Numbers 26

Numbers 26:1 After the plague, Yahveh said to Moses and Eleazar the son of Aaron, the priest,

Numbers 26:2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, from twenty years old and older, by their fathers’ houses, all in Israel who are able to go to war.”

Numbers 26:3 And Moses and Eleazar, the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, and this is what he said

Numbers 26:4 “Take a census of the people, from twenty years old and older,” as Yahveh commanded Moses. The people of Israel who came out of the land of Egypt were:

Numbers 26:5 Reuben, the firstborn of Israel; the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the clan of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the clan of the Palluites;

Numbers 26:6 of Hezron, the clan of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the clan of the Carmites.

Numbers 26:7 These are the clans of the Reubenites, and those listed were 43,730.

Numbers 26:8 And the sons of Pallu: Eliab.

Numbers 26:9 The sons of Eliab: Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram, chosen from the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah when they contended against Yahveh

Numbers 26:10—The ground opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah when that company died, when the fire devoured 250 men, and they became a warning.

Numbers 26:11 But the sons of Korah did not die.

Numbers 26:12 The sons of Simeon according to their clans: of Nemuel, the clan of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the clan of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the clan of the Jachinites;

Numbers 26:13 of Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the clan of the Shaulites.

Numbers 26:14 These are the clans of the Simeonites, 22,200.

Numbers 26:15 The sons of Gad according to their clans: of Zephon, the clan of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the clan of the Haggites; of Shuni, the clan of the Shunites;

Numbers 26:16 of Ozni, the clan of the Oznites; of Eri, the clan of the Erites;

Numbers 26:17 of Arod, the clan of the Arodites; of Areli, the clan of the Arelites.

Numbers 26:18 These are the clans of the sons of Gad as they were listed, 40,500.

Numbers 26:19 The sons of Judah were Er and Onan; Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.

Numbers 26:20 And the sons of Judah according to their clans were: of Shelah, the clan of the Shelanites; of Perez, the clan of the Perezites; of Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites.

Numbers 26:21 And the sons of Perez were: of Hezron, the clan of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the clan of the Hamulites.

Numbers 26:22 These are the clans of Judah as they were listed, 76,500.

Numbers 26:23 The sons of Issachar according to their clans: of Tola, the clan of the Tolaites; of Puvah, the clan of the Punites;

Numbers 26:24 of Jashub, the clan of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the clan of the Shimronites.

Numbers 26:25 These are the clans of Issachar as they were listed, 64,300.

Numbers 26:26 The sons of Zebulun, according to their clans: of Sered, the clan of the Seredites; of Elon, the clan of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the clan of the Jahleelites.

Numbers 26:27 These are the clans of the Zebulunites as they were listed, 60,500.

Numbers 26:28 The sons of Joseph according to their clans: Manasseh and Ephraim.

Numbers 26:29 The sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the clan of the Machirites; and Machir was the father of Gilead; of Gilead, the clan of the Gileadites.

Numbers 26:30 These are the sons of Gilead: of Iezer, the clan of the Iezerites; of Helek, the clan of the Helekites;

Numbers 26:31 and of Asriel, the clan of the Asrielites; and Shechem, the clan of the Shechemites;

Numbers 26:32 and of Shemida, the clan of the Shemidaites; and of Hepher, the clan of the Hepherites.

Numbers 26:33 Now Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, had no sons but daughters. The names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

Numbers 26:34 These are the clans of Manasseh, and those listed were 52,700.

Numbers 26:35 These are the sons of Ephraim according to their clans: of Shuthelah, the clan of the Shuthelahites; of Becher, the clan of the Becherites; of Tahan, the clan of the Tahanites.

Numbers 26:36 And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the clan of the Eranites.

Numbers 26:37 These are the clans of the sons of Ephraim as they were listed, 32,500. These are the sons of Joseph, according to their clans.

Numbers 26:38 The sons of Benjamin according to their clans: of Bela, the clan of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the clan of the Ashbelites; of Achiram, the clan of the Achiramites;

Numbers 26:39 of Shephupham, the clan of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the clan of the Huphamites.

Numbers 26:40 And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the clan of the Ardites; of Naaman, the clan of the Naamites.

Numbers 26:41 These are the sons of Benjamin according to their clans, and those listed were 45,600.

Numbers 26:42 These are the sons of Dan according to their clans: of Shuham, the clan of the Shuhamites. These are the clans of Dan, according to their clans.

Numbers 26:43 All the clans of the Shuhamites, as they were listed, were 64,400.

