6/25/2021

Parashat 42 Portion 121 - Mattot/Tribes – Num/Bamid. 30:1 – 31:54 Jer 4:1-4 Mat 5:33-48


Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, King of the universe, who has made us set apart through His commandments and commanded us to actively study Torah. Please YHVH, our Elohim, sweeten the words of Your Torah in our mouths and in the mouths of all Your people Israel. May we and our offspring, and the offspring of Your people, the House of Israel, may we all, together, know Your Name and study Your Torah for the sake of fulfilling Your desire. Blessed are You, YHVH, Who teaches Torah to His people Israel. Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, King of the universe, Who chose us from all the nations and gave us the Torah. Blessed are You, YHVH, Giver of the Torah.

Aliyah Rishon 30:1-31:12

Num 30:1  And Mosheh spoke to the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, “This is the word which יהוה has commanded:

Num 30:2  “When a man vows a vow to יהוה, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he does not break his word, he does according to all that comes out of his mouth

A vow or “neder” can mean a promise or a commitment to YHVH or someone else.

An oath or “shavuah” is an oath or a determination to make your promise or commitment come to pass. The Hebrew word for “shavuah” comes from the word “seven” which is the number of completion – so after the vow man makes a ‘’seven’’ his intention is do everything in his or her power relying on YHVH’s help to make his or her word come to pass.

The words of an old  spiritual song capture some of the essence of what is been stated in these verses:

You’re the High Priest of my life and the Word of my confession.

And every word I speak, You present to the Father

And if I abide in You and Your Word abides me

You create the fruit of my lips

And every word becomes a seed, and they create life and peace

'cause You are the High Priest of the words that I speak.

 

We were meant to live by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of YHVH.

 Deu 8:1  “Guard to do every command which I command you today, that you might live, and shall increase, and go in, and shall possess the land of which יהוה swore to your fathers. 

Deu 8:2  “And you shall remember that יהוה your Elohim led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, prove you, to know what is in your heart, whether you guard His commands or not. 

Deu 8:3  “And He humbled you, and let you suffer hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, to make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but by every Word that comes from the mouth of יהוה.a Footnote: aSee also Mat_4:4 and in Luk_4:4

Deu 8:4  “Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. 

Deu 8:5  “Thus you shall know in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so יהוה your Elohim disciplines you, 

Deu 8:6  therefore you shall guard the commands of יהוה your Elohim, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. 

Now sadly not all our words create life and peace. You may claim to be speaking the truth, but you are ministering death by your words. Every word that comes from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil will create death. Every word that come from the Tree of Life will create life and peace, even if that word is a rebuke or a warning – or every word that comes from your being that is not submitted to YHVH’s Spirit will eventually bring death.

For this reason, we should be incredibly careful what we say because all of us have a tragic and poisonous relationship with the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

We think we know, but we do not know as we ought to know.

Pro 14:12  There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death[a] Footnote: a Pro_16:25

Proverbs chapter three teaches us that it is the Torah that is the Tree of Life.

Pro 3:1  My son, do not forget my Torah, And let your heart watch over my commands; 

Pro 3:2  For length of days and long life And peace they add to you. 

Pro 3:3  Let not loving-commitment and truth forsake you – Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, 

Pro 3:4  Thus finding favour and good insight In the eyes of Elohim and man. 

Pro 3:5  Trust in יהוה with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 

Pro 3:6  Know Him in all your ways, And He makes all your paths straight. 

Pro 3:7  Do not be wise in your own eyes;a Fear יהוה and turn away from evil.b Footnotes: a Isa_5:21. b Job_28:28

Pro 3:8  It is healing to your navel, And moistening to your bones.

Pro 3:18  She (Torah) is a tree of life to those taking hold of her, And blessed are all who retain her. 

Pro 3:19  יהוה founded the earth by wisdom; He established the heavens by understanding; 

Pro 3:20  By His knowledge the depths were broken up, And clouds drop down dew. 

Pro 3:21  My son, let them not depart from your eyes; Watch over sound wisdom and discretion; 

Pro 3:22  Then they become life to your being And an adorning to your neck. 

