36And the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation complain against him by bringing a bad report about the land—37the men who brought an unfavorable report about the land died by a plague before the LORD. 38But Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh alone remained alive, of those men who went to spy out the land.
39When Moses told these words to all the Israelites, the people mourned greatly. 40They rose early in the morning and went up to the heights of the hill country, saying, “Here we are. We will go up to the place that the LORD has promised, for we have sinned.” 41But Moses said, “Why do you continue to transgress the command of the LORD? That will not succeed. 42Do not go up, for the LORD is not with you; do not let yourselves be struck down before your enemies. 43For the Amalekites and the Canaanites will confront you there, and you shall fall by the sword; because you have turned back from following the LORD, the LORD will not be with you.” 44But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, even though the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses, had not left the camp. 45Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them, pursuing them as far as Hormah.
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a Or Sea of Reeds
14.1–4 The people respond to the spies’ negative report (13.27–33) with their complaints; see also Deut 1.26–28; Ps 106.24–25. On the complaint stories, see note on 11.1–3.
14.1 Raised a loud cry. See 13.30.
14.3a Fall by the sword. See 13.32–33. On Israelite and foreign women and children as booty, see 31.13–18; Deut 20.10–15; 21.10–14; 1 Sam 30.1–6, 16–20.
14.3b–4 The longing for Egypt is typical of the complaint stories (Ex 14.10–12; 16.3; 17.3; Num 11.5; 14.2; 16.13; 20.5; 21.5; cf. Josh 7.7), but here the people actually plot to return, and with a leader other than Moses; cf. ch. 12; 16.12–14.
14.5–12 Responses to the complaints; cf. Deut 1.29–33.
14.5 Moses and Aaron fell on their faces as an act of contrition and entreaty, in hopes of avoiding terrible consequences; see, e.g., 16.4, 22.
14.6 Note Joshua ’s presence along with Caleb’s; cf. 13.30–31. They tore their clothes as a sign of grief (e.g., Gen 37.29, 34; Judg 11.35; 2 Sam 1.11). The act is similar to Moses’ and Aaron’s falling on their faces, because mourning practices in Israel, like tearing clothes and putting dirt on the head, are also obviously acts of contrition and humility before the deity.
14.7–9 See 13.27, 30; cf. 13.32–33.
14.8–9 If the LORD is pleased with us…do not rebel against the LORD foreshadows the Lord’s rejection of this generation, vv. 20–24, 28–35.
14.8 Land…milk and honey. See 13.27.
14.9 The people of the land are bread for us, i.e., the Israelites will conquer them; see 13.32–33; 24.8; Pss 14.4; 53.4; 79.7; Jer 2.3; 10.25. Protection, lit. “shadow” (Judg 9.15; Isa 32.2). For a shadow as a god’s protection, see Pss 91.1; 121.5; Isa 25.4; and the name Bezalel, “in the shadow of God,” Ex 31.2. Their protection is removed from them implies that the gods of the people of the land will not protect them from the Israelites, either because they are not as powerful as the Lord or because they have abandoned their people. It is significant, then, that the next clause in v. 9 is and the LORD is with us.
14.10 The people threaten to stone Caleb and Joshua, and perhaps Moses and Aaron also (cf. Ex 17.1–4; 1 Sam 30.1–6; 1 Kings 12.17–18). On the glory of the LORD, see note on 9.15–16.
14.11–12 The Lord threatens to kill the people with a plague (see 11.33) and build a nation of Moses’ offspring, i.e., to destroy most of Israel and start again with one portion of the people. See Ex 32.9–10. The Septuagint has “I will make of you and your ancestral house…” (v. 12), so that Aaron and his descendants are also included in the promise. After Moses’ intercession the Lord’s threat will be tempered so that, although this generation of Israel will not see the promised land (vv. 20–24, 28–35), Israel will not be entirely destroyed.
14.13–19 Moses argues that the Lord should not destroy Israel, for the Egyptians and the people of Canaan will assume it was the Lord’s failure to settle the people in the land that forced the annihilation (see Deut 32.26–27; Josh 7.6–9; Ezek 20.8–9; 36.18–32; 39.21–29); furthermore, the Lord has promised (Ex 34.6–7) to “forgive iniquity” and Moses urges the Lord to do so in this instance. This is not the first time Moses has interceded for the people; see Num 11.10–15.
