Parashat Qorach

(Numbers 16:1 - 18:32)

Took along: or, grasped--a more blatant example of the sin of the man who was "gathering sticks", for Qorach was literally gathering men in the wrong way. Qorach means "bald"--not a natural baldness, but a self-imposed one (by shaving the head) like the practice of the monks who also claimed to have the law-making authority that only Moshe had (under YHWH). This was forbidden among Israelites, and especially the priests, except for their inauguration. (Lev. 21:5; Deut. 14:1) Besides being the antithesis of the Nazirite, it was a symbol of shame (1 Chron. 19:4-5) or mourning (Yirmiyahu 16:6). So the seeds of rebellion are right in Qorach's name. A mourner in Israel received special attention, because they alone have lost something irreplaceable. This is a perfect name for someone who clearly wants a lot of attention. What is he mourning? His "rights". He is Moshe and Aharon's first cousin, the son of their father's next younger brother, so he had nearly the identical pedigree to theirs, yet Moshe has chosen the son of his father's youngest brother (Elitzafan ben Uzzi'el, apparently himself the younger son) as the leader of the Q'hathites (Num. 3:30). But Qorach wants his say. He feels cheated out of the honor, authority, and offerings Moshe and Aharon receive. Yet this is the first time we ever read of Qorach doing anything, while Elitzafan (Eltazafan) earned his right to lead partly by his faithfulness in carrying away the body of one of Aharon's two slain sons. (Lev. 10:4) Despite his strong genealogy (as one of those in charge of the very furniture of the Tabernacle and Moshe and Aharon's own first cousin), he betrayed his lineage.

Stood up to: or formed an uprising against. What audacity they had, after just having seen the ten "spies" consumed for playing this same political game. But human nature always looks for someone to blame, especially in the aftermath of great losses like they had just experienced (e.g., 15:36). Famous: literally "called", for their names were household words; it may even mean they were qualified to call an assembly. Renown: literally, "name".

I.e., "Why do you think you are so special?" All of them are holy: This is an oxymoron, for if something is set apart, it must be set apart from everything else. But they were parroting Moshe's own words in Exodus 19:6. And compared to the rest of the world, they were right: all of Israel is holy. But YHWH also chose some to be the "set apart among the set apart". This sounds so much like the church and its claim that all days should be holy. Yes, of course, we want to elevate every day, just as we want to elevate every Israelite, but one of the days has already been elevated by YHWH Himself, as was one of the Israelites--many, really, including these very rebels, yet because they wanted even more (v. 9), they played the hypocrites and claimed to be speaking for those less elevated than themselves. Just like politicians who don't really care about the people they want to rule! Moshe saw right through it. He knew he could not plead with YHWH on their behalf much longer. Qorach took advantage of the congregation at this vulnerable time, since killing a man always does something to one's soul, even when it is proper to do so. He essentially accused Moshe, the shepherd, of killing his own sheep. He tried to make it look as if he were speaking for the whole congregation, but if they are all indeed holy, why does he wish to raise himself up? This generation knew they would not be going to the Promised Land after all, so they wanted another leader to take them somewhere--even back to Egypt. Qorach is lobbying to be that leader. They did not accept YHWH's rebuke; they kept trying to have their way and get around His sentence. If they would have truly repented He might have relented, though there were no guarantees. But they did not. Qorach exemplifies four classic tactics of the rebellious: (1) He finds other people with a complaint. The sons of Reuven probably felt they still had some claim to leadership since their ancestor was the eldest son of Yaaqov, though Yaaqov himself had clearly taken away his birthright, bringing them a certain amount of shame as a tribe already. (Gen. 49:3ff) Nor were these men even the leaders of the tribe of Re'uven. But Qorach played upon the fact that they were still disgruntled and felt like they deserved more than they were getting. (2) He got the people to identify with his problem. He looked for the weakest link--those who would be likely to be sympathetic: others among the second tier of leadership. Like a politician, he told them that they, too, had been wronged by Moshe, though they did not realize it! (3) He created a "straw man"--a problem that did not actually exist, but which he could solve--or that he could blame someone else for if no one was capable of solving it. Moshe was the most humble man who ever lived. This was not even a true annoyance, but once the suggestion is made, it takes on a life of its own in people's minds. As Yaaqov (James) said, the tongue is a very powerful thing. (4) Worst of all, he cast YHWH as being on his side and against Moshe and Aharon. He assumed numbers proved him right, but all of those who stood with him were wrong. Now he is guilty not only of slander (which in itself is akin to murder), but of leading many astray. If he had stopped short of this, he might have gotten away with some of his actions, but this was a very dangerous thing to do. YHWH would prove whose side He was on. We, too, are used to having our say. A newcomer on the scene is calling an assembly, much like America, a "baby" among ancient nations of the world. He sees himself as representing all of Israel, but demanding to be heard is a dangerous thing, especially when one curses YHWH's chosen in order to do so.

That is, he prostrated himself before YHWH to find out what He wanted to do about this:

This type of squabbles also arose among Yahshua's congregation once they forgot they were headed back to the Promised Land, and assumed they were settling down for the long haul in the mediocre places they had come to think of as normal. There is a difference between those who are with YHWH and those who just want YHWH to be with them. YHWH promised to be with Yaaqov, but Israel went much further by deciding to go with YHWH on His journey rather than just asking YHWH to help him on his way. We do not need Him to help us accomplish our goals; He needs to be the one in charge. How do you recognize the one He has chosen? He is the one YHWH brings near to Himself, not the one YHWH has to keep following around to deal with his screw-ups.

7. "put fire in them, and set them before YHWH tomorrow [with] incense in them, and whomever YHWH chooses shall be the holy [one. It is you who presume] too much for yourselves, sons of Levi!"

He turns their own words back on them, but the firepans with incense should have reminded them of Nadav and Avihu--men who were not even rebellious but who were consumed by YHWH for doing something wrong when they were a bit too tipsy. (Num. 3:4) He says, "If I am doing such a poor job, let me see you pull it off. Show me your fruit, if you think you can do better!" Moshe was giving them one last open door to back out of their rebellion, because otherwise this is just a set-up for their destruction. Only Aharon knows the recipe for the incense acceptable to YHWH (Ex. 30:23), so whatever anyone else brings will of necessity turn out to be "strange fire", and they know what the result of that would be. This was indeed leverage, and he was using it wisely.

