Scripture doesn’t explain how Moses heard God’s voice, but it tells us that the Lord spoke to Moses “face to face, as a man speaks to his friend” (Ex. 33:11). People today often wish God would speak to us that directly. And He does—through the Bible.
The Bible asserts that all Scripture originated with God (2 Tim. 3:16, 17; 2 Pet. 1:16–21). Though people wrote down the words, God first spoke them. Throughout the first five books of the Bible, Moses repeatedly said that he was relaying what God had said (for example, Ex. 24:4). He also named God as the source of the Law (25:1; Lev. 1:1; Num. 1:1; Deut. 1:6). The phrase “the LORD spoke to Moses” appears thirty-three times in Leviticus alone. And the New Testament affirms Moses’ avowal that his commandments came from God:
• Jesus said “God spoke,” referring to the burning bush (Mark 12:26).
• Jesus and the Pharisees both acknowledged God as the source of the Law’s authority (Matt. 19:4–7; John 9:29).
• Stephen attributed Moses’ writings to God (Acts 7:6).
• Peter maintained that Moses and other prophets “spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21; compare Heb. 1:1).
God spoke to Moses, and He likewise speaks to us through His written Word. Countless Jews and Christians throughout history have preserved this sacred text, many giving their lives so we can read it today. Whenever the Bible has been banned, burned, or supposedly debunked, its truth still stands. It remains the test of orthodoxy for all who claim to know God.
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Finding Women in the Bible’s Family Trees
Moses’ census recorded only male names, with families listed “by their fathers’ houses.” We expect modern family trees to show both male and female ancestors, so it is natural to wonder what it means that women were excluded here.
In the patriarchal societies of the ancient world, it was customary to trace ancestry through males, and Moses’ census followed the conventions of its time. However, this does not mean that God considers women inferior or less important than men. On the contrary, the high value God places on women is evident throughout Scripture in the stories of women who played integral roles in the accomplishment of God’s purposes. Some of these women exhibited the highest human virtues. Others did not. None were perfect.
Women in the Bible are portrayed just as they are. They are neither overly exalted nor unfairly vilified. They are God’s children, capable of good yet struggling with sin just like their male counterparts. From the very beginning, the creation record of Genesis 1–2 gives men and women equal standing before God, for both Adam and Eve were created in God’s image and were declared “very good” (Gen. 1:31).
Unlike Moses’ census, Matthew’s New Testament genealogy of Jesus’ ancestors does include women as well as men (Matt. 1:1–17; see also “The Women in Jesus’ Genealogy” at Matt. 1:3–6). Their inclusion reminds readers that Jesus is the Messiah not only for men but also for women. As the apostle Paul wrote, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28).
Although mothers are not always listed in family trees, their identities and accomplishments have been passed down through the stories of the Bible.
Mother | Description |
Eve (Gen. 4:1–8, 25) | Endured the murder of her second son, who was killed by the first. |
Bore sons who became the fathers of herding and music. | |
Bore a son who became an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron; also bore a daughter, Naamah. | |
Hagar (Gen. 16:1–16; 21:9–21) | Fled her home with her only child and met God in the desert; first woman in the Bible to call out a name for God (You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees). |
Sarah (Gen. 18:10–15; 21:1–3) | Felt the joy of motherhood after years of barrenness. |
Rebekah (Gen. 25:24–34; 27:1–45) | Experienced a difficult pregnancy and bore twins who developed a heated sibling rivalry. |
Leah (Gen. 29:15–35; 30:20, 21) | Obtained a husband as a result of her father’s trickery and hoped to gain favor by giving birth to sons; bore six sons and one daughter, Dinah. |
Rachel (Gen. 29:30; 30:22–24; 35:16–18) | Bore only two of her husband’s twelve sons but was the most beloved of his wives. |
Bilhah (Gen. 30:3–8) and Zilpah (30:9–13) | Slaves used to provide their barren owners’ husband with two sons each. |
Jochebed (Ex. 2:1–10) | Preserved her son’s life when the king had ordered all male Hebrew babies to be killed (Ex. 2:1–10). |
Naomi (Ruth 1:1–18) | So admired that her daughter-in-law vowed to stay with her until death. |
Hannah (1 Sam. 1:1—2:11) | Had a son after years of barrenness and dedicated his entire life to God. |
Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11:1–27; 12:15–25) | Married amid scandal, then lost a child, but later became the mother of one of the wisest leaders in the history of mankind. |
The Woman of Proverbs 31 (Prov. 31:10–31) | Prized for her industriousness and wisdom; praised for her honor, for her charity, and most of all for her fear of the Lord. |
Elizabeth (Luke 1:5–7, 24, 25, 39–56) | Encouraged a much younger expectant mother as they celebrated and coped with their pregnancies. |
Became pregnant under difficult circumstances, then became a refugee to protect the life of her newborn. | |
Eunice (Acts 16:1; 2 Tim. 1:5) | Married a husband who likely did not share her faith yet she reared a son who became a leader in the early church. |
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Israel was composed of twelve tribes descended from the twelve sons of Jacob. The descendants of Joseph were considered two distinct tribes named after Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen. 48:8–16). The descendants of another son, the Levites, were not counted formally as a tribe.
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As the Israelites traveled across the Sinai Peninsula, they stayed in tents arranged into sections by tribe and family. The Bible does not say why God specified this particular layout of the encampment. It may have been because the nation’s warriors were organized by tribe (Num. 1:2–4). Or it may have been to place each tribe at an equal distance from the tabernacle, thus symbolizing their equality before God.
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Name means: “God Has Helped.”
Not to be confused with: Six other men in the Bible with the same name, as well as eleven others named Eliezer.
Family: Third son of Aaron and Elisheba. See “The Family of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam” at Ex. 6:20–25.
Occupation: Priest.
Best known as: Successor to Aaron as chief of the Levites and loyal lieutenant to Moses and, later, Joshua. He fathered and mentored Phinehas (Josh. 22:13; Judg. 20:28), through whom the family line extended to Ezra (Ezra 7:1–5) and beyond.
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God instructed Moses to handle the mammoth effort of moving the tabernacle by organizing teams around specific tasks. He assigned various units to this delicate and important job:
• Aaron and the priests wrapped the ark, lampstand, utensils, and furniture according to detailed instructions (Num. 4:5–16).
• The Kohathite division carefully transported the items Aaron and the priests had packed (4:15).
• The Gershonite unit collected and carried all the hangings, screens, and remaining utensils under strict supervision (4:21–28).
• The Merarite group loaded and transported the bases, pillars, bars, cords, and pegs, with a specific worker assigned to each item (4:29–33).
In the New Testament, Paul advocated a cooperative model of the church by which the body of Christ functions according to each member’s gifts (1 Cor. 12:4–26). By planning ahead, working together, and overcoming competition and conflict, Christians can manage projects in a way that honors the Lord.
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A Law for Criminals—and Their Victims
Because wandering Israel had no jails, justice was often served not by locking up offenders but by making sure that offenders made restitution to victims, restoring or repaying losses. The Law regarded crimes against property and persons to be “unfaithfulness against the LORD” (Num. 5:6) and set formulas of restitution for different situations.
Situation | Repayment |
Loss or theft of an animal: • A beast of burden (for example, an ox) is killed. • A sheep is killed. • Animal is stolen but alive and returnable. • Criminal cannot repay. | |
Animal grazes in another’s field or vineyard. | Restitution made from offender’s field or vineyard (Ex. 22:5). |
Causing a crop-destroying fire on a neighbor’s land. | Full restitution of the loss (Ex. 22:6). |
Theft of property being held for safekeeping. | |
Borrowed animal dies or is injured (in the owner’s absence). | |
General crimes against persons. | Full restitution plus 20 percent, payable to the victim, next of kin, or the priest (Num. 5:7–9). |
Although our own laws handle both criminal and civil cases very differently, the ancient Israelites’ concept of restitution is still alive today not only in our legal system but also in our personal interactions. When we want to make things right with people we have wronged, there are some situations in which repayment is not just a nice thing to do. It is the right thing to do.
More: Restitution in ancient Israel involved more than satisfying a wronged neighbor. It also required atonement before God. See “Making Restitution” at Lev. 6:1–7. One of Jesus’ followers voluntarily obeyed these ancient laws of restitution as soon as he recognized his former crimes as sins against God and his neighbors. See “Startling Change” at Luke 19:1–10.
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Healing never comes easily when a marriage partner breaks faith. In the case of an Israelite wife suspected of adultery, the Law acknowledged the pain of the offended spouse (Num. 5:14) and the destructive potential of jealousy. It instructed the offended husband to bring his wife before the priest, who would “set her before the LORD” (5:15, 16), who alone could be trusted to detect the sin. This ritual for determining guilt or innocence did not take place amid a crowd of hostile examiners or curious spectators. The woman was brought quietly before God, where the priest placed her under oath and gave her a drink of “bitter water” to assess her guilt or innocence.
We all have a hard time being fair when we are hurt, angry, or jealous. Wounded love usually tempts a person toward vengeance. Only God can be trusted to dispense justice no matter the situation (Deut. 32:35–39; Rom. 12:19).
More: Jesus counseled a sensitive approach in dealing with sin among believers. He cautioned His followers to privately confront an alleged offender rather than creating a public spectacle, and to seek restoration and reconciliation rather than revenge. See Matt. 18:15–22.
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The Nazirite vow was a means for ancient Israelites to dedicate themselves to God in a special way for a specific time. Just as the Israelites could vow their possessions (see “The Value of a Thank You” at Lev. 27:1–25), they could also vow their lives.
The term Nazirite meant “one separated or consecrated.” As a sign of this commitment, the Nazirite abstained from consuming any product of the vine (grapes, raisins, wine, and vinegar), from using a razor, and from touching the dead (Num. 6:3–7).
The text does not explain why a person might make this vow, but it may have been an act of penitence or devotion. Parents could also make a Nazirite vow on behalf of an unborn child. When Hannah, a childless woman, “poured out [her] soul before the Lord,” she promised to dedicate to Him the son she prayed He would allow her to bear. Her vow suggests that her son Samuel became a Nazirite for life (1 Sam. 1:11, 15, 27, 28). Before the judge Samson was born, the Angel of the Lord told his father Manoah that his wife would bear a son who would be a Nazirite (Judg. 13:3–5).
These lifetime vows seem to be the exception rather than the rule. The Book of Numbers implies that the Nazirite vow normally lasted a shorter period of time (Num. 6:13), making it achievable for an average person. Israelites could show special devotion to God for days, weeks, months, or even years without dropping out of society or practicing extreme abstinence.
