Studies

Num. 35:33 

So, you shall not pollute the Land in which you are dwelling. Blood pollutes the Land; and no atonement can be made for the Land that was defiled by blood, except the blood of him who shed it.”

As explained in the first nine verses of Deuteronomy 21, the blood of an unworked red heifer could bring forgiveness for the Land that had been defiled by bloodshed if it was unknown who was responsible.  

The point being made in Numbers 35 is that no ransom price could atone for murder. The convicted murderer had to be put to death. This is explained two verses earlier. Num. 35:30-31 

Whoever kills any person, the murderer shall be slain at the mouth of witnesses. But nobody shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness.

Moreover, you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer that is guilty of death. But he shall surely be put to death.” 

It was not simply bloodshed that polluted the promised Land. YHWH declared through His prophet Jeremiah that it was polluted by idolatry and all sorts of wickedness. Jer. 3:2 

…. you have polluted the Land with your whoredoms and with your wickedness.”

Moreover, murder was not the only crime that carried the death penalty. Hitting one’s parents, kidnapping, cursing one’s parents, not locking up a dangerous animal, committing any sexually immoral act, working on the Sabbath, sacrificing one’s child to Molech, approaching that which only pertains to the Levites, uttering YHWH’s name while cursing Him, defiantly disobeying Him, or causing others to disobey Him were all capital offenses.  

It should also be noted that when the judges sentenced someone to death at the mouth of two or three eyewitnesses, only the criminal would be punished for his/her transgression. Deu. 24:16 

The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers. One according to his sin will be put to death”

 When Jeremiah prophesied the New Covenant, he confirmed these words. Jer. 31:30, 31  

But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eats the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge. 

Behold, the days come, says YHWH, that I will renew a covenant with the house of Israel and Judah”

Ezekiel also confirmed these words when speaking of the Good News. Eze. 18:20, 23 

The soul that sins [a sin worthy of death], shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: 

Righteousness cannot be transferred to another person, and sin cannot be transferred to another person. 

“Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Master YHWH: “and not that he should return from his ways, and live?” 

Num. 22:1 

And the children of Israel journeyed and pitched their tents in the desert plains of Moab, across the Jordan at Jericho.”

The desert of Moab opposite Jericho, across the Jordan, was the last campsite in the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to Canaan. They were here for about six months, from the sixth to the twelfth month of the 40th year. Num. 33:38 cf. 20:28-29; Deu. 34:1-8 cf. 1:3. 

From this location, Balak tried to hire Balaam to curse the people of Israel. Balaam, who was not an Israelite but of Mesopotamian origin (Deu. 23:4), spoke with YHWH (Num. 22:9-12, 20; 23:4-5, 16), and blessed His people instead: 

How can I curse whom the Almighty has not cursed?” (23:8) 

“The Almighty is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: when He has said, will He not do it? Or when He has spoken, will He not make it happen?” (23:19) 

“Behold, I am commanded to bless…I cannot revoke it.” (23:20) 

“How lovely are your tents O Jacob; And your dwelling places, O Israel.” (24:5) 

Despite Balaam’s fidelity to YHWH’s words, he took Balak’s money (2 Pe. 2:15; Rev. 2:14). He advised the Midianites to trick the people of Israel into idolatry.  

Num. 25:18; 31:16 

For the Midianites harass you by their scheming ways wherein they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor… 

Behold, the women of Midian caused children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to revolt in breaking faith with YHWH in the matter of Peor…” 

This “matter of Peor” is recorded in the first three verses of Numbers 25. Balak, the Moabites, and the Midianites were involved in this conspiracy.  

Balaam was also called a diviner (Jos. 13:22). This term was used for false prophets and those who caused YHWH’s people to rebel against Him. Deu. 18:10, 14; 2 Ki. 17:17; Eze. 13:9; Eze. 22:28; Zec. 10:2. Balaam knew what would happen once the Israelites committed idolatry.  

As he anticipated, YHWH sent a deadly plague among His people. There were 24,000 fatalities (Num. 25:9). Had it not been for Pinchas and his zealous action, there would have been more. 

