Numbers 26-27

~ Patricia

5 more days (counting today) and we are done with Numbers already.

Chapter 26:

Image result for numbers 26 census

When they get in the Promised Land, the land will be distributed according to size.  These numbers are important.

52 The Lord said to Moses, 53 “The land is to be allotted to them as an inheritance based on the number of names. 54 To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one; each is to receive its inheritance according to the number of those listed. 55 Be sure that the land is distributed by lot. What each group inherits will be according to the names for its ancestral tribe. 56 Each inheritance is to be distributed by lot among the larger and smaller groups.” (Lot means chosen by God according to the Urim and Thummim)

A new census is necessary because the generation counted in Chapter 1 is now gone.  Well, except Joshua and Caleb. 

  • Trivia: 
    • why are Joshua and Caleb the only 2 that are on both Census? 
    • why is the tribe of Levi NOT counted in the census?

64 Not one of them was among those counted by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai. 65 For the Lord had told those Israelites they would surely die in the wilderness, and not one of them was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

The census is after the plague which reduced the number by 24,000.  The census was only slightly down from the earlier census.  This census includes a few notes about the past such as:

8 The son of Pallu was Eliab, 9 and the sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan and Abiram. The same Dathan and Abiram were the community officials who rebelled against Moses and Aaron and were among Korah’s followers when they rebelled against the Lord. 10 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire devoured the 250 men. And they served as a warning sign. 11 The line of Korah, however, did not die out.

I want you to stop and think about how awesome it is to read that scripture about Korah and recall “If I opened my Bible 3 months ago and read that would I have a clue what it was talking about”  And here you are!  Anyway, Korah’s line did not die out, actually, they become the author of 11 Psalms.

Zelophehad- I love these women.  I think if I was in a woman in the OT, they would be my second choice.  (Deborah the Judge is by far my first)

Moses named a successor: The last 4 paragraphs.  Click here for a reread.

Paragraph 1- A great reminder to honor God.  The story I talked about the other day (the one where I cursed like a truck driver and threw my Bible because I thought it was unfair), is now one of my favorites.  Read John 15:4

Paragraph 2-Rather than argue about politics,  wouldn’t it be great if we just quietly prayed paragraph 2.

Paragraph 3- Super cool.  Joshua and Eleazar are going to be like Batman and Robin. Verse 21:

21 He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the Lord. At his command, he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command, they will come in.”

Image result for urim and thummim in bible

So who is in charge??  God is.  Eleazar will use the Urim and Thummim and tell Joshua the decisions the Lord makes.  If you jumped in and out of the read-through and do not know what these are just put a note in the comments and we will cover.

Paragraph 4…..and Moses did as God commanded. ❤

 

16 thoughts on “Numbers 26-27”

  1. Again- guessing and will look up after and maybe the true answers will stick in my brain (:
    1. Caleb and Joshua didn’t say the land flowing with milk and honey was bad like the others after going to look at it.
    2. Levi people were priests

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  2. If I were a daughter of Zelophehad, I would be Hoglah, ( just sayin😂)
    They’re doing the census of all the men 20 years old and up and you get down to vs 46 and up pops this daughter of Asher. Who is she and why is she mentioned? I had to google that one. Guess what? I still have no clue.🤔

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I really am not sure. I know Jewish traditions have listed her as a very important figure in ancient days. The Jewish people keep amazing records and their storytelling skills are very accurate so there might be some validity to them, but I really don’t know. Evidently, she lived a very long life if the stories are true,

      Like

      Reply

  3. Okay- I need the dumbed down summary- you may ban me from this years read after my question! All a question: The clan in number is from the line of Jacob. They have now left Egypt and are headed back to the land where the “other” line of Abraham has been all along. The “others”have since fallen away from God (examples- Balak and Moab women) and God is sending His refined (to a point) people back into this land to continue His story. Is this somewhat correct or am I way off.
    Signed,
    My brain is an island of its own- trying hard to understand it all, (:

