RECOGNITION

2. RECOGNITION THE MESSIANIC PROPHECY BIBLE PROJECT http://www.messianicbible.com HEAR O ISRAEL www.hearoisrael.org SHEEPFOLD GLEANINGS WRITTEN BY JULIE PARKER www.sheepfoldgleanings.com MESSIANIC ISRAEL ALLIANCE http://www.messianicisrael.com AZAMRA TORAH FOR OUR TIME – RABBI AVRAHAM GREENBAUM http://www.azamra.org

3. MATOT – “TRIBES” TORAH: Numbers 30:1-32:42 HAFTORAH: Jeremiah 1:1–2:3 B’RIT CHADASHAH: Matthew 5:33–37; Philippians 3:12-16; All references: The Scripture 1998+ unless otherwise noted

4. MATOT And Mosheh spoke to the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, “This is the word which יהוה has commanded: (Numbers 30:1) “Matot” is the plural of the singular root word “Matteh”. In addition to “tribe”, “matteh” is also “staff”, “rod” or “branch”. Now, as used in Numbers 30 “ha Matot” for “the Tribes”; which has the numeric value of 460. 460 equals also “v’neekadash” or “and shall be sanctified” or “set-apart” and “v’u’mikdashi” or “and My Sanctuary” or “My Dwelling Place”.

5. VOWING A VOW “When a man vows a vow to יהוה, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he does not break his word, he does according to all that comes out of his mouth. (Numbers 30:2) “vowing a vow”; also, “ha shevashevuah” (hey-shin-bet-ayin) or “swear an oath” or to “bind yourself by an agreement” whereby one is bound by what proceeds from one’s mouth. If such a promise is made, he is required to fulfil that promise. The “Biblical vow” is always to the Almighty and never a promise between man and a man. It is an oral agreement and in fact it is literally described as what has gone “out of his mouth”. The words “shevashevua” for “swear an oath” can also be translated as “seven sevens”, or “seven times sevens” This gives us a picture, of how serious יהוה takes the swearing of oaths.

6. JACOB Once the words of a vow pass through a man’s mouth they are irreversible, and they have a strange sort of power as evidenced by the vow of Jacob: And Yaʽaqoḇ awoke from his sleep and said, “Truly, יהוה is in this place, and I did not know it.” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of Elohim, and this is the gate of the heavens!” And Yaʽaqoḇ rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a standing column, and poured oil on top of it. And he called the name of that place BĕythĚl, however, the name of that city had been Luz previously. And Yaʽaqoḇ made a vow, saying, “Seeing Elohim is with me, and has kept me in this way that I am going, and has given me bread to eat and a garment to put on – when I have returned to my father’s house in peace, and יהוה has been my Elohim, then this stone which I have set as a standing column shall be Elohim’s house, and of all that You give me, I shall certainly give a tenth to You.” (Genesis 28:16-22)

7. A VOW A vow is often taken in a moment of crisis, then once the crisis had passed and the Almighty had kept His “end of the bargain”, the tendency was there to forget the vow – often unconsciously. When you make a vow to Elohim, do not delay to pay it, for He takes no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you have vowed. (Ecclesiastes 5:4) The Talmud warns that a vow is a dangerous tool and is best avoided. Jacob actually suffered greatly from hesitating to fulfil his vow. He had said that if Elohim would care for him, then he would build a house for El upon his return.

8. CONSEQUENCES So what does Jacob actually do? Jacob returns to the land and camps near the city of Shechem. Shechem is the location where Dinah is raped, and in a rage, her brothers Levi and Simeon put to death all the men of the city. It is immediately after this incident that יהוה calls Jacob back to Bethel to fulfil his vow: And Elohim said to Yaʽaqoḇ, “Arise, go up to BĕythĚl and dwell there. And make an altar there to Ěl who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Ěsaw your brother.” ... And Yaʽaqoḇ came to Luz, that is BĕythĚl, which is in the land of Kenaʽan, he and all the people who were with him. And he built there an altar and called the place El BĕythĚl, because there Elohim appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother. (Genesis 35:1-7) Could the tragedy at Shechem been avoided if Jacob had kept his vow immediately when he returned to the land?

