Joshua 9:3-16 - However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. The men put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, "We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us."
The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "But perhaps you live near us. How then can we make a treaty with you?"
"We are your servants," they said to Joshua.
But Joshua asked, "Who are you and where do you come from?"
They answered: "Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt, and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, 'Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, "We are your servants; make a treaty with us." ' This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is. And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey."
The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.
Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them.
I wonder how the Israelites found out that the men were really Gibeonites. Did the Gibeonites purposely leak the information back to the Israelite camp? Had someone seen the men returning to Gibeon instead of heading off toward some far land?
I'm also surprised that Joshua and the elders were satisfied with the story even though they never did attach a name to the place they came from or the tribe or nation they belonged to. They must have been very convincing actors. Maybe that was their profession!
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
1/26/2009
A Man with a Sword
Joshua 5:13 - Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?"
I wonder if anyone else could see this "man" or if he only appeared to Joshua. He seems to have appeared rather suddenly and was right in front of Joshua, so maybe Joshua was the only one to see him. No one else needed to see him because his message was specifically for Joshua as leader.
I wonder how Joshua could tell that the "man" wasn't an Israelite. We know he couldn't figure out which side he was on, based on the question he asked. Neither did he immediately understand that it was God himself in human form. Was it the way the "man" was dressed? His (facial) features? His skin color?
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
I wonder if anyone else could see this "man" or if he only appeared to Joshua. He seems to have appeared rather suddenly and was right in front of Joshua, so maybe Joshua was the only one to see him. No one else needed to see him because his message was specifically for Joshua as leader.
I wonder how Joshua could tell that the "man" wasn't an Israelite. We know he couldn't figure out which side he was on, based on the question he asked. Neither did he immediately understand that it was God himself in human form. Was it the way the "man" was dressed? His (facial) features? His skin color?
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
No Food?
Joshua 5:10-12 - On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate of the produce of Canaan.
Why had the Israelites complained years earlier that they had no food to eat? They had (large?) flocks and herds of animals with them, didn't they?
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
Why had the Israelites complained years earlier that they had no food to eat? They had (large?) flocks and herds of animals with them, didn't they?
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
Stones from the Jordan
Joshua 4:8-9 - So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the LORD had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.
I wonder how big the stones were. They probably weren't pebbles, but they had to be small enough that each of the 12 men could carry his stone from the middle of the riverbed to the opposite shore. I'm guessing they weighed 40-80 pounds each -- depending on how strong each of the men were.
I wonder if they found colorful stones. Stones with some variation in hue would have made a more attractive, eye-catching pile.
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
I wonder how big the stones were. They probably weren't pebbles, but they had to be small enough that each of the 12 men could carry his stone from the middle of the riverbed to the opposite shore. I'm guessing they weighed 40-80 pounds each -- depending on how strong each of the men were.
I wonder if they found colorful stones. Stones with some variation in hue would have made a more attractive, eye-catching pile.
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
1/17/2009
Commentary
Deuteronomy 34:1-4 - Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the LORD showed him the whole land—from Gilead to Dan, all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. Then the LORD said to him, "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it."
I wonder if God provided Moses with any commentary about the land other than the few words given here. Or did he just show him all the land like a silent movie?
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
I wonder if God provided Moses with any commentary about the land other than the few words given here. Or did he just show him all the land like a silent movie?
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
Birthdays
Deuteronomy 31:2 - I am now a hundred and twenty years old and I am no longer able to lead you.
I wonder how they kept track of when they were born and/or how many years old they were back then. We refer back to a date, a year, like 1970 or 1959 or 1932. I know they used rulers' reigns as benchmarks for many things. Is that how they kept track of age too?
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
I wonder how they kept track of when they were born and/or how many years old they were back then. We refer back to a date, a year, like 1970 or 1959 or 1932. I know they used rulers' reigns as benchmarks for many things. Is that how they kept track of age too?