Like many expressions of religious devotion, the Nazirite vow became corrupted over time by those who thought it could be exploited to gain God’s favor. They set a minimum duration of the vow, asked wealthy people to pay for the offerings, or wagered on how long the vow could be kept.
Although the New Testament offers no equivalent to the Nazirite vow, Christians today can still voluntarily devote themselves to God in unique ways. Some traditions call for fasting and intensified devotional activity during the Lenten season. But we are not bound by this seasonal observance; the disciplines of prayer and fasting can help us focus on God at any time. One thing should remain clear: nothing we ever do forces God to act on our behalf. Vows exist to remind us of our debt to Him.
More: Old Testament vows were voluntary, yet once a vow was made, it needed to be fulfilled without delay. See “Making Promises to God” at Num. 30:2.
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People have been giving each other expressions of goodwill since the beginning of time. Benedictions express good wishes and invoke the Lord’s blessing. They remind their recipients of God’s intent to care for us in both good and bad circumstances. Scripture contains many passages originally intended as benedictions as well as others that have been adapted through usage to serve as benedictions today.
Saying | Setting |
“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace” (Num. 6:24–26). | The confirmation of Aaron’s sons as priests included this blessing prescribed by God for the children of Israel. |
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 1:3). | A familiar greeting Paul included in several letters (see also Rom. 1:7; Gal. 1:3; Eph. 1:2; Phil. 1:2; Col. 1:2). |
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen” (2 Cor. 13:14). | The conclusion of a letter Paul wrote to heal his relationship with the Corinthians. |
“Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen” (Heb. 13:20, 21). | The closing statement of the Book of Hebrews, a letter to Jewish Christians affirming Christ as the core of the gospel. |
More: Israelite fathers commonly pronounced a formal blessing on their children, especially on firstborn sons. This tradition shows how a blessing can help pass on a godly heritage. See “The Blessing” at Gen. 49:28 and “Passing On the Blessing” at Ps. 67:1, 2.
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The first five books of the Bible, known as the Pentateuch, invite us into the ceremonial rites of a struggling people. Through their God-given regulations for worship, instructions for building the tabernacle, rules about offerings and sacrifices, and laws for daily life, we learn about the value of ritual.
The books of Moses show why we pass our traditions on to succeeding generations. Elders impart the meaning and oversee the observance of rituals, ensuring that younger generations do not forget their heritage and become culturally bankrupt, or worse, pervert their traditions.
In the modern world, we often participate in rituals without considering their prescribed patterns and the significance behind them. We work our way through births, graduations, weddings, deaths, holidays, and reunions with well-worn habits. We have a vague inkling of the penalties of missing out on these important events. But we need to embrace the rituals of these moments and the values they represent.
More: Faith is always one generation away from extinction. Rituals and traditions can help parents instill godly beliefs and values in the lives of their children. See “The Faith of Our Children” at Deut. 6:7–9.
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Israel’s leaders dedicated the tabernacle by giving offerings from among their material possessions. Their gifts signified their allegiance to God and dedication to serving Him. And this was not a one-time experience. Sacrifices and offerings continued day and night all year long, never stopping as long as the Israelites worshiped in the tabernacle. See “Old Testament Sacrifices” at Leviticus 3:1.
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As God led Israel through the wilderness, He used the cloud of His presence to prod His people into motion or to make them stop. Many of us may assume that having a physical manifestation of God’s presence would make life much easier, but we have something the Israelites did not: God’s complete written Word—and the wisdom it imparts. Armed with this wisdom, men and women today can sense when and how to act—and when to hold back. Through His infallible Word, God provides guidance for how to lead our families, churches, and businesses. He also teaches us how to pace our individual professional and personal lives: when to hunt for a new job or career, when to stay where we are, how long to keep working, when to stop and rest. Just as God guided the Israelites, He leads us, giving us the principles of His Word so we can make responsible choices.
More: God used the fiery cloud and other forms of direct communication to guide Israel. But even then, most day-to-day decisions required human judgment. See “Divine and Human Guidance” at Num. 10:29–34.
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The congregation Moses summoned by blowing the silver trumpets included the entire population of Israel as God’s chosen people. This group was often called the assembly (Hebrew: edah or qahal), especially when coming together at an appointed time and place for religious purposes. Centuries later, a synagogue gathering (see “The Synagogue” at Mark 1:21) was likewise referred to as an assembly.
The Greeks also described gatherings as assemblies. When the Old Testament was translated into Greek (see “The Septuagint” at Acts 18:24), the Hebrew word for “assembly” was often rendered ekklēsia, a term that early Christians adopted. Eventually ekklēsia was translated into English as church.
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The Wilderness of Paran comprised the central portion of the Sinai Peninsula, watered by the Brook of Egypt. Abraham’s son Ishmael settled there (Gen. 21:21). To view its location, see the map at “The Wilderness” at Exodus 16:1.
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As Moses led Israel across the wilderness to the Promised Land, he used both divine and human help, inviting a relative, Hobab, to act as a guide, while also continuing to follow the fiery cloud of the Lord’s presence (compare Num. 9:15–23).
The fiery cloud, the tablets of stone, the Law, and other direct communications from God were Israel’s primary means of guidance. But many day-to-day decisions required human insight such as Hobab’s knowledge of the wilderness.
Moses’ father-in-law had advised him to appoint judges to help lead the people (Ex. 18:17–23). Now Moses appealed to Hobab on behalf of the people to “be our eyes” (Num. 10:31). The text does not say whether Hobab accepted this role. Yet even if Hobab returned to his own land and people as he originally intended (10:30), Moses continued to rely on both human and divine guidance, seeking input from Aaron, Miriam, and others.
Moses’ reliance on common sense and human judgment didn’t arise from doubt in God’s leadership. On the contrary, it demonstrates that God uses a variety of methods to lead His people—sometimes through direct intervention, sometimes through people to whom He has given unique abilities. As we seek guidance, we should pay attention to divine revelation—especially God’s written Word—but we should also consult people whom God has gifted—perhaps with our benefit in mind!
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Psalm 68 begins with the same words Moses used when the Israelites set out behind the ark of the covenant. The psalm is a processional that reenacts Israel’s journey from Sinai to Canaan.
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When Israel left Egypt, a number of outsiders left with them. The text refers to these people as a “mixed multitude” (compare Ex. 12:38) because the group was probably composed of other minorities that Egypt may have been eager to expel. There may have also been some members of the Egyptian underclass and even some malcontents who turned expatriate. Once in the wilderness, this motley crew objected so much to the manna God provided that the Israelites were also spurred to complain about this miraculous provision (Num. 11:6).
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Thoroughly frustrated with his obstinate people, Moses told God that he was neither their parent nor their guardian. The term guardian could be applied to either a man or a woman. Learn more about this role at the entry for “Nurse” in the Jobs and Occupations index.
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Name means: “Stubbornness” or “Rebellion.”
Home: Born in Egypt, where she lived for more than 80 years before the Exodus; died at Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin (Num. 20:1).
Family: Daughter of Amram and Jochebed; older sister of Aaron and Moses. See “The Family of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam” at Ex. 6:20–25. One tradition says she was married to Caleb. Josephus, a first-century historian, thought her to be the wife of Hur, a leader appointed by Moses.
Of special interest: The name Miriam (or Mary) became popular among the Jews, perhaps in honor of Miriam’s role in the Exodus.
Notable achievements: Led the women of Israel in song and dance after God led them across the Red Sea on dry land (Ex. 15:20, 21).
Best known as: Moses’ sister, likely the one who stood watch while his mother placed him in a basket and who told Pharaoh’s daughter of a Hebrew nurse, thus arranging for Moses to be nursed by his mother (2:3–8); remembered for being struck with leprosy after siding with her brother Aaron in challenging Moses’ marriage (Num. 12:1–15).
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Family Crisis, Leadership Crisis
Moses, Aaron, and Miriam exercised wide-ranging power over Israel. This trio of siblings experienced ups and downs, and one especially dramatic crisis erupted when Miriam and Aaron sided together against their younger brother, an attack possibly rooted in racial hostility toward Moses’ Ethiopian wife.
The region of Ethiopia, sometimes referred to in Scripture as Nubia or Cush, lay south of Egypt. The history of Egypt often intertwined with that of this dark-skinned African people (Jer. 13:23). Moses may have met his wife during his years in Egypt, or she may have been among the “mixed multitude” that fled with the Israelites out of Egypt (Num. 11:4). Or the term used in Numbers 12:1, rendered in some translations as Cushite, may be a form of the word Cushan, another name for Midian, implying that the Ethiopian woman was Zipporah (Ex. 2:21).
There may have been more to Miriam and Aaron’s attack on Moses than racism. The older brother and sister may have been vying for leadership over Israel much like James and John argued over who was most favored by Jesus (Mark 10:35–44).
It seems likely that the conflict was motivated by sibling rivalry because although Miriam and Aaron framed their opposition in terms of race, the result was a crisis of authority. Miriam and Aaron disputed Moses’ right to speak for God.
God was thoroughly displeased with this behavior (Num. 12:9) and made clear that He would communicate through whomever He chose (12:6). Moses was His chosen representative, and Miriam and Aaron were secondary.
Miriam was immediately struck with leprosy, apparently as punishment for her part in this rebellion. The fact that Aaron escaped this affliction may indicate that she was the primary instigator. In any case, the entire nation halted its journey until she was healed (12:15).
Jealousy, power plays, and racism are sins that God detests. Yet they occur among even the best of His followers. True leadership is servanthood—to God’s will instead of our own selfish impulses, to a life of humility and grace rather than flawed human agendas.
More: The issue of racial and ethnic barriers surfaced centuries later when Peter brought the gospel to the Roman centurion Cornelius. Two conversions took place: Cornelius came to faith, and Peter changed his attitude toward Gentiles in the church. See “Ethnic Walls Break Down” at Acts 10:44, 45.
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The Humblest Man on the Face of the Earth
When someone claims to be humble, most people believe the opposite. Yet Numbers, which was written by Moses, states that Moses was the humblest man on the face of the earth. What are we to make of that?
There are at least two possible explanations. One possibility is that the comment was inserted by a later writer. Indeed, someone besides Moses had to have written about his death and burial in the final chapter of Deuteronomy (another book authored by Moses). Since Joshua, Moses’ successor, is believed to have composed the book that bears his name (Josh. 24:26), it is possible that he completed Deuteronomy and also added this editorial comment to Numbers.
Another possibility is that the word translated humble does not denote a lack of pride but rather a state of affliction. This fits with the relentless attacks Moses endured from the Israelites, such that he was overwhelmed (Num. 11:14). Numbers 12:3 may be an honest confession of Moses’ weariness as he faced yet another assault, this time from his own brother and sister (12:1, 2).
