A look at Numbers 30:1-36:13

[Jacob Ben Avraham]

Bible study portions “Matot v’ Masei” (Tribes and Journeys of) Numbers 30:1-32:42, 33:1-36:13


Yes, this is another long-winded discussion. If you want, read half, then come back to the rest later on. If you're comfortable, read it through in one sitting. There is a lot to cover here.


We need to be careful when making “vows” Adonai takes serious “promises” that we make, especially using “His” Holy Name (YHVH). We might have good intentions...but... how do you know that you will still be in the land of the living by next week to fulfill your promise? We take “making promises too lightly”. t have said in times before words like; “I swear to God that I’ll…or… “I promise that I’ll” …or … “Next week by this time, I’ll…!

What did Yeshua say about vows? “Let our YES be YES, and NO, be NO” without more words. We might have good intentions, yet only the LORD manages our time on earth. If we say that we will do something, and we use God’s name, and we end up NOT doing it, we will have taken HIS HOLY NAME in vain. So, what words can we say when we want to do something, without “vowing”?

”If God permits, I will try to…” or “I am not sure if I can, but, I will try to…” These words seem better because it leaves the option “if God permits”. We can make plans for the future, but the future is always in the hands of Adonai.

In this Torah/Bible study, we look at a woman vs a man making and keeping vows. If the woman is married, then, as long as the husband agrees to the vow, it is OK, and she must make it good, however, if he doesn’t agree to the vow, then, the vow that the woman makes is annulled. The same thing if the woman is under her father’s roof, (or tent). If the father agrees, all is well, if not, all is NOT well, the vow is nullified.

How do we take this today? When making vows or promises, and really, it is better NOT to promise, but if so, it should first be discussed between the husband and wife, or between father and daughter, and an agreement reached, whether or not such promise, vow, or decision, is to be made. It is good to serve Adonai and be involved in ministry, but it should be agreed upon when it affects families. Also, many thousands of years ago, a woman was always under the authority of her father or her husband. Then, women did not go out on their own to have their careers as today. Times are different today.

Chapter 31 speaks about the “slaughter of the Midianites” When we read this, we shudder, at such bloodshed, yet it was because of the influence of Balaam, that the Midianite prostitutes caused sin to enter the camp, thus bringing a “curse” upon Israel. It was necessary to wipe out the Midianites to prevent further sin, yet we see that the soldiers bring back captive women and children, which was common practice in Bible days as well as the rest of the “loot” such as livestock, silver, gold, etc.

The problem is that the “women” were the cause of the sin which was brought upon Israel. That is why Moshe was so upset, so he ordered the “women who knew men” to be killed as well as the male children, but why the male children? What harm can a little boy do? Perhaps nothing at that time, but in time, these “little boys” would grow up and seek vengeance against “those Israelites who killed daddy!” Another thing we see is that Israel was under a "Theocracy" God was the sole ruler, Commander-in-chief, King, Sovereign, etc... HE made the rules and HE gave commands. Today, we are governed by "Democracy."

Chapter 32 deals with the settlement of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh in Gilead, on the east side of the Jordan River. Was it a bad thing that they settled on that side? Moshe thought that if they built shelters for their children, wives, and cattle first and then, join the other tribes to conquer the land of Canaan, then, after the wars and conquest, they could go back to their families.

When we see the land of Israel and then look around at the other nations, many more Jews are living “outside” of the land of Israel than “inside”. However, we are ALL “Am Echad” (One people) even though divided by oceans and continents. We are all ONE under Jesus Christ / Yeshua HaMashiach. There are communities, congregations, and churches all over the world, separated by oceans and continents, yet we are bound together by the Holy Spirit in communion and faith.

Chapters 34 to the end of the Book of Numbers, deal with the journeys of the Israelites during their time in the desert up to the death of Moshe. They journeyed to many different places, yet ALWAYS guided by the RUACH ELOHIM (God’s Spirit). We also journey a lot in our life. One could say that our lives can be considered “journeys and stops” Perhaps there are 8 different journeys and stops, the journey of “childhood” which enters later “adolescence” then goes to young “adulthood” then to “education and career” then to “marriage and family” then to “Senior-adulthood” then to “retirement and rest” then to “eternal rest and Shalom” at death. Each can be a “journey” but are we letting Adonai lead us during these journeys? Or are we doing our “own thing?”

