Yisrael Again Rebels Against Yahweh In The Wilderness
16:1
Now Korach, the son of Yitzhar, the son of Kehat, the son of Levi, with Datan and Aviram, the sons of Eli'av, and On, the son of Pelet, sons of Re'uven, took men: 16:2and they rose up before Moshe, with certain of the children of Yisra'el, two hundred fifty princes of the congregation, called to the assembly, men of renown; 16:3and they assembled themselves together against Moshe and against Aharon, and said to them, You take too much on you, seeing all the congregation are holy, everyone of them, and Yahweh is among them: why then lift you up yourselves above the assembly of Yahweh?16:4
When Moshe heard it, he fell on his face: 16:5and he spoke to Korach and to all his company, saying, In the morning Yahweh will show who are his, and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to him: even him whom he shall choose will he cause to come near to him. 16:6This do: take you censers, Korach, and all his company; 16:7and put fire in them, and put incense on them before Yahweh tomorrow: and it shall be that the man whom Yahweh does choose, he shall be holy: you take too much on you, you sons of Levi.16:8
Moshe said to Korach, Hear now, you sons of Levi: 16:9seems it but a small thing to you, that the Mighty One of Yisra'el has separated you from the congregation of Yisra'el, to bring you near to himself, to do the service of the tent of Yahweh, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them; 16:10and that he has brought you near, and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you? And seek you the priesthood also? 16:11Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against Yahweh: and Aharon, what is he who you murmur against him?16:12
Moshe sent to call Datan and Aviram, the sons of Eli'av; and they said, We won't come up: 16:13is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, but you must needs make yourself also a prince over us? 16:14Moreover you haven't brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: will you put out the eyes of these men? We won't come up.16:15
Moshe was very angry, and said to Yahweh, "Don't respect their offering: I have not taken one donkey from them, neither have I hurt one of them." 16:16Moshe said to Korach, Be you and all your company before Yahweh, you, and they, and Aharon, tomorrow: 16:17and take you every man his censer, and put incense on them, and bring you before Yahweh every man his censer, two hundred fifty censers; you also, and Aharon, each his censer.16:18
They took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood at the door of the tent of meeting with Moshe and Aharon. 16:19Korach assembled all the congregation against them to the door of the tent of meeting: and the glory of Yahweh appeared to all the congregation.16:20
Yahweh spoke to Moshe and to Aharon, saying, 16:21Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.16:22
They fell on their faces, and said, Mighty One, the Mighty One of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will you be angry with all the congregation?16:23
Yahweh spoke to Moshe, saying, 16:24Speak to the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tent of Korach, Datan, and Aviram.16:25
Moshe rose up and went to Datan and Aviram; and the Zakenim of Yisra'el followed him. 16:26He spoke to the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins. 16:27So they got them up from the tent of Korach, Datan, and Aviram, on every side: and Datan and Aviram came out, and stood at the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little ones. 16:28Moshe said, Hereby you shall know that Yahweh has sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of my own mind. 16:29If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then Yahweh hasn't sent me. 16:30But if Yahweh make a new thing, and the ground open its mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain to them, and they go down alive into She'ol; then you shall understand that these men have despised Yahweh.16:31
It happened, as he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground split apart that was under them; 16:32and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who appertained to Korach, and all their goods. 16:33So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into She'ol: and the earth closed on them, and they perished from among the assembly. 16:34All Yisra'el that were round about them fled at the cry of them; for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up. 16:35Fire came forth from Yahweh, and devoured the two hundred fifty men who offered the incense.16:36
Yahweh spoke to Moshe, saying, 16:37Speak to El`azar the son of Aharon the Kohen, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter you the fire yonder; for they are holy, 16:38even the censers of these sinners against their own lives; and let them be made beaten plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before Yahweh; therefore they are holy; and they shall be a sign to the children of Yisra'el.16:39
