Parashat Naso

(Numbers 4:21 - 7:89)

22. "Lift [naso] the heads of the sons of Gershon also, for the house of their fathers, according to their clans;

23. "you shall count those [who are] from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old--all who enter to perform the service and do the work in the Tent of Appointment.

Perform the service: the term used usually has to do with military service. Work: LXX, "business".

Service: LXX, "public service".

26. "and the courtyard's drapes, and the screen [veil] for the entry opening of the courtyard which is by the Dwelling Place and by the altar, all around, and their ropes, and all the equipment for their service, and all that has to do with them; this is how they will serve.

Those "in exile" (the meaning of Gershon) carried the coverings (v. 25) and the doorways. The root word for "coverings" is "to conceal", but it is also related to the full moon's "clothing" itself. Yaaqov recognized the moon in Yoseyf's dream as meaning Rachel, the mother of the Northern Kingdom. It is these tribes in exile that have by and large known Y'shua, who said he had come for the "lost sheep of the House of Israel" (those in exile) and called himself "the door of the sheep".

Upon the lips...: Whatever else Aharon or the succeeding high priests told them to do was their job description.

29. "As for the sons of Merari, you shall number them according to their clans, by the house of their fathers.

30. "You shall number [those] from thirty years old and upward to fifty years--everyone who is going into the service to do the work of the Tent of Appointment.

Service: again a military term, though the work itself was tabernacle-related. The other count was of those from a month old and up, but this age group actually formed a fairly large percentage of the Levites.

32. "And the pillars of the courtyard round about [it], its bases, their stakes, and their cords, for all their equipment and for all their service; and by name you shall assign the equipment they are responsible to carry.

By name: Each was told exactly which piece he was responsible to care for and carry, so that there would be no confusion or contention about it--both inappropriate to their position. The total weight of the objects to be carried was about 1,700 pounds.

The sons of Merari, whose name means “bitterness”, are in charge of the items that give the tent structure and stability. They correspond with the camp of Dan, the one likened to a serpent and representative of the Counterfeit Messiah, whose congregation places too much emphasis on structure and permanence. It is very unusual to have boards be a component of a tent. They seem more like something that goes in a house. While He did state that Yerushalayim was where He had set His Name, YHWH had never commanded a house to be built, so what pictures a house rather than a tent is questionable to begin with. David was a man of war and thus belonged in tents and was not to build a stationary House for YHWH. (1 Chron. 22:8) The Hebrew term for the “bars” in v. 31 also means “a fugitive”, one “put to flight” The Hebrew term for the word for the “boards” or planks used to stabilize it means, at root, “to break away”. By having too much structure—as the Roman Church does through its dogma –we put down roots when YHWH wants us ready to move when His cloud moves. While our loyalty remains to YHWH alone, our doctrinal statement should keep changing as we grow into greater clarity as He gives us more light on His word, rather than our trying to read into Scripture what it would not normally mean, to prove what we have already decided is true.

35. from thirty years old and upward to fifty years--everyone who is going into the service to do the work of the Tent of Appointment.

36. The ones they counted, by their families, [totaled] 2,750.

37. These are the ones [who were] numbered from the families of the Q'hathites, everyone who is serving in the Tent of Appointment, whom Moshe and Aharon visited at the word [mouth] of YHWH under the direction of Moshe.

Direction: literally, "hand".

39. from thirty years old and upward to fifty years and everyone who is entering the service to do the work of the Tent of Appointment,

40. according to their clans, by their fathers' house--they numbered 2,630.

41. These are the ones [who were] numbered from the families of Gershon--everyone who is serving in the Tent of Appointment, whom Moshe and Aharon visited at the word [mouth] of YHWH.

42. And those visited from the sons of Merari, by their families and by their fathers' household--

43. from thirty years old and upward to fifty years and everyone who is going into the service to do the work of the Tent of Appointment--

44. Their numbered ones, according to their clans, [totaled] 3,200.

45. These [were] the ones numbered from the families of the sons of Merari--everyone who is serving in the Tent of Appointment, whom Moshe and Aharon visited at the word [mouth] of YHWH, under Moshe's direction.

46. All of those who were numbered among the Levites, whom Moshe, Aharon, and the captains of Israel visited according to their clans and by their fathers' household--

47. from thirty years old and upward to fifty years and everyone who is going into the service to do the work of carrying burdens in the Tent of Appointment--

What weight is each of us to carry in order to make the service of the whole community of Israel fruitful? The 50 days of the counting of the omer are designed to set us in order so we know our individual responsibilities and do not try to usurp someone else’s. The Levites who retired at 50 undoubtedly trained the younger Levites in how to do their job.

49. According to the command [mouth] of YHWH they were numbered, under the direction of Moshe, each man according to his service and according to what he was [responsible] to carry. Indeed they were counted, just as YHWH had commanded Moshe.

This was in addition to the responsibility for their own tents and everything else the lay Israelites would have to carry, so the latter task fell to their wives and children under age 30. Thus the families of those called to special service also had a price to pay--or the privilege of offering a special sacrifice, depending on how you choose to look at it.