We can also say that each and every decision we make in our lives is a "journey" in its own right. Where will it lead us to? Making the right decision must be based on God's Word. If it is based on God's Word, we know that our journey will be prosperous. Remember, prosperity does not only carry a $$$ sign, it can also be physical and or spiritual.

The Book of Numbers ends with; “These are the commandments and the ordinances which YHVH commanded to B’nei Yisrael through Moshe in the Plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho”

Thus, we see that ALL the Torah commandments come from Adonai, the first Ten being spoken directly to the People of Israel, and the rest, through Moshe to the people. The Torah leads us all to a knowledge of Yeshua, to accept Him as our Savior and LORD, through faith and faith ONLY.

“Masei” (journeys) A Torah Midrash over NUMBERS 33:1-36:13

” Masei” or “journeys” or “stages” in some translations, describes the encampments of the Israelites starting in “Mitzraim” (Egypt) which comes from the root word “Mtzr” or “m’tzar” meaning “restricted” and ending at last in the promised land, giving the division of “Eretz C’anaan” between the different “Matot Israel” (the tribes of Israel.

In Numbers 33:1,2 it reads; “These were the wanderings of B’nei Israel who went out of the land of Egypt under the leadership of Moshe and Aaron. Moshe recorded their DEPARTURES, stage by stage as directed by YHVH; and these are the stages of their DEPARTURES.

We see in these 2 verses that the word “departures” is mentioned twice, once at the beginning of the verse, and then at the end. One way we can look at this is that we can either look back to where we came from, or we can look forward to where we are going, or both! We can say “we departed from… or we can say; “We departed towards…”

It is important to remember where we come from, how we were raised, and perhaps even our shortcomings, our mistakes, yet NOT to DWELL ON THEM! But concentrate on what the LORD has ahead for us, our goals, family goals, work goals, and ministry goals. Don’t let our lives in Egypt depress us, look forward to our land of Canaan.

We can’t just look at this from a superficial view, saying, “Well, so what, they traveled here and there and they finally made it home, they would have made it a lot sooner if they hadn’t complained so much! I mean, they listened to the spies, etc.”. We need to look into morality, spirituality, and symbolism. It is much more than just, “going from place to place physically”

They started out “restricted” to a place called “Egypt” and that is what “Mitzraim” means from the root word, m-Tz-r, (mem, Tzadik, resh) using the Hebrew letters, “Mitzraim” sounds more plural, so it could also mean “restrictions”. What was restricted? Their FREEDOM! They were surrounded by pagan idolatry, they couldn’t leave! Because they were slaves to Pharaoh. It took the power of Adonai-Elohim the great I AM-YHVH, to get them out using his chosen servant Moshe.

They left on the 15th of Nisan, the morning after Passover. The Word says they left with a “high hand” in some translations, “Boldness” with all “confidence” and “fearless” with “valor”. Interestingly, the word “Masei” in Hebrew is spelled, “Mem, Samech, Ayin, Yod”(M,S,E,Y) if we could see this word in the ancient Hebrew spelling, the symbols would look like, “water, leaning on a short staff, an eye, and a hand connected to the arm”

So, what could this word symbolize? What does “journeys” mean? Well, here is one idea; the “multitudes march forward, leaning on the staff in sight of the hand!” huh? OK, so what does THAT mean? Look at it this way, Moshe led the way, and he walked with a staff, as the custom of all leaders back then, the people kept Moshe in sight, and as he leaned on his staff, they followed, the “hand” leans on the “staff” but who gave Moshe the staff? It was YHVH!

As they journeyed, they kept YHVH in sight! The staff also symbolizes leadership, we lean on HIS leadership, and we have the “hand” in our sight, the “hands” that were pierced with the nails on Calvary. “Journeys” are not only physical but also spiritual!

