The plague in Numbers 25 wasn’t just another plague. It marked God’s final judgment on the first generation that left Egypt.
It was also a chance for God to bless the second generation. These people had grown up and were ready to enter the promised land.
After the plague the Lord said to Moses and to Eleazar the priest, “Take a census of the whole congregation of the Israelites, from twenty years old and up, by their ancestral houses, everyone in Israel able to go to war.”
Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho, saying, “Take a census of the people, from twenty years old and up,” as the Lord commanded Moses (Numbers 26:1-4).
I imagine there were quite a few wistful moments during the census. Some might have felt their parents should have entered the promised land, allowing them to grow up there instead of in the wilderness.
As children, they weren’t responsible for their parents’ actions. Even though their parents rebelled and died, these children grew up and took their place.
When the census is counted, the children are nearly as many as the previous generation. The story of God’s journey with his people to the promised land is starting again.
God’s Provision for Faithful Women
Modern readers of chapter 27 can see early examples of women’s rights. The issue focused on land and sharing it as part of Israel’s destiny.
Five women, daughters of a man from Manasseh’s lineage, were concerned about securing their inheritance and preserving their father’s name, even without male heirs.
Then the daughters of Zelophehad came forward. Zelophehad was son of Hepher son of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh, of the clans of Manasseh, son of Joseph. The names of his daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and all the congregation, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, saying,
“Our father died in the wilderness; he was not among the congregation of those who gathered themselves together against the Lord in the congregation of Korah but died for his own sin, and he had no sons.
Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father’s brothers” (Numbers 27:1-4).
It’s easy for the modern reader of Numbers to overlook the fear these women probably felt. They were marching in front of the whole congregation to the entrance of the tent of meeting. They were about to meet with Moses and Eliezer to present their case.
The main issue was that they wanted God to decide and ensure their father’s name would not vanish from the clans of Israel.
Moses both deserves credit and teaches us a lesson by turning to God for an answer. He didn’t form a committee or rely on his own instincts. Instead, he waited to learn God’s will before making his decision.
Moses brought their case before the Lord. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
“The daughters of Zelophehad are right in what they are saying; you shall indeed let them possess an inheritance among their father’s brothers and pass the inheritance of their father on to them.
You shall also speak to the Israelites, saying: If a man dies and has no son, then you shall pass his inheritance on to his daughter (Numbers 27:5-8).
What God did for these brave women aligns with how He treats women throughout the Bible. Even though culturally they didn’t have the same status as men, God saw them as valuable and important.
Looking at Jesus’ ministry, we see how He elevated women. While He had male disciples, many women also followed Him and played crucial roles.
This passage also teaches us about asking God for guidance. Instead of making plans and then asking for God’s blessing, Moses sought God’s direction first and then followed it. This is the right way to go about it.
Reflections
The first generation that left Egypt didn’t succeed. But their failure didn’t cancel God’s promise. God had another generation ready to step in.
When people fail to follow God’s will, it doesn’t stop His plan; it just delays it until a new generation lives in faith.
Moses shows us a great way to live in faith. Instead of making our own plans and asking for God’s blessing, we can turn to God and ask, Lord, what do you think? Then, we follow His guidance.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 