Bible
in one year 4/29/2022 Number chapter 17-21
By
Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce
Christian
Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts &Gospel music; Pastoral
ministry &Counseling
Chapter 17 Validation of
the Aaronic priesthood: Aaron’s rod that
budded
The people blamed Moses and Aaron
for the deaths of the rebels. Once again God destroy the nation, after Aaron
took his censer and made atonement for the people, there were 14,700 people
died. The Lord said to the Moses, “ speak to the Israelites and get twelve
staffs from them, one for the leader of each of their ancestral tribes and
Aaron’s staff was among them. Aaron’s staff, which represented the house of
Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.
(v.8) it to be kept as a sign to the rebellious. The people were still pitying
themselves rather than praising God for His power and deliverance.(vv.12-13)
Chapter 18 The duties and support of the Levites
Aaron and his sons, who were
responsible for priestly ministries, were also responsible for the consequences
of any defilement that might come to them or the sanctuary (Ex.28:38;
Lev.22:16). Other Levites were given to Aaron and his sons(v.6), to serve them
while they officiated in the Tabernacle(v.7). These verses give instructions
for the maintenance of the priests by the various offerings brought by the
people. Included were offerings (Lit., heave offerings, v.8; Lev.7:32);Whatever
was not consumed by the altar fire(v.9;Lev.6:19,24); every wave offering
(vv.11-13; Lev.7:30); devoted things (v.4; Lev.27:28); and the revenue from the
redemption of the firstborn of man and beast(vv.15-18;Ex.22:29). These
arrangements formed a covenant of salt(v.19; an indissoluble arrangement,
Lev.2:13).
Chapter 19 The Red heifer sacrifice
The ritual of the red heifer
provided cleansing for those who were defiled becaused of contact with a
corpse. Preparations for the ritual required that the ashes of an unblemished,
unyoked red heifer be mixed with water (called water of cleansing). This served
as a purification from sin( Lit., a sin offering, as also in v.17). Purify
(v.12), Lit., “de-sin or un-sin” as also in 8:21. A defilement that was not
cleansed would pollute the tabernacle as well. Sprinkled on him. Lit., thrown
or dashed on him. (v.13). People could not help becoming defiled occasionally; thus,
the water was always abailable and any undefiled person(not just a priest)
could dash it on the one defiled. This ritual pictured the cleansing power of
the blood of Christ (Heb.9:13-14;1John1:7-9).
Chapter 20 The sin of Moses, “struck the rock instead of speak to that rock”
When Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin and
they stayed at Kadesh. The people quarreled with Moses, no grain or figs,
grapevines or pomegranates and there is no water to drink. (v.1-5). The Lord
said to Moses, take the staff, (the same staff with which Moses had performed
previous miracles (Ex.7:20;14:16). God instructed Moses and Aaron (the verb is
plural) to speak to the rock, not strike it. In anger and self-glorification,
Moses struck it (v.11; Ps.106:32-33). Because of their sin (v.12) Moses and
Aaron were not permitted to enter the Promised Land. Here is a warning to us
that forgiveness of sin does not always carry with it alleviation of the
consequences of that sin.
Meribah. (v.13) A play (in the Hebrew) on the
verb “ to strive” Edom (v.14) The Isaelites wanted to go east from Kadesh,
through Edom, which occupied the territory S. of the Dead Sea (v.17). Their
request was refused with a show of force (v.20). The king’s highway (v.17), a
public caravan route. The location of Mount Hor (v.22), is uncertain, though it
apparently was on the border of Edom near Kadesh. Here the Israelites began
their detour around Edom.
The death of Aaron (vv.28-29) was in the
fortieth year after the Exodus.His death at the age of 123 (33:38-39) stands in
sharp contrast to the eternal priesthood of Christ (Heb.7:23-24).
Chapter 21 The defeat of Arad; the discipline of
Israel : the Bronze Snake; the defeat of Sihon and Og.
Old Testament (NIV) Numbers Chapter 17 The
Budding of Aaron’s Staff
17:1 The LORD said to
Moses,
17:2 "Speak to
the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of
their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff.
17:3 On the staff of
Levi write Aaron's name, for there must be one staff for the head of each
ancestral tribe.
17:4 Place them in the
Tent of Meeting in front of the Testimony, where I meet with you.
17:5 The staff
belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of this
constant grumbling against you by the Israelites."
17:6 So Moses spoke to
the Israelites, and their leaders gave him twelve staffs, one for the leader of
each of their ancestral tribes, and Aaron's staff was among them.
17:7 Moses placed the
staffs before the LORD in the Tent of the Testimony.
17:8 The next day
Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron's staff, which
represented the house of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed
and produced almonds.