El`azar the Kohen took the brazen censers, which those who were burnt had offered; and they beat them out for a covering of the altar, 16:40to be a memorial to the children of Yisra'el, to the end that no stranger, who isn't of the seed of Aharon, comes near to burn incense before Yahweh; that he not be as Korach, and as his company: as Yahweh spoke to him by Moshe.16:41
But on the next day all the congregation of the children of Yisra'el murmured against Moshe and against Aharon, saying, You have killed the people of Yahweh. 16:42It happened, when the congregation was assembled against Moshe and against Aharon, that they looked toward the tent of meeting: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of Yahweh appeared. 16:43Moshe and Aharon came to the front of the tent of meeting.16:44
Yahweh spoke to Moshe, saying, 16:45Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. They fell on their faces. 16:46Moshe said to Aharon, Take they censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and lay incense thereon, and carry it quickly to the congregation, and make atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from Yahweh; the plague is begun. 16:47Aharon took as Moshe spoke, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on the incense, and made atonement for the people. 16:48He stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. 16:49Now those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, besides those who died about the matter of Korach. 16:50Aharon returned to Moshe to the door of the tent of meeting: and the plague was stayed.17:1
Yahweh spoke to Moshe, saying, 17:2Speak to the children of Yisra'el, and take of them rods, one for each fathers' house, of all their princes according to their fathers' houses, twelve rods: write you every man's name on his rod. 17:3You shall write Aharon's name on the rod of Levi; for there shall be one rod for each head of their fathers' houses. 17:4You shall lay them up in the tent of meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you. 17:5It shall happen, that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Yisra'el, which they murmur against you.17:6
Moshe spoke to the children of Yisra'el; and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aharon was among their rods. 17:7Moshe laid up the rods before Yahweh in the tent of the testimony. 17:8It happened on the next day, that Moshe went into the tent of the testimony; and, behold, the rod of Aharon for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds. 17:9Moshe brought out all the rods from before Yahweh to all the children of Yisra'el: and they looked, and took every man his rod.17:10
Yahweh said to Moshe, Put back the rod of Aharon before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that you may make an end of their murmurings against me, that they not die.17:11
Thus did Moshe: as Yahweh commanded him, so did he.17:12
The children of Yisra'el spoke to Moshe, saying, Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone. 17:13Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tent of Yahweh, dies: shall we perish all of us?17:10 shows that Yahweh referred to the children of Yisrael as children of rebellion. Why did he refer to them as children of rebellion?
Because they rebelled against Yahweh's word, in that they rebelled against the authority structure that Yahweh had placed in his assembly.
How Yisrael Rebelled Against Yahweh
16:1-3 shows that Korach, Datan and Aviram, together with those accompanying them, rebelled against Moshe and Aharon, accusing the latter of exalting themselves above the assembly of Yahweh.
16:4-11 shows that Moshe clarified to the rebels that it was not Aharon that they were really rebelling against, but against Yahweh, seeing that it is Yahweh's word that they were rebelling against.
It should therefore be clear that Yahweh has set things in the order that pleases him. If any of us rebels against Yahweh's set order, it is not against that set order that we are rebelling against, but against Yahweh, seeing that it is Yahweh who has set the order in place.
16:12-14 shows that Datan and Aviram rebelled against Moshe's authority. They did not respect Moshe's authority. Instead they accused Moshe of murderous intent and of falsely exalting himself above his brethren.
16:19 shows that Korach assembled the entire congregation against both Moshe and Aharon. In other words, they enjoined the entire congregation in their rebellion against Yahweh.
16:20-24 shows that Yahweh was angry with the rebellion of Yisrael, especially with the leaders of this rebellion, Korach, Datan and Aviram. He therefore commanded that the congregation separate themselves from the leaders of the rebellion, that he may consume the leaders of the rebellion for their abominable deed.
16:25-35 shows how Yahweh consumed the leaders of the rebellion and those who belonged to them.