CHAPTER 5

2. "Order the descendants of Israel to send out from the camp every tzarua [leper], everyone with a [bodily] discharge, and everyone whomever is defiled by a [dead] body.

Leper: not the infectious disease known by the same name today, but a spiritual condition that manifested itself in scaly itchiness on the skin. It nonetheless did spread to others, for it is an infectious attitude. It is a specific punishment meted out to persons who desire an honor or a position that YHWH has not chosen to give them. (12:1ff; 2 Kings 5:20ff; 2 Chron. 26:16ff) Discharge: representative of a "free-flowing" tongue or By a body: literally, "for a soul" (which often means “self”): a picture of one who partakes of any body other than Y'shua's Body--i.e., one that does not have YHWH-given life in it. He says to “let the dead bury their own dead”, and concentrate on following Him instead. (Mat. 8:22) Since the Torah is our life (Deut. 32:47), a dead body is a picture of one a Body without Torah—the very definition of the Church today! Proverbs 12:28 tells us that there is no death in the way of righteousness, and Romans 8:6 specifies that the essence of death is an inclination to the flesh, that is, the most natural, easy way. Yeshayahu (Isa.) 52:11 clarifies that touching an unclean thing is directly associated with coming out of the place of our exile. Where are we held captive? Is it by the media, popular culture, peer pressure, time, a desire for security, or organized religion? The way out is to trust YHWH.

Wanting another’s position instead of being content with and fulfilling the role we are actually given makes us "dead" to the Body--useless to it. Putting one's ego above that of his neighbors already separates him from them in reality, so to put him outside the physical camp is just the logical way to complete the picture. Such people are not to be allowed to infect others with their selfishness (which is what ritual impurity symbolizes, rather than sin as such, though it leads to many kinds of sin), because the response to selfishness is usually counter-selfishness. The result is that we are put out of the place where YHWH’s presence is—the worst part of the punishment. As this casting out was not permanent (Lev. 13:46ff), our exile is likewise meant to jar us into realizing how narrow our focus has been and make us eager to come back toward the community. YHWH is also offering us a way to come back into the camp of Israel today, and as then it is by renouncing our selfishness.

So they did: This was a rare case, but He has hope that our exile will make us want to do right all the time once He allows us back into His Land. As we prepare for that time, every time we are confronted by a choice, we should ask, “How will it benefit the Kingdom?” and do it, or leave it undone, accordingly. By tradition, the camp at this time measured about twelve miles in each direction.

6. "Tell the descendants of Israel [that] whenever they commit any of the sins of humanity, carrying out an act of unfaithfulness against YHWH, and that person, whether man or woman, is guilty,

Sins of humanity: LXX, "sins common to man" (Adam)--failing to take responsibility as Adam did. Commits sin and is guilty: i.e., when his guilt is revealed to him, perhaps by a brother's rebuke. This phrase also connotes that he owes a debt to the one he wronged.

A fifth: of its monetary value: See Leviticus 27.

Has no kinsman-redeemer: i.e., even if the one wronged is dead and has no survivors to pay back, the person is not "off the hook" from paying the restitution. He still needs to bring justice. The one representing YHWH most directly and who has no other inheritance will benefit from it instead. In addition: the “gospel of easy-believism” thus falls far short of the biblical norm; confession alone does not absolve us of guilt. We confess with our mouth, but repent with our actions. In addition, restitution with a 20% fine is also required, AND we need to “pay the inspector” to be sure that we have properly mended what we broke, so that Israelite society can again function smoothly.

10. "and whatever anyone consecrates shall become his; whatever anyone gives to the cohen shall become his."

Verse 9 describes a corporate gift to YHWH, and v. 10 the individual’s gift. The way to give to YHWH, who is not physical, is to give to the one He has put in the position of officiating at His sanctuary. Just because this right has been abused throughout history does not mean we are not still responsible to carry it out in the proper way.

12. "Speak to the descendants of Israel, and tell them, "If any man's wife turns aside and [is suspected of having] committed an act of unfaithfulness against him

"Turning aside" puts her in the position of needing to be questioned, whether she actually followed through on a temptation or not. LXX, "slights and despises him".

Since there were not at least two witnesses (Deut. 17:6; 19:15), neither she nor the other man are to be executed in this case, as they would both be if there had been two or three witnesses. (Lev. 20:10)

Spirit of jealousy: if someone does not confess her sin and tries to hide it, leaving it for YHWH to reveal what we hide; one of these ways is for Him to bring this suspicion over her husband. Assumedly this procedure is followed only if she does not confess from the start, or if she denies it and the priest does not believe her. YHWH is especially supportive of a husband’s jealousy, because He has four times experienced what it is like to have an unfaithful “bride”—once with Heylel (Y’hezq’el 28), once with Adam and Chavvah, once with straying Israel, and once with Y’shua’s called-out community that turned back to paganism by drifting toward the Greco-Roman “Jesus” caricature instead of the true, Hebraic Y’shua. He is jealous over us; He wants to know whether we are jealous for Him in return.

