Read Numbers 30:1-32:42 at Bible Gateway.
The teaching tools of scripture
Gen 1:1-2:3 and the teaching tools of scripture part one and part two
Gen 1:1-6:8 and finding the topic themes of scripture
Hebrew paragraph divisions
30:1-16 {p} The law concerning vows
31:1-12 {s} Defeat of Midian
31:13-20 {s} Kill the women and male children, be purified on the 3rd, 7th days
31:21-24 {s} Purification of metals + 7th day to come into the camp
31:25-54 {p} The division of the plunder
32:1-4 {s} The country on the east side of the Jordan, a land for livestock
32:5-15 {s} Reuben + Gad: do not take us over the Jordan; Moses’ rebuke
32:16-19 {p} We will cross over armed with Israel to cause them to inherit
32:20-42 {p} Reuben, Gad, half Manasseh inherit east of the Jordan
Strong themes of the parashah
30:1-16 {p} The law concerning vows
31:1-54 {sx3+p} Victory for Israel over Midian
32:1-42 {s+s+p+p} Reuben, Gad, half Manasseh inherit the east side of the Jordan
Num 30:1-32:42 triennial Torah portions
30:1-31:54, triennial Matot, “Tribes”
32:1-42, triennial Umiqneh rav, “Much cattle”
Num 30:1-32:42 Chiastic structure
Download the fully expanded Num 30:1-32:42 Matot chiasm pdf (Coming …).
Theme of the parashah
In Matot, the theme of Num 30 is the law concerning vows: pay what you have vowed to YHVH. In Num 32, the theme is the vow of Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh to pay their vow to cross over armed before Israel. In Num 30, Israel pays a vow in defeating Midian, for in Num 25 Midian seduced Israel into idolatry with Baal of Peor, and YHVH commanded them at that time to attack them. The theme of the parashah, then, is pay what you have vowed to YHVH.
Finding Messiah in Matot
And as for you, remain outside the camp seven days; whoever has killed any person, and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day.” Num 31:19
The law of purification from uncleanness on the third and seventh days is referring back to the law of the red heifer for purification (Num 19:19-20). We have already seen that the law of the red heifer is prophetic of Messiah Yeshua. Now what is significant about the third and seventh days?
Of course, the third day is the day Messiah rose from the dead with resurrection life, and completely defeated death, therefore we are cleansed from death on the third day. The seventh day is a reference to the law of the Sabbath, which is also the gospel of grace preached from Torah: the seventh day is the day of rest from work, just as in the gospel, we rest in the finished work of Messiah Yeshua and the cleanness He has imputed to us, and do not work our own work to earn salvation.
Additional readings for this Torah portion
Jer 2:4-28 | Luk 13:1-9
Studies in Matot
Num 30, The law concerning vows
Num 31, Waging the LORD’s warfare
Num 30:1-32:42 Chiastic structure, and YHVH’s just judgment
Further study off site
Matot – Restoration of Torah
Matot Torah Pearls – Nehemiah Gordon and Keith Johnson
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