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Numbers | Chapter 8

Chapter 8 continues picking up on some of the activities that occurred once the tabernacle was completed. We pick up this part of the conversation with the setting up of the lamps on the fancy lampstand (menorah) that was instructed to made out of hammered gold in Exodus 25. We’ve seen the instructions, we’ve seen them built, but up to this point we didn’t get to see them fired up, so it happens now. It was the high priest’s job to keep the wick trimmed and the olive oil in the lamps full so that the light would be continually shining. The direction is is explicit, it shines to the front, which would be where the 12 loaves of show bread are, one for each tribe, a reminder of YHWH’s continual blessing and provision to His people. 

Next, the cleansing of the Levites. Now, I know in Numbers so far we’ve seen them counted, given the tasks of hauling the tabernacle around, and been the recipients of some of the worship offerings brought at the consecration of the tabernacle. But you didn’t really think that YHWH was going to have them come in and do this work, as well as stand in for the first born of all Israel, without going through any kind of cleansing, did you? Of course not, the Levites individually certainly didn’t want to take the risk of being the reason that there was an inadvertent mix of something/someone unclean with the holy things of YHWH. 

So, the process begins. First, they get sprinkled with water (not magic water, just water) along with a full body razor treatment and clean clothes. Then they snag a couple of bulls and they are brought in front of the tent of meeting. The whole congregation joins them and lays hands on the Levites. What’s going on here? The Levites are themselves an offering and there a few different concepts likely in play. For one, remember the Levites are the substitute, they are being set aside for dedication to YHWH instead of the first born of Israel. The laying of hands is kind of a transfer of interest, from all of Israel to these Levites specifically (this is the same action we see when sacrifices are made, the guilty laying hands on the beast who will die in its place). To that end, after the congregation lays their hands on the Levites, the Levites then lay their hands on the sacrifices, which serve as they always do ,to “cover” or atone for the uncleanliness, or the the falling short, of the people. 

The description of the Levites as a wave offering is interesting in that the wave offering is the one where, once it’s waved towards YHWH, the priests get to keep it. That kind of makes sense here, given that it is the Levites who are, although dedicated to the service of the Lord, under the everyday direction of the priests themselves. The run of obedience at the start of Number continues as Moses, Aaron and the Israelites follow the instructions they’ve been given here deal with the Levites as YHWH has requested. 

The chapter ends with instructions around the retirement of the Levites from service. The primary work they are assigned is difficult, physical labor along with the protection of the tabernacle and its goods. YHWH expects faithful service for this work between the age of 25 and 50. Once they hit 50, they retire from the physical labor, although they’re still allowed to hang around the tabernacle and be of service there (likely instructing those who are new to the gig and overall making sure things run smoothly). 

And with that, all the administrations of the tabernacle are complete. They know what goes in it, how to move it, how to set it up, how to run it once its set up, and have all the people they need to make it all happen. They are a people who have been prepared to live among and travel with the very presence of the Lord their God. 

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Numbers | Chapter 7

Exodus 40 all the way through Leviticus and through chapter 6 of Numbers covers just a single month of time, from the original consecration of the temple and the month that follows. Numbers 7 takes us back to the beginning of that month again to show us some of the goings on that, after reading the previous chapters, we perhaps can appreciate even more. 

Specifically, we’re told of how the 12 tribes bring offerings to the tabernacle. It’s an interesting procession, the leader of each of the 12 tribes contributes an ox and they buddy system up to set up two of them per wagon. Moses is told by YHWH to accept the offerings of oxen and wagons and to the Levites so they can use them to execute the tasks they’ve been given to do. Two wagons go to the sons of Gershon, who if you recall from chapter 4 are responsible for hauling all the drapery. That’s heavy business, so they get a couple wagons. Four wagons are given to the sons of Merari, who were the fellas responsible for all the poles, bars, pegs and bases that the drapes go on, also super heavy. 

