Numbers-Chapter-33

-hebraicstudies.net-

Please do NOT visit this site on שַׁבָּת - Shabbat or on the מוֹעֲדִים Mo’a’dim - Feasts!

Re Tanakh versions:

Throughout this site I may use any of the following three versions of the Tanakh: 1. “Jewish Publication Society” (JPS-1917), 2“Mechon-Mamre.org (MEC), and 3. “Sefaria.org (SEF), three brilliant versions, However, the JPS-1917 is my preferred version!

Colour coded details of our beloved TaNaKh:

1. Torah = History & Law, 2. Nevi’im = The Prophets. 3. *Ketuvim = all other Writings.

*The Ketuvim - Includes, Poetical books - Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the Megillot, or Scrolls - Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, prophecy of Daniel, and history of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles I & II.

Please Note: Some alterations or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’ of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, having been corrected like it once was pre the “Masoretic Text”.

YYYYYYY

Remember the following truth from our beloved Torah!

Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).

YYYYYYY

“Numbers Chapter 33”

With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.

Introduction:

Welcome to Numbers Chapter 33, from the JPS-1917 version of the Torah. This chapter meticulously records the journeys of the Children of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land. This itinerary highlights that every stage of the forty-year journey was a purposeful, Divinely guided step toward spiritual growth.

YYYYYYY

Let us read Numbers Chapter 33, verses 1 to 56: (JPS-1917 version of the Torah). Below this chapter you will find my commentary for this study.

1 “These are the stages of the children of Israel, by which they went forth out of the land of Egypt by their hosts under the hand of Moses and Aaron. 2 And Moses wrote their goings forth, stage by stage, by the commandment of יְהוָה - the LORD; and these are their stages at their goings forth. 3 And they journeyed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the Pesach (Passover) the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians, 4 while the Egyptians were burying them that יְהוָה - the LORD had smitten among them, even all their first-born; upon their gods also יְהוָה - the LORD executed judgments. 5 And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses, and pitched in Succoth. 6 And they journeyed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness. 7 And they journeyed from Etham, and turned back unto Pihahiroth, which is before Baal-zephon; and they pitched before Migdol8 And they journeyed from Penehahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness; and they went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham, and pitched in Marah. 9 And they journeyed from Marah, and came unto Elim; and in Elim were twelve springs of water, and threescore and ten palm-trees; and they pitched there. 10 And they journeyed from Elim, and pitched by the Red Sea. 11 And they journeyed from the Red Sea, and pitched in the wilderness of Sin. 12 And they journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, and pitched in Dophkah. 13 And they journeyed from Dophkah, and pitched in Alush14 And they journeyed from Alush, and pitched in Rephidim, where was no water for the people to drink. 15 And they journeyed from Rephidim, and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai. 16 And they journeyed from the wilderness of Sinai, and pitched in Kibroth-hattaavah17 And they journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and pitched in Hazeroth. 18 And they journeyed from Hazeroth, and pitched in Rithmah19 And they journeyed from Rithmah, and pitched in Rimmon-perez20 And they journeyed from Rimmon-perez, and pitched in Libnah21 And they journeyed from Libnah, and pitched in Rissah22 And they journeyed from Rissah, and pitched in Kehelah23 And they journeyed from Kehelah, and pitched in mount Shepher. 24 And they journeyed from mount Shepher, and pitched in Haradah25 And they journeyed from Haradah, and pitched in Makheloth26 And they journeyed from Makheloth, and pitched in Tahath27 And they journeyed from Tahath, and pitched in Terah28 And they journeyed from Terah, and pitched in Mithkah. 29 And they journeyed from Mithkah, and pitched in Hashmonah30 And they journeyed from Hashmonah, and pitched in Moseroth31 And they journeyed from Moseroth, and pitched in Bene-jaakan32 And they journeyed from Bene-jaakan, and pitched in Hor-haggidgad33 And they journeyed from Hor-haggidgad, and pitched in Jotbah34 And they journeyed from Jotbah, and pitched in Abronah. 35 And they journeyed from Abronah, and pitched in Ezion-geber36 And they journeyed from Ezion-geber, and pitched in the wilderness of Zin the same is Kadesh37 And they journeyed from Kadesh, and pitched in mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom38 And Aaron the priest went up into mount Hor at the commandment of יְהוָה - the LORD, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fifth month, on the first day of the month. 39 And Aaron was a hundred and twenty and three years old when he died in mount Hor. 40 And the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who dwelt in the South in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel41 And they journeyed from mount Hor, and pitched in Zalmonah42 And they journeyed from Zalmonah, and pitched in Punon43 And they journeyed from Punon, and pitched in Oboth44 And they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched in Ije-abarim, in the border of Moab45 And they journeyed from Ijim, and pitched in Dibon-gad. 46 And they journeyed from Dibon-gad, and pitched in Almon-diblathaim47 And they journeyed from Almon-diblathaim, and pitched in the mountains of Abarim, in front of Nebo. 48 And they journeyed from the mountains of Abarim, and pitched in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho49 And they pitched by the Jordan, from Beth-jeshimoth even unto Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab50 And יְהוָה - the LORD spoke unto Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying: 51 ‘Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When ye pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 52 then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places. 53 And ye shall drive out the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein; for unto you have I given the land to possess it. 54 And ye shall inherit the land by lot according to your families to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer thou shalt give the less inheritance; wheresoever the lot falleth to any man, that shall be his; according to the tribes of your fathers shall ye inherit. 55 But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then shall those that ye let remain of them be as thorns in your eyes, and as pricks in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land wherein ye dwell. 56 And it shall come to pass, that as I thought to do unto them, so will I do unto you’”.

