SERIES F --- WILDERNESS WANDERINGS --- LESSON 10
WEALTH DISTRIBUTED
THE BATTLE AGAINST MIDIAN
From Numbers 31
Before you die, you must punish the Midianites for leading your people into idolatry, Adonai told Moses. Moses gave orders to his people concerning the plan for battle. Adonai Demands that we punish Midian, Moses told them. Arm a thousand men from each tribe for battle. Before long, twelve thousand armed men came forth to fight against Midian. Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest led the troops as Moses sent them forth. Phinehas took with him some of the sacred vessels from the tabernacle and trumpets to sound the alarm. They went to war against Midian, as Adonai had told them to do and they killed every male Midianite. Among them were the five kings of Midian, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba. They also killed Balaam the son of Beor. But the warriors of Israel captured the women and children of Midian, along with cattle, flocks and other prizes. Then they burned the villages and cities of Midian and brought the captives and spoils of war to Moses and Eleazar the priest and to the people of Israel, who were camped there on the plains of Moab across the Jordan River from Jericho. But when Moses and Eleazar and the leaders of the people went forth to meet the returning army, Moses was angry with the officers and leaders. Why have you brought these women back alive? he demanded. Don’t you realize that these are the very ones who listened to Balaam’s advice and caused our people to turn against Adonai to worship idols at Peor and brought the great plague upon the people? You must destroy every male child and every woman who has had relations with a man, but you may spare the young girls. All of you who have killed a person or touched a dead body must stay outside the camp for seven days. On the third and seventh days purify yourselves and your captives, as well as all the captured goods made of animal skins, goats’ hair or wood. Eleazar the priest gave the men of war special orders concerning some of the captured goods. Adonai has given this Commandment to Moses, he said. The metal objects you have taken {things made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin and lead} must pass through the fire to purify them. Then they must be cleansed ceremonially with purification water. Objects which cannot go through fire must be cleansed ceremonially with purification water alone. On the seventh day, while you are living outside the camp, wash your clothes and be ceremonially purified and then you may return to the camp. Adonai gave further Instructions to Moses concerning the goods and people captured from the Midianites. You, Eleazar the priest and the tribal leaders will divide the spoils of battle into two parts, Adonai Commanded. One part is for the warriors who fought the Midianites and the other part is for the people who were at home. But Adonai’s portion, presented to Eleazar the priest, shall be one part in five hundred, taken from the warriors’ spoils. Adonai’s portion, presented to the Levites, shall be one part in fifty, taken from the half of the spoils to be given to the people. Moses and Eleazar did what Adonai Commanded. Here is a list of the spoils and the way they were divided:
SHEEP: 675,000 total.
• 337,500 for the warriors, of which 675 were given to Adonai for Eleazar’s use.
• 337,500 for the people, of which 6,750 were given to Adonai for the Levites’ use.
OXEN: 72,000 total.
• 36,000 for the warriors, of which 72 were given to Adonai for Eleazar’s use.
• 36,000 for the people, of which 720 were given to Adonai for the Levites’ use.
DONKEYS: 61,000 total.
• 30,500 for the warriors, of which 61 were given to Adonai for Eleazar’s use.
• 30,500 for the people, of which 610 were given to Adonai for the Levites’ use.
YOUNG GIRLS: 32,000 total.
• 16,000 for the warriors, of which 32 were given to Adonai to help Eleazar the priest.
• 16,000 for the people, of which 320 were given to Adonai to help the Levites.
When the spoils of battle had been divided, the officers came to Moses. We have counted our men who went to battle and have found that everyone has returned safely, they reported. Because of this, we want to present a thank offering to Adonai. Here are some of the gold articles, bracelets, anklets, rings, earrings and necklaces. We want to present them to Adonai to make atonement for ourselves before Him. When Moses and Eleazar counted the value of the gold which the officers gave, they found it was worth about sixteen thousand, seven hundred and fifty shekels of gold. This offering was brought into the tabernacle and kept there before Adonai as a memorial for the people of Israel.
COMMENTARY
BATTLE AND BOOTY: HOW THE ISRAELITES HANDLED THE SPOILS OF BATTLE:
The Israelites had been warned again and again not to put other gods ahead of Adonai YHVH. They had been warned not to make idols or graven images. When the Midianite women tempted the Israelite men to sin by marrying them, they brought their idols into the Israelite household and taught the men to worship them. Moses became enraged about this and soon raised an army against Midian. All Midianite men and boys were killed, so that no male would rise up later to avenge their relatives. The wives were killed too, so they would never again lead Israelites into sin. Wives were also considered a kind of {used property} and were therefore not wanted by their captors. Only young girls, herds and booty were spared. The young girls probably became slaves to weave, spin and tend flocks. After the battle, anyone who had touched a dead body or killed someone had to go through a week of purification rites for himself and his captives. The booty had to be purified as well. All garments, skins, goats’ hair articles, wooden items and those made of metal were included. On the third and seventh day of the week, everything was sprinkled with the {water of impurity.} That was water mixed with the ashes of a red heifer, cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet thread. Metals were passed through a fire. On the last day the soldiers washed their clothes and re-entered the camp. The booty was then distributed. Some of it went to the soldiers and some to the people. A part went to the Levites and a part was given to YHVH.