The man, who is responsible to keep order in his household, brings a gift to the priest for his services, though his suspicions have not yet proven grounded. Tenth of an ephah: equivalent to one omer (a basket used for dry measure). It is stated this way, because ten people traditionally constitutes a complete congregation. So a tenth of an ephah represents one person—the wife herself. She stands alone for her judgment, for if the guilt is hers, the husband is not held responsible if he carries out this test. A tenth of an ephah is the price of a bride who has gone astray, just as YHWH's people have, as illustrated in the book of Hoshea. The reminder is of what we were meant to be as His bride, how our ancestors were unfaithful to Him and how we still carry their sin until we confess it and repent, and what Y’shua did to remedy the situation so we could come back. The barley meal specifically relates us to the counting of the Omer (measure), the 49 days or seven sevens counted after the feast of Firstfruits. During this time our jealous Elohim will especially test our loyalty and priorities. After our long exile, are we yet a fit wife for Him? This offering is without oil--the anointing of the Holy Spirit--because it is in regard to her alone rather than together with the rest of the congregation. Frankincense is a white powder (a picture of purity) with a beautiful fragrance, and the term is feminine, so it represents a bride. Her purity as a bride is in question in this case, so that picture must be withheld from the offering. He has to pay for the child of whom his wife has deprived the nation (see v. 22).

17. "and the cohen shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and the cohen shall take some of the dust from the floor of the Dwelling-place and put it into the water.

Holy water: either from the ashes of the red heifer, or from the laver of the Tabernacle; LXX: pure running water. In an earthen vessel: this pictures YHWH's Word (especially Torah) being contained in a mortal body (2 Cor. 4:7)—that is, Y'shua, into whose hand the Father has given all judgment. Dust from the floor: the LXX adds, "as a witness"; dust relates to the descendants of Avraham (Gen. 13:16). This dust is taken from holy ground, and so represents the part of Israel that has remained set-apart. The word for floor(or bottom) comes from a root meaning the part that is torn or cut out (or in the case of a tent, missing), especially used of clothing; it almost always has a negative connotation in Scripture, relating to mourning or bereavement. But the part of YHWH's dwelling-place (Israel) that has been torn away is the Northern Kingdom. When this portion of Avraham's seed is mixed with the Torah, things can either be bound or loosed in the Kingdom.

Uncover her head: remove the symbol of her husband’s covering so she can be tested without regard to YHWH’s mercy toward him. This is only formalizing a condition which has already begun in her heart if she is indeed guilty. Grain offering: it was barley seeds, which are being harvested during the counting of the Omer and represent bringing the whole House of Israel to unity. By taking hold of this offering, the woman is saying that she still identifies herself as part of Israel.

20. "‘But if you have turned aside to [another] instead of your husband, and if you are defiled, any man other than your husband having given his seed to you...'

This is what the Renewed Covenant means when it speaks of the Torah being a curse. (Gal. 3:10, 13) It can prove a curse or a blessing (Deut. 27:13ff), depending on our response to it. We have been unfaithful as a people, but if we again become faithful, the curse can be removed, for Y’shua has provided a way to get back on the right track and showed us how to live it out.

22. "‘and this water that causes a curse shall go into your organs of procreation to make your womb swell up and your reproductive system to fail.' And the woman shall say, ‘Amen, so be it.'

The curse was not death, but that she would never again have children. This woman would no longer uphold the congregation, because she would not be producing any more descendants for Avraham. The "bad bloodline" is ended with her. However, she would look as if she were pregnant, but then would "bring forth only wind" (Yeshayahu/Isa. 26:18). She would falsely appear to be fruitful, but it is not only healthy trees that produce fruit; bad ones can as well. Y'shua said a tree would be known by its fruit. (Matt. 7:17-19) She is therefore a picture of the Church, which looks very successful, but is more interested in the attention of the “other man” than in producing descendants for Avraham. This is the litmus test for whether one is really part not just of those Y’shua has called, but those who will make up His bride.

According to the Mishnah, the ink was made from charred plants, and it was scraped off the scroll with a blade into the water. Colossians 2:14 tells us that Y'shua blotted out a set of similar decrees against us, nailing them to his cross. Moshe was able to make bitter water (the letter of the Torah with its curses) sweet again by cutting down a "tree"-- and introducing it into the bitterness. (Ex. 15:25)

As with Yochanan, a scroll could be bitter to the stomach. (Rev. 10:9-10; compare Y'chezqel/Ezekiel 3:3) But if we submit to His tests with a pure heart, they will have no ill effect on us.

Swing it before YHWH: so as to say, “May YHWH judge this case”.

Afterward: so she drinks the water a second time. YHWH shows His mercy here in that the punishment does not take effect if she repents between the first and second cups; the first cup only showed that she was opening herself up to be weighed. After Y’shua came once, we have been again seeking only personal salvation without regard to the rest of His nation. Another open door for confession and repentance, which can result in fruitfulness, is being given to us today, so that the possibility will not be lost forever.

28. "But if the woman is not defiled, but rather is clean, then she will be vindicated, and [will] conceive seed.

