Bemidbar/Numbers 19:1-22:1
Blessing
for the Torah:
Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-O’lam, asher
bachar banu m’kol ha-amim,
v’natan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn
ha-Torah. Ameyn.”
(Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim , King of the Universe, you have selected us
(Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim , King of the Universe, you have selected us
from among all the peoples, and have given us your
Torah. Blessed are you,
YHVH, giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)
Introductory
comments to the parashah:
This parashah is difficult to understand. The sages
say that the commandment of the Red Heifer is “beyond human understanding”
Romans 10:4 clearly reminds us that the Messiah is the purpose of the
Torah and the Torah can only be properly understood in the light of who the
real Messiah is.
The “chukat” or “statutes” of this portion only
begins to make sense when seen in the light of our Messiah Yahshua. These
“chukat” unravel some of the deepest mysteries of our Messiah’s deep love and
desire to be united with his bride, soon, and for all eternity. Our love and
desire to be with our Messiah King is measured by our response and
understanding of these “chukat.”
The meaning of the word “chukat” comes from the
Hebrew verb “chukak” and means to cut upon, engrave or inscribe.
“The phrase in 19:2 “zot chuckat
ha torah” “this is the chukat of the Torah” appears only twice in the Torah
(see also 31:21) This could be interpreted to mean “ this is the whole essence of the Torah”
What is the whole essence of the Torah? The Torah is about how an estranged bride – Yisrael, is returning to her
bridegroom Messiah and his Father’s house. YHVH accomplishes this mission by placing the fullness of who
He is in His only brought forth Son, who himself is the embodiment of the
entire Torah. The Torah in the flesh - Yahshua ha Mashiach, and then He unites
forever those who possess and desire this witness of Messiah and are lovingly
obedient to His commandments.
Rev 14:12 Here is the endurance of the set-apart ones,1
here are those guarding the commands of Elohim and the belief of Yahshua/ יהושע.2
Footnotes: 1In 12:17 they are called “the remnant”
This great redemption love story starts in a
garden. Sin estranged these two lovers once upon a time but our Creator King
knew how He would restore this Divine Romance. He created a Second Adam and
began a restoring courtship again for His fallen bride – Yisrael.
This mystery explains why so much of the language
of restoration found in the Torah appears in the feminine gender.
Let us look at some of many examples: The word
“Torah” meaning “pointing” or “instruction” is a feminine noun.
The word “chukat” is a feminine noun.
Other significant words that appear in the feminine
gender include: Yerushalayim, covenant (brit), sin chatat, inheritance
(nachalah), battle (milchamah), worship (avodah), gifts (minchah), love
(ahavah), repentance (teshuva) and many more.
This Torah and Haftarah portion brings to light the
pivotal role of the coming together in the spiritual as well as physical realms
the masculine and the feminine – the bride and the bridegroom.
In the Haftarah: Shoftim 11:1-33 we have the
events of Yiphtach/Jafta (means “he will open”) who makes a rash vow after
victory in a battle to present his virgin daughter as an offering. There
are some reliable commentaries which state that this was not a human
offering, but a dedication of this young virgin girl to the service of
YHVH.
This may come as a surprise to many of us but the Torah
speaks of Tabernacle ministry that was performed by dedicated woman.
Shemot/Exo
38:8 And he made the basin of bronze and its stand
of bronze, from the bronze mirrors of the serving women who did service at the
door (patach) of the Tent of Meeting.
The Hebrew word
used that refers to these women as “warriors” is “hatzovot” Strongs 6633.
The Hebrew word for entrance is “petach” the same root
used in the name of “Yiftach” What could this possibly mean?
Is it possible that in the
last days those relationships between men and woman will reflect the
relationship between Yahshua and his Bride. This will bring about that set
apart woman will once again be released in playing an important supportive role
in bringing about an end time restoration of the leadership of the true
spiritual fathers and cause dedicated woman to return to the “entrance of the
tabernacle of meeting of YHVH”?
