PATTERN OF SOUND WORDS

Tag: Numbers

  • Notes and Useful Applications for Numbers 14:26–35

    The following is my translation of the notes and useful applications for Numbers 14:26–35, as they are found in Das Weimarische Bibelwerk (1877). This passage is not assigned as a reading for any particular Sunday. However, St. Paul references this even in the Epistle Reading for Septuagesima, 1 Corinthians 9:4–10:5. Square brackets indicate my own notes and additions. For the useful applications, I recommend the reader see this very helpful article by Dr. Benjamin T. G. Mayes.

    III. Moses’s intercession for the people, and what he thereby accomplished. (v. 13–35)

    Annotated Text

    26. And the Lord spoke with Moses and Aaron (what God had recently said to Moses only [v. 20–25], He repeated with more detail in the presence of Aaron), and said:

    27. “How * long will this evil congregation murmur against Me?1 For I have heard the murmuring of the children of Israel, that they have murmured against Me.

    * Psalm 106:25

    1 Hebrew: “How long shall I overlook this evil congregation, which (still) murmurs against Me (incessantly)?”

    28. Therefore, say to them, ‘As truly as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘I will do to you, that which you have said before my ears (since you have clarified that you would much rather die in this wilderness than cross over into the promised land, v. 2).

    29. Your * bodies shall decay (and not be buried in the promised land where your forefathers, the patriarchs, lie) in this wilderness (that is so unpleasant to you); and all of you who were numbered1 from twenty years old and above, you who have murmured against Me (as well as your wives who likewise murmured, all of you together),

    * Psalm 106:26; Hebrews 3:17 (Numbers 1–2; Joshua 14:6)

    1 Hebrew: “as many as are yours”

    30. You shall not come into the land over which I have lifted up my hand (sworn), that I would let you dwell therein; except * Caleb, the son of Jephunneh and Joshua, the son of Nun (and others from the tribe of Levi, who did not concur with your murmuring).

    * Numbers 26:65, 32:12

    31. Your * children, of whom you said, ‘They will be prey’ (v. 3), I will bring them in, that they shall know (and occupy) the land, which you have despised.

    * Deuteronomy 1:39

    32. But you, together with * your bodies, shall decay in this wilderness.

    * Numbers 14:36

    33. And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness (tending livestock; indeed, even themselves wandering about as a herd of cattle in the wilderness) for forty years (the two years that have already passed being included, Deuteronomy 2:14), and they shall bear * your harlotry (to repay your wickedness and unfaithfulness against Me, your faithful God, and to fully make you partakers of your spiritual harlotry, namely, the idolatry and murmuring against Me), until your bodies are all in the wilderness (until they are altogether ground up);

    * Psalm 95:10–11; Ezekiel 4:6; Hebrews 3:17

    34. According to the number of forty days in which you had scouted the land, for each you shall count a year (as many days as you spent scouting the land of Canaan, so many years you shall still remain in the wilderness), so that they2 shall bear your misdeeds for forty years (and not only your children, but also you yourselves, inasmuch as within such time you shall be decimated and die), * so that you (experience in fact and) become aware what it is when I withdraw2 (and, in addition, oppose myself to them in My wrath) the † hand (My grace, protection, and assistance from stiff-necked sinners).

    1 Hebrew: “You shall”

    * Jeremiah 2:19

    2 Hebrew: “when one makes Me turn away (that is, hinders My purpose, as you have done).” See Numbers 30:6, 12; 32:7, 9.

    † Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; Psalm 74:11

    35. I * the Lord have spoken that I will also do so to all this evil congregation, who have rebelled against Me. In this wilderness they shall all be, and there they shall die (and thus remain).’”

    * Ezekiel 5:17

    Useful Applications

    III. DOCTRINE: Concerning God’s righteous judgment against impatient doubters. (v. 26, 35)

  • Notes and Useful Applications for Numbers 21:4–9 from Das Weimarische Bibelwerk (1877)

    The following is my translation of the notes and useful applications of the Old Testament for the Feast of the Holy Cross, Numbers 21:4–9, as they are found in Das Weimarische Bibelwerk (1877). Square brackets indicate my own notes and additions. For the useful applications, I recommend the reader see this very helpful article by Dr. Benjamin T. G. Mayes.

    II. Concerning the grumbling of the Israelites, and how they were punished with fiery serpents. (v. 4–6)

    4. Then they traveled (the Israelites by God’s command) from Mount Hor by the way of the Sea of Reeds, so that they * went around the land of Edom (because they could not obtain from them friendly passage, cf. 20:20, for which reason they deviated from the correct highway which led to the land of Canaan, and it had the appearance as though they would much sooner come to Egypt than to the land of Canaan).

    * Cf. Deuteronomy 2:1.

    5. And the people became * disgruntled on the way ** (because they detoured so far away, also because their journey lasted so long, and they saw no end of it yet), and they spoke ** against God and against Moses (from great impatience), “Why have you *** led us out from Egypt so that we die in the wilderness? For there is no bread or water here, and our soul is nauseated over this worthless food (we have become weary of the manna, and can no longer look upon it without disgust, because we have eaten the same thing a whole forty years).

    * Cf. Numbers 11:1

    ** These words still belong to v. 4 and are to be translated, “but the people became disgruntled over which way (or un-way); v. 5. “therefore then the people, etc.”

    *** Hebrew: You have, etc. (Moses and Aaron, who was indeed dead, however while he was alive had had led the matter together with Moses).

    6. Then the Lord sent fiery * serpents among the people (Luther: “Therefore, they were called fiery because the people bitten by them became fiery-red by their poison and died from the burning heat, as from a pestilence or a carbuncle); they bit the people, so that a great people in Israel died (a painful and wretched death).

    * Cf. Wisdom of Solomon 16:5; 1 Corinthians 10:9.

    III. Concerning their repentance, and how God averted the plague. (v. 7–18)

    7. Then they came to Moses (as the serpents had already bitten many of them and a great multitude of people had perished and the others had been humbled through their punishment) and said, * “We have sinned, for we have spoke against the Lord and against you (murmured out of impatience); pray to the Lord, that He take away the serpents from us (that we might not perish so miserably). Moses prayed for the people (who nevertheless had so often shown themselves rebellious and ungrateful toward him).

    * Cf. Numbers 14:40; 1 Samuel 7:6.

    8. Then the Lord said to Moses, “You make a * bronze serpent (which was formed as the fiery serpents, because it was made from copper), and set it for a sign **; that whoever is bitten and looks at it, he shall live (he shall recover and through this special wondrous sign be kept alive).

    * See John 3:14.

    ** Hebrew: on a banner-pole (so that it might stand quite high and could be seen from afar)

    9. Then Moses made a bronze serpent, and set it for a sign; and when a snake bit someone, so he looked at the bronze serpent, and he remained alive. (John 3:14–15 applies such image to Christ Himself, that, whoever is wounded by the bite of the old poisonous serpent and looks Him lifted on the cross with true faith, he shall be healed spiritually and eternally.)

    (2 Kings 18:4; John 6:40)

    [v. 10–18 omitted due to the assigned reading]

    Useful Applications

    II. WARNING: With respect to the despising of God and His benefits, which is severely punished by Him, is to be seen in the people of Israel when they became disgusted with the manna, v. 4–6; III. DOCTRINE: That God demonstrates His mercy in the midst of punishment to those who turn back to Him [i.e., repent], v. 7–9.