The names of this week’s parashas are Mattot and Masei: Matot means “tribes” and Masei means “journeys”. They cover Numbers 30:2-36:13. Moses gave Israel Adonai’s commands regarding vows in chapter 30. If a woman made a vow, it could be revoked by her husband or father. However, widows and divorced women didn’t have this option and would have to fulfill their vows. This chapter shows us why it’s important not to make hasty vows. When a vow is made, it must be upheld, since it signifies a person’s character and integrity, and breaking a vow can cause distrust and strife. In fact, Yeshua discouraged the taking of oaths, but challenged us to be people of our word. Our ‘yes’ should be yes, and our ‘no’ no.
In chapter 31, God commanded Moses to take vengeance against the Midianites for their part in conspiring with Moab to cause Israel to sin terribly at Peor. Moses told the Jewish people to choose 1,000 warriors from each tribe, and Pinchas the priest accompanied them into battle. The Israelis won a decisive victory! Every Midianite man was killed, including the 5 kings of Midian. Among the dead was the false prophet Balaam, who led the Jewish men into idolatry and sexual sin with Moabite women in Numbers 25. All the Midianite women, children, animals and possessions were captured, and the Midianite dwellings destroyed. Miraculously, in all this, Israel didn’t lose a single man!
But when the army returned from battle, Moses was angry with their officers, because the captured women included those who had earlier led the Israeli men astray. Moses ordered all the boys, and the women who had slept with a man, to be killed. However, the women who were virgins could be taken as the warriors’ wives, but within the strict and humane guidelines described in Deuteronomy 21. The captured women, animals and goods were divided among the 12 tribes, with the soldiers receiving half of everything. In appreciation for the fact that no Israelis had been killed, the officers gave the jewelry as an offering to Adonai.
In chapter 32, the tribes of Reuben and Gad asked Moses if they could remain in the lands on the eastern side of the Jordan River. Moses was angered by their request and warned them that if they didn’t obey Adonai by helping the other Jewish tribes conquer Canaan, they would bear the guilt in the event of failure. By mutual agreement, they committed to go with the other tribes to complete the conquest, and then return to these lands. These tribes, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, fulfilled this promise in Joshua 4.
Israel’s overall journey from Egypt to the Jordan River is recorded in chapter 33. Moses reminds the people that if they don’t completely drive out the Canaanites, the Canaanites will ensnare them, and Adonai will punish them just like the Canaanites.
Adonai defines the borders of the Promised Land in chapter 34. Eleazar the Priest and Joshua are selected to assign the land to the Israelis, with one leader from each tribe (including Caleb from Judah) to assist them.
In chapter 35 Adonai instructs Moses to designate the cities for the Levites, including 6 cities of refuge to which anyone who unintentionally killed someone could flee. But no one who committed premeditated murder was to be allowed sanctuary in the cities of refuge.
Anyone who accidentally killed someone had their innocence or guilt determined by the assembly, and were protected from retribution by staying within the city of refuge until the high priest died, after which the accused could return unharmed to their home. If the accused left the city of refuge before the high priest died, the victim’s family could kill them without punishment. No one could be executed for murder based on the testimony of just one witness – capital punishment required the testimony of multiple witnesses.
The parasha ends with the discussion on the inheritance for Zelophehad’s daughters, which was seen earlier in Numbers 27. Their inheritance was preserved within their tribe by marrying their cousins from their father’s family.
As we have seen, parashas Matot and Masei show us the importance of having godly concern for the vulnerable individuals in our society. The nullifying of a woman’s vow by a father or husband was for her and her family’s protection, in that words spoken in haste could be canceled before causing harm. Likewise, Zelophehad’s daughters, though unmarried and now orphaned, were provided an inheritance within their father’s tribe, allowing their family to keep what was rightfully theirs. And captured Midianite virgin women were accorded dignity and ample time to grieve before becoming wives to Israeli soldiers, with all the rights a native-born Israeli wife would possess.
Anyone, Jew or Gentile, accused of causing an unintentional death was given equal justice under the law in that they couldn’t be executed based on the testimony of just one witness, and were protected from harm until their guilt or innocence could be determined.
Just as care for the most vulnerable people in society was extremely important for Israel, Christians and Messianic Jews under the New Covenant must show love and care for the vulnerable among us. Yeshua Himself declared that what we do for others in need, we are actually doing for Him. So let’s remember to love and care for those who are in difficult situations as if we were doing this for Yeshua!
Faith in Yeshua requires more than words; it requires evidence of a changed life that shows we are His people. So let’s make sure our lives truly demonstrate His love, and let’s loyally follow Him no matter what the cost!