The Book Of NUMBERS
Numbers 21:8 "And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole:
and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live."
 CHAPTER 32: The events recorded in this chapter are directly connected to the successful conquest of the Transjordan region that was recorded in Numbers 21:21-35, as seen in the map above, courtesy of Logos Bible Software. Verses 1-5: The tribes of Reuben and Gad come before Moses, Eleazar, and the other leaders of Israel to make a special request. The lands of the Transjordan are rich and fertile for the grazing of livestock. (v.3-4) They request that their people not cross over the Jordan River with the rest of the nation when the time comes to enter the promised land. (v.5) They would prefer to settle in the regions that are listed in verse 1 and 3, which is the land that was formerly occupied by the Amorites and the kingdom of Og. (Numbers 21:21-35, Deuteronomy 3:13, Joshua 13:17, 25-26, 2 Samuel 24:5) Verses 6-15: Moses is understandably upset by this request, and he responds rather harshly. While still within the borders of the promised land, God intends for the nation as a whole to conquer all the promised land first before settling any of it. That’s the central issue with this request, and Moses rightly points out to these men that it’s not fair to their fellow tribes for them to remain behind in a life of ease and comfort while the rest of the nation goes to war on the other side of the Jordan. Doing so will be a great discouragement to the other tribes. (v.6-7) Moses then compares this request to the lack of faith and courage displayed by their fathers thirty-eight years earlier when the twelve spies returned from their mission when the nation was camped at Kadesh-barnea. (v.8-13) Moses briefly summarizes God’s wrath and judgment against that generation because of their disobedience, and he warns the men of Reuben and Gad that they are in danger of committing the same sin. (v.14-15) Verses 16-32: The men reassure Moses three times that their soldiers will go to war with the rest of the nation for as long as is needed in order to conquer the promised land. (v.17-18, 27, 32) Moses reminds them that if they renege on this promise they will be sinning against the LORD, and He will punish them accordingly. “…be sure your sin will find you out…”. (v.23) (Genesis 4:7, 44:16, Joshua 7:1, Isaiah 59:12, Galatians 6:7) Part of that punishment will be that some of that land east of the Jordan will go to the other tribes and not Reuben or Gad. (v.30) Moses confirms this agreement with Eleazar and Joshua since he will not be around to see this agreement fulfilled. Verses 33-42: It’s not just Reuben and Gad that will inherit the land of the Transjordan. Half the tribe of Manasseh is also given some of that land (v.33), possibly because of the inheritance law that was changed when the daughters of Zelophehad presented their case in chapter 27. Further repercussions of that law are dealt with in chapter 36, which also probably affects Moses’ decision to include part of Manasseh in this agreement. (Deuteronomy 3:13-15, Joshua 13:29-31, 17:1-2) The two and a half tribes not only build new cities but also rename existing ones. (v.34-42) CHAPTER 33: This chapter is a travel summary of all the places where Israel camped since their exodus from Egypt. There’s a total of forty locations named in this passage, and with some of them is a mention of the important event that took place there. Their journey began in Rameses (Exodus 12:37), on the 15th day of the first month (Exodus 12:2, 13:4), the morning after the first Passover was held (v.3). Moses reaffirms in verse 4 that God’s judgment, the death of all the firstborn (Exodus 12:29), was on the Egyptians because of their belief and worship of false gods. (Exodus 12:12, 18:11, Isaiah 19:1) The miraculous crossing of the Red Sea is mentioned in verse 8, and verse 14 names the location where the LORD brought forth water from the rock the first time. (Exodus 17:1, 6) Kibroth-hattaavah, which is literally “The Graves of Craving”, is where God provided quail because the people complained about the manna. (v.16) (Numbers 11:34) They ate to the point of gluttony, thus incurring God’s wrath. Verses 18-36 are a list of campsites with no previous mention in the books of Exodus, Leviticus or Numbers. My study Bible suggests that verses 31-33 possibly relate to Deuteronomy 10:6-7, probably because of the name “jaakan” in both passages, as well as the mention of Aaron’s death in the Deuteronomy passage. Here in chapter 33, though, it’s recorded in verses 38-39 as taking place after the Israelites moved from those campsites to that of Kadesh at the base of Mount Hor, near the border of Edom. It’s likely, then, that the campsites listed in 31-35 are all in the same region near