‘’I have frequently spoken on the spiritual meanings of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life. The meaning of' the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is independence, the taking of independent action. The tree of life, though, signifies dependence or reliance on YHVH. The significance of this tree further tells us that Adam's original life is but a human life, and that therefore he needs to depend on YHVH and receive YHVH's life in order to live. But the tree of the knowledge of good and evil discloses that man does not need to depend on YHVH but he can work and live and bear fruit all by himself. Why do I bring up these matters? Simply to show you the cause of Adam and Eve's fall.’’ Watchman Nee.

 It is in our clinging to YHVH’s Messiah and His Word – The Torah – that we are transformed into the image of His Son Messiah.

The Scripture is a commentary on the Torah – The Torah was never meant to be isolated from the scripture or from our lives.

 With Words YHVH create the heavens and the earth.

Heb 11:3  By belief, we understand that the ages (Gk – ‘’worlds’’) were prepared by the word of Elohim, so that what is seen was not made of what is visible (not just this world but the world to come)

 Pro 18:21  Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.

 Unknown to most the word “Abracadabra” is actually a Hebrew phrase, which means “I create (A’bra) what (ca) I speak (dab’ra).” (see also Hierosolyma est Perdita)

This word is used by so called magicians to deceive their audiences. Sadly many religious leaders use the same kind of deception to deceive their audiences. When we hear words, we need to test and discern the spirit behind these words – 1 John 4:1 Beloved ones, do not believe every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of Elohim, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 

In this regard Watchman Nee wrote a book called the ‘’Latent power of the soul’’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fy5ne13zqlU

Hos 4:6  “My people have perished for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being priest for Me. Since you have forgotten the Torah of your Elohim, I also forget your children. 


Mat 5:33  “Again, you heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to יהוה.’

Mat 5:34  “But I say to you, do not swear at all, neither by the heaven, because it is Elohim’s throne;

Mat 5:35  nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Yerushalayim, for it is the city of the great Sovereign;

Mat 5:36  nor swear by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black.

Mat 5:37  “But let your word ‘Yea’ be ‘Yea,’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ And what goes beyond these is from the wicked one.

 

Sadly the Jewish liturgy has introduced a mechanism called the Kol Nidrei to cancel out vows that one could not keep. This practice has been frowned upon in times past by various Jewish leaders.

 

“Kol Nidrei has had an eventful history, both in itself and in its influence on the legal status of the  Jews. Introduced into the liturgy despite the opposition of some rabbinic authorities, it was attacked in the course of time by some rabbis and in the 19th century expunged from the prayer book by many communities of western Europe.The term Kol Nidrei refers not only to the actual declaration, but is also popularly used as a name for the entire Yom Kippur evening service.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kol_Nidre

 

  Kol Nidrei – ‘All vows’, it begins, and goes on to nullify the vows each person will make and not keep from this Yom Kippur to the next, and by implication those made and unkept during the past year.  The vows annulled are not those contracted with another person; in Jewish law, abrogating such oaths requires the consent of both parties.  These are the vows people make to themselves or to YHVH, ethical obligations undertaken unwittingly or personal promises an individual may be unable to carry out."

Num 30:3  “Or if a woman vows a vow to יהוה, and binds herself by some agreement while in her father’s house in her youth,

We need to consider however a deeper implication to the above verse and possibly the key to understanding YHVH’s purpose for vows in this parashah.

 

Lets first look into the matter of covenant – “brit” in Hebrew:

 

Covenant = an elected, as opposed to natural, relationship of obligation under oath.

A covenant is elected because it is always entered into by choice rather than necessity. Hence “בְּרִית is nowhere employed of naturally occurring relationships and the ordinary obligations which attend them, such as those which exist between parents and a child”.[18] A covenant is relational because it always involves two parties.[19] This explains the common use of familial terminology to describe a covenant, even though the parties previously had no kinship bond. But a covenant is not just any type of relationship; it is specifically a relationship of obligation, because it always binds one or both of the parties to certain specified duties. Finally, a covenant is always solemnified by an oath or oath-sign (e.g. a solemn rite).[In fact, בְּרִית may be used as a shorthand for אוֹת בְּרִית, “covenantal sign” (e.g. circumcision, Gen 17:9–14).[23]

  

  http://www.lionelwindsor.net/2010/01/26/whats-the-precise-meaning-of-the-word-covenant-in-the-old-testament/.  