He rightly turned their own accusation back on them. They were the ones who had bitten off more than they could chew. If they wanted to play games with YHWH, He would go along withg it, but when they lost, they would have to bear serious consequences which were no laughing matter. Sons of Levi: the Re'uvenites are not addressed here, because it was a Levite who fomented the discontent in the rest. The Levites were given the most, and therefore are held more responsible.

Too small: a reversal of their words about Moshe taking on too much. But all of Israel needs to consider this question: Don't we realize that whatever YHWH has given us to do is indeed an important job? If we see it as small, it is our vision that is the problem, not His; it is only small if we see it as small. We must not despise the small beginnings. (Zkh. 4:10) If we are faithful, we will move on to larger things, especially in this day when so much is already being restored. Truths that were hidden from all but Yehudah for thousands of years are now being revealed again. This is a big thing! Stand before: later, as musicians on the steps to the innermost courtyard of the Temple. Even Moshe did not have this privilege. Too small a thing: YHWH told Yahshua the same in a positive sense (Yeshayahu 49:6); compare His own advice in Luke 14:8-11 and Sha'ul's summary in Phil. 2:5-9.

I.e., "Look at all you have already--so much more than the rest of Israel--and you still want someone else's position?" YHWH essentially said the same to haSatan. (Y'hezq'el 28:13-17) YHWH also holds the entire tribe of Levi responsible for not stopping Qorach before he got to Moshe. (Exodus 32:26-28) The entire tribe is held liable, because if they are not trying to shut him down, it is tantamount to supporting what he is doing.

I.e., it is not really Aharon or myself that you are opposing, but YHWH. (Compare Acts chapter 5.)

Apparently they had made all of these accusations from a distance, "behind Moshe's back", but were unwilling to do so to his face.

They are so confused by their rebellion that they consider Egypt the promised land! Do they think they can escape YHWH's judgment if they go back there? But they have spoken already, and so has YHWH; they will pay the price. Or are they still just saying what the people want to hear. Many wanted to go back to Egypt, but there was no one to take them there. But this is how you can recognize a leader that you don't need: if you are comfortable with everything they say. Then they are not really leading; you are leading them. A true leader does not have to pander to those who could pay his salary.

"You can't just tell us what to do! We're Americans--I mean Israelites!" The critical factor seems to be that he had not let them go into the Land. As if it was his fault they didn't enter the Land! They are only after physical gain. Never mind that they live in the presence of YHWH. These people are not worthy of their inheritance; if they did go, the Land would spit them out in short order, saying, "Don't ever feed me that again!" Gouge out their eyes: So they will not notice that the wilderness is not the Promised Land? Moshe had done nothing to deserve such accusations--or was the man gathering sticks their friend? Or the spy from Re'uven? He was accusing Moshe of power-hunger and cruelty, which seems like the typical extrapolation of hearsay about what kind of a person he was--a case built on irrelevant ideas as we see so often in those with a radical agenda trying to sway people's hearts. They appealed to people's natural hunger for possessions, but it was not yet time to receive their inheritance. So they made it look as if he wanted to keep all of these things for himself (which was not true, though YHWH had legitimately offered that to him on more than one occasion). Moshe brought his defense directly back to the Judge whom he knew was on his side (Romans 12:19; 1 Kefa 2:23):

Moshe was more merciful by far than most people, but finally he has had enough. He has been a great shepherd all along, but now he is being pushed into becoming a teacher. He is finally goading and prodding and beating with a stick--the meanings of "to teach" in Hebrew. Before this, he only repeated YHWH's words to them, but now he is growing bolder. Compare 1 Shmuel 12:13. He could well have added, "They're only alive because I begged You for their lives!" This is the first time he did not do so, but actually walked in his true authority and cursed even his fellow Levites, "stacking the deck" against them, because this was what was best for the rest of Israel. He was learning not to cast his pearls before swine by having mercy on those who would only take advantage of it. Donkey: not even fit to be an offering. To take someone's donkey would mean they had to carry their burdens themselves. But D'vorah also said those who sat in judgment rode on donkeys (Judg. 5:10); from this we could deduce that Moshe was saying he had not even taken back the position of anyone whom he had appointed as a judge.

17. "And each of you bring his firepan, put incense on them, and bring them near before YHWH --250 firepans--you along with Aharon, that is, each [with] his firepan."

18. So each of them brought his firepan, [and they] put fire in them, lay incense on them, and stood at the entrance to the Tent of Appointment, along with Moshe and Aharon,

But only 250 came, not 254 (v. 35). Qorach, who started it all, would not even show up when it was time for his opinion to be given a true test, since in reality he was a coward. He may have thought that with the attention on these men, Moshe might forget his role in it and he might escape. So he sent the other "leaders" to take the risk, for he and his cohorts were not even brave enough to take the test; he essentially sacrificed them.

20. And YHWH told Moshe and Aharon,

21. "Withdraw from being in the same crowd as this company, so that I can put an end to them in [one] instant."

He could destroy them more easily if He could just attack the whole group at once and not have to find a way to spare some of those among them, for He was using natural forces that would have to thus be somehow limited.

Though he was rightfully angry, he knew that not everyone in Israel was guilty. Besides, he had already set it up so that the wicked ones would have to die if they persisted in their wickedness.

24. "Tell the congregation, 'Pull [up your tent stakes and get] yourselves away from all around the dwellings of Qorach, Dathan, and Aviram.'"

25. So Moshe got up and went to [where] Dathan and Aviram [were], and the elders of Israel walked behind him.

Though the rebellious 250 were men of renown, they were not the true leaders of Israel; those who were remained loyal to Moshe. This was the true Sanhedrin.

Apparently they were not yet responding to his warning. Evil men: LXX, "stubborn men". Do not touch: lest you be leavened by it. Have no part in what has clearly become opposed to YHWH. He owed them no explanation, but now even those who themselves were innocent might be punished. They had to take sides and form a clear line of demarcation, just as the blood on the doors in Egypt had.