14.14 Face to face, lit. “eye to eye” see 12.8. Your cloud. See 9.15–16. Pillar of cloud, pillar of fire. See note on 9.15–16.
14.18 Abbreviated from Ex 34.6–7.
14.20–25 The Lord’s response to Moses’ intercession; cf. Deut 1.34–36. The Lord replies that he will acquiesce to Moses’ wishes and not exterminate Israel, but none of the Israelites who rebelled will be allowed to see the promised land; see also vv. 28–35; 26.64–65; 32.10–12. Only Caleb is exempt (Deut 1.35 also, but see Num 14.30; 32.12).
14.21 As I live, a typical oath formula. Although people usually swear on the life of the Lord or a ruler (e.g., Gen 42.15–16; Ruth 3.13; 1 Sam 14.39, 45; 25.26, 34; 28.10; 2 Sam 15.21), the Lord must swear “on my life” (e.g., Gen 22.16; Num 14.28; Isa 49.18).
14.22 Ten times, i.e., frequently (see, e.g., Gen 31.7, 41).
14.23 The Septuagint has here that their innocent children will be given the land, as in v. 31; Deut 1.39.
14.24 On Caleb alone, see note on 13.30–31. Caleb’s inheriting of a portion of the land, foretold here, is reported in Josh 14.6–14. Commentators have long suggested that Caleb represents a family group rather than an individual (perhaps the “dog clan” since the name Caleb means “dog” in Hebrew), one that eventually joined with the tribe of Judah.
14.25 In the valleys. Cf. 13.29; 14.45. Turn, i.e., turn back, because this generation is not to move forward but to remain in the wilderness. By the way to the Red Sea, see text note a. The Hebrew is “Sea of Reeds” see Ex 10.19.
14.26–35 Continuation of the Lord’s response. Cf. Deut 1.37–40 (although nothing in Num 14.26–35 corresponds to Deut 1.37); Ps 106.26–27.
14.27 They complain against me. See 11.20.
14.28–35 Their punishment corresponds to the Israelites’ fears.
14.28 As I live. See 14.21.
14.29 Your dead bodies…wilderness. The immediate referent is v. 2. Included in the census, lit. “your enrolled ones,” in the census in ch. 1. Note that this leaves ambiguous the fate of the Levites, who were not counted in the census in ch. 1; see 1.49; 3.15. There were also no Levites represented among the spies. Moreover, Aaron’s son Eleazar, surely twenty years old by now (see 3.32; 4.16), does enter the land (e.g., Josh 14.1; 17.4; 24.33).
14.30 I swore, lit. “I raised my hand” see also Gen 14.22; Ex 6.8; Ps 106.26. On the inclusion of Joshua, see note on 13.30–31.
14.31a On children as booty, see 14.3.
14.33 Forty years is a typical biblical expression for one generation (see Gen 25.20; 26.34).
14.34 Forty…a year. See 13.25. See the similar phrase in Ezek 4.6. The tradition that Israel spent forty years in the wilderness is reported also in the early prophets (Am 2.10; 5.25; see also Hos 2.14–15), although there is no sense in these passages that the wilderness sojourn is a punishment; cf. Ps 95.10.
14.36–38 The spies, except for Joshua and Caleb, are killed by the Lord.
14.36 See 13.32; 14.1–4.
14.37 Plague. See 11.33. The Hebrew word used here simply means some form of death, lit. “a smiting.”
14.38 On Joshua and Caleb, see note on 13.30–31.
14.39–45 An abortive attempt to enter the land from the south; cf. Deut 1.41–45.
14.39–40 The people change their minds when they hear their punishment.
14.40 They rose early in the morning. Cf. tomorrow in v. 25.
14.41 Moses explains that it is no better to go when the Lord has commanded them to turn back (v. 25) than it was
to refuse to go when the Lord commanded them to go.
14.42–43 Moses says that the Lord will not be with them in this venture. Cf. v. 9; see also v. 44; in Deut 1.42 it is the Lord who says this.
14.43, 45 Amalekites, Canaanites. See 14.25. On the enmity between Israelites and Amalekites, see 13.29 (cf. Deut 1.44: “Amorites”). Fall by the sword. See 14.3, 28–35.
