Numbers 26, A Second Census

(This DRAFT study has been done fairly quickly, without the further guide of commentaries. I hope to improve on it later.)

In Numbers 1, a census is taken of the Israelites, a year after they have left Egypt. Now, forty years and a generation later, another census is taken.

This event occurs after a plague associated with Moabite sex and idolatry in the previous chapter.

Numbers 26:1-2, Instructions for a new census

After the plague the LORD said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, "Take a census of the whole Israelite community by families--all those twenty years old or more who are able to serve in the army of Israel."

The census woll be of males who are at least twenty years old.

Numbers 26:3-11, Start with Reuben

So on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them and said, "Take a census of the men twenty years old or more, as the LORD commanded Moses." 

These were the Israelites who came out of Egypt: The descendants of Reuben, the firstborn son of Israel, were: through Hanoch, the Hanochite clan; through Pallu, the Palluite clan; through Hezron, the Hezronite clan; through Carmi, the Carmite clan.

 

These were the clans of Reuben; those numbered were 43,730. The son of Pallu was Eliab, and the sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan and Abiram. The same Dathan and Abiram were the community officials who rebelled against Moses and Aaron and were among Korah's followers when they rebelled against the LORD. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire devoured the 250 men. And they served as a warning sign. 

The line of Korah, however, did not die out.

The census begins with the tribe of Reuben, some of whom died in Korah's rebellion.

Numbers 26:12-14, Simeon

The descendants of Simeon by their clans were: through Nemuel, the Nemuelite clan; through Jamin, the Jaminite clan; through Jakin, the Jakinite clan; through Zerah, the Zerahite clan; through Shaul, the Shaulite clan. These were the clans of Simeon; there were 22,200 men.

Next is the tribe of Simeon. The population change here, from Numbers 1, is drastic, a decline of 37,100, almost two-thirds of the earlier population. The tribe of Simeon will later be absorbed into the tribe of Judah. No explanation for this decline now, or later, is given.

Numbers 26:15-18, Gad

The descendants of Gad by their clans were: through Zephon, the Zephonite clan; through Haggi, the Haggite clan; through Shuni, the Shunite clan; through Ozni, the Oznite clan; through Eri, the Erite clan through Arodi, the Arodite clan; through Areli, the Arelite clan. These were the clans of Gad; those numbered were 40,500.

After numbering Simeon, we turn to a census of Gad...

Numbers 26:19-22, Judah

Er and Onan were sons of Judah, but they died in Canaan. The descendants of Judah by their clans were: through Shelah, the Shelanite clan; through Perez, the Perezite clan; through Zerah, the Zerahite clan. The descendants of Perez were: through Hezron, the Hezronite clan; through Hamul, the Hamulite clan. These were the clans of Judah; those numbered were 76,500.

... and Judah ...

Numbers 26:23-25, Issachar

The descendants of Issachar by their clans were: through Tola, the Tolaite clan; through Puah, the Puite clan; through Jashub, the Jashubite clan; through Shimron, the Shimronite clan. These were the clans of Issachar; those numbered were 64,300.

... Issachar ...

Numbers 26:26--27, Zebulun

The descendants of Zebulun by their clans were: through Sered, the Seredite clan; through Elon, the Elonite clan; through Jahleel, the Jahleelite clan. These were the clans of Zebulun; those numbered were 60,500.

... Zebulun ...

Numbers 26:28-37, Joseph via Manasseh and Ephraim 

The descendants of Joseph by their clans through Manasseh and Ephraim were:

The descendants of Manasseh: through Makir, the Makirite clan (Makir was the father of Gilead); through Gilead, the Gileadite clan. These were the descendants of Gilead: through Iezer, the Iezerite clan; through Helek, the Helekite clan; through Asriel, the Asrielite clan; through Shechem, the Shechemite clan; through Shemida, the Shemidaite clan; through Hepher, the Hepherite clan. (Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons; he had only daughters, whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah.)

    

These were the clans of Manasseh; those numbered were 52,700. These were the descendants of Ephraim by their clans: through Shuthelah, the Shuthelahite clan; through Beker, the Bekerite clan; through Tahan, the Tahanite clan. These were the descendants of Shuthelah: through Eran, the Eranite clan. These were the clans of Ephraim; those numbered were 32,500. These were the descendants of Joseph by their clans.

... then the two tribes descending from Joseph ...

Numbers 26:38-41, Benjamin

The descendants of Benjamin by their clans were: through Bela, the Belaite clan; through Ashbel, the Ashbelite clan; through Ahiram, the Ahiramite clan; through Shupham, the Shuphamite clan; through Hupham, the Huphamite clan. The descendants of Bela through Ard and Naaman were: through Ard, the Ardite clan; through Naaman, the Naamite clan. These were the clans of Benjamin; those numbered were 45,600.