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I think I know what you are saying. See if this will help. Abraham’s grandson is Jacob. Jacob’s sons (the 12 tribes) fled Egypt and went to Mt. Sinai. While they were there they studied for a year on how to trust God, how to worship him, and what to do when they got in the Promised Land. It was “Promised” to their Grandfather (Abraham). They studied for a year. This generation saw God bring 10 plagues, part the Red sea, provide manna and quail from Heaven, and HIs Glory sitting in the Tabernacle. Then they walk 11 days to Kadesh Barnea. They send 1 person from each tribe into the land to scope it out They should have come back and said “Yup, it’s as wonderful as God said it would be”. But NOPE, 10 out of the 12 said “We can’t go in there, they will kill us”. What?? They have God’s Promise! Only 2 men said, “We have God…this easy easy peasy” (Joshua and Caleb). God was so disappointed in their lack of trust He said “Here is the deal, I am still going to keep my Promise and bring your families into the land…BUT not you….your children. After every man 20 years or older dies, you may enter. (It will take 40 years for that generation to die) So 40 years have passed and now they are ready to enter the land again. ONLY 2 people from the first generation had Faith, so they will be allowed a Willy Wonka ticket to enter with the next generation. So ALL these people are new so we have to take a new census.

      Jennifer, does that make sense? Click here for a genealogy that might help.https://readingthebible2020.files.wordpress.com/2020/02/tribes-of-israel-2.pdf

      Like

      Reply

      1. Perfect but the men Balak & Balaam- where did they come from? They knew who God was. Were they part of the family line early on or never.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

        1. Canaan had all the “ite” people: ammonites, cushites- in my mind- these are also Hebrew people that fell away from God in Abraham’s line. Obviously I need to study more so they will stick better on who was in Jesus blood line and who was not/ Who God called forward and who He left behind.

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply

          1. If it helps any, the one you really need to follow is the line of Judah. We are following the line of Judah because Jesus will be born from that Tribe. There are going to be times where we see the line is almost snuffed out (Satan’s ultimate plan). Spoiler alert: in spite of some close calls, the line of Judah will prevail and Jesus will reign. But write done the names of the 12 tribes, it will help you to track who is who. The rest of the “ites” you can call termites. 😂

            Like

            Reply

        2. Balak was the King of the Moabites. Who were the Moabites? Do you remember Lot (Abraham’s nephew). After the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah he had two children with his daughters). Moab was one of them. The Moabites know about the Lord! If they told stories about Sodom they know what the Lord can do. However, they also know what the Lord can do from when Abraham took a small group of men 318 in Genesis 14 and took on major armies! So here is the BIG questions:

          When the 12 spies went into scope out the Promised Land the people in those lands ALREADY were ready to surrender to them in fear of their God. Oh how we messed that one up!

          So the King of Moab says to Balaam (He is just a pagan sorcerer) when the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho. (Numbers 22)-

          2 Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, 3 and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites.

          4 The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.”

          The Moabites were “extended family” but the ones that we are tracking are the 12 tribes from Jacob because that is the Covenant line.

          Like

          Reply

  4. I never understood the use of the Urim and Thummin — I’m not even sure I recall it at all. Now it seems more important as the priests will be delivering God’s marching orders!!!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. OK, let me know if this helps..When it came to making decisions for the Israelites, the priests would refer to the Urim and Thummin. The high priest had these “dice-like” stones under his breastplate. He would inquire to the Lord and roll the die for an answer. Example: “Should the tribe of Simeon be given land when we get into the Promised Land?’. Somehow the dice/rocks would answer each question. This is called “casting lots”. Because I am weird in my head I think of a craps table in Vegas. The first time we read about them was is in Exodus. Click below for the post and picture. Let me know if that helps.

      Exodus 28-29

      Like

      Reply

      1. Yes, that helps. I recall this from the earlier reading — I just don’t think I had any memory recall of it like ever before!! This seems like such an integral part of their knowing God, and trusting Him. Feels like another Sunday School lesson opportunity missed in my upbringing. “Hey kids…did you know that God used to only speak to one person, for a whole community? And they would know what to do by a couple of rocks? Today – we have the Holy Spirit who works within each of us, and tells us exactly how to move one step at a time. Just like they did. But we can be sure.” 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

Leave a comment