9. יהושע “When you make a vow to יהוה your Elohim, do not delay to pay it, for יהוה your Elohim is certainly requiring it of you, and it shall be sin in you. (Deuteronomy 23:21) The intention of the vow made to יהוה was to give the individual a sense of fear and reverence before making an important commitment. By the time of יהושע, vows were being completely misused. יהושע addressed those who were flippantly making vows without an understanding of the gravity of them. “Again, you heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to יהוה.’ “But I say to you, do not swear at all, neither by the heaven, because it is Elohim’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Yerushalayim, for it is the city of the great Sovereign; nor swear by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black. “But let your word ‘Yea’ be ‘Yea,’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ And what goes beyond these is from the wicked one. (Matthew 5:33-37)

10. UNDERSTING SCRIPTURE But He answering, said to them, “Why do you also transgress the command of Elohim because of your tradition? “For Elohim has commanded, saying, ‘Respect your father and your mother,’ and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ “But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me has been dedicated,” is certainly released from respecting his father or mother.’ So you have nullified the command of Elohim by your tradition. “Hypocrites! Yeshayahu rightly prophesied about you, saying, ‘This people draw near to Me with their mouth, and respect Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. ‘But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as teachings the commands of men.’ ” (Matthew 15:3-9) Men were taking money that should have been used to care for their parents and instead vowing it to יהוה. יהושע blamed this on the “doctrines of men.” Over the years, vows had become common. There was no fear in breaking them. Perhaps the people were making vows to look good among their peers, or to appear more pious…or maybe just purely out of obligation.

11. WHAT ABOUT US? Are we careful to be accurate with our words? Do we fulfil all of our obligations? Do we even remember when we tell someone what we will do for them? Is our casual conversation filled with phrases we have no intention of keeping, such as…. “I’ll call you sometime.” Words are powerful. יהוה’s words brought the world into existence. Our words also have power: So too the tongue is a little member, yet boasts greatly. See how a little fire kindles a great forest! And the tongue is a fire, the world of unrighteousness. Among our members the tongue is set, the one defiling the entire body, and setting on fire the wheel of life, and it is set on fire by Gehenna. (James 3:5-6)

12. VOWING A VOW – MINOR WOMAN “Or if a woman vows a vow to יהוה, and binds herself by some agreement while in her father’s house in her youth, and her father hears her vow and the agreement by which she has bound herself, and her father has kept silent towards her, then all her vows shall stand, and every agreement with which she has bound herself stands. “But if her father forbids her on the day that he hears, then none of her vows nor her agreements by which she has bound herself stand. And יהוה pardons her, because her father has forbidden her. “But if she at all belongs to a husband, while bound by her vows or by a rash utterance from her lips by which she bound herself, and her husband hears it, and he has kept silent towards her on the day that he hears, then her vows shall stand, and her agreements by which she bound herself do stand. “But if her husband forbids her on the day that he hears it, then he has nullified her vow which she vowed, and the rash utterance of her lips by which she bound herself, and יהוה pardons her. (Numbers 30:3-8)

13. FATHERS This is the first situation and it concerns minor daughters. Fathers are to take note. It is US that are responsible for our daughters! We are the one’s accountable for what takes place in our home, not our wives! We have the power to override the words of our daughters and prevent the potentially devastating consequence of an irresponsible vow. A father’s silence implies his consent. The importance of teaching children the value of a simple “yes” or “no” cannot be overemphasized. When words are many, Transgression is not absent, But he who restrains his lips is wise. (Proverbs 10:19)

14. VOWING A VOW – WIDOW / MARRIED WOMAN “But any vow of a widow or a divorced woman, by which she has bound herself, stands against her. “And if she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound herself by an agreement with an oath, and her husband heard it, and has kept silent towards her and did not forbid her, then all her vows shall stand, and every agreement by which she bound herself stands. “But if her husband clearly nullified them on the day he heard them, then whatever came from her lips concerning her vows or concerning the agreement binding her, it does not stand – her husband has nullified them, and יהוה pardons her. “Every vow and every binding oath to afflict her being, let her husband confirm it, or let her husband nullify it. “But if her husband is altogether silent at her from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or all the agreements that bind her – he confirms them, because he kept silent towards her on the day that he heard. “But if he nullifies them after he has heard, then he shall bear her crookedness.” (Numbers 30:9-15)