The dwellings: Though these men were from two different tribes, they were in close proximity to one another. The Q'hathite branch of the Levites was immediately beside Reuven's camp, on the southern side of the camp, so some of the Reuvenites had probably simply overheard Qorach complaining, and it resonated with a chord of discontent that already predisposed them to respond favorably to his ideas. Took their stand: or stood firm, upright, with their feet planted--still defiantly unwilling to bend. But notice the difference: Qorach's family was not with him as Dathan's and Aviram's were. Apparently among those who distanced themselves from Qorach were his own children--for his descendants (which included Shmu'el the prophet) are listed later in Scripture. (1 Chron. 6:22ff) David chose one of them, Heyman, to preside over the music in the Tabernacle, and his sons were chosen to lead the 24 courses of Levites who would serve there. So they could be freed from the sins of their ancestor (compare Yirmeyahu 31:29-30)--and so can we, if we make the right choices.

Moshe never wished to cause anyone trouble; it was YHWH's choice to kill these cowardly rebels. And he was also letting them know that the decisions he made in his shepherding Israel wre not just his own whims. They were to measure his motives by their fruit.

30. "But if YHWH makes something new happen, and the ground opens her mouth and swallows them up along with all that they own, and they go down into the underworld alive, then you will know that these men have spurned YHWH!"

Something new: LXX, "a wonder"; another version reads, "a vision". They opened their mouths against Moshe; now the very ground would open its mouth against them. All that they own: the pattern of Egypt, which they considered their lost promised land (v. 13), was to bury all of one's treasures with him. So YHWH "rubbed in" their punishment by adding this reminder of what they were really worshipping. The underworld: Heb., She'ol, the grave or the world of the dead; LXX, "Hades".

32. and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them, their houses, and all the people who were for Qorach, along with all their possessions.

They were not allowed repentance, and since they were after possessions, they were allowed to take theirs with them, just like the Pharaohs in their favorite place, Egypt. Physically this may have still been one of the aftershocks as the earth adjusted to its former condition after the astronomical events that had been YHWH's means of effecting the upheavals seen at the Exodus. "The earth's crust trembled and cracked again and again as its strata settled after the major displacement. Chasms opened up, springs disappeared, and new springs appeared. … The earth had not yet recovered from the previous world catastrophe, and reacted with continuous tremors…" (Velikovsky, Worlds in Collision, pp. 150-151)

No evidence remained that they had ever even existed.

Voice: i.e., their cries and shrieks.

These were not the instigators, so their punishment was different, but they still participated willingly after being given a whole night to repent. They had no time to even realize that their incense was not accepted and Aharon's was. But at least these men had the honor of dying by fire from YHWH; His fire was too holy to waste on Qorach, Dathan, and Aviram. But what became of On (v. 1)? Did he repent?

CHAPTER 17

2. "Tell El'azar, the son of Aharon, the priest, to remove the firepans from among [what was] burning, but scatter the fire out beyond, because they have become set apart.

El'azar had a difficult job because this would remind him of what had become of his two elder brothers, Nadav and Avihu. (Lev. 10) But he did not vacillate as his f ather often did, and he would be the one to later inherit Aharon's position. Scatter the fire: or throw it away. Out beyond: or "yonder"--i.e., away from the Tabernacle. YHWH had not prescribed the incense to be brought by 250 separate individuals; only one incense-bringer was necessary. They had the idea of the incense right, but expressed it wrongly. YHWH listens only to "one man"--the restored Adam that Israel began, Yahshua guaranteed, and we are in the process of composing. Set apart: the survivors of these families could not be sustained by the sale of these expensive vessels, because they had been brought forward for a use that belonged to YHWH, though their motive was selfish. Incense represents prayer, and the words we say to YHWH are His; we cannot take them back. Though offerings, unlike tithes, are voluntary, once we designate them for YHWH, to withhold them is to rob Him. (Mal. 3:8) We ourselves were bought both from Pharaoh and ransomed from our exile through Yahshua's blood, so we have no claim to any rights that YHWH does not expressly give us. (1 Cor. 6:19, 20)

4. So El'azar the priest took the bronze firepans which those who were burned up had brought near, and they were made beaten thin to form a plating for the altar,

5. as a reminder to the descendants of Israel, in order that no outsider, who is not of the seed of Aharon, would come near to cause incense to smoke before YHWH, so he would not become like Qorach and his party, just as YHWH had told him under Moshe's direction.

The point was made that there is one Holy One and one Mediator, and these men were neither. (Compare Yeshayahu 42:8) Bronze is often a connected with fire as a symbol of being purged from sin. It highlights the earthly side of our nature, and would serve as a somber, negative reminder of what not to do. Tzitziyoth, a symbol of the heavens, are a more positive type of reminder to challenge us to ascend higher. (15:39) Whichever of the two reminders is effective at the time is appropriate. It was the Levites (the initial perpetrators of this rebellion) who would see this reminder more frequently than anyone else. Yes, they served in the Temple, but no one had an audience with YHWH unless they went through Aharon (as we must now enter by way of Yahshua). Bringing incense is a symbol of Yahshua, who carries our prayers to the Father.

The people of YHWH: Just because they had been called by YHWH at one point, the people assumed they remained so, even though they had removed themselves from that calling and no longer deserved respect. It is amazing, but not uncommon, that people cannot accept YHWH's judgment. They want to blame it on Moshe and say that YHWH would never do something like this. He must have sent El'azar to retrieve the censers so that no one else would see the gunpowder he had put into them to make them explode! But a day later, the fire was still burning; they should have kept their mouths shut. The problems stemmed from their mouths, not their actions. But YHWH's words are harsher than people want to accept; we cannot take one piece and leave the rest on the table. When we know better, we had better do better.

8. Then Moshe and Aharon came to the front of the Tent of Appointment.

9. But YHWH told Moshe,

10. "Pull up [and get] away from being in the same crowd as this company, so that I can put an end to them in [one] instant." But they fell on their faces,

Pull up: This time you be the ones to move. Compare 16:21, 24. Falling on their faces was not enough this time. YHWH had just established the fact that Aharon was the mediator, so Moshe recognized that if the plague were to stop, he would have to take up his duty as such.