This ministry may be just as important as the elders who
sat at the city gates. These elders protected the cities from harmful
influences, but these warrior - women supported the priests as they enter into
the Set apart Place/tabernacle, the dwelling of the presence of YHVH.
This ministry was not something strange to women; we see
that even Yahshua had a group of dedicated women who ministered to him.
Luk 8:3 and Yochanah the wife of Kuza, manager of Herodes, and Shoshannah, and many others who provided for Him
from their resources.
Channah the prophetess: Luk
2:37 and she was a widow of about
eighty-four years, who did not leave the Set-apart Place, but served Elohim
with fastings and prayers night and day.
I am fully aware of
the prophetic warnings about the Jezebellic spirit and the Queen of heaven who
will attempt to come and emasculate the true priestly ministry in the end time,
however there is a great danger that we will not recognize and release the true
set apart ministry of women who have been held back by our man made religious
ideas concerning women and their important role in the restoration of the bride
of Messiah. This has been the sad testimony of the rabbi’s for centuries who
would not even allow the women to come near to the entrance of the Temple. They
had to stay with the gentiles in the courtyard outside the Place of Meeting.
I believe Yirmeyahu
was prophesying about a unique relationship that would exist between men and
women in the end time restoration of all things, when renewed covenant will be
the Torah in our hearts.
Yir/Jer 31:22 “ …. For
יהוה has created
what is new on earth: a woman encompasses a man!”
This is the same verse
that is demonstrated at a Hebraic wedding when the bride surrounds the groom
seven times. What does it mean? No one knows for sure. The Hebrew states that
which is feminine (nekvah) will surround that which is mighty (ga ver) like a
might man going to war.
I believe this
scripture and Torah portion are pointing to a very special kind of restoration
that will take place between men and woman in the last days – a certain dynamic
will emerge from our relationships that have not previously existed. We see this quality in the end time bride
emerging from the great tribulation in Revelation 15 singing the Song of Moshe
and of the Lamb. We find the song of Moshe in the Torah and the song of the
Lamb in the Song of Songs. (The sages declare the book Song of Songs, the most
set apart book in the Tenach)
Torah Readings (when
Chukat is read separately):
- 19:1-17
- 19:18 – 20:6
- 20:7-13
- 20:14-21
- 20:22 – 21:9
- 21:10-20
- 21:21-33
- Maftir: 21:34 – 22:1
Haftarah (when
Chukat is read separately): Shoftim/Judges 11:1-33
Aliyah
Rishon 19:1-17
Bemidbar is the
Hebrew name of this Book– Numbers is the translation that English translators
gave to this Book
Num 19:1 And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh and to Aharon, saying,
Num 19:2 “This is
a law of the Torah which יהוה has commanded, saying, ‘Speak to the
children of Yisra’ĕl, that they bring you a red heifer, a perfect one, in which
there is no blemish and on which a yoke has never come.
There
are conflicting reports as to the present day existence of a Red Hefer (female
cow). She is to have no blemish- if two hairs on her body are not red then she
is considered to have a blemish. “No
yoke” could imply that there was no burden on this animal which refers to the
burden of sin. This points us to the perfect offering Messiah made when he
presented himself a perfect offering for our sins.
Num 19:3 ‘And you
shall give it to El’azar the priest, and he shall bring it outside the camp,
and shall slaughter it before him.
The Red Heifer or “para aduma” could also refer to
the Messiah who was slain outside the camp on the Mount of Olives. (There is
growing consensus that Yahshua was executed on the Mount of Olives)
Num 19:4 ‘And
El’azar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and sprinkle
some of its blood seven times toward the front of the Tent of Meeting.
Seven times could be pointing to the 7000 years YHVH extends His atonement to
mankind in order to bring him to perfection to enter into the Eighth Day or
eternity. This causes us to face the fact that for a period of seven thousand
years we will be confronted with the contamination of death.