For this, Pinchas, a priest, the son of Eleazar the high priest, was promised a covenant of peace and an everlasting priesthood. This promise also extended to his descendants. Num. 25:13  

It shall be for him and for his descendants after him as an eternal covenant of priesthood because he was zealous for his Mighty One and atoned for the children of Israel”

After these events, YHWH had Moses and Eleazar take a census of the new generation of Israelites. Num. 26:1-51. The previous census had been taken thirty-eight years earlier at Sanai (Num. 1:1-46). All those of the first count had fallen in the desert by the time they took this new census, except two men.  

Num. 26:64-65 

Among these, there was no man who had been in the census of Moses and Aaron when they counted the children of Israel in the Sinai desert. 

For YHWH had said to them, “They shall surely die in the desert”, and no one was left of them but Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

Num. 20:24, 25 

And YHWH spoke to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor… saying: 

“Aaron shall be gathered unto his people; for he shall not enter the Land…because you have rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah.” 

The children of Israel left Sanai on the 20th day of the second month in the second year after they left Egypt. Num. 10:11-12. Eleven days later, they came to Kedesh-Barnea. Thirty-eight years and a few months after this, after all the men of the first generation (save Moses, Caleb, and Joshua) had died, they took their journey from Iye-abarim to the brook of Zered. Num. 21:12; Deu. 2:14; 1:19; 1:2. 

Numbers chapter 33 records the names of the locations where the Israelites camped from Egypt to Canaan. From Sinai to Zered, there were no less than 26 stops. A lot happened during this thirty-eight-year stretch.  

At Taberah, the people provoked YHWH to anger with their grumbling. Num. 11:1-4; Deu. 9:22. 

At Kibroth Hatta’wah, the people again tested Him when they complained about the food. Num. 11:5-34. 

Miriam and Aaron then spread an evil report about Moses concerning his Ethiopian wife. Num. 12. 

At Kadesh, in the Paran desert, they rejected YHWH’s command to “Rise up, inherit [the Land]”. Instead, they insisted that Moses send spies to see whether they would obey or not. Num. 13; Deu. 1:19-32; 9:23. They even conspired to elect a new leader to take them back to Egypt. Num. 14:4. 

For this, YHWH forgave the nation, but did not allow the rebellious men to experience the Land He had promised to them and their ancestors. Num. 14:20-35.  

Ten of the twelve spies spread an evil report about the Land and were struck dead at YHWH’s hand as a result. A rebel group then tried to inherit the Land without YHWH and was destroyed by its inhabitants. Num. 14:36-45. 

At some point during these journeys, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram took 250 known leaders and tried to take the priesthood from Moses and Aaron. It did not end well for them, as they ended up all dying a supernatural death. Num. 16. 

The people complained against Moses and Aaron and again provoked YHWH’s anger. Moses and Aaron intervened and saved the nation from annihilation at the hands of YHWH. Num. 17:6-14. 

Consequently, YHWH firmly established that Aaron and his lineage would be the only ones chosen for the priesthood. Of twelve rods, Aaron’s rod not only sprouted, it supernaturally produced ripe almonds. Num. 17:16-26. 

During this time, the statute of instruction concerning the red heifer was given. Num. 19. Anticipating Aaron’s fate concerning the waters of Meribah (Num. 20:24-29), his son Eleazar was to officiate this ritual. Num. 19:3-4.  

The red heifer was to be burnt whole outside the camp and its ashes were mixed with water and three other ingredients. The water was to be used for purifying the person who comes into proximity to a corpse, a human bone, or a graveyard. This purification was to be used in connection with the Tabernacle (Num. 19:13, 20), which had already been operational since Sinai (Exo. 40:17; Num. 7:1; Lev. 8:10-11). 

At the wilderness of Zin, at Kadesh, Miriam died and was buried. During this time, the people again murmured against Moses and Aaron concerning water. Num. 20:1-5. Instead of fully trusting YHWH to provide water for them by simply speaking to the rock, Moses struck the rock twice with his rod. For this, YHWH told Moses and Aaron that they would not enter the promised Land.

Jer. 33:14-16 

     Behold, the days come, says YHWH, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 

     In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Shoot of righteousness to grow up unto David, and he will execute righteous ruling and justice in the land. 

     In those days will Judah be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she will be called, YHWH our righteousness. 

YHWH, through His prophet Jeremiah, reiterated His promise to the house of Israel and the house of Judah (Jer. 33:14-16 cf. Jer. 23:5-6). The man called the Shoot or the Branch (Jer. 23:5; 33:15) is the same individual prophesied through Zechariah. Zec. 3:8; 6:12 

     I will bring forth my servant the Shoot. 