Again, they were more concerned for YHWH's reputation than their own well-being, since He had offered to replace all of Israel with their own descendants alone. Moshe did not just do this himself, but, though he was in authority over Aharon, he respected Aharon's position and let him operate in the area that was assigned to him.

He could no longer simply beg YHWH to act; Aharon had to act out his role as mediator. This was still miraculous; there was no direct connection between the incense and the physical cause of this death, just as there is no connection between the oil the elders apply to the sick and their healing (Yaaqov 5:13). But there is a certain prescribed order that has to be followed, not just a nebulous "salvation". It is the same difference between keeping YHWH's commandments and walking up a mountain of glass on our knees in order to impress YHWH. I.e., keeping the Torah is not a work of the flesh, but the way to express a spiritual reality.

Everyone who tried to confront him face to face died; those who stood behind him stayed alive. He was the "door". But how did he stop the plague? Was it the ingredients in the incense? No; it is much simpler than that. He just put everything back in order. Israel had been out of order for days, but now the right man again had the right incense in the right pan. Moshe was giving the orders and Aharon was doing his job. Things could now get back to normal, with the demonstration fresh in mind of the fact that we cannot allow everyone to say what they want to say; disorderly conduct cost many their lives. There must be a "pecking order". As we return to the proper order as outlined by the Torah, many lives can again be saved as well. David did the same by building an altar on the place that would later become the Temple Mount. (2 Shmuel 24). They were both acting out the picture of Yahshua's mediatorship. Efrayim's king did not stoke up the fire (as per Hoshea), so the northern Kingdom went astray. But we now have a King who went to the point of death to intervene for us; he can bring the incense more effectively when not confined to flesh and blood. There is a plague already at work today, preparing for the destruction of the Lawless One, though it is being partly restrained for the present. (2 Thess. 2)

The congregation did not learn from what happened to Qorach and his associates (about 250 people), so YHWH multiplied their deaths about sixty times.

16. [17:1 in most English Bibles] Then YHWH told Moshe,

17. "Speak to the descendants of Israel, and get a rod from each of them--a rod per patriarch's household, from every one of their leaders: twelve rods. You shall write each one's name on his rod,

Despite all their complaints about Moshe, YHWH is still speaking through him. Even the Egyptians had held him in high esteem, but now he is no longer popular. But YHWH does not care; He is not going to give that job to someone else. Since the people do not automatically recognize His choice of who is to rule all of Israel, He will go ahead and do a "trick" to prove it to them. Why was YHWH's word not enough? Yahshua said it is an evil generation that demands a sign. (Luke 11:29) But for Moshe and Aharon's sake He will show them definitively who is in charge. It is easy to point the finger, but many people today who claim to love YHWH also try to override Moshe's authority, but Moshe (i.e., the Torah) is still the vessel YHWH has chosen to communicate His will. Yes, He says He will communicate more by dreams and visions in the latter days, and the rest of Scripture and the Renewed Covenant are profitable, but only insomuch as the interpretation is founded in Torah. To end all controversy, YHWH commands Moshe to give orders--to treat them like an army, not just a flock--giving them no choice but to take this test with the rods. The Hebrew word for "rod" also means a branch, as it was often cut from a tree, and the root word means "to spread out" as branches do. By extension, then, the term can also mean a tribe, as a branch of the family "tree". Israel is a nation of shepherds, and a rod was thus very important to them. It was used to beat off predators, but also to goad the sheep or goats in the right direction. The Hebrew word for "teach" also carries this sense of prodding. The rod therefore represents the bearer's authority to correct and lead. Yahshua's rod will be made of iron, signifiying an unbending standard--a strengthening, rather than a relaxing of the Torah, as he demonstrates in Mat. 5-7. When he comes to rule and judge, there will no longer be any room for complaining about the Torah--or about his position as King. A shepherd's rod typically had the most significant events in his life carved into it. This is still common among Bedouins today. They may have brought the rod that actually belonged to each son of Yaaqov himself--what a treasure! It was basically the tribe's historybook. Or the rod may have simply belonged to the greatest person in the tribe's history. But since they entered Egypt, they have been involved in other kinds of work, so there probably have not been many great shepherds--except for one (Moshe). But writing their names on the patriarch's rod would be like finding an original copy of the Declaration of Independence, then being told to sign one's name to it as well. After some of Re'uven's leaders had just been swallowed up, there was probably little campaigning going on now, but YHWH tells them to choose a particular head and put it in writing this time. Someone specific would need to take responsibility for the outcome of these proceedings, because the earlier rebellion should have been quenched at the ground level--by the rulers of ten. Qorach should have been put outside the camp while the rebellion was still a tiny murmur. But since there were rulers of 50, 100, and 1,000 as well, they apparently passed the buck all the way up to Moshe. This time YHWH wants someone specific to hold accountable. They would pick someone with a name worthy to go on a patriarch's rod, but most were probably not volunteering this time; those chosen probably assumed it was their death sentence being sealed. It must have been sobering indeed.

The leader's name is also important. In Israel, one's name has meaning in regard to his life. For example, David means "beloved", and this is borne out by how YHWH favored him and chastised him. Levi's name means "my joining". It appears that YHWH was actually the one who named him, in contrast to the mothers naming all of the rest of Yaaqov's sons. (Gen. 29:34) His tribe is indeed joined to YHWH in a special way, as is borne out by his being singled out here. If we follow the history of Aharon's rod carefully, we can see that it was once Moshe's rod (Ex. 4:1ff). When Aharon was named as Moshe's spokesman, he ended up using the rod himself. (4:13ff) By Exodus 7:8, the same rod is called Aharon's. So Moshe and Aharon shared the rulership of the tribe of Levi. Aharon's authority is that of Moshe; figuratively, the High Priest's authority is the Torah. He cannot offiaite without it. Aharon was the high priest, and as such prefigures Yahshua, our great High priest (Heb. 4:14), who derived his authority from the Torah. His life means nothing apart from the Torah. He is called the Rod (Mic. 6:9), and as such is YHWH's means of ruling Israel. He is the Mediator between Israel and YHWH, prefigured here by Aharon, whose name means "giver of light". Moshe's name would also be on the rod from previous days, but his elder brother is now restored to the privilege of firstborn as regards this area of authority. One rod per head: There can only be one leader in each position, or YHWH's order will not work. This is just like the old adage, "Too many cooks spoil the broth!" or "all chiefs and no Indians". Why did people covet the priesthood? Why would they want such a bloody job? Because the priests, though they had no inherited land, had the greatest liquid wealth in the nation. They ate meat every day, while many others only ate it at festivals or special occasions. They had hides and pelts that they could sell, and clothing--of outstanding beauty--was provided for them, Aharon's garment had gold threads sewn right into it! During the Roman occupation, the high priest's job was sold to the highest bidder because of all the revenue that came with it. Everyone also wanted the prestige and power that came with such a job.