The
Sevenfold Sprinkling of the Blood of Messiah:
1) In the
Garden of Gethsemane/Mount of Olives (Sweat of Blood) - Luke 22:44.
2) Pilate
had Yahshua flogged (Stripes on the back) – Matthew 27:26; Mark 15:15; Yoch/John
19:1.
3) Set a
crown of thorns upon his head. Matthew 27:29; Mark 15:17; John 19:2)
4) …they
struck him on the head… (Beating and plucking the beard) - Matthew 27:30; Mark
15:19; Yochanan/John 19:3.
5) The
nails piercing his hands…
6) The
nails piercing his feet… implied in this statement – ‘And they impaled him…’
Matthew 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:33; Yochanan/John 19:18, 20:25)
7) …pierced
Yahshua’s side with a spear… - Yochanan/John 19:34
Num 19:5 ‘And the
heifer shall be burned before his eyes – he burns its hide, and its flesh, and
its blood, and its dung.
Num 19:6 ‘And the
priest shall take cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet, and
throw them into the midst of the fire burning the heifer.
Yahshua willingly gave himself completely for our transgressions as an offering and was bound to
an execution stake and his blood needs to be applied as the blood of the Passover
lamb on the doorways of our hearts.
Three elements, cedar-wood, hyssop,
and scarlet wool yarn had to be added in order to produce the ashes,
which would later be mixed with the water that would serve for purification
This hints to us that the horizontal beam that our Master was hung on could
have been made of cedar-wood.
“The hyssop was used in connection with the Messiah’s death,
which connects him with the deliverance from Mitzrayim, when hyssop was
used to sprinkle the blood on the doorposts.
Hyssop was also used in the cleansing process from “tzaraat”
(“leprosy”Lev 14) which symbolizes sin. In this parasha hyssop was used in the
cleansing from ritual uncleanness caused by contact with death as well as when
the children of Israel entered the covenant.
We read in Ivrim/Heb
9:19-20 “For when, according to Torah,
every command had been spoken by Mosheh to all the people, he took the blood of
calves and goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both
the book itself and all the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant
which Elohim commanded you.”
Tehillim/Psa 51:7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I am clean; Wash
me, and I am whiter than snow.
The scarlet red wool yarn reminds us of how we too are bound to
Messiah in his death. In the commentary on Leviticus 14:4 in Parashah 28,
Metzorah, there are several details about the significance of the three
elements used in this cleansing.”
Num 19:7 ‘The
priest shall then wash his garments, and shall bathe his body in water, and
afterward come into the camp, but the priest is unclean until evening.
Num 19:8 ‘And he
who is burning it washes his garments in water, and shall bathe his body in
water, and is unclean until evening.
Num 19:9 ‘And a
clean man shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and shall place them outside
the camp in a clean place. And they shall be kept for the congregation of the
children of Yisra’ĕl for the water for uncleanness, it is for cleansing from
sin.
Num 19:10 ‘And he
who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his garments, and is unclean until evening. And it shall be a law forever to the
children of Yisra’ĕl and to the stranger who sojourns in their midst.
The ashes of the burnt
offering were taken outside the camp; the ashes of the Red Heifer were brought inside the
camp. These ashes are the evidence of a people who are being set apart for
the Master. The ashes that come inside the camp are for the cleansing of His
people. The time will come when the cleansing of the camp will cause the light
of the Torah to go out into the nations.
Num 19:11 ‘He who
touches the dead of any human being is unclean for seven days.
Num 19:12 ‘He is
to cleanse himself with the water on the third day, and on the seventh
day he is clean. But if he does not cleanse himself on the third day, then
on the seventh day he is not clean.
Num 19:13 ‘Anyone
who touches the dead of a human being, and does not cleanse himself, defiles
the Dwelling Place of יהוה. And that being shall be cut off from
Yisra’ĕl. He is unclean, for the water for uncleanness was not sprinkled
on him, his uncleanness is still upon him.
