leaving room for the enemy

Posted on April 26, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky April 2018 (26)

leaving room for the enemy

devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2363

Numbers 33:5–56

Num 33:50 And Yahveh spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, and this is what he said,
Num 33:51 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
Num 33:52 then you will drive out all the inhabitants of the land from in the sight of you and destroy all their sculptured images and destroy all their metal images and demolish all their high places.
Num 33:53 And you will take possession of the land and settle in it, because I have given the land to you to possess it.
Num 33:54 You will inherit the land by lot according to your clans. To a large tribe you will give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you will give a small inheritance. Wherever the lot falls for anyone, that will be his. According to the tribes of your fathers you will inherit.
Num 33:55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from in the sight of you, then those of them whom you let remain will be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land where you stay.
Num 33:56 And I will do to you as I thought to do to them.”

leaving room for the enemy

If the Israelites refuse to remove the present inhabitants from the land promised to them by God, two things would result. First, those left in the land would become a continual source of trouble to the new inhabitants. They will be a painful irritant, like barbs in the eyes, or thorns in the sides. Secondly, since the land was not cleared of those idolaters, the LORD would be forced to visit the land with his wrath, and that would also affect the Israelites.

Our lesson for today is that we need to make a clean break from sin, and not ally ourselves with those who tolerate or promote sin. If we leave room for the enemy, God has to treat us as the enemy.

LORD, wash us whiter than snow. Remove from us both the sin of our past, and the weakness of tolerating it in our society.

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history recommenced

Posted on April 25, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky April 2018 (25)

history recommenced

devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2362

Numbers 33:16-49

Num 33:16 And they set out from the wilderness of Sinai and camped at Kibroth-hattaavah.
Num 33:17 And they set out from Kibroth-hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth.
Num 33:18 And they set out from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah.
Num 33:19 And they set out from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez.
Num 33:20 And they set out from Rimmon-perez and camped at Libnah.
Num 33:21 And they set out from Libnah and camped at Rissah.
Num 33:22 And they set out from Rissah and camped at Kehelathah.
Num 33:23 And they set out from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher.
Num 33:24 And they set out from Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah.
Num 33:25 And they set out from Haradah and camped at Makheloth.
Num 33:26 And they set out from Makheloth and camped at Tahath.
Num 33:27 And they set out from Tahath and camped at Terah.
Num 33:28 And they set out from Terah and camped at Mithkah.
Num 33:29 And they set out from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah.
Num 33:30 And they set out from Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth.
Num 33:31 And they set out from Moseroth and camped at Bene-jaakan.
Num 33:32 And they set out from Bene-jaakan and camped at Hor-haggidgad.
Num 33:33 And they set out from Hor-haggidgad and camped at Jotbathah.
Num 33:34 And they set out from Jotbathah and camped at Abronah.
Num 33:35 And they set out from Abronah and camped at Ezion-geber.
Num 33:36 And they set out from Ezion-geber and camped in the wilderness of Zin (that is, Kadesh).
Num 33:37 And they set out from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, on the edge of the land of Edom.
Num 33:38 And Aaron the priest went up Mount Hor at the command of Yahveh and died there, in the fortieth year after the people of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, on the first day of the fifth month.
Num 33:39 And Aaron was 123 years old when he died on Mount Hor.
Num 33:40 And the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negev in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the people of Israel.
Num 33:41 And they set out from Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah.
Num 33:42 And they set out from Zalmonah and camped at Punon.
Num 33:43 And they set out from Punon and camped at Oboth.
Num 33:44 And they set out from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim, in the territory of Moab.
Num 33:45 And they set out from Iyim and camped at Dibon-gad.
Num 33:46 And they set out from Dibon-gad and camped at Almon-diblathaim.
Num 33:47 And they set out from Almon-diblathaim and camped in the mountains of Abarim, in the sight of Nebo.
Num 33:48 And they set out from the mountains of Abarim and camped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho;
Num 33:49 they camped by the Jordan from Beth-jeshimoth as far as Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab.

history recommenced

Pett comments on verse 40: “At this same time had come the Canaanite king of Arad who, living in ‘the South’ (the Canaanite part of the Negeb, compare Genesis 12:9), had ‘heard of the coming of the children of Israel’ and hoped to drive them away (Numbers 21:1-3). There is, in the way that this is put, the indication that the arrival of Israel was news which put fear in the hearts of the Canaanites (compare Numbers 14:14; Deuteronomy 2:25; Exodus 15:14-16). Thus the writer deliberately once more puts us in touch with the history described earlier, which he has deliberately neglected in the middle section. History has, as it were recommenced. ”

Sometimes we have to stop what we are doing long enough to remember that God’s plan is working itself out in our lives. No matter what we face, his will and his purpose will prevail.

