In Brief

• Laws governing the annulment of vows
• War against Midian
• Tribes of Rueben & Gad settle east of the Jordan River
• The forty-two journeys of Israel are listed
• The boundaries of the Promised Land are given
• Cities of Refuge are designated
• The daughters of Tzelafchad marry into their own tribe (Menasseh)

Chapter 30

Annulment of vows

N Interesting concept of vows here. It seems that it only refers here to vows of privation. If one vowed to eat chocolate every day for a month… that is not included in this discussion - or so I understand.]

v3]
For a man: “according to whatever came out of his mouth, he shall do.” (v3)

For a woman:

• if in her father’s house: (v4)
  • if he hinders her on the day of her vow,
    • they are annulled
    • else they stand
• if betrothed (v7)
  • if her husband hinders her on the day of her vow,
    • they are annulled
    • else they stand
• if divorced or widowed (v10)
  • whatever she prohibited upon herself will remain upon her.

Repeated again, and in greater detail:
N v11+ cannot refer to the divorced woman, for in v12, it refers to her husband, who is either dead, or has divorced her. The only case is of a divorced who is still living in her husband’s house - however, if she is divorced from him, he is no longer her husband.

• if in her husband’s house, (v11)
  • he heard and (v12)
    • remained silent,
      • her vows stand
    • if he revokes them on that day,
      • they are annulled. (v13)

Now, the general rule:

Chapter 31

Revenge on the Midianites

We begin with:

“Take revenge on the Midianites”. Moses armed a thousand from each tribe. They killed every male, and the five kings of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba (אֶת־אֱוִ֤י וְאֶת־רֶ֨קֶם֙ וְאֶת־צ֤וּר וְאֶת־חוּר֙ וְאֶת־רֶ֔בַע חֲמֵ֖שֶׁת מַלְכֵ֣י מִדְיָ֑ן). They took all the women and children prisoners, and plundered everything else. Then they burnt all their cities and their castles. (v10)

Upon their return, they faced the wrath of Moses. (v14)

“Did you allow the females to live?” He demanded. “They were the same ones who were involved with the children of Israel on Balaam’s advice to betray the Lord over the incident of Peor, resulting in a plague among the congregation of the Lord.” (v16)

“So now kill every male child, and every woman who can lie intimately with a man. And all the young girls who have no experience of intimate relations with a man, you may keep alive for yourselves.”

Then they were told to camp outside for seven days and cleanse themselves, as well as all “garments, articles, any goat product and wooden articles”. Only the metals - “for whatever is used in fire, shall pass through fire and be cleansed”.

Now, the Lord commands Moses to take a count of the plunder, to divide it equally between the people and the warriors who went to battle. In addition, the warriors shall pay a tax of one soul for every 500 from the people, the cattle, donkeys and the sheep and give it to Elazar the Kohen. The people shall pay one part out of 50 of the people, the cattle, donkeys, sheep and all the animals and give it to the Levites.

Now the count of the plunder:

• sheep 675,000
• cattle 72,000
• donkeys 61,000
• virgins 32,000

Warrior’s portion:

• sheep 337,500 - the Lord’s tax was 675
• cattle 36,000 - the Lord’s tax was 72
• donkeys 30,500 - the Lord’s tax was 61
• virgins 16,000 - the Lords tax was 32

People’s portion:

• sheep 337,500
• cattle 36,000
• donkeys 30,500
• virgins 16,000

Moses removed one part out of fifty.

The commanders’ offering (v48)

"We won our battle with no one missing. We therefore wish to bring an offering to the Lord. They dedicated 16,750 shekels worth of gold.

N It mentions here that the dedication was from the commanders of the 1000’s and the 100’s. (v52 & 53) Then there is a strange statement inserted here (v53). It says "The soldiers had seized spoils for themselves (אַנְשֵׁי֙ הַצָּבָ֔א בָּֽזְז֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ לֽוֹ)

“The land of Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, and Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon, (עֲטָר֤וֹת וְדִיבֹן֙ וְיַעְזֵ֣ר וְנִמְרָ֔ה וְחֶשְׁבּ֖וֹן וְאֶלְעָלֵ֑ה וּשְׂבָ֥ם וּנְב֖וֹ וּבְעֹֽן) the Lord struck down and is a land for livestock. Let this land be given to your servants as a heritage.” (v5)

“Will your people go to war while you settle here?” Moses asked.

He reprimands them for discouraging the Bnei Israel from crossing over to the Promised Land. (v8) He reminds them of the punishment of the previous generation for being afraid to enter the land after the spies returned with their report. (v13)

They promise to come and fight with the people as soon as they have settled their families. They say “we will build sheepfolds and cities for our children.” (v16) N But how long will that take? And they will not return until the land is settled.(v18)

Moses agrees to the terms. He tells the elders and leaders. If they keep their promise, they may have the land they asked for. If not, they will have an inheritance in the Holy Land.

Now follows an explicit description of the land that was given them.

And:

The descendents of Gad (בְנֵי־גָ֔ד) built Dibon (דִּיבֹ֖ן), Ataroth (עֲטָרֹ֑ת), and Aroer (עֲרֹעֵֽר). And Atroth Shophan (עַטְרֹ֥ת שׁוֹפָ֛ן), Jazer (יַעְזֵ֖ר), and Jogbehah (וְיָגְבְּהָֽה). And Beth Nimrah (בֵּ֥ית נִמְרָ֖ה) and Beth Haran (בֵּ֣ית הָרָ֑ן), fortified cities and sheepfolds.