15. THE HUSBAND A wife’s vows can also be annulled by her husband on the day that he learns of it. Thereafter her vow or oath must be fulfilled. We can make sense of these vows on a literal level. On a deeper level we are the minor child and the bride. These scenarios point to our relationship with our heavenly Father, and our bridegroom, הושע! If the husband does not immediately annul His bride’s vow, but later does so: ... But if her husband is altogether silent at her from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or all the agreements that bind her – he confirms them, because he kept silent towards her on the day that he heard. “But if he nullifies them after he has heard, then he shall bear her crookedness.” (Numbers 30:9-15)

16. WE, THE BRIDE What was the vow that was made by the bride of the Messiah? And Mosheh came and related to the people all the Words of יהוה and all the right-rulings. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the Words which יהוה has spoken we shall do.” (Exodus 24:3) The bride did not keep the vow and as the young bride was still under the protective care of the Father at Mt. Sinai He did not nullify her vow knowing that she would not be able to fulfil her words. Numbers 30:14 speaks of the silence of the husband. There was a time when יהושע, also remained silent: He was oppressed and He was afflicted, but He did not open His mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, but He did not open His mouth. (Isaiah 53:7) Now take another look at Numbers 30:15. It says that sometime after the day the husband heard her vow, he has decided to declare the vow null and void. But look at who pays the price now. The husband bears her iniquity and suffers the punishment for her not fulfilling her vows! יהושע paid the price for His bride!

17. VOW ACCORDING TO יהושע “Fear יהוה your Elohim and serve Him, and swear by His Name. (Deuteronomy 6:13) Have you bound yourself with an agreement to Elohim? If your intent is to be His Bride, then He requires it of you. Your marriage agreement, your promise to “love, honour and obey” has not been “done away with” or “nailed” to any kind of stake, tree or cross. Remember, יהושע said in John 14:15: “If you love Me, you shall guard My commands. (John 14:15)

18. GOD’S WORD IS HIS BOND A vow (Heb, neder) is literally “a pledge to do something.” It places upon oneself or others or upon objects of one’s choice a status equivalent to that of a commandment of the Torah (ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash, p. 900). A vow "negative" in context, such as promising to abstain from certain foods or enjoyments for a season, is called an issar. One’s word is one’s bond. A neder is so strong that a person violating it can suffer the court-imposed penalty of lashes. The Set-Apart One of Israel is not a man that he should lie (Num 23:19). If we are to be set-apart or kadosh as he is kadosh (1 Pet 1:16; 2:9; Heb 12:14) we must be people of our word not only in large matters, but in the smallest of matters, too. Are you too casual with your words? Do you make commitments in order to sound good to others yet you have no real intention of fulfilling your obligations? Liars will have no part in the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:8).

19. STRENTGH OF VOW MAKING The Rabbis fully endorsed the biblical demand for man uncompromisingly to honor his word, whether accompanied by a vow or not (Modern Commentary, Plaut, pg. 730). Consider God’s view: A person must not intentionally break their word to יהוה (Psalm 15:4; Heb. 6:17-18). A truthful, sensible vow made to יהוה in sickness or dire straits, may not be discarded with the return of health or prosperity (Gen. 28:20; 1 Sam. 1:11; Psalm 66:13; 76:11; 1 Cor. 10:22). A promise or resolution to the Almighty is as holy as if it had been made with an oath (Heb. 6:17; Acts 5;1-11). A vow cannot be made to יהוה that in any way violates the rights of another person. (2 Sam. 24:24). Mercifully: rash, reckless, impulsively spoken vows were not binding by the Holy One (Luke 5:8). People who have spiritual authority who harm the faith and hope of others, shall bear their iniquity (Mt. 18:6).

20. VENGEANCE And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, “Take vengeance for the children of Yisra’ĕl on the Miḏyanites. After that you are to be gathered to your people.” (Numbers 31:1-2) This battle will be the last one to be fought during the life of Moses. It is also the first battle that is referred to as a battle of “revenge.” The concept of revenge is enough to make most people squirm a bit. There are two ways in which יהוה avenges. Man as a sinner is balanced by the mercy of Elohim. His wrath has been poured out on His Son and thus through a relationship with Him we can have peace with Elohim. The second type of vengeance is what will pour out on those who come against His people, Israel. Torah specifically warns men NOT to take vengeance in their own hands: ‘Vengeance is Mine, and repayment, .., ‘If I have sharpened My flashing sword, And My hand takes hold on judgment, I shall return vengeance to My enemies, And repay those who hate Me. (Deuteronomy 32:35-41)