Rebelling Against Yahweh Is Despising Yahweh
16:30 clearly notes that the rebels had DESPISED YAHWEH, for it is Yahweh's word that they had rebelled against. It should therefore be clear that when a person rebels against Yahweh's set order in a particular domain, and directs his rebellion at one Yahweh has set in that order, it is not really the one that the person is rebelling against. It is Yahweh, who set the one in that order, that the person is rebelling against. And such a person who rebels against Yahweh's word despises Yahweh!
As seen from this case of Korach, Datan and Aviram, together with their accomplices, the penalty for rebellion and derision against Yahweh is death!
The People's Heart The Same As That Of The Leaders Of The Rebellion
16:41 shows that the heart of the people was as the heart of the dead leaders of the rebellion. For just as the dead leaders rebelled against Yahweh, directing their rebellion against Yahweh's chosen leaders over them, so also did the people rebel against Yahweh, murmuring against Yahweh's chosen leaders over them. For they accused Moshe and Aharon of murdering the dead leaders of the rebellion!
Yahweh's Fierce Wrath Upon Rebels
16:42-50 shows that Yahweh inflicted his fierce wrath upon the rebellious congregation. For 14,700 people of the congregation died for their rebellion against Yahweh, in that they despised Yahweh by rebelling against those Yahweh placed over them.
It should therefore be clear that Yahweh punishes those who despise him and rebel against him. He punishes them by death!
Yisrael's Rebellion At The Waters Of Merivah
20:1
The children of Yisra'el, even the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Tzin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miryam died there, and was buried there. 20:2There was no water for the congregation: and they assembled themselves together against Moshe and against Aharon.20:3
The people strove with Moshe, and spoke, saying, Would that we had died when our brothers died before Yahweh! 20:4Why have you brought the assembly of Yahweh into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our animals? 20:5Why have you made us to come up out of Mitzrayim, to bring us in to this evil place? It is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.20:6
Moshe and Aharon went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tent of meeting, and fell on their faces: and the glory of Yahweh appeared to them.20:7
Yahweh spoke to Moshe, saying, 20:8Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you, and Aharon your brother, and speak you to the rock before their eyes, that it give forth its water; and you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock; so you shall give the congregation and their cattle drink.20:9
Moshe took the rod from before Yahweh, as he commanded him. 20:10Moshe and Aharon gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, Hear now, you rebels; shall we bring you forth water out of this rock? 20:11Moshe lifted up his hand, and struck the rock with his rod twice: and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle.20:12
Yahweh said to Moshe and Aharon, Because you didn't believe in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Yisra'el, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.20:13
These are the waters of Merivah; because the children of Yisra'el strove with Yahweh, and he was sanctified in them.The children of Yisrael rebelled against Yahweh at the waters of Merivah. Moshe and Aharon, in their anger at the rebellion of the people, also rebelled against Yahweh, in that they did not fully execute Yahweh's word in the manner Yahweh commanded. As penalty for their rebellion, which Yahweh termed disbelief, they too were sentenced not to enter the land of promise. They too were to die in the wilderness!
It should the clear that Yahweh shows no partiality. Whoever rebels against Yahweh word, thus despising Yahweh, incurs upon himself the death penalty. Whether that person is a high ranking servant of Yahweh or not.
Penalty For Aharon's Rebellion
20:23
Yahweh spoke to Moshe and Aharon in mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom, saying, 20:24Aharon shall be gathered to his people; for he shall not enter into the land which I have given to the children of Yisra'el, because you rebelled against my word at the waters of Merivah. 20:25Take Aharon and El`azar his son, and bring them up to mount Hor; 20:26and strip Aharon of his garments, and put them on El`azar his son: and Aharon shall be gathered to his people, and shall die there. 20:27Moshe did as Yahweh commanded: and they went up into mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. 20:28Moshe stripped Aharon of his garments, and put them on El`azar his son; and Aharon died there on the top of the mount: and Moshe and El`azar came down from the mount. 20:29When all the congregation saw that Aharon was dead, they wept for Aharon thirty days, even all the house of Yisra'el.Aharon's penalty for rebelling against Yahweh's word, in that he did not fully follow Yahweh's command.