The descendants of Reuben (בְנֵ֤י רְאוּבֵן֙) built Heshbon (חֶשְׁבּ֖וֹן), Elealeh (אֶלְעָלֵ֑א), and Kiriathaim (קִרְיָתָֽיִם). And Nebo (נְב֞וֹ) and Baal Meon (בַּ֧עַל מְע֛וֹן ), their names having been changed, and Sibmah (שִׂבְמָ֑ה). They were called with names of the names of the cities they built.

The children of Machir the son of Manasseh (מָכִ֧יר בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁ֛ה) went to Gilead (גִּלְעָ֖דָ) and conquered it, driving out the Amorites (הָֽאֱמֹרִ֥י) who were there. Jair the son of Manasseh (יָאִ֤יר בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁה֙) went and conquered their hamlets, and called them the hamlets of Jair. Nobah (נֹ֣בַח) went and conquered Kenath (קְנָ֖ת) and its surrounding villages, and called it Nobah, after his name.

Chapter 32

Reuben and Gad settle East of the Jordan

They ask for the land of Jazer and Gilead, for they are good places for livestock.

Chapter 33

List of 42 Journeys

1. from Ramses - in 1st month, following sacrifice.
2. from Succoth camped in Etham (edge of desert)
3. from Ethan camped in Pi Hatharot (faces Baal Zephon), camped in front of Migdol.
4. from Penei Hatharot, crossed the sea. 3 days walk in the desert of Etham, camped in Marah.
5. From Marah, camped in Elim with 12 springs of water, and 70 palm trees.
6. From Elim, camped by Red Sea
7. From Red Sea, camped in Desert of Sin.
8. From Desert of Sin, camped in Dophkah
9. From Dofka, camped in Alush
10. From Alush, camped in Rephidim, but no water N: What happened to Miriam’s Well?
11. From Rephidim, camped in Sinai Desert.
12. From Sinai Desert, camped in Kivroth Hata’avah
13. From Kivroth Hata’avah, camped in Hezeroth
14. from Hazeroth and camped in Rithmah
15. from Rithmah and camped in Rimmon perez
16. from Rimmon perez and camped in Libnah.
17. from Libnah and camped in Rissah.
18. from Rissah and camped in Kehelathah.
19. from Kehelathah and camped in Mount Shepher.
20. from Mount Shepher and camped in Haradah.
21. from Haradah and camped in Makheloth.
22. from Makheloth and camped in Tahath.
23. from Tahath and camped in Tarah.
24. from Tarah and camped in Mithkah.
25. from Mithkah and camped in Hashmonah.
26. from Hashmonah and camped in Moseroth.
27. from Moseroth and camped in Benei jaakan.
28. from Benei jaakan and camped in Hor hagidgad.
29. from Hor hagidgad and camped in Jotbathah.
30. from Jotbathah and camped in Abronah.
31. from Abronah and camped in Etzion geber.
32. from Ezion geber and camped in the desert of Zin, which is Kadesh.
33. from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, at the edge of the land of Edom. Aaron died on Mount Hor, on 1st day of 5th month in 40th year of the Exodus. He was 123 years old. (v39)
34. from Mount Hor and camped in Zalmonah.
35. from Zalmonah and camped in Punon.
36. from Punon and camped in Oboth.
37. from Oboth and camped at the ruins of Abarim, on the Moabite boundary.
38. from the ruins and camped in Dibon gad.
39. from Dibon gad and camped in Almon diblathaimah.
40. from Almon diblathaimah and camped in the mountains of Abarim, in front of Nebo.
41. from the mountains of Abarim and camped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.
42. They camped along the Jordan from Beth jeshimoth to Abel shittim, in the plains of Moab.

Clear Canaan

Now we are back to the present, and

He commands them to “clear the land of all its inhabitants, ’ destroy all their temples, destroy their molten idols, and demolish their high places.” (v52) He warns them:

And concludes with:

Chapter 34

Extent of the land granted

And:

Here follows a description of the boundaries of the land given to the Jewish people by G-d.

South border:

• southernmost corner: from the desert of Zin along Edom
• from edge of the Sea of Salt [the Dead Sea] to the east.
• turns south of Maaleh Akrabim
• passing toward Zin, and
• its ends shall be to the south of Kadesh Barnea.
• Extends to Hazar Addar and continue toward Azmon
• on to the stream of Egypt
• ends at the sea.
  Western border:
• Great Mediterranean Sea,
  Northern border:
• From the Mediterranean Sea,
• turn towards Mount Hor
• then to the entrance of Hamath,
• ends towards Zedad.
• Extends towards Ziphron,
• ending at Hazar Enan
  Eastern border:
• from Hazar Enan to Shepham,
• to Riblah, to the east of Ain.
• to eastern shore of Lake Kinnereth.
• Continues down along Jordan River.
• ends at the Sea of Salt.

Listing of names

And:

Elazar the Kohn and Joshua son of Num shall inherit the land on your behalf. They will be aided by one chieftan from each tribe.

Their names are mentioned here (and we have listed them before).