Kadesh. Though not recorded in chapter 20, Moses writes here in verse 39 that Aaron was 123 at the time of his death up on Mount Hor. He also records the day, month and year in verse 38. The victory against King Arad and his army is recalled in verse 40. (Numbers 21:1-3) Verses 41-47 is another list of campsites, only a few of which have been mentioned in the previous chapters, and verses 48-49 brings us to the current day, the aftermath of the victory over the Midianites and the request of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and part of Manasseh for the land west of the Jordan River. The warning given by the LORD to Moses in verses 50-56 relates directly to that request that was recorded in chapter 32, as well as the brief travel summary of Israel’s journey since the exodus from Egypt recorded here in chapter 33. As He did forty years earlier, God reminds the children of Israel of what they are to do to the peoples of Canaan once they cross into the promised land. The first command is to tear down their idols and destroy their places of pagan worship. (v.52) (Exodus 23:24, 33, 34:13, Deuteronomy 7:2, 5, 12:3, Judges 2:2, Psalm 106:34) They are to completely drive out all the inhabitants and fully possess the whole promised land before settling there permanently. (v.53) (Deuteronomy 11:31, Joshua 21:43) Verse 54 is a reminder of how they are to divide up the land. The size of the tribe determines the amount of land that each one gets. Verses 55-56 are both a reminder and a warning. Failure to obey the commands of verses 52-53 will cause the children of Israel much grief and suffering. (Joshua 23:13, Judges 2:3) But more than that, it will bring upon them the same wrath that has come upon those very nations whom God has already judged and condemned. As we already know, the Israelites failed to heed this warning, and it resulted in the Assyrian captivity of Israel and the Babylonian captivity of Judah. (Leviticus 26:31-33, Deuteronomy 28:64-66)  CHAPTER 34:
Verses 1-15: God now instructs Moses on the precise borders of the promised land. (See map above, courtesy of Logos Bible Software.) The southern border is from the end of the Salt Sea (Dead Sea) along the Wilderness of Zin that borders Edom, including Kadesh-barnea, all the way to the Mediterranean Sea whose coast is the western border. (v.3-6) (Numbers 20:1, Joshua 15:1, Ezekiel 47:13, 19) The northern border begins near Mount Hor (not the one where Aaron died) and ends at Hazar-enan. (v.7-9) This border also includes Hamath. (Numbers 13:21, Joshua 13:5, 2 Kings 14:25) The eastern border begins at Hazar-enan and extends all the way past the Sea of Chinnereth (Sea of Galilee), following the Jordan River all the way to the Salt Sea. (v.10-12) These borders, however, do not include the land east of the Jordan River that has already been granted to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh. (v.13-15) (Numbers 32:33) Verses 16-29: Next, God commands Moses to select a leader of the ten tribes that will be settling the land west of the Jordan to assist Joshua and Eleazar when the time comes to actually divide up the land. (v.17-18) Once again, the tribe of Judah is mentioned first (v.19) and Caleb is named as its representative. He is the only leader mentioned here that is also named elsewhere in the Scriptures. The fact that God names these men specifically signifies the importance of this task. It’s also important to note that the tribe of Levi does not inherit any land, but instead will receive specific cities throughout the land. This will be addressed in more detail in the next chapter. According to Matthew Henry’s commentary, as well as other commentaries and online Biblical sources, the total area of the borders as described in this chapter is about 160 miles long and 50 miles wide, which doesn’t include the land east of the Jordan that is given to Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh. That’s a massive area, but as I already noted in the previous chapter, Israel doesn’t fully conquer and settle all of this land. Their failure to completely drive out all of Canaan’s inhabitants causes them to forfeit most of the promised land, a consequence that it is, sadly, still in effect today. The land that the current nation of Israel now occupies is less than half of what God promised them here in Numbers. But a day is coming when all of this land will belong to the re-gathered nation of Israel; a day when Jesus Christ will sit on His throne in Jerusalem in the newly restored temple, and He will reign over all the earth. Israel will the preeminent nation, the one to whom all nations of the earth are subject, and the twelve tribes will each reside in their respective regions as described here in chapters 32 and 34. God’s chosen people will receive their full inheritance, amen!
