Day 56 & 57 —  We are still in the second month, but we’ve begun a new book! We’ve been reading for a 1/12 of a year! Praise God! I hope that it’s become a GOOD habit that will continue. (SUNDAY’s reading is combined with MONDAY’s)

   Day 56 – Numbers 5 – 6  (Confession & restitution, a test for Adultery, The Nazirite Vow)

God again tells Moses to instruct Israel on how to deal with uncleanness, and how to make restitution for sins against others. They must confess and then make things right.

Also in chapter 5, are the details solving the problem of jealousy by a husband towards what he thinks may be his cheating wife. It’s a bit frightening, involving certain offerings and a drink of holy water mixed with dust from the floor of the Tabernacle, and ink that the curses were written in. It was called “the water of bitterness that brings a curse.” The suspected adulteress was to take an oath. When she drank the water, THE LORD ALONE KNEW HER GUILT OR INNOCENSE, and would judge her with … 1) nothing, which proved her fidelity, or 2) a curse of bitterness, swollen bowels and a rotted thigh. (Definitely a strong deterrent to sleeping around)

Chapter 6 covers the rules concerning whether a man or woman wants to voluntarily make a special vow to the LORD, the Nazirite Vow. The requirements for keeping this vow are even more strict than the ones governing the priests’ lives. Grapes (any part and in any form), hair cutting, and being near a dead body were all forbidden. If any of that happened, the person would have to begin the period of their vow again from the start.  Samuel, Samson, and John the Baptist were men in scripture with life-time Nazirite Vows.

     Day 57 – Numbers 7 (Israel’s offerings)

The very long chapter 7 covers in DETAIL the many varied and abundant offerings that the people brought to the House of the LORD, tribe by tribe, for it’s use and the support of the Levites.

First the chiefs of all the tribes brought six wagons and twelve oxen to pull them. Two wagons with their oxen to the Gershonite clan of Levi (They were the ones who transported all the cloth materials of the Tabernacle and courtyard). Four wagons with their oxen went to the Merarite clan of Levi (They carried the poles, bases, and structural pieces of the Tabernacle). No carts or oxen was given to the Kohathite clan, for they were to carry the holy objects on their shoulder by the attached poles.

After that EACH TRIBE (listed in order they were set in camp, Judah first) gave THE EXACT SAME THINGS for the support of the Levites and the Tabernacle — a silver plate and bowl full of fine flour and oil (a grain offering); a golden dish full of incense; a bull, ram, male lamb for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs for the peace offering.

And then Moses went into the Tent to speak with the LORD, and the voice of the LORD spoke to him.