Back in Time

Deuteronomy 1:1-8

So when we last met our Israelite friends, the land was finally their's.  Years of wandering aimlessly at last resulted in the fulfillment of a promise made many years before.  However, perhaps hungry to land his sequel deal (part V's are murder to sell), Moses decides to pick the tale up not where Numbers ends, but back following chapter 21...before the land was their's.

In case you don't recall that discussion from back in August of 2011, here it is: http://chiphall.blogspot.com/2011/08/all-that-jahaz-numbers-21-21-35-and.html

In this section, Israel has settled into the luxuries of mountainside living...or have at least rested for what God deems as long enough.  So He tells them, alright fellas, it's time to go get this land that I promised you.  Go get it while the getting's good.  He might have added- hurry before someone does something stupid and you have to wander some more.

The lack of chronology is odd to me- it's almost like this is the deleted scenes section you access on the menu after you've watched the movie... and you understand why it got cut.

But I guess reading about this event twice is much less arduous than having to live through the escapade.  So in the spirit of watching ESPN classic...Go Israel!

Thou Shalt Inbreed

Numbers 36

Some of the representatives of the clan of Gilead came to Moses all concerned.  There had been some dispute about the inheritance of Zelophehad- we talked about it a while back.  In case you don't remember, here it is: http://chiphall.blogspot.com/2012/06/susan-b.html

Anyhow, since the daughters were given the inheritance, the concern was that if these women went on to marry outside the clan, then the inheritance wouldn't be equal.  Whichever tribe married in would by default pick up extra land.

God says that this is a good point and decrees that these women can only marry within the clan. In fact, this is to be the case for any women inheriting land.   Zelophehad's daughters agree and decide to marry their cousins.  I'm not sure which is more puzzling- the fact that the land staying in the clan was more important than who these women married, or the fact that this story ends the book of Numbers.  Moses isn't so great at narrative structure.

I'm struggling to find what to take away here.  Maybe that God takes His promises seriously.  He didn't want the land to leave the people he promised it to.  Maybe that even when life is less than fair, God's people still follow.  Maybe that the 21st century isn't such a bad time to live?  Regardless, Numbers ends with this odd tale perhaps reminding us that God's will is complex, and not always easy to explain.

Tom Petty's Greatest Hits: Refugee, Don't Come Around Here No More, and I Won't Back Down

Numbers 35: 6-34

So when distributing the land to the Levites, six of the 48 cities given to them are to be cities of refuge.  These 48 cities are to be taken from the other clans proportionately...those with more cities give more to the 48, those with fewer giver fewer.

These cities of refuge seem to be safe havens for people accused of murder but claim their innocence.  If you murder someone accidentally (or I suppose if you're just the wrong guy) you can skip town for one of these cities of refuge until after you stand trial.  If the death is avenged while you are in one of these cities- the avenger is a murderer.  If however, you sneak out of refuge town, the avenger can kill with you no penalty.  The avenger is given a license to kill, so to speak.

When you make it to the city of refuge, you must remain there until the death of the high priest... and remembering the life span of folks in this era, this could be hundreds of years.  You can't leave for any reason, even if Bob Dylan plays in the neighboring town- stay put or you're fair game... even if you're innocent.

This section also lists what constitutes murder: death by metal object, death by stone-striking, death by wooden object, shoving with forethought, throwing something at someone with forethought, and angry fist striking.  If it results in death, you are a murderer and are to be avenged.  But if you throw something accidentally, or didn't know someone was beneath the big rock you rolled over the cliff; if you didn't intend harm- head for the city of refuge.  Apparently you run there when it happens, and if found innocent, you return there until the death of the high priest.

Interesting that even if innocent, you are still sentenced to one of these cities until things cool down.  I'm guessing these cities weren't exactly cultural hot spots.  People who lived here were likely considered shady or at best irresponsible and often your fate may not have been your own doing.

Also, you can't buy your way out.  If you are a murderer, you are to be put to death, no matter how much you'd pay.  If you are isolated in a city of refuge, you are stuck there until the high priest dies, no matter how much you'd pay.

It might be easy to read this passage as pro-death penalty (which within it's context it clearly is).  God says if you murder, you are to be murdered.  God sets up a means of justice to be served.  However, this passage seems to be set up as a contrast to the system of grace set to come later through Jesus.