Whatever the explanation, Moses was indeed a humble man. He put up with enormous griefs and rarely complained. It is no surprise he was remembered as the foremost of Israel’s prophets (Deut. 34:10).
And his example challenges us to evaluate our own response to harsh treatment. Few of us could be considered humble in the way we deal with people who mistreat us. Yet God is opposed to the proud and gives grace to the humble (Prov. 3:34; James 4:6).
More: For more on Moses, see his profile at Ex. 2:10. Humility is not optional if we want to live close to God. See “Humility: The Scandalous Virtue” at Phil. 2:3.
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Every leader faces challenges to his or her authority. Moses fought opposition from two fellow leaders who also happened to be his siblings. His management of the situation, including his plea for God to deliver his sister from leprosy, offers insights on godly authority and the challenges facing people in positions of leadership:
• Subordinates often dislike authority. Even outwardly supportive associates may harbor jealousy and suspicions about an authority figure. Even unspoken issues can create discontent.
• Rebellion against authority may have nothing to do with an authority figure. Resisting authority is not always a reasoned response to an actual lapse of leadership. It may result from imagined grievances.
• Rejection of authority can be contagious. Miriam and Aaron’s challenge immediately preceded both the people’s refusal to enter Canaan (Num. 13–14) and Korah’s rebellion (ch. 16). Rebellion spreads through gossip, half-truths, and volatile emotion. As sinful people, we have tendency to join in rebellion even when it is unwarranted. Rebel leaders often become folk heroes whether their actions were brave or just plain foolhardy.
• Authority must be tempered by humility. Moses was a leader with ample humility (12:3). Leaders squaring off against rebels need to respond with prayer, humility, and dependence on God’s wisdom and strength. Reasserting power or overcoming opponents is not the end goal. Honoring God is.
• Christians are called to extend mercy even as they administer authority. Christ responded mercifully to the attacks of angry people, even when He used strong words. We can accept challenges to authority as opportunities for correction and clarification, and Christ’s mercy, love, and power can use conflict to build resilient relationships.
More: Jesus exemplified a unique style of leadership. See “Leading to Serve” at John 13:1–20.
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• A site in northeastern Sinai that probably included a well or spring and a settlement; located between the Wilderness of Zin and the Wilderness of Paran, 70 miles southwest of Hebron and 50 miles from Beersheba.
• Also referred to as Kadesh Barnea (Num. 32:8; Deut. 1:2).
• Known as En Mishpat (“Spring of Judgment”) in Abraham’s day, when warring kings marched through (Gen. 14:7).
• Base camp from which Moses sent out 12 spies to spy out Canaan (Num. 13:3, 26) and the scene of the people’s refusal to possess the land.
• Scene of Korah’s rebellion against Moses (16:1–3).
• Burial site of Moses’ sister and coleader Miriam (20:1).
• The site where Moses dishonored God by striking a rock to produce water, giving the waters the name Meribah Kadesh (“Contention at Kadesh”; Deut. 32:51; compare Num. 20:1–13; 27:14).
• Marker for the southern border with Edom (34:3, 4), whose king refused the Israelites direct access to the Promised Land (20:14–21).
More: Israel’s stay at Kadesh must have been a low point in Moses’ career. See “Kadesh: Backdrop to Death and Disaster” at Num. 20:1.
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Humanity has never accumulated as much knowledge as today, in the information age. Yet possessing the facts does not always lead to understanding them. Wisdom requires vision. Apparently only two of the men sent to spy out Canaan possessed vision. The rest were overwhelmed by the challenges of conquering the land.
The term spy is misleading. The twelve tribal representatives who scouted the land were not engaged in espionage. They were explorers and surveyors. Their detailed work became the basis of land distribution forty years later (Num. 34).
Although these men had skills to assess the land, most lacked the vision and courage to take hold of it. Despite God’s repeated promises to help His people drive out the Canaanites, most lost trust in the Lord. They also lost faith in themselves, scorning the Israelites as “grasshoppers” next to the Canaanite “giants” (13:33).
Twelve experts examined the same data, but two reached a unique conclusion. All twelve spies saw the land flowing with milk and honey. All twelve noted the powerful forces that had to be overcome to take possession of the land. Ten could not see past those obstacles. Two did. They looked to a God more powerful than all of the Canaanites put together. They trusted a God who pledged to give the land to His people. Having the greater vision made all the difference.
Today we have no lack of data. But we must choose between interpreting what we see according to our own human limitations or deferring to God’s promises and power. If we allow ourselves the vision to see beyond the hurdles, we will see the finish line ahead. But without vision, we doom ourselves to aimless wandering.
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The spies reported that they saw “giants” in the land of Canaan. To learn more about who these tall people were, see “The Anakim” at Deuteronomy 9:2.
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We might expect the Israelites who escaped slavery in Egypt to overflow with gratitude to the Lord, but in reality there were many who grumbled again and again against God and His appointed representative, Moses. After the spies returned with a negative report of the Promised Land, these complainers actually began looking for someone to lead them back to Egypt. This rebellion was merely the worst in a long series of complaints:
Israel’s Perpetual Protests
Location | Complaint |
The Red Sea (Ex. 14:12) | Pursued by the armies of Pharaoh, the people complained that they would rather have remained slaves in Egypt. |
The Wilderness of Sin (Ex. 16:3) | Lacking food, the people wished that they had died in Egypt. |
Rephidim (Ex. 17:3) | Lacking water, the people argued that Moses had brought them out of Egypt and into the wilderness to die. |
Kibroth Hattaavah (Num. 11:5–18) | Weary of manna, the “mixed multitude” among the Israelites (see “The Mixed Multitude” at Num. 11:4) groaned that they had eaten better food in Egypt. |
Kadesh Barnea (Num. 14:1–4) | Despondent over the report of giants in the Promised Land, the people complained that they would rather have died in Egypt—and even looked for a leader to take them back. |
The Wilderness of Zin (Num. 20:3–5) | Lacking water, the people grumbled that they would rather have died in Egypt, where the provisions had been better. |
On the way around Edom (Num. 21:5) | Weary of the journey, the people claimed that Moses had brought them out of Egypt and into the wilderness to die. |
Whenever we feel threatened, tired, or dissatisfied, it’s easy to forget God’s goodness. We look at our immediate circumstances with a longing for the past, even if those days were far worse than anything we face in the present. Paul reminded the Christians in Corinth of this scene from ancient Israel and warned them to watch out when they felt tempted to complain (1 Cor. 10:1–13). Though many circumstances are beyond our human abilities to handle, nothing is impossible for God. Our challenge is to keep faith in His faithfulness to us.
More: The Corinthian Christians were some of the New Testament’s biggest complainers. See the introduction to 1 Corinthians.
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Only two men out of all the Israelites at Kadesh Barnea reached the Promised Land. No one knows exactly how many Israelites were camped in the wilderness, but the earlier census had counted 603,550 fighting men (Num. 1:46). Estimates of the total population run as high as two million or more. All of that mass of people twenty years and older died in the wilderness—except Joshua and Caleb. Who were these exceptional men who believed God and lived to see His promises fulfilled? See their profiles at Joshua 1:1 (Joshua) and Joshua 14:6 (Caleb).
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Joshua and Caleb were not intimidated by the enormous size of the “giants” (Num. 13:33) living in southern Canaan. Instead of fearing the people of the land, they were determined to fear the Lord. Joshua and Caleb eventually inherited the lands of the giants, while the other ten spies died by plague (14:36, 37). See “The Anakim” at Deuteronomy 9:2.
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The Israelites spent forty years wandering through the wilderness because of their lack of faith. Actually, the term wandering is a misnomer. Though their exact route to Canaan is unknown, God was still leading His people to the Promised Land. See “The Journeys of Israel” at Numbers 33:1.
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After the Israelites rejected God’s promise to help them take the land, they decided to attack it on their own, moving ahead even after Moses warned them that their plans would fail. The futile battle ended with the Canaanites driving them off.
This episode invites us to ask where we have resisted God’s will and authority, then gone ahead and acted without His direction or power. We should do everything we can to avoid this presumption. We might search Scripture to find situations similar to what we face and study the actions of everyone involved. We might discuss our situation with a close friend who can give us godly counsel, challenging our thinking rather than simply agreeing with us. And we might ask whether we would be hurt or helped by delaying a decision until we are more certain of God’s direction.
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Some passages in the Bible are difficult to read not because they are hard to understand but because they are hard to accept. The execution of a man for picking up sticks on the Sabbath may seem like a cruel and unusual punishment demanded by a harsh God—but we must consider the context. This man’s offense followed the Lord’s warning about presumptuous sins (Num. 15:30, 31), and apparently this man still knowingly and willfully ignored God’s explicit instructions concerning the Sabbath (Ex. 20:8–10). Like similar examples in Scripture (see Ananias and Sapphira’s profile at Acts 5:1), God chose to make an example of an offender. Therefore, His people were kept from concluding that His laws did not matter and that they could do as they pleased.
Now, as in the past, God is generally patient and longsuffering. But the Old Testament—including Numbers 15—was written for our instruction (Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:6, 11). We need to learn from what God has said and done, and in this episode God shows that He cannot be ignored without devastating consequences. Only the grace we receive in Jesus lets us escape the punishment we all deserve for ignoring His commands. And only coming into right relationship with Him can heal our own tragedies and bring us back to life. Though we have not experienced physical death like the man in Numbers 15, we all suffer from spiritual death when we ignore or deny Christ’s redeeming grace. The good news is that while we may choose to ignore God, He will never ignore us—Scripture promises that we need only seek Him out, and He will be found (Luke 11:9–10).
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At times God’s people forgot things as important as the instructions they received at Mount Sinai (Lev. 10:1–3, 16–18; 24:10, 11; Num. 11:1–3; 15:32–36). To remind them of the Law, He instructed them to sew tassels with a blue thread onto all their garments.
Today it is still important to remind ourselves of God’s instructions. There are countless ways to do this; daily reading and memorization of Scripture, prayer, works of charity or artistic expression as a labor of loving remembrance and obedience. How else might we find ways to remind ourselves of God’s commands?
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Name means: “Baldness.”
Not to be confused with: Two Edomites of the same name (Gen. 36:5, 16).
Home: Born in Egypt; traveled during the Exodus into the Sinai Desert.
Family: Son of Izhar, a descendent of Kohath of the tribe of Levi; a relative of Moses; possibly the ancestor of the sons of Korah, a group of professional musicians during the reigns of David and Solomon (see “Overcoming Family History” at Ps. 42, heading).
Best known for: Leading a rebellion against Moses, for which Korah, his family, and other conspirators and their families were swallowed by the earth (Num. 16:1–35).
