201 And the sons of Israel come in,—all the company—to the wilderness of Zin, in the first month, and the people abide in Kadesh, and Miriam dieth there, and is buried there. 2 And there hath been no water for the company, and they are assembled against Moses, and against Aaron, 3 and the people strive with Moses, and speak, saying, 'And oh that we had expired when our brethren expired before Jehovah! 4 and why have ye brought in the assembly of Jehovah unto this wilderness to die there, we and our beasts? 5 and why hast thou brought us up out of Egypt to bring us in unto this evil place? no place of seed, and fig, and vine, and pomegranate; and water there is none to drink. 6 And Moses and Aaron go in from the presence of the assembly unto the opening of the tent of meeting, and fall on their faces, and the honour of Jehovah is seen by them. 7 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying, 8 'Take the rod, and assemble the company, thou and Aaron thy brother; and ye have spoken unto the rock before their eyes, and it hath given its water, and thou hast brought out to them water from the rock, and hast watered the company, and their beasts.' 9 And Moses taketh the rod from before Jehovah, as He hath commanded him, 10 and Moses and Aaron assemble the assembly unto the front of the rock, and he saith to them, 'Hear, I pray you, O rebels, from this rock do we bring out to you water?' 11 and Moses lifteth up his hand, and smiteth the rock with his rod twice; and much water cometh out, and the company drink, also their beasts. 12 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, and unto Aaron, 'Because ye have not believed in Me to sanctify Me before the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore ye do not bring in this assembly unto the land which I have given to them.' 13 These 'are' waters of Meribah, because the sons of Israel have 'striven' with Jehovah, and He is sanctified upon them.
14 And Moses sendeth messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, 'Thus said thy brother Israel, Thou—thou hast known all the travail which hath found us; 15 that our fathers go down to Egypt, and we dwell in Egypt many days, and the Egyptians do evil to us and to our fathers; 16 and we cry unto Jehovah, and He heareth our voice, and sendeth a messenger, and is bringing us out of Egypt; and lo, we 'are' in Kadesh, a city 'in' the extremity of thy border. 17 Let us pass over, we pray thee, through thy land; we pass not over through a field, or through a vineyard, nor do we drink waters of a well; the way of the king we go, we turn not aside—right or left—till that we pass over thy border.' 18 And Edom saith unto him, 'Thou dost not pass over through me, lest with sword I come out to meet thee.' 19 And the sons of Israel say unto him, 'In the highway we go, and if of thy waters we drink—I and my cattle—then I have given their price; only (it is nothing) on my feet I pass over.' 20 And he saith, 'Thou dost not pass over;' and Edom cometh out to meet him with much people, and with a strong hand; 21 and Edom refuseth to suffer Israel to pass over through his border, and Israel turneth aside from off him.
22 And the sons of Israel, the whole company, journey from Kadesh, and come in unto mount Hor, 23 and Jehovah speaketh unto Moses and unto Aaron in mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, saying, 24 'Aaron is gathered unto his people, for he doth not go in unto the land which I have given to the sons of Israel, because that ye provoked My mouth at the waters of Meribah. 25 'Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and cause them to go up mount Hor, 26 and strip Aaron of his garments, and thou hast clothed 'with' them Eleazar his son, and Aaron is gathered, and doth die there.' 27 And Moses doth as Jehovah hath commanded, and they go up unto mount Hor before the eyes of all the company, 28 and Moses strippeth Aaron of his garments, and clotheth with them Eleazar his son, and Aaron dieth there on the top of the mount; and Moses cometh down—Eleazar also—from the mount, 29 and all the company see that Aaron hath expired, and they bewail Aaron thirty days—all the house of Israel.
211 And the Canaanite—king Arad—dwelling in the south, heareth that Israel hath come the way of the Atharim, and he fighteth against Israel, and taketh 'some' of them captive. 2 And Israel voweth a vow to Jehovah, and saith, 'If Thou dost certainly give this people into my hand, then I have devoted their cities;' 3 and Jehovah hearkeneth to the voice of Israel, and giveth up the Canaanite, and he devoteth them and their cities, and calleth the name of the place Hormah.