You used to do this, but with Jesus, let those not guilty throw the first stone.  You used to do this, but with Jesus, God says leave vengeance to me.  You used to do this, but with Jesus, we realize that we are all living in cities of refuge even though we are guilty, grateful for the pardon, knowing that we deserve a worse fate.

Numbers 35:1-5 Cow Town

Cow Town

Numbers 35:1-5

Short passage where God tells Moses that even though they weren't awarded an inheritance, the tribes are to dedicate land for the Levites; land for their homes and land for their cattle to graze upon. If I remember right, the Levites wouldn't have been fighting, but as the conduit to God, it is certainly in the best interest of the Israelites to make sure their needs are provided for.

Perhaps this is God's way of creating precedence.  His spokespeople, his clergy, should be taken care of by the people they serve.  It's easy to be jaded about the employment of church workers- be skeptical about the hours kept and the work they do and as a result we often expect them to do more than their share since, after all, they're getting paid for it (and to be honest, we aren't always thrilled about that either).  

These priests, these servants, served functions that I would never envy.  They dealt with bloody carnage in the context of sacrifice, they were responsible for duties for the most powerful boss in existence.  They earned their "pay".  

While modern day "Levites" may deal with less blood and gore, they deal with the muck created by the Christians they serve.  They learn things about us that they often wish they could un-know.  They pray for us, minister to us, and work to bring us closer to God.  They may not wear leather aprons, but they often get no less bloody.  God's work, indeed.

A Surveyor's Favorite Passage

A Surveyor's Favorite Passage

Numbers 34

Here God spells out the boundaries of the promised land to Moses and tells him to use lots to determine which tribe gets what.  The land is to be distributed between the 9 1/2 tribes planning on living in Canaan since Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh opted to get their land before getting there. God also assigns leaders from each tribe to help distribute ownership within the tribes.

God seems cool with the choice of those tribes to opt out of Canaan, which seems a little odd when considering His reaction in earlier chapters when His followers wanted to pass on the reward He had promised.  Perhaps the key here is that these tribes didn't give up on God, and they still did their part helping claim Canaan for the rest of the wanderers.

This passage may be really interesting if you're into geography.  I'm not.  But it does once again emphasize that even if promises are a long time coming, God fulfills them in the end.

Israelite Mapquest

Israelite Mapquest

Numbers 33

This chapter contains a rehashing of the travel plans of the wanderings from the day they left captivity until right before they got the promised land.  Moses references a few pertinent highlights- the Egyptians burying their firstborn as they march out of town, no water at Rephidim, the death of Aaron at Mount Hor, and finally the arrival at Moab.  

At this point God tells Moses that they are to drive out ALL of the residents and destroy all the idols and high places.  I'm assuming high places are worship centers or display venues for the idols.  They are to distribute the land by lot.  No whining, fate determines which piece of land your clan gets.  The size of the land though is determined by the size of the group who is to live there.  

God warns that if they don't drive everybody out, those who remain will be "barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides".  And that He will do to the Israelites what He planned on doing to the Canaanite stragglers.

This is a harsh warning.  Mess up here and you will become My enemy.  Perhaps the subtext here is that the only way you can mess up is to no follow through, to not accept My will as your own, to not do what I say.  It's not a question of success, but instead of willingness to see this through to the end.  And perhaps that's what God asks of us.  Not unfailing success, but a submission of our own will to His.

The actual act, though, is a bit disconcerting.  Here God commands a lack of mercy to be the shield the Israelites are to stand behind.  No one remains.  I guess at least He's demanding evacuation and not extermination.

Regardless, here we see God about to follow through on His promise- something we should take as evidence that promises to us will also one day be delivered.

The Sins of the Fathers

Numbers 32

So as the Israelites continue their trek to the promised land, the Reubenites and Gadites see all their livestock and all the sweet land for grazing all around them and so they ask for a conference with Moses.

Look, Moe, we get that this land of milk and honey is great and all- but look at this land right here.  We're simple folks with simple needs and simple cows.  We're happy right here.  What say we don't cross the Jordan but just take this land as our inheritance?

Moses gets a little irate.  Hey, dummies- don't you remember when your parents played this game?  They discouraged the Israelites from entering the promised land- and God was none too pleased.  In fact, He had them on extended march duty until that entire generation died.  If you pull these shenanigans, you're likely to cause the same thing to happen again.  Besides, why should all of the rest of the Israelites go to war while you stay here with your livestock.  That's bull.