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Moses invited Dathan and Abiram to meet to settle differences raised by Korah (Num. 16:1–3). But the two men refused even to show up. Their resistance led to further conflict and a dramatic ending for Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and other rebels (16:31–33, 35).
Stubbornness can be a valuable asset when overcoming obstacles. But when the obstacle is a divinely appointed authority, resistance is not the right choice. Had Korah and the others brought their concerns to Moses and the Lord for an honest discussion, their story’s tragic ending may have been avoided. As we encounter obstacles today, let us take heed not to dig in our heels until the ground caves in under us. Instead, let us take the first steps toward meeting conflict with patience and the desire for peaceful resolution.
More: The Old Testament offers positive examples of people who resolved issues constructively. Among them were the daughters of Zelophehad (Num. 27:1–5), the tribe of Joseph (36:1–5; Josh. 17:14–18), and Caleb (14:6–13).
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Twisting facts to make a point almost guarantees a speaker is in the wrong. Dathan, Abiram, and Korah demonstrated a prime example of this when they made outlandish claims to advance their agenda:
Claims | Truth |
All the people were holy, so Moses and Aaron were nothing special (Num. 16:3). | God called Israel to be “holy to the LORD” (Deut. 7:6; 14:2), but the people had no holiness apart from Him. And God had appointed Moses as His representative (Ex. 3:13–15; Num. 12:6–8). |
Moses and Aaron exalted themselves above the people and acted like princes (Num. 16:3, 13). | Moses and Aaron were doing their jobs. They had abused no one (Num. 16:15), and Moses had shown enormous patience (11:11–15; 12:3; 16:20–22). |
Egypt flowed with milk and honey (Num. 16:13). | Egypt flowed with torture and misery for the Israelites. The Egyptians treated their Hebrew slaves cruelly (Ex. 1:8–14; 3:7). |
Moses brought the Israelites into the wilderness to die (Num. 16:13). | Moses led the Israelites out of bondage and toward the Promised Land (Ex. 15:22). God provided for their every need as they traversed the desert (Deut. 29:5, 6). |
Moses broke his promise to bring the people into a land flowing with milk and honey (Num. 16:14). | When Moses brought the people to the edge of the Promised Land at Kadesh Barnea, it was the people who lost faith and refused to enter (Num. 13–14). |
Moses was dishonest and planned to blind his enemies (Num. 16:14). | Moses repeatedly proved both his honesty and his openness to critique (Ex. 18:24; Lev. 10:16–20; Num. 12:9–13). |
When we face conflict, we need to watch our words, making sure we stick to the facts and avoid exaggerations and other manipulations of the truth. Healthy relationships are built on truth and reality—even the harsh reality that we might be wrong.
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Numbers 16 doesn’t say that an earthquake opened the chasm that swallowed Korah and his family, but the phenomenon described and the region’s geology suggest this possibility. Seismographs in modern-day Israel record between two hundred and three hundred tremors a day, mostly minor but sometimes greater in magnitude.
Geological surveys show that the Jordan River Valley and the Dead Sea lie on top of a major north-south fault line that is part of a massive transcontinental system known as the Afro-Arabian Rift Valley. The two parallel fault lines that form the rift probably indicate an overlap of two underlying tectonic plates. Numerous secondary fault lines fan out east and west from the Palestinian portion.
Throughout the centuries, the Middle East has experienced countless earthquakes, some catastrophic. The Bible mentions a few:
During Saul’s military campaign against the Philistines | |
While Elijah hid on Mount Horeb | |
In the days of King Uzziah | |
At the crucifixion of Jesus | |
In Philippi when Paul and Silas were in jail |
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The Lord’s relationship with Israel broke down again and again as the masses violated His commands and complained bitterly against Him. Sometimes the offenses were so substantial that God immediately punished the offenders (Num. 14:40–45; 15:32–36; 16:31–35). At other times Moses and Aaron intervened for the people, and the Lord held back His well-deserved judgment (16:22, 46–48).
After Korah’s punishment, the people seemed to quickly forget whom God had placed in charge. So the Lord devised a plan to remind everyone that one group—the sons of Aaron—would serve as intermediaries between Him and the rebellious nation. The budding of Aaron’s rod made clear who would stand between God and the people (17:1–11).
Jesus Christ is now the one intermediary between God and sinful people. All who depend on Christ’s atoning work on their behalf have direct access to God (Heb. 10:19–25). Christ has become our High Priest (8:1–6; 9:11–15), a permanent advocate fully worthy to intercede for our sin and rebellion (1 John 2:1).
We recognize Christ as our advocate whenever we enter God’s presence through His finished work on the cross. And we can follow His pattern and mediate whenever our families, communities, or workplaces need a reasoned and compassionate third party to help adversaries hear each other. We can be the go-betweens who help people reconcile.
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Most modern churches pay ministers to preach, teach, counsel, and visit. Those who tended to the tasks of Israel’s worship, on the other hand, neither received a salary nor owned any land. Instead, God designated Himself as the Levites’ “portion [of the land] and … inheritance.”
God also set up a system to provide for the material needs of the Levites and their families. He instructed the other eleven tribes to take the tithes (10 percent of their produce) that were due to Him and give them to the Levites as their “inheritance” in lieu of land (Num. 18:21). In exchange, the Levites carried out the work of the tabernacle.
The Levites were to tithe to the Lord from the tithes they received from the people (18:26), so ultimately one percent of the nation’s produce ended up being offered directly to God. Obviously God did not need these goods. The purpose of the offerings was to remind worshipers that God was the source of their abundance.
God created humans with the capacity to experience heartfelt gratitude as well as to help meet the needs of others. The law of the tithe challenges us to celebrate God’s goodness by giving away a portion of our material wealth to those who need it. And it shows us to care for the needs of people who watch over our spiritual well-being.
More: God intended the tithe not as a burden but as a celebration of His blessing. See “Celebrating Abundance” at Deut. 14:22–26 and “A Ten Percent Tax” at Deut. 26:12–15. For more on paying people engaged in ministry, see “Professional Christian Workers” at 1 Cor. 9:1–23.
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The laws pertaining to the handling of corpses and the other hygienic statutes don’t say that cleanliness is next to godliness, but they do suggest a strong connection between standards of health, ritualistic purity, and the requirements for worshiping a holy God. To learn more about this relationship, see “Clean vs. Unclean” at Leviticus 11:29 and “Good Health” at Leviticus 13:1–59.
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Kadesh: Backdrop to Death and Disaster
Kadesh was a place where Moses had to contend with severe crises of morale and discipline. A barrage of misfortunes challenged his hope for the survival of Israel:
• Spies returned from the Promised Land with a discouraging report (Num. 13:26–33).
• When the people refused to enter the land, God sentenced them to wander in the wilderness and die there (14:1–4, 11, 12, 22–38).
• A foolhardy attempt to penetrate the land ended in disaster (14:39–44).
• A Levite named Korah led an unsuccessful rebellion of more than two hundred leaders (16:1–35).
• An outbreak of plague killed nearly fifteen thousand people (16:41–50).
• Moses’ sister Miriam died (20:1).
• A lack of water and complaints from the people led Moses to disobey God and thus forfeit his entry into the Promised Land (20:2–13).
• Moses received word that the Edomites refused to let Israel pass (20:14–21).
No wonder Moses would write, “We have been consumed by [God’s] anger, and by [His] wrath we are terrified” (Ps. 90:7). The stay at Kadesh must have been a major low point in Moses’ career, perhaps the lowest he had ever faced.
Today nothing remains of Kadesh except a green field and several small tombs. Apart from the biblical record, no visitor would know that the site was a base camp for Israel and a scene of profound suffering for one of the greatest prophets who ever lived.
More: In Moses’ day, Kadesh was probably little more than the site of a well or spring and a small settlement. For more about this infamous spot, see “Kadesh” at Num. 13:26.
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God commanded Moses to draw water from a rock by speaking to it. In a rare display of anger, Moses struck the rock instead. This might not seem like a significant sin, but it had lifelong consequences. Moses was forever banned from entering the Promised Land.
Why did Moses lash out in this moment? One school of thought is that he was releasing long pent-up frustration. For years Moses had patiently endured the Israelites’ grumbling. Instead of retaliating, he repeatedly pleaded for the Lord to show His people mercy. Perhaps it was only a matter of time before Moses’ anger boiled over.
Perhaps it was this same inner tension that had led Moses during his early life to murder an Egyptian who was mistreating a Hebrew. Moses had been born to an enslaved minority people. He had emerged from the womb with a death sentence on his head, then was raised in the king’s palace by a woman who wasn’t his mother (Ex. 2:1–10). No one can say if this conflicted background permanently scarred Moses. All we do know is that such incidents as this and the striking of the rock show a usually mild-mannered and self-disciplined man lashing out suddenly, doing long-term harm to his future.
The Bible describes Moses as the most humble man on the face of the earth (Num. 12:3) and the greatest prophet of Israel (Deut. 34:10). If such a man could fall so far and so quickly, the rest of us are surely at risk for making sudden choices that cause us lifelong regret. Unresolved emotions may leave us vulnerable to impetuous choices. We may be able to keep ourselves in line most of the time, but some circumstances may trigger us to act out impulsively. The problem isn’t just our past but our failure to bring the past to the Lord for perspective and healing.
The Lord judged Moses because he failed to believe God and honor Him before the people (Num. 20:12). We should search our own souls to uncover and work through anything that may keep us from obeying and having faith in God. We can’t let anything keep us from serving Him with all that we are (Deut. 6:5).
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Anyone hurt by a member of a different ethnic or racial group is at risk for developing prejudice against all members of that group. Even slight offenses may powerfully reinforce old biases, as the conflict between Israel and Edom shows.
The king of Edom refused to open the King’s Highway to Moses and his people, a hostile act that likely grew out of a prejudice with roots going back hundreds of years to a feud between two brothers: Jacob, the ancestor of Israel, and Esau, the ancestor of the Edomites. Jacob obtained Esau’s birthright and cheated him out of their father’s blessing (Gen. 27:36). Esau swore he would get even (27:41, 42).
Years later the brothers reconciled (33:4, 10, 11). But until this incident in Numbers 20, the Bible doesn’t again mention Esau’s descendants, the Edomites. Apparently those descendants never forgot the wrongs that Jacob had committed against their ancestor. As the Israelites struggled to traverse the desert, the king of Edom perhaps saw an opportunity for payback.