If she takes the second cup, though she knows she is not guilty, there is a reward for her, and she will be praised by all Israel for proving to have been faithful. And if we do something about the fact that our ancestors (and we ourselves) have been unfaithful, our name will not be blotted out (a Hebrew idiom for dying without an heir). Those sorrowful for and burdened by their reproach will be gathered, and YHWH will rejoice over us. He will give us a name—that is, the continuity of our lineage. (Tz’fanyah 3:15-20)

30. "or when a spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous for his wife, and sets her before YHWH; then the cohen shall execute for her this whole directive.

31. "Then the man shall be cleared of guilt, and this [particular] woman shall bear her guilt."

Cleared of guilt: There is no penalty for the man's suspicion; he also fulfilled his obligation to judge his own household first. This shows that the responsibility for dealing with YHWH’s unfaithful bride is ultimately His, and He has indeed done so through our exile and through Y’shua. How we respond is up to us. If the deep dying-to-self message of the Torah (water) and YHWH's dwelling-place (physical and spiritual) go deep into us, and we remember our Hebraic heritage in light of Y’shua, Colossians 2 tells us that because of Y'shua's sacrifice, the "handwriting of requirements that was against us" is taken away. As in this case, the poison from the handwritten curse is neutralized. Water symbolizes the Torah, the Word of YHWH. Though we all are guilty, because Y'shua drank the cup for us, the curse does not kill us; rather, it enables Avraham to have more descendants. The Torah, written by Elohim's own hand, cannot be removed, but the part that was against us no longer stands between us and YHWH. Its blessing is released, and we become its friend, as David was (see Psalm 119). If we drink from Him, we can run to, not from, the Torah.

CHAPTER 6

2. "Speak to the descendants of Israel, and tell them, ‘When either a man or a woman separates [himself] to take the [extraordinary] vow of a Nazir, to dedicate himself to YHWH,

Separates: a different Hebrew term than the ordinary word for “holy”. It means to distinguish oneself in an out-of-the-ordinary way. Dedicate himself: While only YHWH may declare a particular day or a particular object holy, a person may make a conscious decision to set himself apart for a particular purpose. This term is used elsewhere in Scriptrue in regard to the priests being set apart unto YHWH at all times (Lev. 22:2) and of the whole camp of Israel being set apart from uncleanness (a picture of selfishness) by their adhering to the laws of women’s separation during their monthly time of ritual impurity. (Lev. 15:31) However, it also has the negative usage of setting oneself apart from YHWH, whether by words or simply by one’s actions, which show where one’s heart really is. It may be unto a physical idol or a psychological one like security. YHWH is jealous for His Name, and we take it upon ourselves to be dedicated to Him ina s pecial way, He pays more attention to how we

Separate himself: the same word as "dedicate" in v. 2, and the same root as the term Nazir itself, which means "an untrimmed vine", specifically in relation to the seventh year, when the grapes are not to be harvested. (Lev. 25:5) He is a picture of the Sabbath and the Kingdom; the result of being pruned for six years, having the Torah written on our hearts, should be that beneficial fruit comes forth naturally. He lets what YHWH put on him do its own thing, not being conformed to anyone else's demands. Ironically, he had to stop partaking of the vine in order to be a “vine”. Israel is called a vine (Yirmeyahu 2:21; Hos. 10:1), so this is a picture of someone who does not just derive sustenance from the fruit of Israel (as we often did as Christians), but bearing fruit for the nourishment of others. During the seventh year, the fruit was not taken to market, but was eaten of as needed by the hungry, who nonetheless had to come to where the vine was to benefit from its fruit. The time is coming in which we need to take the benefits of Israel “off the public market” so they may not be profaned, and those who want to be nourished by its produce will have to come to where it is grown rather than isolating the things of YHWH from their home. The term Nazir has the nuance of keeping oneself at a distance from these things that are specified and going outside of societal norms, "letting the dead bury their dead", and following only YHWH's orders. Paying attention to his duty to keep himself at a distance from wine, a razor, or a dead body is meant to be a reminder that he is set apart unto a specific task. Paul (whom we see completing a vow in Acts 18) had to distance himself from some of the extra-Scriptural traditions he had learned from Gamaliel (such as keeping his distance from Gentiles) in order to dedicate himself to bringing some of them back to their earlier Israelite identity. Pruning a vine is something that must be done "in season", and one who follows YHWH's calendar will not be ruled by any other agenda. Fermented drink: in this case, also a grape product, but with a stronger degree of alcohol content. While we are more familiar with hard liquor being made from other products, it is still made from grapes in csome cases, and in Israel, the grape was a mainstay of the economy and culture. Grapes are a symbol of joy, and though the Nazir will certainly experience much joy during the time of his separation (perhaps even greater than ever before), this is not his pursuit or his motivation. So he symbolically builds a defense against letting it sidetrack him.

Stem: possibly "skin" or "seed"; LXX, "from the grape-stones to the husk". Wine is normally a picture of joy. This is a picture of dying to self to do whatever is required to be able to concentrate on intense study, learning, prayer, or the conquering of a particular evil habit to which we may be inclined.

In a few cases, like Shimshon (Samson)'s and Shmuel (Samuel)’s, and probably Yochanan (John) the Immerser's, this was a lifelong calling. In most cases in the historical record, the vow was not taken for more than 30, 60, or 90 days, i.e, from one new moon to the next. Y'shua took this vow--being set apart for a very special purpose--from just after his last Passover seder, to last until the Kingdom. Locks: from a word meaning “unrestrained”: symbolic of the fact that when he restricts himself to the task at hand, he must not be restrained by any other consideration.