4 And they journey from mount Hor, the way of the Red Sea, to compass the land of Edom, and the soul of the people is short in the way, 5 and the people speak against God, and against Moses, 'Why hast thou brought us up out of Egypt to die in a wilderness? for there is no bread, and there is no water, and our soul hath been weary of this light bread.' 6 And Jehovah sendeth among the people the burning serpents, and they bite the people, and much people of Israel die; 7 and the people come in unto Moses and say, 'We have sinned, for we have spoken against Jehovah, and against thee; pray unto Jehovah, and He doth turn aside from us the serpent;' and Moses prayeth in behalf of the people. 8 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Make for thee a burning 'serpent', and set it on an ensign; and it hath been, every one who is bitten and hath seen it—he hath lived. 9 And Moses maketh a serpent of brass, and setteth it on the ensign, and it hath been, if the serpent hath bitten any man, and he hath looked expectingly unto the serpent of brass—he hath lived.
10 And the sons of Israel journey, and encamp in Oboth. 11 And they journey from Oboth, and encamp in Ije-Abarim, in the wilderness that 'is' on the front of Moab, at the rising of the sun. 12 From thence they have journeyed, and encamp in the valley of Zared. 13 From thence they have journeyed, and encamp beyond Arnon, which 'is' in the wilderness which is coming out of the border of the Amorite, for Arnon 'is' the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorite; 14 therefore it is said in a book, 'The wars of Jehovah,'—'Waheb in Suphah, And the brooks of Arnon; 15 And the spring of the brooks, Which turned aside to the dwelling of Ar, And hath leaned to the border of Moab.' 16 And from thence 'they journeyed' to Beer; it 'is' the well 'concerning' which Jehovah said to Moses, 'Gather the people, and I give to them—water.' 17 Then singeth Israel this song, concerning the well—they have answered to it: 18 'A well—digged it have princes, Prepared it have nobles of the people, With the lawgiver, with their staves.' And from the wilderness 'they journeyed' to Mattanah, 19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth, 20 and from Bamoth in the valley which 'is' in the field of Moab 'to' the top of Pisgah, which hath looked on the front of the wilderness.
21 And Israel sendeth messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorite, saying, 22 'Let me pass through thy land, we do not turn aside into a field, or into a vineyard, we do not drink waters of a well; in the king's way we go, till that we pass over thy border.' 23 And Sihon hath not suffered Israel to pass through his border, and Sihon gathereth all his people, and cometh out to meet Israel into the wilderness, and cometh in to Jahaz, and fighteth against Israel. 24 And Israel smiteth him by the mouth of the sword, and possesseth his land from Arnon unto Jabbok—unto the sons of Ammon; for the border of the sons of Ammon 'is' strong. 25 And Israel taketh all these cities, and Israel dwelleth in all the cities of the Amorite, in Heshbon, and in all its villages; 26 for Heshbon is a city of Sihon king of the Amorite, and he hath fought against the former king of Moab, and taketh all his land out of his hand, unto Arnon; 27 therefore those using similes say—'Enter ye Heshbon, Let the city of Sihon be built and ready, 28 For fire hath gone out from Heshbon, A flame from the city of Sihon, It hath consumed Ar of Moab, Owners of the high places of Arnon. 29 Wo to thee, O Moab, Thou hast perished, O people of Chemosh, He hath given his sons who escape—Also his daughters—Into captivity, to a king of the Amorite—Sihon! 30 And we shoot them, Perished hath Heshbon unto Dibon, And we make desolate unto Nophah, Which 'is' unto Medeba.'