... followed by Benjamin ...

Numbers 26:42-43, Dan

These were the descendants of Dan by their clans: through Shuham, the Shuhamite clan. These were the clans of Dan: All of them were Shuhamite clans; and those numbered were 64,400.

... and Dan ...

Numbers 26:44-47, Asher

The descendants of Asher by their clans were: through Imnah, the Imnite clan; through Ishvi, the Ishvite clan; through Beriah, the Beriite clan; and through the descendants of Beriah: through Heber, the Heberite clan; through Malkiel, the Malkielite clan. (Asher had a daughter named Serah.) These were the clans of Asher; those numbered were 53,400.

... Asher ...

Numbers 26:48-51, Naphtali

The descendants of Naphtali by their clans were: through Jahzeel, the Jahzeelite clan; through Guni, the Gunite clan; through Jezer, the Jezerite clan; through Shillem, the Shillemite clan. These were the clans of Naphtali; those numbered were 45,400. The total number of the men of Israel was 601,730.

...and finally, Naphtali.

Numbers 26:52-56, Plans to distribute the land

The LORD said to Moses,"The land is to be allotted to them as an inheritance based on the number of names. To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one; each is to receive its inheritance according to the number of those listed. Be sure that the land is distributed by lot. What each group inherits will be according to the names for its ancestral tribe. Each inheritance is to be distributed by lot among the larger and smaller groups."

The land would be distributed by lot, based on size of the tribe.

Numbers 26:57-65, Levites

These were the Levites who were counted by their clans: through Gershon, the Gershonite clan; through Kohath, the Kohathite clan; through Merari, the Merarite clan.

These also were Levite clans: the Libnite clan, the Hebronite clan, the Mahlite clan, the Mushite clan, the Korahite clan. (Kohath was the forefather of Amram; the name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, a descendant of Levi, who was born to the Levites in Egypt. To Amram she bore Aaron, Moses and their sister Miriam.

Aaron was the father of Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. But Nadab and Abihu died when they made an offering before the LORD with unauthorized fire.) All the male Levites a month old or more numbered 23,000. They were not counted along with the other Israelites because they received no inheritance among them. These are the ones counted by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho. Not one of them was among those counted by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai. For the LORD had told those Israelites they would surely die in the desert, and not one of them was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

The final count will be of the Levites, which are set aside to serve the tabernacle, without inherited land.

The census taken gives numbers close to those of Number 1, but not equal to them. Here is a chart of the differences, taken from this webpage.

From https://inspiredscripture.com/bible-studies/numbers-26

First published September 30, 2025; updated September 30, 2025

Numbers 25, Moabite Women

(This DRAFT study has been done fairly quickly, without the further guide of commentaries. I hope to improve on it later.)

After the strange story of Balak's attempt to curse Israel, we have a threat from another direction: sex seduces men into idolatry.

Numbers 25:1-3, Sex and idolatry

While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate and bowed down before these gods.

So Israel joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor. And the LORD's anger burned against them.

The Moabite women invite Israelite men into sexual immorality. Worse than the sexual seduction is the idolatry the follows. (In Numbers 31:14-18 we learn that this attack may have been promoted by Balak.)

Numbers 25:4-5, Idolatry punished by death

The LORD said to Moses, "Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that the LORD's fierce anger may turn away from Israel."

       

So Moses said to Israel's judges, "Each of you must put to death those of your men who have joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor."
       

The idolatry, worshiping Baal of Peor, must be punished with death.

Numbers 25:6-9, Brazen act

Then an Israelite man brought to his family a Midianite woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear in his hand and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear through both of them--through the Israelite and into the woman's body. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped; but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.
 

One man brazenly takes a woman into his tent for sex, even as Moses is condemning the act. Phinehas, grandson of Aaron, immediately grabs a spear and drives it through both the man and the woman. This stops a plague (previously unmentioned.) The Midianite woman is the daughter of Zur; Zur is described in Numbers 31:8 as one of five kings of Midian. Between the account here and that of Numbers 31, we can assume that the sex and idolatry was a deliberate scheme to divert the Israelite worship of YHWH.

Numbers 25:10-13, Praise of Phinehas

 The LORD said to Moses, "Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites; for he was as zealous as I am for my honor among them, so that in my zeal I did not put an end to them. Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace with him. He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood, because he was zealous for the honor of his God and made atonement for the Israelites."

 

Phinehas is praised for his quick action.

Numbers 25:14-15, Culprits named

The name of the Israelite who was killed with the Midianite woman was Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a Simeonite family. And the name of the Midianite woman who was put to death was Cozbi daughter of Zur, a tribal chief of a Midianite family.