Dead person: literally, dead soul. This includes animals. (Gen. 1:24.) One is defiled if he is even in the same room as a dead body. We exchange energy with whatever we come in contact with, so we have to build walls to avoid having the death of agendas other than the Kingdom’s from pull us downward.

Only the high priest also had such strictures placed on him. Even the rules for ordinary priests were more lenient. This is a very high level of sanctity. The purpose is to be set apart to YHWH in a particular area. When someone says they wish to follow Y'shua, he considers it as serious as a Nazir's vow, for he says we must choose him even over normal duties to relatives; the "dead" are left to bury their dead; we have a different calling--another field to plow. (Matt. 8:18ff; Luk. 9:57-59, which are based on 1 Kings 19:19ff). And in this case, the "vow" is a permanent one. Shimshon defiled himself by a dead body for the sake of his parents when he took honey out of the carcass of a lion and gave them some as well (Judges 14:8-9).

Now that he has built a wall of separation, YHWH recognizes it, and expects him to stay behind it.

Very suddenly: unexpectedly. This seems unfair because though he had no way of avoiding the contact, he sinned (missed his goal); he has *lived out a picture of contact withworldliness, though he had no control over it. He needs to go “retrieve his arrow” through bringing some expensive offerings (vv. 10-11), then try again. Note that it does not say the beard is shaved, only the head. This is because an Israelite man is to let his beard grow (Lev. 19:27); having it removed is a thing of great shame. (2 Shmuel 10:4-5) By not trimming his beard, every Israelite man portrays the fact that he is set apart to YHWH like the Naizr, though to a lesser degree. But by the time the Mishnah was written, all the hair on one’s body was shaved in this situation, thereby highlighting the shame of not having succeeded in one’s Nazirship. (vv. 11-12) In the case of a woman, she could then be mistaken for someone who had shamed her husband or a foreigner who had been taken into an Israelite man’s household. (Deut. 21:12) The man could be mistaken for a leper.

11. "and the cohen shall prepare one to be a sin offering, and one as an ascending offering, and they shall make atonement for him, as he failed to attain his goal because of the [dead] soul, and he shall set apart his head on that [same] day.

On that day: a frequent idiom for the Messianic Kingdom, when our Head, Y'shua, who was "made sin" for us, will be crowned (another meaning of the word for Nazir and "consecrated".) Failed to attain his goal: the same term used normally for "sin", because although in a sense he did nothing wrong or rebellious against YHWH, he "missed the mark"--the root meaning of "sin". He failed to fulfill a duty, even if it was not his fault. Only perfection can correctly picture YHWH's own holiness, so although, as with Y'shua's blood, YHWH does provide a way to atone for it, he still has to start over again. All that we do to repent, including being redeemed by Y'shua's blood, only gets us back to the starting point of where Adam was; it is not to our credit if we return, because we should have been there all along.

Even if he was only one day away from fulfilling his vow, he failed, so none of those days count; he has to start all over again.

14. "and he shall bring his offering near for YHWH: one male year-old lamb without defect as an ascending offering, one female lamb a year old to be a sin offering, and one sound ram for peace offerings,

He had to bring one offering for YHWH alone, one to bless the priests, and one to feed others who had come to worship. This is expensive, but if he has truly learned from it, it will have changed his life forever.

16. "Then the cohen shall present them before [the face of] YHWH, and shall prepare his sin offering and ascending offering.

Prepare: not offer, because that had to be done by the person to whom it belonged, because it was their transgression that necessitated it.

18. "Then the Nazir shall shave the head of his separation at the entry to the Tent of Appointment, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation and put it into the fire that is under the sacrifice of peace offerings.

He also cannot end his vow without paying for it. The hair grown as part of his vow may not now become his own glory; it was consecrated to YHWH, so with YHWH it must remain. Even the evidence of his special separation unto YHWH is removed, because it was between him and YHWH, and is not to be profaned when he returns to civilian life by becoming a conversation-piece or a reason to rest on his laurels. Whatever he has accomplished belongs to YHWH and His people, not the Nazir himself.

Sha'ul (Paul) took such vows (Acts 18:18; 21:24) long after the time when some interpreters say that he had forsaken the Torah. This proves otherwise.

May drink: or shall drink, possibly as another clear demarcation that he is no longer a Nazir.

22. Then YHWH spoke to Moshe, saying,

In this context, any time someone does something for the sake of Israel (such as the Nazir’s vow), the priest benefits. How can he give anything back, if he owns nothing but is only a steward of what is YHWH’s? By his ability to in fact confer blessing on the nation by their words. So YHWH gives them a specific way to do this:

24. "‘"May YHWH stoop toward you and watch over you.

Stoop: usually translated "bless", but the word really means "bend the knee", and while we thus "bless" YHWH, He hardly bends the knee to us; rather, He lowers Himself to our level as a Father so we may meet Him.

26. "‘"May YHWH lift up His face over you, and ordain well-being for you."