31 And Israel dwelleth in the land of the Amorite, 32 and Moses sendeth to spy out Jaazer, and they capture its villages, and dispossess the Amorite who 'is' there, 33 and turn and go up the way of Bashan, and Og king of Bashan cometh out to meet them, he and all his people, to battle, 'at' Edrei. 34 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Fear him not, for into thy hand I have given him, and all his people, and his land, and thou hast done to him as thou hast done to Sihon king of the Amorite, who is dwelling in Heshbon.' 35 And they smite him, and his sons, and all his people, until he hath not left to him a remnant, and they possess his land.
221 And the sons of Israel journey and encamp in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan, 'by' Jericho. 2 And Balak son of Zippor seeth all that Israel hath done to the Amorite, 3 and Moab is exceedingly afraid of the presence of the people, for it 'is' numerous; and Moab is vexed by the presence of the sons of Israel, 4 and Moab saith unto the elders of Midian, 'Now doth the assembly lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licketh up the green thing of the field.' And Balak son of Zippor 'is' king of Moab at that time, 5 and he sendeth messengers unto Balaam son of Beor, to Pethor, which 'is' by the River of the land of the sons of his people, to call for him, saying, 'Lo, a people hath come out of Egypt; lo, it hath covered the eye of the land, and it is abiding over-against me; 6 and now, come, I pray thee, curse for me this people, for it 'is' mightier than I; it may be I prevail—we smite it—and I cast it out from the land; for I have known—that which thou blessest is blessed, and that which thou cursest is cursed.' 7 And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian go, and divinations in their hand, and they come in unto Balaam, and speak unto him the words of Balak, 8 and he saith unto them, 'Lodge here to-night, and I have brought you back word, as Jehovah speaketh unto me;' and the princes of Moab abide with Balaam. 9 And God cometh in unto Balaam, and saith, 'Who 'are' these men with thee?' 10 And Balaam saith unto God, 'Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me: 11 Lo, the people that is coming out from Egypt and covereth the eye of the land,—now come, pierce it for me; it may be I am able to fight against it, and have cast it out;' 12 and God saith unto Balaam, 'Thou dost not go with them; thou dost not curse the people; for it 'is' blessed.' 13 And Balaam riseth in the morning, and saith unto the princes of Balak, 'Go unto your land, for Jehovah is refusing to suffer me to go with you;' 14 and the princes of Moab rise, and come in unto Balak, and say, 'Balaam is refusing to come with us.'
15 And Balak addeth yet to send princes, more numerous and honoured than these, 16 and they come in unto Balaam, and say to him, 'Thus said Balak son of Zippor, Be not, I pray thee, withheld from coming unto me, 17 for very greatly I honour thee, and all that thou sayest unto me I do; and come, I pray thee, pierce for me this people.' 18 And Balaam answereth and saith unto the servants of Balak, 'If Balak doth give to me the fulness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of Jehovah my God, to do a little or a great thing; 19 and, now, abide, I pray you, in this 'place', you also, to-night; and I know what Jehovah is adding to speak with me.' 20 And God cometh in unto Balaam, by night, and saith to him, 'If to call for thee the men have come, rise, go with them, and only the thing which I speak unto thee—it thou dost do.'