LORD, we again surrender today to your purpose, because it will prevail.

 

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against their gods

Posted on April 24, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky April 2018 (24)

against their gods

devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2361

Numbers 33:1-15

Num 33:1 These are the phases of the people of Israel, when they went out of the land of Egypt by their companies, being guided by Moses and Aaron.
Num 33:2 Moses wrote down their starting places, phase by phase, by command of Yahveh, and these are their phases according to their starting places.
Num 33:3 They set out from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month. On the day after the Passover, the people of Israel went out triumphantly in the sight of all the Egyptians,
Num 33:4 while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom Yahveh had struck down among them. Yahveh also executed judgments against their gods .
Num 33:5 So the people of Israel set out from Rameses and camped at Succoth.
Num 33:6 And they set out from Succoth and camped at Etham, which is on the edge of the desert.
Num 33:7 And they set out from Etham and turned back to Pi-hahiroth, which is east of Baal-zephon, and they camped in the sight of Migdol.
Num 33:8 And they set out from where Hahiroth could be seen and passed through the midst of the sea into the desert, and they went a three days’ journey in the desert of Etham and camped at Marah.
Num 33:9 And they set out from Marah and came to Elim; at Elim there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there.
Num 33:10 And they set out from Elim and camped by the Red Sea.
Num 33:11 And they set out from the Red Sea and camped in the desert of Sin.
Num 33:12 And they set out from the desert of Sin and camped at Dophkah.
Num 33:13 And they set out from Dophkah and camped at Alush.
Num 33:14 And they set out from Alush and camped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.
Num 33:15 And they set out from Rephidim and camped in the desert of Sinai.

against their gods

Moses got out his travel record and reviewed all the phases that the Israelites went through. These verses record the travel from Egypt to Sinai, where the ten commandments were given. Moses notes particularly that the deliverance in Egypt was not just to free the Israelites, but it was also a series of judgments against the Egyptian gods.

Many times in our lives we are going to go through experiences that we cannot account for. It will be helpful for us to remember during those times that God is at work, but his work involves more than we see.

LORD, teach us to trust you, even when we cannot understand what you are doing.

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changing the names

Posted on April 23, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky April 2018 (23)

changing the names

devotions from Jefferson Vann #2360

Numbers 32:20-42

Num 32:20 So Moses said to them, “If you will do this, if you will take up arms to go in the sight of Yahveh for the war,
Num 32:21 and every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan in the sight of Yahveh, until he has driven out his enemies from in the sight of him
Num 32:22 and the land is subdued in the sight of Yahveh; then after that you will return and be free of obligation to Yahveh and to Israel, and this land will be your possession in the sight of Yahveh.
Num 32:23 But if you will not do so, notice, you have sinned against Yahveh, and be sure your mistake will find you out.
Num 32:24 Build cities for your little ones and folds for your sheep, and do what you have promised.”
Num 32:25 And the people of Gad and the people of Reuben said to Moses, “Your servants will do as my Yahveh commands.
Num 32:26 Our little ones, our wives, our livestock, and all our animals will remain there in the cities of Gilead,
Num 32:27 but your servants will pass over, every man who is armed for war, in the sight of Yahveh to battle, as my lord orders.”
Num 32:28 So Moses gave command concerning them to Eleazar the priest and to Joshua the son of Nun and to the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the people of Israel.
Num 32:29 And Moses said to them, “If the people of Gad and the people of Reuben, every man who is armed to battle in the sight of Yahveh, will pass with you over the Jordan and the land will be subdued in the sight of you, then you will give them the land of Gilead for a possession.
Num 32:30 However, if they will not pass over with you armed, they will have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.”
Num 32:31 And the people of Gad and the people of Reuben answered, “What Yahveh has said to your servants, we will do.
Num 32:32 We will pass over armed in the sight of Yahveh into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance will remain with us beyond the Jordan.”
Num 32:33 And Moses gave to them, to the people of Gad and to the people of Reuben and to the half-tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land and its cities with their territories, the cities of the land throughout the country.
Num 32:34 And the people of Gad built Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,
Num 32:35 Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah,
Num 32:36 Beth-nimrah and Beth-haran, fortified cities, and folds for sheep.
Num 32:37 And the people of Reuben built Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,
Num 32:38 Nebo, and Baal-meon (their names were changed), and Sibmah. And they gave other names to the cities that they built.
Num 32:39 And the sons of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead and captured it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were in it.
Num 32:40 And Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh, and he settled in it.
Num 32:41 And Jair the son of Manasseh went and captured their villages, and called them Havvoth-jair.
Num 32:42 And Nobah went and captured Kenath and its villages, and called it Nobah, after his own name.

