amount was divided into two parts, half for the soldiers and half for the rest of the people in the outer camp.  From the soldiers' portion, one five hundredth went to the priests; and from the people's portion, one fiftieth went to the Levites.  This was a way for the people to give thanks for the gifts they had been granted.  God's instructions on this matter were carried out carefully, as the "compliance formulas" in verses 31 and 47 attest.  

Numbers 31 is another place where the numbers sometimes seem too large to be literal.  Michael Morales comments, "The fantastical nature of the figures may be informed by a symbolism or accounting code, as yet undiscerned, likely applicable to the census figures for Israel as well."  I agree with Morales that the important lessons to learn from the numbers are theological.  In particular, these numbers express God's grace and goodness, showing the extent to which he blessed Israel.  

This approach accords with the history of interpretation of such passages.  David M. Fouts states, "It was not until the Reformation that scholars began accepting the large numbers at face value. Throughout most of early Church history, scholars in general either withheld comment on the passages containing large numbers or interpreted them in a spiritualizing manner" ["A Defense of the Hyperbolic Interpretation of Large Numbers in the Old Testament," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 40, no. 3 (1997): 379–380.]

In addition to the donations to the tabernacle prescribed by God, an offering was given by the soldiers (vv 48-54).  This is another instance in which we are invited to compare the two generations of the Exodus.  The adults who left Egypt committed a serious sin at Mount Sinai in the golden calf incident.  After God graciously forgave the nation, they expressed their thanks in a generous offering for the building of the tabernacle (Exodus 35).  Analogously, the second generation had its own golden calf incident, the apostasy at Peor.  After God forgave the second generation, they too gave a generous offering.  

When the soldiers found out that no one was missing, they gave their offering "to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD" (verse 50).  The soldiers may have meant this in more than one sense.  To discover that there were no Israelite casualties in the battle, they had to do a count of their numbers, one not prescribed by God.  In such a situation an offering would be in order, as in Exodus 30:11-16).  In addition, the soldiers had been miraculously delivered, and an offering was appropriate for that reason too.  

This offering was "a memorial for the people of Israel before the LORD" (verse 54).  It would remind everyone of the judgment of Midian, which in some sense repaired the damage done in the Baal Peor incident.  It would remind them that God would be with them in the conquest of Canaan. 

Seder 127: Numbers 31----Taking Vengeance?

 In the wake of the Baal Peor incident, God instructs Moses, "Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites" (Num 31:2).  

In a sermon at Church of the Messiah on August 15, 2026, Kyle Kettering pointed out that the words "vengeance" and "avenge" carry negative connotations for us.  Even when we're righteously indignant about an injustice in the world, we should not carry out personal vengeance.  As God instructs the Israelites in Leviticus 19:18, "You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people."

Kyle pointed out that in the Bible, the words for "justice" and "vengeance" are related.  This is reflected in our English translations.  For example, the Greek word ekdikesis has God "inflicting vengeance" in 2 Thessalonians 1:8 and "giving justice" in Luke 18:7-8 in the ESV.  When God "takes vengeance" he brings justice, setting things right and vindicating the innocent.

But vengeance is something that is strictly God's prerogative.  "Vengeance is mine, I will repay," God says in Deuteronomy 32:35, a sentence later quoted in Romans 12:19.  As the psalmist often does, we can pray for justice and leave the matter in God's hands (Psalm 94:1-2, e.g.)

Seder 127: 2 Thessalonians 1---Vindication for the Persecuted

 In one of the beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Mt 5:10).  

The apostle Paul had a similar message for his congregations in Thessalonica, who had "received the word in much affliction" (1 Thes 1:6).  In this they were following in the footsteps of Jesus, Paul, and the prophets (Mt 5:11).  Some details about how this persecution began are given in Acts 17:1-9.  

At the beginning of his second letter to Thessalonica, Paul praises the Thessalonians for their growth in faith and love in the midst of persecution (1:3-4).  He then goes on to assure them that they will be vindicated at the judgment that will occur at Jesus' return (vv 5-10), and he prays that God would continue to work in them so that they would be found worthy of their calling (vv 11-12).  His praise and prayers for them also function as exhortations for them to continue growing in faith and love.  

Seder 126: A Parable About Psalm 105:38

 In recalling the Exodus, Psalm 105:38 says, "Egypt was glad when they departed, for dread of them had fallen upon it."

So, when the Israelites left Egypt, both they and the Egyptians were glad.  The midrash on Psalm 105 records a parable picturing this situation, attributed to Rabbi Berechiah.  In the parable a fat man rides on a donkey.  Both wonder when and how the man would get off the donkey, and both are relieved when he manages to do so.  It is this way when the Israelites depart from Egypt.

Brad H. Young mentions this parable as an example of the universal appeal of the genre in his introduction to a book on Jesus' parables seen in light of the parables of the sages.  This is just one of a number of parables contained in the Midrash on the Psalms.

Seder 126: Numbers 30---Keeping Faith in the Promised Land

 As the children of Israel prepare to enter the Promised Land in year 40 of their time in the wilderness, God emphasizes that it will be important for them to keep their word, as we read in Numbers 30:2:  "If a man vows a vow to the LORD or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word.  He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth."

In particular, the Israelites were to keep promises made to God.  Vows---formal promises made to God---were a common part of worship in that culture---see for example Num 29:39; Dt. 12:6, 11, 17, 26.  Commentator Micheal Morales explains that vows "were often used in order to intensify prayers of petition" (p. 354 of his Numbers 20-36 commentary).  A person would promise to make an offering if a prayer was answered.  Job 22:27 describes the usual process:  "You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you, and you will pay your vows."  

Similarly, David declares in Psalm 66:13-15:  "I will come into your house with burnt offerings; I will perform my vows to you, that which my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.  I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals, with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams; I will make an offering of bulls and goats.  Selah."  The offeror might accompany the offering with a public declaration of what God had done for him (verse 16).

In another typical scenario, a person is thankful for God's deliverance in some situation and makes a spontaneous promise at that point to present an offering.  

Since a vow was costly, there was a temptation not to follow through, which is probably why the Bible admonishes people who have made these voluntary commitments to keep them (Dt 23:21-23).  The Bible also praises those who make a promise "to their own hurt" and keep it (Ps 15:4). 

A vow did affect one's whole family, at least indirectly, and so a head of household in Israel had the authority to veto a vow, if this was done promptly.  Three cases are mentioned in Numbers 30:

• that of a young girl under the authority of her father (vv 3-5);
• that of a married woman who made a vow before she got married (vv 6-8) ---in this case, the husband can decide on the status of this vow when he first learns of it;
• that of an adult woman alone who had previously been married (vv 9-12); in this case, a vow made while the husband was alive would continue to have the same status after the marriage had ended by death or divorce.  