But wait, you say, we’re out of wagons and there was another group of serving Levites, the sons of Kohath. If you recall, those fellas were responsible for all the holy things after the priests got them all covered up. You might also recall, however, that all those holy things, like the altar, lampstands, tables, etc. have holes where you can put poles in. So, bummer for them, Kohath and company get no wagons, they get poles that they use to attach to those things and haul them on foot. 

Next, there’s a procession that details how the leader of each tribe of Israel brought gifts to the temple, one each day for 12 days. As tends to be the case, the leader of the tribe of Judah goes first. Each leader brings the same thing, a roughly 3 lb silver plate, a 2 lb silver basin, and a 4 oz gold spoon. The plates and basins had oil and flour in them, the basic ingredients for the cereal offering. They also brought animals, the proper ones for the sin, peace, and burnt offerings. What’s the point of all this? Each and every tribe/person contributes equally to the worship of YHWH, the supplies that sustain the community according to His standard of holiness, and the provision for the priests (the cereal offering was their primary source of income). 

The chapter ends on a high note, Moses enters the tent of meeting and speaks with YHWH. The promise of this intention of YHWH to meet Moses there came all the way back in Exodus 25, and as the tabernacle is dedicated, the priests cleansed, and the people having contributed their offerings throughout the community in worship, YHWH keeps that promise and resides among His people.

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Numbers | Chapter 6

The theme of holiness continues in chapter 6, this time covering those who wish to intentionally set themselves apart in service to YHWH. These folks would be distinct, of course, from the priests, whose tribe and thus life are committed to a specific service to God as well as adherence to certain physical behaviors or adornments so that folks would know when they were dealing with a priest. The occasion for these everyday Israelites to volunteer for intentionally setting themselves apart to YHWH is not outlined, although there are examples in the Old Testament of folks doing this for a short time as part of a petition to God for a specific outcome or blessing or people living this way for life (such as Samson), likely because their parents committed them to such a thing. 

We should probably see this type of vow as similar to anointing folks in oil for prayer. There isn’t anything magical in here, but it’s a use of your whole being (spiritual, mental, physical) to express a request for God’s specific and focused attention on something or someone. Also, remember that it is voluntary. There isn’t anywhere else in scripture where this is prescribed in response to sin or an act of penance or anything like that. This is a follower of YHWH living a human life who has a need or desire for God’s focused attention and chooses to live in this way. The point of this chapter is to provide guidance that, if you wanted to do such a thing, this is how it should be done. Note that this vow was not restricted to men, women could take a Nazarite vow as well. 

The word Nazarite is a transliteration from Hebrew and means “set apart” (we can recognize the word “holy” as a synonym). As part of being set apart, there are 3 specific things outlined to abstain from: grapes/wine, cutting hair, and touching dead bodies. Scripture isn’t always explicit about the “why” behind each of these but there are some reasonable assertions. For wine, there is a pretty consistent connection in the history of God’s people between strong drink and the neglect of His law. Recall that Leviticus 10 forbids priests to drink wine and enter the Tent of Meeting. It’s also implied that drinking was involved in the deaths of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu. The curse upon the Canaanites can ultimately be sourced from a drunk Noah passing out and being viewed by his son Ham, father of Canaan. And Lot’s drunkenness leads to him conceiving children with his daughters, producing the Ammonites and the Moabites, ultimately enemies of Israel who will hire a prophet to curse God’s people as they travel to their promised land. Broad point, it’s a risk, and not one worth taking when you’re setting yourself apart for special attention from YHWH. 

On the hair, the long, unshorn locks eventually become a sacrifice. Once the time of the vow is complete, the hair is shaved off and put on the altar as a peace offering to YHWH. The long hair also becomes a mark to the community around them that they are under a vow. This is similar to wearing sackcloth, or in our day black clothes, for mourning.  It lets your community around you know what you’re going through. Unlike the warning against making it obvious that you are fasting by putting on a show, there is a practicality to people knowing why you’re avoiding strong drink, not cutting your hair, or willing to participate in communal activities like the care for a dead body. 