17:9 Then Moses
brought out all the staffs from the LORD'S presence to all the Israelites. They
looked at them, and each man took his own staff.
17:10 The LORD said to
Moses, "Put back Aaron's staff in front of the Testimony, to be kept as a
sign to the rebellious. This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so
that they will not die."
17:11 Moses did just
as the LORD commanded him.
17:12 The Israelites
said to Moses, "We will die! We are lost, we are all lost!
17:13 Anyone who even
comes near the tabernacle of the LORD will die. Are we all going to die?"
Chapter 18 Duties of Priests and Levites
18:1 The LORD said to
Aaron, "You, your sons and your father's family are to bear the
responsibility for offenses against the sanctuary, and you and your sons alone
are to bear the responsibility for offenses against the priesthood.
18:2 Bring your fellow
Levites from your ancestral tribe to join you and assist you when you and your
sons minister before the Tent of the Testimony.
18:3 They are to be
responsible to you and are to perform all the duties of the Tent, but they must
not go near the furnishings of the sanctuary or the altar, or both they and you
will die.
18:4 They are to join
you and be responsible for the care of the Tent of Meeting--all the work at the
Tent--and no one else may come near where you are.
18:5 "You are to
be responsible for the care of the sanctuary and the altar, so that wrath will
not fall on the Israelites again.
18:6 I myself have
selected your fellow Levites from among the Israelites as a gift to you,
dedicated to the LORD to do the work at the Tent of Meeting.
18:7 But only you and
your sons may serve as priests in connection with everything at the altar and
inside the curtain. I am giving you the service of the priesthood as a gift.
Anyone else who comes near the sanctuary must be put to death."
Offerings for Priests
and Levites
18:8 Then the LORD
said to Aaron, "I myself have put you in charge of the offerings presented
to me; all the holy offerings the Israelites give me I give to you and your
sons as your portion and regular share.
18:9 You are to have
the part of the most holy offerings that is kept from the fire. From all the
gifts they bring me as most holy offerings, whether grain or sin or guilt
offerings, that part belongs to you and your sons.
18:10 Eat it as
something most holy; every male shall eat it. You must regard it as holy.
18:11 "This also
is yours: whatever is set aside from the gifts of all the wave offerings of the
Israelites. I give this to you and your sons and daughters as your regular
share. Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean may eat it.
18:12 "I give you
all the finest olive oil and all the finest new wine and grain they give the
LORD as the firstfruits of their harvest.
18:13 All the land's
firstfruits that they bring to the LORD will be yours. Everyone in your
household who is ceremonially clean may eat it.
18:14 "Everything
in Israel that is devoted to the LORD is yours.
18:15 The first
offspring of every womb, both man and animal, that is offered to the LORD is
yours. But you must redeem every firstborn son and every firstborn male of
unclean animals.
18:16 When they are a
month old, you must redeem them at the redemption price set at five shekels of
silver, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs.
18:17 "But you
must not redeem the firstborn of an ox, a sheep or a goat; they are holy.
Sprinkle their blood on the altar and burn their fat as an offering made by
fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.
18:18 Their meat is to
be yours, just as the breast of the wave offering and the right thigh are
yours.
18:19 Whatever is set
aside from the holy offerings the Israelites present to the LORD I give to you
and your sons and daughters as your regular share. It is an everlasting
covenant of salt before the LORD for both you and your offspring."
18:20 The LORD said to
Aaron, "You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any
share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites.
18:21 "I give to
the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the
work they do while serving at the Tent of Meeting.
18:22 From now on the
Israelites must not go near the Tent of Meeting, or they will bear the
consequences of their sin and will die.
18:23 It is the
Levites who are to do the work at the Tent of Meeting and bear the
responsibility for offenses against it. This is a lasting ordinance for the
generations to come. They will receive no inheritance among the Israelites.
18:24 Instead, I give
to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as
an offering to the LORD. That is why I said concerning them: 'They will have no
inheritance among the Israelites.'"
18:25 The LORD said to
Moses,
18:26 "Speak to
the Levites and say to them: 'When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I
give you as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the
LORD'S offering.
18:27 Your offering
will be reckoned to you as grain from the threshing floor or juice from the
winepress.
18:28 In this way you
also will present an offering to the LORD from all the tithes you receive from
the Israelites. From these tithes you must give the LORD'S portion to Aaron the
priest.
18:29 You must present
as the LORD'S portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you.'
18:30 "Say to the
Levites: 'When you present the best part, it will be reckoned to you as the
product of the threshing floor or the winepress.
18:31 You and your
households may eat the rest of it anywhere, for it is your wages for your work
at the Tent of Meeting.