Num 19:14 ‘This is
the Torah when a man dies in a tent: All who come into the tent and all who are in the tent
are unclean for seven days,
Num 19:15 and
every open vessel which has no cover fastened on it, is unclean.
Num 19:16 ‘Anyone
in the open field who touches someone slain by a sword or who has died, or a
bone of a man, or a grave, is unclean for seven days.
Num 19:17 ‘And for
the unclean being they shall take some of the ashes of the heifer burnt for
cleansing from sin, and running water shall be put on them in a vessel.
In Yezekel/Ezekiel 36:24-30, it is written,
“For I will
take you from among the nations, and gather you out of all the countries, and
will bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you
shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I
cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put
within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will
give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to
walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my ordinances, and do them. You shall
dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and you shall be my people, and
I will be your Eloha. I will save you from all your uncleanness: and I will call
for the grain, and will multiply it, and lay no famine on you. I will multiply
the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that you may receive no
more the reproach of famine among the nations.”
One
week is needed in order for anyone to be cleansed from the effects of death. On
the eighth day one is clean. In the same way the world will go through seven
thousand years of cleansing. Thereafter there will be righteousness without
death. The third day represents the third millennium after Adam, when the
children of Israel left Mitzrayim and received the Torah that cleanses. The
Messiah will come to the seventh millennium to cleanse, not only those who have
been in contact with death, but also the dead who will be resurrected. This
speaks of two very significant points in the history of the world, the first
and the second redemption, which occur in the third and the seventh
millennium”
Rabban
Maimonides, who codified the Torah, prophesied that the Messiah would sacrifice
the tenth Parah Adumah (Red Heifer) in human history [at his coming].
Aliyah
Sheni 19:18-20:6
Num 19:18 ‘And a clean man shall take hyssop and dip it
in the water, and shall sprinkle it on the tent, and on all the vessels, and on
the beings who were there, or on the one who touched a bone, or the slain, or
the dead, or a grave.
Num 19:19 ‘And the clean one shall sprinkle the unclean
on the third day and on the seventh day. And on the seventh day
he shall cleanse himself, and shall wash his garments and bathe in water, and
shall be clean in the evening.
Num 19:20 ‘But the man who is
unclean and does not cleanse himself, that being shall be cut off from among
the assembly, because he has defiled the set-apart place of יהוה – water for
uncleanness has not been sprinkled on him, he is unclean.
Num 19:21 ‘And it
shall be a law for them forever. And the one who sprinkles the water for uncleanness washes his garments.
And the one who touches the water for uncleanness is unclean until evening.
Num 19:22 ‘And
whatever the unclean being touches is unclean. And the being who touches it is
unclean until evening.’ ”
Num 20:1 And the children of Yisra’ĕl, all the
congregation, came into the Wilderness of Tsin in the first month, and the
people stayed in Qadĕsh.
And Miryam died there and was buried
there.
Num 20:2 Now
there was no water for the congregation and they assembled against Mosheh and
against Aharon.
Num 20:3 And
the people contended with Mosheh and spoke, saying, “If only we had died when
our brothers died before יהוה!
Num 20:4 “Why have
you brought up the assembly of יהוה into this wilderness, that we and our
livestock should die here?
Num 20:5 “And why
have you brought us up out of Mitsrayim, to bring us to this evil place? – not
a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to
drink.”
Num 20:6 Then
Mosheh and Aharon went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the
Tent of Meeting, and they fell on their faces. And the esteem of יהוה appeared to them.
Rashi (11th
Century, France) noticed the strange juxtaposition of Miriam’s (Miryam's) death
and the shortage of water, and assumed that there must be a connection between
the two. "From this we learn that all forty years, they had a well because
of the merit of Miriam." Miriam’s Well entered the realm of Midrash as
testimony to the greatness of this unique leader.