The dead body item is a matter of cleanliness, we can note similarly that a priest can’t touch one for purposes of holiness. There are no exceptions for close family, death is still death and the person under a vow may not break it, even for dealing with the death of close family. Ever anticipating people’s tendency to try and treat the implausible as plausible for the chance at skirting a rule, v.9 and forward explains what must happen if a someone happens to die next to someone who is under the Nazarite vow and accidentally touches the body. In such case, the person shaves their head, waits a week, makes some sacrifices (holiness restored) and the thing starts over. That said, we shouldn’t miss the severity of this ritual. Unlike less serious defilement, which could be cleansed through a washing, this required washing, cutting of hair, and a series of sacrifices. Whatever the nature of this commitment of being set aside for YHWH is, it is an important business, on the level of the defilement of not just a priest but a high priest. 

When the time of separation was completed, meaning the vow was complete, a series of sacrifices is made and the hair is cut and offered as a sacrifice on the altar. The description stipulates that someone could offer over and above what is stipulated here in the ritual voluntarily. However, just like the original taking of the vow, once you make it it must be kept. It’s better to commit and keep it then to over-commit and fall short. 

These vows were still popular at the time of Jesus and it appears that Paul takes such a vow in Acts 18. It’s also possible that John the Baptizer and James, brother of Jesus, were Nazarites. All told, it seems that there may still be a place for self-imposed dedication to YHWH in this way in  our modern lives. 

Following the context of the previous few chapters, the culmination of this call to and protection of holiness in the presence of YHWH among His people, as well as the role of the priests, we find a great blessing. YHWH instructs Moses to tell Aaron and his sons that the people of Israel are to blessed in the following way: “YHWH bless you and keep you, YHWH make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, YHWH lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” And so the people of Israel get a reminder of what all of these laws are here for. YHWH creates a path of blessing for His people, a way to live out the identify of being His people and thus recipients of His gifts, His attention, His blessing, His grace, and His peace. When they fall short of receiving these gifts in their fullness, He prepares a way for restoration, for atonement; a means for being brought back into His face shining upon them. 

Seriously, what a blessing. And it remains that for us as well. The means of restoration are through Jesus, rescuing us from our wandering and from our defilement, and making a way that we may live now and forever in His blessing, His grace, and His peace. 

Amen

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Numbers | Chapter 5

The christening of the Levites complete, chapter 5 of Numbers shifts to a familiar topic from book of Leviticus, the holiness of the people. In the context of Yahweh’s covenant with His people, they are selected to be a holy people, set apart as a nation through which He will bless the rest of the nations. Part of this requires they be “clean”,  meaning function in a way both individually and corporately that permits Yahweh’s presence to live among them (although He makes provision for the inevitable failure in this with the sacrifices and Day of Atonement from Leviticus 16).

At the opening of this chapter we re-engage with the removal of unclean folk from the camp lest they pollute it. In some cases this is a physical risk (skin disease and the like) but in all cases it is a spiritual issue that puts the community at risk if there folk in an unclean state intentionally walking about and potentially interacting with the holy things of Yahweh. Ultimately, if the tabernacle is defiled, God’s presence would not remain there, removing the very thing that made the Israelites special.

As noted in Leviticus, many of the things that marked someone as unclean are temporary conditions. In this chapter, the presence of the skin disease and uncleanness from touching a corpse are both situations that can/will resolve over time where the person can be reinstated into society.  So, this measure is preventative. As the unclean folks are removed from the camp, it minimizes the risk that they bring danger to themselves or others in the camp. Once clean, they can return.

The next holiness item is related to folks who commit an offense against a fellow member of the community. Although this kind of thing is covered in Leviticus 5-6, note here that an offense against another member of the community is also considered an “offense to the Lord”. Even sins, or wrongdoing, between people is ultimately a sin against God (think of it broadly as a breach with acting in line with the holiness of Yahweh and reflecting His character in your dealings with others).