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
Writing Down the Law
Deuteronomy 29:16-21 - You yourselves know how we lived in Egypt and how we passed through the countries on the way here. You saw among them their detestable images and idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold. Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the LORD our God to go and worship the gods of those nations; make sure there is no root among you that produces such bitter poison.
When such a person hears the words of this oath, he invokes a blessing on himself and therefore thinks, "I will be safe, even though I persist in going my own way." This will bring disaster on the watered land as well as the dry. The LORD will never be willing to forgive him; his wrath and zeal will burn against that man. All the curses written in this book will fall upon him, and the LORD will blot out his name from under heaven. The LORD will single him out from all the tribes of Israel for disaster, according to all the curses of the covenant written in this Book of the Law.
I wonder how much of what we consider Moses' writings (generally, Genesis through Deuteronomy) he had at hand as he spoke to the Israelites here. Was it only the laws themselves or was it the whole body of his writings from Genesis to Numbers, or somewhere in between?
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
When such a person hears the words of this oath, he invokes a blessing on himself and therefore thinks, "I will be safe, even though I persist in going my own way." This will bring disaster on the watered land as well as the dry. The LORD will never be willing to forgive him; his wrath and zeal will burn against that man. All the curses written in this book will fall upon him, and the LORD will blot out his name from under heaven. The LORD will single him out from all the tribes of Israel for disaster, according to all the curses of the covenant written in this Book of the Law.
I wonder how much of what we consider Moses' writings (generally, Genesis through Deuteronomy) he had at hand as he spoke to the Israelites here. Was it only the laws themselves or was it the whole body of his writings from Genesis to Numbers, or somewhere in between?
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
1/02/2009
Blessing and Cursing
Deuteronomy 27:12 - When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph and Benjamin.
I wonder what blessings the 6 tribes on Mount Gerizim were to pronounce. There are some blessing mentioned shortly after this, but it's nothing to formally spelled out as the list of curses to be proclaimed from Mount Ebal.
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
I wonder what blessings the 6 tribes on Mount Gerizim were to pronounce. There are some blessing mentioned shortly after this, but it's nothing to formally spelled out as the list of curses to be proclaimed from Mount Ebal.
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
Be Silent
Deuteronomy 27:9 - Then Moses and the priests, who are Levites, said to all Israel, "Be silent, O Israel, and listen! You have now become the people of the LORD your God.
I wonder if the crowd had become restless and noisy causing the leaders to tell them to quiet down. Or was this just a general admonition to continue to pay attention to what Moses had to tell them?
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
I wonder if the crowd had become restless and noisy causing the leaders to tell them to quiet down. Or was this just a general admonition to continue to pay attention to what Moses had to tell them?
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
The Family of the Unsandaled
Deuteronomy 25:5-10 - If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband's brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her. The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.
However, if a man does not want to marry his brother's wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, "My husband's brother refuses to carry on his brother's name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me." Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, "I do not want to marry her," his brother's widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, "This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother's family line." That man's line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled.
I wonder how many family lines have received this nickname.
I'm curious. Could you please tell my what brought you to this page by mentioning in it a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
However, if a man does not want to marry his brother's wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, "My husband's brother refuses to carry on his brother's name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me." Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, "I do not want to marry her," his brother's widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, "This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother's family line." That man's line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled.
I wonder how many family lines have received this nickname.
I'm curious. Could you please tell my what brought you to this page by mentioning in it a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
12/25/2008
Rebellious Sons
Deuteronomy 21:18-21 - If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. They shall say to the elders, "This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a profligate and a drunkard." Then all the men of his town shall stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid.
I wonder if any parents ever went this far in carrying out punishments on their children. How old would a son have to be before you'd consider calling him a profligate and a drunkard?
It's interesting to note that, even though such a son is likely a young man able to take care of himself, etc., he is still expected to obey his parents, and they are still expected to discipline him.
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
I wonder if any parents ever went this far in carrying out punishments on their children. How old would a son have to be before you'd consider calling him a profligate and a drunkard?
It's interesting to note that, even though such a son is likely a young man able to take care of himself, etc., he is still expected to obey his parents, and they are still expected to discipline him.