Morales sees a possible analogy between the three cases in Numbers 5-6 and these three cases.  The case in Numbers 30:3-5, like that of Numbers 5:5-10, deals with integrity on the level of general interpersonal relationships.  The second case in 30:6-8 deals with integrity in a marriage, as does Numbers 5:10-31.  The third case deals with integrity in one's relationship with God, as with the Nazirite vow in Numbers 6.  

Morales also looks at possible symbolic meanings of Numbers 30 on the level of Israel as God's bride.  For example, in Numbers 25 Israel makes a pledge to the Ba'al of Peor, but God nullifies that pledge through Phinehas.  God as Israel's husband may choose to bear Israel's guilt (verse 15) rather than give Israel the punishment it deserves for breaking its word to him.

Seder 125: Numbers 28-29---Questions about Some Numbers in these Lists

 The calendrical discussion of sacrifices in Numbers 28-29 repeats some things already revealed in scripture.  For example, the daily burnt offerings described in Numbers 28:3-8 were already announced in Exodus 29:38-42.  

On the other hand, these chapters assume previous revelation and do not feel a need to repeat everything.  For example, there is much in Leviticus 23 that is not repeated in Numbers 28-29.  

When we compare Leviticus 23 and Numbers 28-29, one question that arises involves a possible discrepancy between Numbers 28:27 and Leviticus 23:18, which both deal with Pentecost burnt offerings:  

• Lev 23:18---one bull, two rams, seven lambs;
• Num 28:27---two bulls, one ram, seven lambs.

Commentator Michael Morales says that this is "a discrepancy for which there is no satisfactory answer" (p 340 of his Numbers 20-36 commentary). One traditional answer asserts that these are two different slates of burnt offerings, and that both were to be carried out.  I am not sure, though, whether this was the practice followed at the tabernacle or temple.  

Much of Numbers 29 is taken up with the sacrifices for each day of the Feast of Tabernacles.  The numbers are often seen as symbolic.  Best known is the fact that the total number of bulls used for burnt offerings is 70, a number seen as symbolizing Israel's mission to the nations.

Morales mentions some additional Midrashic teaching about these numbers.  As the feast goes on, the number of bulls offered decreases by one each day.  According to one midrash, "the decrease in bulls relates to the decreased contrast between Israel and the nations, in terms of acknowledging and serving the one true God, as Israel fulfils their mission among them" (p. 345).  

Another tradition looks at the number 98, the total number of lambs in these special offerings.  Morales notes a tradition that the offering of the lambs was intended to guard Israel against 98 curses listed in Deuteronomy 28. 

Seder 124: Two Questions on Psalm 51:3-5

 Psalm 51, a prayer of repentance, was written by David when he was confronted by Nathan the prophet about his adultery with Bathsheba and his arranging the death of her husband Uriah (see 2 Sam 12).    

In a sermon at Church of the Messiah on July 25, 2026, Kyle Kettering discussed two questions raised by Psalm 51:3-5, where David acknowledges the fact that he has sinned greatly and has no excuse.  

The first question is from verse 4, where David confesses, "Against you, you only, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight."  What does David mean here?  Surely David also sinned against Bathsheba and Uriah.  There are a number of scriptures that speak of someone sinning against another person, including:

• Genesis 42:22, which speaks of Joseph's brothers sinning against him;
• 1 Samuel 2:25, which contrasts sinning against a man and sinning against God;
• Luke 15:21, where the prodigal son acknowledges sinning against both God and his father.

Kyle explained that David is saying, "Since it was your standard that I violated, however you decide to punish me will be appropriate."  As the king of Israel, he was accountable to the God of Israel for his behavior.  He had violated God's standards, not someone else's.  

A second, harder question is raised by verse 5.  In the ESV, this verse says, "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." This verse is often cited as a proof text for the Christian doctrine of original sin.  Kyle observed, however, that it is not necessarily a good idea to make a poetic text like a psalm carry a lot of weight in a theology debate.  (The key text on original sin is Romans 5, which is part of a theological discourse.)

Kyle went on to explain that there are other possible translations of verse 5.  One issue is the translation of chet, the Hebrew word for "sin" in this verse.  This is a word that usually means sin or impurity but can sometimes mean purity or cleanness.  A discussion of Jewish sages on this point is recorded in the Talmud in Niddah 31b, where a couple of examples are cited.  One is in Numbers 14:52, which is about the cleansing of a moldy house.  The other is Psalm 51:7 ("Purge me with hyssop ..."), just a couple of verses after the one in question.

With this information in mind, it follows that another possible translation of verse 5 could be, "Behold, I struggled with iniquity, but in purity my mother conceived me."  This translation has David taking full responsibility for what he has done---rather than saying original sin made him do it---which is consistent with the thrust of the psalm.

A lesson here, Kyle said, is that we should approach the biblical text with caution and humility to ensure, as much as possible, that we do not misrepresent it.  

Seder 123: Numbers 26-27, Joshua 17: Evidence of the Inheritance of Zelophehad's Daughters

 Preparation to distribute the land among the clans of Israel is one of the main topics in Numbers 26-36.  Commentator Michael Morales discusses two Hebrew words that appear repeatedly in these chapters.  

One of the words is achuzza, a word for a possession or holding.  The other is nachalah, a word for a holding that is passed down through inheritance.  

Both words appear in the case of Zelophehad's daughters, who ask for an achuzza in the land distributed to Zelophehad's brothers (Num 27:4).  God responds to their request by granting them an achuzza that is also a nachalah (verse 7).  They will be granted land that can be passed down to their descendants.  

The distribution of land to the tribe of Manasseh, including Zelophehad's daughters, is described in Joshua 17.  It appears that the clan of Hepher, to which Zelophehad belonged, would receive land west of the Jordan, while the other clans of Manasseh would receive land east of the Jordan.  The portion west of the Jordan was divided into ten portions, five of which would go to the daughters of Zelophehad (verses 5-6).  So the daughters were granted a large tract of land.  

It is interesting that evidence has been found corroborating the biblical account.  Dr. Aaron Demsky reports on evidence linking the names of the daughters with the region in which their possessions were located.  

The name Tirzah became attached to a town, apparently a Canaanite town that was renamed for her (Joshua 12:24).  This town was the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel until the building of Samaria (1 Ki 14:17; 15:21, 33; 16:6, 8, 9,15, 17, 23).  It is said to be lovely in Song 6:4.  Archaeologists have identified Tel el Far 'ah as its location.  