Well versed in the art of negotiation, they countered.  What if we build pens and such for our animals, fortify some cities for our wives and children- and then put on the armor and get to conquering.  We'll even lead the way to the promised land...just give us THIS land to come back to instead of land in Canaan.

Moses thinks about it and says.  Ok, it's a deal- but if you don't follow through you'll be sinning against God.

This is a weird exchange to me.  First off, wouldn't this tick God off?  I've been promising you this amazing gift for years and years- and now, when we're right on the verge of getting it, you're settling for this?  Why do they think they know better than God what land is right for them?

Second, does this mean more land for the other Israelites?  If so, I'll bet they were all for the arrangements.  Sure, go build your pens, we'll wait right here and dream of our acres to come.

Finally, Moses tells Eleazar and Joshua the situation and adds- they can have this land unless they don't come with us to fight in which case, make them stay in Canaan. Huh?  So this wondrous gift is now a punishment if they don't follow through?  And it also punishes the folks who do fight by giving them less land?  

For me, the take away lesson is to avoid negotiating with God.  His promises are better than what you will concoct on your own.  He can reward beyond what you can imagine.

However, I don't remember how this turns out, so I could be wrong.

Booty for the Israelites: Numbers 31: 25-54

So the battle is done and spoils are divided.  Here God commands much less than the traditional tithe- in fact the soldiers are told to give .2% of what they plundered.  The Israelites were to give 2%.

Maybe God here is rewarding their courage in following Him into what would seem like a perilous situation.  Whatever the reason, they strike it rich. The nation took in hundreds of thousands of sheep, thousands of cattle and donkeys- and thousands of virgins.

And while we commonly hear criticism of Muslim fascination with a reward of virgins for their most valiant, here is a piece of our own history chronicling the same from the pen of Moses.

I have a hard time wrapping my mind around the condoned use of people as slaves, as objects, as less than human.  Some of my disdain is certainly cultural, but all the same- we're a long way from love your enemies here.

Wholly War
Numbers 31: 1-24


This may be the most disturbing section thus far.  When people refer to the angry God of the Old Testament, they are talking about passages like this one.  Lots of darkness here.

So God tells Moses that it's time for some vengeance.  Go grab John Wayne, Mel Gibson, and Quentin Tarantino, saddle up the troops, and clean out the Midianites.  They take 12,000 troops (one thousand from each tribe) and along with Phinehas the priest, went to battle.  Phinehas' job here is to sound the trumpet and carry articles from the sanctuary.  Seemingly the least important figure, probably the most.

So Israel puts on their blue face paint and cleans house.  Mike Tyson boxing Justin Beiber.  Every Midian man dies including all five kings and our old friend Balaam.  They take all kinds of plunder, gather up all the women and children, burn the villages to the ground and head back to Moses and Eleazor.

With such an astounding victory, they were probably surprised by Moses' angry reaction.  Why are the women still alive?  They are the ones who listened to Balaam and caused that plague to happen.  Kill all the boys and kill every female who isn't a virgin.  You can keep the virgins for yourselves.

So God's spokesperson speaks out here in a way that disturbs.  Kill and capture.  Even the innocent.  Even the children.  And those you deem worthy of life, are now your physical property.

After the battle anyone who had killed someone or touched something dead had to wait seven days before returning to camp so that purification could occur.  They had to go through a purification ceremony on days three and seven. Anything that could stand fire needed to burned and washed with the "water of cleansing".  If it wouldn't make it through the fire, it still had to be washed.

This section is beyond disturbing.  How do you explain away the brutality of vengeance here?  This is all God's will- in fact His command.  He knows the subtext, the hearts of the individuals, and the big picture, but even  that seems like an easy answer to pretend that such vengeance is beyond the figure who we envision as our Loving Father.

Perhaps the most helpful aspect to this horror story is to envision the potential fate of ourselves were it not for the vengeance-clearing sacrifice of Jesus.  Maybe a story like this can make us appreciate at an even greater level what Jesus went through to spare us the fate of the Midianites.

Pinky Swears and Heart Crosses:  The Cold, Hard Truth
Numbers 30

Moses covers vows in this chapter... and you likely won't be surprised to find that they're a tad (a lot) sexist.

So if you're a man when you take a vow to the LORD (swear to God?) or pledge an oath... you gotta follow through.  Do everything you say.

If you're a woman, same deal...unless you still live at home.  When your dad hears your vow, he can say- nope, not gonna happen and you're relieved from your vow.  If he doesn't speak up, the vow stands.