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 Verse 1: Between chapters 19 and 20, a period of about thirty-eight years has passed. We know this because Aaron’s death is recorded in verse 28, and Numbers 33:38 tells us that he dies in the fortieth year after Israel’s exodus from Egypt. All the events of the book thus far have taken place in the second year following the exodus. (Numbers 9:1) This is also the third and last travel narrative found in Exodus through Numbers. The first was from the Red Sea to Mount Sinai (Exodus 13-19), and the second was from Sinai to Kadesh (Numbers 11-12). Now, thirty-eight years later, the children of Israel return to the site of their last major rebellion against God and the reason for their wandering in the desert for this whole time.
Shortly after arriving in the wilderness of Zin and setting up camp at Kadesh, Miriam dies and is buried there. (Exodus 15:20, Numbers 26:59) Verses 2-13: It’s clear from verse 2 that the nation’s rebellious attitude and predilection for complaining has not changed since their last visit here. The incident described in this passage is very similar to the one from Exodus 17, and Moses even gives both sites the same name: Meribah. (v.13) In both cases there is no water readily available, and the people immediately resort to complaining against Moses. This time, rather than wishing they had died in Egypt, they moan, “…Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!” (v.3) (Exodus 17:2, Numbers 14:2) The brethren they are referring to are all the ones that died instantaneous deaths for rebellion against God. (Numbers 11, 14 and 16) Since the ones complaining here are the remnant of the first generation that will be dead within a year, perhaps they feel they have nothing to lose by murmuring and grumbling now. Thirty-eight years of wandering in the desert has done nothing to correct their contentious spirit and bad attitude. Not only that, the Israelites actually blame Moses for bringing them back to Kadesh, as if it wasn’t their own disobedience that caused them to wander in the wilderness since their last sojourn here! (v.4) Yet they also have the audacity to call themselves the “…congregation of the LORD…” as if they have always been upright, faithful and obedient to God since the exodus! But then they throw in the usual complaint about Moses bringing them out of Egypt where they had plenty to eat and drink (v.5), as if it was all Moses’ plan in the first place and had nothing at all to do with the LORD! (Exodus 17:3) In response to all of this, Moses and Aaron, as usual, throw themselves prostrate before God at the entrance of the tabernacle. (v.6) (Numbers 14:5, 16:4, 22, 45) God, as always, is quick to appear and give guidance to His faithful servants. (v.8) As with the previous incident with the rock in Horeb, He will bring forth water, but this time Moses is to “…take the rod…”, gather the people in the presence of the rock, and then speak the command instead of striking the rock with the rod. (Exodus 17:6, Deuteronomy 8:15, Nehemiah 9:15, Psalm 78:15-16, Psalm 105:41, Isaiah 43:20, 48:21, 1 Corinthians 10:4) Verse 9 states that Moses takes “…the rod from before the LORD…” which suggests that God was referring to the rod of Aaron that is within the ark of the covenant (Numbers 17:10) instead of Moses’ own staff, another key difference between this miracle and the previous one. As before, Moses does all that God commands him, but this time his anger gets the better of him, and he makes two critical errors. The first is in verse 10: “Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?” (Psalm 106:33) God didn’t tell Moses to say anything to the children of Israel. He was told to speak only to the rock. Furthermore, by using the pronoun “we”, Moses implies that it is him and Aaron that are responsible for this miracle, not the LORD. The second transgression is in verse 11: Moses strikes the rock twice with Aaron’s rod. In spite of Moses’ disobedience, God still provides water for the Israelites, but both Moses and Aaron are rebuked by God afterwards for their sin of unbelief. Though the text does not say so specifically, it can be logically inferred that Aaron’s sin was not standing up to Moses and correcting him when he first spoke in anger to the people. Instead, Aaron once again displays an inability to stand for what’s right and be a godly example to the people. He stands by and remains silent when he knows that Moses is not doing what God commanded them. In this way, Aaron is also culpable in Moses’ sin of faithlessness and rebellion against the LORD. That’s why God uses the phrase “…ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel…”. (v.12) (Leviticus 10:3, Ezekiel 20:41, 36:23, 1 Peter 3:15) This is the root of their sin: their lack of faith. God is not punishing them for Moses speaking angrily to the people, or taking credit for the miracle, or for