The Lord Repeats and Renews the Law of Sacrifices

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Numbers 28:1) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (2) “Command the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘My offering, My bread for my sacrifices made by fire, a sweet savor to Me, you shall observe to offer to Me in their due season.'"

In the chapters leading up to this point, a census had been taken and a new leader appointed to lead the people into Canaan.  In further preparation for taking possession of their promised land, God saw fit to renew the laws concerning sacrifices which they were to observe when they came into the land of Canaan.  It had been 38 years since these laws were first made and a new generation had grown up.  It was certain these had been neglected to some degree as there are two quotes from later verses (Amos 5:25 and Acts 7:42) which imply the people had not offered sacrifices forty years in the wilderness.  The Lord began by telling Moses to command the people that they were to offer sacrifices to Him in their proper appointed times.

(3) “And you shall say to them, ‘This is the offering made by fire which you shall offer to the LORD: two male lambs in their first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering.'"

Having instructed Moses to command the people of Israel to observe all the sacrifices of God in general, the Lord went on to direct Moses to give the people specifics, beginning with the daily sacrifice.  Two male lambs in their first year and without blemish were to be offered each day for a continual burnt offering.  I was suddenly struck by the sheer numbers for a moment.  Two lambs every single day, 730 lambs a year!  And that was only one of the sacrifices.  The number of slain animals grows tremendously and can be breath-taking with all the additional sacrifices.  However, this was a precursor to our Lord and Savior who would become the ultimate sacrifice.  It shows the constant need we have for Jesus Christ to cover our sins.  His blood must continually cover our sins in order for us to approach the holy God of the Universe.

(4) "‘The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, the other lamb you shall offer in the evening.'"

Of the two male lambs of one year without spot that were to be offered, one was to be offered in the morning and the other in the evening.

(5) "'And a tenth of an ephah of flour for a grain offering, mingled with the fourth of a hin of beaten oil.'"

Along with the lamb offering, a tenth of an ephah of flour mixed with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil, was also to be offered.  The exact volume of these measurements has been explored before and there seems to be a discrepancy in exactly what they were.  However, it is generally understood to be about what a man could eat in a single day, maybe a little more to ensure no lack.

(6) "'A continual burnt offering, which was ordained in mount Sinai for a sweet savor, a sacrifice made by fire to the LORD.'"

This was to be a continual burnt offering as was ordained on Mount Sinai when the other laws were given, to be a sacrifice pleasing and acceptable to the Lord.

(7) "‘And its drink offering shall be one-fourth of a hin for each lamb; in the holy place you shall pour out the strong wine to the LORD for a drink offering.'"

Additionally, there was to be a drink offering of a fourth hin of strong wine for each lamb.  I have given up trying to figure out exactly what a hin was; there are so many varying opinions.  The wine was to be poured out to the Lord on the altar of burnt offerings, said to be the holy place.  Exodus 29:40 stated only "wine" or "yayin".  Here we are told it's to be "strong wine" or "shekar", suggesting it was to be the strongest, choicest wine to be poured out for the Lord.

(8) "'And the other lamb you shall offer in the evening; as the morning grain offering and its drink offering, you shall offer it, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savor to the LORD.'"

The second lamb was to be offered in the evening with the same such grain offering and drink offering as the lamb in the morning.  It was to be part of that continual burnt offering, pleasing and acceptable to the Lord.

(9) "‘And on the Sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a grain offering, mixed with oil, with its drink offering; (10) This is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, besides the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.'"

In addition to the regular daily continual burnt offering, on each Sabbath Day they were to offer two lambs without blemish in their first year, with double the amount of flour and oil and wine as called for with each of the single lambs offered each day.  This was to be the law of the burnt offering of the Sabbath.

(11) "‘At the beginnings of your months you shall offer a burnt offering to the LORD, two young bullocks, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without spot.'"

On the first day of every month when the new moon appeared, the people were to offer as a burnt offering an additional two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without blemish or spot.