Testimony: or witness; i.e., the Ark and what was inside it--the Torah, which served as a witness to YHWH's covenant, or marriage contract, with Israel. As the bride needs to sign it in front of a credible witness to indicate her agreement with the proposal, the congregation is the witness to a wedding, which also entails the responsibility of doing its part to ensure that the agreement is upheld, for it is more than a matter of individual preference; it must be an arrangement that benefits the entire community as well, or it is just another selfish act. It also had a sample of the manna--a reminder of YHWH's provision but also His testing, because He gave us rules for how to gather it. (Exodus 16:23ff) Any provision from YHWH is also a test, because when we are well-provided for, we are more likely than ever to pull away from Torah.

The man whom I select: another picture of Yahshua. (Yeshayahu 42:1) YHWH is tired of their complaining, and though they are grumbling against Moshe, it bothers Him. He takes it personally, and wants to put and end to the whining, whispering, and rebellion once and for all by an unmistakable sign so they would have no room left to argue. (Compare Y'hezq'el/Ezekiel 17:24.) The one whose leadership blossoms in light of these witnesses to YHWH's covenant, provision, and testing is what He will choose--not the one with the most degrees from a seminary, not who has written the most books, not the one with the best fund-raising skills. No matter how many times the Torah has been called dead, YHWH will choose those who seek it day and night, and they will benefit from His choice while those who despise it will end up regretting it.

Twelve rods: Since Levi is represented, there would only have been one rod for the House of Yoseyf, and it was in the possession of M'nasheh. Among: or, in the midst of. Midrash Tanchuma Acharei Mot says he placed Aharon's in the middle so that they should not say that it blossomed because he had placed it close to the Divine Presence.

23. And, sure enough, the next day when Moshe went into the Tent of the Testimony, lo and behold, Aharon's rod had [not only] sprouted, [but also] put forth buds, produced blossoms, and yielded ripe almonds!

A stick that might have been severed from the tree hundreds of years before now has not just buds, not just blooms, but fruit! And all in one night! This was more than He said would take place. But this is the key: the leadership of Aharon produced fruit, while the others did not. "A tree is known by its fruit" and so is a leader. Ripe: the same word as "weaned"; i.e., they were ready to be picked. A tree is known by its fruit, so this rod was the branch of an almond tree, the first tree to bloom in the spring in the Middle East, sometimes even before the last snow. In Yirmeyahu 1:11-12 we see a play on the word "almond" and "stay alert" (from the same root in Hebrew). The appearance of its flowers "alerted" the nation that it was time to plant barley. The next full moon might be the time to celebrate Passover, if the barley was in the aviv stage by then. The new festival year would begin. This type of rod was very specifically chosen by YHWH to remind them not to lapse into easier, more comfortable ways of thinking which come more naturally. Yahshua's most frequent command to His followers was to "stay alert" or "be watchful", and often in regard to the changing of YHWH's "seasons". (e.g., Mat. 24:42; 25:13; 26:41; Mark 13:33-37; Luke 21:36; Rev. 3:3) We need to pay attention, or we will not be in the place we need to be at the right time. But though the almond tree blooms first, it normally bears fruit last. It is thus also called the "resurrection tree". Almonds are edible at two different times--when they are tender and green, and when they finally dry out, being inedible between those times. Yahshua spoke of the two times in which we could "partake" of him as "the green tree" and "the dry tree", between which times there would be much suffering for his people. (Luk. 23:31) Like Aharon's rod, the tree (or stick) that was dead is alive again--like Yahshua. The event here pictures the Torah judging Yahshua to be worthy of resurrection. Almonds are part of the menorah in the tabernacle as well, so they are doubly the sign of priestly authority.

Saw it: also means "took it into consideration". Took up his rod: also means "accepted his tribe" (since a tribe is a "branch" of the family), so they recognized their sphere of responsibility and no longer tried to go beyond it. And no one was killed here. This was the same rod Moshe had turned into a serpent, and used to part the sea, bring water from the rock, and defeat Amaleq. But it did not come to life until it had Aharon's name engraved on it and was set in the right place. YHWH is restoring the tribe of Levi, because only they can build the altar and the Temple, and only then can Messiah come. The others took up their authority again, but knew their limits. Aharon's leadership over the Dwelling Place did not diminish their tribal authority.

YHWH was tired of killing Israelites. Now if someone grumbled, all Moshe would have to do was bring out Aharon's rod as a reminder of his authority and ask if they really wanted to argue with the sign YHWH had given. When their fruit surpassed Aharon's, they might have something worth saying! Until it did, if they did not stay quiet, they would feel the rod! It was probably placed in the Holy Place rather than in the Holy of Holies for that purpose. This was not so much to commemorate the miracle as to preclude further deaths of the same sort as Qorach's. They might be "sons of rebellion" (and some might specifically be sons of the rebel himself, for they would be reminded of this rod when they went to cover the ark, as this was their responsibility – 3:30-31; 4:4-6), but they could survive if they did not give expression to what was latent within them. Our ruler is so fully identified with Torah that he was even called "the Torah fleshed out". (Yochanan 1:14) He identified himself with the manna. (Yoch. 6:31) His blossoming will stop the murmuring against Torah that is still prevalent, and the dry stick of Efrayaim can grow together into the stick of Yehudah. (Y'hezq'el 37:16ff) This can only occur if it is alive again. We, too, are meant to bring forth edible fruit from what seemed long since dead. Our lives are meant to be a witness against the rebellious, not witnesses to the lawless one.