The consequence is to provide restitution to who you wronged, plus add a fifth. If that person is dead, you find their next of kin and pay it to them. If everyone is dead who is related to this person, then the restitution goes to the Lord (who the offense was truly against) who gives it to the priest. Broad point is, the wrong you begat into the world requires restitution and it must be paid, there’s no getting off the hook because the person is dead or even if all of their family is dead. Them being dead doesn’t wipe the slate.

Often times our sense of restitution is one of appearances. If no one knows, nothing is owed. If the person is around to be paid, nothing is owed. But walking in step with YHWH we must recognize that the ledger board isn’t dependent upon the wherewithal of your neighbor or the perception of your cousin (or whomever you have wronged who is oblivious to that fact). There is no such thing as “getting away with it”. Although as the guilty party you could see this as an overarching God keeping tabs on your wrongs, but you would be wrong. This is what we’d expect from a God of justice, one who makes things right. For one, He must consistently recognize that which is wrong and demand restitution. And ultimately, when it is beyond our means to pay, He will step in on our behalf.

The chapter ends with an often misunderstood situation related to suspected adultery. Recall from Leviticus chapter 20 that folks guilty of adultery were to be put to death. But what of a situation where they weren’t caught but adultery is suspected? This is risky business, as a woman suspected of adultery runs the risk of this punishment where the facts are not fully known. So, as we saw in other situations from Leviticus where the truth could not be fully established, the situation is put into the hands of the Lord. The woman basically affirms that she is going to drink this water mixture and that, if she is guilty, it will have its effect in not allowing her to conceive. If she is innocent, she shall not have this effect (and later rabbis would even say she would be blessed by the concoction). It’s worth noting that the substance we’re talking about here is a mixture of water and dust from the front of the altar. It might taste bad, but isn’t particularly harmful on its own. Thus, we have a clear call that, if something is amiss, God will have to produce the consequences. 

Don’t overcrank on the process (there’s no magic or wizardry involved with the mixture). And we should also recognize that there isn’t enough detail here to create a theology around the process itself. The notion is that, rather than letting suspected sin remain in the camp and put folks at risk, and to also protect on the other side those who are innocent from overzealous reactions, it gets put into the hands of God to deal with. The actual drinking of the water puts a stake in the ground where the suspicion of guilt could be put to rest (or confirmed) at that moment.

Why no test for a suspected male adulterer? The lack of example here doesn’t preclude that there could have been one (as is often the case where we see a single gender example provided). It should also be assumed that the suspicion of the woman also means that there is a suspicion of a particular man on the other side of the problem. Where this test proves the guilt of the woman, the associated fella would then be put to death.

As in the original discussion with the death penalty and adultery in Leviticus, our modern ears struggle with the veracity of the punishment. However, marital faithfulness is often the comparison to the faithfulness between Yahweh and His people. The integrity of these covenant relationships are central to our understanding of God’s faithfulness to us and, although sometimes foreign to our modern cultural views of marriage, the consequences of lack of faithfulness are deep and significant.

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Numbers | Chapter 4

Chapter 4 represents another census of the Levites, different than the one described in chapter 3. The previous census was executed to count the male Levites a month old and older and compare that to the number of first born males in all of Israel to see whether the number of Levites was sufficient to “cover” the first number of the born of Israel, to stand in for them in service to YHWH (there weren’t, so a redemption price was paid to make up the difference). This next census counts males between the ages of 30 and 50 for each of the three tribes of Levites. These would be the number of men eligible to do the work that is going to be laid out for each tribe of Levites in their service to YHWH (under the direction of the priests). 