Refusing Moses’ request made life difficult for the Hebrews. Had Edom let Israel pass, the Israelites may have escaped the fiery serpents (Num. 21:4–9; see also “The Bronze Serpent” at Num. 21:8, 9). Worse yet, the Edomites’ action perpetuated hostility between the two ethnic groups. Even though God commanded His people not to “abhor” an Edomite (Deut. 23:7, 8), the Israelites did not stop nursing their hurt feelings. Later, Saul harassed the Edomites (1 Sam. 14:47). David slaughtered thousands of Edomites (2 Sam. 8:13, 14, according to some manuscripts) and turned their land into a military possession. David’s general Joab then carried out a campaign of genocide against them (1 Kin. 11:15, 16).
The cycle of hate continued for centuries. Even the baby Jesus felt its impact: King Herod, who ordered the slaughter of infants at Bethlehem (Matt. 2:16–18), was descended from the Edomites.
Whatever our race or ethnic group, as Christ’s followers we are called to break the cycle of prejudice. If we are offended or attacked by someone of another race or nationality, we gain nothing by amplifying our pain into general mistrust and hatred of an entire group of people. Rather than furthering stereotypes, we can reach out and seek better understanding.
More: Christians aren’t immune to racial and ethnic biases. Christ wants us to guard against prejudice to keep it from compromising our integrity as His people. See the articles about the following individuals to learn more about believers who suffered from the effects of racial prejudice and fought to overcome it: Denver Moore (here), Josephine Bakhita (here), Albert Lutuli (here), Mary McLeod Bethune (here), Booker T. Washington (here), and Olaudah Equiano (here). More can be found in the Life Studies index.
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After a disappointing stay at Kadesh, Moses decided to lead Israel around the southern end of the Dead Sea and up the Transjordanian Highlands to the east of Canaan and the Jordan River. He intended to travel a well-known thoroughfare called the King’s Highway, a major trade route that ran from El Paran in the south to Damascus in the north. A modern highway through Amman, Jordan, still follows part of the ancient roadway.
As its name implies, the King’s Highway was protected by a number of kings, including the king of Edom (Num. 20:14). Their fortresses discouraged invaders and served as way stations and headquarters when the kings went to war.
As Moses and the Israelites made their way toward the Promised Land, they were rebuffed from using the King’s Highway. The Edomites and the Hebrews had been rivals since the days of their forefathers Esau and Jacob (see “The Edomites: Perpetual Enemies of Israel” at Gen. 36:9), and despite Moses’ promises to keep strictly to the narrow roadway, the king of Edom refused to offer safe passage.
Israel then attempted a route north to Mount Hor (Num. 20:20–22), where they were challenged by the Canaanites (21:1–3). Later they took the long way around Edom, where oppressive desert conditions led to more problems (21:4–6). Long after these events, Israel would punish Edom for its lack of hospitality (2 Sam. 8:13, 14; 1 Kin. 11:14–16).
More: The King’s Highway was one of two major road systems in the ancient Middle East. See “Travel in the Ancient World” at Acts 13:3, 4.
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Transferring power is always a delicate task. A change in leadership can stress even the most vibrant organizations as old alliances vie with new forces to determine who will shape the future.
Aaron’s death was a major event in Israel’s life. Moses’ brother had been his primary spokesman (Ex. 4:16; 7:1). He was not only high priest for the nation but the nation’s first high priest.
Aaron’s successor, Eleazar, was his third son. Aaron’s two older sons Nadab and Abihu had been consumed in the Lord’s anger after offering “profane fire” (Lev. 10:1–3). Thus Eleazar was, in effect, only the third choice for high priest. But despite many potential issues, the transition from Aaron to Eleazar went smoothly, perhaps because God Himself oversaw the transfer of power. Scripture tells of several other transitions, not all of which went as smoothly.
Leadership Transitions
From: Moses
To: Joshua
Record: Deut. 31:1–8
Result: Continuity was preserved from one generation to the next. The nation entered and conquered the Promised Land.
From: Joshua
To: The judges
Record: Judg. 2:7–12, 16
Result: Judges assumed power, and the people followed. But within a generation they abandoned God for idols.
From: Samuel
To: Saul
Record: 1 Sam. 8–10
Result: Because of Samuel’s corrupt sons, the people demanded a king. Saul was a disappointment.
From: Saul
To: David
Record: 1 Sam. 15:10—16:13
Result: Before David became king he had to endure Saul’s wrath.
From: David
To: Solomon
Record: 1 Kin. 1–2
Result: An orderly transition took place when David named Solomon as his successor and charged him to follow God.
From: Solomon
To: Rehoboam
Record: 1 Kin. 12–14
Result: By rejecting wise counsel, Rehoboam alienated his subjects. The kingdom split when Jeroboam exploited the situation.
From: Zedekiah
To: Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians
Record: 2 Chr. 36:11–23
Result: Already under Babylonian dominion, the kingdom of Judah was completely destroyed when Zedekiah continued to rebel against God.
From: Artaxerxes
To: Nehemiah
Record: Neh. 1–2
Result: A prayer of confession and a timely request to this king brought Nehemiah to Jerusalem, where he rebuilt its walls and reestablished its culture under the watchful Persians.
From: Jesus
To: The apostles
Record: Acts 1–2
Result: Filled with the Holy Spirit, the apostles began to proclaim the gospel to Jerusalem and Judea.
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• Probably originally known as Zephath (“Watchtower”), an important Canaanite city in the Negev; could also be the name for a region.
• Name means “Utter Destruction.”
• Initially taken by Moses in defeat of the king of Arad (“Fugitive”; Num. 21:1–3).
• Later recaptured and placed under permanent Israelite control by the tribes of Judah and Simeon (Judg. 1:3, 17).
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Discouraged in a Desolate Land
When God instructed Moses to raise a bronze serpent on a pole, He offered the Israelites a symbol of His healing. The incident happened on a highway called the Way of the Sea (see the map at “The King’s Highway” at Num. 20:17) during a season of great discouragement (21:4). Miriam and Aaron had died (20:1, 22–29). Moses had disobeyed God (20:2–13). Edom had denied the Israelites access to the direct route to Canaan (20:14–21). And a fierce campaign had been waged against a Canaanite tribe (21:1–3).
In skirting Edom, the Israelites had to travel through a desolate wilderness known for oppressive heat. The region probably offered little water and no food to supplement the bread-like manna that God provided (21:5). In the midst of these hardships, morale collapsed.
The Fiery Serpents
Once again, the people complained against God and Moses. God responded by sending “fiery serpents” (21:6), likely poisonous vipers whose bites caused intense fever, thirst, swelling, and eventual death. The snakes may also have appeared fiery: one highly poisonous local species displays bright red spots and wavy stripes.
Bitten by snakes, the people had bigger worries than water, food, or anything else beyond their immediate circumstances. They had facetiously suggested they would die in the wilderness, but now their lives were actually at stake (21:5). So they acknowledged their sin and cried out for mercy and deliverance (21:7).
In response, the Lord told Moses to fashion a fiery serpent on a pole as a means of healing (21:8). Perhaps Moses turned to the skilled craftsmen who had worked on the tabernacle (Ex. 31:1–6) to quickly design this emblem. A bronze serpent would give off a fiery appearance in the sunlight, making a highly visible standard.
Symbol of Idolatry—and Salvation
The Book of Numbers offers no additional details about the bronze serpent or the incident that prompted its creation. Moses may have alluded to the snake in his final remarks before the people entered the Promised Land (Deut. 8:15). Scripture remains silent about the incident until generations later when King Hezekiah of Judah destroyed the bronze serpent, which apparently had been kept and turned into an object of idolatry (2 Kin. 18:4). Jesus later told Nicodemus that He would have to be “lifted up” just as the bronze serpent had been, in order to bring eternal life to those who believe in Him (John 3:14, 15).
Faith and Focus
Commanding Moses to create the bronze serpent may appear as if God overturned His prohibition against graven images (Ex. 20:4–6). We might wonder why God did not eradicate the snakes or simply heal the people outright.
One thing is clear: God—not the bronze serpent—was the source of healing. The serpent was merely a symbol pointing toward the Lord. God required the afflicted to look upon the serpent (Num. 21:9), perhaps the only thing an incapacitated person could do. Likely the patient wasn’t fit to visit the tabernacle to offer a sacrifice or consult a priest.
Looking toward the snake meant exercising faith, desperate as it may have been. In order to live, the Israelites had to turn to the only means that God had provided for deliverance. To refuse was to choose death. No wonder Jesus used this incident as an analogy to His work on the cross. Just as the Hebrews had turned to look at the serpent, the world would gaze on Him crucified. Just as the Hebrews had to choose faith in order to survive, we choose eternal life by turning toward Jesus with faith in what He accomplished on the cross.
Symbolic objects of religious veneration can help people encounter God. But when a helpful aid becomes an object of worship, it must be destroyed. It invites people to violate not only the second commandment, the prohibition against graven images, but the first commandment as well: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Ex. 20:3). God alone is our source of healing and help. Ultimately we must look to Him in faith to meet our needs—physical, emotional, and spiritual.
More: King Solomon built copper smelting and refining furnaces in the vicinity of the incident with the fiery serpents. Apparently ore was plentiful in that region. See the profile for Ezion Geber at 1 Kin. 9:26.
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Sustaining Life in the Wilderness
Given that the mass of Israelites crossing the Sinai Desert probably numbered in the millions, the Exodus journey could be considered something of a miracle. The amount of water and food required to feed the multitude was not readily available in the natural environment. God had to provide for His people during the forty years that it took them to reach the Promised Land.
The Sinai Wilderness was not completely devoid of resources. Egyptians, Midianites, and other peoples sent caravans across these wastelands, establishing well-worn routes. Seasoned traders knew the location of oases and could find water by following dry riverbeds. During a rare downpour these wadis occasionally turned into gushing streams, especially near mountains. Limestone deposits a few feet under the sand also collected water that could sometimes be brought to the surface.
The water table enabled hardy species of plants to grow, including the acacia tree (see “The Acacia Tree” at Ex. 25:10) and desert grasses. This vegetation supported not only insects and reptiles but also mammals such as lions, gazelles, desert hares, antelope, and wild bulls, as well as birds such as quails and ostriches.
Life in the wilderness wasn’t easy for the Israelites, but it wasn’t impossible. With both natural and supernatural resources to draw on, the nation survived the journey. In the process, they learned that “man shall not live by bread alone” but by “every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD” (Deut. 8:3).
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Like his neighbors in Edom, King Sihon of the Amorites refused to allow the Israelites to use the King’s Highway (compare Num. 20:14–18). The refusal would have made travel for the Israelites much more difficult because the King’s Highway was the major north-south route east of Canaan (see “The King’s Highway” at Num. 20:17). But Sihon made a major miscalculation. The Hebrews quickly defeated his forces and took possession of the Amorite cities, thus gaining a strategic foothold in the region.
