Reading: Numbers 33-34, Psalm 51

We are winding down the book of Numbers. This last phase of the book is a recounting of the journey of the people of Israel in the wilderness, which may seem really dull reading but actually functions as a kind of recap of the story so far. I have been pointing out along the way that this is largely a book of grumbles, which Moses begs God to forgive, which is then followed by a reiteration of the covenant laws which God gave to his people. This recounting of the journey of Israel through the wilderness reminds the readers at this point of what they as a people have done, and how both Moses and God have responded.

This is all in preparation for moving on to the next big thing in the story. After forty years of wandering, waiting for the rebellious generation to die off, the people of Israel are about to cross the Jordan river and enter the land of promise. This new generation is to be reminded of where they came from- from Egypt to Sinai to the promised land, back to the wilderness, and back again to the promised land. Before God lays out the remaining laws for when they are living in the land, he wants them to remember what has come before.

Once the long journey has been recited, Moses tells the people how God wants the land divided, and how the tribes are to divide the land- fairly, based on the number of people in each tribe, and by lot. The land will be divided at random, by casting lots, so no tribe can manipulate the nation by gaining the best land. Whoever gets the best and worst parts of the land will be up to God, not any person. The people of Israel are not to gerrymander. They will accept what they are given.

Finally, God again makes a point about what to do with the current inhabitants of the land. They are to drive them out entirely, without exception. And they are to eradicate their cultural artifacts as well, not absorbing even the smallest amount of the cultural values of the Canaanite nations. This may seem harsh, but as we will see when we go through the next couple of books in the story, the people they were driving out had engaged in some pretty horrific practices that may make any sympathy you feel for them dissipate.

Tomorrow we will get a few more details that God wants the people to know before crossing the river, rules about how to deal with matters of justice and vengeance, as well as inheritances. And then, one would think, we get to go to the promised land. But not quite. Moses has a speech to make first, a speech that will become one of the most important elements of the story upcoming and tie together much of the story so far- the book of Deuteronomy.