#38 — Parshat Matot-Masei
Numbers 30:2- 36:13
Overview
Parshat Mattot starts with the injunction that vows to the L-RD should be kept. Vows of women can be canceled by their fathers (if unmarried) or husbands (if married) when they hear of it (Numbers 30).
Israel executes the L-RD’s vengeance on Midian (only young sexually inexperienced girls are allowed to stay alive). There are great spoils to divide, and no Israelite has died in the campaign (Numbers 31).
Moses allows Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh to settle in the land they had conquered beyond the Jordan. However, their men must join the rest of Israel in the conquest of Canaan (Numbers 32).
In Parshat Masei, Israel is on the verge of taking its promised inheritance. Moses records all the places where Israel encamped in the wilderness (Numbers 33:1-49).
The L-RD commands Israel not to make any compromise with the idolatrous Canaanites, but rather drive them out lest a similar fate will befall Israel (Numbers 33:50-56).
The boundaries of Canaan are defined and leaders are chosen to divide the land which Israel inherits among the people (Numbers 34). The Levites, who inherit no land, must be given 48 cities. Six of these Levitical cities are designated cities of refuge for unintentional manslayers, who must remain in the sanctuary city until the death of the High Priest. But those who murdered intentionally must be killed, so the land where the L-RD dwells in the midst of His people won’t be defiled (Numbers 35).
The heads of the clans of Gilead are concerned that parts of the inheritance of one tribe might transfer to another. This could happen because G-d wanted daughters of someone who has no male heirs (like the daughters of Zelophehad) to inherit the land of their father. In response, the L-RD gives the provision that women like the daughters of Zelophehad should marry within their clans (Numbers 36).
The L-RD's Holy War
The L-RD's vengeance on Midian
If the record of the successful expedition against the Midianites is read in an isolated and superficial way, it may strike modern readers as a murderous raid, motivated by the base lust for plunder dressed up in religious garb. But that would be a grave misunderstanding of the passage.
Rather, the organization of this expedition was Moses’ last G-d-given task. The war is a direct consequence of the sharp edge of G-d’s holy character. The attack clearly had the L-RD's blessing, as miraculously the Israelites suffered not a single casualty. And we shouldn’t miss how it is defined in Scripture: “The L-RD's vengeance on Midian” (Numbers 31:2).
It may seem harsh to us that Moses leaves only young Midianite girls alive who cannot have participated in the sin of Baal Peor (Numbers 31:17). But when we better understand the reasons for the “L-RD’ s vengeance” we can also better understand the apparent ruthlessness and harshness which is commanded. In reality, judgment on the idolatrous Midianites demonstrates the fierceness of G-d’s love for His people.
G-d’s heart behind the war
Moses’ mandate is to “Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites.” What had the Midianites done to be avenged so thoroughly?
They had intentionally harmed Israel in the most serious way possible. The Midianites had harmed Israel’s relationship with the L-RD. At Balaam’s advice, they intentionally seduced Israel into sexual immorality and idolatry (Numbers 31:16). This provoked G-d in His holiness and brought serious judgment upon Israel (Numbers 25:1-9).
But now Moses has to execute the L-RD's vengeance on those who were the cause of the breach. Balaam’s evil designs brought the sharp edge of G-d’s love for His precious possession upon the Midianites. G-d’s love for Israel is “strong as death”; His “jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the L-RD” (as love is described in Song of Songs 8:6). To protect His covenant with Israel the L-RD wages a holy war.
The Midianites as seed of the serpent
The battle against Midian is actually a part of a larger war – a war that started from time immemorial. We see this when we observe how the Midianites followed the playbook of an old strategy.
In the garden of Eden, the serpent had managed to make Adam and Eve fall into judgment by inducing transgression. In the same way, the Midianites drove a wedge between the L-RD and Israel. They show themselves to be “the seed of the serpent” (Genesis 3:15).
But the L-RD also sticks to the strategy He laid out from the beginning: just as He put enmity between Eve and the serpent (Genesis 3:15), He now puts enmity between Midian and Israel.
The ultimate victory
When we read the story of the Tanakh, it looks like the demonic force who first manifested himself in the serpent of the garden of Eden, succeeding in driving a wedge between G-d and mankind, has now done the same between the L-RD and Israel. Just like Adam disobeyed G-d, Israel breaks G-d’s covenant and ends up under the covenant curses.
But that is not the end of the story. Just as He promised, the L-RD gave the promised “Seed of the woman,” the Messiah, who provides victory in the war against the serpent.
The L-RD pulls the rug from under the demonic force who first seduces mankind into sin and then stands as the accuser of G-d’s people. The Messiah takes upon Himself the judgment for our idolatry and sin. He provides atonement for us. In this way, the evil intentions of the wedge-driver are completely frustrated.
By dying and providing atonement for all our sins, the Messiah heals the extremely serious breach in our relationship with G-d. He gives a new covenant in which Israel will forever be devoted to the L-RD (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
Further, the seducer finally ends up in eternal judgment with all those who refuse to come back over to G-d’s side through faith in the atonement Messiah freely offers (Revelation 20:1,10). This is how G-d’s holy war ultimately is won.
We aren’t commanded to kill our enemies in a literal war. But we definitely should make sure we are on the side of the Serpent-Slayer who will subdue all G-d’s enemies and reign in righteousness.
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