The Kohathites are responsible for the protection and transportation of the most holy things (think items that are used as part of the administration of offerings to YHWH). However, they still can’t touch them (you know, because they are holy things, and holy things can’t be interacted with common things, otherwise there are consequences). So, when the camp has to move, Aaron & sons must first go in and put all of the holy things away. The ark of the testimony is covered with the veil  (that separates the holy of holies from everything else) and then that is covered with goatskin and THAT is covered with a cloth of all blue. Then they put the poles in it and Kohath et al can make away with it without the risk of coming into contact and dying directly. 

Then the rest of the stuff. The table where the bread of the presence is held a blue cloth is added with all of the plates and incense bowls and such are added on top of that. Then a scarlet cloth and some goatskin. Poles in, good to go. Similar things happen for the lampstands, the altar (the leftover ashes get taken as well) and all of its utensils. All get bundled, covered in cloth and goatskin, and prepared by the priests so the Kohathites can transport them to the next camp. This all sounds heavy, and it certainly was, thus the count of only males 30-50. 

Each Levite tribe and their work gets to be overseen by either Aaron or one of his sons. The Kohath tribe gets Aaron’s son, Eleazar. YHWH takes time to warn Aaron and Moses to protect Kohath and Co., ensuring that they aren’t destroyed. How do they do that? They pass on these instructions precisely and the priests make sure that all the stuff is wrapped well. Also, remind the Kohathites that if they peek, even for a second, it will be their last image before death. 

Next, there’s a count of the Gershonites. The holy things being accounted for by Kohath, Gershon and sons are responsible for all the drapery. This means everything around the court of the meeting place as well as the curtains that covered the actual tent of meeting. If it’s a curtain, a descendant of Gershon is carrying it. The priests don’t have to pack any of this up, it’s not “holy” like the holy things the Kohathites deal with. The transportation and protection of the curtains fall under the direction of Ithamar, son of Aaron. 

Finally, there’s a count of the Merarites, and they are responsible for what’s left: the poles, bars, pegs, and bases. Basically, these fellas carry the skeleton of the meeting place that all the curtains go on. They also fall under the direction of Ithamar, son of Aaron. 

The chapter ends with an accounting of how many of these fellas fit the criteria for each tribe. All told, there’s 8,580 Levite males between 30 and 50 who will do this work to start, split between the three tribes. That’s a massive operation, but YHWH ensured there were enough fellas, clear responsibilities, and proper leadership in place so that His mobile residence among His people could be adequately transported from camp to camp. 

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Numbers | Chapter 3

The next two chapters of Numbers focus on counting Levites, two different censuses (censi?) for two different purposes. But it opens with an account of the sons of Aaron, or more broadly, the line of priests. Although Aaron is from the tribe of Kohath, a Levite tribe, the priests should be thought of differently than the Levites. Ultimately, the priests are responsible for the mediation between YHWH and His people, only they may handle the holy items and enter the the holy place. The Levites, as we shall see detailed, are not permitted to do those things, but are responsible for the guarding and transport of the tabernacle and its contents. 

We are reminded that Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu died interacting with “strange fire”, basically by offering a sacrifice that YHWH did not ask for. It sets a tone for the next few chapters which show dire circumstances for folks trying to interact with people or things that are set apart for YHWH’s service in ways that He hasn’t permitted. All told, Aaron has only two sons left, thus Eleazer and Ithamar will serve as priests under Aaron. 

YHWH then speaks to Moses and tells him to charge the tribe of Levi with serving the priests, specifically by protecting the priests/contents of the tabernacle as well as to move it when the tribe moves (don’t forget the context, Numbers is the preparation for God’s people to move into the land He has promised). As part of this protection, anyone who comes near to what the Levites have been tasked to protect shall be put to death. The consequences of allowing the tabernacle, its implements, or its minsters to be made unclean can have consequences that extend to the entire camp and must be dealt with quickly. 