21. DAY OF VENGEANCE There is a time in the future when the Almighty will avenge not only all who reject Him, but all who hate the people He loves – Israel: And the messenger who spoke with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying, ‘Thus said יהוה of hosts, “I have been jealous for Yerushalayim and for Tsiyon with great jealousy. “And I am very wroth with the nations who are at ease, for when I was a little wroth, they furthered the evil!” (Zechariah 1:14-15) We are well aware of a future vengeance, better known as the tribulation, stressed by the prophets: For it is the day of the vengeance of יהוה, the year of recompense for the cause of Tsiyon. (Isaiah 34:8) then I shall gather all gentiles, and bring them down to the Valley of Yehoshaphat. And I shall enter into judgment with them there for My people, My inheritance Yisra’ĕl, whom they have scattered among the gentiles, and they have divided up My land. (Joel 3:2)

22. יהושע AND PHINEAS So there were supplied from the tribes of Yisra’ĕl one thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed ones for the campaign. And Mosheh sent them on the campaign, one thousand from each tribe, them and Pineḥas son of Elʽazar the priest on the campaign, with the set-apart utensils and the trumpets for sounding in his hand. (Numbers 31:5-6) There are 1,000 soldiers from each tribe, but remember the tribe of Levi did not go into battle. There is an exception here, as Phineas s, a Levite priest, seems to lead the battle as the army chaplain. Remember from last week that Phineas had already displayed the perfect “zeal of יהוה.” Is Phineas in this role, another picture of יהושע leading us into the battle of His vengeance… the battle of Armageddon? and having been dressed in a robe dipped in blood – and His Name is called: The Word of יהוה. And the armies in the heaven, dressed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. (Revelation 19:13-14)

23. WAR AGAINST THE MIDYANITES Numbers 31:1-8: The rabbis teach that this was to rectify, or correct, the degradation of the sexual sins and worship of Baal Peor instigated by Bil’am. Rabbi AvrahamGreenbaum points out that the true holiness of the Land of Israel can only be revealed when the Land is cleansed of sexual immorality, degradation and idolatry. The significance of 1,000 is the number of the letter “aleph” (strength, Master) multiplied. And, with 12,000, we see 12, which equals the letters in “dagah”, which is “fish” and represents the “Kingdom” in Scripture. Symbolism of the fish or kingdom multiplied. Copy of the blessing Yah gave to Noah: “As for you, bear fruit and increase, bring forth teemingly in the earth and increase in it.” (Genesis 9:7)

24. SIGNIFICANT POINTS Numbers 31:8 Balaam... they slew with the sword. - Balaam was a deceiver and a hypocrite he spoke one thing and did something else. Numbers 31:7, 17 They slew all the males... every male among the little ones... and kill every woman that has known man by lying with him. - We see two kinds of separation from evil: physical and spiritual. We can’t separate spiritually without separating physically Numbers 31:26 "Take all the booty, both people and animals, .. The donkey of Balaam was not killed, that’s justice. Numbers 31:49 Not a man of us is missing. The grace of יהוה is evidenced in the fact that only one-fiftieth of Israel’s fighting force (12,000 of 600,000 men) took part in the campaign to defeat Midian and that not a single man was lost.

25. PURIFICATION OF THE CAMP Numbers 31:19-24 Following the Children of Israel having come in contact with death, Moses commanded the people to purify themselves by staying outside the camp seven days, entering into the mikvah /water of cleansing before returning to the community (Numbers 19) APPLICATION TO US: When Israel had contact with death, it was the water cleansing יהוה used to give them a status change from the realm of death to the realm of life. יהושע fulfilled the red heifer water cleansing ceremony in His death. Scripture does not say that just because יהושע fulfilled the water cleansing, the ritual application was done away with (along with יהוה’s Feasts, the New Moon festival, the Sabbath). On the contrary, Torah was to continue to be upheld - for a blessing. Do we then nullify the Torah through the belief? Let it not be! On the contrary, we establish the Torah. (Romans 3:31)

26. LAW OF RECIPROCATION NUMBERS 31:25-54: This section deals with correctly dividing the increase in “our” camp. Before taking possession of the goods, the army paid a “tribute” to יהוה through Eleazar the priest. The same was offered to יהוה by the Israelite community to the Levites before taking the goods for themselves. Our “tribute” called the law of reciprocation must be a priority in our lives. DEFINITION: Reciprocate: to give or to take mutually; interchange. To show, feel or give in response or return. To move back and forth alternately. To give and take something mutually. To be complementary or equivalent. To return in kind or degree. The Dead Sea in Israel is dead. It has no life form because there is no outflow of water, only inflow. We have become a society that is very self-focused. We ought to re-turn the blessing to our family members, our friends and to those who serve us in the community. This is a universal law and a holy tribute before יהוה - to bless us.