Herein lies the problem – man was never able to keep his side of the covenant with YHVH – his Maker. So YHVH chose His Son Messiah to enter into a covenant with Himself on our behalf – see Gen/Ber 15 –

YHVH put Avraham to sleep when He was about to make a covenant with him and symbolically made a covenant with the future coming Messiah (burning oven – vs 17) that He knew would be able to keep the terms and conditions of that covenant and so secure an eternal relationship between Himself and His Creation.

 

The church and any other person who calls themselves a believer is NOT in a covenant with YHVH if they reject the terms and conditions of YHVH’s covenant – His Torah.

Israelites who enter into marriage or other covenants with each other are also bound by the terms and conditions of YHVH’s covenant – His Torah – the very theme of this week’s parashah.

Some Christians may object and claim that their faith in ‘’Jesus’’ enables them to be in a covenant with YHVH.

John 1 clearly teaches that Yahshua is the Word – The Torah- of YHVH in the flesh. You cannot separate Yahshua from the Torah.

Heb 10:7  “Then I said, ‘See, I come – in the roll of the book (scroll) it has been written concerning Me – to do Your desire, O Elohim.’ ” Psa_40:6-8. (Torah scrolls were rolled up- the word ‘’book’’ does not appear in the Hebrew text  - אָז אָמַרְתִּי, הִנֵּה-בָאתִי:    בִּמְגִלַּת-סֵפֶר, כָּתוּב עָלָי.

The Torah scroll was written about Yahshua.

 

Could the Bride of Messiah also be the “woman” spoken of in vs 3 of this parashah? However in Messiah we are now more able than ever to keep the covenant. However there are time when we still break covenant with YHVH and with men. Even in our covenant unfaithfulness YHVH continues to cover this transgression.

 

Num 30:4  and her father hears her vow and the agreement by which she has bound herself, and her father has kept silent towards her, then all her vows shall stand, and every agreement with which she has bound herself stands.

Num 30:5  “But if her father forbids her on the day that he hears, then none of her vows nor her agreements by which she has bound herself stand. And יהוה pardons her, because her father has forbidden her

Num 30:6  “But if she at all belongs to a husband, while bound by her vows or by a rash utterance from her lips by which she bound herself, 

Num 30:7  and her husband hears it, and he has kept silent towards her on the day that he hears, then her vows shall stand, and her agreements by which she bound herself do stand.

Num 30:8  “But if her husband forbids her on the day that he hears it, then he has nullified her vow which she vowed, and the rash utterance of her lips by which she bound herself, and יהוה pardons her.

 

Isa 28:16  Therefore thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am laying in Tsiyon a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a settled foundation. He who trusts shall not hasten away.

Isa 28:17  And I shall make right-ruling the measuring line, and righteousness the plummet. And the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lying, and the waters overflow the hiding place.

Isa 28:18  And your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your vision with the grave not stand. When an overflowing scourge passes through, then you shall be trampled down by it. (An end time prophecy?)

 

Num 30:9  “But any vow of a widow or a divorced woman, by which she has bound herself, stands against her.

(She doesn’t have protection)

Num 30:10  “And if she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound herself by an agreement with an oath,

Num 30:11  and her husband heard it, and has kept silent towards her and did not forbid her, then all her vows shall stand, and every agreement by which she bound herself stands.

Num 30:12  “But if her husband clearly nullified them on the day he heard them, then whatever came from her lips concerning her vows or concerning the agreement binding her, it does not stand – her husband has nullified them, and יהוה pardons her.

Num 30:13  “Every vow and every binding oath to afflict her being, let her husband confirm it, or let her husband nullify it.

Num 30:14  “But if her husband is altogether silent at her from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or all the agreements that bind her – he confirms them, because he kept silent towards her on the day that he heard.