Demsky connects Mahlah with Abel-Meholah (Judges 7:22; 1 Ki 4:12; 19:16).  

In excavations at Samaria in 1910-12, 63 ostraca from the eighth century BC were found.  The ostraca mention seven clans of Manasseh.  Number 50 mentions Noah, and Hoglah is mentioned on numbers 45 and 47.

Seder 123: Numbers 27:3----Zelophehad "Died for his Own Sin"---What Sin?

 When the daughters of Zelophehad bravely brought their case to Moses, they defended their late father, noting that he had not been part of Korah's rebellion, but had "died for his own sin" (Num 27:3).  

Readers have often wondered what sin is being referenced in this passage.  One prominent midrash on this question proposes that Zelophehad was the man who gathered sticks on the Sabbath in Numbers 15:32-36.  Another suggests that he was one of those who engaged in an unauthorized and abortive military incursion against Amalekites and Canaanites shortly after God sentenced the nation to 38 more years in the wilderness (Num 14:39-45).  These traditions are discussed, for example, in the Babylonian Talmud (Shabbat 96b-97a).  

The textual hook that leads to both of these midrashim is the fact that the daughters said that their father died "in the wilderness" (Num 27:3).  The stick gatherer's rebellion also occurred "in the wilderness"(15:32), as did the events of Numbers 14 (see, for example, verses 29, 32, 33, 35).  

However, as commentators Sharon Rimon and Michael Morales point out, it's unlikely that Zelophehad committed either one of these sins.  The military venture of Numbers 14 occurred in the second year of Israel's time in the wilderness.  If Zelophehad had died then, his daughters would have been at least in their late thirties and early forties by year 40, when Numbers 27 took place.  From Numbers 36 it appears that none of the five were married by that point, which seems unlikely if they were 40 years old or older.  

The stick gatherer's sin took place at some unidentified point during the forty years, but it seems to be mentioned in Numbers 15 as an example of a rebellious or high-handed sin (verses 30-31).  The text emphasizes that those who committed such sins would be "utterly cut off" (verse 31), meaning that they would be put to death and their posterity would not be part of the covenant people.  If Zelophehad had been this man, his daughters would not have had a good case to possess some property in the Promised Land.  

Instead, Zelophehad's daughters were arguing that their father had not committed a rebellious sin.  He was not part of Korah's rebellion, they pointed out.  Instead, he was just an ordinary member of the older generation of Israelites that was sentenced to die in the wilderness (26:64).  God had declared that the children of those from this generation would inherit the Promised Land (Num 14:31).  Therefore, it would not be fair for there to be no piece of land associated with Zelophehad just because he had fathered daughters rather than sons. 

Seder 122: Numbers 25---Phinehas as a Type of Messiah

 When some Israelites were guilty of sexual immorality and idolatry at Shittim, Phinehas the priest decisively intervened to stop the rebellion and the resulting plague.  

God declared that Phinehas "was jealous with my jealousy," embodying God's desire for an exclusive relationship with his people (Num 25:11).  He represented God well, in contrast to what Moses and Aaron had done at Meribah (Num 20:12).  

God reaffirmed with Phinehas the covenant he had made with the priesthood.  Not all of the high priests would be descendants of Phinehas, but priests from his line eventually would dominate the high priesthood.  Zadok, for example, was a high priest under Solomon (1 Chr 6:1-15; 49-53).  Ezra was a priest from this line (Ezra 7:1-5).  It is Zadokite priests who serve at the Temple in Ezekiel's vision (Ezek 44:15; 48:11).  

God calls his covenant with Phinehas a "covenant of peace" (Num 25:12).  Phinehas' zealous actions had brought peace between God and his people, making atonement for Israel's breach of the covenant (verse 13).  

Christians see Phinehas as a type of Jesus the Messiah.  The prophesied new covenant, under which Israel is ruled by the Messiah, is also called a covenant of peace (Ezek 34:23-25; 37:24-28), and Paul refers to Jesus as "our peace" (Eph 2:14).  While Phinehas the priest made atonement with a spear, Jesus was pierced to make atonement for us and serves now as the High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary (Heb 7:25). 

 In a sermon at Church of the Messiah on July 11, 2026, Kyle Kettering carried out a detailed comparison between Phinehas and Jesus, thinking in particular of Jesus' cleansing of the Temple in John 2:13-22.  

There are a number of parallels between the details of Numbers 25 and John 2.  In both cases 

• there is immorality in the sanctuary precincts.
• a public act of zeal is carried out.
• a weapon is used.
• the protagonist receives a priesthood.  
• the zealous action is criticized. 

The last point is not as obvious as the others.  We know that Jesus received criticism (Jn 2:18-22), but Phinehas is not criticized in the Bible.  However, a tradition recorded in Numbers Rabbah pictures Phinehas being attacked by Simeonites for his actions, with an angel intervening to protect Phinehas.  

There are also parallels in the outcomes of their zealous actions.  Both carried out atonement and acted self-sacrificially.  Their actions send the message that immorality associated with God's Name requires action.  The righteous must stand as lions before the wicked.  In this connection, Kyle quoted Proverbs 25:26:  "Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked."

Seder 121: Numbers 25---Was Phinehas a Vigilante?

 At the end of their 40 years in the wilderness, the Israelites camped just east of the Jordan River "from Beth-jeshimoth as far as Abel-Shittim in the plains of Moab" (Num 33:49).  During their stay there, the nearby Moabites and Midianites, at the instigation of Balaam (Num 31:15-16), induced some Israelite men to commit adultery and idolatry with "the daughters of Moab" (Num 25:2).  A deadly plague ensued in which many Israelites died before Phinehas took decisive action, executing two of the offenders with a spear (verses 7-8).  

Phineas is strongly praised in the Bible for his actions (Num 25:10-13; Ps 106:28-31).  Still, some readers have accused him of being a vigilante, taking the law into his own hands.  A closer look at the biblical text refutes any such claim.  

First, we should remember that Phinehas was the son of Eleazar (Num 25:7), the current high priest after the death of Aaron (Num 20:22-29).  When Aaron was high priest, Eleazar had been a sort of chief of security.  According to Numbers 3:32, Eleazar "was to be chief over the chiefs of the Levites, and to have oversight of those who kept guard over the sanctuary."  Verse 38 adds that "any outsider who came near was to be put to death."  One reason that Eleazar had this job, rather than Aaron himself, was that the high priest was shielded from contact with death and corpse impurity as much as possible (Lev 21:11-12).  It was presumably for similar reasons that Eleazar supervised the preparation of the ashes of the red heifer while Aaron was high priest (Num 19:3-4).  

