The 40^th year

[of the calendar begun in Ex 12:2]

In Kadesh (in Desert of Zin [part of Desert of Paran])

[after years of travelling, see 33:20-36]

20:1

• In Month 1 [Year 40], Miriam dies [in the same district as the 40-year prophecy, cf. 13:26 & 14:32-35]

GRUMBLE #6

20:2-13

• The Israelites grumble at lack of water;
• God tells Moses, ‘Speak to the rock!’ but Moses hits it to get water [cf. Ex 17:5-6];
• As Moses & Aaron did not trust God, they will not enter the Promised Land
• The site is named Meribah [-Kadesh, Dt 32:51; not Massah-Meribah, Ex 17:7]

20:14-21

• The Israelites intend to travel [north] through Edom, but are refused entry so turn back [south]

At Mount Hor (cf. 33:37-39)

20:22-29

• Eleazar is given Aaron’s [High-Priestly] clothing;
• Aaron dies [on Day 1, Month 5, Year 40, cf. 33:38]

The journey to the Jordan river (cf. 33:40-49)

21:1-3

• The king of Arad [in Negev desert, southern Canaan (or King Arad, KJV)] attacks the Israelites & captures some of them;
• The Israelites pray, then destroy the people of Arad & their cities

GRUMBLE #7

21:4-9

• The Israelites grumble at the lack of bread & water, so God sends venomous snakes;
• Moses prays & is told to make a bronze serpent on a pole to [miraculously] heal those looking at it

21:10-20

• The Israelites continue their journey [north, but bypassing Edom (see 20:21 & 21:4) / cf. Dt 2:2-23]

Claiming Land

21:21-32

• King Sihon of the Amorites fights Israel; he is defeated & his land conquered [cf. Dt 2:24-36]

21:33-35

• King Og of Bashan fights Israel; he is defeated & his land conquered [cf. Dt 3:1-11]

The 40^th year: Camped by the River Jordan

Israel encamps in the plains of Moab:

Balaam is hired to curse them

22:1-14

• King Balak of Moab is scared of Israel, so he joins with the Midianites & attempts to hire Balaam [a prophet of Aram, see 23:7] to curse the Israelites; God forbids Balaam from going

22:15-41

• Balak tries again to hire Balaam & God allows it [but Balaam plans to curse Israel as he loves getting a reward, see 2 Pet 2:15-16];
• While Balaam journeys on his donkey, God opposes him to warn him what to say

23:1-15

Oracle #1

• ‘God has not cursed Israel [they are blessed]!’
• Balak tries moving to a 2^nd location

23:16-30

Oracle #2

• ‘God has blessed Israel & they are not cursed!’
• Balak moves to a 3^rd location

24:1-13

Oracle #3

• ‘Israel is blessed [by God]!’
• Balak refuses to reward Balaam [with honour & wages]

24:14-19

Oracle #4

• ‘A Star & Sceptre [a King] will come from Israel who will crush Moab & Edom!’

24:20-25

Further oracles:

• ‘Other nations are also cursed!’
• Balaam goes home [then to Midian, see 31:8]

The Moabites & Midianites entice the Israelites to sin

25:1-5

• The women of Moab [& Midian, see 25:6] entice the Israelites to sexual sin & worship of Baal

[Balaam taught: ‘If Israel sins, God will curse Israel!’ cf. 31:16 & Rev 2:14] 

• God burns with anger [& sends a plague, see 25:9, 31:16 & Dt 4:3];
• God says, ‘Kill the Israelite leaders [who allowed sin]!’

25:6-15

• A man brings a Midianite woman into the camp [for sex];
• Phinehas the priest kills both of them;
• [consequently] the plague stops (having killed 24,000 people);
• God rewards Phinehas

25:16-18

• God tells Moses to destroy the Midianites

[Moses’ first wife was from Midian (see Ex 2:15-21) but the command is carried out in Num ch. 31. The Moabites are temporarily spared (cf. Dt 2:9) but see prophecy of Num 24:17]

The 40^th year census

+ How to divide the Promised Land

26:1-51

Census E: ‘Take a census of all men aged 20+ who go out to war’

Grand Total E = 601,730

26:52-56

• The [Promised] Land must be divided by lottery according to the number of men in each tribe

26:57-62

Census F: A census was taken of all Levite sons aged 1 month+

Grand Total F = 23,000

26:63-65

• None of the [army] men previously counted [in Census A] are still alive, except Caleb & Joshua

27:1-11

• Zelophehad’s daughters ask, ‘May we inherit [land]?’; God says, ‘Daughters can inherit land’

27:12-23

• Moses must view the Land before he dies [cf. Dt 34:1-5];
• Joshua is appointed as future leader

Laws #4: Sacrificial offerings / Keeping vows

ch. 28 – 29

• God says, ‘Make offerings twice a day,
  • + on Sabbath,
  • + New Moon,
  • + Passover,
  • + Feast-of-Weeks [a.k.a. Pentecost / Firstfruits of wheat],
  • + Feast-of-Trumpets,
  • + Day of Atonement,
  • + Feast-of-Tabernacles’

ch. 30

• A man’s vow must be kept;
• a woman’s vow can quickly be annulled by her father or husband

Claiming Land

Taking vengeance

ch. 31

• God says, ‘Attack Midian!’ (cf. 25:16-18); Midian’s kings (& Balaam) are killed; the [wicked] women are captured but then killed; the goods are divided up; an offering is made to God

Claiming land / The journey so far

ch. 32

• Tribes of Reuben, Gad & v33, v39-42, half of Manasseh receive land [east of the Jordan, taken in 21:23-35] on condition that they fight for the Promised Land [west of the Jordan, cf. Josh 22:1-9]

33:1-49 Recap: The full journey from Egypt [departure, Ex 12:37] to the Jordan river [arrival, Num 22:1]

Laws #5: Inheriting the Promised Land

33:50-56

• God says, ‘You must drive out all inhabitants of the Promised Land, and destroy their idols!’

34:1-12

• God says, ‘The Promised Land has these borders...’ [Israelites may not conquer land beyond them]

34:13-29

• The Land must be assigned by lottery; God chooses leaders who will help distribute the plots

ch. 35

• The Levites must receive 48 cities; 6 of them must be designated as Cities of Refuge for someone who kills a person
• God explains the laws about murder, manslaughter & refuge

ch. 36

• The elders ask, ‘Will tribal inheritance land be lost if Zelophehad’s daughters marry into another tribe?’ (cf. 27:1-11);
• God says, ‘Daughters with land must marry within their tribe’

Ex / Lev / NUM / Deut / Josh