As the
Yisraelites wandered through the wilderness, lacking adequate water would have
been fatal. However, the power of Miriam's integrity, piety and caring was such
that YHVH provided a moving well of water, one which followed the people
throughout their wanderings until the moment of her death. Without Miriam,
there was no more water.
Messianic Midrash – the death of Miryam
could point prophetically to the death of the “church” many have come to know
the life of YHVH through Messiah in the “church” but this meeting will not be
enough to bring us into the Promised Land because it does not include the
importance of our embracing the Torah or marriage covenant of YHVH.
Just as we will see in Aliyah Sheni that a “Judaism” represented by Moshe
will not be sufficient to bring the Jews into the Promised Land. The “Rock” was
struck twice, this could be a type and shadow of Messiah who was executed.
Messiah was only executed once and when this revelation is restored
to the Jewish people they too with those who have come out of the church to
embrace the Torah of YHVH will be joined together to be
with the Bridegroom Messiah forever.
Zec 12:10
“And I shall pour on the house of Dawiḏ and on the inhabitants of Yerushalayim a
spirit of favour and prayers. And they shall look on Me whom they pierced, and
they shall mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son. And they shall be in
bitterness over Him as a bitterness over the first-born
Aliyah
Shlishi 20:7-13
Num 20:7 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Num 20:8 “Take the
rod and assemble the congregation, you and your brother Aharon. And you shall
speak to the rock before their eyes, and it shall give its water. And you shall
bring water for them out of the rock and give drink to the congregation and
their livestock.”
Num 20:9 And
Mosheh took the rod from before יהוה as He commanded him.
Num 20:10 And
Mosheh and Aharon assembled the assembly before the rock. And he said to them, “Hear
now, you rebels, shall we bring water for you out of this rock?”
Num 20:11 Then
Mosheh lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod. And much water
came out, and the congregation and their livestock drank.
Num 20:12 But יהוה spoke to Mosheh and to Aharon, “Because you did not believe Me,
to set Me apart in the eyes of the children of Yisra’ĕl, therefore you do not
bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”
Num 20:13 These
were the waters of Meriḇah, because the children of Yisra’ĕl contended with יהוה, and He was set apart among them.
Shaul refers to this in
1Co 10:4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For
they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed, and the Rock was Messiah. 1Co
10:5 However, with most of them Elohim
was not well pleased, for they were laid low in the wilderness.
YHVH was not pleased
when Messiah is misrepresented. Messiah would only be struck ONCE and never
again.
Aliyah
Reviee 20:14-21
Num 20:14 And Mosheh sent messengers from Qadĕsh to the sovereign
of Edom. “This is what your brother Yisra’ĕl said, ‘You know all the hardship
that has befallen us,
Num 20:15
that our fathers went down to Mitsrayim, and we dwelt in Mitsrayim a
long time, and the Mitsrites did evil to us and our fathers.
Num 20:16
‘And we cried out to יהוה, and He heard our voice and sent the Messenger and brought us
up out of Mitsrayim. And see, we are in Qadĕsh, a city on the edge of your
border.
Num 20:17 ‘Please
let us pass over, through your land. We shall not pass over through fields or
vineyards, nor drink water from wells, we shall go along the sovereign’s
highway. We shall not turn aside, right or left, until we have passed over your
border.’ ”
Num 20:18 But Edom
said to him, “You do not pass over through me, lest I come out against you with
the sword.”
Num 20:19 And the
children of Yisra’ĕl said to him, “We shall go by the highway, and if I or my
livestock drink any of your water, then I shall pay for it. Let me only pass
over on foot, without a word.”
Num 20:20 But he
said, “You do not pass over.” And Eḏom came out against them with many men and
with a strong hand.
Num 20:21 So when
Edom refused to let Yisra’ĕl pass over through his border, Yisra’ĕl turned away
from him.