27. EAST OF THE JORDAN RIVER Earlier in Numbers, we read of the defeat of the two mighty Amorite kings, Sichon and Og. These kings denied passage to the children of Israel through their land and challenged them in battle. The result was that Israel found themselves in unexpected possession of a large tract of territory east of the Jordan River. And the children of Re’uḇĕn and the children of Gaḏ had much livestock, a large number. And they saw the land of Yaʽzĕr and the land of Gilʽaḏ and saw that the place was a place for livestock. So the children of Gaḏ and the children of Re’uḇĕn came and spoke to Mosheh, and to Elʽazar the priest, and to the leaders of the congregation, saying, “Ataroth, and Diḇon, and Yaʽzĕr, and Nimrah, and Ḥeshbon, and Elʽalĕh, and Seḇam, and Neḇo, and Beʽon, the land which יהוה had smitten before the congregation of Yisra’ĕl, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.” And they said, “If we have found favour in your eyes, let this land be given to your servants as a possession, and do not let us pass over the Yardĕn.” (Numbers 32:1-5)

28. REUBEN AND GAD Reuben and Gad were children of Jacob born to their respective mothers, Leah and Leah’s maidservant, Zilpah. Both of them were first-borns. Reuben was essentially disowned as Jacob’s firstborn because he had sexual relations with one of his father’s concubines. Gad also was a first-born but wasn’t even the head of one of the four camps as the tribes were situated around the tabernacle. Both of these tribes were situated in the camp on the south side of the tabernacle, along with Simeon. The tribe of Simeon who endured heavy losses to their population as a result of rebellion. The remnant who remained probably did not think they were in a position to make any requests. It appears that these tribes were exceptionally wealthy as indicated by their large number of livestock (32:1). The Hebrew word for “livestock” is mikneh and is derived from a root which means “to acquire.” Their preference to remain behind was to put their worldly possessions ahead of the spiritual goal to enter into the Promised Land.

29. MOSHE’S ANSWERS And Mosheh said to the children of Gaḏ and to the children of Re’uḇĕn, “Are your brothers to go into the battle while you yourselves sit here? “Now why do you discourage the heart of the children of Yisra’ĕl from passing over into the land which יהוה has given them? “Thus your fathers did when I sent them away from QaḏĕshBarnĕa to see the land. “For when they went up to the wadi Eshkol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Yisra’ĕl, so that they did not go into the land which יהוה had given them. “Then the displeasure of יהוה burned on that day, and He swore an oath, saying, ‘Not one of the men who came up from Mitsrayim, from twenty years old and above, is to see the land of which I swore to Aḇraham, Yitsḥaq, and Yaʽaqoḇ, because they did not follow Me completely, except Kalĕḇ son of Yephunneh, the Qenizzite, and Yehoshua son of Nun, for they have followed יהוה completely.’ “So the displeasure of יהוה burned against Yisra’ĕl, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the eyes of יהוה was destroyed. “And see, you have risen in your father’s place, an increase of men, sinners, to add still more the burning displeasure of יהוה against Yisra’ĕl. (Numbers 32:6-14)

30. RESPONSE “For if you turn away from following Him, He shall once again leave them in the wilderness, and you shall destroy all these people.” (Numbers 32:15) Moses feared that the people would become discouraged. Moses was also concerned about the nation’s unity. Part of the body would be broken off because of the priority of their material possessions. Is this decision of priorities also one we may have to make? Reuben and Gad respond to Moses’ anger with the following: Then they came near to him and said, “Let us build sheep-enclosures here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones, but let us ourselves be armed, hastening before the children of Yisra’ĕl until we have brought them to their place. And our little ones shall dwell in the walled cities because of the inhabitants of the land. “We shall not return to our homes until every one of the children of Yisra’ĕl has received his inheritance. “For we shall not inherit with them on the other side of the Yardĕn and beyond, because our inheritance has fallen to us on this eastern side of the Yardĕn.” (Numbers 32:16-19)