 

Num 30:15  “But if he nullifies (Heb – ‘’breaks or frustrates’’- repeated twice implying a definite and continual action) them after he has heard, then he shall bear her crookedness.”

 

Eph 5:22  Wives, subject yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Master. 

Eph 5:23  Because the husband is head of the wife, as also the Messiah is head of the assembly, and He is Saviour of the body. 

Eph 5:24  But as the assembly is subject to Messiah, so also let the wives be to their own husbands in every respect. 

Eph 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, as Messiah also did love the assembly and gave Himself for it, 

Eph 5:26  in order to set it apart and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word,f Footnote: f Rev_19:8-9

Eph 5:27  in order to present it to Himself a splendid assembly, not having spot or wrinkle or any of this sort, but that it might be set-apart and blameless. 

Eph 5:28  In this way husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 

Eph 5:29  For no one ever hated his own flesh, but feeds and cherishes it, as also the Master does the assembly. 

Eph 5:30  Because we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. 

Eph 5:31  “For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” Gen_2:24

Eph 5:32  This secret is great, but I speak concerning Messiah and the assembly. 

Eph 5:33  However, you too, everyone, let each one love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she fears her husband. 

 

Num 30:16  These are the laws which יהוה commanded Mosheh, between a man and his wife, and between a father and his daughter in her youth in her father’s house.

 

YHVH’s “Silence” could possibly be one the greatest acts of judgment that can come upon His people. YHVH knows the end from the beginning and probably hands many over to do what is improper because He knows that they have little desire to repent from wrong or do what is right. Maybe YHVH also allows certain forbidden commitments to take place so that we may come to our senses as did the prodigal son, with the hope that we will return home with weeping and repenting.

 

Jer 3:8  “And I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Yisra’ĕl had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Yehuḏah did not fear, but went and committed whoring too.

 

If YHVH “divorces” you because of covenantal unfaithfulness and you then you can go ahead and get “married” to your false doctrines and ideas – the danger is that most who follow this path pay a very high price. Everyone one of has some experience of this turning away.

 

Deu 24:1  “When a man takes a wife and shall marry her, then it shall be, if she finds no favour in his eyes because he has found a matter of uncoveredness (acting outside of covenantal obligations) in her, and he shall write her a certificate of divorce, and put it in her hand, and send her out of his house,

Deu 24:2  and if she left his house and went and became another man’s wife,

Deu 24:3  and the latter husband shall hate her and write her a certificate of divorce, and put it in her hand, and send her out of his house, or when the latter husband dies who took her to be his wife,

Deu 24:4  then her former husband who sent her away is not allowed to take her back to be his wife after she has been defiled, for that would be an abomination before יהוה. And do not bring sin on the land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you as an inheritance.

 

This is the great mystery and blessing of the Good news – In Yahshua our bridegroom we have all ‘’died’’to our ‘’first husband’’ our failed relationship with the Torah. Now we are free to marry our husband again- the Living Torah – our Messiah.

 

Rom 7:1  Or do you not know, brothers – for I speak to those knowing the Torah – that the Torah rules over a man as long as he lives? 

Rom 7:2  For the married woman has been bound by Torah to the living husband, but if the husband dies, she is released from the Torah concerning her husband. 

Rom 7:3  So then, while her husband lives, she shall be called an adulteress if she becomes another man’s. But if her husband dies, she is free from that part of the Torah, so that she is not an adulteress, having become another man’s. 

Rom 7:4  So my brothers, you also were put to death to the Torah through the body of Messiah, for you to become another’s, the One who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to Elohim. 

Rom 7:5  For when we were in the flesh, the passions of sins, through the Torah, were working in our members to bear fruit to death. 

Rom 7:6  But now we have been released from the Torah, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in newness of Spirit and not in oldness of letter. 

 

Num 30:15  “But if he nullifies (Heb – ‘’breaks or frustrates’’- repeated twice implying a definite and continual action) them after he has heard, then he shall bear her crookedness.”

What does this mean?