When Eleazar became high priest, his previous responsibilities, including the position of security chief would have been passed on to Phinehas.  Phinehas was the one in charge of keeping inappropriate visitors away from the tabernacle area, so dealing with Zimri and Cozbi was part of his job.  

Second, Phinehas acted in accordance with God's instructions for dealing with the idolaters.  God had directed Moses to organize some "chiefs" or "judges" to execute the idolaters (Num 25:4-5).  They were to be hung or impaled. As chief of security, Phinehas would have been one of those chiefs, and he dealt with the offenders in the manner in which God had specified.  

Phinehas, then, provides no precedent for the actions of would-be vigilantes.  He is, however, an example of carrying out one's responsibilities faithfully.  

Seder 120: Numbers 23:27-24:2---Turning Curse into Blessing

 After two unsuccessful attempts to influence God to curse the Israelites, King Balak of Moab and Balaam the diviner/sorcerer were not yet ready to give up.  Balak decided to try one more location---"the top of Peor, which overlooks the desert" (Nu 23:28).  Rashi proposed that Balak might have chosen this location because he sensed that the Israelites would run into trouble related to it (see Numbers 25)  

Again, they set up seven altars for the sacrifice of seven bulls and seven rams (verse 29).  No expense would be spared in their efforts to persuade God to change his mind, despite what God had said already about that (verses 19-20).  

Balaam decided to try a different approach this time.  Instead of seeking to interpret omens, he "set his face toward the wilderness" (24:1).  Commentator Michael Morales speculates that this time Balaam wanted to avoid contact with God and hoped to just curse Israel.  In support of his proposal, he points to the wording of verse 1, observing that in the book of Ezekiel, one "sets one's face" before giving a prophecy of doom about some nation (Eze 6:2; 13:17; 20:46; 21:2; 25:2; 28:21; 29:2; 35:2; 38:2).  This phrase in Numbers 24:1 may signal that Balaam intended to prophecy against Israel.  

In any case, God did not allow Balaam to utter curses.  Instead, he overpowered Balaam with his Spirit and forced Balaam to pronounce more blessings upon Israel.  As we read elsewhere, God turned Balaam's curses into blessings (Dt 23:5; Josh 24:10; Neh 13:1-3).  

Seder 119: Numbers 22---Some Clues for Evaluating Balaam

 Balaam, the renowned ancient diviner/sorcerer, is one of the most enigmatic figures in the Bible.  On the one hand, his oracles bless the Israelites and present important prophecies.  On the other hand, he later helped the Midianites to tempt a number of Israelites to commit sexual immorality and idolatry in the infamous incident at Baal Peor (Num 25:1-9; 31:16).

Commentator Michael Morales observes that ancient Jewish and Christian evaluations of Balaam are thoroughly negative, recognizing Balaam as one motivated primarily by greed (2 Pe 2:15-16; Jude 11; Pirke Avot 5:19).  Some more recent interpreters are kinder to Balaam, seeing him as a Gentile follower of the God of Israel who succumbed to temptation and fell away.  

Morales argues that a close reading of the text supports the ancients.  He brings up a number of telling points supporting a negative assessment of Balaam.  

First, consider what the Bible tells us about Balaam's occupation. Joshua describes him as "the one who practiced divination" (Josh 13:22), meaning that interpreted omens in order to predict the future.  This is an activity forbidden by the Torah (Dt 18:9-14), not one in which a true follower of God would engage.

Second, the narrator casts doubt upon the idea that Balaam has a relationship with the God of Israel, despite the fact that Balaam knows the name of the God of Israel (Num 22:8).  In the exchange between God and Balaam in Numbers 22:9-12, the narrator uses Elohim to refer to God, rather than his covenant name.  Verse 9 begins, "And God came to Balaam and said ..."  This is the same language used in Genesis when God comes to pagans at night and warns them not to harm his representatives (Ge 20:3; 31:24)

A third piece of evidence is Balaam's consistent desire to curse Israel.  After God makes his position on this issue unequivocally clear, Balaam fails to communicate this to Balak's envoys (Num 22:13-14).  Would a true follower of the God of Israel want Israel to be cursed?

Balaam makes some statements that sound pious on the surface, especially verse 18:  "Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the LORD my God to do less or more."  

Here we should realize that disclaimers of this type were probably part of Balaam's usual sales pitch to potential clients.  When a customer came to Balaam asking him to curse nation X, this was really a request that Balaam persuade the god of nation X to curse nation X.  Balaam would probably acknowledge that in order for him to carry out such a request, the god of nation X would have to sign off on it.  Therefore, this wasn't really up to him.  He could only do what the god of nation X allowed, whoever that god was.  Numbers 22:18 does not imply that Balaam was a faithful follower of the God of Israel.  In fact, he hopes that he can persuade God to change his mind, as we see in verse 19 and throughout the rest of the narrative.  Again, this is not something that a follower of God would desire.

Seder 118: Numbers 21---New Generation, New Attitude

 In Numbers 21 we can observe some ways in which the younger generation of Israelites differs from the older generation who were adults when they departed from Egypt 39 years before.  While the first generation feared the giants in the region (Num 13:31-33), their children were able to trust God and take them on in battle (see Dt 3:11).  The camp began to operate in a way resembling the ideal picture described in Numbers 10, traveling in the region east of the Jordan and winning battle after battle.  

While the older generation had complained about its dietary options in year 2 of the journey (Num 11), their children were willing to sacrifice in order to reach the Promised Land.  When the king of Arad took some Israelites captive (21:1), the Israelites "vowed a vow to the LORD and said, "If you will indeed give this people into my hand, then I will devote their cities to destruction' "(21:2).  

The Israelites were willing to forgo the spoils of war in order to rescue the captives, reminding us of Abraham in Genesis 14.  Commentator Michael Morales observes that here the Israelites "are beginning to devote themselves to God, following the exemplary Nazirite path." We can contrast the new generation's victory at Hormah (21:3) with the older generations defeat in that region (14:39-45).  

Impatient to proceed to the Promised Land, the new generation still did some grumbling, but not as much as their parents.  The last wilderness "grumbling incident" recorded in Numbers is in 21:4-9.

Seder 117: Ezekiel 20:25---What Do You Mean, "Statutes that were not good..."?

 Ezekiel 20 takes place "in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month."  Commentator Ralph Alexander (EBC) estimates that this date is in July or August of 591 BC.  At this point some elders of Israel came to Ezekiel to "inquire of the Lord" (verse 1).  Alexander speculates that they may have been wondering whether the Egyptians would be able to deliver them from Nebuchadnezzar's dominance.  