Just as: or, precisely when.

Nearly 15,000 had died already.

I.e., "What if this continues until every last one of us is gone?" But this is a breakthrough. It means that after a very long time they finally recognize that they are guilty and that their actions have consequences--that if they get what they really deserve, they are in big trouble. This puts all their petty reasons for complaining into perspective as a deterrent to further foolishness. They aren't dying of starvation as they imagined they would, but they think it is the end of the world when they find out they are not going to get what they wanted. This is simply the way of an immature child.

CHAPTER 18

Your father's household: not so much his distant ancestor Levi's (as that will be addressed separately below) as his own father Amram's, which would also include Moshe. The last time YHWH had spoken directly to Aharon alone was when He told him to go meet Moshe in the wilderness. (Exodus 4:27) This message is so important that He does not send it thorugh Moshe. He has called Aharon aside privately to remind him of a responsibility He gave him earlier, but YHWH has had to do Aharon's job several times lately because although he has not been irresponsible about his own work, he has not been holding others accountable. If he had, YHWH would not have had to open the earth to swallow people up. When He has to say it a second time, it is with more exasperation. So this is a re-commissioning but also a rebuke. The priesthood had been made responsible to ensure that no one approached YHWH in the wrong way. If he did not stand up and do his job, YHWH is telling him--if the people go where they are not meant to go, they will indeed die as they fear. Moshe has moved to the next level in his authority; now Aharon must as well. Ministering to YHWH is a wonderful thing, but caring for YHWH's people is part ofthat as well. Those who spend all of their time in the euphoria of close relationship with YHWH but ignore the sins of those for whom they are responsible--praying but not servintg--will end up useless to Him, and their children or other charges will end up dissipating their lives away as well. If Aharon had held Qorach accountable, YHWH might not have had to kill him; He is now saying that he needs to walk in the authority he has been given, or there will soon be nobody left. One can abuse his authority by not exercising it just as well as by overstepping his limits or taking advantage of his power, like a parent who might not beat his child but fails to spank him either. One is responsible for whomever he has authority over. It is difficult to be responsible if one has no authority (a babybsitter who has no permission to spank will not be able to stop certain actions of the children), but it is impossible to walk in authority without taking responsibility. If YHWH has to do Aharon's job again, someone will end up dead again, so Aharon must make others accountable. Misuse: literally: crookedness, twisting, or distortion. The people have recognized the dilemma of being responsible to bring offerings to YHWH yet feel effectively barred from the place He said to bring them. (17:28) They are beginning to realize they need a mediator. To prevent the mass death that they feared, YHWH made the priests and Levites responsible to keep the wrong people from approaching. He is the one who decides how He wants to be approached; we are not. He has a prescribed order. It is the priesthood's responsibility to teach Torah (Mal. 2:7). But today many not only pervert it, but claim it has been done away with completely. How can the wrath that is due us now be done away with unless this is righted again? We must stop pretending the cow is really a pig and that the pig is acceptable (kosher) to YHWH!

Joined: the root word is the same as that of "Levi", and actually means "intertwined" like a vine. It can also mean "on loan", but this does not exactly hold true in this case, since they are actually given to Aharon (v. 5). But this sense works from a different angle: They belong to him, but they will "borrow" their authority from the priesthood. In the presence of: but not inside. Why is it now called the Tent of Testimony (edut) instead of the Tent of Appointment (moed) as usual? Because the edutis what is inside the ark (Ex. 25:21 and 40:20), specifically the "two tablets", called "tablets of the edut" in Ex. 31:18; 32:15; 34:29) The tent's purpose is to house them. This is even clearer in Ex. 38:21 and Num. 1:50, 53 where the Tabernacle is called "the dwelling place of the edut". Because YHWH is not so eager to have the people gather here after the way they have been acting, here and in chapter 17 the emphasis is on it being something to guard. While the whole tribe is responsible for the upkeep of the Tabernacle, only the family of Aharon may handle its furnishings:

The people had expressed fear that whoever came closest to the sanctuary would end up dead as almost 15,000 already had recently. (17:27-28) Verse 22 below suggests that all the way up to this point, the firstborn of some households were still bringing the offerings to the sanctuary, functioning as priests for their families. So YHWH introduced another arrangement, which He also spoke of when the census was taken (1:46-51; 3:12ff): that He will substitute the Levites for the firstborn for this job. This would prevent more situations like that which occurred with Nadav and Avihu, either making mistakes of ignorance or because of inebriation. If the wrong people did approach, it would mean the Levites were not doing their duty, and thus they too would be guilty. Not only would they die, but Aharon or his sons would as well, because they would now bear the blame for any error that took place, since they were all well-trained and they officiated over the Levites who would carry out many of their tasks for them. This threat is not veiled! Using His right hand had not been enough for Aharon, so He had to give him a taste of the left hand. We do have to pay for the "screw-ups" of others in our community. We must therefore hold one another accountable. When loaned responsibility, we are borrowing accountability. When one does not pull his weight, more weight is put on everyone else. If one of us falls short, we all do. Apparently he has been letting other Levites come close to the furniture, and that may be why Qorach and his cohorts felt they had a right to complain. By not saying anything, Aharon was in effect the one who killed them. This is just as serious as if he had not carried out his priestly duties. By the time of the second Temple, there were full-time Levitical guards on the Temple premises.

Attached to you: or extra attendants added in addition to you. They actually were in the position of slaves, though they were among the most highly esteemed in Israel. Israel's "philosophy" of slavery is not like that of Gentile overlords, for to us the greatest is the one who serves. (Mat. 20:25ff; 23:11) Yahshua even said that if someone wants to be great, he should be made the servant of His disciples. I.e., he could thus be in an environment to learn what it truly means to be great. Eliyahu used this same methodology in training Elisha. (1 Kings 19: 2 Kings 2) Functions: or valuables; literally, "things that are to be guarded". An outsider: any non-Levite. This has clearly been a problem. Qorach may have brought the sons of Re'uven in with him since he had access to the area, though they did not belong there. This was not a museum for sightseers who just wanted a glimpse of the ark, but YHWH's dwelling place.