25:1
Yisra'el abode in Shittim; and the people began to play the prostitute with the daughters of Mo'av: 25:2for they called the people to the sacrifices of their mighty ones; and the people ate, and bowed down to their mighty ones. 25:3Yisra'el joined himself to Ba`al-Pe`or: and the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Yisra'el.25:4
Yahweh said to Moshe, Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up to Yahweh before the sun, that the fierce anger of Yahweh may turn away from Yisra'el.25:5
Moshe said to the judges of Yisra'el, Kill you everyone his men who have joined themselves to Ba`al-Pe`or.25:6
Behold, one of the children of Yisra'el came and brought to his brothers a Midyanite woman in the sight of Moshe, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Yisra'el, while they were weeping at the door of the tent of meeting. 25:7When Pinechas, the son of El`azar, the son of Aharon the Kohen, saw it, he rose up from the midst of the congregation, and took a spear in his hand; 25:8and he went after the man of Yisra'el into the pavilion, and thrust both of them through, the man of Yisra'el, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stayed from the children of Yisra'el. 25:9Those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.25:10
Yahweh spoke to Moshe, saying, 25:11Pinechas, the son of El`azar, the son of Aharon the Kohen, has turned my wrath away from the children of Yisra'el, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I didn't consume the children of Yisra'el in my jealousy. 25:12Therefore say, Behold, I give to him my covenant of shalom: 25:13and it shall be to him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was jealous for his Mighty One, and made atonement for the children of Yisra'el.25:14
Now the name of the man of Yisra'el that was slain, who was slain with the Midyanite woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a fathers' house among the Shim`oni. 25:15The name of the Midyanite woman who was slain was Kozbi, the daughter of Tzur; he was head of the people of a fathers' house in Midyan.25:16
Yahweh spoke to Moshe, saying, 25:17Vex the Midyanim, and strike them; 25:18for they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have deceived you in the matter of Pe`or, and in the matter of Kozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midyan, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Pe`or.Yahweh punishes those who play the prostitute by requiring their deaths! For it is by death that "the fierce anger of Yahweh" is turned away from those residing with those who play the prostitute.
27:13
When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aharon your brother was gathered; 27:14because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Tzin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the waters before their eyes. (These are the waters of Merivah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Tzin.)Moshe's penalty for rebelling against Yahweh's word, in that he did not sanctify Yahweh at the waters of Merivah, contrary to Yahweh's word to him.
Yisrael's Rebellions Against Yahweh
1:19
We journeyed from Chorev, and went through all that great and terrible wilderness which you saw, by the way to the hill-country of the Amori, as Yahweh our Mighty One commanded us; and we came to Kadesh-Barnea. 1:20I said to you, You are come to the hill-country of the Amori, which Yahweh our Mighty One gives to us. 1:21Behold, Yahweh your Mighty One has set the land before you: go up, take possession, as Yahweh, the Mighty One of your fathers, has spoken to you; don't be afraid, neither be dismayed.1:22
You came near to me everyone of you, and said, Let us send men before us, that they may search the land for us, and bring us word again of the way by which we must go up, and the cities to which we shall come. 1:23The thing pleased me well; and I took twelve men of you, one man for every tribe: 1:24and they turned and went up into the hill-country, and came to the valley of Eshkol, and spied it out. 1:25They took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down to us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which Yahweh our Mighty One gives to us.1:26
Yet you wouldn't go up, but rebelled against the commandment of Yahweh your Mighty One: 1:27and you murmured in your tents, and said, Because Yahweh hated us, he has brought us forth out of the land of Mitzrayim, to deliver us into the hand of the Amori, to destroy us. 1:28Where are we going up? Our brothers have made our heart to melt, saying, The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to the sky; and moreover we have seen the sons of the `Anakim there.1:29
Then I said to you, Don't dread, neither be afraid of them. 1:30Yahweh your Mighty One who goes before you, he will fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Mitzrayim before your eyes, 1:31and in the wilderness, where you have seen how that Yahweh your Mighty One bore you, as a man does bear his son, in all the way that you went, until you came to this place. 1:32Yet in this thing you didn't believe Yahweh your Mighty One, 1:33who went before you in the way, to seek you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to show you by what way you should go, and in the cloud by day.1:34