     Behold the man whose name is the Shoot, and he will grow up out of his place, and he will build the Temple of YHWH: 

     Even he will build the Temple of YHWH, and he will bear the glory and will sit and rule upon his throne, and he will be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. 

During the days of the Messiah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem will be delivered and live in peace. The Messiah will build the Temple and will rule on the throne of his ancestor David. He will also be a priest (Zec. 6:13 cf. Psa. 110:4). He will be called YHWH Tzedekainu (Jer. 23:6 cf. Psa. 110:4), which will also be the new name of Jerusalem (Jer. 33:16). 

Jer. 33:17-18

     For thus says YHWH; David will never leave to lack a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel; 

     Neither will the priests the Levites to lack a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meal offerings, and to do slaughter continually. 

Numbers 18 clarifies that while all priests (cohanim or sons of Aaron) are Levites, not all Levites are priests. The Messiah will purify all the sons of Levi (Mal. 3:3-4), and offerings will once again be accepted on the Altar (Psa. 51:19; Isa. 2:2; 56:7).  

At this time, David will always have a man to sit on his throne (the Messiah) and the descendants of Levi will always have priests to bring the offerings. 

This could have happened 2,000 years ago when YHWH sent His Messiah to Earth for the first time. When the prophets (Mal. 4:5; Mat. 17:11; Rev. 11:3) and the Messiah return, and we accept them (cf. Mat. 17:12), the prophecies that speak of the last days will be fulfilled. 

Num. 15:30-31 

But the soul who does anything defiantly, whether he is a native to the land or a foreign resident, that soul shall be cut off from among her people. 

Because he has despised the word of YHWH and has broken his commandments, that soul shall be completely cut off, his guilt will be on him.” 

First mentioned in Exodus 29, and further described in Leviticus chapter four, the sin offering was used to atone for sin. As previously discussed, three different animals were used for this type of offering: bulls, goats, and sheep.  

While young bulls and goats were used for rulers and the high priest, female goats or ewes were used for ordinary people. Lev. 4:27 

And if one soul of the people of the land sins unintentionally from the commandments which YHWH has commanded not to be done, and becomes guilty, and if his sin which he has sinned is made known to him, he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without defect, for his sin which he has sinned.  

This is repeated in Numbers 15:27-28 

And if one soul sins unintentionally, then he shall offer a one-year-old female goat for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement before YHWH for the soul who goes astray when he sins unintentionally, making atonement for him that he may be forgiven. 

The next verse clarifies that this applied to both the native Israelites and alien residents. Num. 15:29 

You shall have one law for him who sins unintentionally, for him who is a home-born among the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourns among them. 

This brings us to Numbers 15:30, 31 

But the soul who does anything defiantly… his guilt will be on him. 

A contrast is made between a person who sins unintentionally and one who sins defiantly. In the former case, the animal can be brought to the Altar, and atonement can be made. In the latter, the sin offering cannot be slaughtered and the person remains guilty. 

An example of defiant sin is then given in the next verse. Num. 15:32, 35

When the children of Israel were in the desert, they found a man gathering wood on the Sabbath. 

“…this man shall surely be put to death”

The people were first given instructions concerning the Sabbath at the wilderness of Sin (Exo. 16). They were reminded of it on three separate occasions at Sinai: at the foot of the Mountain by YHWH Himself (Exo. 20:8-11), by Moses when he was taking contributions for the Tabernacle and its furnishings (Exo. 35:1-3), and when Moses gave them instructions for being set-apart after the death of Aaron’s two eldest sons (Lev. 19:3).  

Additionally, Moses likely communicated it to them again along with the instructions concerning all the Appointed Times (Lev. 23:3).

The point is, before the event recorded in Numbers 15:32-36, the people had been repeatedly (at least four times) told not to work on the Sabbath. The man gathering wood knew what he was doing was defiance toward YHWH and did it anyway.

While capital punishment for defiance may seem harsh, the apostle Shaul taught this to the set-apart ones of the Diaspora. Heb. 10:26, 28, 29

For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a slaughtering for sins..

He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy…

How much more severe punishment do you think he will deserve who…has insulted the Spirit of Grace?”