(12) And three tenth deals of flour for a grain offering, mixed with oil, for each bull; two tenth deals of flour for a grain offering, mixed with oil, for the one ram; (13) And a several tenth deal of flour mixed with oil for a grain offering for each lamb, for a burnt offering of a sweet savor, a sacrifice made by fire to the LORD.'"

With the new moon offering they were to offer as a grain offering three-tenths of an ephah of flour mixed with oil for each bull; two-tenths of an ephah of flour mixed with oil for the ram; and several tenth deals of flour, specifically seven, one-tenth of an ephah of flour mixed with oil for each lamb offering.  This new moon offering was to be a burnt offering sacrifice as described to be pleasing and acceptable to the Lord.

(14) "'And their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bull, one-third of a hin for a ram, and one-fourth of a hin for a lamb; this is the burnt offering of every month throughout the months of the year.'"

In addition to the new moon burnt offerings and their grain offerings, the drink offerings for each animal were to be half a hin for a bull, one third of a hin for a ram, and one-fourth for a lamb.  This was to be the law for the new moon offering for each month of the year.

(15) "'And one kid of the goats for a sin offering to the LORD shall be offered, besides the continual burnt offering, and its drink offering.'"

At the same time as the new moon offering, there was also to be offered one goat kid for a sin offering to the Lord.  Albert Barnes, in his Notes on the Bible, pointed out that the sin offering had first been described in Numbers 15:22-26 as an offering to be given when a sin had been committed ignorantly without the knowledge of the congregation.  However, the sin offering "was henceforth not to be offered merely at discretion, as circumstances might seem to require, but to be regularly repeated, not less frequently than once a month."

(16) "'And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover of the LORD.'"

The fourteenth day of the first month, that is Nisan or Abib, corresponding to our March or April, which was when the Israelites came out of Egypt and therefore was made the first month, was to be the Passover of the Lord, a feast in which a lamb was killed and eaten, in memory of the Lord's passing over the houses of the Israelites, when He slew the firstborn in Egypt.

(17) "‘And on the fifteenth day of this month is the feast; unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days.'"

On the fifteenth day of the first month, the day after the Passover feast, was to be the Feast of Unleavened Bread, as described in Leviticus 23:6, which began on this day and unleavened bread was to be eaten for seven days.

(18) "‘On the first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no manner of servile work.'"

On the first of the seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, there was to be a holy assembly; on that day the people were to do no manner of customary work.

(19) "'But you shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt offering to the LORD, two young bullocks, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year; they shall be to you without blemish.'"

That first day the people were to offer a burnt offering sacrifice to the Lord of two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year, all perceived as with no spot or blemish.

(20) "'And their grain offering shall be of flour mixed with oil, three tenth deals shall you offer for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram; (21) A several tenth deal shall you offer for every lamb, throughout the seven lambs.'"

The grain offering that was offered with the burnt offering was to be three-tenths of an ephah of flour mixed with oil for each young bull, two-tenths for the ram, and one-tenth for each lamb.

(22) "'And one goat for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you.'"

In addition to the above offerings, they were also to offer one goat for a sin offering to make atonement for their sins.

(23) "‘You shall offer these besides the burnt offering in the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering.'"

These offerings were all to be in addition to the daily and nightly sacrifice that was always to be kept for a continual burnt offering.

(24) "'After this manner you shall offer daily, throughout the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savor to the LORD; it shall be offered besides the continual burnt offering, and its drink offering.'"

In the above described manner they were to offer daily sacrifices of two bullocks, one ram, seven lambs, etc. for each of the seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread to be pleasing and acceptable to the Lord.  Again it was stressed that this was to be in addition to the continual burnt offering and its accompanying drink offering.

(25) "'And on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no servile work.'"

As on the first of the seven days, the seventh day was also to be a holy convocation, and the people were to do no work.

(26) "‘Also on the day of the firstfruits, when you bring a new grain offering to the LORD, after your weeks, you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no servile work.'"

Also on the day when the first fruits of the harvest were brought to the Lord, which was the day of Pentecost, after the seven weeks from Passover to Pentecost, also called the Feast of Weeks, they were to have a holy assembly, and were to do no work.