Yahweh heard the voice of your words, and was angry, and swore, saying, 1:35Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see the good land, which I swore to give to your fathers, 1:36save Kalev the son of Yefunneh: he shall see it; and to him will I give the land that he has trodden on, and to his children, because he has wholly followed Yahweh. 1:37Also Yahweh was angry with me for your sakes, saying, You also shall not go in there: 1:38Yah'shuah the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall go in there: encourage you him; for he shall cause Yisra'el to inherit it. 1:39Moreover your little ones, whom you said should be a prey, and your children, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil, they shall go in there, and to them will I give it, and they shall possess it. 1:40But as for you, turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness by the way to the Sea of Suf.1:41
Then you answered and said to me, We have sinned against Yahweh, we will go up and fight, according to all that Yahweh our Mighty One commanded us. You girded on every man his weapons of war, and were forward to go up into the hill-country. 1:42Yahweh said to me, Tell them, Don't go up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lest you be struck before your enemies. 1:43So I spoke to you, and you didn't listen; but you rebelled against the commandment of Yahweh, and were presumptuous, and went up into the hill-country. 1:44The Amori, who lived in that hill-country, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and beat you down in Se`ir, even to Chormah. 1:45You returned and wept before Yahweh; but Yahweh didn't listen to your voice, nor gave ear to you. 1:46So you abode in Kadesh many days, according to the days that you abode there.Yisrael's Rebelliousness Against Yahweh
9:1
Hear, Yisra'el: you are to pass over the Yarden this day, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and fortified up to the sky, 9:2a people great and tall, the sons of the `Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you have heard say, Who can stand before the sons of `Anak? 9:3Know therefore this day, that Yahweh your Mighty One is he who goes over before you as a devouring fire; he will destroy them, and he will bring them down before you: so shall you drive them out, and make them to perish quickly, as Yahweh has spoken to you.9:4
Don't speak in your heart, after that Yahweh your Mighty One has thrust them out from before you, saying, For my righteousness Yahweh has brought me in to possess this land; whereas for the wickedness of these nations Yahweh does drive them out from before you. 9:5Not for your righteousness, or for the uprightness of your heart, do you go in to possess their land; but for the wickedness of these nations Yahweh your Mighty One does drive them out from before you, and that he may establish the word which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Ya`akov. 9:6Know therefore, that Yahweh your Mighty One doesn't give you this good land to possess it for your righteousness; for you are a stiff-necked people.9:7
Remember, don't forget, how you provoked Yahweh your Mighty One to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that you went forth out of the land of Mitzrayim, until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against Yahweh. 9:8Also in Chorev you provoked Yahweh to wrath, and Yahweh was angry with you to destroy you. 9:9When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which Yahweh made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights; I did neither eat bread nor drink water. 9:10Yahweh delivered to me the two tables of stone written with the finger of the Mighty One; and on them was written according to all the words, which Yahweh speak with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly. 9:11It came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that Yahweh gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant.9:12
Yahweh said to me, Arise, get you down quickly from hence; for your people whom you have brought forth out of Mitzrayim have corrupted themselves; they have quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten image. 9:13Furthermore Yahweh spoke to me, saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people: 9:14let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under the sky; and I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.9:15
So I turned and came down from the mount, and the mount was burning with fire: and the two tables of the covenant were in my two hands. 9:16I looked, and, behold, you had sinned against Yahweh your Mighty One; you had made you a molten calf: you had turned aside quickly out of the way which Yahweh had commanded you. 9:17I took hold of the two tables, and cast them out of my two hands, and broke them before your eyes. 9:18I fell down before Yahweh, as at the first, forty days and forty nights; I did neither eat bread nor drink water; because of all your sin which you sinned, in doing that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger. 9:19For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith Yahweh was angry against you to destroy you. But Yahweh listened to me that time also.9:20