Whatever the question, God refuses to dignify it with an answer.  Through Ezekiel, he reminds them of Israel's long history of rebellion,  going all the way back to the nation's sojourn in Egypt.  It is revealed, for example, that one reason for the length of that sojourn was the sin of idolatry (verses 7-8).  

Israel's disobedience, God declares, continued during its wilderness years.  As a result, "I gave them statutes that were not good and rules by which they could not have life" (verse 25).  

What does God mean here?  Sadly, as commentator Daniel Block explains, there have been Christian interpreters, starting with Justin Martyr in the second century (see Dialogue with Trypho, chapters 18-22), who gave an antinomian reading of this verse. By this reading, God gave Israel "bad laws" after the sin of the golden calf as a punishment.  

An examination of Ezekiel 20 shows some immediate problems with this sort of interpretation.  Whatever these "bad laws" were, they did not include the Torah revealed at Sinai, which was a blessing intended to lead to abundant life (see Lev 18:5, quoted in verses 11, 13, 21).  Also, these bad laws were given a generation later, to the children of those who were rescued from Egypt (verse 21).  

There seems to be a clue to the meaning of verse 25 in the frequent references to idolatry in the prophecy, including child sacrifice (verse 26; see e.g., Lev 18:21).  God may mean in verse 25 that he "gave Israel over" to such practices to allow them to suffer the consequences and be brought to repentance.  That is the kind of interpretation given, for example, by Walter C. Kaiser in Hard Savings of the Bible.  This kind of language is used in a number of places in the Bible (Ps 81:12; Acts 7:42; Ro 1:24-25). 

Seder 117: Numbers 20:8---"Take the Staff"--Which One? Why?

 When we turn the page to Numbers 20, the years of Israel's sojourn in the wilderness have flown by.  The rest of the book of Numbers takes place in year 40 of the nation's time in the wilderness.  Most of Israel's older generation has died, and a new generation looks forward to completing the journey to the Promised Land.  When that new generation complains to Moses and Aaron (20:2-5), they are looking forward to "grain or figs or vines or pomegranates" (verse 5), not backward to garlic, leeks, fish, and melons (11:5).  

God instructs Moses and Aaron to honor Israel's request for water:  "Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water.  So you shall bring the water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle" (verse 8).  

It's natural to compare this incident with one almost 39 years before, when the parents of these Israelites had recently crossed the Red Sea and were on their way to Sinai.  In that case God directed Moses to strike a rock with his staff, at which point water would come from the rock (Ex 17:6).  This time Moses was to speak to a rock, not strike it.

So what role was the staff to play in this case?  In answering this question, we should first note that the staff in Numbers 20:8 is probably different from the one in Exodus 17:6.  The staff in Numbers 20:8, which Moses takes "from before the Lord" (verse 9), is Aaron's staff that had budded and was subsequently placed next to the ark of the covenant as a sign for the people (Nu 17:10).

After Moses grabbed this staff, he may have handed it to Aaron.  This staff pointed to God as the source of life.  In this case, it would help communicate to the people that God was their faithful provider and would give them the water they needed.  He had not abandoned them in the wilderness; instead, he was working through Moses and Aaron to bring them into the land.  

Commentator Michael Morales proposes that the staff with which Moses struck the rock in Numbers 20:10 was his own staff, the one he had also used to strike the rock in Exodus 17.  In losing his temper and striking the rock in this case, Moses misrepresented God, who was not angry with this new generation of Israelites.  God wanted the new generation to know that he was their source of life, as symbolized by Aaron's staff.  Instead, Moses was sending a message with his own staff that the nation deserved to be judged.

Seder 117: On the Placement and Timing of Numbers 19

 In the religion of ancient Israel, one of the most serious kinds of ritual impurity resulted from contact with a human corpse.  While contact with a dead animal resulted in a minor impurity (Lev 11:31, 39) that only lasted "until the evening," contact with a human corpse was more serious.  During Israel's time in the wilderness, those who had had such contact were temporarily excluded from the camp (Num 5:2).  The high priest was to avoid it, even for the sake of close relatives (Lev 21:10-11).  It prevented a person from participating in Passover at the usual time (Num 9:6).  One who encountered a corpse during a Nazirite vow had to start the vow over again after a cleansing period of a week (Num 6:9-12).  

The ritual procedure for dealing with corpse impurity is laid out in Numbers 19.  It involves the application of a special mixture of living water and ashes of a red heifer on days 3 and 7 of a 7-day period.   

There seem to be allusions to this procedure in the Torah prior to Numbers 19.  The fact that a Nazirite's cleansing from corpse impurity requires a week (Num 6:9) is one.  When the Levites were set apart for service, the "water of purification" was sprinkled on them.  Presumably this is the mixture described in Numbers 19.  These allusions imply that the procedure in Numbers 19 was revealed to Moses at Mount Sinai and presumably used throughout Israel's time in the wilderness.   

The placement of the description of this procedure in Numbers 19, rather than in Leviticus 11-15 or earlier in Numbers, seems to be designed to communicate a message.  In the book of Numbers, chapter 19 is located between the story of the first generation of the Exodus (up through year 39 in the wilderness) and the story of the new generation that completes the journey to the Promised Land.  Many people died during those years in the wilderness, but the nation was cleansed and renewed in preparation for the completion of the journey.

Seder 116: Numbers 18---Priest and Levites: Gifts and Responsibilities

 While "take" is a significant word in Numbers 16, "give" and "gift" are key words in Numbers 18 (see verses 6, 8, 11-12, 21, 26).  God "gave" the rest of the tribe of Levi to the priests, and Israel's tithes and offerings to the Levites and priests, in return for their service.  This relationship between God and the priests was a lasting one, a "covenant of salt" (verse 19; cf. Jer 33:21-22).  

So the priests and Levites received extensive gifts, and they also had weighty responsibilities.  In the camp of Israel the tribe of Levi was a kind of buffer, even a "lightning rod," between God's presence and the people (Num 1:53; 8:19; 18:21-22).  Within the tribe of Levi, the priests were responsible for making sure that the rest of the tribe of Levi did not come to harm by coming in too close a contact with the tabernacle and its holy objects (Num 4:18-20; 18:1-5).  

With Exodus 19 in mind, Peter refers to Christians as "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession (1 Pe 2:9).  It is natural, then, to ask about what responsibilities go with this priesthood.  Peter states that its purpose is for these priests to "proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

Kyle Kettering discussed the responsibilities of priests in a sermon at Church of the Messiah on May 30, 2026.  He noted that the expansion of priesthood to people from nations beyond Israel was prophesied in Isaiah 66:19-21, backing up Peter's assertion.  

He observed that in Israel 

• the priests/Levites served as intermediaries.
• they were chosen for this role.
• the role came with responsibilities for the behavior of others.
• they risked danger on behalf of others.