Lift up His face: pay intimate attention to us, making eye contact. Well-being: or "peace" (Heb., shalom), but it is much more; it essentially means perfection or completeness, with everything in its proper place.

Put My name: the priest forms the shape of the letter shiin, for Shaddai (the name used to mark YHWH's name upon an object or person), with both of his hands and hold it over his head toward them while he pronounces the blessing. (CohanimMem> still do this once a year at the Western Wall.) Having His name on us gives us a foundation for Him to bless us, who in ourselves are impure, as Y'shua was able to send his spirit to indwell us only after he was glorified (Yochanan 7:39), and this gave us sufficient purity for the Father to put His Spirit upon us in turn (Romans 8:9). This is also how this last section of the chapter connects with what went before: the Nazir, like the High Priest, had the oil of anointing upon his head, and the high priest had a "crown" that said "holy unto YHWH" on his head. Now the rest of the people can have His name placed on them as well. In this blessing, YHWH's name is mentioned three times--a sign of special emphasis. Something we miss in the English translation is that this whole blessing is directed to a masculine singular object: "one man". When the Torah was given at Mount Sinai, and when Ezra read the Torah and reinstituted the Levitical service after the exile (Neh. 8:1). This is the "one new man" that Paul speaks of Eph. 2:15. The blessing only holds for those who join themselves to that one body, "the Israel of YHWH".

CHAPTER 7

Only Moshe is said to have set it up. Perhaps on the literal level he only oversaw it, but the wording signifies that what Moshe represents--the Torah--is what sets up YHWH's Dwelling Place, not the Mishnah, Talmud, tradition, or even the Renewed Covenant; these all build on the Torah (some of them straying from it at times), but cannot displace it. But the account of his setting up the Tabernacle is nowhere to be found in this book, but only in Exodus 40. So this is in fact speaking of another Dwelling Place—the real one that the physical one only represented, whose builder and maker is YHWH alone, not man. (Heb. 8) So how did Moshe set that up? Through all that the events of the preceding chapters represented: identifying those who could battle for Israel, setting the camps in order and assigning the Levites their tasks, ridding the camp of those who coveted someone else’s position, those with free-flowing mouths, those defiled by what is dead, and those who are unfaithful, setting the people apart for our particular calling, and blessing us by putting YHWH’s name upon us. Finished: a form of the same Hebrew word used for a bride, which is really what all these operations are meant to raise up for YHWH.

Captains: literally, those lifted up (like banners). Over those who had been mustered: The sheep need a shepherd; otherwise they will wander off or wolves will devour them. They have to answer to the Over-shepherd. Therefore, the whole tribe is bound to obey one man. They are lifted up in order to be looked up to as examples and imitated, as Paul said his protégés were to imitate him as he imitated Messiah. Therefore the leader must be worthy of imitation. YHWH does not like what the existing shepherds have done to His sheep, so He is raising up new shepherds who will be appropriate role models, to replace those who have made a mockery of the position. (Yirmeyahu 23; Y’hezq’el/Ezek. 34) 1 Timothy 3 lays out the blueprint for how overseers and their attendants are to lead YHWH’s household. The attendants are literally “waiters”, who start out by serving, in order to learn how to succeed the present leaders when the time comes. Households of their fathers: This is what all of Israel, a kingdom of priests, is to be about—cleaning the house, making sure the foundation and covering are still secure, and keeping up our fathers’ business.

Captains: literally, "uplifted ones", but the word also means "to bear", reminding us that the greatest are those who serve.

5. “Accept it from them, so that they may be used for the service of the Tent of Appointment, and you shall give them to the Levites--to each according to [by the mouth of] his service.”

6. So Moshe took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites.

Why didn’t the leaders give the gifts directly to the Levites? Because though they were important, they were not authorized to do so; Moshe was the proper channel to go through. He knew exactly what YHWH wanted to do with them.

8. Then he gave four wagons and eight oxen to the sons of Merari as appropriate for their service, under the direction [hand] of Ithamar, son of Aharon the priest.

Today we would say this was unfair, since the Merarites received twice as much equipment as the Gershonites. But they had more to carry, and YHWH provides resources not equally but according to the responsibilities He gives. And “to whomever much is given, from him much is required.” (Luke 12:48) But this does not mean the sons of Gershon were less important; their place was just as crucial to the functioning of the sanctuary.

They were not permitted to use wagons to transport the furniture of the Tabernacle, which was under their jurisdiction. They were meant to feel its weightiness. Likewise, others may tell us that never having the Sabbath available for our own pursuits or having to wear uncut beards in the summer, etc., may be “too hard”, but it is to remind us of YHWH’s importance as compared to every other consideration. But if we get the point of the Renewed Covenant (which is really the same as the former) and “bear one another’s burdens” (Gal. 6:2), then indeed the burden Y’shua lays on us will be light (Mat. 11:30); if we tried to accomplish these things alone, without the whole community, they would crush us.

Dedication: Hanukkah in Hebrew; the holiday with that name commemorates its rededication after having been defiled by the Greeks circa 132 B.C. Every time the tabernacle or Temple was inaugurated, the altar was built first. We can thus surmise that the same will happen the next time it is built.

