Page 96 - Pentateuch

As the nation prepares to enter the land,
two tribes want to stay on the east side of
the Jordan River (Ch. 32). Reuben and Gad
see the land as good and suitable for their
livestock. Here is another old temptation.
Are they refusing to enter the Promised
Land? Do they fear the cost of obedience
to God? This sounds like a replay of the
previous generation. Have they learned
nothing in watching their parents die in
the wilderness over the last forty years
(32:8-13)? A compromise is reached.
These two tribes will secure dwellings for
their families, and the fighting men will go
over the Jordan with the rest of Israel to
take the land (32:32).

Two of the final chapters of Numbers are
given over to recounting the journey’s
stages (Ch. 33) and setting the boundaries
of Canaan (Ch. 34). It is good to look back and be reminded of the journey completed. It is also essential to
appoint a new group of men who will oversee the subdividing of the land since the original leaders are dead
(34:16-29).

Now instructions focus more specifically on cities for the Levites (35:1-5) and cities of refuge (35:6-34). We
know already what happens to people who sin intentionally. They are put to death (35:16-21). But people
who sin unintentionally, even those who seriously harm others, are shown mercy in a different way (35:22 -
25). A person who kills someone unintentionally may flee to a city of refuge, remaining there safely until
the death of the high priest, and then being free (35:26-29). Laws are given about trials (35:30-32), and the
whole is set in the context of living on God’s land. It is not to be morally polluted because he dwells there
(35:33-34).

Strangely enough, the very last chapter returns again to a previous issue, the inheritance rights of women
(cf. 27:1-11). The daughters of Zelophehad are the only heirs. Their father passed away in the wilderness,
but was not involved in a specific rebellion (27:3). They wanted part of the land as an inheritance. The
problem arises from their marrying into a different tribe. Could tribes gain or lose land through this or
another method? The answer comes from God. Marry someone within the tribe, but land cannot pass from
one tribe to another (36:6-9).

We must pause in our review of Numbers to touch on an
rAa yhiy – Let there be light important point of theology, the doctrine of scripture.

Throughout the Pentateuch, not just in the prophecies of
Balaam, the word of God has been central. At the creation of the world, God spoke, and creation happened
(Gen. 1:3). As time went by, God spoke to a variety of individuals. We do not know exactly how this
happened, yet he made a clear distinction between his voice and the inner, everyday thoughts of a person.
Abraham, for example, did not try to sacrifice his son Isaac because he heard a strange voice in his head.
God said to him, ‘Abraham!’ (Gen. 22:1).” The voice of God was clear, different from any other voice
Abraham had ever heard. The assumption of scripture from beginning to end, not just the Pentateuch, is
that God has spoken clearly. He has revealed himself to people. We cannot afford to miss this claim. “Your

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