Numbers 32-33; Psalm 39:1-6

Numbers 32 - Conquest and Division of Transjordan

• Reubenites and Gadites request land on near side of Jordan, because it's good land for all their cattle.
• Moses: You "brood of sinners" can't do this. Remember what happened when, because of fear, your ancestors wouldn't enter the land. Moses seems to jump to the conclusion that these tribes are trying to shirk their responsibilities. Or maybe they hadn't considered the consequences of their request until he reminds them.
  
• R & G: We will go in and fight, but we want to secure this land for our families and herds
• Moses: Okay, but you must hold to your promise.
• R & G agree, and Moses gives them, plus half-tribe of Manasseh, the lands of King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan.

Numbers 33
1-49 - Stages of Israel's Journey from Egypt

• From Rameses, leaving while Egyptians were burying their firstborn. When put this way, without the details of the Israelites' hardship, the statement seems cold.
  
• Through Succoth...to Elim, place of 12 springs of water and 70 palm trees
• To the Red Sea and the wilderness of Sin to Rephidim, where there was no water to drink
• To the wilderness of Sinai...to the edge of Edom where Aaron died on Mount Hor
• From Mount Hor...to the plains of Moab
• An interesting summary of their journey -- as if God is saying to us, "Okay, I've given you the details: Here's the summary of how I brought my people through."

50-56 - Directions for Conquest of Canaan
God to Moses: Tell the Israelites this.

• Drive out all the inhabitants
• Destroy their idols and high places
• Divide up the land according to the sizes of your clans
• If you do not drive them out,
• They will be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides
• I will do to you as I thought to do to them

Knowing what we know from later history, the Israelites either did not take these warnings to heart, or forgot them, or maybe didn't impress their children with the seriousness of the consequences of disobedience. They do NOT drive out all the inhabitants and they begin to worship the idols themselves. It's sometimes easy for us to resolve to obey, but circumstances often weaken our resolve.

Psalm 39:1-6 - Frustration and the Futility of Life
1, 3 - "...I will keep a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence..." but "...while I mused, the fire burned."
5-6 - "...Surely everyone stands as a mere breath...they heap up and do not know who will gather..."