God's action in the world is rarely flashy and dramatic. Burning bushes and pillars of fire are not his usual modus operandi. He operates behind the scenes and speaks softly to those who are willing and ready to listen. People want to see God in great events and cataclysms, but he is more likely to be in small kindnesses and mercies and times spent in the wilderness.
1 Kings 19:11-13
I'll be sharing this in next week's Coffee Break newsletter, but it's super important and I wanted to share it here first.
https://www.prageru.com/video/....how-to-protect-kids-
Yeshua said to them: “Is it lawful on the Sabbath day to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?” But they were silent.
#mark 3:4 #bible #gospels #thingsyeshuasaid #yeshua #verseoftheday #dailybread #scripture #scripturepictures #scriptureart
https://alittleperspective.com..../welcome-to-scriptur
#goodmorning and #happyfriday! January 27 #biblestudy links to readings and study resources:
https://alittleperspective.com..../january-27-bible-re
Today’s Hebrew Testament chronological reading is in Job 41 and 42.
The Psalms/ Proverbs reading is in Psalm 27.
The Greek Testament reading is in Matthew 20.
Links to essential studies.
(All other previous studies are at the above link.)
Chiastic structure of the book of Job
https://www.alittleperspective.com/job-41-and-42/
Psalm 27, Chiastic structure
https://www.alittleperspective.....com/psalm-27-chiast
Matthew 20, Chiastic structure
https://www.alittleperspective.....com/matthew-20-2016
January 2023 Bible Reading Schedule
https://alittleperspective.com..../january-2023-bible-
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This is on the way back from Israel
Thought for Today: Friday January 27:
Adonai Elohiym, Who Loves you and holds you in the palm of His Hand, wants to bless you in amazing, humbling and breath-taking ways. Do not limit Him – open up and accept what is yours. He Loves you and is longing for you to involve Him in your daily activities and be thankful in everything.
SERIES F --- WILDERNESS WANDERINGS --- LESSON 09
WOMEN’S VOWS
LAWS CONCERNING VOWS
From Numbers 30
One day Moses called together the tribal leaders and told them what Adonai had Commanded concerning vows. Adonai says that a man who makes a vow must keep his promise to Adonai and not break it. He must do what he has vowed to do. When a woman living at home with her father promises Adonai something, her vow will stand if her father hears it and remains silent. But if her father does not approve of her vow or the penalties she has invoked, he may cancel her vow. The father must say that he does not approve on the day he hears of it and then Adonai will forgive the woman because the father did not approve of her vow. If an unmarried woman makes a vow or a foolish promise and later marries, her vow will remain if her husband remains silent when he hears of it. But if her husband does not approve of the vow on the day that he hears of it, he may cancel it and Adonai will forgive the woman. If a widow or divorced woman makes a vow, she must keep her promise to Adonai. If a married woman living with her husband makes a vow, it must stand if the husband remains silent on the day, he first hears of it, thereby showing his approval of it. But if the husband does not approve of the vow on the day, he first hears of it, the vow will be cancelled and Adonai will forgive her. If her husband waits as much as a day, he thereby shows his approval of his wife’s vow. If he then tries to cancel it, the penalties attached to it will come upon him. These are the Laws which Adonai gave to Moses concerning a woman and her husband or a woman still living at home with her father.
COMMENTARY
MAKING A VOW
An Israelite was not required to make a vow to YHVH, but if he did, it was solemnly binding. A woman’s vow could be cancelled by her husband or father as soon as he heard it. Vows made by men must be kept. A vow could not promise YHVH something that already belonged to Him, such as a tithe. Anything earned by illegal means, such as from stealing, was also unacceptable to YHVH. If an animal was promised, it had to be valuable and in perfect condition. Sometimes vows were bargains with YHVH. Hannah promised YHVH her son, if He would give her one. When Samuel was born, Hannah presented him for service in the tabernacle. Samuel lived there and became a prophet and a judge over Israel. Samson’s mother made a similar vow and Samson grew up under the Nazirite vow. He too, became a judge over Israel. Jacob promised to build a shrine at Bethel if YHVH would bless him on his journey. Later Jacob returned and fulfilled his vow. But some people made rash or foolish vows and sorrowfully learned that a promise must be fulfilled, even though it was a foolish promise. In exchange for his victory over his enemies, a man named Jephthah promised to sacrifice to YHVH the first thing that met him on his return home. He probably expected a choice animal to run from the doorway, but instead, his only daughter came to meet him. Jephthah had to keep his vow. King Saul foolishly vowed that if YHVH would give him victory, his troops would not eat that day and anyone who broke the fast would be put to death. That foolish vow almost cost Saul his son Jonathan. A vow could be made for self-discipline, as when David swore not to rest until he brought the Ark of YHVH back to Jerusalem. But foolish or wise, noble or selfish, vows to YHVH were taken seriously and considered binding.
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