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Long before the Israelites conquered the Amorites, Canaan, the ancestor of the Amorites (Gen. 10:15, 16) was cursed by his grandfather Noah for an indiscretion by Canaan’s father Ham (9:22–27). Centuries later, God vowed to drive the Amorites and other Canaanite tribes from their land and give the territory to Abraham’s descendants. The Amorite defeat began the fulfillment of God’s promise and of Noah’s curse. Find out more in “A Promise and a Purpose” at Genesis 15:16.
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• An Amorite city east of the Jordan, about 32 miles from Jerusalem.
• Name means “Reckoning.”
• Captured from the Moabites by Sihon, who made it the Amorite capital (Num. 21:26–30).
• Taken by Moses and the Israelites (21:25; compare Deut. 1:4; 29:7), striking fear in the surrounding cities of Canaan (Josh. 9:8–11).
• Given to the tribe of Reuben (Num. 32:37) and later Gad (1 Chr. 6:81).
• Assigned as a city of the Levites (see “The Levitical Cities” at Josh. 21:1–3).
• Eventually recaptured by Moab and denounced by the prophets, who predicted its downfall (Is. 15:4; 16:8, 9; Jer. 48:2, 34).
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Moses and the Israelites were neither the first nor the last to fight for possession of Jazer. Over the centuries, Jazer’s rich soil and valuable pasturelands caused battles involving Ammonites, Amorites, Moabites, and Israelites. See Jazer’s profile at Numbers 32:1.
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Name means: “Devastator” or “Destroyer.”
Home: The land of Moab, east of the Dead Sea.
Family: Son of Zippor.
Occupation: King of the Moabites.
Best known for: Attempting to hire Balaam the seer to curse the Israelites using divination. Instead of cursing God’s people, Balaam blessed them (Num. 22–24). Balak still partially succeeded in ensnaring the Israelites by using Moabite women to entice them into idolatrous sexual immorality (25:1–3).
More: Balak’s strategy against the Israelites brought judgment on his own people in the form of a permanent ban on any Moabite becoming a member of Israel. Hebrews were forbidden even to enter into a friendship treaty with Moabites (Deut. 23:3–6).
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Name means: “Destroyer of the People.”
Home: Pethor, several miles south of Carchemish on the Euphrates River.
Family: Son of Beor.
Occupation: A soothsayer who used magical arts in attempts to discover information about the future.
Of special interest: The cattle and sheep Balaam received from the Moabite king may have been part of a plan to divine the future. The occult practice of studying the color and configuration of animal livers was common among Babylonian sorcerers (compare Ezek. 21:21). Balaam abandoned the ritual when he realized that God was determined to bless Israel (Num. 23:23; 24:1).
Best known for: The incident when God caused his donkey to speak, leading Balaam to communicate only what the Lord directed him to say.
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Balaam is one of the most intriguing characters in Scripture:
• He was a priest or seer who could bless or curse people (Num. 22:6).
• Although he wasn’t a Hebrew, he communicated with their God (22:8–12).
• His services were for sale (22:7, 16–18).
• He lived at Pethor, a town on the Euphrates River in Mesopotamia, yet his fame was so widespread that King Balak of Moab and his Midianite allies requested his help (22:4, 5).
• When God prevented him from cursing the Israelites, he kept trying to satisfy the Moabites’ request, perhaps to earn a substantial fee (22:12, 20, 21).
• His eventual success in bringing trouble on Israel cost him his life (see “Playing with Fire” at Num. 31:15, 16).
Although Balaam was a Gentile, he knew and to some extent served the living God, like some other priests from outside the people of God, including Melchizedek (Gen. 14:18), Moses’ father-in-law Reuel (also known as Jethro; Ex. 2:16–18), and possibly Job (Job 42:8, 9).
Balaam’s ability to bless or curse shows the extreme importance of blessings and curses in Scripture, especially in the Old Testament (see “The Blessing” at Gen. 49:28). The blessing that Isaac gave to Jacob rather than Esau had far-reaching consequences, as did Noah’s cursing of his grandson Canaan (see “Pain That Leads to Prejudice” at Num. 20:14–21).
Balaam had little choice but to bless Israel. God had already pronounced His blessing on Abraham’s descendants (22:12), and Balaam could not thwart that (22:18; 24:12, 13).
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Seeing Israel’s Past, Present, and Future
Hired by Balak to curse the Israelites, the seer Balaam instead submitted to God and spoke blessings upon them. Following pagan customs, Balak took Balaam to the tops of three mountains in Moab to pronounce his oracles, beginning with the “high places of Baal” (also called Bamoth Baal, Josh. 13:17). The high places overlooked the plains of Moab, the Israelites’ encampment, and the land of Canaan—the landscape of Israel’s past, present, and future.
1. Bamoth Baal, or the “high places of Baal” (Num. 22:41), is believed to have been near the Arnon River east of the Dead Sea. The Israelites were apparently camped nearby, making preparations to enter Canaan. A shrine to Baal was located here.
2. Pisgah (Num. 23:14) was the ridge that included Mount Nebo, from which Moses surveyed the Promised Land before he died (Deut. 34:1). From there Balak and Balaam enjoyed a vista of nearly all of Canaan.
3. Mount Peor (Num. 23:28) is believed to have been north of the Dead Sea opposite Jericho. It offered a view of the plains of Moab through which the Israelites had passed in coming from the south around Edom.
More: Like many ancient peoples, the Moabites worshiped their gods on the tops of mountains and hills at sanctuaries called “high places.” God told the Israelites to destroy these idolatrous worship sites, yet years later these sites had multiplied. See “The High Places” at Deut. 12:2.
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This humorous exchange between Balak and Balaam is the result of the political struggle between Balaam, a non-Hebrew prophet; Balak, the Moabite king; and God, the Lord of all creation. Caught between Balak and God, Balaam had little choice but to follow the Lord’s command, blessing Israel “bountifully” rather than cursing them as Balak had hired him to do.
What if we were to choose to have the same response when pressured to speak badly of others? At this point Balaam could not escape God’s charge to him (Num. 22:12). But we have a choice. We can live our stories like Balaam’s would have been if he had cursed Israel from the mountaintops—but isn’t what actually happened the better story?
As Christians we are not bound by anyone’s expectations but God’s. We can choose to ignore that, or we can choose to live the better story. God’s story for us may not always go as we expect it to, but it is guaranteed to have a happy ending—happier than we can even imagine (1 Cor. 2:9; Eph. 3:20; Rev. 21:4).
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Fearing the Israelites, King Balak twice offered the seer Balaam a generous fee to curse God’s people (Num. 22:1–17). After consulting with God, Balaam could not comply with Balak’s request. Yet the lure of money and important friends caused Balaam to waver. His continued attempts to do business with Balak provoked the Lord to use Balaam’s own donkey to force him to do right (22:22–35).
Balaam’s stubborn obsession with money and power made him difficult to deter from opposing God’s people. As a result, his name eventually became synonymous with greed (2 Pet. 2:15; Jude 11). Like Balaam, we may be tempted to go against God’s will when it proves too costly to obey. But no amount of money is worth turning away from the One who loves us.
More: Jesus was offered considerably more than Balaam to depart from God’s will. See “Wealth’s Temptation” at Matt. 4:8–10. See also “Escaping Temptation” at 1 Cor. 10:12, 13.
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The exact nature of the idolatry involving Baal of Peor is unclear. Canaanite religion involved rites intended to persuade the gods to help women reproduce and make lands fertile. Prostitution played a major role in these fertility cults (see “The Abominations of the Canaanites” at Lev. 18:24–30). Foreign women enticed the Hebrews to attend Baal worship and engage in “harlotry” or sexual immorality (Num. 25:1–2; 31:15, 16). Thus Moses ordered the execution of all women captured from Midian “who [had] known a man intimately” (31:17).
More: Baal of Peor was one of approximately seventy gods worshiped by the Canaanites. For more on others, see “The Gods of the Canaanites” at Deut. 32:39.
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Name means: “The Nubian.”
Not to be confused with: The younger son of Eli (1 Sam. 1:3); a priest in the days of Ezra (Ezra 8:33).
Home: Probably born in Egypt, given the probable Egyptian origin of his name; one of the generation that entered Canaan (Josh. 22:13; Judg. 20:28).
Family: Son of Eleazar; grandson of Aaron and Elisheba; born to a line of priests that extended until the Romans sacked Jerusalem in A.D. 70.
Occupation: Priest.
Best known for: His moral integrity and zealous passion, seen when he used a javelin to kill a fellow Israelite and his consort from Midian (Num. 25:7–9); he later became the third high priest of Israel and served for 19 years.
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The Lord’s command to “harass the Midianites” must have been an emotionally wrenching assignment for Moses to carry out. His wife Zipporah was a Midianite, and her father Reuel (also known as Jethro) and brother Hobab were trusted friends. Aside from these personal connections, however, Israel shared a long, largely negative history with Midian:
• The Midianites were distant relatives of the Israelites through Abraham’s concubine Keturah (Gen. 25:1–4).
• The Midianites had long been nomadic residents of the desert area southeast of Canaan (25:6).
• Midianite traders had purchased young Joseph from his brothers and taken him to Egypt (37:28).
• Moses fled to Midian after murdering an Egyptian, where he herded sheep for the man who became his father-in-law (Ex. 2:15–21).
• Fearing the Israelites as a threat to their economy and lands, the Midianites partnered with the Moabites to hire the seer Balaam to curse the Hebrews (Num. 22:3–6).
• Eventually the Hebrews gave in to idolatry by worshiping the Midianite and Moabite god Baal of Peor, inviting God’s wrath (25:1–15).
• After the Israelites settled in Canaan, the Midianites invaded and oppressed them for seven years (Judg. 6–8).
• Hebrew prophets looked back on Midian as a model for corrupt civilizations that God would crush (for example, Is. 9:4).
The idolatry involving Baal of Peor prompted the Lord’s command to wage war against the Midianites (Num. 25:18). Moses sent an army of twelve thousand men to destroy them, plundering their goods and burning their cities (31:2–8).
More: To learn more about Moses’ Midianite relatives, see “The Family of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam” at Ex. 6:20–25; Zipporah’s profile at Ex. 2:21; Jethro’s profile at Ex. 18:1; and “Divine and Human Guidance” at Num. 10:29–34.
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Just as Israel’s wilderness wanderings began with a census (Num. 1:2–19), so they ended with one (26:2). As before, the census counted men of military age and probably functioned as a draft. Some forty years had elapsed since the previous census, and every male twenty years of age and older during the incident at Kadesh Barnea had died. Aside from Moses, only Joshua and Caleb were still living (14:29, 30; 26:64, 65). This second census in Numbers was the third of seven recorded in Scripture, as the following table shows.