The Israelites left Egypt, and crossed the Red Sea, now, they left “restrictions” behind, the sacrificed lambs of Passover symbolized Yeshua, the sacrificial lamb, who conquered the curse of sin and the death, of HaSatan. Now they are on their way to a new life, just as we begin a new journey starting from the cross of Calvary. The Israelites experienced “bitter waters” at Marah, yet they experienced an oasis at Elim. We experience both bitter times and times of “refreshing cool waters”. Good times and bad times are part of our wanderings, or “life’s journeys”

They encamped at Mt Sinai, to receive the Torah, to become officially united as a nation. “Am Echad b’Elohim” (One united People of God) We receive Yeshua as our Messiah and LORD, and we receive his WORD, his Torah to guide us through the “wilderness of life”.

Then comes a list of all the places where they stopped, camped, and continued when the Glory Cloud lifted. All these stopping places took place during 40 years. The number “40” symbolizes “testing” The LORD was “trying, testing” his people. Each place they stopped at, they learned new things, and they experienced the sacrificial offerings once the Mishkan (tabernacle) was fully erected. Yes, they complained, and Adonai chastised, yet forgave his children. He was with them all through the 40 years of journeys, and He brought them into the promised land through their new leader “Yehoshua” who took Moshe’s place.

Our journeys through life will take us to many “stops” and “settlements” One might consider a “new job” a kind of “Stopping to settle down for a while” just like moving from “house to house” or “apartment to apartment” or “mobile home to mobile home”. Another “journey” in life is the “marriage journey” and then there are the “childhood, adolescence, teenage, young adult, middle age, and Senior” journeys. In each journey, we learn and experience different things, “bitter waters” as well as “refreshing new waters” all the time being led by “the LIVING WATER!

There will be enemies to fight, the worst kind being “spiritual enemies from the Kingdom of Darkness” who will put traps in our way, stumbling blocks, bad attitudes, issues, carnality, etc. But all these are part of the journeys in life. Aaron’s journey lasted 123 years. Methuselah’s journey lasted 969 years, while Abel’s journey was very short, maybe his journey ended when he was a teen. Enoch’s journey lasted 300 years.

We do not know how long our journey will last, it is in God’s hands. What is important is that we learn from our experiences during our “stops” along the way, especially the “education stops” Education is a life-long stop, it should continue all of our days. We have our secular education and our Torah education. Sometimes there are conflicts between them, and we must adjust our ways, to the TORAH ways, not the other way around.

The last stop is the “Canaan” stop, “death” is our trip across the Jordan River that will bring us to the River of Life in the World to Come, In the New Jerusalem, we will receive our share of our inheritance, issued out to us by Our LORD and Messiah, Yeshua HaMashiach, (Jesus the Christ) Then, in the New Jerusalem, begins our “new journey” which will never end.

How can we imagine a journey without end? We really can’t, not with finite minds. “Time” as we know it will be meaningless. Perhaps 100 years on Earth will be like 10 seconds in heaven. As Elohim says, “One day is likened unto a thousand years, and a thousand years as a day”

It is said that the “Jew is always wandering/traveling” Is this really true? The Jewish nation was sent out of the land to foreign lands, yes, they were cast out, and expelled, but for what eternal and divine purpose? To take the belief in One God, in Adonai-Elohim, Adonai-Echad, YESHUA! To the pagan peoples. Many look at expulsion as a punishment, yet the big picture is “evangelism”. Rav Shaul (Apostle Paul) was a traveling Jew, He founded many “Kehilot Meshiachit” (Messianic congregations) in many different areas of the Middle East and southern Europe.

” Ashkenaz” was a descendant of Japheth, son of Noah, who “journeyed” to what is now Germany, and his descendants to East Europe and Russia (probably after the fall of “Babel”), and “B’nei Israel” (the Children of Israel) in their “journeys” met with the “descendants” of Ashkenaz, intermarried, and thus spreading the belief of ONE GOD to Germany and East Europe, thus we have the “Y’hudim-Ashkenazim” (The Ashkenazim Jewish peoples).

As we physically journey from place to place, remember that we are also “journeying” spiritually, being guided (hopefully) by God’s WORD, through his Holy Spirit. May you prosper in your journeys through life,

Have a blessed week.