Numbers 26:44 The sons of Asher according to their clans: of Imnah, the clan of the Imnites; of Ishvi, the clan of the Ishvites; of Beriah, the clan of the Beriites.

Numbers 26:45 Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the clan of the Heberites; of Malchiel, the clan of the Malchielites.

Numbers 26:46 And the name of the daughter of Asher was Serah.

Numbers 26:47 These are the clans of the sons of Asher as they were listed, 53,400.

Numbers 26:48 The sons of Naphtali according to their clans: of Jahzeel, the clan of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the clan of the Gunites;

Numbers 26:49 of Jezer, the clan of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the clan of the Shillemites.

Numbers 26:50 These are the clans of Naphtali according to their clans, and those listed were 45,400.

Numbers 26:51 This was the list of the people of Israel, 601,730.

Numbers 26:52 Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said,

Numbers 26:53 “Among these the land will be divided for inheritance according to the number of names.

Numbers 26:54 To a large tribe, you will give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe, you will give a small inheritance; every tribe will be given its inheritance in proportion to its list.

Numbers 26:55 But the land will be divided by lot. They will inherit according to the names of the tribes of their fathers.

Numbers 26:56 Their inheritance will be divided according to lot between the larger and the smaller.”

Numbers 26:57 This was the list of the Levites according to their clans: Gershon, the clan of the Gershonites; Kohath, the clan of the Kohathites; and Merari, the clan of the Merarites.

Numbers 26:58 These are the clans of Levi: the clan of the Libnites, the clan of the Hebronites, the clan of the Mahlites, the clan of the Mushites, the clan of the Korahites. And Kohath was the father of Amram.

Numbers 26:59 The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt. And she bore to Amram Aaron and Moses and Miriam, their sister.

Numbers 26:60 And to Aaron were born Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

Numbers 26:61 But Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized fire to the face of Yahveh.

Numbers 26:62 And those listed were 23,000, every male from a month old and upward because they were not listed among the people of Israel, because there was no inheritance given to them among the people of Israel.

Numbers 26:63 These were those listed by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who listed the people of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

Numbers 26:64 But among these there was not one of those listed by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had listed the people of Israel in the open country of Sinai.

Numbers 26:65 Because Yahveh had said of them, “They will die in the open country.” Not one of them was left except Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua, the son of Nun.

Numbers 26 quotes:

“The Lord is a God who knows people by name. The recitation of names is boring only when one expects to know no one on the list. Contrast this with the breathless excitement of reading lists for good or ill where one might expect to see a familiar name, such as a roster for teams, a blotter for criminals, or a roll call of faithful donors. What is most remarkable about this list is that everyone on it is known by God and is being used by God to move this story forward. For a people of faith, we should read this listing as we would read the faint script of a long-lost family genealogy, for it is through this generation that we gain a link with all the promises that have gone before. Not only will a single person not disappear from the Lord’s roster without some accounting, but everyone on the list also will be known by name by God and be properly sorted into clans and tribes. The Lord does not work through humanity in general, but through tribes and disciples with names and particular stories.”

Boyce Richard Nelson. Leviticus and Numbers. 1st ed. Westminster John Knox Press 2008. p. 233.

“The names of those enrolled in this second census follow precise instructions about the Midianites who, on Balaam’s advice, had ‘deceived’ the Israelites (25:16-18; 31:16) and were the cause of widespread death in the camp. All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army of Israel were to be enlisted as the community’s soldiers, preparing themselves for conflict not only with Midian’s forces in the Transjordan region (31:1-24) but aiso on a more widespread scale when they entered Canaan. After such huge losses in the Baal-Peor apostasy, Israel’s leaders needed to know exactly how many able-bodied men they could count on in the inevitable conflicts of the future.”

Brown Raymond. The Message of Numbers : Journey to the Promised Land. InterVarsity Press 2002. p. 234.

“All those who rebelled in the wilderness died according to the word of the Lord—indeed, to the very last man. Caleb and Joshua, who displayed courage and went against the popular sentiment, did cross over into the land the Lord gave Israel and were rewarded for their faith Qosh. 15:13-19; 19:49-50).”

Martin, Glen, and Max E. Anders. Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers. Broadman & Holman, 2002. p. 355.

