Chukat חֻקַּת - Law
Numbers 19:1-22:1
Reading #6 - Numbers 21:10–20
My Thoughts:
Now we are singing. The Torah so accurately depicts mankind. One minute we are complaining (and being destroyed for it!) and the next minute we are singing. Think about your life. When all is well don’t you sing and praise Hashem? When things get tough -- do you start to complain? Let’s try to do more singing -- even during the hard times!
Challenge:
In verse 14 we read about the “Book of the Wars of Hashem”. Does a book like this really exist? Apparently yes, it did. But, it is lost. If you do some research on it you will see this book probably not only was a recording of the battles the Israelites endured during the wilderness journey, but also some songs regarding their victories! Here’s my challenge to you today. If you were to write your “book of battles” would you include some songs of victory and winning? Or would it be a list of complaints that you suffered from. Remember, all the glory goes to Hashem. And whether you win or lose -- it is ultimately His battle. Think about the “battles” you have suffered, and look at their outcome. If there was a really sad outcome, look at how maybe other people’s lives were touched through it all. Or how you might have grown through it. Then sing the victory song. Sing that you survived and sing that Hashem never left your side. Amen!
Reading #6 - Numbers 21:10–20
21:10 The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in Oboth. 11 They traveled from Oboth, and encamped at Iyeabarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrise. 12 From there they traveled, and encamped in the valley of Zered. 13 From there they traveled, and encamped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that comes out of the border of the Amorites; for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. 14 Therefore it is said in The Book of the Wars of Hashem, “Vaheb in Suphah, the valleys of the Arnon, 15 the slope of the valleys that incline toward the dwelling of Ar, leans on the border of Moab.”
16 From there they traveled to Beer; that is the well of which Hashem said to Moses, “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.”
17 Then Israel sang this song:
“Spring up, well! Sing to it,
18 the well, which the princes dug,
which the nobles of the people dug,
with the scepter, and with their poles.”
From the wilderness they traveled to Mattanah; 19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel; and from Nahaliel to Bamoth; 20 and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the field of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looks down on the desert.