changing the names

Matthew Henry comments:

“They changed the names of them (v. 38), either to show their authority, that the change of the names might signify the change of their owners, or because their names were idolatrous, and carried in them a respect to the dunghill-deities that were there worshipped. Nebo and Baal were names of their gods, which they were forbidden to make mention of (Ex. 23:13 ), and which, by changing the names of these cities, they endeavoured to bury in oblivion; and God promises to take away the names of Baalim out of the mouths of his people, Hos. 2:17 ”

We should be careful of the reputation of the things that we call our own. If our community has a reputation of being sinful or corrupt, we should do everything we can to change that reputation, because if we inhabit a land, our God’s reputation is at stake.

LORD, give us the wisdom to change the reputation of the communities we inhabit.

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our brothers’ brothers

Posted on April 22, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky April 2018 (22)

our brothers’ brothers

devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2359

Numbers 32:1-19

Num 32:1 At that time, the people of Reuben and the people of Gad had a very significant number of livestock. When they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, and notice, the place was a place for livestock.
Num 32:2 So the people of Gad and the people of Reuben came and said to Moses and to Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the congregation,
Num 32:3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon,
Num 32:4 the land that Yahveh struck down in the sight of the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.”
Num 32:5 And they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession. Do not take us across the Jordan.”
Num 32:6 But Moses said to the people of Gad and to the people of Reuben, “will your brothers go to the war while you sit here?
Num 32:7 Why will you discourage the heart of the people of Israel from going over into the land that Yahveh has given them?
Num 32:8 Your fathers did this, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land.
Num 32:9 Because when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the people of Israel from going into the land that Yahveh had given them.
Num 32:10 And Yahveh’s anger was kindled on that day, and he swore, and this is what he said,
Num 32:11 ‘Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, will see the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not wholly followed me,
Num 32:12 none except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, because they have wholly followed Yahveh.’
Num 32:13 And Yahveh’s anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of Yahveh was gone.
Num 32:14 And notice, you have risen in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of Yahveh against Israel!
Num 32:15 Because if you turn away from following him, he will again abandon them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all this people.”
Num 32:16 Then they came near to him and said, “We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones,
Num 32:17 but we will take up arms, ready to go in the sight of the people of Israel, until we have brought them to their place. And our little ones will live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
Num 32:18 We will not return to our homes until each of the people of Israel has gained his inheritance.
Num 32:19 Because we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on this side of the Jordan to the east.”

our brothers’ brothers

The transjordon tribes are an example for us, because many Christians will not face certain challenges by virtue of where they live and their station in life. But that does not mean that those Christians so blessed should be indifferent to the plight of their brothers and sisters. No, we are our brothers’ brothers. If they need to fight to overcome the obstacles, then we should be fighting with them.

LORD, show us how to care for our brothers who face challenges that we do not.

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staying on his good side

Posted on April 21, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky April 2018 (21)

staying on his good side

devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2358

Numbers 31:48-54

Num 31:48 Then the officers who were over the thousands of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, came near to Moses
Num 31:49 and said to Moses, “Your servants have counted the men of war who are under our command, and there is not a man missing from us.
Num 31:50 And we have brought Yahveh’s offering, what each man found, articles of gold, armlets and bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and beads, to provide reconciliation for our souls in the sight of Yahveh.”
Num 31:51 And Moses and Eleazar the priest received from them the gold, all crafted articles.
Num 31:52 And all the gold of the contribution that they presented to Yahveh, from the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, was 16,750 shekels.
Num 31:53 (The men in the army had each taken plunder for himself.)
Num 31:54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the conference tent, as a memorial for the people of Israel in the sight of Yahveh.

staying on his good side

Calvin comments on verse 54: “When it is said, “for a memorial for the children of Israel,” it may be taken either actively or passively; viz., either that the gift may be a monument of their gratitude, or that it might conciliate favor for the people in the eyes of God; as if that offering of expiation brought before God, and represented, all those who thus professed themselves to be preserved by His grace. I prefer the latter sense myself, i.e., that this memorial was set before His eyes, in order that God might hereafter also be favorable to His people.”

Whenever we give anything to the LORD’s work, we can consider it a reminder of all the things and relationships he has given us. We don’t get on God’s good side by doing so, but actively showing our appreciation is one part of staying on his good side.

