YHWH assigns the priesthood to Aaron and his family. All the tithes brought by the Israelites will go to the Levites as an inheritance. Likewise, from these tithes, the Levites are to present their tithes to the Lord. This will be received by Aaron.
24 Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the LORD. That is why I said concerning them: 'They will have no inheritance among the Israelites.'" 25 The LORD said to Moses, 26 "Speak to the Levites and say to them: 'When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I give you as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the LORD's offering. 27 Your offering will be reckoned to you as grain from the threshing floor or juice from the winepress. 28 In this way you also will present an offering to the LORD from all the tithes you receive from the Israelites. From these tithes you must give the LORD's portion to Aaron the priest.
The Israelites arrive at Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin. Miriam dies and is buried there. Once again the Israelites complain because of the lack of water. Here is where Moses strikes the rock in frustration instead of just 'speaking to it'. Water nonetheless springs from the rock but for that act of impatience, Moses is barred from entering the Promised Land.
11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. 12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."
At Kadesh as they approached Edom, the Israelites sought permission from the King of Edom for permission to move through Edom, promising to only remain on the King's Highway (this is the King's Highway that we travelled upon when we were in Jordan) and "not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. ....and not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory." But permission was not granted.
Meanwhle at the border of Edom, on Mt Hor ( traditionally identified as Jebel Neby Haroun, near Wadi Mousa, the village closest to Petra), Aaron dies, and is buried. The Levite leadership passes to his son, Eleazar.
2 comments:
The Kings highway is really a very lonnnnggg road. When I read the bible previously, I have no sense of the distances that these people had to travel, until we were there - to imagine that they traveled by foot! No wonder it took them one month to move from Desert of Sin to Mt Sinai (according to Archae bible).
not to mention, it was probably about 2 million people (~600,000 men)trudging down the highway...!
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