The Israelites go now and attack the Midianites and take home their women, children, and all of their goods as spoils of war. Moses then orders all of the CHILDREN killed, along with all women who have ever had sex. The "girls who have not had intercourse with a man" [aka- bluntly speaking, the virgins] can be kept by the Israelite men. I'm sure we can imagine what life was like for them.

Questions: Do you think God really ordered the children to be killed and the young girls to be treated that way? Why or why not?

If so, why is it now morally wrong to treat people like that today, and not back then?

If not, why does the Bible clearly spell out these details, condoning them?

Final question: (which relates to both chapter 30 and 31):

Is it all right to treat a woman as a possession not capable of making her own decisions (in the case of swearing oaths) or a possession that can be used as a man wills (in the second case)?

Why or why not?

Chapter 31: 1-2, 6-7, 9-12, 14-18

(Note: Earlier, in chapter 25, we read how the Israelites were tempted by those living in Moab to worship a false god. The Lord ordered them then to treat the Midianites as enemies. Moab's population consisted of both Moabites [descendants of Lot and his daughter, who had an incestuous relationship, and a son named Moab] and the Midianites [descendants of Abraham and his third "wife"...one of their six sons was named Midian, who was the founder of this tribe].)

(1-2) The Lord said to Moses, "Avenge the Israelites on the Midianites, and then you shall be taken to your people."

(6-7) Moses sent them out on the campaign, a thousand from each tribe, with Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the priest for the campaign, who had with him the sacred vessels and the trumpets for sounding the alarm. They waged war against the Midianites, as the Lord had commanded Moses, and killed every male among them.

(9-12) But the Israelites kept the women of the Midianites with their little ones as captives, and all their herds and flocks and wealth as spoil, while they set on fire all the towns where they had settled and all their encampments. Then they took all the booty, with the people and beasts they had captured, and brought the captives, together with the spoils and booty, to Moses and the priest Eleazar and to the Israelites community at their camp on the plains of Moab, along the Jericho stretch of the Jordan.

(14-18) Moses became angry with the officers of the army, the clan, and company commanders, who were returning from combat. "So you have spared all the women!" he exclaimed. "Why, they are the very ones who on Balaam's advice prompted the unfaithfulness of the Israelites toward the Lord in the Peor affair, which began the slaughter of the Lord's community. Sly, therefore, every male child and every woman who has had intercourse with a man. But you may spare and keep for yourselves all girls who had no intercourse with a man."

~~~~~Lesson: Numbers: Chapter 30

In a previous chapter, God gave women the right to own property, but in this chapter her word can be canceled if the man "in charge" (aka- husband, father, guardian) of her doesn't like the vow she made.

Question: Do you think this rule should apply today? Why or why not?

Can you think of one good reason for this to apply during that time frame?

Can you think of one bad result of this rule being applied during that time frame?

~Reading: Numbers: Chapter 30

Chapter 30: 2-6

Moses said to the heads of the Israelite tribes, "This is what the Lord has commanded: When a man makes a vow to the Lord or binds himself under oath to a pledge of abstinence, he shall not violate his word, but must fulfill exactly the promise he has uttered.
When a woman, while still a maiden in her father's house, makes a vow to the Lord, or binds herself to a pledge, if her father learns of her vow or the pledge to which she bound herself and says nothing to her about it, then any vow or any pledge she has made remains valid. But if on the day he learns of it her father expressed to her his disapproval, then any vow or any pledge she has made becomes null and void, and the Lord releases her from it, since her father has expressed to her his disapproval."

[The chapter goes on to apply the same rule to women living in her husband's house, with the husband able to null and void his wife's word.]

~~~~~Lesson: Numbers: Numbers 25-29

1) First, the Israelites commit their first instance of worshipping foreign gods in the land around Canaan. This will be an ongoing problem for a very, very long time, despite God's continuous punishment for this sin.

Question: Can you think of a reason that the Israelites continue to worship other gods?

Why do you think they ignore the punishment and continue to commit this sin throughout their history?

2) The Lord then gives rules for inheritance; including allowing daughters to inherit land (but only if there are no sons!).

Question: Do you think ordered rules for inheritance are better than the person getting to write out a will and decide who should get their property? Why or why not?

3) Joshua is then chosen as Moses' successor. Despite the years that have gone by, Moses is still denied getting to walk in the holy land promised to them.

Question: Do you think there are consequences for our sins even when God forgives us? Why or why not?


~Reading: Numbers: Chapters 25-29

Chapter 25- The Israelites fall to worshipping the god Baal of Peor. God's wrath falls upon them and twenty-four thousand are killed.

Chapter 26- A second census is taken, again sorted by the twelve tribes.

(52-56) The said to Moses, "Among these groups the land shall be divided as their heritage in keeping with the number of individuals in each group. To a large group you shall assign a large heritage, to a small group and small heritage, each group receiving its heritage in proportion to the number of men registered in it. But the land shall be divided by lot, as the heritage of the various ancestral tribes. As the lot falls shall each group, large or small, be assigned its heritage."
[Note: This will be very, very important later!!!  Remember it!!!]

Chapter 27: 5-11, 22-23

(5-11) When Moses laid their [daughters of Zelophehad, who died without a male heir] case before the Lord, the Lord said to him, "The plea of Zelophehad's daughters is just; you shall give them hereditary property among their father's kinsmen, letting their father's heritage pass on to them. Therefore, tell the Israelites: If a man died without leaving a son, you shall let his heritage pass on to his daughter; if he has no daughter, you shall give his heritage to his brothers; if he has no brothers, you shall give his heritage to his father's brothers; if his father had no brothers, you shall give his heritage to his nearest relative in his clan, who shall then take possession of it." This is the legal norm for the Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.

(22-23) Moses did as the Lord had commanded him. Taking Joshua and having him stand in the presence of the priest Eleazar and of the whole community, he laid his hands on him and gave him his commission, as the Lord had directed through Moses.

Chapters 28 and 29 cover proper times for sacrifices.

~~~~~Lesson: Numbers: Chapters 21-24

It was a long reading today, but had one major point that is particularly interesting. Balaam says throughout the reading that he can only say what God wants him to say. Even with Balak promising gold and silver, Balaam continues to "do the right thing" (aka: giving God's message), not cursing the Israelites just to get the money.

Questions: Do you sometimes speak without thinking and then realize that what you said was something hurtful/untrue/etc.?

Name one way you can avoid doing this in the future.

Do we, as a society, put money above truth? Can you name one example?