While the blood of bulls and goats never did take away sin (Heb. 10:4), it did serve to give us a clear conscience by clearing the breach in the relationship that making excuses for our guilt only perpetuated. Making a payment in the form of an animal atoned for, or covered up, our shame at having slighted Him or our neighbor.

Some Levites have rebelled against the priesthood, so now they are made the slaves of the priests. Contrary to the ways of the world, those who caused Aharon trouble are those he is made most directly responsible for, as if they were his children. This is heavenly justice, not just "karma".

This was not a job for a "Mr. Nice Guy", and seems very unfair from the spirit of today's times. Since YHWH does not want His people to be heartless, it requires great discipline to ensure that it never gets to this point. (v. 3) Because Greeks were allowed to come in and desecrate the altar in the time of the Maccabees, by Yahshua's day there was a wall barring non-Jews of any kind from entering, with signs which have been discovered by archaeologists proclaiming that if anyone crossed the line they were responsible for their own death. Paul argued that a major exception to this rule was now required, for those returning from Efrayim needed to be allowed in, for they were Israelites, though not Jews. (Eph. 2:14) Another exception is that when there were not enough priests available, Levites filled in and were commended for it by YHWH's prophet. Until priests and Levites rise to their calling, anyone with enough knowledge to teach the Torah has to fill in to some extent. But the principle still remains the norm. Service of a gift: Today most do not see responsibility as something lent to us, but something forced on us. But Kingdom responsibility is a gift, even though it can get you killed if not handled properly--just like a loaded gun. We have a hard time seeing a burden as a gift, but Yahshua understood this when he said, "Take up your execution stake and follow me." It may not feel like a gift, but if it is taken away because we have been found untrustworthy, we quickly see how much of a gift it is; we miss this kind of burden if it is taken away. Yes, we will be let down when we trust people, but we must not be stingy with trusting our fellow Israelites. As with children, love for Him makes the burden light. He is so much more trustworthy than we, so when He lets us serve His people, we must be very grateful. The outsider: here, anyone who was not a descendant of Aharon himself.

Even Pharaoh was forbidden to enteyr certain parts of the Egyptian temples. The reason there was because the food supposedly being offered to the idols was actually consumed by the priests. But YHWH is up front about this; there are no such hidden scams with Him. He chose these people as His (multiple) firstborn sons, so we must bring our thinking around to His rather than judge Him by ours.

Since YHWH did not directly need the things people brought as tithes, offerings, and contributions, He chose to share them with someone who could, and it is He who chooses with whom He wants to share it. The priests and Levites would receive profuse compensation for the immense responsibility they were being told to shoulder in the previous verses.

The holiest things were to be eaten right anywhere the courtyard that they would not interfere with the slaughter proceedings--that is, near the altar where they are cooked. There were not tables for this purpose, since no one was permitted to sit in the holy areas. Eating from these offerings was not optional, so it is easy to see why a high priest like Eli would become so obese. They could only hope that not many people would sin that day if they were already full. Later there were actually stomach doctors on hand to attend to the priests because of all the meat they ate.

While what was most holy (v. 10) could be eaten nowhere but in the Temple precincts, the wave offering had a lesser degree of sanctity and could actually be taken home to the priests' families, both the meat and the hides. But still no one who ate this food could have the picture of selfishness on them; if they were ritually impure they could eat other food that was bought with the proceeds from the hides or other gits the families had received. Though a priest's wife might be unclean, his slave who was in a state of ritual purity could eat of this meat. While Qorach was right in one sense that all of Israel was set apart unto YHWH (16:3), and his family was even, in fact, more set apart than most in Israel, still there were levels of holiness exemplified by the names of the two rooms in the Tabernacle: the holy place and the "holy of holies", or that which was set apart further from what was already set apart.

Grain: or produce in general. No one who grew the grapes or olives or other produce ever tasted of the best of them, for this always came to YHWH's servants. Those who were h eld accountable for the burdens described above were recognized by being given the very best.

Firstfruits: or that which ripens first, though another stipulation is that it be the best of the crop. (v. 12, 30). This applies to the priestly families only.

Everything dedicated: At the time of the conquest of the Land it referred to things that were placed under the "ban"--wholly devoted to destruction. This appears to be one of the times it is used in the positive sense. YHWH couldn't exactly use what the people give as gifts to Him, He chooses to share it with someone who can, and it is He who chooses with whom He will share it.

Ransom/redeem: the same word, meaning to rescue from being killed (especially in the case of humans) by accepting the equivalent value in money. (v. 16) This is so that one can continue to use unclean beasts rather than slaughtering them, since they are unfit for the altar or consumption. This is elsewhere specified as donkeys in particular (Ex. 13:13), which are the only common unclean animals Israel kept as domestic, other than camels, which would also be included in this command, though nowhere do we have a record of it ever taking place. They must be redeemed with a lamb, or else their neck must be broken; one does not get to keep it if he does not pay for it. This lamb does not refer to "the blood of Jesus". The picture is of replacing our natural thoughts with others that are more pure and clean--with something more "edible". Usually the priests could not use these animals, so they would sell it and bring the proceeds or bring it and buy it back. But if one brought a dog, the priests could not sell it back to him. (Deut. 23:18) The picture is that even if one is an Israelite, but chooses to continue acting like a Gentile, he cannot have any part in YHWH's sanctuary.

Yahshua's parents obeyed this injunction. (Luke 2:23ff)

Even if the owner offered to pay the priests three times the actual value of their prized bull, if it was a firstborn, it was not an option to sell it back to the offerer. It belongs to YHWH.