The couple who engaged in this brazen act are named. The man was in the line of Simeon. The woman was a daughter of a tribal Moabite chieftan.

Numbers 25:16-18, Destroy the Midianites

The LORD said to Moses,"Treat the Midianites as enemies and kill them, because they treated you as enemies when they deceived you in the affair of Peor and their sister Cozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader, the woman who was killed when the plague came as a result of Peor."

Because of this event and the worship of Peor, the Midianites are viewed as enemies and must be killed. (The real sin here is idolatry, an idolatry led on by sex.)

First published September 29, 2025; updated September 29, 2025

Numbers 24, Oracles of Balaam

(This DRAFT study has been done fairly quickly, without the further guide of commentaries. I hope to improve on it later.)

Balak and princes of Moab and Midian have been trying to get Balaam to curse Israel. We now have a third oracle by Balaam.

Numbers 24:1-9, Third oracle

Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as at other times, but turned his face toward the desert. When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him and he uttered his oracle: 

"The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, 

the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly, 

the oracle of one who hears the words of God, 

who sees a vision from the Almighty, 

who falls prostrate, 

and whose eyes are opened:

          

"How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, 

your dwelling places, O Israel! 

"Like valleys they spread out, 

like gardens beside a river, 

like aloes planted by the LORD, 

like cedars beside the waters. 

Water will flow from their buckets;

 their seed will have abundant water. 

"Their king will be greater than Agag; 

their kingdom will be exalted. "

God brought them out of Egypt; 

they have the strength of a wild ox. 

They devour hostile nations 

and break their bones in pieces; 

with their arrows they pierce them

. Like a lion they crouch and lie down, 

like a lioness--who dares to rouse them? 

"May those who bless you be blessed 

and those who curse you be cursed!"

This third oracle blesses Israel and praises their God for rescuing and empowering them. Of course this is not what Balak wanted.

Numbers 24:10-14, Didn't I tell you?

Then Balak's anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, "I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times.  Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the LORD has kept you from being rewarded."
  

Balaam answered Balak, "Did I not tell the messengers you sent me, `Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD--and I must say only what the LORD says'? Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come."

Balaam responds to Balak's anger and then tells Balak that he has some more oracles.

Numbers 24:15-19, A star out of Jacob

Then he uttered his oracle: 

"The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, 

the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly,

          the oracle of one who hears the words of God, 

who has knowledge from the Most High, 

who sees a vision from the Almighty, 

who falls prostrate, 

and whose eyes are opened:

        "I see him, but not now; 

I behold him, but not near. 

A star will come out of Jacob;

 a scepter will rise out of Israel. 

He will crush the foreheads of Moab,

 the skulls of all the sons of Sheth.

         Edom will be conquered; 

Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, b

ut Israel will grow strong.

         A ruler will come out of Jacob 

and destroy the survivors of the city."

Balaam continues to prophecy. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter out of Israel. Israel will conquer and rule.

Numbers 24:20, An oracle on Amalek

Then Balaam saw Amalek and uttered his oracle: 

"Amalek was first among the nations, 

but he will come to ruin at last."

Amalek will be destroyed, says Balaam.

Numbers 24:21-22, An curse on the Kenites

Then he saw the Kenites and uttered his oracle: 

"Your dwelling place is secure, your nest is set in a rock;

          yet you Kenites will be destroyed when Asshur takes you captive."

In the same way, the Kenites too will be defeated. 

Numbers 24:23-24, Even the ships of Kittim

Then he uttered his oracle: 

"Ah, who can live when God does this?

          Ships will come from the shores of Kittim;

 they will subdue Asshur and Eber,

 but they too will come to ruin."

Even ships from the shores of Kittim will be defeated.

Numbers 24:25, The end

Then Balaam got up and returned home and Balak went his own way.

After his series of prophetic oracles, all announcing the coming power of Israel, Balaam then goes home.

First published September 27, 2025; updated September 27, 2025

Numbers 23, Balaam Refuses Balak

(This DRAFT study has been done fairly quickly, without the further guide of commentaries. I hope to improve on it later.)

Balak and princes of Moab and Midian are expecting Balaam to curse Israel.

Numbers 23:1-6, Seven altars

Balaam said, "Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me."
   

Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
      

Then Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you." Then he went off to a barren height.
         

God met with him, and Balaam said, "I have prepared seven altars, and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram." 

The LORD put a message in Balaam's mouth and said, "Go back to Balak and give him this message." So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the princes of Moab.

Seven altars with bulls and rams, are prepared. But Balaam's "curse" will not be what the elders of Moab and Midian expect.

Numbers 23:7-10, Balaam's oracle

Then Balaam uttered his oracle: 

"Balak brought me from Aram, 

the king of Moab from the eastern mountains. 