31. MOSES RESPONSE In Moses’ response to their proposal, he made a few changes: ... if you arm yourselves before יהוה for battle, and all your armed ones pass over the Yardĕn before יהוה until He has driven out His enemies from before Him, and the land has been subdued before יהוה, then afterward you shall return, and be guiltless before יהוה and before Yisra’ĕl. And this land shall be your possession before יהוה. (Numbers 32:20-22) Moses exchanges “arm yourselves before יהוה “ for “hastening before the children of Yisra’ĕl” (Numbers 32:17) Moses attempts to bring their focus back to spiritual goals as opposed to their wealth a goal that took them 40 years. Moses emphasizes “before יהוה ” four more times to make his point in Numbers 32:21-22

32. REBUKE “Build cities for your little ones and enclosures for your sheep, and do what you have promised.” (Numbers 32:24) In contrast to the sons of Reuben and Gad who mention their sheep first and the building of the cities for their little ones second, Moses reverses the order Moses emphasizes the priority of their children Moses reminds them to keep their vows. The sons of Reuben and Gad seem to accept Moses’ rebuke as in their response to Moses they reverse the children and flocks and mention that they will go to war before יהוה : And the children of Gaḏ and the children of Re’uḇĕn spoke to Mosheh, saying, “Your servants are going to do as my master commands. “Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock are going to be there in the cities of Gilʽaḏ, but your servants are passing over, every armed one of the army, before יהוה, to battle, as my master says.” (Numbers 32:25-27)

33. MANASSEH Moses accepts their conditions and assigns them the land they requested. However, he also gives land to half the tribe of Manasseh who seem to appear out of nowhere: So Mosheh gave to the children of Gaḏ, to the children of Re’uḇĕn, and to half the tribe of Menashsheh, son of Yosĕph, the reign of Siḥon sovereign of the Amorites and the reign of Oḡ sovereign of Bashan, the land with its cities within the borders, the cities of the land round about. (Numbers 32:33) Now while nothing is said of it, there is a strong possibility that there was major division within the tribe of Manasseh. Perhaps two men fighting over leadership? Maybe Moses saw this as a way to bring about a peaceful resolution. There was plenty of land to split and more than enough to keep everyone happy. As Manasseh was also a firstborn, and he, too, was displaced in favour of his younger, more successful brother (Genesis 48:19).

34. THE CONSEQUENCES One of the conditions for receiving the land was that Reuben and Gad join the rest of the tribes in conquering the land. In fact, the tribes even go beyond Moses’ demand and say that they will stick around until each tribe receives their inheritance (32:18). It is said that this took about 14 years. Consider the ramifications of the decisions that were made. Fathers who were more concerned about their flocks than their children, missed out on their children’s growth and spiritual development. Wives were forced to cope as single parents for 14 long years. Families also forfeited additional children. History teaches us that this area east of the Jordan River became a place of violence and bloodshed. For their warped sense of values, these tribes were also the first to enter into exile: So the Elohim of Yisra’ĕl stirred up the spirit of Pul sovereign of Ashshur, even the spirit of Tiglath-Pileser sovereign of Ashshur. And he took the Re’uḇĕnites, and the Gaḏites, and the half-tribe of Menashsheh into exile, and brought them to Ḥalaḥ, and Ḥaḇor, and Hara, and the river of Gozan, unto this day. (1 Chronicles 5:26)

35. PROPHETIC SIGNIFICANCE If these choices made by the 2 ½ tribes of Israel come after יהוה’s vengeful battle with the Midianites, which pictures the vengeful battle of Armageddon, then it seems that even then there will be a time when the children of Israel have a choice as to where they will spend the next 1,000 years. Will those who do not understand the value of the inheritance in the land of Israel choose the other side of the Jordan? We know from Zechariah that not all who survive the tribulation will have residence in the land: And it shall be that all who are left from all the gentiles which came up against Yerushalayim, shall go up from year to year to bow themselves to the Sovereign, יהוה of hosts, and to observe the Festival of Booths. And it shall be, that if anyone of the clans of the earth does not come up to Yerushalayim to bow himself to the Sovereign, יהוה of hosts, on them there is to be no rain. (Zechariah 14:16-17)