“God now commands that Moses and the high priest number the people. You remember at Sinai, nearly forty years before, the children of Israel had been numbered. But all along the journey we have seen them falling by the wayside, sometimes one by one, and sometimes in large numbers together. “Their bleaching bones along the way tell the sad story of unbelief and disobedience.” Probably the last remnant of those who started from Egypt, and were numbered at Sinai, have been swept away in this plague. Those now to be numbered are the new generation, who started from Egypt as children, or were born in the wilderness. A large majority of them have never eaten anything but manna, and this is the generation who go over and conquer and possess Canaan. People who feed all their lives on the bread of life, which is the true manna (John 6), are always able to conquer and possess.”

Saxe, Grace. Studies in Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Grace Saxe, 1921. p. 51.

Numbers 26 links:

a prepared walk
daughters of Zelophehad
overcomers who inherit
Serah
starting over
we count

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The NUMBERS shelf in Jeff’s library

Numbers 25

Numbers 25:1 While Israel stayed in Shittim, the people began to prostitute themselves with the daughters of Moab.

Numbers 25:2 These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.

Numbers 25:3 So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And Yahveh’s nose was ignited against Israel.

Numbers 25:4 And Yahveh said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and hang them in the sun in the sight of Yahveh, that the fierce anger of Yahveh may turn away from Israel.”

Numbers 25:5 And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.”

Numbers 25:6 And notice, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were weeping in the entrance of the conference tent.

Numbers 25:7 When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, the priest, saw it, he stood up and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand

Numbers 25:8 and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman, through her belly. This is how the plague on the people of Israel was stopped.

Numbers 25:9 Nevertheless, those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.

Numbers 25:10 And Yahveh said to Moses,

Numbers 25:11 “Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, the priest, has turned back my wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them so that I did not consume the people of Israel in my jealousy.

Numbers 25:12 Therefore say, ‘notice, I give to him my covenant of peace,

Numbers 25:13 and it will be to him and his seed after him the covenant of the permanent priesthood because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel.'”

Numbers 25:14 The name of the slain man of Israel, who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, leader of a father’s house belonging to the Simeonites.

Numbers 25:15 And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur, who was the tribal head of a father’s house in Midian.

Numbers 25:16 And Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said

Numbers 25:17 “Attack the Midianites and strike them down,

Numbers 25:18 because they attacked you treacherously when they deceived you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister, who was killed on the day of the plague on account of Peor.”

Numbers 25 quotes:

“This story thus serves as a prologue and a warning for all that is to follow. As great as the trials and temptations of the wilderness may be, they are always and ever minor in comparison to the major temptations of “settled” life. At the beginning of this story, Israel got into major trouble when they became a little too “settled” while waiting for Moses to come down from Mount Sinai (read the story of the golden calf in Exod. 32). For the rest of Israel’s story (beginning in Joshua), sins of the “settled” will be the focus of the tirades of Israel’s prophets and the tears of Israel’s God. This is what all the testing and preparation of Leviticus and Numbers is getting Israel ready for, and here at almost the end (as at the beginning and the rest of the way through), Israel fails. This too then becomes a sharp word and a critical story for any people or congregation whose leading verb becomes “to dwell.””

Boyce Richard Nelson. Leviticus and Numbers. 1st ed. Westminster John Knox Press 2008. p. 228.

“While these sordid events took place in the Moabite camp, the Lorp’s anger burned against them (3). The Israelite men had offended his holiness, ignored his word, dishonoured his name, marred his testimony and incurred his wrath. Moses was told to act in judgment towards the leaders whose clansmen had participated in this outrage, presumably because they had not used their influence to restrain them. Those who had joined in worshipping the Baal of Peor (5) were to be executed. The offence was such a public act of apostasy that it could not possibly be overlooked. Along with the golden-calf incident, with which it has many parallels,’ it went down in Israelite history as one of their worst acts of idolatrous behaviour, an ugly stain impossible to obliterate from their corporate memory.”

Brown Raymond. The Message of Numbers : Journey to the Promised Land. InterVarsity Press 2002. p. 230.

“There comes a time when the person who is obedient to God must act in judgment on that which is evil. The time when acceptance of evil is widespread is a call for someone to rise up from the ranks and openly do what God wants done.”

Gutzke, Manford George. Plain Talk on Leviticus and Numbers. Zondervan Pub. House., 1981. p. 121.

“It is a sad scene pictured in the first three verses of this chapter. Here was the nation which had been chosen of God, and destined for high purposes, though just on the border of the Promised Land, lapsed into idolatry and abominations worse than those of Egypt. No wonder the anger of the Lord was kindled, and at God’s command all the men who were joined unto Ballpeor are slain by the judges of Israel.