18:32 By presenting
the best part of it you will not be guilty in this matter; then you will not
defile the holy offerings of the Israelites, and you will not die.'"
Chapter 19 The Water of Cleansing
19:1 The LORD said to
Moses and Aaron:
19:2 "This is a
requirement of the law that the LORD has commanded: Tell the Israelites to
bring you a red heifer without defect or blemish and that has never been under
a yoke.
19:3 Give it to
Eleazar the priest; it is to be taken outside the camp and slaughtered in his
presence.
19:4 Then Eleazar the
priest is to take some of its blood on his finger and sprinkle it seven times
toward the front of the Tent of Meeting.
19:5 While he watches,
the heifer is to be burned--its hide, flesh, blood and offal.
19:6 The priest is to
take some cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet wool and throw them onto the burning
heifer.
19:7 After that, the
priest must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water. He may then come
into the camp, but he will be ceremonially unclean till evening.
19:8 The man who burns
it must also wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he too will be unclean
till evening.
19:9 "A man who
is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and put them in a ceremonially
clean place outside the camp. They shall be kept by the Israelite community for
use in the water of cleansing; it is for purification from sin.
19:10 The man who
gathers up the ashes of the heifer must also wash his clothes, and he too will
be unclean till evening. This will be a lasting ordinance both for the
Israelites and for the aliens living among them.
19:11 "Whoever
touches the dead body of anyone will be unclean for seven days.
19:12 He must purify
himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then he will be
clean. But if he does not purify himself on the third and seventh days, he will
not be clean.
19:13 Whoever touches
the dead body of anyone and fails to purify himself defiles the LORD'S
tabernacle. That person must be cut off from Israel. Because the water of
cleansing has not been sprinkled on him, he is unclean; his uncleanness remains
on him.
19:14 "This is
the law that applies when a person dies in a tent: Anyone who enters the tent
and anyone who is in it will be unclean for seven days,
19:15 and every open
container without a lid fastened on it will be unclean.
19:16 "Anyone out
in the open who touches someone who has been killed with a sword or someone who
has died a natural death, or anyone who touches a human bone or a grave, will
be unclean for seven days.
19:17 "For the
unclean person, put some ashes from the burned purification offering into a jar
and pour fresh water over them.
19:18 Then a man who
is ceremonially clean is to take some hyssop, dip it in the water and sprinkle
the tent and all the furnishings and the people who were there. He must also
sprinkle anyone who has touched a human bone or a grave or someone who has been
killed or someone who has died a natural death.
19:19 The man who is
clean is to sprinkle the unclean person on the third and seventh days, and on
the seventh day he is to purify him. The person being cleansed must wash his
clothes and bathe with water, and that evening he will be clean.
19:20 But if a person
who is unclean does not purify himself, he must be cut off from the community,
because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water of cleansing has
not been sprinkled on him, and he is unclean.
19:21 This is a
lasting ordinance for them. "The man who sprinkles the water of cleansing
must also wash his clothes, and anyone who touches the water of cleansing will
be unclean till evening.
19:22 Anything that an
unclean person touches becomes unclean, and anyone who touches it becomes
unclean till evening."
Chapter 20 Water From the Rock
20:1 In the first
month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they
stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.
20:2 Now there was no
water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and
Aaron.
20:3 They quarreled
with Moses and said, "If only we had died when our brothers fell dead
before the LORD!
20:4 Why did you bring
the LORD'S community into this desert, that we and our livestock should die
here?
20:5 Why did you bring
us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines
or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!"
20:6 Moses and Aaron
went from the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and fell
facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them.
20:7 The LORD said to
Moses,
20:8 "Take the
staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to
that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring
water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can
drink."
20:9 So Moses took the
staff from the LORD'S presence, just as he commanded him.
20:10 He and Aaron
gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them,
"Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?"
20:11 Then Moses
raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and
the community and their livestock drank.
20:12 But the LORD
said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor
me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community
into the land I give them."
20:13 These were the
waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the LORD and where he
showed himself holy among them.
Edom Denies Israel
Passage
20:14 Moses sent
messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying: "This is what your
brother Israel says: You know about all the hardships that have come upon us.
20:15 Our forefathers
went down into Egypt, and we lived there many years. The Egyptians mistreated
us and our fathers,
20:16 but when we
cried out to the LORD, he heard our cry and sent an angel and brought us out of
Egypt. "Now we are here at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory.
20:17 Please let us
pass through your country. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or
drink water from any well. We will travel along the king's highway and not turn
to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory."
20:18 But Edom
answered: "You may not pass through here; if you try, we will march out
and attack you with the sword."
20:19 The Israelites
replied: "We will go along the main road, and if we or our livestock drink
any of your water, we will pay for it. We only want to pass through on foot--nothing
else."