Yahweh was very angry with Aharon to destroy him: and I prayed for Aharon also at the same time. 9:21I took your sin, the calf which you had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, grinding it very small, until it was as fine as dust: and I cast the dust of it into the brook that descended out of the mount.9:22
At Tav`erah, and at Massah, and at Kivrot-Hatta'avah, you provoked Yahweh to wrath. 9:23When Yahweh sent you from Kadesh-Barnea, saying, Go up and possess the land which I have given you; then you rebelled against the commandment of Yahweh your Mighty One, and you didn't believe him, nor listen to his voice. 9:24You have been rebellious against Yahweh from the day that I knew you.9:25
So I fell down before Yahweh the forty days and forty nights that I fell down, because Yahweh had said he would destroy you. 9:26I prayed to Yahweh, and said, Sovereign Yahweh, don't destroy your people and your inheritance, that you have redeemed through your greatness, that you have brought forth out of Mitzrayim with a mighty hand. 9:27Remember your servants, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya`akov; don't look to the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin, 9:28lest the land whence you brought us out say, Because Yahweh was not able to bring them into the land which he promised to them, and because he hated them, he has brought them out to kill them in the wilderness. 9:29Yet they are your people and your inheritance, which you brought out by your great power and by your outstretched arm.13:1
If there arise in the midst of you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and he give you a sign or a wonder, 13:2and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spoke to you, saying, Let us go after other mighty ones, which you have not known, and let us serve them; 13:3you shall not listen to the words of that prophet, or to that dreamer of dreams: for Yahweh your Mighty One proves you, to know whether you love Yahweh your Mighty One with all your heart and with all your soul. 13:4You shall walk after Yahweh your Mighty One, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and you shall serve him, and cleave to him. 13:5That prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, because he has spoken rebellion against Yahweh your Mighty One, who brought you out of the land of Mitzrayim, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to draw you aside out of the way which Yahweh your Mighty One commanded you to walk in. So shall you put away the evil from the midst of you.13:6
If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son, or your daughter, or the wife of your bosom, or your friend, who is as your own soul, entice you secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other mighty ones, which you have not known, you, nor your fathers; 13:7of the mighty ones of the peoples who are round about you, near to you, or far off from you, from the one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth; 13:8you shall not consent to him, nor listen to him; neither shall your eye pity him, neither shall you spare, neither shall you conceal him: 13:9but you shall surely kill him; your hand shall be first on him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. 13:10You shall stone him to death with stones, because he has sought to draw you away from Yahweh your Mighty One, who brought you out of the land of Mitzrayim, out of the house of bondage. 13:11All Yisra'el shall hear, and fear, and shall not do any more such wickedness as this is in the midst of you.13:12
If you shall hear tell concerning one of your cities, which Yahweh your Mighty One gives you to dwell there, saying, 13:13Certain base fellows are gone out from the midst of you, and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other mighty ones, which you have not known; 13:14then shall you inquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is done in the midst of you, 13:15you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein and the cattle of it, with the edge of the sword. 13:16You shall gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street of it, and shall burn with fire the city, and all the spoil of it every whit, to Yahweh your Mighty One: and it shall be a heap forever; it shall not be built again. 13:17There shall cleave nothing of the devoted thing to your hand; that Yahweh may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and show you mercy, and have compassion on you, and multiply you, as he has sworn to your fathers; 13:18when you shall listen to the voice of Yahweh your Mighty One, to keep all his commandments which I command you this day, to do that which is right in the eyes of Yahweh your Mighty One.13:5 shows that it is rebellion for one to draw another aside out of the way that Yahweh has commanded that other to walk. It also shows that the penalty for rebellion against Yahweh is death, and that those who are rebels against Yahweh must be eliminated from the midst of Yahweh's assembly.