Censuses in the Bible
Conducted by | Purpose and Description |
Moses and Aaron in the wilderness (Ex. 30:11–16) | • Taxation of the Israelites to build the tabernacle and remind the people of their need for atonement (see “Atonement Money” at Ex. 30:12–16). • No numbers given, but the people gave more than enough for the tabernacle (36:4–7). |
• Assessment of Israel’s military strength in preparation for the conquest of Canaan. • Administered by leaders from each tribe. • Count totaled 603,550 not including Levites (Num. 1:46–53). | |
Moses in the plains of Moab (Num. 26:3) | • A second registration of Israel’s warriors following the wilderness wanderings. • Results used to apportion land in Canaan. • Managed by Eleazar. • Count totaled 601,730 (Num. 26:52). |
David (2 Sam. 24:1–10; 1 Chr. 21:1–6) | • Administered by David’s military leaders. • Required nearly two years to complete. • Regarded as sinful and led to a plague (2 Sam. 24:15; 1 Chr. 21:14). • Totals given as 1.3 million (2 Sam. 24:9) and 1.57 million (1 Chr. 21:5), probably due to different methods of reckoning. |
Solomon (2 Chr. 2:17, 18; compare 1 Kin. 5:13–18) | • A census of aliens living under his rule. • Patterned after David’s census. • Used to conscript labor for the construction of the temple and other projects (1 Kin. 5:13; 9:21). • Count totaled 153,600 (2 Chr. 2:17). |
Ezra and Nehemiah (Ezra 2) | |
Augustus (Luke 2:1–3) | • Ordered by the Romans at the time of Jesus’ birth (see “The Census” at Luke 2:1–3). • Likely used to take inventory of the empire’s resources and needs, to raise money through taxation, and to determine troop allocations. • Total count not given in Scripture. |
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As Israel prepared to enter the “land of milk and honey,” the daughters of Zelophehad listened intently while Moses reviewed the inheritance laws allotting land to each family (Num. 26:53–56). Land would be divided among each clan’s sons (Deut. 21:15–17). This kept the land within the family over the generations. Daughters, more likely to marry outside the clan, were excluded from the estates, a practice shared by surrounding cultures. Rather than inheriting land, daughters received dowries at the time of marriage (Judg. 1:13–15; 1 Kin. 9:16).
The daughters of Zelophehad appealed to Moses because their father had died without leaving sons to inherit land, and fairness demanded that they be given their father’s allotment (Num. 26:33; 27:4). Moses responded by enacting a new law, and the daughters received land.
The story of Zelophehad’s daughters encourages us to keep pace with our rapidly changing world and evaluate whether long-established practices still serve our best interests. In some cases the answer may be yes. In others we may be led to revisit our old assumptions and make adjustments or even start anew. If we are ever unsure about whether we ought to make a change or stand our ground, we can ask God to send us clear conviction.
More: The church should never perpetuate unjust barriers. See “We Are Family” at Gal. 3:28.
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Ancient Hebrew culture had high expectations of family members. The complaint lodged by Zelophehad’s daughters concerning their inheritance illustrates one of many responsibilities placed on relatives. Some key duties included:
Redeeming relative (Lev. 25:25) | Family members—especially males—had both the right and responsibility to buy relatives out of slavery or repurchase family lands lost through poverty. |
Inheritance (Num. 27:1–11) | A man’s estate passed to (in order of priority) his sons, daughters, brothers, uncles, or next nearest relative. |
Vengeance (Num. 35:9–34) | In cases of manslaughter, a son, brother, or next of kin was expected to avenge the death. |
Levirate marriage (Deut. 25:5–10) | If a man died without leaving an heir, his nearest male relative—usually a brother—was expected to father an heir with his widow. |
More: Many Old Testament families illustrate the roles summarized in the table above. See “The Families of the Old Testament” at Gen. 12:3.
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For all who find prayer awkward or scary, Scripture encourages us with stories that show that prayer is an everyday activity for everyday people. Moses, for example, toiled through at least three different careers—privileged ruler in Egypt, forgotten shepherd in Midian, and national liberator of the Israelites (see “Moses Matures” at Ex. 32:10). Throughout these pursuits, Moses regularly turned to God in prayer.
• He debated with God about his fitness to lead Israel out of Egypt (Ex. 3:11—4:17; 6:28—7:7).
• He interceded on behalf of the Egyptians (8:9–13).
• He asked for water for his thirsty nation of refugees (15:24, 25).
• He pleaded with God about the sinful Hebrews and what God would do to them (32:11–13, 31–34).
• He implored God to heal his sister’s leprosy (Num. 12:4–15).
• He prayed for a smooth leadership transition to Joshua (27:15–17).
• He appealed to God to let him to join the people as they entered the Promised Land (Deut. 3:23–25; 34:1–4).
Moses demonstrated the often forgotten truth that God is more than ready to hear our complaints, appeals, and frustrations. We can approach God in prayer about our most difficult dilemmas—and our most everyday concerns.
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Unlike the New Testament, the Old Testament prescribed a detailed regimen of times, places, and ceremonies for worship. Yet whether worship involved the highly formalized rituals of the ancient Hebrews or the simpler and apparently more spontaneous forms of the early Christians, God’s people throughout the ages have worshiped for essentially the same reasons.
The word for worship in both Hebrew and Greek come from words suggesting “service.” Thus worshipers are God’s servants who not only carry out His will but also fall before Him in holy wonder. The English term worship originally meant “worthiness” and in time came to mean “respect or reverence.” And it is true that to worship God means to offer Him the respect He is due for His unsurpassable worth and honor.
Old Ways and New
The Law’s instructions for worship prescribed a regular discipline:
• daily offerings of food and drink (Num. 28:3–8);
• weekly offerings on the Sabbath (28:9, 10);
• monthly offerings at the beginning of each month (28:11–15);
• annual feasts, such as Passover, the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Trumpets, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the Day of Atonement (28:16–31; 29:1–38).
These patterns changed with the emergence of the early church. The need for sacrifices—merely a “shadow of the good things to come” (Heb. 10:1)—ended with the supreme sacrifice of Christ, whose death atoned for sins once and for all (10:1–18). The sacrificial system ended altogether when the Romans destroyed the temple at Jerusalem (see “Jerusalem Surrounded” at Luke 21:20).
Worship among early Christians became more important than ever because God’s people now had a “new and living way” to approach Him (Heb. 10:19–22). The early Christians may have looked to the synagogue as a model for worship (Acts 17:1–3), but nowhere does the New Testament outline anything like the exhaustive instructions found in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
Worshiping in Spirit and Truth
Although Christians developed different forms of honoring God and entering His presence, there are numerous parallels between Hebrew and Christian understandings of worship.
• God lives among us, and we are His people.
• We are sinners who need forgiveness.
• Forgiveness is available.
• God offers guidance and instruction for life.
• We belong to a community of believers.
• We are called to demonstrate God’s character before a watching world.
• We have a future hope that rests on God’s promises.
As we celebrate these truths, God does not want us to engage in empty ritual. He desires heartfelt praise, repentance, love, and honor, as He has repeatedly made clear.
• True sacrifice involves “a broken and a contrite heart” (Ps. 51:17).
• Worship offered by the wicked is an “abomination” to God. But He “delight[s]” in the prayer of the upright (Prov. 15:8).
• God cares little for empty ceremony; He requires character and obedience: justice, mercy, and humility (Mic. 6:8).
• God expects His followers to worship Him “in spirit and truth” (John 4:24).
God invites us to make a habit of gathering with other followers to praise Him, to share life together, to learn from His Word, and to reach out to others with His love. We are never to forsake “the assembling of ourselves together” (Heb. 10:25).
More: Find help expressing your heart to God by turning to the Book of Psalms. For more on worship habits, see “Community Worship” at Ps. 122:1. Explore worship in the early church by examining Acts 2:46, 47; 4:32–35; 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:17–34; 14:26–33.
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God warned the Hebrews to honor their commitments both to Him and to others, reminding them that whatever came out of their mouths was binding. The Lord knows well how empty promises can be. He hears endless desperate vows: “If only You’ll help me, God, then I’ll do this or that.” Many people in Scripture made similar promises:
Promises Made to God
Who Said It | What Was Promised |
Jacob (Gen. 28:20–22) | Promised to make the Lord his God and to tithe his possessions if God would supply his needs. |
The nation of Israel (Num. 21:2) | Promised complete destruction of the Canaanite city of Hormah if God would guarantee victory. |
Jephthah (Judg. 11:30, 31) | Promised to sacrifice whatever came out of his house to meet him if God would grant him victory over the Ammonites. |
Hannah (1 Sam. 1:10, 11) | Promised to dedicate her son to God’s service if He would enable her to conceive. |
David (Ps. 132:1–5) | Promised not to sleep until he “found a dwelling place” for the Lord. |
Absalom (2 Sam. 15:7, 8) | Promised untruthfully that he would serve the Lord if He would bring him back to Jerusalem. |
These biblical characters counted on God for concrete help—food and housing, victory in war, the conception of a child—in exchange for their vows—to tithe possessions, to fight valiantly, to dedicate a child to God. These may seem like reasonable commitments, but although our prayers and actions can have an impact, God’s will is far above bargaining. In addition, these biblical examples and our own experience show that people often make long-term promises to obtain short-term benefits. This may be why Scripture delivers strong cautions about the promises we make.
• Watch what you say. It is easy to swear a thoughtless oath without considering the commitment. But God holds us responsible for what we have said (Lev. 5:4, 5; Prov. 20:25).
• Deliver on your promise. Abstaining from making promises is not wrong. But breaking or delaying a vow is sin. It would be better to avoid making promises at all (Deut. 23:21–23).
• Be cautious about excessive devotion. Our enthusiasm might lead us to say foolish things we cannot live up to. Rash talk and hasty promises are the “sacrifice of fools” (Eccl. 5:1–7). Our mouths can destroy our lives, hence the warning, “Let your words be few” (5:2).
• Actions count more than words. Rare are Christians whose lives never contradict their words. Our words mean nothing if we do not put our faith into action by caring for the poor and disadvantaged and treating others with fairness and mercy (James 1:27—2:26).
In Psalm 19, David asks the Lord to keep him from “presumptuous sins” and to help him craft his words in a way that is pleasing to God (19:13, 14). If ever we find ourselves in the habit of trying to bargain with God or make promises we know we cannot keep, we can turn to Psalm 19 as a prayer to the Almighty, who can teach our hearts how to call up the right words for every moment, free of empty promises.
More: The workplace is one of the most important places where God’s people need to keep their word. See “Your Workstyle” at Titus 2:9–11.
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Phinehas was probably a young man at the time of the battle with Midian, but he was rising both in reputation and responsibility. Find out more about this budding leader known for his moral integrity and zealous passion by reading his profile at Numbers 25:7.