They wanted to take a shorter root but Edom (descendants
of Esau and all man-made religion) refused them. This is true of religion
today; they will aggressively resist you not to go to where YHVH is calling
you.
Aliyah
Chamishi 20:22-21:9
Num 20:22 And the children of Yisra’ĕl, all the
company, departed from Qadĕsh
and came to Mount Hor.
Num 20:23
And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh and to Aharon in Mount Hor near the border of the land of Edom, saying,
Num 20:24 “Aharon
is to be gathered to his people, for he is not to enter the land which I have
given to the children of Yisra’ĕl, because you rebelled against My mouth at the
water of Meriḇah.
Num 20:25 “Take
Aharon and El’azar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor,
Num 20:26 and
strip Aharon of his garments and put them on El’azar his son, for Aharon is to
be gathered to his people and die there.”
Num 20:27 And
Mosheh did as יהוה commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor
before the eyes of all the congregation.
Num 20:28 And
Mosheh stripped Aharon of his garments and put them on El’azar his son. And
Aharon died there on the top of the mountain. And Mosheh and El’azar came down
from the mountain.
Num 20:29 And when
all the congregation saw that Aharon was dead, all the house of Yisra’ĕl wept
for Aharon, thirty days.
Num 21:1 And the
sovereign of Araḏ,
the Kena’anite, who dwelt in the South, heard that Yisra’ĕl was coming on the
way to Atharim, and he fought against Yisra’ĕl and took some of them captive.
Num 21:2
Then Yisra’ĕl made a vow to יהוה, and said, “If You deliver this people
into my hand indeed, then I shall put their cities under the ban.”
Num 21:3 And יהוה listened to the voice of Yisra’ĕl and gave up the Kena’anites,
and they put them and their cities under the ban. So the name of that place was
called Ḥormah.
Num 21:4 And they
departed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Sea of Reeds, to go around the land
of Eḏom. But the being of the people grew impatient because of the way.
Num 21:5 And the
people spoke against Elohim and against Mosheh, “Why have you brought us up out
of Mitsrayim to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and
our being loathes this light bread.”
Num 21:6 And יהוה sent fiery
serpents among the people, and they bit the people. And many of the people of
Yisra’ĕl died.
Num 21:7 Then the
people came to Mosheh, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against יהוה and against you. Pray to יהוה to take away
the serpents from us.” So Mosheh prayed on behalf of the people.
Num 21:8 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Make a
fiery serpent, and set it on a pole. And it shall be that everyone who is
bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.”
Num 21:9 So Mosheh
made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole. And it came to be, if a serpent
had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.
Once again we see that during our wilderness pilgrimage
only a revelation of the suffering and triumphant Messiah will bring us through
to our destiny.
“The Brazen
Serpent was a picture of the Messiah who was lifted up on an execution stake –
“Cross”, would heal those bitten by the poison of sin. Israel rebelled against
YHVH, and only by being obedient and believing YHVH’s healing of sin, could
they find healing. They needed to turn to the Brass Serpent if they desired
healing. In the same way, man must turn to Messiah who was lifted up on an
execution stake (stick) if they want healing from the poison of sin.”
Aliyah Shishi 21:10-20
Num 21:10 And the children of Yisra’ĕl set out and
camped in Oḇoth.
Num 21:11
And they departed from Ovoth and camped at Iyĕ Ha-Avarim, in the wilderness
which is east of Mo’av, toward sunrise.
Num 21:12
From there they set out and camped at the wadi Zered.
Num 21:13
From there they set out and camped on the other side of the Arnon, which
is in the wilderness that extends from the border of the Amorites, for the
Arnon is the border of Mo’av, between Mo’av and the Amorites.
Num 21:14
Therefore it is said in the Book
of the Battles of יהוה, “Wahĕv in Suphah, the wadi Arnon,
Num 21:15 and the
slope of the wadi that turns aside to the dwelling of Ar, and lies on the
border of Mo’av.”