(27) "'But you shall offer the burnt offering for a sweet savor to the LORD, two young bullocks, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year; (28) And their grain offering of flour mixed with oil, three tenth deals to one bullock, two tenth deals to one ram, (29) A several tenth deal to one lamb, throughout the seven lambs; (30) And one kid of the goats, to make an atonement for you.'"

At that holy convocation on the Day of Pentecost, to be pleasing and acceptable to the Lord, they were to offer two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year, along with a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of flour mixed with oil for each bull, two-tenths for the ram, and one-tenth for each lamb.  They were also to offer one kid goat for a sin offering to make atonement for the people's sins.

(31) "'You shall offer them besides the continual burnt offering and its grain offering, (they shall be to you without blemish) and their drink offerings.'"

Once again the Lord stressed that these were to be offered in addition to the daily continual burnt offering.  This shows just how important that continual burnt offering was!  It was a symbol of Jesus Christ and of our need to be continually covered by the blood of His sacrifice.  No matter what other feasts or celebrations or solemn occasions performed in His name, there was still the need of the constant continual sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ.  There was a parenthetical note that the grain offerings, and we can assume the drink offerings, as well, were to be without blemish, pure and clean and without vermin; everything was to be perfect to offer to the Lord.

(Numbers 29:1) "‘And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no servile work; it is a day of blowing the trumpets to you.'"

In the seventh month, Tisri, about September and October in our calendar, on the first day of the month, the people were to have a holy assembly.  They were to do no work on that day; it was a day of blowing the trumpets--the Feast of Trumpets.

(2) "'And you shall offer a burnt offering for a sweet savor to the LORD, one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without blemish.'"

On this day they were to offer one young bull, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without spot or blemish, as a burnt offering to the Lord to be pleasing and acceptable to Him.

(3) "'And their grain offering shall be of flour mixed with oil, three tenth deals for a bullock, two tenth deals for a ram, (4) And one tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs.'"

The grain offering to accompany the burnt offering was to be of flour mixed with oil, three-tenths of an ephah for the bull, two-tenths for the ram, and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs.

(5) "'And one kid of the goats for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you.'"

In addition, they were to offer one goat kid to make atonement for them.

(6) "‘Besides the burnt offering of the month and its grain offering, and the daily burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings, according to their manner, for a sweet savor, a sacrifice made by fire to the LORD.'"

This offering of the goat kid for atonement was to be in addition to the new moon offering and the daily offering with their drink offerings that were offered according to their prescribed manner, all this to be pleasing and acceptable burnt sacrifices to the Lord.

(7) "'And you shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month a holy convocation, and you shall afflict your souls; you shall not do any work.'"

On the tenth day of the seventh month of Tisri, they were to have a holy assembly, and they were to do no work.  The people were to afflict their souls, by fasting and abstinence from all delightful things, and by remorse for their sins.

(8) "'But you shall offer a burnt offering to the LORD for a sweet savor, one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year; they shall be to you without blemish.'"

On this tenth day of the seventh month the people were to offer a burnt offering to the Lord consisting of one young bull, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year, all without spot or blemish.

(9) "'And their grain offering shall be of flour mixed with oil, three tenth deals to a bullock, two tenth deals to one ram, (10) A several tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs.'"

Once again the accompanying grain offering was to be of three-tenths of an ephah of flour mixed with oil for each bull, two-tenths for the ram, and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs.

(11) "'One kid of the goats for a sin offering, besides the sin offering for atonement, the continual burnt offering, and its grain offering, and their drink offerings.'"

In addition, there was to be offered one goat kid for a sin offering; this was to be besides the sin offering of the great Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16), and besides the continual burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.

(12) "‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no servile work, and you shall keep a feast to the LORD seven days.'"

On the fifteenth day of the same seventh month of Tisri, the people were to have a holy assembly, and were to do no work on that day.  They were to have a feast to the Lord for seven days.  This was the Feast of Tabernacles.

(13) "'And you shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savor to the LORD, thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year; they shall be without blemish."