14.44 This verse makes clear what it means that the Lord will not be with the people: the ark will not go up with them; see 7.89; 10.35–36.
14.45 Hormah, in the extreme south of Israel’s possessions; see 21.1–3 (where the name is etymologized as “destruction”); Judg 1.16–17 (with the same etymology); 1 Sam 30.26–31. In Deut 1.44 it is associated with Seir, i.e., Edom.
The “Land of Canaan” at the end of the second millennium BCE, showing possible routes into Canaan from Sinai.
NUMBERS 15
Various Offerings
1The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2Speak to the Israelites and say to them: When you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving you, 3and you make an offering by fire to the LORD from the herd or from the flock—whether a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering or at your appointed festivals—to make a pleasing odor for the LORD, 4then whoever presents such an offering to the LORD shall present also a grain offering, one-tenth of an ephah of choice flour, mixed with one-fourth of a hin of oil. 5Moreover, you shall offer one-fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering with the burnt offering or the sacrifice, for each lamb. 6For a ram, you shall offer a grain offering, two-tenths of an ephah of choice flour mixed with one-third of a hin of oil; 7and as a drink offering you shall offer one-third of a hin of wine, a pleasing odor to the LORD. 8When you offer a bull as a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfill a vow or as an offering of well-being to the LORD, 9then you shall present with the bull a grain offering, three-tenths of an ephah of choice flour, mixed with half a hin of oil, 10and you shall present as a drink offering half a hin of wine, as an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD.
11Thus it shall be done for each ox or ram, or for each of the male lambs or the kids. 12According to the number that you offer, so you shall do with each and every one. 13Every native Israelite shall do these things in this way, in presenting an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD. 14An alien who lives with you, or who takes up permanent residence among you, and wishes to offer an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD, shall do as you do. 15As for the assembly, there shall be for both you and the resident alien a single statute, a perpetual statute throughout your generations; you and the alien shall be alike before the LORD. 16You and the alien who resides with you shall have the same law and the same ordinance.
17The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 18Speak to the Israelites and say to them: After you come into the land to which I am bringing you, 19whenever you eat of the bread of the land, you shall present a donation to the LORD. 20From your first batch of dough you shall present a loaf as a donation; you shall present it just as you present a donation from the threshing floor. 21Throughout your generations you shall give to the LORD a donation from the first of your batch of dough.
22But if you unintentionally fail to observe all these commandments that the LORD has spoken to Moses—23everything that the LORD has commanded you by Moses, from the day the LORD gave commandment and thereafter, throughout your generations—24then if it was done unintentionally without the knowledge of the congregation, the whole congregation shall offer one young bull for a burnt offering, a pleasing odor to the LORD, together with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and one male goat for a sin offering. 25The priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the Israelites, and they shall be forgiven; it was unintentional, and they have brought their offering, an offering by fire to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their error. 26All the congregation of the Israelites shall be forgiven, as well as the aliens residing among them, because the whole people was involved in the error.
27An individual who sins unintentionally shall present a female goat a year old for a sin offering. 28And the priest shall make atonement before the LORD for the one who commits an error, when it is unintentional, to make atonement for the person, who then shall be forgiven. 29For both the native among the Israelites and the alien residing among them—you shall have the same law for anyone who acts in error. 30But whoever acts high-handedly, whether a native or an alien, affronts the LORD, and shall be cut off from among the people. 31Because of having despised the word of the LORD and broken his commandment, such a person shall be utterly cut off and bear the guilt.
Penalty for Violating the Sabbath
32When the Israelites were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the sabbath day. 33Those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses, Aaron, and to the whole congregation. 34They put him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him. 35Then the LORD said to Moses, “The man shall be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him outside the camp.” 36The whole congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
Fringes on Garments
37The LORD said to Moses: 38Speak to the Israelites, and tell them to make fringes on the corners of their garments throughout their generations and to put a blue cord on the fringe at each corner. 39You have the fringe so that, when you see it, you will remember all the commandments of the LORD and do them, and not follow the lust of your own heart and your own eyes. 40So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and you shall be holy to your God. 41I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God.
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15.1–16 These verses prescribe grain and drink offerings to go along with burnt offerings and offerings of well-being. Cf. Ezek 46.4–15; see also Num 28–29; Ex 29.38–42.