`Come,' he said, `curse Jacob for me;

come, denounce Israel.'

        

How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? 

How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced? 

From the rocky peaks I see them, 

from the heights I view them. 

I see a people who live apart 

and do not consider themselves one of the nations. 

Who can count the dust of Jacob 

or number the fourth part of Israel? 

Let me die the death of the righteous, 

and may my end be like theirs!"

Balaam's oracle praise the might of the people of Israel, protected by YHWH

Numbers 23:11-15, Balak's anger and new plans

Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!"

He answered, "Must I not speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?"

Then Balak said to him, "Come with me to another place where you can see them; you will see only a part but not all of them. And from there, curse them for me." So he took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah, and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here beside your offering while I meet with him over there."

Balak confronts Balaam, who replies that he can only say what YHWH tells him to say. So Balak prepares to have Balaam make a new prophecy in a new place

Numbers 23:16-24, A second oracle

The LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth and said, "Go back to Balak and give him this message."
      

So he went to him and found him standing beside his offering, with the princes of Moab. Balak asked him, "What did the LORD say?"
     

Then he uttered his oracle: 

"Arise, Balak, and listen;

hear me, son of Zippor.

 God is not a man, that he should lie, 

nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.

 Does he speak and then not act? 

Does he promise and not fulfill?

 I have received a command to bless;

he has blessed, and I cannot change it.

      

"No misfortune is seen in Jacob, 

no misery observed in Israel.

The LORD their God is with them;

 the shout of the King is among them. 

God brought them out of Egypt; 

they have the strength of a wild ox. 

There is no sorcery against Jacob, 

no divination against Israel. 

It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, 

`See what God has done!' 

The people rise like a lioness; 

they rouse themselves like a lion that does not rest 

till he devours his prey 

and drinks the blood of his victims."

Balaam's second oracle is much like the first.

Numbers 23:25-30, Then say nothing at all!

Then Balak said to Balaam, "Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!"

     

Balaam answered, "Did I not tell you I must do whatever the LORD says?"
      

Then Balak said to Balaam, "Come, let me take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me from there." And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, overlooking the wasteland.
      

Balaam said, "Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me."
         

Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Balak tells Balaam, "If you can't say something bad about Israel then don't say anything! But we will have one more sacrifice and one more oracle,

First published September 26, 2025; updated September 26, 2025

Numbers 22, Balaam and His Donkey

(This DRAFT study has been done fairly quickly, without the further guide of commentaries. I hope to improve on it later.)

The Israelites have defeated the armies of Og and Sihon. This unnerves the Moabites, who had previously denied the Israelites access through their country.

Numbers 22:1-6, Balak makes a request

Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho. 

Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites. The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, "This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field."

So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the River, in his native land. Balak said: 

"A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the country. For I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed."

 

Moabite and Midianite elders are worried about the "horde" of Israelites. So Balak makes a request of a certain prophet named Balaam. In his request, he describes the fear that has come over the land as the Israelites moved out from Egypt.

Numbers 22:7-11, Elders meet with Balaam

 The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said. 

"Spend the night here," Balaam said to them, "and I will bring you back the answer the LORD gives me." So the Moabite princes stayed with him.

   

God came to Balaam and asked, "Who are these men with you?"

Balaam said to God, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: `A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.'"
 

The elders of Moab and Midian meet with Balaam. God then speaks to Balaam, asking for an explanation.

Numbers 22:12-14, Do not curse them

But God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed."

The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's princes, "Go back to your own country, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you."

So the Moabite princes returned to Balak and said, "Balaam refused to come with us."

Balaam, in his conversation to God, is told to refuse the elders. He is not to curse Israel.

Numbers 22:15-19, More princes

Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. They came to Balaam and said: 

"This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me."

But Balaam answered them, "Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the LORD my God. Now stay here tonight as the others did, and I will find out what else the LORD will tell me."
 

Balak increases the pressure, sending more men to Balaam.

Numbers 22:20, God's command

That night God came to Balaam and said, "Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you."

In a vision at night, Balaam is told by God to go with the men, but only listed to God's plans.

Numbers 22:21-27, Angel in the way

Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road.

Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between two vineyards, with walls on both sides. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam's foot against it. So he beat her again.

Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff.

 

Balaam has a bizarre experience on the road. His donkey refuses to go along the road. In one instance the donkey leaves the road to turn into a field. In two other cases, the donkey refuses to go down a narrow passage. In all three cases, this is because an angel has blocked the path.

 

Numbers 22:28-30, A donkey speaks

Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?"
 

Balaam answered the donkey, "You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now."
  

The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?" 

"No," he said.

After beating the donkey, Balaam suddenly hears the donkey speak!

 

Numbers 22:31-33, Balaam's eyes opened

Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown. 