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
Tithes and Firstborn Animals
Deuteronomy 14:22-29 and 15:19-20 - Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the LORD your God always. But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the LORD your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the LORD will choose to put his Name is so far away), then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the LORD your God will choose. Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice. And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own.
At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
Set apart for the LORD your God every firstborn male of your herds and flocks. Do not put the firstborn of your oxen to work, and do not shear the firstborn of your sheep. Each year you and your family are to eat them in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose.
Sometimes I think people get the impression that the Israelites had to give up or "lose" their tithes of grain, wine, and oil and their firstborn sheep and cattle. Actually they just had to set them aside and eat them in Jerusalem at the Temple. The one exception to this is that, every third year, the tithes were given to the Levites, aliens, fatherless, and widows.
I wonder how soon it was before someone failed to do this as God required. Did anyone mess up in Year 1 already?
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
Set apart for the LORD your God every firstborn male of your herds and flocks. Do not put the firstborn of your oxen to work, and do not shear the firstborn of your sheep. Each year you and your family are to eat them in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose.
Sometimes I think people get the impression that the Israelites had to give up or "lose" their tithes of grain, wine, and oil and their firstborn sheep and cattle. Actually they just had to set them aside and eat them in Jerusalem at the Temple. The one exception to this is that, every third year, the tithes were given to the Levites, aliens, fatherless, and widows.
I wonder how soon it was before someone failed to do this as God required. Did anyone mess up in Year 1 already?
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
12/15/2008
Shaving for the Dead
Deuteronomy 14:1-2 - You are the children of the LORD your God. Do not cut yourselves or shave the front of your heads for the dead, for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the LORD has chosen you to be his treasured possession.
I'm guessing that some culture, some people from nearby the Israelites (or perhaps the Egyptians), had the practice of shaving the front of the head for the dead. I wonder whose practice it was, who thought of the idea in the first place, and why they thought it was a good thing to do for the dead. What purpose did they think it would serve for the dead? Or was it a sign of mourning -- perhaps with something else added to it that displeased God?
Did a barber think of it first?
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
I'm guessing that some culture, some people from nearby the Israelites (or perhaps the Egyptians), had the practice of shaving the front of the head for the dead. I wonder whose practice it was, who thought of the idea in the first place, and why they thought it was a good thing to do for the dead. What purpose did they think it would serve for the dead? Or was it a sign of mourning -- perhaps with something else added to it that displeased God?
Did a barber think of it first?
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
Everyone As He Sees Fit
Deuteronomy 12: 4-9 - You must not worship the LORD your God in their way. But you are to seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go; there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the LORD your God has blessed you.
You are not to do as we do here today, everyone as he sees fit, since you have not yet reached the resting place and the inheritance the LORD your God is giving you.
I wonder how many different ways the Israelites had found to worship God. Were all of them pleasing to God? Did some of them imitate any of the practices of the neighboring peoples -- the practices Moses was warning against?
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
You are not to do as we do here today, everyone as he sees fit, since you have not yet reached the resting place and the inheritance the LORD your God is giving you.
I wonder how many different ways the Israelites had found to worship God. Were all of them pleasing to God? Did some of them imitate any of the practices of the neighboring peoples -- the practices Moses was warning against?
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
12/04/2008
Two Stone Tablets
Deuteronomy 4:13 - He declared to you his covenant, the Ten Commandments, which he commanded you to follow and then wrote them on two stone tablets.
Why did God write the Ten Commandments on two stone tablets instead of putting them all on one? We sometimes divide them into 2 groups -- the ones that speak about our relationship to God and the ones that speak about our relationships with other people -- but I don't think the Bible anywhere specifies which commandments were on each tablet.
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
Why did God write the Ten Commandments on two stone tablets instead of putting them all on one? We sometimes divide them into 2 groups -- the ones that speak about our relationship to God and the ones that speak about our relationships with other people -- but I don't think the Bible anywhere specifies which commandments were on each tablet.