20:20 Again they
answered: "You may not pass through." Then Edom came out against them
with a large and powerful army.
20:21 Since Edom
refused to let them go through their territory, Israel turned away from them.
The Death of Aaron
20:22 The whole
Israelite community set out from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor.
20:23 At Mount Hor,
near the border of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
20:24 "Aaron will
be gathered to his people. He will not enter the land I give the Israelites,
because both of you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah.
20:25 Get Aaron and
his son Eleazar and take them up Mount Hor.
20:26 Remove Aaron's
garments and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will be gathered to his
people; he will die there."
20:27 Moses did as the
LORD commanded: They went up Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community.
20:28 Moses removed
Aaron's garments and put them on his son Eleazar. And Aaron died there on top
of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain,
20:29 and when the
whole community learned that Aaron had died, the entire house of Israel mourned
for him thirty days.
Chapter 21 Arad Destroyed
21:1 When the
Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming
along the road to Atharim, he attacked the Israelites and captured some of
them.
21:2 Then Israel made
this vow to the LORD: "If you will deliver these people into our hands, we
will totally destroy their cities."
21:3 The LORD listened
to Israel's plea and gave the Canaanites over to them. They completely
destroyed them and their towns; so the place was named Hormah.
21:4 They traveled
from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the
people grew impatient on the way;
21:5 they spoke
against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out
of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we
detest this miserable food!"
21:6 Then the LORD
sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.
21:7 The people came
to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against
you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses
prayed for the people.
21:8 The LORD said to
Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can
look at it and live."
21:9 So Moses made a
bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake
and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.
The Journey to Moab
21:10 The Israelites
moved on and camped at Oboth.
21:11 Then they set
out from Oboth and camped in Iye Abarim, in the desert that faces Moab toward
the sunrise.
21:12 From there they
moved on and camped in the Zered Valley.
21:13 They set out
from there and camped alongside the Arnon, which is in the desert extending
into Amorite territory. The Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the
Amorites.
21:14 That is why the
Book of the Wars of the LORD says: ". . . Waheb in Suphah and the ravines,
the Arnon
21:15 and the slopes
of the ravines that lead to the site of Ar and lie along the border of
Moab."
21:16 From there they
continued on to Beer, the well where the LORD said to Moses, "Gather the
people together and I will give them water."
21:17 Then Israel sang
this song: "Spring up, O well! Sing about it,
21:18 about the well
that the princes dug, that the nobles of the people sank--the nobles with
scepters and staffs." Then they went from the desert to Mattanah,
21:19 from Mattanah to
Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to Bamoth,
21:20 and from Bamoth
to the valley in Moab where the top of Pisgah overlooks the wasteland.
Defeat of Sihon and Og
21:21 Israel sent
messengers to say to Sihon king of the Amorites:
21:22 "Let us
pass through your country. We will not turn aside into any field or vineyard,
or drink water from any well. We will travel along the king's highway until we
have passed through your territory."
21:23 But Sihon would
not let Israel pass through his territory. He mustered his entire army and
marched out into the desert against Israel. When he reached Jahaz, he fought
with Israel.
21:24 Israel, however,
put him to the sword and took over his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, but
only as far as the Ammonites, because their border was fortified.
21:25 Israel captured
all the cities of the Amorites and occupied them, including Heshbon and all its
surrounding settlements.
21:26 Heshbon was the
city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of
Moab and had taken from him all his land as far as the Arnon.
21:27 That is why the
poets say: "Come to Heshbon and let it be rebuilt; let Sihon's city be restored.
21:28 "Fire went
out from Heshbon, a blaze from the city of Sihon. It consumed Ar of Moab, the
citizens of Arnon's heights.
21:29 Woe to you, O
Moab! You are destroyed, O people of Chemosh! He has given up his sons as
fugitives and his daughters as captives to Sihon king of the Amorites.
21:30 "But we
have overthrown them; Heshbon is destroyed all the way to Dibon. We have
demolished them as far as Nophah, which extends to Medeba."
21:31 So Israel
settled in the land of the Amorites.
21:32 After Moses had
sent spies to Jazer, the Israelites captured its surrounding settlements and
drove out the Amorites who were there.
21:33 Then they turned
and went up along the road toward Bashan, and Og king of Bashan and his whole
army marched out to meet them in battle at Edrei.
21:34 The LORD said to
Moses, "Do not be afraid of him, for I have handed him over to you, with
his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the
Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon."
21:35 So they struck
him down, together with his sons and his whole army, leaving them no survivors.
And they took possession of his land.
Bibliography,
Ryrie, Charles C. The
Ryrie study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986
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