The angel of the LORD asked him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her."

 

Suddenly Balaam's eyes are opened and he sees the donkey.

Numbers 22:34-35, Balaam and the angel

Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back."

The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you." 

So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

Balaam repents of his desire to continue but is told to go on, but to make sure he says only what YHWH tells him to.

Numbers 22:36-41, Balak waits

When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.

 

Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn't you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?"

"Well, I have come to you now," Balaam replied. "But can I say just anything? I must speak only what God puts in my mouth."
 

Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth. Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and gave some to Balaam and the princes who were with him. The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he saw part of the people.

Balaam has been slow to respond to Barak. When Barak chastises him, Balaam appears to shrug and emphasize that he will only speak what God tells him to say.

Barak and the princes sacrifice animals and prepare to hear Balaam curse Israel.

First published September 25, 2025; updated September 25, 2025

Numbers 21, Serpents, Sihon, Og

(This DRAFT study has been done fairly quickly, without the further guide of commentaries. I hope to improve on it later.)

Moses has lost both sister, Miriam, and brother, Aaron, and endured the embarassment of Meribah. He has asked the king of Edom for right of way to Canaan and been refused. Now the Israelites move along the road to Atharim. (The location of Atharim is unknown. This website has some suggestions.)

Numbers 21:1-3, Attack by Arad

When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked the Israelites and captured some of them. 

Then Israel made this vow to the LORD: "If you will deliver these people into our hands, we will totally destroy their cities." The LORD listened to Israel's plea and gave the Canaanites over to them. They completely destroyed them and their towns; so the place was named Hormah.

The king of Arad, in the Negev, attacks Israel and captures some of them. With the help of God, the Israelites retaliate and destroy the Canaanite in the region of Hormah.

Numbers 21:4-6, More complaints

They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"

Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.

Once again, the people grumble as they attempt to pass through the arid region from Mount Hor. In this case, the punishment is a swarm of venomous snakes.

The Hebrew nachash hasseraphim literally means "snakes fiery" or "snakes poisonous." The core of hasseraphim is saraph, (fiery, burning, poisonous) from which we get the plural seraphim.

Numbers 21:7-9, A serpent on a pole

The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.
       

 The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live."

So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.

The people beg for forgiveness. Moses made the image of a serpent out of bronze and place the image on a pole. Anyone who was bitten and looked at that serpent was healed.

In the New Testament, in John 3:14-15 (right before the famous John 3:16), we are told that Jesus is the equivalent of the serpent on a pole: anyone who is "bitten" may look at him and be healed.

Numbers 21:10-15, Approaching the Amorites

The Israelites moved on and camped at Oboth. Then they set out from Oboth and camped in Iye Abarim, in the desert that faces Moab toward the sunrise. From there they moved on and camped in the Zered Valley. They set out from there and camped alongside the Arnon, which is in the desert extending into Amorite territory. The Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.

 That is why the Book of the Wars of the LORD says: 

"... Waheb in Suphah and the ravines, 

the Arnon  and the slopes of the ravines 

that lead to the site of Ar 

and lie along the border of Moab."

After this recent grumbling in the wilderness, and the punishment that followed, the Israelites move on to Oboth and then the Zered valley and further. The author cites an unknown "Book of the Wars of the LORD" as a source.

Numbers 21:16-20, Water

From there they continued on to Beer, the well where the LORD said to Moses, "Gather the people together and I will give them water."

Then Israel sang this song: 

"Spring up, O well! 

Sing about it, 

about the well that the princes dug, 

that the nobles of the people sank-- 

the nobles with scepters and staffs." 

Then they went from the desert to Mattanah, from Mattanah to Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to Bamoth, and from Bamoth to the valley in Moab where the top of Pisgah overlooks the wasteland.

As the Israelites move on, YHWH gives them water near the region of Beer. (The region's name and an English word for a drink accidentally coincide, making the region easy to remember!) The Hebrew word beer means "well" or "pit."

Numbers 21:21-23, Request to Sihon

Israel sent messengers to say to Sihon king of the Amorites: 

"Let us pass through your country. We will not turn aside into any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the king's highway until we have passed through your territory."

But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. He mustered his entire army and marched out into the desert against Israel. When he reached Jahaz, he fought with Israel.

As Moses had asked of Edom, he now asks of the Amorites. He would like for the Israelites to pass through the land, promising to leave nothing but footprints. He is refused and Sihon musters an army to repel the Israelites.

Numbers 21:24-30, Defeat of Sihon

Israel, however, put him to the sword and took over his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, but only as far as the Ammonites, because their border was fortified. Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites and occupied them, including Heshbon and all its surrounding settlements.

Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken from him all his land as far as the Arnon. That is why the poets say: 

"Come to Heshbon and let it be rebuilt; 

let Sihon's city be restored.