How God’s dealings with this nation remind us of a parent’s dealings with a child. In our last lesson we saw that when an enemy came against the people, God stepped in front of them, as it were, and would not allow a hair of their head to be touched, or a word to be spoken against them by an outsider. But He must train the nation aright, both for His own glory and their highest good ; and in this lesson we see Him chastising them severely for their faults.”

Saxe, Grace. Studies in Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Grace Saxe, 1921. p. 51.

Numbers 25 links:

a jealous walk
gateway drug
the attack at Peor
this has to stop

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Maranatha Daily Devotional – Friday, May 5, 2023

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The NUMBERS shelf in Jeff’s library

Numbers 24

Numbers 24:1 When Balaam saw that it pleased Yahveh to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens but set his face toward the open country.

Numbers 24:2 And Balaam lifted his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Breath of God came upon him,

Numbers 24:3 and he took up his parable and said, “The oracle of Balaam, the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,

Numbers 24:4 the oracle of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling with his eyes uncovered:

Numbers 24:5 How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel!

Numbers 24:6 Like palm groves that stretch afar, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that Yahveh has planted, like cedar trees beside the water.

Numbers 24:7 Water will flow from his buckets, and his seed will have much water; his king will be higher than Agag, and his kingdom will be exalted.

Numbers 24:8 God brings him out of Egypt and is for him like the horns of the wild ox; he will eat up the nations, his adversaries, and will break their bones in pieces and pierce them through with his arrows.

Numbers 24:9 He crouched, he lay down like a lion and like a lioness; who will rouse him up? Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you.”

Numbers 24:10 And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and notice, you have blessed them these three times.

Numbers 24:11 Therefore, now run away to your place. I said, ‘I will certainly reward you,’ but Yahveh has held you back from any reward.”

Numbers 24:12 And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your agents whom you sent to me,

Numbers 24:13 ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of Yahveh, to do either good or bad of my own will. What Yahveh speaks, that I will speak’?

Numbers 24:14 And now, notice, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.”

Numbers 24:15 And he took up his parable and said, “The oracle of Balaam, the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,

Numbers 24:16 the oracle of him who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Highest, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling with his eyes uncovered:

Numbers 24:17 I see him, but not now; I notice him, but not near: a star will come out of Jacob, and a scepter will rise out of Israel; it will crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.

Numbers 24:18 Edom will be dispossessed; Seir also, his enemies, will be dispossessed. Israel is doing valiantly.

Numbers 24:19 And one from Jacob will exercise dominion and exterminate the survivors of cities!”

Numbers 24:20 Then he looked on Amalek and took up his parable and said, “Amalek was the firstfruits among the nations, but its end is utter destruction.”

Numbers 24:21 And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his parable and said, “Enduring is your staying place, and your nest is set in the rock.

Numbers 24:22 Nevertheless, Kain will be burned when Asshur takes you away captive.”

Numbers 24:23 And he took up his parable and said, “Alas, who will live when God does this?

Numbers 24:24 But ships will come from Kittim and will discipline Asshur and Eber, and he too will come to utter destruction.”

Numbers 24:25 Then Balaam rose and went back to his place. And Balak also went his way.

Numbers 24 quotes:

“Though all we may have to offer is words, the right words are often enough. Words of proclamation rather than propaganda. Words of witness rather than willfulness. Words of the sermon and words of the benediction. Words in the anthem and words in the aisle. Words offered in the hospital and the classroom and the office, by those who are ordained, nonordained, or not even in the family. When words are preceded by earnest listening to the Lord and followed by faithful proclamation, they do not return void but accomplish the things for which they are purposed (Isa. 55:11).”

Boyce Richard Nelson. Leviticus and Numbers. 1st ed. Westminster John Knox Press 2008. p. 224.

” … it is a future hope. Inevitably, at that time, Israel’s gaze was focused on the conquest of Canaan. Balaam’s concluding message transferred their thinking from the present to the future, from the immediate to the ultimate. No worthwhile community can live merely for today. It needs noble ambitions to lure it on to better things.”

Brown Raymond. The Message of Numbers : Journey to the Promised Land. InterVarsity Press 2002. p. 222.

“What a faithful preacher he was, yet he served the pagan king! It is sobering to realize that I can have my way if I insist upon it, but I will forfeit God’s blessing. In that case I will not be able to accomplish anything, because God sets limits upon what I am allowed to do.”

Gutzke, Manford George. Plain Talk on Leviticus and Numbers. Zondervan Pub. House., 1981. p. 119.

