This week, we shall finish the study
of the book of Numbers and begin the study of the books of 1 & 2 Kings in
the Old Testament.
Although it is a lengthy chapter, the bulk of it is the itinerary of their 40 years of journey since the Exodus until they reached the border of Canaan. It is worth noting that including the Egyptian Rameses, there are total of 42 sites mentioned.
33:1-2—The Command to Compile the Itinerary
(1) In listing all the sites that the Israelites had stopped at, the Bible calls them “stages”: What might be the implication of the use of such a term?
(2) Why did God specifically ask Moses to record all these stages? What spiritual purpose(s) might be served?
33:3-49—The 42 Sites
(3) In describing the departure from Egypt, how important were the following reminders?
a. They marched boldly in full view of all the Egyptians.
b. The Egyptians were burying all their firstborn.
c. The Lord had brought judgment on their gods.
(4) In
your opinion, what does such a long list of 42 cities convey in terms of the following?
a. The hardship (See Deut. 1:19)
b. The grace of God (Deut. 1:31; 32:10 ff)
c. The punishment (Num. 32:10-13; 33:38)
d. While the list is not meant to be a complete list of all the cities they stopped at, Wenham points out that it could be broken down into six lists of “seven” names pointing to a sense of spiritual “completeness”. What do you think?
33:50-56—Instructions to Drive out and Destroy
(5) Subsequent to the listing of their journey through the wilderness for forty years, what specific instructions did God give the Israelites? Why?
(6) What would be the consequences if they fail to obey?
(7) Why were theses instructions given at this time?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
34:1-15—Setting Boundaries for Israel (See Note below)
(1) Although today, we may not be able to pinpoint the exact boundaries that were allotted to the 9 of 12 tribes west of Jordan, what might be the reason(s) for setting these boundaries at this time?
(2) What conditions are attached to the granting of these territories to them? (See Lev. 26:14, 32-35)
(3) At the eventual loss of their land, what reasons were given by the Lord for their destruction? (see Jer. 44:22)
(4) Do you think today’s Israel still has the right to claim these lands as rightfully theirs as a nation? Why or why not?
(5) Ezekiel (after the destruction of both the northern and southern kingdom) reiterated these boundaries again in Ezek. 47:13-20. What might be the reason(s)?
34:16-29—Leaders Names for Land Assignment
(6) Who were the people assigned to do the assignment of land?
(7) What role did Eleazar play?
(8) What role did Joshua play?
(9) Put yourself in the shoes of one of these leaders (apart from Caleb, the rest were basically unknown). How would you feel being appointed to a committee to divide land that was basically composed of “lots on a map” and occupied by native residents who would definitely put up strong resistance to your invasion?
(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
Note that many of the sites mentioned in this passage remain unknown, especially those on its northern borders. However, we still get a general sense of its boundaries, as the most common designation is from “Dan to Beersheba” (1 Sam. 3:20). Other passages in the Bible that describe its boundaries include Genesis 15:18, Exodus 23:31; Joshua 1:4; Ezekiel 47:13-20 etc. In any case, “this passage presents a fairly accurate picture of the land of Canaan as found in Near Eastern texts from the middle of the 15th cent. B.C. on, and matches particularly well with the territory in the Egyptian district of Canaan in the second half of the 13th cent. B.C. at least according to Y. Aharoni” (NICOT, Numbers, 639).
35:1-8—Towns and Pastures for the Levites
(1) As much as the Levites would not receive any land as their inheritance, they would be provided with towns to live in and pastures for their cattle and flock. In this sense, the Levites would not “own” any land, but they are really not any different from the rest of the people. Do you think so? Why or why not?
(2) What is the actual size of the pastures that the Levites would receive in each of the cities given (likely not exclusively)?
(3) Since an acre = 43,560 square feet, how many acres would each of the pastures be?
(4) Why would the six cities of refuge be located among the 48 towns inhabited by the Levites?
35:9-34—Six Cities of Refuge
(5) Where would the six cities of refuge be located? (v. 14)
(6) Treatment of accidental killing:
a. Even though the killing might be accidental, would the killer need to stand trial? How? (vv. 12, 24)
b. What would the city of refuge serve as before the trial? (v. 12)
c. What constitutes unintentional killing? (vv. 22-23)
d. What will happen to the unintentional killer? Why? (vv. 25, 28)
e. What if the killer leaves the city of refuge prematurely? (v. 27)
(7) Treatment of murderers
a. Apart from the mentioning of the objects used in a murder, what ultimately constitutes a murder? (vv. 20-21)
b. What is the punishment? (vv. 19, 21)
c. How should the charge of murder be established? Why? (vv. 30, 32)
d. Why is no ransom to be accepted for the life of a murderer? (vv. 31, 33-34)
e. Do you think this principle should apply today as well? Why or why not?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) Why should the family heads of the clan of Gilead be so mindful if the land of their brother Zoleophehad be lost to another tribe?
(2) Shouldn’t we say, “It is only land and, it is not going to foreigners but will remain within Israel?”
(3) According to their opinion, will the legislation of Jubilee which deals with purchased land and not inherited land (in Leviticus 25:13ff) solve this problem? (36:4)
(4) Why then did the Lord (through Moses) say they were right? (36:5)
(5) Why shouldn’t land be passed from “tribe to tribe”?(36:9)
(6) What did the daughters of Zelophehad do? Why?
(7) How does this anecdote speak of the God of Israel?
(8) As we come to the close of this book, I would suggest that you scan through the notes you have taken in the last 7-8 weeks or flip through the pages of Numbers, reflect on the major events of these 40 years of Israel’s history and see what might the important messages be to you and how you may apply them to your life.