 "Fire went out from Heshbon, 

a blaze from the city of Sihon. 

It consumed Ar of Moab, 

the citizens of Arnon's heights. 

Woe to you, O Moab! 

You are destroyed, O people of Chemosh! 

He has given up his sons as fugitives 

and his daughters as captives 

to Sihon king of the Amorites.

"But we have overthrown them; 

Heshbon is destroyed all the way to Dibon. 

We have demolished them as far as Nophah, 

which extends to Medeba."

Sihon attacked Israel but the Israelites retaliated and occupied the cites of the Amorites. Indeed the victory is apparently reported in song or poetry.

Numbers 21:31-33, Og

So Israel settled in the land of the Amorites. After Moses had sent spies to Jazer, the Israelites captured its surrounding settlements and drove out the Amorites who were there. Then they turned and went up along the road toward Bashan, and Og king of Bashan and his whole army marched out to meet them in battle at Edrei.

After defeating the Amorites, the Israelites settle into Amorite towns. Seeing a threat, Og, king of Bashan, marches out to meet them.

Numbers 21:34-35, Defeating Og

The LORD said to Moses, "Do not be afraid of him, for I have handed him over to you, with his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon." So they struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army, leaving them no survivors. And they took possession of his land.

YHWH tells Moses that he will defeat Og and so the Israelites march out to victory and take over that territory.

See also Deuteronomy 3:1-11 regarding the conflict with Og, who there is described as a giant of a man.

Some Hebrew vocabulary

Our Hebrew word for the day is beer , female noun, "well" or "pit."

בְּאֵר

Some Random Thoughts

Jewish tradition cites Moses as the author of the Pentateuch, although nowhere in the writings is the author given. This chapter includes an interesting editorial comment in verses 14 and 15, quoting an earlier ancient text and then again, with a different source, in verses 27 to 30.  This would not be consistent with Moses authorship.

First published September 24, 2025; updated September 24, 2025

Numbers 20, The Waters of Meribah

(This DRAFT study has been done fairly quickly, without the further guide of commentaries. I hope to improve on it later.)

After the rebellion of Korah, and some more regulations regarding sacrifices and ceremonial uncleanliness, we return to a history of the travels in the wilderness.

Numbers 20:1, Death of Miriam

In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.

Miriam, sister of Moses and Aaron (and a prophetess in Exodus 15:20-21) dies in the desert.

Numbers 20:2-5, No water!

Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. They quarreled with Moses and said, "If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the LORD! Why did you bring the LORD's community into this desert, that we and our livestock should die here? Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!"

 

Once again, the people whine and complain. They have run out of water. They and their animals face death and so, the thirsty people come to Moses.

Numbers 20:6-8, Speak to the rock

Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them.

The LORD said to Moses, "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink."

Moses is to take his staff and go to a certain rock and speak to it and watch water come out of it. (It is not clear what role his staff plays.)

Numbers 20:9-11, Struck twice

So Moses took the staff from the LORD's presence, just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?" Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

Moses gathers the people at the rock and strikes it twice with his staff. Water pours out and everyone drinks.

Moses appears to be striking the rock in anger, and uses the first person plural term "we", as he strikes the rock. Is he claiming that he can bring out the water. Either his temper or his claims to power (or both) will be disciplined.

Numbers 20:12-13

But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."

These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the LORD and where he showed himself holy among them.

Apparently Moses did not truly trust YHWH. Maybe he did more than he was supposed to. For his lack of trust, he, like the others, will not enter the land of Canaan

Numbers 20:14-20, Ediom

 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying: "This is what your brother Israel says: You know about all the hardships that have come upon us. Our forefathers went down into Egypt, and we lived there many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers, but when we cried out to the LORD, he heard our cry and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. 

"Now we are here at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory. Please let us pass through your country. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the king's highway and not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory."

But Edom answered: "You may not pass through here; if you try, we will march out and attack you with the sword."

The Israelites replied: "We will go along the main road, and if we or our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We only want to pass through on foot--nothing else."
          20   Again they answered: "You may not pass through." Then Edom came out against them with a large and powerful army.

Moses asks to travel through Edom, east of the Jordan River. (As a descendant of Jacob, he calls the Edomites, that is, the descendants of Esau, "brothers".) In his request, Moses makes it clear that they will march through without damaging anything or causing any problems. But his request is refused. Indeed the Edomites put together a large army to block them. (This refusal will be mentioned later by various prophets in their accusations against this kingdom.

Numbers 20:21-22, To Mount Hor

Since Edom refused to let them go through their territory, Israel turned away from them. The whole Israelite community set out from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor.

The Israelites avoid conflict with Edom and travel a different route.

