BibleProject | One Story That Leads to Jesusნიმუში

Sin payments, disturbing water rituals, long-haired vows—in today’s reading, four strange laws interrupt the story of Israel’s travel preparations. These laws seem pretty random, but they echo a pattern of water and judgment established in Genesis 1-9.

Just as God sent Adam and Eve away from Eden after their failure brought about death, now all Israelites displaying symbols of death must leave the camp. And just as waters from the flood brought judgment after corrupted sexual practices (Gen. 6-8), now God will use water as a means of judgment for adultery. This hyperlink to the flood narrative reminds the Israelites that faithfulness allows a person to pass through the waters of judgment, just as Noah did. In its historical context, the trial of bitter water actually protected innocent women from false accusations by leaving judgment to God.

Notice the ways the Genesis 1-9 pattern is remixed in Numbers. Unlike Adam and Eve’s exile from Eden, the exile from Israel’s camp is temporary. And where Adam and Eve blamed each other for their rebellion, God teaches Israel to instead confess and make right any harm they have caused. In Genesis, Noah abuses alcohol when the judgment waters subside, but here, the Nazarites abstain from alcohol altogether.

The author appears to be using these four laws, creatively wording them to link to the Genesis stories, to illuminate Israel’s true calling: They are to succeed where their ancestors failed. Will this be the generation that finally chooses faithfulness?

Reflection Questions

• Meditate on the laws about making restitution for sin in Numbers 5:5-10. What do these commandments tell you about how sin damages relationships? What needs to happen for this relational damage to be restored?
• What echoes of Eden do you notice in the priestly blessing in Numbers 6:22-27?