15.2 When you come into the land. The prescribed offerings reflect a settled agricultural life. There is irony in this verse: this generation will not, in fact, “come into the land” see 14.20–24, 28–35.
15.3 An offering by fire perhaps is not specifically a fire offering, but simply any offering, cognate to a word for “gift” in the language of the ancient city of Ugarit. From the herd…flock, i.e., domestic animals, not wild, are used for sacrifice. On various offerings, see 6.14–17. Sacrifice, here the equivalent of an offering of well-being, i.e., an offering in which the worshiper participates. Lev 7.11–18 describes the three kinds of offerings of well-being: thanksgiving, votive, and freewill, two of which are named in Num 15.3 as well. A pleasing odor for the LORD describes an acceptable offering; see Gen 8.20–22.
15.4 Ephah. See 5.15 (note the grain offering mixed with oil). A hin was approximately 12 pints.
15.5 For each lamb. See v. 11 where both lambs and goats are included.
15.6–10 The amounts of the accompanying grain and drink offerings increase with the size of the animal offered.
15.11–16 The same rules apply to resident aliens as to Israelites; see 9.14; also 15.26, 29.
15.16 See also Ex 12.43–49; cf. Deut 14.21.
15.19 A donation is simply an offering dedicated to the Lord, in this case for the priests.
15.20 An offering from the first batch of dough is like a first-fruits offering; see Neh 10.36–37; Ezek 44.30; see also Ex 22.29a; 23.19a; 34.26a; Lev 23.9–14; Num 18.13–18; Deut 26.1–11. A donation from the threshing floor. See 18.27.
15.22–29 Atonement for unintentional sins; see also Lev 4–5.
15.22 You here is plural in Hebrew.
15.24 According to the ordinance, i.e., vv. 1–16.
15.25 It is the priest who makes atonement for the ones who are in error; see Ex 29.10–37; Lev 1.4; Num 8.10–11. An offering by fire. See 15.3.
15.28 See 15.25.
15.30–31 Intentional sins. One who acts high-handedly sins bol
dly; see the translation boldly for high-handedly in 33.3; Ex 14.8. Cut off. See 9.13. Here execution is plainly meant; see 15.35–36, esp. just as in v. 36.
15.32–36 See the similar story in Lev 24.10–23. Intentional violation of the sabbath carries the death penalty (Ex 31.14–15; 35.2).
15.34 They put him in custody until a decision was made; see also Lev 24.12.
15.35–36 The man was stoned outside the camp so as not to disturb the sanctity of the camp; see also Lev 24.14, 23; 1 Kings 21.10, 23–24.
15.37–41 Fringes on…garments. Cf. Deut 22.12.
15.38 The fringes apparently resembled locks of hair; the term rendered fringe here is translated “lock (of hair)” in Ezek 8.3. Fringe on garments is known elsewhere in the ancient Near East from pictorial representations. Fringes are still worn on the prayer shawl, or tallit, of Orthodox Jewish men. Blue, or violet, the same color as some of the hangings of the tabernacle enclosure; see 4.5–12.
15.41 For variations on the formulaic sayings in this verse, see, e.g., Ex 6.6–7; 20.2; Lev 26.13; Deut 5.6; cf. Gen 15.7.
NUMBERS 16
Revolt of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram
1Now Korah son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi, along with Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—descendants of Reuben—took 2two hundred fifty Israelite men, leaders of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men,a and they confronted Moses. 3They assembled against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, “You have gone too far! All the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. So why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?” 4When Moses heard it, he fell on his face. 5Then he said to Korah and all his company, “In the morning the LORD will make known who is his, and who is holy, and who will be allowed to approach him; the one whom he will choose he will allow to approach him. 6Do this: take censers, Korah and all yourb company, 7and tomorrow put fire in them, and lay incense on them before the LORD; and the man whom the LORD chooses shall be the holy one. You Levites have gone too far!” 8Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you Levites! 9Is it too little for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to allow you to approach him in order to perform the duties of the LORD’s tabernacle, and to stand before the congregation and serve them? 10He has allowed you to approach him, and all your brother Levites with you; yet you seek the priesthood as well! 11Therefore you and all your company have gathered together against the LORD. What is Aaron that you rail against him?”
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