Numbers 20:23-29, Death of Aaron

At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Aaron will be gathered to his people. He will not enter the land I give the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah.

Get Aaron and his son Eleazar and take them up Mount Hor. Remove Aaron's garments and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will die there."

Moses did as the LORD commanded: They went up Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community.
          28   

Moses removed Aaron's garments and put them on his son Eleazar. And Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain, and when the whole community learned that Aaron had died, the entire house of Israel mourned for him thirty days.

Aaron dies on Mount Hor. His mantel is (literally) passed on to his son Eleazar.

Moses has now, around the waters of Meribah, lost both sister and brother.

First published September 23, 2025; updated September 23, 2025

Numbers 19, Handling the Dead

(This DRAFT study has been done fairly quickly, without the further guide of commentaries. I hope to improve on it later.)

The duties of the priests and Aaron's descendants has been described. Now we return to some regulations regarding sacrifices. Most of this chapter describes regulations for those who handle a dead body and thus become ceremonially unclean.

Numbers 19:1-8, Sacrificing a red heifer

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: "This is a requirement of the law that the LORD has commanded: Tell the Israelites to bring you a red heifer without defect or blemish and that has never been under a yoke. Give it to Eleazar the priest; it is to be taken outside the camp and slaughtered in his presence. Then Eleazar the priest is to take some of its blood on his finger and sprinkle it seven times toward the front of the Tent of Meeting. While he watches, the heifer is to be burned--its hide, flesh, blood and offal. The priest is to take some cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet wool and throw them onto the burning heifer.

After that, the priest must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water. He may then come into the camp, but he will be ceremonially unclean till evening. The man who burns it must also wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he too will be unclean till evening.

Details are given about the sacrifice of a red heifer.

Numbers 19:9-10, Cleaning up the sacrifice

"A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and put them in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp. They shall be kept by the Israelite community for use in the water of cleansing; it is for purification from sin. The man who gathers up the ashes of the heifer must also wash his clothes, and he too will be unclean till evening. This will be a lasting ordinance both for the Israelites and for the aliens living among them.
 

Even cleaning up the ashes of the heifer has requirements. It requires a man who is ceremonially clean and who follows certain requirements.

Numbers 19:11-13, Touching dead bodies

"Whoever touches the dead body of anyone will be unclean for seven days. He must purify himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then he will be clean. But if he does not purify himself on the third and seventh days, he will not be clean.

Whoever touches the dead body of anyone and fails to purify himself defiles the LORD's tabernacle. That person must be cut off from Israel. Because the water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on him, he is unclean; his uncleanness remains on him.

Throughout the Covenant Law, things that demonstrate physical mortality lead to ceremonial uncleanliness. Certainly handling the body of the dead fits into this category. So regulations are given on how to return to ceremonial cleanliness.

Numbers 19:14-19, More regulations regarding death

"This is the law that applies when a person dies in a tent: Anyone who enters the tent and anyone who is in it will be unclean for seven days, and every open container without a lid fastened on it will be unclean.

"Anyone out in the open who touches someone who has been killed with a sword or someone who has died a natural death, or anyone who touches a human bone or a grave, will be unclean for seven days.
 

"For the unclean person, put some ashes from the burned purification offering into a jar and pour fresh water over them. Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to take some hyssop, dip it in the water and sprinkle the tent and all the furnishings and the people who were there. He must also sprinkle anyone who has touched a human bone or a grave or someone who has been killed or someone who has died a natural death.
          

The man who is clean is to sprinkle the unclean person on the third and seventh days, and on the seventh day he is to purify him. The person being cleansed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and that evening he will be clean.

The elderly will die within their tent; others will die in battle or a natural death outside their tent. Regardless, the handling of dead bodies leads to ceremonial uncleanliness and so the individual must take steps to return to cleanliness.

Numbers 19:20-22, Uncleanliness can spread

But if a person who is unclean does not purify himself, he must be cut off from the community, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on him, and he is unclean.

This is a lasting ordinance for them. "The man who sprinkles the water of cleansing must also wash his clothes, and anyone who touches the water of cleansing will be unclean till evening. Anything that an unclean person touches becomes unclean, and anyone who touches it becomes unclean till evening."

One who does not follow the rituals for cleanliness is unclean and his uncleanliness can affect others. Therefore it is critical that the rituals be followed. Otherwise, the unclean person must be expelled from the community.

First published September 22, 2025; updated September 22, 2025

Numbers 18, Aaron's Portion

(This DRAFT study has been done fairly quickly, without the further guide of commentaries. I hope to improve on it later.)

Aaron's staff, placed in the tabernacle overnight, has blossomed. This is to be reminder that the people should not rebel against Moses and Aaron.