LORD, make us aware of all your sustaining gifts, and appreciative always.

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a nation that turned away

Posted on April 20, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky April 2018 (20)

a nation that turned away

devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2357

Numbers 31:31-47

Num 31:31 And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as Yahveh commanded Moses.
Num 31:32 Now the plunder remaining of the spoil that the army took was 675,000 sheep,
Num 31:33 72,000 animals,
Num 31:34 61,000 donkeys,
Num 31:35 and 32,000 souls in all, women who had not known man by lying with him.
Num 31:36 And the half, the portion of those who had gone out in the army, numbered 337,500 sheep,
Num 31:37 and Yahveh’s tribute of sheep was 675.
Num 31:38 The animals were 36,000, of which Yahveh’s tribute was 72.
Num 31:39 The donkeys were 30,500, of which Yahveh’s tribute was 61.
Num 31:40 The souls were 16,000, of which Yahveh’s tribute was 32 souls.
Num 31:41 And Moses gave the tribute, which was the contribution for Yahveh, to Eleazar the priest, as Yahveh commanded Moses.
Num 31:42 From the people of Israel’s half, which Moses separated from that of the men who had served in the army–
Num 31:43 now the congregation’s half was 337,500 sheep,
Num 31:44 36,000 animals,
Num 31:45 and 30,500 donkeys,
Num 31:46 and 16,000 souls–
Num 31:47 from the people of Israel’s half Moses took one of every 50, both of humans and of animals, and gave them to the Levites who kept guard over the tabernacle of Yahveh, as Yahveh commanded Moses.

a nation that turned away

The Moab Midianite nation had “turned its public morals into a destructive immorality, because it (had) abandoned all reverence for a personal God and personal life, and sunk into the dark, magic sin, the sin of deifying the lust of the flesh, and into death, its fruit” (Lang). For this reason, the LORD commanded the Israelites to take them in war. It is a serious thing for an entire nation to desert God and morality.

LORD, we repent of our turning away from you. We want to turn back before it is too late.

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purifying from the plunder

Posted on April 19, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky April 2018 (19)

purifying from the plunder

devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2356

Numbers 31:13-30

Num 31:13 Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the congregation went to meet them outside the camp.
Num 31:14 And Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, who had come from service in the war.
Num 31:15 Moses said to them, “Have you let all the women live?
Num 31:16 notice, these, due to Balaam’s advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against Yahveh in the incident of Peor, and this caused the plague to come to the congregation of Yahveh.
Num 31:17 Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him.
Num 31:18 But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him keep alive for yourselves.
Num 31:19 Encamp outside the camp seven days. Whoever of you has killed any soul and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day.
Num 31:20 You will purify every garment, every article of skin, all work of goats’ hair, and every article of wood.”
Num 31:21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the men in the army who had gone to battle: “This is the prescription of the law that Yahveh has commanded Moses:
Num 31:22 only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead,
Num 31:23 everything that can stand the fire, you will pass through the fire, and it will be pure. Nevertheless, it will also be purified with the water for impurity. And whatever cannot stand the fire, you will pass through the water.
Num 31:24 You must wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you will be pure. And afterward you may come into the camp.”
Num 31:25 Yahveh said to Moses,
Num 31:26 “Take the count of the plunder that was taken, both of human and of animal, you and Eleazar the priest and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the congregation,
Num 31:27 and divide the plunder into two parts between the warriors who went out to battle and all the congregation.
Num 31:28 And levy for Yahveh a tribute from the men of war who went out to battle, one out of five hundred, of the humans and of the oxen and of the donkeys and of the flocks.
Num 31:29 Take it from their half and give it to Eleazar the priest as a contribution to Yahveh.
Num 31:30 And from the people of Israel’s half you will take one drawn out of every fifty, of the humans, of the oxen, of the donkeys, and of the flocks, of all the animals, and give them to the Levites who keep guard over the tabernacle of Yahveh.”

purifying from the plunder

The Moab Midianites had attempted to destroy the Israelites from within by tempting them to rebel against Yahveh. For this crime, God commanded that the Israelites destroy them. But Moses discovered that the plunder from the war was also a temptation for the Israelites. So, he gave instructions as to how to purify the camp.

God does not call us to make war against our enemies. Our struggle is against the enemies in the unseen realm. But even when we are victorious in those battles, the resulting spoil might be a danger to us. We must be careful not to bring into our houses anything that might tempt us to forsake God.

LORD, give us wisdom to rid ourselves of those things which might turn our hearts from you.