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The seer Balaam blessed the Israelites—but he ended up bringing a curse upon them and on himself. Balaam had been tempted by Balak, king of Moab to curse Israel (Num. 22:16, 17), but the priest instead blessed God’s people three times (23:7–11, 18–25; 24:3–10). Still, Balaam apparently never forgot Balak’s offer. After returning home, he came up with a clever idea. God had forbidden him from cursing Israel, but perhaps the Israelites could bring a curse upon themselves. Thus Balaam incited the Moabite women to tempt Israel’s men into immorality and idolatry (25:1–3; 31:15, 16).
Israel fell into sin and aroused God’s anger, causing a plague that killed twenty-four thousand people (25:3, 8, 9). We do not know if Balaam received payment for concocting his diabolical scheme, but when Israel eventually overran Midian, Balaam was considered an enemy and was slain (31:8). Likewise, the Moabites and Midianites suffered military defeat at the hands of the Israelites (25:16–18; 31:1–18).
Toying with sin is like playing with fire. Even when we think we are safe because our sin is aimed at others—or when we fall prey to the misconception that our sin is not causing any harm at all—we will almost always get burned.
But there is a fire that wounds, and a fire that redeems. Rather than becoming seduced by the former, we should seek God’s consuming fire (Heb. 12:29) to enliven our hearts and souls with His compassion.
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• An Amorite city east of the river Jordan, in or near the region of Gilead (Josh. 13:25; 1 Chr. 26:31), and probably on the plain north of Heshbon.
• Name means “Helpful”; its defenses made it an enviable city to control; the Ammonites, Amorites, Israelites, and Moabites all held Jazer and its productive lands at one time or another.
• Its villages were captured by the Israelites prior to the conquest of the Promised Land (Num. 21:31, 32).
• Nearby land was suitable for grazing (32:1) and therefore valued by the tribes of Reuben and Gad (32:5, 6, 16–29).
• The soil also produced lush grapevines and fruit trees (Is. 16:8, 9).
• Assigned as a city of the Levites (see “The Levitical Cities” at Josh. 21:1–3).
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As Israel again approached the Promised Land, two of the twelve tribes made a proposal to Moses. They wanted to settle right where they were, in the verdant pasturelands east of the Jordan River, rather than enter the Promised Land. But Moses rebuked them.
Burned in Moses’ mind was the incident that had occurred at Kadesh Barnea forty years earlier (Num. 13–14). The Israelites, alarmed by the report of ten faint-hearted spies who said they would never survive the end of their journey, resolved either to die where they were or return to Egyptian slavery (14:1–4). Only two of Moses’ twelve spies saw opportunity in God’s command to enter the land and drive out the Canaanites.
That lack of faith left Israel wandering in the wilderness for forty years, until all who had rejected God’s promise had died. In reminding Reuben and Gad of this history, Moses shamed them into sticking with their brothers, as if to say, “Here we go again! You are just like your forefathers, resisting God’s opportunity” (32:6–8). Fortunately, the two tribes listened to him and a compromise was reached (32:16–24).
Many people resist taking risks. After all, taking chances can lead to failure, and staying in our comfort zones is, well, comfortable. But faith always involves potential hazards, and the Bible is full of examples of God blessing risk-takers who trusted Him.
• Noah was called to the odd task of building a huge ship in preparation for a flood that would surpass any other in history. His belief in God’s instructions meant that his family survived an unprecedented natural disaster (Gen. 6–10).
• Abraham and Sarah left their home to go to an unknown land, bringing great blessing to their descendants (12:1–9).
• Elijah was called to the dangerous task of opposing wicked King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. Because of his obedience, the prophets of Baal were destroyed and a revival came to Israel (1 Kin. 18).
• Jonah attempted to avoid preaching to the hated Ninevites. But ultimately his message of repentance caused the entire city to respond in faith (Jon. 1–3).
• Ruth, a widow, joined her mother-in-law in returning to Israel, where Ruth’s ethnic heritage would be a disadvantage to her. Yet she ended up happily remarrying. She also became the grandmother of Israel’s most famous king and an ancestor of the Messiah (Ruth 1–4).
• Esther put her life on the line to speak up before King Ahasuerus. Her boldness saved her people from genocide (Esth.).
• Elizabeth and Mary endured pregnancies in awkward situations. Elizabeth gave birth to John the Baptist, and Mary gave birth to Jesus (Luke 1–2).
• Peter and Andrew left their family’s fishing business to follow an unknown leader (John 1:35–42). As a result of their passion for Jesus, they became leaders of a movement that eventually spread across the Roman empire.
• Ananias was prompted to visit the chief enemy of early Christians. Because of Ananias’s obedience, Saul the persecutor became Paul the apostle (Acts 9:1–22).
The lives of these heroes of faith challenge us to look past our own comfort and reach for great opportunity.
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No one knows the exact route Israel took from Egypt to Canaan. But it was not a direct journey. After leaving Egypt, the people traveled south to Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Law. They eventually made their way north to Kadesh; from there they sent spies to survey the Promised Land. Then they lost faith in the Lord’s promises and spent the next forty years wandering through the wilderness while an entire generation died off (Num. 14:34, 35). The term wandering is a misnomer, however, because God led the people with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Ex. 13:21, 22).
The next leg in their journey was an attempt to pass through Edom (see “Pain That Leads to Prejudice” at Num. 20:14–21). When Edom’s king refused them access to the King’s Highway, Israel was forced to detour around Edom and travel east of Canaan toward the northern Transjordan. From this area they eventually began to conquer the land. Numbers 33 includes many sites that the Israelites visited along their journey. Few have been positively identified by modern archaeologists.
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From Stopover to Strategic Seaport
Ezion Geber was a coastal site located at the north end of the Gulf of Aqaba. When the Israelites briefly camped there on their way to Kadesh, little did they realize the significant role the site would play in their descendants’ lives. Ezion Geber, also known as Elath, became a strategic seaport in the time of Solomon, providing access to southern lands. The king greatly enriched his nation’s economy by trading through this port. See Ezion Geber’s profile at 1 Kings 9:26.
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God promised to give the entire “land of Canaan” to the Israelites (see the map at “The Promised Land” at Josh. 1:11). That promise began to be fulfilled around 1400 B.C. when Joshua and the people crossed the Jordan River and began conquering Canaanite cities (Josh. 21:43). Yet long after that campaign was over, the territory seems to have still been known as “the land of Canaan” (Judg. 21:12). It was not until the later period of the judges that it began to be called Israel (Ruth 4:7, 14; 1 Sam. 3:11; 11:3).
During the monarchy, the kingdom was called Israel until it divided in two. The ten northern tribes that rebelled against Solomon’s son Rehoboam kept the name Israel (1 Kin. 12:18, 19), while the kingdom formed by the two southern tribes was known as Judah (12:21; 14:29). Israel eventually fell to the Assyrians (722 B.C.) and Judah to the Babylonians (587 B.C.). After the Babylonian exile, the district around Jerusalem continued to be called Judah (Neh. 1:2; Hag. 1:1).
By the time of Christ, the Romans dominated the region and referred to the general region of Canaan as Judea. For administrative purposes, they divided the area into the districts of Judea, Idumea, Samaria, Galilee, and Perea. The Jews in these districts maintained a sense of ethnic and religious unity by referring to themselves collectively as Israel (Matt. 8:10; 10:23).
The name Palestine was never used for the territory of Israel during the biblical era. It was only after the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in A.D. 70 that they renamed the land Palaestina, apparently as an insult to the Jews. The name is Latin for Philistia—a designation that recalled Israel’s long-standing and detested enemies the Philistines (see “The Philistines” at Judg. 13:1).
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A person charged with manslaughter in ancient Israel could flee to the nearest of six settlements designated as “cities of refuge.” The cities of refuge uniquely brought together issues of civil planning, justice, and religion.
After the Israelites entered the Promised Land, they set apart forty-eight towns as Levitical cities where priests and their families could live (see “The Levitical Cities” at Josh. 21:1–3). Of those forty-eight cities, six were set aside as places of refuge for “the manslayer who kills any person accidentally.” Refuge was given only in cases of unintentional death; willful murderers were executed (Num. 35:30).
The six cities were strategically located for reasonable accessibility: three east of the Jordan River, including Bezer, Ramoth Gilead, and Golan (Deut. 4:41–43; Josh. 20:8), and three to the west, Kedesh in Galilee, Shechem, and Kirjath Arba (also known as Hebron; Josh. 20:7).
Refuge from revenge was necessary because Hebrew customs gave the next of kin the right—if not the outright obligation—to avenge a victim’s death (see “Family Responsibilities” at Num. 27:4). If a manslayer entered a city of refuge, he was safe from immediate harm. The elders of the manslayer’s hometown would investigate the matter and let the congregation decide whether the killing was intentional. An offender found guilty of murder was brought back and handed over to the avenging blood relative for execution (35:24; Deut. 19:11, 12).
A manslayer granted asylum in the city of refuge had to remain there until the death of the high priest (Num. 35:25). This kept him safe from revenge but not immune to consequences. Years might pass before the high priest died, and a prolonged stay was something of an exile, little better than house arrest.
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Old Testament law was given by God and was absolute. Yet cases arose that required special consideration. The division of the Promised Land was one such situation. The daughters of Zelophehad brought a complaint that their family would receive no land because their father had died without leaving sons. After Moses deliberated with God, the women won their argument and received land (see “New Laws for a New World” at Num. 27:1–11).
This decision was revisited when relatives of Zelophehad of the tribe of Manasseh pointed out that the law of the Jubilee year could cause the tribe to lose land (see “The Year of Jubilee” at Lev. 25:8–17). In observance of the Jubilee year, lands were to be returned to the families to which they were originally given. But ownership of the land was determined through male heirs. If women born to Zelophehad’s daughters married outside the tribe, the lands would be lost.
In this complex legal problem, three parts of the Law were in tension: the division of the Promised Land, the laws of inheritance, and the law of the Jubilee year. As before, Moses consulted God and a compromise was struck: Zelophehad’s daughters could keep the land, but only by marrying within the tribe of Manasseh (Num. 36:6–9). It was a decision that preserved the Law while also giving the daughters a way to keep the land.
The solution of this technical matter may seem like an odd end to the Book of Numbers. It may seem irrelevant to modern Bible readers. But the decision shows that God cares about justice. He listens, and He helps us find solutions that are righteous, fair, and compassionate.
More: The occupation of lawyer or attorney was unknown in Moses’ day. Yet embryonic forms of advocacy can be found throughout the Bible. See the entries for “Advocate” and “Lawyer” in the Jobs and Occupations index.
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