It should also be noted that the manner these prophets or dreamers of dreams rebel against Yahweh is in urging people to undertake idolatry and prostitution. It is therefore seen that rebellion, idolatry and prostitution go together, and are different aspects of wickedness and abomination.
Those Under Authority Must Obey Those In Authority Over Them
21:18
If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, who will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and, though they chasten him, will not listen to them; 21:19then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out to the Zakenim of his city, and to the gate of his place; 21:20and they shall tell the Zakenim of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. 21:21All the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones: so shall you put away the evil from the midst of you; and all Yisra'el shall hear, and fear.It should be noted that children, while living in the households of their parents, are required to OBEY their parents. If they rebel against their parent's word they incur upon themselves the death penalty, for their rebellion against their parents. And they must removed from the midst of Yahweh's people.
Drawing on this principle, it appears to me that as wives are to submit to their husbands, even as children are to submit to their parents, wives must indeed obey their husbands. If they rebel against their husbands then they incur a penalty upon themselves. And such rebellious wives ought to be removed from the midst of their husband's households!
22:13
If any man take a wife, and go in to her, and hate her, 22:14and lay shameful things to her charge, and bring up an evil name on her, and say, I took this woman, and when I came near to her, I didn't find in her the tokens of virginity; 22:15then shall the father of the young lady, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the young lady's virginity to the Zakenim of the city in the gate; 22:16and the young lady's father shall tell the Zakenim, I gave my daughter to this man to wife, and he hates her; 22:17and, behold, he has laid shameful things to her charge, saying, I didn't find in your daughter the tokens of virginity; and yet these are the tokens of my daughter's virginity. They shall spread the garment before the Zakenim of the city. 22:18The Zakenim of that city shall take the man and chastise him; 22:19and they shall fine him one hundred shekels of silver, and give them to the father of the young lady, because he has brought up an evil name on a virgin of Yisra'el: and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days. 22:20But if this thing be true, that the tokens of virginity were not found in the young lady; 22:21then they shall bring out the young lady to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done folly in Yisra'el, to play the prostitute in her father's house: so shall you put away the evil from the midst of you.22:20-21 shows that it is folly to play the prostitute, and that the one who does folly does evil. Such a one must be removed from dwelling in the midst of Yahweh's people.
Prostitution Is Equated With Homosexuality
23:17
There shall be no prostitute of the daughters of Yisra'el, neither shall there be a sodomite of the sons of Yisra'el. 23:18You shall not bring the hire of a prostitute, or the wages of a dog, into the house of Yahweh your Mighty One for any vow: for even both these are an abomination to Yahweh your Mighty One.23:17 shows that the sin of prostitution is equated with that of sodomy or homosexuality.
23:18 shows that any benefit that accrues from sin should not be brought for use in service to Yahweh. Whatever is to be used in service to Yahweh must not have been polluted with sin, but must be holy.
Figuratively, a sodomite or homosexual is called a dog.
It Is Righteousness To Be Angry At Prostitution
31:16
Yahweh said to Moshe, Behold, you shall sleep with your fathers; and this people will rise up, and play the prostitute after the strange mighty ones of the land, where they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them. 31:17Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall come on them; so that they will say in that day, Haven't these evils come on us because our Mighty One is not among us? 31:18I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evil which they shall have worked, in that they are turned to other mighty ones.31:17 shows that it is indeed righteousness for one to be angry with another who has played the prostitute. It is also righteousness for the one to forsake the other and hide his face from the other, on account of the prostitution of the other that the other has not repented of.
It therefore appears that if one's wife plays the prostitute, the one should indeed be angry with her and forsake her, hiding his face from her. This he does by putting her away from himself!
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