In v.11, we get an explanation of why the first census of the Levites is occurring (which obviously must be different than the census that has already occurred for the non-Levites, which was to get counts for battle). We are reminded that, ever since the 10th plague in Egypt,  the first born of everything belongs to YHWH, including the first born of Israel, who were to be dedicated to His service in the sanctuary. But ever since the issue with the golden calf in Exodus 32, the Levites as a tribe were identified to take the place of the first born of everyone. 

So, now we get the count of each of the tribes of the Levites (sons of Levi), Gershon, Kohath and Merari. There is a hierarchy to the order. The priests will face east (most favored), the Kohathites south (next), then the Gershonites (west), and finally the Merarites to the north. They also have different responsibilities over the tabernacle items when  they travel. Kohathites carry the holy items like the ark of the covenant, the altar, the tables, etc., the Gershonites the curtains, the Merarites the poles and tent pegs. When they marched, you’d normally expect the more favored roles to go first, but in order that the tabernacle be reconstructed, the Merarites go first to get the pegs and poles up, then the Gershonites put the curtains on, then the Kohathites deliver the holy items so the priests can get all of that set up. 
After all of the counts, there were 22,000 Levites and 22,273 of the rest of Israel. This means there’s a deficit (if the Levites are supposed to stand in place for all the first born of Israel, they are 273 fellas short).

These remaining lives must be redeemed (since they haven’t been substituted) and the cost of redemption is five shekels per head (or what was the going price for a servant at the time). The money went to Aaron and his sons. 

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Numbers | Chapter 2

This is where text would be if I had written anything for chapter 2.

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Numbers | Introduction

The English title of this book, Numbers, is translated from the Greek title “Arithmoi”, meaning, you know, numbers (we obviously see this same root word in our modern “arithmetic”.) This is certainly titled as such in reference to the multiple censuses that occur, including at the very beginning of the book. The Hebrew title, “bemidbar”, however, is a better broad title as it translates from the fifth word in the book meaning “in the wilderness”. This narrative focuses on God’s people over the 40 years travelling in the wilderness between Mt. Sinai, through the Wilderness of Paran to Kadesh, and ultimately to the promised land of Canaan (or in this case, just outside in the plains of Moab). 

To that point, like the books that come before and after it, Numbers is the continued story of God keeping his promises to Abraham, through His people and His faithfulness. As could likely be expected, however, all of this also reveals the tendency of man to rebel against God’s good intention for them, curse the means through which His mercy comes, and react with skepticism and disbelief even after being personal witness to God’s faithfulness many, many times at this point. Every point of this journey is met with some form of protest, a subsequent combination of judgment and mercy (restoration), and additional provision of law to meet the needs of new situations that are arising for His people. 

Numbers moves the reminders of God’s holiness and provision of the laws that reflect both it and the role of Israel as God’s people (to be holy as He is holy and to act as the kingdom of priests) from Leviticus and puts them into a live environment, transitioning knowledge to opportunity for faith and obedience. Like many of the New Testament writers did, we should see ourselves in this transition as well and likely subject to the same fickle and non-sensical reactions. Also like Leviticus, there are periods of additional law-giving and descriptions of rituals. We need to be careful not to move too quickly past these things as they are not only a central means through which the Israelites deal with living with the holy presence of YHWH in their midst, but are also the means through which they remain faithful to His character in their day to day lives. For us, who live on the other side of the sacrifice of Jesus, it is the undergirding reasons for these laws, less so than the exact expression of them, that continues to influence our lives and relationship with YHWH. 

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Reference Books

The Pentateuch As Narrative

Author: John H. Sailhamer

Publisher: Zondervan

Why I like it: Sailhamer does a great job of pulling you up from an overly technical study of the Torah into the underlying narratives. A good switch for me in reading this one was to start looking at how the laws in Leviticus-Deuteronomy serve the narrative (the story of how YHWH relates to humans and what it means to reflect His image and associate with His holiness) vs. just being a communication of a law code.

It won’t scratch every itch you have for details, but it’s a great place to start to make sure we’re actually asking the right questions of the text.

Purchase on Amazon