 

1Ti 3:16  And, beyond all question, the secret of reverence is great – who was revealed in the flesh, declared right in Spirit, was seen by messengers, was proclaimed among nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in esteem. 

 

When Yahshua unites himself to His Bride – He will destroy all those who oppose or seek to defile this union and present His Bride with gifts so large that they are unimaginable.

 

In chapter 31 we get a sense of what will happen to a people who cause any form of covenantal unfaithfulness for the nation of Israel.

 

Num 31:1  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,

Num 31:2  “Take vengeance for the children of Yisra’ĕl on the Miḏyanites. After that you are to be gathered to your people.”

Num 31:3  And Mosheh spoke to the people, saying, “Arm some of yourselves for the campaign, and let them go against the Miḏyanites to take vengeance for יהוה on Miḏyan.

Num 31:4  “Send a thousand from each tribe of all the tribes of Yisra’ĕl for the campaign.”

Num 31:5  So there were supplied from the tribes of Yisra’ĕl one thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed ones for the campaign.

Num 31:6  And Mosheh sent them on the campaign, one thousand from each tribe, them and Pineḥas son of Elʽazar the priest on the campaign, with the set-apart utensils and the trumpets for sounding in his hand.

Num 31:7  And they fought against the Miḏyanites, as יהוה commanded Mosheh, and slew all the males.

Num 31:8  And they slew the sovereigns of Miḏyan with the rest of those who were pierced: Ewi, and Reqem, and Tsur, and Ḥur, and Reḇa, the five sovereigns of Miḏyan. And they slew Bilʽam son of Beʽor with the sword.

Num 31:9  And the sons of Yisra’ĕl took all the women of Miḏyan captive, with their little ones, and took as spoil all their livestock, and all their possessions.

Num 31:10  And they burned with fire all the cities where they dwelt, and all their settlements.

Num 31:11  And they took all the spoil and all the booty, both of man and beast.

Num 31:12  And they brought the captives, and the booty, and the spoil to Mosheh, and to Elʽazar the priest, and to the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl, to the camp in the desert plains of Mo’aḇ by the Yardĕn of Yeriḥo.

 

This was the last commandment YHVH gave to Moshe. Perhaps the destruction of all those who cause strife will be the last event that happens before Messiah returns.

 Devarim (Deuteronomy) ‘’mishnah Torah’’ or the repeat of Torah in Moshe’s words. Devarim is most quoted by Messiah.

 Note how Yisrael had to be absolutely ruthless in dealing with this problem. Everything had to be destroyed that could lead them astray again. (see next aliyah)


Aliyah Sheni 31:13-54

Num 31:13  And Mosheh, and Elʽazar the priest, and all the leaders of the congregation, went to meet them outside the camp.

Num 31:14  But Mosheh was wroth with the officers of the army, with the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, who had come from the campaign.

Num 31:15  And Mosheh said to them, “Have you kept all the women alive?

Num 31:16  “Look, they are the ones who caused the children of Yisra’ĕl, through the word of Bilʽam, to trespass against יהוה in the matter of Peʽor, and there was a plague among the congregation of יהוה.

Num 31:17  “And now, slay every male among the little ones. And every woman who has known a man by lying with a man you shall slay.

Num 31:18  “But keep alive for yourselves all the female children who have not known a man by lying with a man.

Num 31:19  “And you, camp outside the camp seven days. Whoever has slain any being, and whoever has touched any slain, cleanse yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day.

Num 31:20  “And cleanse every garment, and every object of leather and all the work of goats’ hair, and every object of wood.”

Num 31:21  And Elʽazar the priest said to the men of the campaign who went to the battle, “This is the law of the Torah which יהוה commanded Mosheh:

 

Somehow this sums up all of Torah. How? One of the central issues of Torah is to separate ourselves from all that can defile us and be wholly set apart unto YHVH (term used only twice in Torah).

 

Num 31:22  “Only the gold, and the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead,

Num 31:23  every object that passes through fire, you put through the fire, and it shall be clean; only, let it be cleansed with the water for uncleanness. And whatever does not pass through fire you pass through water.