Surveying a number of passages on priestly responsibilities, Kyle explained that priests need to  

• study (Neh 8:13)
• learn
• listen to God.
• instruct (Dt 24:8; Hosea 6:4-6)
• judge.
• uphold the holiness of God (Zeph 3:4)
• make distinctions (Eze 22:26)
• remember Torah
• guard knowledge (Mal 2:7)

A major challenge of our priesthood is to help those who have strayed from the right path to get back on track (1 John 5:!6; James 5:19-20; Gal 6:1-2).  

Seder 115: Numbers 16:26 and Psalm 84:10---Avoiding the Tents of the Wicked

 In dealing with the rebellion of Dathan and Abiram, Moses directs the people, "Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be swept away with all their sins" (Nu 16:26).  Dathan and Abiram soon were to be put to death, and only those who chose to stand with them would die with them. 

Dathan and Abiram were swallowed up by the ground (verse 32) along with fellow rebel leader Korah (Nu 26:10).  But Korah's sons were spared (26:11).

Later, in the time of King David, descendants of Korah's sons composed a number of Psalms, including Psalm 84.  There is a possible allusion to Numbers 16:26 in Psalm 84:10, which seems to highlight a lesson the family learned from Korah's rebellion:  

"For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.  I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness."

Korah desired the priesthood, and his selfish ambition cost him his life.  Would that he had been content with the privileges he had been given as a Levite, as Moses had urged (Nu 16:8-11).  The rebellion and its tragic outcome were recalled by his descendants, who recorded for us an important lesson from these events in Psalm 84:10 (HT:  Doug Dudis).

Seder 115: Numbers 16---Lots of Taking Going On

 The Hebrew text of Numbers 16:1 says that Korah "took," without giving an object for the verb.  Many of our English translations say that Korah took men, which makes sense in context since Korah led a group of 250 prominent Israelites.  Some translations say that he took action, which is also true.  He also took "words" and "the hearts of the people."   

The fact that no object is supplied for "took" in Numbers 16:1 prompts the reader to think about what Korah took and whether he should have been taking it.  

The same verb shows up again later in the chapter.  Since Korah and his followers desire more in the way of priestly privileges, Moses directs them to take censers and prepare to offer incense (verses 6, 17-18).  So another possibility for what Korah might have taken in verse 1 is a censer.  This would go along with Korah's priestly ambitions.  

Moses, meanwhile, resents the false accusations that the rebels are making against him.  He denies taking anything from any of them (verse 15).

Finally, in verse 47 it is Aaron who "took," again without any object given.  In this case it is clear that Aaron took a censer and spread incense in the camp, interceding for the Israelites who were dying from a plague caused by their rebellion.  Ironically, he saved the lives of people who claimed that he and Moses were killing the people (verse 41).  Rather than selfishly take things as Korah did, he bravely took up his censer in the service of God and the Israelites.  

Seder 115: Numbers 16 and Genesis 4---Korah Raises Cain

 In his commentary on Numbers, Michael Morales points out some important parallels between Numbers 16 and Genesis 4.  In both chapters, a firstborn son is jealous of a relative, feeling slighted over a matter of worship.  

In Genesis 4, Cain is jealous of his brother Abel after Abel presents an acceptable sacrifice (Hebrew minchah) to God and Cain presents an unacceptable one.  

In Numbers 16, Korah is jealous because he has been passed over for the priesthood, the leadership of the clan of Kohath, and leadership of Israel.  Genealogical information in Exodus 6:16-22 supports this conclusion.  We see in Exodus 6 that Aaron was the first son of Kohath's firstborn son Amram, while Korah was the first son of Kohath's second son Izhar.  But Elzaphan, second son of Kohath's fourth son Uzziel, was placed over the clan of Kohath in the Israelite camp instead of Korah (Nu 3:30). 

One striking verbal parallel between the Genesis 4 and Numbers 16 involves the ground "opening up."  In Genesis 4:11, the ground opens up to receive the blood of Abel, who has been murdered by Cain.  In Numbers 16:32, the ground opens up to swallow a group of rebels that may include Korah (see also Num 26:9-10).

The parallels between Numbers 16 and Genesis 4 may help explain Numbers 16:15, where Moses prays, "Do not respect their offering," referring to Korah and the group of 250 leaders he represents.  In this verse, the Hebrew word for "offering" is again minchah, as in Genesis 4:3-4.   Moses recognizes in Korah and his followers the jealous, murderous spirit of Cain, and so he believes that Korah's offering, like Cain's, should not be accepted.

Seder 114: Numbers 15:32-36---The Sabbath Gatherer

 The events recorded in Numbers 13-14 take place in the middle of year 2 of Israel's time in the wilderness.  By chapter 20, we are at the beginning of year 40.  Only a handful of events from the intervening years are described in the biblical narrative.  

One is the episode of the "Sabbath gatherer" described briefly in Numbers 15:32-36.  The wording and placement of this incident in the text can help us learn some lessons from it.  

First, note that those who confronted the man for his sin "brought him to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation," wording similar to Numbers 13:26, where the leaders who had visited the land brought back their report.  The similarity in wording invites us to compare Israel's responses to the two incidents.

In Numbers 13-14, Israelites are led astray by the bad report of ten of the leaders.  Many would like to return to Egypt, rejecting God's deliverance and his covenant.  Some call for Moses to be stoned to death and replaced by a new leader.  

On the other hand, the Israelites in Numbers 15 seem to have learned a lesson.  Instead of turning against Moses, they are zealous for the teachings of Moses.  Instead of being led astray by sinners, they root sin out of their midst.  Instead of calling for the stoning of Moses, they stone the violator.  

Second, this incident is mentioned in Numbers 15 immediately after a warning about defiant sins, suggesting that the man's sin fell into that category.  The word for "gathering" in Numbers 15:32, qasas, is an uncommon one in the Bible, appearing elsewhere in the Torah only in Exodus 5:7, 12.  The verses in Exodus are about Israelite slaves in Egypt being forced to gather straw to make bricks.  The similarity in wording invites us to compare the gatherer's activity with that of the earlier slaves.  

The Sabbath commandment that the gatherer was violating is an important sign of the covenant (Ex 31).  By openly gathering instead of resting on the Sabbath, the man was showing, in effect, that he preferred slavery in Egypt to being in covenant with the God who had delivered him from Egypt.  And since the Sabbath also pointed forward to a coming spiritual rest in the land (Heb 4), the man's actions implied a rejection of the land and that future rest.  These things help explain why the man was executed.  He was not someone who had slipped up and accidentally violated the Sabbath.  Instead, he was someone who was rejecting God and opting out of his covenant and Israel's divine calling.  