On this fifteenth day of the seventh month the people were to offer thirteen young bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year.  These were all to be without blemish and sacrificed by fire to be pleasing and acceptable to the Lord.  This was a very large sacrifice.  As Dr. John Gill pointed out in his Exposition of the Entire Bible, this was "a very large sacrifice indeed, for these were offered besides one kid of the goats, for a sin offering, and the two lambs of the daily sacrifice, which were not omitted on account of this extraordinary offering; so that there were no less than thirty two animals sacrificed on this day."

(14) "'And their grain offering shall be of flour mixed with oil, three tenth deals to every bullock of the thirteen bullocks, two tenth deals to each ram of the two rams, (15) And a several tenth deal to each lamb of the fourteen lambs.'"

At this large sacrifice on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, there was also to be a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of flour mixed with oil for each of the thirteen young bulls, two-tenths for each of the two rams, and one-tenth for each of the fourteen lambs.

(16) "'And one kid of the goats for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.'"

There was also to be a sin offering of one goat kid, besides the continual burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.

(17) "'And on the second day you shall offer twelve young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without spot; (18) And their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner; (19) And one kid of the goats for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its grain offering, and their drink offerings.'"

On the second day of the seven day feast that began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, that is the sixteenth day of the month of Tisri, the people were to offer a burnt offering of twelve young bulls, one less than on the first day of the seven day feast, and also two rams and fourteen lambs of the first year without spot.  The grain offerings and drink offerings were to be according to the ordinance specifying the amount to be offered for each animal.  Additionally, there was to be a goat kid for a sin offering, besides the regular daily offerings.

(20) "'And on the third day eleven bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish; (21) And their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner; (22) And one goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.'"

On the third day of the seven day feast, the people were to offer eleven young bulls, again one less bull than the day before, and also two rams, and fourteen lambs; all were to be offered with the previously ordained grain and drink offerings, according to the number of them.  The people were also to offer one goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.

(23) "'And on the fourth day ten bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish; (24) Their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner; (25) And one kid of the goats for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.'"

On the fourth day of the seven day feast they were to offer ten young bulls, one less than the day before.  The rest of the offering was to be as on the previous days, according to the ordinance.

(26) "'And on the fifth day nine bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without spot; (27) And their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner; (28) And one goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, and its grain offering, and its drink offering.'"

On the fifth day they offered all the same offerings with the exception of one less bull than the day before.

(29) "'And on the sixth day eight bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish; (30) And their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner; (31) And one goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.'"

On the sixth day, all the same offerings were offered, the only difference being again one less bull than the day before.

(32) "'And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish; (33) And their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner; (34) And one goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.'"

On the seventh and last day of the seven day feast, they offered again the same offering with the exception of one less bull than the day before.  Dr. John Gill reflected on the lessening number of bulls each day:  "...there was one bullock less every day; which it is thought may denote the decrease of sin in the people, and so an increase of holiness, or rather the gradual waxing old and vanishing away of the ceremonial law, and the sacrifices of it; and these bullocks ending in the number seven, which is a number may lead us to think of the great sacrifice these all typified, whereby Christ has perfected them that are sanctified."  The seventh day of the seven day feast, offering seven bulls--all these sevens are no accident.  Seven, being the number of perfection or completion, certainly represented the day when Jesus Christ finished His work of sacrifice for our sins.

(35) "‘On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly; you shall do no servile work.'"

The eighth day, the day following the seven day feast, the people were to have a solemn assembly, and they were to do no work on that day.

(36) "'But you shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savor to the LORD, one bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without blemish; (37) Their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bullock, for the ram, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner; (38) And one goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, and its grain offering, and its drink offering.'"

On that eighth day there was to be just one bull and one ram and seven lambs offered by fire to be pleasing and acceptable to the Lord.  Again this typified the leading up to the one perfect sacrifice in Jesus Christ, the one expressed by the one bull and the one ram, and perfection represented by the seven lambs.  The accompanying grain and drink offerings were to be offered according to the ordinance prescribing the amount per animal.

(39) "'These things you shall do to the LORD in your set feasts, besides your vows, and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your grain offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings.'"