Or, if you are married.  When your husband hears your vow, same result.  If you make the vow before getting married, once you're married your husband can nullify the vow.

Widows and divorcees are treated like man in relation to this law.

Beyond the sexism, the message here is that vows are sacred.  This concept isn't foreign to our culture- our courtrooms demand swearing on a bible, we vow to tell the truth "so help us, God".  I even had a student "swear on the bible" to turn an overdue speech to me posthaste (those were his words, not my requirement... and the speech was never turned in... religion major, go figure).  We also use the concept of oaths regularly in less official contexts.  Promising something somehow means more than just affirming.

Moses here doesn't tell them not to make oaths- just don't make them lightly.  If you pledge- you better follow through.  Jesus later removes the loophole- don't pledge, just be honest to start with.

Nothing Says "Festival" Like Killing Your Livestock
Numbers 29: 12-40

We're still in rerun city.  Moses rehashes the particulars of the Festival of Tabernacles.  You can read our previous (and no less scintillating) discussion of it here:  http://chiphall.blogspot.com/2010/03/table-or-booth-leviticus-23-33-44-five.html


This time through, Moses gives a little more detail (much less scintillating) about the particulars of each day's sacrifice schedule.  Each day features a number of bulls, rams, lambs, and a goat to be sacrificed, as well as grain offerings. Each day the burnt offering requires one fewer bull as part of the requirement, but on the eighth day it jumps from seven bulls to only one.

Maybe the message here is that God is saying with each sacrifice, you get a little closer to being ok - a little more sin is wiped away.  However at the end of the week, they are still required sacrifice, perhaps expressing the futility in wiping the slate clean.  You can't sacrifice enough to undue your sin- your humanity.  It takes the sacrifice of Jesus for that.

I'm not really happy with this interpretation as these sacrifices are burnt offerings and not sin offerings- maybe it's just God saying, you're wiping out your livestock- and while I appreciate the gesture- you need to have some left at the end of the week to be able to survive.

Either way- God is concerned with our well-being.  And that should be a comforting thought.

Please Leave Your Offering at the Sound of Atone
Numbers 29: 7-11


So, this seems to be a return to the July 10 Day of Atonement that we discussed a couple of years ago.  Here's a reminder of that discussion:  http://chiphall.blogspot.com/2010/03/atone-deaf-leviticus-23-26-32-nine-days.html

But actually, we really began discussing it even earlier:  http://chiphall.blogspot.com/2009/10/escape-goat-leviticus-16-day-of.html


Moses' detail here is basically- on July 10th, don't eat, spend the day resting, and offer some burnt, sin, grain, and drink offerings...which doesn't really sound like a day of rest.  I see no mention of a sleep offering or netflix offering.

Doesn't seem like much new here- it seems to be a reestablishing of a ceremonial day from the past.

Satchmo the Israelite (Reprise)
Numbers 29: 1-6

This section seems to be a rehashing of Leviticus 23:23-25.  I'm sure you remember our discussion of it vividly back from February of 2010- but just in case you don't, you can reread about it here.  It didn't take long:

http://chiphall.blogspot.com/2010/02/satchmo-israelite-leviticus-23-23-25.html

Moses gives a little more detail about the food offerings here but there's little other difference.  I guess what's interesting to ponder here is audience.  I guess this section is more to revitalize their ceremony that had died sometime during all  of their wandering.

A new generation of followers would need to be reminded of the ritual -and learn all the cool jazz tunes.

I bet they had a mean rendition of When the Saints go Marching In.

Burn After Reading
Numbers 28: 26-31

More sacrifice instruction.  Yippee.

So on the "Day of firstfruits" (I'm not sure if this is a calendar day celebrated collectively or just the day when crops are gathered) when they make a grain offering during the Festival of Weeks they get a day off from work and are to hold a sacred assembly.

Then there's to be a burnt offering- two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs.  There is also to be a grain offering with each animal offered.  Once again there is to be a goat offered for atonement in addition to drink offerings.  And of course the animals must be defect-free.

OK, this alone sounds like quite a bit to keep straight- but when you attach it to all of the other offerings that have been discussed in this chapter- daily offerings, Sabbath offerings, monthly offerings and Passover offerings- how were they ever able to keep it all straight?  I'm guessing they didn't have calendar options on their iphones.

