B'Midbar/Numbers
CHAPTER 1
1. Now YHWH spoke to Moshe in the wilderness [b'midbar] of Sinai, in the Tent of Appointment, on the first day of the second month in the second year after they had come out of Egypt, saying,
This takes place in the 13th month after the Exodus from Egypt. 13 is the numerical value of the Hebrew word for “united”, and now, one month after the Tabernacle has been inaugurated and some additional “weeding” has been done, Israel is now in a position to measure up to this unity. Wilderness: more uninhabited or uncultivated land than desert as such. It represents the uncharted territory we encounter on our way home from exile. The literal meaning of b’midbar is “place of the word”. It is indeed where YHWH gave us His Torah. YHWH told us the purposes for the wilderness in Deut. 8:16. It is to feed us with food our fathers did not know—new insights and nuances that even the patriarchs did not notice, because they were all individuals, but now He has a whole people operating as one unit. In our case, the wilderness is a place for revelation of something ancient that our more recent ancestors did not want to know. If we all gather as much “manna” as we are meant to, we will have all the nourishment that any of us needs. As we each gather our omer, we discover where we are most valuable in the community. This is very timely, as the first day of the second month and the traditional reading of this Torah portion both always occur during the "counting the omer (measure)” between Firstfruits and Shavuoth--a time when YHWH highlights the need to take account and consider the significance of our names and which giftings are among each congregation (as per Ephesians 4), which is exactly what is taking place here:
2. "Lift up the heads of the entire congregation of the descendants of Israel according to their clans, by their fathers' households, according to the number of names--a head count of every male.
Lift up the heads: Here it specifically refers to a census, but it is an idiom for paying direct attention to someone, for better or for worse. (Gen. 40:13, 19) It is like a child who turns the head of someone he wants to be sure is listening to what he is saying, to make sure he is looking him directly in the eye! Before He lets us come all the way to His Home, YHWH promised to bring us out from among the peoples into the wilderness, and judge us face to face (Y’hezq’El 20:4, 30-38). This is not a lame threat that comes in the mail, but an up-close counting. According to their clans…fathers’ households: Not necessarily the families they were born into, but those to whom they are attached and under whom they are living right now. The house, not the individual, is the most basic building block in Israel; this is how Israelites are taken into account. The Torah reckons us by who is the head of the house we are part of. This verse is the key to the origanization YHWH wants. We have to read the instructions before we put this house back together. It is how Israel was organized in ancient times. Extended families were led by a patriarch. Since the pattern was disrupted, it is no longer so easy to tell who our brothers are, so Yahshua said the family in Israel now consists of those who do the will of his Father (Mat. 12:46ff) and who listen to YHWH’s words (which is what defines who we are) and do them, and thus are able to really hear what He is telling us. (Luke 8:19ff, alluding to Ex. 24:7) To these we must give more loyalty than our biological families, if they are in conflict.
3. "From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go out to [the] army in Israel, you and Aharon shall number them all by their companies.
Number: Literally, visit, or make sure none is missing and all are accounted for. (R. Dov Fischer) It has to do with being placed in the balance and not knowing to which side the scale will tip. Each is give a personal visit, tapped on the head, and told directly, “You’re in the army now.” It is that important to stand for Israel. The clear significance is that those who do not fight for Israel—pacifists, those who sit on the sidelines, who only “warm pews” or provide “moral support”--are not counted, and thus on the practical level “do not count” to YHWH. This sounds cold, but if it is arrogant it is YHWH’s own arrogance and we have to deal with it. Armies have many positions. Not all are on the front lines. The important point is that we each do our part. No upper limit is given here as there is with those entering the priesthood (4:3), but we can deduce from Lev. 27:3 that the norm was from 20 to 60 years of age. But in spiritual warfare, one can be a man or woman of any age. We will be visited by Moshe during this time of year as well and assessed as to our fitness to serve Israel.
4. "And with you there shall be a man from every tribe, each one a head of the household of his ancestors.
…
16. These were the ones summoned from the congregation, captains of the tribes of their ancestors; they [were] heads of thousands in Israel.
They were not chosen by committees or brought in from outside seminaries and paid to lead. They were home-grown, natural leaders chosen by neighbors who had seen them in action and knew they were worthy to lead because they are committed and careful with the things of Israel. According to Yithro’s advice, Moshe chose them as well as leaders under them of tens, fifties, and hundreds. (Ex. 18:17-21) The Torah is what chooses leaders in Israel. I.e., those who walk in Torah, take it up, and carry it robustly in full dedication to YHWH’s house. Success in Torah is what determines who should lead. They were being put on the hot seat, but we still have their names, so they have lived forever. Such leaders must be in place again so that Yahshua has an orderly Kingdom awaiting him to bring home to his Land. This is the way YHWH said to do it, and until we are again arranged in the same way, there will be no Kingdom.
17. So Moshe and Aharon [went to] get these men who were specified by name,
Specified: or "hand-picked".