12. Now the one who brought his offering near on the first day was Nachshon, the son of Amminadav, of the tribe [branch] of Yehudah.

Some 3,600 years later, the names of these twelve leaders are still remembered, because they were faithful to their task. They did not seek this honor, but YHWH made sure they were given the credit they were due. Since the Torah is “life” to us (Deut. 32:47), we can quite literally say their names were written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

14. one hollowed-out golden vessel [weighing] ten [sheqels] full of incense;

15. one bull, a son of the herd; one ram; one male year-old lamb for an ascending offering;

16. one male kid of the goats, for a sin offering;

Why is a sin offering brought? Because even these most renowned men in Israel (under Moshe and Aharon) had to admit to all Israel that they, too, miss the target, and that they are doing something to right the situation. In this they are an example as well.

18. On the second day, Nethan’el the son of Tzuar, captain of Issachar, drew near.

19. As his offering, he brought: one silver dish, its weight being 130 [sheqels], one silver bowl [weighing] 70 sheqels, according to the sheqel of the Sanctuary, both of them filled with fine flour mingled with oil for a grain offering;

20. one hollowed-out golden vessel [weighing] ten [sheqels] full of incense;

21. one bull, a son of the herd; one ram; one male year-old lamb for an ascending offering;

22. one male kid of the goats, for a sin offering;

23. And for a slaughter of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five male year-old lambs; this was the offering of Nethan’el, son of Tzuar.

24. On the third day, [the] ruler of the sons of Z’vulun, Eliav the son of Helon.

25. His offering: one silver dish, its weight being 130 [sheqels], one silver bowl [weighing] 70 sheqels, according to the sheqel of the Sanctuary, both of them filled with fine flour mingled with oil for a grain offering;

26. one hollowed-out golden vessel [weighing] ten [sheqels] full of incense;

27. one bull, a son of the herd; one ram; one male year-old lamb for an ascending offering;

28. one male kid of the goats, for a sin offering;

29. And for a slaughter of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five male year-old lambs; this was the offering of Eliav, son of Helon.

30. On the fourth day, the captain of the sons of Reuven, Elitzur the son of Sh’dey-Ur.

31. His offering [was] one silver dish, its weight being 130 [sheqels], one silver bowl [weighing] 70 sheqels, according to the sheqel of the Sanctuary, both of them filled with fine flour mingled with oil for a grain offering;

32. one hollowed-out golden vessel [weighing] ten [sheqels] full of incense;

33. one bull, a son of the herd; one ram; one male year-old lamb for an ascending offering;

34. one male kid of the goats, for a sin offering;

35. And for a slaughter of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five male year-old lambs; this was the offering of Elitzur the son of Sh’dey-Ur.

36. On the fifth day, the captain of the sons of Shim’on: Shelumiel the son of Tzurishaddai.

37. His offering [was] one silver dish, its weight being 130 [sheqels], one silver bowl [weighing] 70 sheqels, according to the sheqel of the Sanctuary, both of them filled with fine flour mingled with oil for a grain offering;

38. one hollowed-out golden vessel [weighing] ten [sheqels] full of incense;

39. one bull, a son of the herd; one ram; one male year-old lamb for an ascending offering;

40. one male kid of the goats, for a sin offering;

41. And for a slaughter of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five male year-old lambs; this was the offering of Shelumiel, son of Tzurishaddai.

42. On the sixth day, the captain for the sons of Gad, Elyasaf the son of De’uel.

43. His offering [was] one silver dish, its weight being 130 [sheqels], one silver bowl [weighing] 70 sheqels, according to the sheqel of the Sanctuary, both of them filled with fine flour mingled with oil for a grain offering;

44. one hollowed-out golden vessel [weighing] ten [sheqels] full of incense;

45. one bull, a son of the herd; one ram; one male year-old lamb for an ascending offering;

46. one male kid of the goats, for a sin offering;

47. And for a slaughter of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five male year-old lambs; this was the offering of Elyasaf the son of De’uel.

48. On the seventh day, the captain for the sons of Efrayim, Elishama the son of Ammihud.

49. His offering [was] one silver dish, its weight being 130 [sheqels], one silver bowl [weighing] 70 sheqels, according to the sheqel of the Sanctuary, both of them filled with fine flour mingled with oil for a grain offering;

50. one hollowed-out golden vessel [weighing] ten [sheqels] full of incense;

51. one bull, a son of the herd; one ram; one male year-old lamb for an ascending offering;

52. one male kid of the goats, for a sin offering;

53. And for a slaughter of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five male year-old lambs; this was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.

The seventh day brings the Sabbath to mind; it is noteworthy that Efrayim, who forsook the Sabbath once, is chosen to be associated with it; perhaps YHWH's gift to Efrayim will yet be that he is the most faithful in keeping the Sabbath the way YHWH intended it to be kept. Y'shua said he was sent only to the "lost sheep of the House of Israel", of which Efrayim is "shorthand" since this tribe led the Northern Kingdom away into idolatry. But Y'shua taught us extensively in regard to the Sabbath.