I guess it's likely that keeping up with all the particulars (and likely performing the actual sacrifices too) was the responsibility of the priests and they would have been trained for such tasks- and it would have been their profession- so there would be plenty of time to learn it all.  Also, they probably didn't have a lot of Beatles lyrics or other random trivia bouncing around in their heads to fill up that memory space.

Even so, it seems like this is an amazingly complex process.  Is that part of the deal- is God showing His power by making them jump through hoops that would be next to impossible to get right? Am I simply underestimating these people?  Whichever the case- it doesn't exactly make for riveting reading.

The Jewish State Fair is a Great State Fair

Numbers 28:16-25

So we've gone through the daily, weekly, and monthly sacrificial requirements- and Moses, all too predictably, next enters into requirements for an annual offering.  January 14th is Passover Day, no school, no mail, and the post office will be closed.  The 15th marks the beginning of a seven day festival.  No yeast may be eaten during this period.  Day one is a sacred assembly with no regular work being done except perhaps by the Israelite carnies.  A food offering is to be given consisting of two young bulls, a ram and seven one-year-old male lambs.   These will be burnt offerings.

With each animal offered they are to also present a grain offering which varies depending on which animal it accompanies.  In addition, a goat is to be offered as a sin offering.  These offerings are to be made in addition to the daily offerings.  

The seventh day mirrors the first - a sacred assembly with no regular work.  I see no mention of roasted lamb on a stick or booths to play Whack an Egyptian.  In fact this word "festival" seems kind of strange. While they may get a couple of days off of regular work- they seem to have responsibilities packed on.  This seems to be a festival for God- not a ride the rides see the shows kind of outing. 

However, this festival gives them the opportunity to be forgiven for sins- something that life without Jesus wouldn't have offered an a regular basis.  So perhaps it was indeed a party.  Even without those leaven filled funnel cakes.

Please Don't Let the 1st be on a Saturday
Numbers 28: 11-15


In addition to the daily and weekly offerings, they also had monthly sacrifices to make:  two young bulls, one ram, and seven one year old male lambs- and these were to be fine specimens- not the gimpy ones.  With each bull there's an accompanying grain offering of a flour/oil mixture.  There is also one with the ram with a different ratio of flour to oil.  Each lamb also has a more diluted mixture required as a grain offering.  Each sacrifice also has a requirement of a drink offering (the amount of wine varying with which animal is being sacrificed).  In addition, a male goat is to be made as a sin offering.

So, if the first falls on a sabbath, I guess they would have to sacrifice their daily, weekly, and monthly sacrifice on that day.  So much for the day of rest.

As with the other sacrifice specification sections, the specifics seem a bit worrisome to me.  As someone who doesn't deal well with detail, this kind of requirement would have been disastrous.  I would think that the priests would handle all of the particulars, but even so, God's demand of precision here from sacrifice to sacrifice is a little puzzling.

Perhaps there's a profound reason for all of the differences in amounts, but at a cursory glance it seems to be hoops to jump through.  But even if it is simply an act of power, it's certainly an appropriate one.

Moses Could Have Used an Editor
Numbers 28:9-10


A short passage with more sacrificial decrees.  Every Sabbath, in addition to the burnt and drink offerings discussed last section, they are to offer two perfect lambs a year old.  It comes with an extra drink offering and a grain offering.

I wonder why Moses feels so compelled to chronicle all of the detail here.  We're nearing the end of Moses' life, so perhaps this was to serve as a reference book for them to insure they're getting the sacrifices right.  The sacrifices are likely continuing as the book is written, I assume.  So maybe it's just to keep them straight.

Or maybe Moses has a really sick sense of humor.  It could be like Andy Kaufman selling tickets for a stand-up performance and reading from The Great Gatsby for a couple of hours.  The joke is on them.

And maybe Moses is laughing now.  There's some schmuck in Tennessee pouring over all the boring detail in Numbers.  HAHAHA- I hope he keeps going.

...and I guess I will.

Mo Had a Little Lamb
Numbers 28: 1-8




God tells Moses to reinstate the food offerings.  Moses thinks it's a good literary choice to include all the detail of the offerings again here.  They are to present two pure year old lambs for sacrifice each day (surely this must mean the community as a whole and not each individual Israelite- or else there's a whole lotta killin' goin' on) one in the morning and one at twilight.  A drink offering of about a liter of fermented drink is to accompany each lamb.