Third, the placement of the incident shortly after Numbers 13-14 suggests that the gatherer be seen as a representative of the older generation of Israelites who refused to enter the Promised Land.  In contrast, the younger generation was more anxious to get there.  

We can illustrate this contrast with a Jewish tradition about the unnamed gatherer.  It was suggested by Rabbi Akiva that the man was Zelophehad, one of the older generation who had "died for his own sin" in the wilderness (Nu 27:3).  His daughters, part of the younger generation of Israelites, were eager to inherit property in the Promised Land.

Seder 113: Numbers 14:22---"...these ten times"

 On the journey from Egypt to Mount Sinai, God showed great patience with the Israelites, who understandably had difficulties adjusting to life in the wilderness as a nation with no fixed address.  But when the Israelites continued complaining after a year at Sinai, he imposed appropriate disciplinary measures.  

By his point God had done many mighty works on their behalf, and they were accountable for what they had experienced. These were people, he said, "who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice" (Num 14:22).  

This is one of several instances in the Bible where a reference is made to someone doing something "ten times" (see Ge 31:7, 41; Neh 4:12; Job 19:3).  This is a figure of speech that expresses the idea of someone doing something repeatedly.  So in Numbers 14:22, it wasn't that God was stating the results of a precise tally of Israelite faithlessness.  He was pointing out that the complaints went on continually and showed no signs of letting up.    

But since the biblical narrative mentions lots of examples, it's not surprising that lists of ten items have been compiled with examples that are recorded in the text. Here is one such list:

1. The complaints on the banks of the Red Sea in Exodus 14:11-12.
2. The grumbling about bitter water in Exodus 15:24.
3. The grumbling about lack of food in Exodus 16:2-3.
4. Trying to save up manna overnight--on a day other than Friday--in Exodus 16:19-20.
5.  Trying to gather manna on the Sabbath in Exodus 16:27.
6. Grumbling about lack of water at Rephidim in Exodus 17:2-3.
7. The golden calf (Exodus 32).
8. Complaints at Taberah in Numbers 11:1-3.
9. Demands for meat in Numbers 11:4-6.
10. Calls to appoint a new leader and return to Egypt in Numbers 14.1-4.

Seder 112: Numbers 13-14---Caleb and Hebron

The journey from Sinai was proceeding slowly.  Moses had his eyes set on the good (tov in Hebrew) awaiting them in the Promised Land, but too many of the people were focused on perceived negative aspects of their situation (ra in Hebrew).  The camp apparently spent a month at Kibroth-Hataavah and an extra week at Hazeroth.  The overall mindset of the group would have to change for progress to Canaan to be possible.     

So it was worth it for Israel to stay put for another 40 days while a group of 12 tribal leaders took a tour of the Promised Land.  If they could communicate to the group the attractions of the land, the people's minds could be changed.  

One of those attractions was the nearby town of Hebron, where Abraham had spent much time, and where the patriarchs and matriarchs were buried at Machpelah.  The idea of returning to the place where the bones of their ancestors lay had the potential to capture the imaginations of the Israelites.  

Jewish tradition (e.g., b. Sotah 34b) says that this potential was realized for just one of the scouts---Caleb.  The tradition is based on a couple of biblical passages.  One is Numbers 14:24, where God promises that Caleb's descendants would possess the land "into which he went."  Caleb later was granted Hebron (Joshua 14:6-15).  

The other is Numbers 13:22, where the Hebrew says that "they went up into the Negev, and he came to Hebron."  The conclusion is that "he" refers to Caleb, perhaps the only one of the group who bothered to visit Machpelah.  

Seder 111: Numbers 11---A Divinely-Hosted, Punitive Banquet

 Shortly after the Israelites began their journey from Mount Sinai to Canaan, some Israelites began demanding meat to relieve the monotony of their diet (Num 11:4-6).  The complaints were driven by lust rather than need, but those complaints quickly escalated.  

Seeing disaster on the horizon, Moses' interceded on behalf of the people and asked for help (vv 11-15).  In answer to this plea for assistance, God instructed Moses to tell the people, "Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat..." (v 18).  

These instructions remind us of Exodus 19:10-11, where God commanded that the people be consecrated in preparation for his appearance at Sinai on the third day.  In this case, God would be hosting a sort of banquet for the Israelites, providing the meat for which many had been clamoring.  

God went on to say that this banquet had a special purpose.  He would give them meat for a month so that they would eventually get sick of it and realize the error in their lustful ways (vv 19-20).  

Marveling at the extent of the complaining in the camp, Moses wondered whether all the meat in the world would satisfy the people's cravings.  God assured him, though, that he had matters under control (vv 21-23).  

The meat came in the form of quail that fell around the camp.  In a kind of frenzy the people hurried to gather as much as they could (vv 31-32).  Verse 33 reports, "While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD struck down the people with a very great plague."

Commentator Michael Morales explains that here God was not tricking the Israelites, inviting them to eat and then zapping them when they tried to do so.  Psalm 78:29-31 pictures the plague coming before they had finished eating but after they had already had plenty to eat.  In addition, it is likely that the people had not really "consecrated themselves" for the occasion.  Targum Pseudo-Jonathan says that they did not give thanks for the food.  

The location of the banquet became known as Kibroth-Hataavah  ("graves of craving") because of those who died from the plague.

Seder 110: Numbers 10-11---A Jarring Transition

 The first ten chapters of Numbers describe the organization of the Camp of Israel and Israel's preparations to depart from Mount Sinai.  An ideal picture is presented of the camp, which is modeled after God's heavenly camp.  Each tribe---indeed, each individual---contributed to the group effort and had a place in the camp.  With God in their midst, the camp was to be ritually and morally pure, as taught in Numbers 5-6.  

These chapters of Numbers also describe how the Israelites would break camp and travel.  The tribes, grouped into four groups of three tribes each, would arrange themselves in a set order.  The tribe of Levi was in charge of taking down, transporting, and then setting up the tabernacle in a new location.  

The nation would know where and when to travel by following the guidance of the divine Cloud that accompanied them (Nu 9:15-23).  More detailed direction would be provided by the priests through signals given by holy silver trumpets.  

The camp departed from Sinai early in the second year of the Exodus, on the twentieth day of the second month.  Their jubilant and orderly departure is described in Numbers 10, which pictures their travel as a kind of liturgical procession or victory march.  

After the beautiful ideal picture of Numbers 1-10, we start to read about the realities of Israel's wilderness journey in Numbers 11.  The nation leaves Sinai with the same set of problems which they brought there.  Complaints soon begin, then spread and escalate.  God, who had dealt patiently with the traumatized former slaves in the early stages of the Exodus, now imposes firmer discipline (Nu 11:1-3). 