54. On the eighth day, the captain of the sons of Menashe, Gam’liel the son of Pedah-tzur

55. His offering [was] one silver dish, its weight being 130 [sheqels], one silver bowl [weighing] 70 sheqels, according to the sheqel of the Sanctuary, both of them filled with fine flour mingled with oil for a grain offering;

56. one hollowed-out golden vessel [weighing] ten [sheqels] full of incense;

57. one bull, a son of the herd; one ram; one male year-old lamb for an ascending offering;

58. one male kid of the goats, for a sin offering;

59. And for a slaughter of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five male year-old lambs; this was the offering of Gam’liel the son of Pedah-tzur.

Gam’li-El, as seen earlier, means “Elohim has dealt bountifully with me”. But it sounds exactly like the Hebrew for “Elohim is for me, too!” This fits well with the tribe of Menashe returning from being scattered among the nations, having forgotten his father’s house, which was the thought that Yoseyf had when he named this son. The eighth day represents a new beginning after the old has passed away; the particular blessing Yaaqov gave to Menashe was that he would become a great nation (Gen. 48), so he represents the whole nation of Israel coming back together as one.

60. On the ninth day, the captain of the sons of Binyamin: Avidan the son of Gid’oni.

61. His offering [was] one silver dish, its weight being 130 [sheqels], one silver bowl [weighing] 70 sheqels, according to the sheqel of the Sanctuary, both of them filled with fine flour mingled with oil for a grain offering;

62. one hollowed-out golden vessel [weighing] ten [sheqels] full of incense;

63. one bull, a son of the herd; one ram; one male year-old lamb for an ascending offering;

64. one male kid of the goats, for a sin offering;

65. And for a slaughter of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five male year-old lambs; this was the offering of Avidan the son of Gid’oni.

66. On the tenth day, the captain of the sons of Dan: Achiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

67. His offering [was] one silver dish, its weight being 130 [sheqels], one silver bowl [weighing] 70 sheqels, according to the sheqel of the Sanctuary, both of them filled with fine flour mingled with oil for a grain offering;

68. one hollowed-out golden vessel [weighing] ten [sheqels] full of incense;

69. one bull, a son of the herd; one ram; one male year-old lamb for an ascending offering;

70. one male kid of the goats, for a sin offering;

71. And for a slaughter of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five male year-old lambs; this was the offering of Achiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

72. On the eleventh day, the captain of the sons of Asher: Pagiel the son of Ochran.

73. His offering [was] one silver dish, its weight being 130 [sheqels], one silver bowl [weighing] 70 sheqels, according to the sheqel of the Sanctuary, both of them filled with fine flour mingled with oil for a grain offering;

74. one hollowed-out golden vessel [weighing] ten [sheqels] full of incense;

75. one bull, a son of the herd; one ram; one male year-old lamb for an ascending offering;

76. one male kid of the goats, for a sin offering;

77. And for a slaughter of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five male year-old lambs; this was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ochran.

78. On the twelfth day, the captain of the sons of Nafthali: Achira the son of Enan:

79. His offering [was] one silver dish, its weight being 130 [sheqels], one silver bowl [weighing] 70 sheqels, according to the sheqel of the Sanctuary, both of them filled with fine flour mingled with oil for a grain offering;

80. one hollowed-out golden vessel [weighing] ten [sheqels] full of incense;

81. one bull, a son of the herd; one ram; one male year-old lamb for an ascending offering;

82. one male kid of the goats, for a sin offering;

83. And for a slaughter of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five male year-old lambs; this was the offering of Achira the son of Enan.

The order that the leaders of the tribes offered their offerings is the same as the order in which they camped and in which they set forth to travel. Each tribe brought the same, so apparently no one tried to outdo the others. (Compare Ex. 30:15.) Each tribe is necessary, and each must bring his part for the nation to be whole. Even if one appears more important than the others, it is only in one manner (e.g., the throne belongs to Yehudah, but Yoseyf has the birthright, 1 Chron. 5:2). Like the half sheqel Temple tax, each has a different role, but like the gifts in Ephesians 4, every one must be present and available for the nation to function properly.

84. This was the dedication of the altar by the captains of Israel on the day it was anointed: twelve silver dishes, twelve silver bowls, twelve golden spoons.

85. [Since] each silver dish [was] 130 [sheqels] in weight, and each bowl 70, all of the silver of the vessels [totalled] 2,400 sheqels according to the sheqel of the Sanctuary.

86. [Also] twelve hollowed-out golden vessels full of incense, ten [for this pan and] ten [for that] pan, according to the sheqel of the Sanctuary; all the gold from the spoons [totalled] 120 [sheqels].

87. All the animals for the ascending offerings [totalled] twelve bulls, twelve rams, twelve male year-old lambs, along with their grain offering, then the twelve male kids of the goats for a sin-offering,

88. and all the animals for the slaughter of the peace-offering: 24 bulls, 60 rams, 60 he-goats, and 60 male year-old lambs. This was the dedication of the altar after it was anointed.

89. And when Moshe went into the Tent of Appointment to speak with Him, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the atonement-covering which is on top of the Ark of the Testimony--from between the two kh'ruvim. Then he spoke with Him.