That's it.  Not much to this section- except that as they enter the promised land, perhaps God is using this sacrifice as a way to create a little normalcy in their lives.  While they wouldn't have been at Sinai to witness or share in these sacrifices, perhaps the stories of them would remain in their families.  So maybe God is saying, Your parents didn't really get it, but I'm starting over with you- I'm asking the same things, I'm requiring the same obedience, the slate is clean and we'll try this again.  Please... learn from your parents.

Or maybe God really likes lamb chops.

Post Mo
Numbers 27:12-23


God tells Moses to head up the mountain so he can get a good view of the land he won't inherit.  After he sees it, God will gather him up.  God reminds him that he can't go in because he and Aaron didn't treat Him as holy back with that whole water from the rock thing.  At first glance this seems pretty harsh.  Here, smell this dessert that everyone but you will get to eat.  But this might be a way to show him what all the walking was for.  You aren't quite getting to the finish line- but without you, these people might not be here.  Look at the reward and picture them in it.

It's interesting too that his punishment is the afterlife.  Is going to "heaven" less of a reward than Canaan?  No, no mansion of gold for me, I'd prefer war with giants.  To be fair, as little as we understand about what is to come, these people likely knew even less. Perhaps this punishment was a reward in hindsight.

Moses, though, is concerned about the future of his people.  Look- without me they're going to be wandering aimlessly, falling into pits, losing their sandals, bumping into each other- they'll need a new shepherd.  God tells him to take Joshua, pus his hands on him before Eleazar and the whole community and give him some of his authority. Joshua is to stand before Eleazar who will give God's decisions using the Urim.  The people will move on his command.

OK- makes sense except for the whole Urim thing.  A quick google search indicates that the Urim (as opposed to the Thummim) was a special rock that indicated a yes/no response.  So, if after talking to God about an issue, one rock on the priest's breastplate lit up (like a lightbulb) it indicated God's response- like a divinely inspired magic 8 ball.

So Moses followed through and Joshua was commissioned.

Two things really strike me here.

First, even Moses didn't really get what happens after you die.  At least it sure seems that way.  And if Moses, the closest thing the Israelites have to Jesus- in fact a figure who in many ways foreshadows Jesus- didn't get it, we aren't likely going to figure it out either.  And so it becomes a lesson of trust.  Follow and trust.

Second, Moses worries about what he leaves behind.  It's great to be heaven-focused (yes, even essential) but it shouldn't make us less concerned about people who are still around.  Moses wanted to make sure that their well being was taken care of before he left for the real promised land.  And while Moses seems a bit full of himself (to me) at times- this is a great example of his selflessness.  

Susan B. Zelophehad
Numbers 27:1-11


So after entering the promised land, five sisters, the daughters of Zelophehad are none too pleased.  They came from the clan of Manasseh, but their father Zelophehad died in the wilderness.  So they came before Moses, Eleazar, the leaders and the whole assembly and said- look, daddy Zel had five daughters and no son.  He died in transit- he died for his sins, but it's not like he was one of the Kora followers who blatantly revolted against God.  Why should his name die out in the clan just because he didn't have any sons?  Here's a solution- give us what belonged to our family.

The council is shocked.  What, you mean women could actually own land?  But, how will you feed yourselves without men to help you?

OK, maybe they didn't go that far- but you have to be impressed with a story about women's rights in a book so often disturbingly misogynistic.

Moses takes the case before the Lord- and seems to not so much ask for counsel as to give it.  He says- these ladies are right.  You must give them their land and inheritance.

Must? This is much more than making God aware of the situation. It is clear to me that Moses' story is a foreshadowing of Jesus'.  He's not just a spokesperson, he's an advocate.  He's the defense attorney.  He's got their back very much like Christ's intercessions for us.

And God listens.  Tell them, He says, if a man dies with no sons, give the inheritance to his daughters.  If there are also no daughters, give it to his brothers.  If there are no brothers, go to the next closest relative.  Treat this like any other commandment- it has the force of law.


OK, so it's not exactly the ERA.  Women are still not getting the same perks as men here.  But at least for these five women (Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah) despite living in a patriarchal age they score a point for women.  


And what I take from this story is the importance of looking out for those whose voices are minimized- women, or minorities, or the poor, or the displaced, or prisoners, or the stranger, or the new guy, or immigrants, or homosexuals, or the inarticulate.  Whoever society thinks unworthy of power, (perhaps the thieves and prostitutes) are worthy of God's love and may only realize it when we treat them as equals.