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end of a conspiracy

Posted on April 18, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky April 2018 (18)

end of a conspiracy

devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2355

Numbers 31:1-12

Num 31:1 Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said,
Num 31:2 “Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you will be gathered to your people.”
Num 31:3 So Moses spoke to the people, and this is what he said “Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian to execute Yahveh’s vengeance on Midian.
Num 31:4 You will send a thousand from each of the tribes of Israel to the war.”
Num 31:5 So there were provided, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.
Num 31:6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand from each tribe, together with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the signal trumpets in his hand.
Num 31:7 They warred against Midian, as Yahveh commanded Moses, and killed every male.
Num 31:8 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. And they also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword.
Num 31:9 And the people of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones, and they took as plunder all their animals, their flocks, and all their goods.
Num 31:10 All their cities in the places where they lived, and all their encampments, they burned with fire,
Num 31:11 and took all the spoil and all the plunder, both of human and of animal.
Num 31:12 Then they brought the captives and the plunder and the spoil to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the people of Israel, at the camp on the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

end of a conspiracy

Did you notice who is listed as one of the casualties in Israel’s war against the Moab Midianites? It’s our old “friend” Balaam. He would not curse the Israelites, because he knew those words would prove to be a contradiction. But he made his choice about who he would support. He conspired with the Midianites to make the Israelites leave the pure worship of Yahveh. For that conspiracy, he met his end along with them.

There are actually plenty of Balaams today. There are those who would never say a word against Christianity, but who have chosen to live their lives as unbelievers. Oh LORD, if we could only show them that their end will be the same as those they have chosen to support!

LORD, show us how to seek those who are friendly to us, but have not come to put their faith in You.

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I promise

Posted on April 17, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky April 2018 (17)

I promise

devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2354

Numbers 30:1-16

Num 30:1 Moses spoke to the leaders of the tribes of the people of Israel, and this is what he said “This is what Yahveh has commanded.
Num 30:2 If a man pledges a solemn pledge to Yahveh, or swears an oath to bind his soul by a pledge, he will not break his word. He will do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
Num 30:3 “If a woman pledges a solemn pledge to Yahveh and binds herself by a pledge, while within her father’s house in her youth,
Num 30:4 and her father hears of her solemn pledge — of her pledge by which she has bound her soul and says nothing to her, then all her solemn pledges will stand, and every pledge by which she has bound her soul will stand.
Num 30:5 But if her father opposes her on the day that he hears of it, no solemn pledge of hers, no pledge by which she has bound her soul will stand. And Yahveh will forgive her, because her father opposed her.
Num 30:6 “If she marries a husband, while under her solemn pledges or any thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she has bound her soul,
Num 30:7 and her husband hears of it and says nothing to her on the day that he hears, then her solemn pledges will stand, and her pledges by which she has bound her soul will stand.
Num 30:8 But if, on the day that her husband comes to hear of it, he opposes her, then he makes void her solemn pledge that was on her, and the thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she bound her soul. And Yahveh will forgive her.
Num 30:9 (But any solemn pledge of a widow or of a divorced woman, anything by which she has bound her soul, will stand against her.)
Num 30:10 And if she solemnly pledged in her husband’s house or bound her soul by a pledge with an oath,
Num 30:11 and her husband heard of it and said nothing to her and did not oppose her, then all her solemn pledges will stand, and every pledge by which she bound her soul will stand.
Num 30:12 But if her husband makes them null and void on the day that he hears them, then whatever proceeds out of her lips concerning her solemn pledges or concerning her pledge of her soul will not stand. Her husband has made them void, and Yahveh will forgive her.
Num 30:13 Any solemn pledge and any binding oath to discipline her soul, her husband may establish, or her husband may make void.
Num 30:14 But if her husband says nothing to her from day to day, then he establishes all her solemn pledges or all her pledges that are upon her. He has established them, because he said nothing to her on the day that he heard of them.
Num 30:15 But if he makes them null and void after he has heard of them, then he will bear her violation.”
Num 30:16 These are the prescriptions that Yahveh commanded Moses about a man and his wife and about a father and his daughter while she is in her youth within her father’s house.

I promise

A solemn pledge (nadar) was a promise for the future. “The rules laid down must have been exceedingly useful for the prevention or cancelling of rash vows, as well as for giving a proper sanction to such as were legitimate in their nature, and made in a devout, reflecting spirit.” (Jameson, Fausett & Brown).

God wanted Moses to remind his people that their promises are important, and that they affect others around them, so should not be made without consideration of all their relationships.

LORD, make us careful with our words, and committed to keeping our promises.

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