Moses, who had been looking forward optimistically to Israel's arrival in the Promised Land, is shocked by what transpires.  Complaints are growing, putting the Israelites on a course for disaster.  He is at a loss to know how he can change the hearts of the people, which is what is needed to put the journey back on track.  And so he turns to God, asking for help.  He confesses his dilemma and reminds God of his promises and his ultimate responsibility for the project (Nu 11:10-15).

Passover 2026: Isaiah 53:10: "When His Soul Makes an Offering for Guilt"

"When his soul makes an offering for guilt," we read in Isaiah 53:10, part of Isaiah's famous Suffering Servant prophecy.  The word for "offering for guilt" is asam, the name for one of the kinds of sacrifices offered at the tabernacle or temple.

Scholars today, following Jacob Milgrom, often refer to this type of sacrifice as a reparation offering.  Most English translations use "trespass offering" (KJV) or "guilt offering" for this kind of offering, but there are some variations.  CEB uses "compensation offering" and HCSB uses "restitution offering."  

In chapter 3 of The Gospel According to Isaiah 53, Walter Kaiser notes that a reparation offering is usually offered by an individual and makes sure that a debt is paid in full.  These qualities are appropriate for the sacrifice offered by the Messiah for the sins of mankind.   

Reparation offerings were called for in cases of "desecration of sancta"---that is, when something holy had been mishandled or mistreated (Lev 5:14-6:7).  One example would be a situation where someone accidentally ate food that had been set aside for the Levitical priests (Lev 22:14).  In that case, one would bring a reparation offering and make reimbursement for the food, adding a fine of 20 per cent.  

Another example was a situation where a Nazirite accidentally came in contact with a dead body (Num 6:9-12).  In that situation the holy thing that had been defiled was the Nazirite's hair, which was being prepared for an offering at the completion of the vow.  

A third example was a situation where one person robbed another and then came to regret it and wanted to make things right (Lev 6:1-7).  Here the thing that had been violated was a fellow Israelite, one of God's holy people.  In this case the stolen amount was restored along with a 20 per cent fine, and a reparation offering was carried out.  

A fourth example was the reinstatement to the Israelite community of a person who had been suffering from a skin disease.  The skin disease had desecrated a member of God's holy nation.  The ritual carried out in this case (Lev 14:12-18), which involved sprinkling of blood, restored the person to the "kingdom of priests." 

More broadly, Israel's exile was a desecration of Israel.  The Servant offered himself as a reparation offering so that Israel could be restored to the holy status of God's servant.  

In Isaiah 53:8, God says that the Servant was "stricken for the transgression of my people."  The word for "stricken" appears 78 times in the Old Testament, 61 of them in Leviticus 13-14, the chapters on skin diseases.  The prophecy pictures the Servant becoming a "leper" for the sake of the people.  Its references to the marred appearance of the Servant (52:14; 53:2-3) are consistent with such a picture.

Another detail that could tie in is in Isaiah 52:15, which says that the Servant will "sprinkle many nations."  As mentioned above, the ritual for restoring a person healed of a skin disease involved sprinkling of blood.  Overall, the prophecy pictures the Servant as both leper and offering for the leper, making atonement for "leprous" nations.

Passover 2026: Isaiah 52:13-53:12 and the Gospel

 The "suffering servant" prophecy in Isaiah 52:13-53:12, with its picture of substitutionary atonement, is foundational for Christianity.  

The Gospels indicate that this prophecy shaped Jesus' self-understanding.  In Luke 22:37, Jesus says that Isa 53:12, which describes the servant as "numbered among the transgressors," would be fulfilled in him.  Earlier that same evening he explained to his disciples that the wine of one of the cups of Passover represented "my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Mt 26:28).  Here his language also reflects Isaiah 53:!2, which says that the servant "poured out his soul to death" and "bore the sin of many."

Jesus' disciples initially resisted the idea that he, the Messiah, would be put to death in Jerusalem (Mt 16:13-23), but they came to understand that Jesus indeed would be the suffering servant.  Peter, who protested against this idea when he first heard it, later held up Jesus' example of sacrificial love as one for his disciples to emulate, using Isaiah 53 (1 Pe 2:18-25).  In verse 22, Peter quotes Isaiah 53:9 ("there was no deceit in his mouth") in reference to Jesus.  He makes several more allusions to Isaiah 53 in the ensuing verses.  

Matthew sees Jesus' healing ministry as a fulfillment of Isaiah 53:4 (Mt 8:14-17).

Many people have come to faith in Jesus the Messiah through the powerful words of Isaiah 53.  One example from the first century is the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8.  Philip uses Isaiah 53 to explain the Gospel to the eunuch and lead him to baptism (Ac 8:26-40).  

Paul recognized in Isaiah 52:!5 a prophecy of the Gospel going to the nations (Romans 15:21.).  John and Paul both saw in Isaiah 53:1 the fact that there would also be resistance to that revolutionary message (John 12:38; Rom 10:16).  Paradoxically, Jesus' being "lifted up" on the cross would be an exaltation and a victory (Isa 52:14; John 12:32).  

I recommend the book The Gospel According to Isaiah 53 for more on the amazing message of the Suffering Servant.

Seder 109: Shedding Light on Numbers 8:1-4

 The beginning of chapter 8 of Numbers records instructions from God that Moses is to relay to Aaron:

"Speak to Aaron and say to him, When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand" (verse 2).  

Once the lamps were lit, they illuminated the bread of the presence on the adjacent table.  Michael Morales observes that this is sort of a visual representation of the Aaronic blessing.   Through the mediation of the high priest, God's face (represented by the menorah) shines on the twelve tribes, represented by the bread of the presence.  So the light from the menorah represents God's blessing of the nation and the work of the high priest on behalf of the nation.    

It is interesting to ask why this particular instruction to Aaron is mentioned at this particular juncture in the narrative.  After all, similar instruction about the menorah has already been given in Exodus 27:20-21 and Lev 24:1-4.  

One answer is that Numbers 8:1-4 is a natural follow up to the gifts of the tribes to the Levites and the altar described in Numbers 7.  The oil for the lamp is an ongoing gift from all the tribes to the work of the tabernacle, so Numbers 8:1-4 is connected to Numbers 7.  

On the other hand, the menorah passage is followed by a description of the cleansing of the Levites in the rest of Numbers 8, so verses 1-4 fits right into a discussion of the work of the tribe of Levi on behalf of the nation.  Numbers 8:1-4 is a sort of "hinge" making the transition from Numbers 7 to Numbers 8.