Numbers 18:1-4, Responsibility of Aaron's line

The LORD said to Aaron, "You, your sons and your father's family are to bear the responsibility for offenses against the sanctuary, and you and your sons alone are to bear the responsibility for offenses against the priesthood. Bring your fellow Levites from your ancestral tribe to join you and assist you when you and your sons minister before the Tent of the Testimony. They are to be responsible to you and are to perform all the duties of the Tent, but they must not go near the furnishings of the sanctuary or the altar, or both they and you will die. They are to join you and be responsible for the care of the Tent of Meeting--all the work at the Tent--and no one else may come near where you are.

The Levites, and Aaron's family in particular, are responsible for taking care of the tabernacle. But they must be very careful in regard to its presence -- no one but those designated may go near the furnishings, on penalty of death.

Numbers 18:5-7, Only you and your sons

"You are to be responsible for the care of the sanctuary and the altar, so that wrath will not fall on the Israelites again. I myself have selected your fellow Levites from among the Israelites as a gift to you, dedicated to the LORD to do the work at the Tent of Meeting. But only you and your sons may serve as priests in connection with everything at the altar and inside the curtain. I am giving you the service of the priesthood as a gift. Anyone else who comes near the sanctuary must be put to death."
 

Only Aaron's sons can serve as priests at the altar or inside the curtain.

Numbers 18:8-10, You may eat your portion

Then the LORD said to Aaron, "I myself have put you in charge of the offerings presented to me; all the holy offerings the Israelites give me I give to you and your sons as your portion and regular share. You are to have the part of the most holy offerings that is kept from the fire. From all the gifts they bring me as most holy offerings, whether grain or sin or guilt offerings, that part belongs to you and your sons. Eat it as something most holy; every male shall eat it. You must regard it as holy.

  

As part of their ministry, Aaron and his sons are allowed to eat of the offerings made at the altar.

Numbers 18:11-14, Wave offerings

"This also is yours: whatever is set aside from the gifts of all the wave offerings of the Israelites. I give this to you and your sons and daughters as your regular share. Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean may eat it.

"I give you all the finest olive oil and all the finest new wine and grain they give the LORD as the firstfruits of their harvest. All the land's firstfruits that they bring to the LORD will be yours. Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean may eat it. "Everything in Israel that is devoted to the LORD is yours.
 

The products from a "wave offering", waved before the altar, are to belong to Aaron and his sons and daughters (and presumably their descendants.)

Numbers 18:15-20, First offspring

The first offspring of every womb, both man and animal, that is offered to the LORD is yours. But you must redeem every firstborn son and every firstborn male of unclean animals. When they are a month old, you must redeem them at the redemption price set at five shekels of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs.

"But you must not redeem the firstborn of an ox, a sheep or a goat; they are holy. Sprinkle their blood on the altar and burn their fat as an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. Their meat is to be yours, just as the breast of the wave offering and the right thigh are yours.

Whatever is set aside from the holy offerings the Israelites present to the LORD I give to you and your sons and daughters as your regular share. It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the LORD for both you and your offspring."

The LORD said to Aaron, "You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites.

Firstborn offspring, whether animal or human, are especially given to God. (This echoes the Passover event of Exodus 12.) Animals are set aside for sacrifice. There is, of course, a different plan for firstborn children, not specified here.

Numbers 18:22-24, The Tent of Meeting for Levites only

"I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the Tent of Meeting. From now on the Israelites must not go near the Tent of Meeting, or they will bear the consequences of their sin and will die.

It is the Levites who are to do the work at the Tent of Meeting and bear the responsibility for offenses against it. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. They will receive no inheritance among the Israelites. Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the LORD. That is why I said concerning them: `They will have no inheritance among the Israelites.'"

The people are prohibited from going near the Tent of Meeting. Only Levites may do that. This means that Levites do not inherit land but are supported by the tithes of the Israelites.

Numbers 18:25-32, Even Levites will tithe

The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the Levites and say to them: `When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I give you as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the LORD's offering. Your offering will be reckoned to you as grain from the threshing floor or juice from the winepress. In this way you also will present an offering to the LORD from all the tithes you receive from the Israelites. From these tithes you must give the LORD's portion to Aaron the priest. You must present as the LORD's portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you.'

"Say to the Levites: `When you present the best part, it will be reckoned to you as the product of the threshing floor or the winepress. You and your households may eat the rest of it anywhere, for it is your wages for your work at the Tent of Meeting. By presenting the best part of it you will not be guilty in this matter; then you will not defile the holy offerings of the Israelites, and you will not die.'"

Of the gifts that the Levites receive, even they must give a tenth to God. These go to Aaron, and presumably to future high priests. The Levites are to present their best produce to God and enjoy the rest.

First published September 20, 2025; updated September 20, 2025