Num 31:24  “And you shall wash your garments on the seventh day and be clean, and afterwards come into the camp.”

Num 31:25  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,

Num 31:26  “Count up the plunder that was taken, of man and of beast, you and Elʽazar the priest and the heads of the fathers of the congregation.

Num 31:27  “And you shall divide the plunder into two parts, between those who took part in the battle, who went out on the campaign, and all the congregation.

Num 31:28  “And set aside a levy for יהוה on the men of battle who went out on the campaign: one out of every five hundred, of man, and of the cattle, and of the donkeys, and of the sheep.

Num 31:29  “Take it from their half, and give it to Elʽazar the priest as a contribution to יהוה.

Num 31:30  “And from the children of Yisra’ĕl’s half you shall take one of every fifty, of man, of the cattle, of the donkeys, and of the sheep, of all the livestock, and give them to the Lĕwites guarding the duty of the Dwelling Place of יהוה.”

Num 31:31  And Mosheh and Elʽazar the priest did as יהוה commanded Mosheh.

Num 31:32  And the booty remaining from the plunder, which the people of the campaign had taken, was six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep,

Num 31:33  and seventy-two thousand cattle,

Num 31:34  and sixty-one thousand donkeys,

Num 31:35  and thirty-two thousand human beings in all, of women who had not known a man by lying with a man.

Num 31:36  And the half, the portion for those who went out on the campaign, was in number three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep,

Num 31:37  and the levy unto יהוה of the sheep was six hundred and seventy-five.

Num 31:38  And the cattle were thirty-six thousand, of which the levy unto יהוה was seventy-two.

Num 31:39  And the donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred, of which the levy unto יהוה was sixty-one.

Num 31:40  And the human beings were sixteen thousand, of which the levy unto יהוה was thirty-two beings.

Num 31:41  So Mosheh gave the levy which was the contribution unto יהוה to Elʽazar the priest, as יהוה commanded Mosheh.

Num 31:42  And from the children of Yisra’ĕl’s half, which Mosheh divided from the men who campaigned:

Num 31:43  now the half belonging to the congregation was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep,

Num 31:44  and thirty-six thousand cattle,

Num 31:45  and thirty thousand five hundred donkeys,

Num 31:46  and sixteen thousand human beings.

Num 31:47  Then Mosheh took from the children of Yisra’ĕl’s half: one out of every fifty, drawn from man and beast, and gave them to the Lĕwites, who guarded the duty of the Dwelling Place of יהוה, as יהוה commanded Mosheh.

Num 31:48  And the officers who were over thousands of the campaign, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, came near to Mosheh,

Num 31:49  and they said to Mosheh, “Your servants have taken a count of the fighting men under our command, and not a man of us is missing.

 

In the natural this seems impossible, therefore it could also possibly be an allegorical description of life in the millennium where the bride of Messiah will not only be immortal but will accumulate great wealth from the nations.

 

Isa 60:11  “And your gates shall be open continually, they are not shut day or night, to bring to you the wealth of the gentiles, and their sovereigns in procession.

Isa 60:12  “For the nation and the reign that do not serve you shall perish, and those gentiles shall be utterly laid waste.

 

Num 31:50  “So we have brought an offering for יהוה, what every man found of ornaments of gold: armlets and bracelets and signet rings and earrings and necklaces, to make atonement for ourselves before יהוה.”

Num 31:51  And Mosheh and Elʽazar the priest received the gold from them, all the fashioned ornaments.

Num 31:52  And all the gold of the offering that they presented to יהוה, from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty sheqels.

Num 31:53  The men of the campaign had taken spoil, every man for himself.

Num 31:54  And Mosheh and Elʽazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the Tent of Meeting as a remembrance for the children of Yisra’ĕl before יהוה.

 

Additional Midrash:

What does this mean?

Num 30:12  “But if her husband clearly nullified them on the day he heard them, then whatever came from her lips concerning her vows or concerning the agreement binding her, it does not stand – her husband has nullified them, and יהוה pardons her.