Num 21:16 And from
there on to Be’ĕr, which is the well where יהוה said to
Mosheh, “Gather the people, and let Me give them water.”
Num 21:17 Yisra’ĕl
then sang this song: “Spring up, O well! Sing to it, (well feminine in Hebrew)
Num 21:18 a well
the leaders sank, which the nobles of the people dug with their staves, by the
word of the Law-giver.” Then from the wilderness on to Mattanah,
Num 21:19 from
Mattanah to Naḥali’ĕl, from Naḥali’ĕl to Bamoth,
Num 21:20 and from
Bamoth, in the valley that is in the country of Mo’av, to the top of Pisgah
which looks down on the wasteland.
Aliyah Sheviee 21:21-22:1
Amazingly,
this is the precise setting for our haftarah portion of Shof’tim (Judges)
11:1-33.
Num 21:21 And Yisra’ĕl sent messengers to Sichon sovereign of the
Amorites, saying,
Num 21:22
“Let me pass through your land. We shall not turn off into fields or
vineyards, we shall not drink water from wells, but go by the sovereign’s
highway until we have passed over your border.”
Num 21:23
But Sichon would not allow Yisra’ĕl to pass through his border. So Sichon
gathered all his people together and went out against Yisra’ĕl in the
wilderness, and he came to Yahats and fought against Yisra’ĕl.
Num 21:24
And Yisra’ĕl smote him with the edge of the sword, and took possession
of his land from the Arnon to the Yabboq, as far as the children of Ammon, for
the border of the children of Ammon was strong.
Num 21:25
And Yisra’ĕl took all these cities, and Yisra’ĕl dwelt in all the cities
of the Amorites – in Ḥeshbon and in all its villages,
Num 21:26
for Ḥeshbon was the city of Siḥon the sovereign of the Amorites, who
had fought against the former sovereign of Mo’av, and had taken all his land
from his hand as far as the Arnon.
Num 21:27
That is why those who speak in proverbs say, “Come to Ḥeshbon, let the
city of Sichon be built and established.
Num 21:28
“For fire went out from Ḥeshbon, a flame from the city of Sichon. It
consumed Ar of Mo’aḇ, the masters of the heights of the Arnon.
Num 21:29 “Woe
to you, Mo’av! You have perished, O people of Kemosh! He has given his sons as
fugitives, and his daughters into captivity, to Sichon the sovereign of the
Amorites.
Num 21:30
“Then we shot them – Ḥeshbon has perished as far as Divon. And we laid
waste as far as Nophaḥ, which reaches to Mĕydeva.”
Num 21:31 So
Yisra’ĕl dwelt in the land of the Amorites.
Num 21:32
And Mosheh sent to spy out Ya’zĕr. And they took its villages and drove
out the Amorites who were there,
Num 21:33
and turned and went up by the way to Bashan. And Oḡ sovereign of Bashan
went out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edre’i.
Num 21:34
And יהוה said to
Mosheh, “Do not fear him, for I have given him into your hand, with all his
people and his land. And you shall do to him as you did to Sichon sovereign of
the Amorites, who dwelt at Ḥeshbon.”
Num 21:35 And they
smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until no remnant was left to him.
And they took possession of his land.
Num 22:1 And the children of Yisra’ĕl set out and camped
in the desert plains of Mo’av
beyond the Yardĕn of Yericho.
“Baruch atah YHVH,
Eloheynu, Melech ha-‘Olam,
asher natan lanu
Toraht-emet,
v’chay-yeh o’lam
nata-b’tochenu.
Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn
ha-Torah. Ameyn.”
(Blessed are you YHVH,
our Elohim, King of the Universe,
you have given us your
Torah of truth,
and have planted
everlasting life within our midst.
Blessed are you, YHVH
giver of the Torah.
Ameyn.)
Please note these notes
are under construction and are subject to correction and are in
no way a final authority
on any subject.