21 And Balaam riseth in the morning, and saddleth his ass, and goeth with the princes of Moab,
22 and the anger of God burneth because he is going, and a messenger of Jehovah stationeth himself in the way for an adversary to him, and he is riding on his ass, and two of his servants 'are' with him, 23 and the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah standing in the way, and his drawn sword in his hand, and the ass turneth aside out of the way, and goeth into a field, and Balaam smiteth the ass to turn it aside into the way. 24 And the messenger of Jehovah standeth in a narrow path of the vineyards—a wall on this 'side' and a wall on that— 25 and the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah, and is pressed unto the wall, and presseth Balaam's foot unto the wall, and he addeth to smite her; 26 and the messenger of Jehovah addeth to pass over, and standeth in a strait place where there is no way to turn aside—right or left— 27 and the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah, and croucheth under Balaam, and the anger of Balaam burneth, and he smiteth the ass with a staff. 28 And Jehovah openeth the mouth of the ass, and she saith to Balaam, 'What have I done to thee that thou hast smitten me these three times?' 29 and Balaam saith to the ass, 'Because thou hast rolled thyself against me; oh that there were a sword in my hand, for now I had slain thee;' 30 and the ass saith unto Balaam, 'Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden since 'I was' thine unto this day? have I at all been accustomed to do to thee thus?' and he saith, 'No.' 31 And Jehovah uncovereth the eyes of Balaam, and he seeeth the messenger of Jehovah standing in the way, and his drawn sword in his hand, and he boweth and doth obeisance, to his face; 32 and the messenger of Jehovah saith unto him, 'Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? lo, I—I have come out for an adversary, for 'thy' way hath been perverse before me, 33 and the ass seeth me, and turneth aside at my presence these three times; unless she had turned aside from my presence, surely now also, thee I had slain, and her kept alive.' 34 And Balaam saith unto the messenger of Jehovah, 'I have sinned, for I did not know that thou 'art' standing to meet me in the way; and now, if evil in thine eyes—I turn back by myself.' 35 And the messenger of Jehovah saith unto Balaam, 'Go with the men; and only the word which I speak unto thee—it thou dost speak;' and Balaam goeth with the princes of Balak.
36 And Balak heareth that Balaam hath come, and goeth out to meet him, unto a city of Moab, which 'is' on the border of Arnon, which 'is' in the extremity of the border; 37 and Balak saith unto Balaam, 'Did I not diligently sent unto thee to call for thee? why didst thou not come unto me? am I not truly able to honour thee?' 38 And Balaam saith unto Balak, 'Lo, I have come unto thee; now—am I at all able to speak anything? the word which God setteth in my mouth—it I do speak.' 39 And Balaam goeth with Balak, and they come to Kirjath-Huzoth, 40 and Balak sacrificeth oxen and sheep, and sendeth to Balaam, and to the princes who 'are' with him;
41 and it cometh to pass in the morning, that Balak taketh Balaam, and causeth him to go up the high places of Baal, and he seeth from thence the extremity of the people.
71 And gathered together unto him are the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, having come from Jerusalem, 2 and having seen certain of his disciples with defiled hands—that is, unwashed—eating bread, they found fault; 3 for the Pharisees, and all the Jews, if they do not wash the hands to the wrist, do not eat, holding the tradition of the elders, 4 and, 'coming' from the market-place, if they do not baptize themselves, they do not eat; and many other things there are that they received to hold, baptisms of cups, and pots, and brazen vessels, and couches. 5 Then question him do the Pharisees and the scribes, 'Wherefore do thy disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but with unwashed hands do eat the bread?' 6 and he answering said to them—'Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you, hypocrites, as it hath been written, This people with the lips doth honor Me, and their heart is far from Me; 7 and in vain do they worship Me, teaching teachings, commands of men; 8 for, having put away the command of God, ye hold the tradition of men, baptisms of pots and cups; and many other such like things ye do.' 9 And he said to them, 'Well do ye put away the command of God that your tradition ye may keep; 10 for Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, He who is speaking evil of father or mother—let him die the death; 11 and ye say, If a man may say to father or to mother, Korban (that is, a gift), 'is' whatever thou mayest be profited out of mine, 12 and no more do ye suffer him to do anything for his father or for his mother, 13 setting aside the word of God for your tradition that ye delivered; and many such like things ye do.'
(Read Mark 7:1-13)
One great design of Christ's coming was, to set aside the ceremonial law; and to make way for this, he rejects the ceremonies men added to the law of God's making. Those clean hands and that pure heart which Christ bestows on his disciples, and requires of them, are very different from the outward and superstitious forms of Pharisees of every age. Jesus reproves them for rejecting the commandment of God. It is clear that it is the duty of children, if their parents are poor, to relieve them as far as they are able; and if children deserve to die that curse their parents, much more those that starve them. But if a man conformed to the traditions of the Pharisees, they found a device to free him from the claim of this duty.