18. and they assembled the whole congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they registered by their clans, by the households of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upwards, by their heads,
The heads of each house had to give an accounting for each head w/ithin their household. Registered: or "declared their birth". There was another census right at the time of Yahshua’s birth that also focused on the house and lineage, and this made it manifestly clear that he was the rightful king at the time when this counted most.
19. just as YHWH had commanded Moshe. Thus he mustered
them in the wilderness of Sinai.
…
CHAPTER 2
1. Then YHWH spoke to Moshe and Aharon, saying,
2. "Every man of the descendants of Israel must camp
by his own standard with the insignia of his father's house;
they shall pitch [their tents] around and facing the
Tabernacle of Testimony [at a distance].
Camp: to pitch a tent, settle, and relax—to find the right place and settle in. We need to see the community of Israel as our true home, and commit to staying there, nailing down stakes in the place where you count, even if at first it is hard to settle in because you do not know what it will require of you. It will require of us—but it is absolutely necessary, because a community is what Israel is called to be. What took our fathers down was looking at the other nations around them and finding their ways attractive. Avram was willing to move his tent to avoid strife; Lot was not, and he ended up being forcibly taken away. (Gen. 13) Standard: flag or banner, from a root word meaning to make conspicuous—i.e., something that one cannot help but notice, or that which stands out and marks one as unique, since on the battlefield one must know where to regroup or whom to follow. It also identifies how each tribe was blessed differently by YHWH. (See note on v. 16) Our strengths are what is meant to be conspicuous, as long as what is inside is the same as what is on the outside. Insignia of his father’s house: All of Israel is to “write YHWH’s words on the doorposts of our house”, but there are more specific, distinguishing signs that provide evidence of who we are. How are we distinguished as part of this people? What signs of our fathers’ house are named throughout Scripture? They are the signs of the covenant from which both Israel and YHWH are meant to benefit. The rainbow was the sign of YHWH’s covenant with Noach (Gen. 9:12ff); what are the signs of YHWH’s more specific covenant with Israel? The one given to our first Hebrew forefather was circumcision. (Gen. 17:10) Another given to the whole people of Israel was the blood of the lamb (Ex. 12:13) and the subsequent Feast of Unleavened Bread. (Ex. 13:6ff) YHWH said the redemption of the firstborn (13:11ff) would also serve as a sign. The Sabbath is an especially prominent one. (Ex. 31:13-17) And finally, having YHWH’s words, and particularly “THE command”--to love Him with all our heart, appetites, and strength. (Deut. 6:4-9; 11:18) Yahshua clarified that the meaning behind all of these is only truly evidenced by loving one another as we love ourselves (Yochanan 13:34; Mat. 22:34ff)—that is, being committed even to fellow Israelites that we do not particularly like, and being there for them when they need you. As we see on any main street in the world, if the sign is hung up, it means we are open for business. These signs of the covenant tell YHWH that we are ready to do His business.
3. "Now on the east side, toward the rising of the sun, those of the standard of Yehudah shall encamp by their companies, and Nachshon the son of Amminadav shall be the captain of the sons of Yehudah.
East: the term (qedem) also means “ancient” in Hebrew. We must be “oriented” toward the ancient ways, for comparing ourselves to them is what tells us where we fit and whether we are in order. It is what we weigh ourselves against to see if we are found lacking. We have not come far enough in our progress, but again in our era, Yehudah has led the way back to the ancient homeland, giving us hope that the rest of us will get there too. (Compare Z’kharyah 12:7.) We need to stop, look, and ask for the eternal path, and then walk in it when we find it. (Yirmeyahu 6:16) Just as satellite technology can see ancient roadways under what is now desert or overgrown jungle, digging in the Word of YHWH will be such an “archaeological adventure” that uncovers the signs that have been obscured by all the distractions built around them. Rome, famous for its paved roads that facilitated the travel of both merchants and armies, did the most to blur the ancient pathways, and began very soon after Yahshua’s first generation of students were killed off. Even Yehudah had been toying with the ancient boundaries by this time, so we all need to get back in touch with this camp, because as we study it, we will be able to locate the way back to Tzion. Rising sun: Yehudah was the ancestor of the Messiah, whom Malachi called the Sun of Righteousness, and indeed he proved to have healing in his wings (the Hebrew term also for the corner of his garment, which many people wanted to touch in order to be healed; see Mat. 9:20; 14:36).
4. "And his company--those who were mustered from them--were 74,600.
5. "And those who encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar, and Nethan'el the son of Tzuar shall be the captain of the sons of Issachar.
6. "And his company--those who were mustered from them--were 54,400.
7. "[Also] the tribe of Z'vulun, and Eliav the son of Helon shall be the captain of the sons of Z'vulun.
8. "And his company--those who were mustered from them--were 57,400.
9. "So all who were mustered in the camp of Yehudah were 186,400 by their armies. These shall [be the] first [to] set out [and travel].