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
Og's Bed
Deuteronomy 3:11 - (Only Og king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaites. His bed was made of iron and was more than thirteen feet long and six feet wide. It is still in Rabbah of the Ammonites.)
I wonder if Og was so large that he needed a bed this big (probably) or if he just had one made this size to make people talk about it. If he really needed one 13 feet long, that probably means he was about 12 feet tall. Imagine what the doorways of his house or palace would look like -- or how big a tent he'd need.
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
I wonder if Og was so large that he needed a bed this big (probably) or if he just had one made this size to make people talk about it. If he really needed one 13 feet long, that probably means he was about 12 feet tall. Imagine what the doorways of his house or palace would look like -- or how big a tent he'd need.
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
11/28/2008
Fortifying the Trans-Jordan
Numbers 32:34-36 - The Gadites built up Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, Atroth Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, Beth Nimrah and Beth Haran as fortified cities, and built pens for their flocks.
I wonder how long it took to fortify those cities to the point where the soldiers felt comfortable with leaving their families behind inside of them. Did the other tribes help at all in order to speed up the process? If not, did they do anything other than the routine tasks needed to stay alive while waiting for the fortifications to be finished?
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
I wonder how long it took to fortify those cities to the point where the soldiers felt comfortable with leaving their families behind inside of them. Did the other tribes help at all in order to speed up the process? If not, did they do anything other than the routine tasks needed to stay alive while waiting for the fortifications to be finished?
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
Balaam's Advice
Numbers 31:15-16 - "Have you allowed all the women to live?" he asked them. "They were the ones who followed Balaam's advice and were the means of turning the Israelites away from the LORD in what happened at Peor, so that a plague struck the LORD's people.
I wonder why this piece of the Balaam story wasn't mentioned earlier. So it was Balaam who started the problems at Peor, and yet it was also he who ended up blessing the very people he got into trouble. Ironic.
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
I wonder why this piece of the Balaam story wasn't mentioned earlier. So it was Balaam who started the problems at Peor, and yet it was also he who ended up blessing the very people he got into trouble. Ironic.
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
Feast of Tabernacles
Numbers 29:12-34 - " 'On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. Celebrate a festival to the LORD for seven days. Present an offering made by fire as an aroma pleasing to the LORD, a burnt offering of thirteen young bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. With each of the thirteen bulls prepare a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil; with each of the two rams, two-tenths; and with each of the fourteen lambs, one-tenth. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
" 'On the second day prepare twelve young bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.
" 'On the third day prepare eleven bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
" 'On the fourth day prepare ten bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
" 'On the fifth day prepare nine bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
" 'On the sixth day prepare eight bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
" 'On the seventh day prepare seven bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.' "
I wonder what the significance was, if any, of counting down the number of bulls offered each day of the feast from 13 down to 7.
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
" 'On the second day prepare twelve young bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.
" 'On the third day prepare eleven bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
" 'On the fourth day prepare ten bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
" 'On the fifth day prepare nine bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
" 'On the sixth day prepare eight bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
" 'On the seventh day prepare seven bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.' "
I wonder what the significance was, if any, of counting down the number of bulls offered each day of the feast from 13 down to 7.
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
11/23/2008
Baal of Peor
Numbers 25 - While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate and bowed down before these gods. So Israel joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor. And the LORD's anger burned against them.
The LORD said to Moses, "Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that the LORD's fierce anger may turn away from Israel."
So Moses said to Israel's judges, "Each of you must put to death those of your men who have joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor."
Then an Israelite man brought to his family a Midianite woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear in his hand and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear through both of them—through the Israelite and into the woman's body. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped; but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.
The LORD said to Moses, "Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites; for he was as zealous as I am for my honor among them, so that in my zeal I did not put an end to them. Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace with him. He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood, because he was zealous for the honor of his God and made atonement for the Israelites."
The name of the Israelite who was killed with the Midianite woman was Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a Simeonite family. And the name of the Midianite woman who was put to death was Cozbi daughter of Zur, a tribal chief of a Midianite family.
The LORD said to Moses, "Treat the Midianites as enemies and kill them, because they treated you as enemies when they deceived you in the affair of Peor and their sister Cozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader, the woman who was killed when the plague came as a result of Peor."
A number of things seem to come "out of left field" in the account of the Israelites' sin concerning the Baal (god) of Peor. I think many of the details are left out because it was disgusting to the God of Israel and to his faithful. Yet I know that it is referred to in many other portions of Scripture, so it is considered a very important "event" even if it's only briefly described here.
The men (soldiers, army) of Moab were afraid to encounter the Israelites, but apparently some of the more daring women weren't. I wonder if some of the men (leaders?) put them up to this seduction.
I wonder how long Baal of Peor had been around; that is, how long had people been worshipping this false god. Is this the same Baal mentioned elsewhere in the Bible? (I seem to recall that the word "Baal" simply means "god".)
I wonder if Zimri and Cozbi were flaunting themselves in front of Moses or if they just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt, but that's difficult to do especially since it was right in font of the Tent of Meeting as well.
"Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped...." Plague? What plague? Why isn't it even mentioned until 24,000 were known dead?
Cozbi was a Midianite. How did the Midianites get involved? I thought it was the Moabites who were causing the problems.
How did the Midianites deceive the Israelites? It sounded earlier like it was the Moabites who were seducing the Israelites, but even with them, no outright deception is mentioned.
Again, due to lack of details, much of this account remains a mystery. I'm sure all the pieces would fit together if we had the full story. Fortunately, we don't need the whole thing to understand that it was a very bad, sad day in the history of Israel.
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
The LORD said to Moses, "Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that the LORD's fierce anger may turn away from Israel."
So Moses said to Israel's judges, "Each of you must put to death those of your men who have joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor."
Then an Israelite man brought to his family a Midianite woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear in his hand and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear through both of them—through the Israelite and into the woman's body. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped; but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.
The LORD said to Moses, "Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites; for he was as zealous as I am for my honor among them, so that in my zeal I did not put an end to them. Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace with him. He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood, because he was zealous for the honor of his God and made atonement for the Israelites."
The name of the Israelite who was killed with the Midianite woman was Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a Simeonite family. And the name of the Midianite woman who was put to death was Cozbi daughter of Zur, a tribal chief of a Midianite family.
The LORD said to Moses, "Treat the Midianites as enemies and kill them, because they treated you as enemies when they deceived you in the affair of Peor and their sister Cozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader, the woman who was killed when the plague came as a result of Peor."
A number of things seem to come "out of left field" in the account of the Israelites' sin concerning the Baal (god) of Peor. I think many of the details are left out because it was disgusting to the God of Israel and to his faithful. Yet I know that it is referred to in many other portions of Scripture, so it is considered a very important "event" even if it's only briefly described here.
The men (soldiers, army) of Moab were afraid to encounter the Israelites, but apparently some of the more daring women weren't. I wonder if some of the men (leaders?) put them up to this seduction.
I wonder how long Baal of Peor had been around; that is, how long had people been worshipping this false god. Is this the same Baal mentioned elsewhere in the Bible? (I seem to recall that the word "Baal" simply means "god".)
I wonder if Zimri and Cozbi were flaunting themselves in front of Moses or if they just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt, but that's difficult to do especially since it was right in font of the Tent of Meeting as well.
"Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped...." Plague? What plague? Why isn't it even mentioned until 24,000 were known dead?
Cozbi was a Midianite. How did the Midianites get involved? I thought it was the Moabites who were causing the problems.
How did the Midianites deceive the Israelites? It sounded earlier like it was the Moabites who were seducing the Israelites, but even with them, no outright deception is mentioned.
Again, due to lack of details, much of this account remains a mystery. I'm sure all the pieces would fit together if we had the full story. Fortunately, we don't need the whole thing to understand that it was a very bad, sad day in the history of Israel.
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
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