“The next oracle of the seer was considerably shorter than the others, and he repeated his common introduction. Balaam described the bleak fortunes of Moab and Edom going against Israel. From Jacob would come a star and a scepter. The star (Heb. Kokab), once used by Isaiah to describe the king of Babylon whom some say represented Satan (Isa. 14:12), also depicted the “Root and the Offspring of David” (Rev. 22:16). Such a “ruler will come out of Jacob” and “rule in the midst of” her enemies (Ps. 110:2).”

Martin, Glen, and Max E. Anders. Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers. Broadman & Holman, 2002. p. 343.

“See the progress of thought in these four prophecies. In the first one the main thought is separation. “The people shall dwell alone, and not be reckoned among the nations” (23:9). In the next one, the particular thing is God’s presence: “The Lord his God is with him” (23:21). In the third prophecy, Israel is a channel of blessing to others: “He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters” (24:7) ; and in the fourth prophecy, we have a prediction of Christ: “There shall come a Star out of Jacob” (24:17). So in these four prophecies we see Israel, first, a separated people; second, a people among whom God dwelt; third, a people who are to be God’s channel of blessing; and fourth, a people through whom the Deliverer of the race is to come.

What could be more magnificent than that? How such a future stretching out before them should have aroused and inspired them to high and noble ideals ! But we, as Christians, have a still more glorious outlook. Why does it not lift us above the things that would discourage and drag us downward, and Inspire us to holy noble living every day?”

Saxe, Grace. Studies in Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Grace Saxe, 1921. p. 49.

Numbers 24 links:

a realistic walk
introducing the breath of God
utter destruction

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Maranatha Daily Devotional – Friday, May 3, 2019
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Wednesday, May 5, 2021

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The NUMBERS shelf in Jeff’s library

Numbers 22

Numbers 22:1 Then the people of Israel advanced and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.

Numbers 22:2 And Balak, the son of Zippor, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

Numbers 22:3 And Moab was very afraid of the people because they were many. Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel.

Numbers 22:4 And Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This congregation will now chew up all that is around us, as the ox chews up the grass of the field.” So Balak, the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time,

Numbers 22:5 sent messengers to Balaam, the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the people of Amaw, to call him, and this is what he said: “notice, a people have come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the land, and they are staying just opposite me.

Numbers 22:6 Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Maybe I will be able to defeat them and drive them from the land because I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

Numbers 22:7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand. And they came to Balaam and gave him Balak’s message.

Numbers 22:8 And he said to them, “Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as Yahveh speaks to me.” So, the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

Numbers 22:9 And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”

Numbers 22:10 And Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, and this is what he said,

Numbers 22:11 ‘notice a people have come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the land. Now come, curse them for me. Maybe I will be able to fight against them and drive them out.'”

Numbers 22:12 God said to Balaam, “You will not go with them. You will not curse the people because they are blessed.”

Numbers 22:13 So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land because Yahveh has refused to let me go with you.”

Numbers 22:14 So the princes of Moab got up and went to Balak and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

Numbers 22:15 Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and higher ranking than these.

Numbers 22:16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, “This is what Balak the son of Zippor says: ‘Let nothing keep you from coming to me,

Numbers 22:17 because I will indeed treat you with great honor, and whatever you say to me, I will do. Come, curse this people for me.'”

Numbers 22:18 But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak was to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of Yahveh my God to do less or more.

Numbers 22:19 So you, too, please stay here tonight, that I may know what more Yahveh will say to me.”

Numbers 22:20 And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you.”

Numbers 22:21 So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.

Numbers 22:22 But God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the agent of Yahveh took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now, he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him.

Numbers 22:23 And the donkey saw the agent of Yahveh standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey to turn her into the road.

Numbers 22:24 Then the agent of Yahveh stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side.

Numbers 22:25 And when the donkey saw the agent of Yahveh, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So, he struck her again.

Numbers 22:26 Then the agent of Yahveh went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left.

Numbers 22:27 When the donkey saw the agent of Yahveh, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

Numbers 22:28 Then Yahveh opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have struck me these three times?”

Numbers 22:29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand because then I would kill you.”

Numbers 22:30 And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.”

Numbers 22:31 Then Yahveh opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the agent of Yahveh standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face.

Numbers 22:32 And the agent of Yahveh said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Notice, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse in the sight of me.

Numbers 22:33 The donkey saw me and turned aside at my face these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now, I would have killed you and let her live.”

Numbers 22:34 Then Balaam said to the agent of Yahveh, “I have sinned because I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now, therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.”

Numbers 22:35 And the agent of Yahveh said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.” So, Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.