10. "On the south side [shall be] the standard of the tribe of Reuven according to their companies, and the captain of the sons of Reuven shall be Elitzur the son of Sh'dey-ur.
South: Heb., teyman, from the word for “right hand”—a connection that only makes sense if we are indeed facing east, which is the true Hebraic perspective.
11. "And his company--those who were mustered from them--were 46,500.
12. "And those who encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Shim'on, and the captain of the sons of Shim'on shall be Tzurishaddai,
13. "And his company--those who were mustered from them--were 59,300.
14. "Then the tribe of Gad, and the captain of the sons of Gad shall be Elyasaf the son of Re’uel.
15. "And his company--those who were mustered from them--were 45,650.
16. "So all who were mustered in the camp of Reuven were 151,450 by their armies. And they will set out [to travel] in the second rank.
17. "Then the Tent of Appointment shall set out with the company of the Levites in the midst of the camp; as they encamp, so shall they set out, [each] man [in his place] near their standards.
They were "put in place" during the 49 days of the Counting of the Omer, which is the time for each member of the Body to find out where he fits, and grow to maturity in his area of specialization (sometimes called spiritual gifts, as described in Ephesians 4). They were to move in the same formation in which they camped.
18. "On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Efrayim, according to their companies, and the captain of the sons of Efrayim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud.
History has borne out that Efrayim and his brother Menashe have dwelt in the westernmost parts of the world in their exile as well, and Yeshayahu specifically emphasizes that YHWH would gather His dispersed from the West (49:12). The term in Hebrew actually means “sea-ward”, which fits with the geography of Israel, with the Mediterranean on the west, but actually, the root word means “roaring”, for what roars more than the sea? But it is interesting that the ensign of Britain, into whose empire so much of Efrayim and M’nashe migrated, features a roaring lion.
19. "And his company--those who were mustered from them--were 40,500.
20. "And next to him shall [encamp] the tribe of Menashe, and the captain of the sons of Menashe [shall be] Gam'liEl the son of Pedahtzur.
21. "And his company--those who were mustered from them--were 32,200.
22. "Then the tribe of Binyamin, and the captain of the sons of Binyamin [shall be] Avidan the son of Gid'oni.
23. "And his company--those who were mustered from them--were 35,400.
24. "All that were mustered from the camp of Efrayim were 108,100 by their armies. And they will set out [to travel] in the third position.
25. "The standard of the camp of Dan [shall be] on the north side according to their companies, and the captain of the sons of Dan shall be Achiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
26. "And his company--those who were mustered from them--were 62,700.
27. "And those who encamp next to him [shall be] the tribe of Asher, and the captain of the sons of Asher [shall be] Pagiel the son of Ochran.
28. "And his company--those who were mustered from them--were 41,500.
29. "Then the tribe of Nafthali, and the captain of the sons of Nafthali [shall be] Achira the son of Eynan.
30. "And his company--those who were mustered from them--were 53,400.
31. ""All that were mustered from the camp of Dan were 157,600 by their armies. And they will set out [to travel] last with their banners."
The term for north means “hidden” and “dark”, but it also means a “stored-up treasure”, so great benefit may yet come from this camp as well, as it did in the days of Shimshon (Samson).
32. These are the ones mustered from the sons of Israel by the households of their fathers. The total of those mustered from the camps throughout their companies was 603,550.
33. But the Levites were not mustered among the sons of Israel, as YHWH had commanded Moshe.
34. So the descendants of Israel acted according to all that YHWH had commanded; they indeed pitched their tents according to their standards, and indeed they set out [to travel] in the same [formation], each one by his clans, according the households of his father.
The root word for standard or insignia means "consent" or "agreement"; we have to be in unity if we are under one banner. Daniel could read the writing when the most learned and decorated could not, because he knew Torah. That sign said Babylon would be divided—the opposite of ekhad, the description of YHWH and what His people also need to be. May the verdict for us be “mene mene sheqel ekhad”! When we are weighed by the Torah, may we be found to be the unified army that YHWH wants to command.
Commentary on
Parashat B'Midbar
Who Counts
in Israel?
This portion ties together the things we have been learning in the latter chapters of VaYiqra about what a soul is worth and how we can take inventory of ourselves. A wise young Jewish man named Daniel was an eyewitness to events that changed the earth forever, and he speaks very pointedly about men being weighed and “counted”. The incident of the “hand writing on the wall” (Daniel 5:13ff) serves as an excellent preamble to this portion. Babylonian King Belshatzar did not learn from his father Nevukhadnetzar’s mistakes. He took advantage of the wrong things, and profaned the vessels from YHWH’s Temple, using them at a banquet in honor of deities who, unlike YHWH, who held his very breath in His hands, could not even breathe themselves. The words written of him were “Mene, mene, teqel uparsin”—i.e.,, he was “weighed in the balances and found to be lacking”, and his kingdom would be divided. (Teqel is the Aramaic equivalent of sheqel--a weight.) Here, YHWH tells Moshe and Aharon to “weigh” Israel and find out which of us “count”:
