Pinehas (Pinchas)- Shared Reading

Torah Portions 4.8: Bamidbar (Numbers) 25:10-30:1

Hebrew Word/Phrase of the Week: Pinehas (Pinchas)

Meaning: the Name of a Lewite (son of El’azer, grandson of Aharon)

Pinehas or Pinchas (פנחס), is Aharon’s grandson, and the zealous man that stops the YHWH’s plague from spreading by setting an example for the people. Moshe is near his time to pass away and now he setting up Yahuwshuwa (son of Nun) to be the shepherd that leads the people to the promised land.

Chapter 25 (continued): Last week we left off with YHWH punishing the Yashra’elites with a plague because of how the people were mixing with the Mo’abites and started going to the peoples slaughterings to their mighty ones and feasting and bowing down to them. Then Pinehas (grandson of Aharon) spears a man and Midyanite woman together to stop the plague that was quickly spreading. YHWH’s anger ceased and now YHWH speaks to Moshe to gift Pinehas with the everlasting priesthood because he was zealous for YHWH, and intensely devoted to him in the midst of the people. Then YHWH tells Moshe to get rid of the Midyanites for their tricks and deceptions!

Chapter 26: Next YHWH instructs Moshe and Aharon’s son El’azer to number the people going into the army, everyone 20 years old and above. Sound familiar? Well this was already done before, but everyone numbered last time has now passed in the wilderness because they didn’t want to go to the promised land when they got the report about the giants and they grumbled against YHWH.

So here’s a look at the new numbers:

Tribe of Re’uben: 43,730

Tribe of Shim’on: 22,200
Tribe of Gad: 40,500

Tribe of Yahudah: 76,500
Tribe of Yissaskar: 64,300

Tribe of Zebulun: 60,500
Tribe of Yahuseph (Ephrayim): 32,500

Tribe of Yahuseph (Menashsheh): 52,700
Tribe of Binyamin: 45,600

Tribe of Dan: 64,400
Tribe of Asher: 53,400

Tribe of Naphtali: 45,400

Then YHWH tells Moshe to give the larger tribes a larger inheritance, and the smaller tribes a smaller inheritance.

Fun Fact: Let’s take a look at the numbers from before the wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. The old numbers are in the grey, the new numbers in the gold, and the difference is the red or green. Look’s the the Tribe of Shim’on had the biggest difference. That’s over 37,000 less men!

Previous Numbers (And More):

Tribe of Re’uben:            46,500      43,730         -2,770

Tribe of Shim’on:            59,300      22,200      -37,100
Tribe of Gad:                    45,650      40,500        -5,150

Tribe of Yahudah:           74,600      76,500       +1,900
Tribe of Yissaskar:          54,400      64,300      +9,000

Tribe of Zebulun:            57,400      60,500       +3,100
Tribe of (Ephrayim):      40,500      32,500       -8,000

Tribe of (Menashsheh): 32,200      52,700     +20,500
Tribe of Binyamin:          35,400      45,600     +10,200

Tribe of Dan:                    62,700       64,400       +1,700
Tribe of Asher:                  41,500       53,400     +11,900

Tribe of Naphtali:            53,400       45,400       -8,000

Chapter 27: But then arose an issue. Some of the daughters from the Tribe of Menashsheh came to Moshe because their father didn’t have a son to give his inheritance to. Worried that their father’s name would be removed from their clan, Moshe asked YHWH, and YHWH agreed to give them an inheritance because of their specific circumstance. YHWH also gave Moshe advice as what to do when other situations like this arose.

Then he instructs Moshe to up to Mount Abarim, to see the land that he is giving Yashra’el and then it too, will be his time to pass, just as his brother Aharon had passed away. And so before this happens, Moshe asks that there be someone to take his place, that can shepherd the people to the promised land.

YHWH chooses Yahuwshuwa (Yehoshua), son of Nun. Moshe then takes Yahuwshuwa and puts him in charge in front of everyone to see, so they will know to follow him and Moshe puts some of his esteem on him.

Chapter 28: And YHWH speaks to Moshe and instructs him to command the children of Yashra’el to bring his offerings in their appointed times, and lists which offerings are required, and at what times of the year they are to be made. Other than the daily, sabbath and new moon offerings, this starts with the Spring Feasts: Pesach (Passover), Unleavened Bread, First Fruits and Shabuot (Festival of Weeks).

Chapter 29: Then YHWH lists the Fall Feasts: Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles.

Chapter 30: Next Moshe speaks to the leaders from each of the tribes about the children of Yashra’el, but we’ll have to wait until next week to find out more.

Want to know more? Join us next time as we continue to read through Bamidbar (Numbers)!