seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Exodus 32:25 Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. 26 So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him.
27 Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’” 28 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. 29 Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”
27 Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’” 28 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. 29 Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”
We've seen this kind of slaughter before. Simeon and Levi [Jacob and Leah's sons] cleaned house after the rape of Dinah. So this is no shocker after reading what happened in Genesis 34. In verse 28 it says the killed about 3000 people. Considering there were 2+million in camp, 3000 is not a lot of people. Considering how we felt after 911.... it has a different feel. It's not just a number, it's a count of souls. On top of that....the majority of the people in that crowd were family. There were a few who were considered to be "others" but this was probably 3000 brothers, sons, and husbands of the family. That's quite different than just a number.
This is from the easy English commentary.
Moses appealed to anyone who remained loyal to the LORD. He wanted them to join him. Moses also belonged to the family called Levi. Perhaps that helped the Levites to remain loyal to Moses and to the LORD. ‘Relative’ means any other person who lived with the Israelites.
The Levite men killed 3000 people. Perhaps they were the people who demanded another god. But this was a false god. The people died because death is the punishment for that sin. The Levites remained loyal to God. So God chose them to serve him. They were separate from all the other Israelites. They looked after God’s special tent and its contents. When the Israelites moved the camp, the Levites carried God’s special tent with all its equipment. Each group of Levites was responsible to carry different parts of it (Numbers 3:5-7, 46-49).
The Levite men killed 3000 people. Perhaps they were the people who demanded another god. But this was a false god. The people died because death is the punishment for that sin. The Levites remained loyal to God. So God chose them to serve him. They were separate from all the other Israelites. They looked after God’s special tent and its contents. When the Israelites moved the camp, the Levites carried God’s special tent with all its equipment. Each group of Levites was responsible to carry different parts of it (Numbers 3:5-7, 46-49).
It's a bloody study this morning. IMHO it kind of shed some light on what Jesus said Matthew 10:34.
“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