striking the rock instead of speaking to it. Rather, God is rebuking them for the same sin which cost this current generation the promised land: the sin of unbelief. All the actions by Moses, as well as the inaction by Aaron to correct him, are just symptoms of a much greater problem, that of faithlessness. And by that sin they misrepresented God to the people. This is why Aaron’s punishment is as severe as Moses’, for he stood by silently as Moses failed to be the LORD’s messenger and representative, which is what God had called him to be from the very beginning. (Exodus 3:10) That is no small transgression and, therefore, the punishment is equally severe. Neither Moses nor Aaron will live to see the promised land. (Numbers 27:14, Deuteronomy 1:37, 3:26-27, 34:5) Moses names this place Meribah, the same name used for the location of the previous incident from Exodus 17, even though this site is a different place. (v.13) (Deuteronomy 33:8, Psalm 106:32) This verse also confirms that God was, in the end, sanctified before the Israelites, meaning that by His judgment and punishment of Moses and Aaron for their sin, the name of the LORD was honored and hallowed among the people. God will always have the honor and glory when all is said and done, despite mankind’s sin and disobedience. Verses 14-21: The Edomites are descendants of Esau, the twin brother of Jacob. (Genesis 36:8) They, along with the Moabites, settled in the land east of the Sinai Peninsula. (Refer to the map at the top of this post, courtesy of Logos.) Moses sends out messengers to the king of Edom (Genesis 36:31) to request safe passage for Israel through their country. (v.14) (Deuteronomy 2:4) Moses is hoping that there is goodwill on the part of the Edomites because of their distant relation to Israel. He relays to the king a brief history of Israel’s exodus from Egypt (v.15-16), perhaps in the hope that the king and his people will be sympathetic to their situation. He also promises that the Israelites will remain on established roads, leaving the fields and wells of the Edomites untouched and unmolested. (v.17) But the king refuses, threatening Israel with violence if they cross his border. (v.18) (Numbers 24:18, Judges 11:16-17, Psalm 137:7, Ezekiel 25:12-13, Obadiah 1:10) Even after a second plea where Moses promises to reimburse the Edomites for any water that Israel’s livestock might accidentally drink (v.19) (Deuteronomy 2:6, 28), the king still refuses and even calls out his army as a show of force along the border. (v.20) Moses and the Israelites have no choice but to turn away and start the longer route around the lands of Edom and Moab. (v.21) (Deuteronomy 2:8, Judges 11:18) Verses 22-29: The children of Israel journey from Kadesh to Mount Hor (v.22), which is along the coast of Edom (v.23). (Numbers 21:4, 33:37) God announces to Moses that the time has come for Aaron to “…be gathered unto his people…” (v.24), which is the typical phrase in the OT to describe the death of a righteous man. (Genesis 25:8, 17, 35:29, 49:33) He reminds Moses of the reason for this: “…ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah.” (Deuteronomy 32:50) Moses is instructed to bring Aaron and Eleazar to the top of the mountain where Moses will remove Aaron’s priestly garments and put them on his son. (v.25-26) Moses, Aaron, and Eleazar do as God commands. (v.27-28) (Exodus 29:29-30, Deuteronomy 10:6) After this, Aaron dies. He is 123 years old. (Exodus 7:7) The whole congregation of Israel mourns Aaron for thirty days. (v.29) (Genesis 50:3, 10, Deuteronomy 34:8) The Believer’s Bible Commentary includes a quote from Matthew Henry regarding these final verses of chapter 20: “Aaron, though he dies for his transgression, is not put to death as a malefactor, by a plague, or fire from heaven, but dies with ease and in honour. He is not cut off from his people, as the expression usually is concerning those that die by the hand of divine justice, but he is gathered to his people, as one that died in the arms of divine grace. Moses, whose hands had first clothed Aaron with his priestly garments, now strips him of them; for, in reverence to the priesthood, it was not fit that he should die in them.” Matthew Henry is alluding to the eternal priesthood of Jesus Christ that is described in Hebrews. The act of Moses removing the garments of the high priest from Aaron before his death and then putting them on Eleazar symbolizes what Jesus is today for all believers. He is our eternal High Priest, the final one that makes the animal sacrifices of the OT under the law no longer necessary in our current dispensation of Grace. (Hebrews 9-10) Because of what Christ did on the cross and His resurrection from the dead three days later, He is forevermore the High Priest that is continually making intercession for us at the right hand of God the Father. |
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