All the offerings described by the Lord in these past two chapters the children of Israel were to offer in the appointed feasts.  These were in addition to the vows and freewill offerings that they might offer up at any time that might be of burnt offerings, grain, drink, or peace offerings.  The Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge by Canne, Browne, Blayney, Scott, and others, pointed out, "It appears from the account in these two chapters, that there were annually offered to God, at the public charge, independently of a prodigious number of voluntary, vow, and trespass offerings, 15 goats, 21 kids, 72 rams, 132 bullocks, and 1,101 lambs. But how little is all this compared with the lambs slain every year at the passover. Cestius, the Roman general, asked the priests how many persons had come to Jerusalem at their annual festivals. The priests, numbering the people by the lambs that had been slain, said, 'twenty-five myriads, 5,000, and 600.'"  A myriad is defined as ten thousand as used in this reference, making 255,600 lambs!  It took an enormous number of sacrifices to even come close to symbolizing the perfect sacrifice of the perfect Jesus Christ, God Himself in human form come down from heaven to save us.

(40) And Moses told the children of Israel according to all that the LORD commanded Moses.

At the beginning of the last two chapters, it was written that the Lord told Moses all these things to command to the children of Israel, and Moses indeed told them all the Lord had commanded he tell them.

The Law of Inheritances; Joshua Appointed to Succeed Moses

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Numbers 27:1) Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph; and these are the names of his daughters--Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

In chapter 26 of Numbers there was a census taken of all the able-bodied men of war 20 years and older.  In verse 33 we were told of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher (Gilead's son who was the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh), and that Zelophehad had no sons, only daughters.  Here these daughters were mentioned again--Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

(2) And they stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, (3) “Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not in the company of those who gathered together against the LORD, in the company of Korah, but died in his own sin, and had no sons."

The five daughters of Zelophehad came before Moses and Eleazar (Aaron's son) the priest, and before all the princes of the people, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were gathered by the door of the tabernacle.  They spoke about their father who had died in the wilderness, making it a point to say that he had not been in the company of Korah who had rebelled against the Lord, but had died in his own sin, meaning that sin that is common to all men, and he had died in the wilderness under that general sentence that the Lord had passed upon the older generation that none of them would enter the promised land.  They explained that their father had had no sons.

(4) “Why should the name of our father be removed from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father’s brothers.”

Because inheritance in the promised land was based upon the number of able-bodied men of war, and did not include women, they reasoned that their father's name should not be erased from his family just because he had only daughters and no son.  They requested that they be given a possession in the promised land, as representing their father among his brothers.  Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, pointed out how this showed great faith in the word of the Lord since Canaan had not yet been conquered, and an earnest desire to have a part in that promise, as well as respect for their father's name.  Additionally, Mr. Henry compared these five daughters to the five wise virgins that Jesus would later use in a teaching parable.  The promised land was a symbol of the Kingdom of God, and these five wise virgins showed diligence in seeking to obtain their part in that heavenly inheritance.

(5) And Moses brought their cause before the LORD.

Moses did not try to answer this himself, but took their case to the Lord.

(6) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (7) “The daughters of Zelophehad speak right; you shall surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father's brethren; and you shall cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them."

The Lord told Moses that the daughters of Zelophehad had spoken what was right and just, and that he was to give them the inheritance of their father just as their father's brothers' inheritances fell to their sons.  In this the Lord demonstrated that when you seek, you shall find.  Those who seek an inheritance in the heavenly land of promise, shall receive it.

(8) “And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter.'"

The Lord went on speaking to Moses, to furthermore tell the children of Israel what to do in the case of a man who died with no son; his inheritance was to pass to his daughter.

(9) "'And if he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers.'"

The Lord went on to instruct that if a man died with no children at all, his inheritance was to pass to his brothers.

(10) "'And if he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. (11) And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the relative closest to him in his family, and he shall possess it.’” And it shall be to the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the LORD commanded Moses.

If a man died with no children and he had no brothers, then his inheritance was to be given to his father's brothers.  In the event his father had no brothers either, then the inheritance was to pass to the man's closest relative.  This was to be the law for inheritances as the Lord had commanded to Moses.