Numbers 22:36 When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, on the border formed by the Arnon, at the extremity of the border.

Numbers 22:37 And Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?”

Numbers 22:38 Balaam said to Balak, “Notice, I have come to you! Do I now have any power of my own to speak anything? I have to speak the word that God puts in my mouth.”

Numbers 22:39 Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.

Numbers 22:40 And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep and sent for Balaam and for the princes who were with him.

Numbers 22:41 And in the morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal, and from there he saw a fraction of the people.

Numbers 22 quotes:

“Little do they know … that the biggest battle of the first five books of the Bible (excluding the victory at the Red Sea) is staring them dead in the face—closer than Jericho, indeed as close as the hills above their heads. While their journey has been continually jeopardized by threats within, and while the chapters preceding and following this story provide practice skirmishes regarding threats without, the Mother of All Battles now looms in these hills so peaceful in appearance (“Is that smoke, or just fog on that peak toward Bamoth-baal?” see Num. 22:41); yet all they, their leaders, and Moses do (for the next three chapters!) is “camp” (22:1). We enter now one of Scripture’s grandest stories of the providential care and protection of our God. “O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Rom. 11:33).”

Boyce Richard Nelson. Leviticus and Numbers. 1st ed. Westminster John Knox Press 2008. p. 203.

“It was not the most comfortable of journeys either for the animal or for its passenger. On three occasions an angel blocked their path. Each time, the donkey, aware of this divine messenger brandishing a sword, kept turning aside, and during one encounter Balaam’s foot was badly crushed against a wall. Not knowing why the animal was being so extraordinarily stubborn, Balaam struck her with his staff. Annoyed by this unjustified beating, the donkey suddenly provided a unique contribution to the story by making a strident vocal protest. Astonished to be in the company of a talking donkey, Balaam suddenly saw the angel for himself and promptly realized why his normally compliant animal had been so difficult. The angel told him that the awkward donkey had saved his life, and but for her repeated refusal to go ahead God’s messenger would have killed him.”

Brown Raymond. The Message of Numbers : Journey to the Promised Land. InterVarsity Press 2002. p. 205.

“Here is a grave warning for all preachers, teachers, and parents: If we get our desire without God’s blessing, His purpose will be accomplished in spite of us. Each attempt by Balaam to do the king’s wishes resulted in the prophecy of blessing upon Israel.”

Gutzke, Manford George. Plain Talk on Leviticus and Numbers. Zondervan Pub. House., 1981. p. 119.

“Meet Balaam, a prophet for hire. His focus on the almighty dollar, metaphorically speaking, was known by God and by the king of the Moabites, Balak. Would Balaam compromise principle to gain wealth? Was Balaam’s conscience so seared that he would sell out God’s people for advancement? And what would God think of all this? The story of Balaam is a picture of many people in this world who are caught between desire and faithfulness to God.”

Martin, Glen, and Max E. Anders. Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers. Broadman & Holman, 2002. p. 339.

“When studying any character or subject in the Bible, one should first gather together and consider all that Scripture says about it, and then draw conclusions. Regarding Balaam, first look at 2 Peter 2:15,16. Here we learn that Balaam “loved the wages of unrighteousness.” Then see Jude 11, which tells us that Balaam was in error regarding this reward. Now read Numbers 25:1-3, in connection with Revelation 2:14 and Numbers 31:15,16.
From these last passages we gather that Balaam had failed to get Balak’s gold by cursing the people, but yet he was determined to have it. So, back from his far-off northern home he comes, and counsels Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, by inviting them to join in the worship of their gods, which worship was accompanied by vile and obscene practices. Of course, if Israel had joined the Moabites and Midianites in worship, there was no fear of hostilities, and this is what Balak sought to avoid. So the women of these heathen tribes beguile the Israelites, and we read in Numbers 25:1, 2 and 31 :15, 16 the sad result. Balaam perishes with these people who have hired him against Israel (Numbers 31 :8). Poor, wretched, self-willed, covetous Balaam! He said in one of his parables: “Let me die the death of the righteous.” Many others would like to die the death of the righteous ; but they forget that the way to die the death of the righteous is to possess and exhibit the life of the righteous.”

Saxe, Grace. Studies in Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Grace Saxe, 1921. p. 48.

Numbers 22 links:

a dangerous walk
bless or suppress?
crisis of confidence
enough rope
what the donkey saw

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Maranatha Daily Devotional – Thursday, May 2, 2019

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The NUMBERS shelf in Jeff’s library