Once the Temple was established, the firstborn may have been given to the Levites in each region on one of the two annual occasions when it was their turn to go up and serve in Yerushalayim. As the breast: that is, it may be eaten for that day, that night, and the next day only. (Lev. 19:6-7)

Again, these instructions had been given when the Tabernacle was first dedicated. But apparently Aharon has also not been holding the people accountable to bring more than just the prescribed tithes. Withholding offerings as well is seen as robbing YHWH, but He challenges us to test whether He will not flood us with blessings if we do bring them. (Mal'akhi 3) By not requiring this of the people, he was withholding a blessing from them. One would never come empty-handed before a king or prophet to ask a favor, and the same holds true for the priests, no matter how much Christianity preaches, "Come as you are." He expects more. Anything brought to YHWH belongs in practicality to the priests, who then distribute it among themselves and the needy in prescribed ways. Yahshua said the same holds true for His followers, since all that the Father has is His to use, and He gives us from what belongs to Yahshua. (Yochanan 6:20ff; 16:14) Like the priesthood, He bore the burden of the perversion of YHWH's human sanctuary (Israel) through His crucifixion, but when He comes back He will do away with the repeated perverting of His words into the "animated Disney" version so rampant today--not by dying again, but with a sword and a rod of iron. Salt: symbolizes eternity and something to be preserved. A covenant of salt in particular is the promise that one will protect the other who eats salt with him, should the occasion ever be necessary. This is still a practice among Bedouins. (H. Clay Trumbull) "Traditionally, salt was shared to seal a truce between former enemies or as a symbol of alliance between close friends. Treaties or friendships were often formalized by the partaking of a lick of salt to seal the deal or heal the difference between them. Entering into a Covenant of Salt means binding oneself to another in utmost loyalty and truthfulness, even suffering death, rather than breaking the covenant. For this very reason a Covenant of Salt was never done lightly or haphazardly – it deserves serious respect… Today some Eastern people still use the phrase: ‘There is salt between us.'" (White Stone Communications) Salting all the offerings was not only a practical antibacterial agent; it would also constantly remind Israel of this covenant. (Lev. 2:13) No matter how it is pulverized or dissolved, salt always retains its chemical composition, and when the water is evaporated away, it remains salt. Soldiers used to be paid in salt; the word "salary" comes from the Latin word for salt. Like salt, YHWH is saying the Levitical priesthood will not go away, no matter how many people say it has been done away with or replaced by a different type of priesthood. Those eligible to be priests are again being outfitted to serve as soon as the venue is available.

Those whom YHWH invites closest to Him and who take up their responsibility will not be among those who are consumed with the mundane. They have a different kind of reward: they will eat at His table, and who could want more than that? Land: or earth. Since Yahshua is our High Priest (Heb. 4:14), his followers also receive no inheritance in this age, but in the age to come (his Kingdom). He also gives the faithful ones high positions there, but they will be positions of servanthood. He gives us the right to draw near (Heb. 10:22), as well as authority to correct what has become twisted. (Mat. 16:19; Luke 10:19) The same standard the priests were held to is what He holds His students to (Mat. 8:22; Luke 9:60), for the Aharonic priesthood was a foreshadowing of His Highest priesthood. (Heb. 9:11) The Father could be dimly seen through the priesthood, but clearly through Yahshua, since His connection to YHWH was unbroken. He fulfilled correctly that which the priests accomplished only poorly. He embodied as much of YHWH as could be contained in one man; now it takes all of us as His Body (His "levitical" slaves) to contain what He had in Himself.

22. "The descendants of Israel shall not come close to the Tent of Appointment anymore, [which would lead them] to take on guilt [and] to die [for it].

It would not have had to be this way had the people not begged Moshe to be their mediator since they were afraid to come close at Sinai. We placed the Torah between ourselves and YHWH, so we must approach Him through it. Apparently some people were changing their minds about this arrangement. Just as Aharon had not restrained them during the incident of the golden calf, again he is not doing so. One of the reasons YHWH loves the Levites is that they came to Moshe's side at that time. The rest, like Adam and Chawwah, lost some degree of closeness to YHWH. Yahshua came to restore it, but again most could not stand to remain with the pure Hebraic ways, and the vestiges of paganism that they brought in kept us at a distance from Him yet again. "My pastor says" ends up being an excuse to read the Scriptures to see if it is really true. Things never turn out well for those who want the reward without taking the responsibility.

24. "because the tithes of the descendants of Israel, which they shall bring near to YHWH I have given to the Levites as a contribution [skimmed off the top] as an inheritance. That is why I have told them that they are to inherit no property that they can pass on."

The Levites had no farms of their own, so they depended directly on YHWH for their daily bread--but this also meant they were free from other concerns so they could concentrate fully on the special task He had given them. But Paul said those who bring the Gospel were permitted to live thereby (1 Cor. 9:14), though he did not exercise that privilege. The Hebrew word for "Gospel" is from the root meaning "flesh" or "meat". A teacher certainly learns more when preparing to teach. If the Levites stopped teaching the people the Torah, the people would stop bringing their firstfruits and tithes, and they would not have food to eat.

26. "Speak [again] to the Levites, and tell them, 'When you receive from among the descendants of Israel the tithe that I have given you from them to be your inheritance, you shall lift off a contribution to YHWH from it--a tenth of the tithe.

The Levites did not use all of the tithes themselves; they only received ten percent of them; the rest went to the widows, orphans, and foreigners staying in Israel to study the Torah.

Any increase they receive should be tithed in the same way. The people, who may have grown some crops when they camped long enough at one location, seem to have already been tithing these things.

This is a tithe of the tithe--the very best 1% from everything Israel brings. Though this instruction is really for those under Aharon's jurisdiction, Moshe is involved (v. 25), partly so there will be another level of accountability, but also because while Aharon will greatly benefit from this command, Moshe will not, so Aharon is not told to directly request this contribution from them, so there will be no conflict of interest.

30. "And tell them, 'When you lift off its best part out of it, it must be reckoned for the Levites like the produce of the threshing floor and the produce of the wine-vat.

Reckoned: or calculated. Like...: i.e., by the same percentage as.

32. "And you shall bear no guilt on account of it, since you have lifted off its best part from it. Do not desecrate the holy things of the descendants of Israel, and you will not die."

Bear no guilt: If the part that belonged to YHWH was not separated off, they would be stealing from Him. Desecrate: lower by putting it to common use, when it has been dedicated to holy use alone, or eating the portion which was to be their tithe. Though it does not specify here, as above, that no one who is ritually impure may eat of it, if YHWH is feeding us, we must be careful how we handle the food. This applies whether we are speaking of literal bread, the bread of community, or when we are fed from the Torah. Give it back to Him, and you have earned the other 90%. As the fullness of the earth belongs to YHWH, yet He gives most of it back to us when we recognize that it is from His hand.