(12) And the LORD said to Moses, “Go up into this Mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel."

The Lord then told Moses to go up this mountain...  Abarim was actually a range of mountains; the mountain Moses was told to ascend was Mount Nebo, as was later recorded in Deuteronomy 32:49.  The Lord wanted Moses to go up that mountain to see the land that He was giving the children of Israel.

(13) “And when you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered."

The Lord continued, telling Moses that once he had seen the promised land, he would then die, as his brother Aaron had died.

(14) "For you rebelled against My commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify Me at the water before their eyes"; that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.

The Lord went on to explain to Moses why he would die before entering the promised land.  In Numbers 20:12, the Lord had told both Moses and Aaron that because they did not believe Him, to sanctify Him in the eyes of the children of Israel, they would not bring the people into the promised land.  This was the event at the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin when the people had complained about having no water.  Moses and Aaron did not obey the Lord to sanctify Him in the eyes of His children.  Rather they seemed to imply it was they who would give them water by Moses's action by striking the rock, which was not what the Lord had told him to do.  Aaron had already died as the Lord had promised after this episode, and now it was Moses's time, but the gracious Lord would allow Moses to see the promised land.

(15) And Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, (16) “Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, (17) Who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep which have no shepherd.”

Moses then entreated the Lord, acknowledging that He, the Father of spirits who knew the spirits of all men, place a man in Moses's stead to lead the people so they would not wander about as sheep without a shepherd.  This request by Moses showed a tender concern for the children of Israel.  This same metaphor was later used in Matthew 9:36 when describing Jesus Christ's compassion for the multitudes who fainted and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd.

(18) And the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; (19) And set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and give him charge in their sight."

In answer to Moses's request, the Lord told him to take Joshua with him, a man in whom was His Spirit, and set him before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation.  Moses was to lay his hand on Joshua, signifying the transfer of leadership from Moses to Joshua, and give him formal charge in their sight.

(20) “And you shall put some of your honor on him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient."

By his words and actions, Moses was to transfer to Joshua his honor as leader in government so that the children of Israel would regard Joshua as their leader and obey his commands.

(21) "And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD; at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, he, and all the children of Israel with him, all the congregation."

The Lord continued to speak to Moses with regard to Joshua.  Joshua was to stand before Eleazar the priest, who would ask counsel of the Lord through the use of the Urim and Thummim that were kept inside the fold of the breastplate of judgment worn by the priest (Exodus 28:30).  In this way it was the Lord who determined when the people moved out or came back in.  At "his" word may refer to Joshua's word or that of Eleazar, or even at the Lord's word.  If it was Joshua or Eleazar, it was to voice the will of the Lord as shown through the Urim and Thummim.

(22) And Moses did as the LORD commanded him, and he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; (23) And he laid his hands upon him and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

Moses did just as the Lord had commanded he do.  He brought Joshua before Eleazar the priest and before all the children of Israel, and laid his hands upon him and ordained Joshua as his successor.  According to the medieval French rabbi and Torah commentator, Jarchi, Moses "did this cheerfully, and did more than he was commanded; for the Lord said to him, 'lay thine hand', but he laid both his hands" (John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible).

Moses showed us a great example of humility.  This might have ordinarily been seen as a demoting of himself and a diss to his own family.  Think about it--the priesthood was given to his brother Aaron's family, and now he was to pass the civil government on to his servant from the tribe of Ephraim.  His own posterity were only common Levites who waited on the priests.  However, Moses cheerfully ordained Joshua.  As Matthew Henry so beautifully stated, "...this was such an instance of self-denial and submission to the will of God as was more his glory than the highest advancement of his family could have been; for it confirms his character as the meekest man upon earth, and faithful to him that appointed him in all his house. This (says the excellent bishop Patrick) shows him to have had a principle which raised him above all other lawgivers, who always took care to establish their families in some share of that greatness which they themselves possessed; but hereby it appeared that Moses acted not from himself, because he acted not for himself."