Num 30:13  “Every vow and every binding oath to afflict her being, let her husband confirm it, or let her husband nullify it.

Num 30:14  “But if her husband is altogether silent at her from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or all the agreements that bind her – he confirms them, because he kept silent towards her on the day that he heard.

 Num 30:15  “But if he nullifies (Heb – ‘’breaks or frustrates’’- repeated twice implying a definite and continual action) them after he has heard, then he shall bear her crookedness.”

 

To seek further insight into this matter, lets us consider the marriage covenant between YHVH and Israel as well as the marriage covenant between a husband and a wife.

 

Exo 19:3  And Mosheh went up to Elohim, and יהוה called to him from the mountain, saying, “This is what you are to say to the house of Ya‛aqoḇ, and declare to the children of Yisra’ěl: 

Exo 19:4  ‘You have seen what I did to the Mitsrites, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. 

Exo 19:5  ‘And now, if you diligently obey My voice, and shall guard My covenant, then you shall be My treasured possession above all the peoples – for all the earth is Mine – 

Exo 19:6  ‘and you shall be to Me a reign of priests and a set-apart nation.’ Those are the words which you are to speak to the children of Yisra’ěl.” 

Exo 19:7  And Mosheh came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which יהוה commanded him. 

Exo 19:8  And all the people answered together and said, “All that יהוה has spoken we shall do.” So Mosheh brought back the words of the people to יהוה

Exo 19:9  And יהוה said to Mosheh, “See, I am coming to you in the thick cloud,(marriage chuppah) so that the people hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.” And Mosheh reported the words of the people to יהוה

 

These are the covenant words between YHVH and His Bride:

 

Exo 20:2  “I am יהוה your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim, out of the house of slavery. 

 

Or the wife says to the husband ‘’YHVH has appointed you alone to be my husband, to cherish and guide me in His ways – to teach me His Torah – I will receive only your seed(as long as you are alive) to produce set apart children who will be taught the ways of YHVH our Maker’’.

 

Exo 20:3  “You have no other mighty ones against My face. 

 

Or ‘’I shall forsake all other men and be faithful to you alone’’.

 

Exo 20:4  “You do not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of that which is in the heavens above, or which is in the earth beneath, or which is in the waters under the earth, 

Exo 20:5  you do not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, יהוה your Elohim am a jealous Ěl, visiting the crookedness of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 

Exo 20:6  but showing loving-commitment to thousands, to those who love Me and guard My commands. 

 

Or ‘’ I will look to you to provide me and our children with guidance, provision and instruction and to bring us into a deeper understanding and love for our Creator and Heavenly Father’’.

 

Exo 20:7  “You do not bring[a] the Name of יהוה your Elohim to naught, for יהוה does not leave the one unpunished who brings His Name to naught. Footnote: aOr lift up, or take

 

Or ‘’I will deeply respect and fear you and honour you at all times’’

 

Eph 5:33  However, you too, everyone, let each one love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she fears her husband. 

 

Exo 20:8  “Remember the Sabbath day, to set it apart. 

Exo 20:9  “Six days you labour, and shall do all your work, 

Exo 20:10  but the seventh day is a Sabbath[b] of יהוה your Elohim. You do not do any work – you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. Footnote: [b]There are other Sabbaths, but this is the weekly Sabbath. 

Exo 20:11  “For in six days יהוה made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore יהוה blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart. 

 

Or ‘’I will honour you, my husband, and our children and our servants by preparing the weekly sabbath meal. I will do the same on all YHVH’s other appointed times.’’ (Except no feasting on Yom Kippur)

 

Exo 20:12  “Respect your father and your mother, so that your days are prolonged upon the soil which יהוה your Elohim is giving you. 

 

Or ‘’I will give you, my husband, the same honour and respect that I gave my father and my mother’’.

 

2Co 3:5  Not that we are competent in ourselves to reckon any matter as from ourselves, but our competence is from Elohim, 

2Co 3:6  who also made us competent as servants of a renewed covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit, for the letter kills but the Spirit gives life. 

(Blessed are you Yahweh, 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.