Commentaries \ Old Testament \ Numbers \ Numbers 34-36

Numbers 34-36

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Numbers 34-36; Ps 119.113-120

 

By presenting instructions forhabitation in the land—as opposed to plans for military conquest—the concluding chapters of Numbers detail the surety of God’s promise to give His people the land of Canaan. Once again the text makes plain the prominence of the Abrahamic covenant; since Gen 12.1-3, the narrative of Israel’s history has pointed to God’s people dwelling in God’s land. Num 34-36 clarifies several significant ideas regarding Israel’s occupationof Canaan:

  1. Boundaries of the Promised Land (34.1-15). The word of the LORD to Moses yet signified the surety of conquest: “Whenyou enter the land of Canaan, it will be allotted to youas an inheritance…” (v. 2). The remainder of this section reads like a land deed: the nine-and-one-half tribes were to settle on the western side of the Jordan (vv. 2-13), while Rueben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh were to occupy the eastern side (vv. 14-15)
  2. Leaders for distributing the Land (34.16-29). The significance of leaders of the twelve tribes is pointed up throughout the book of Numbers (cf. 1.5-16; 13.4-15). Under the guidance of Joshua and Eleazar, one leader from each tribe was to assure that the land was distributed equitably. Caleb heads the list of leaders—and his allotment of land would later receive special recognition (cf. Js 14.6ff.)
  3. Cities for the Levites (35.1-8). As the LORD was the Levites’ inheritance, they were not promised an allotment of Canaan (cf. 18.20-24). Each tribe was “to give cities out of their hereditary property to the Levites to live in and pastureland around the cities” (v. 2). These cities were scattered throughout Israel according to each tribe’s allotment (v. 8); this insured that formal worship was accessible for all Israelites, and that all of Israel’s worship leaders would have sustenance to live and enjoy the land
  4. Cities of Refuge (35.9-34). Six of the Levitical cities were to be cities of refuge—three on each side of the Jordan (vv. 6, 14). As it was customary for a close relative to avenge the blood of their kin (vv. 19-21), Israel was susceptible to hasty retribution of those who may have accidentally taken a life (vv. 11-12). The cities of refuge were to be communities who would protect such a person (vv. 25-29). These principles of justice were so important to God that violation of them constituted a defiling of the land: “Do not make the land unclean where you live and where I reside; for I, the LORD, reside among the Israelites” (v. 34)
  5. Permanence of tribal allotments (ch 36). The issue of Zelophehad’s daughters is reintroduced (cf. 27.1-11) in light of the possibility that these women, after receiving land in Joseph, could marry an Israelite from another tribe—transferring some of the territory of Joseph to another Israelite tribe. To this Moses received the word of the LORD: “An inheritance belonging to the Israelites must not transfer from tribe to tribe, because each of the Israelites is to retain the inheritance of his ancestral tribe” (v. 7)
 

The conclusion of Numbers declares the security of God’s promises to His people Israel. In the matrix of the storyline of Scripture the allotment of land promised to Israel fades with the coming of Jesus Christ into the world. He becomes the focus of the believer’s inheritance. Paul wrote to the Galatians: “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is no Jew of Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise” (3.27-29). The author to the Hebrews proposed:

“Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us hold on to grace. By it, we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire” (Hb 12.28-29); and urged his audience: “Let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing His disgrace. For here we do not have an enduring city; instead, we seek the one to come. Therefore, through Him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips that confess His name” (13.13-15).

 
 

*For a complete list of references, please see scripturestoryline.com