YYYYYYY

Below is my Commentary on Numbers Chapter 33:

Verses 1-2: Recorded by Moses and Aaron upon divine command, these journeys show that the wilderness wandering was a structured, intentional process, not a series of random events. This documentation highlights that every stop was part of a Divine plan to transform a nation of slaves into a free people.

Verses 3-4: The departure from Egypt with a “high hand” contrasts with the Egyptians mourning their firstborn, underscoring the transition from bondage to liberation. This scene emphasizes that true freedom involves Divine judgment on idolatry and the physical and spiritual movement toward a new destiny.

Verses 5-49: This list of forty-two stations represents the varied experiences whilst in the desert, from miracles to rebellion, proving the journey is as significant as the destination. It reminds us that every step, including ‘quiet’, and ‘uneventful ones’, is part of the Divine record of our lives!

Verses 50-53: As the journey concludes in the plains of Moab, the focus shifts to the command to settle the land and remove all idolatrous influences. This instructs that maintaining a holy life requires eliminating negative influences from our environment.

Verses 54-56: The final verses warn that failing to fully remove the old ways will lead to spiritual and moral distress. This serves as a reminder that the inheritance of the land is conditional upon maintaining spiritual purity and firm boundaries.

YYYYYYY

My Closing Message:

Numbers Chapter 33 shows that our lives are on a designed path, not a collection of random events, with each “station” serving a purpose. May we find strength in this history to leave our past struggles behind and fully embrace our future potential.

YYYYYYY

Please Note: “hebraicstudies” links are located down the page!

This site was originally created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and wonderful faith. Thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or three times a day (if possible) and always seek our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance, for His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him, blessed be He! However this site has become very much a teaching site with hundreds of studies!

Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be He, said the following through a number of our prophets...

Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD of hosts” Mal’a’chi - Malachi 3:7. (JPS).

YYYYYYY

“Hebraic Studies” motto is as follows;

“The More Torah, the More Life”,

For Elohim is the One who gave us our ... Life!”

May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom = Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָהthe LORD of hosts, be with you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat, as well as the מוֹעֲדִים Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s - Prayers and regular בְּרָכָה Be’ra’chah’s - blessings before food and drinks, etc!

שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!

Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.

 

 

Enter ... 

http://www.hebraicstudies.net/Site-Index.htm

 

Enter ... 

https://www.hebraicstudies.net

 

 

 

 

-hebraicstudies.net-

 

 

 

Email the Rabbi

 

RBA@hebraicstudies.net

 

If the email link does not open - You can also copy the link and use it.

 

Although the author does not believe in having to copyright “Hebraic Studies” commenced in the mid 1980’,

but there have been occasions where there parts of his studies have been taken and quoted out of context

under my name, and thus he has been misquoted by those who have their own reasons for doing so.

Thus, it is only for this reason these works are fully covered under strict ...

Copyright © 2025 - “Hebraic Studies” - All rights reserved.