Chukat (Part 2) - Numbers 19:1-22:1

An Abusive Relationship

In verses 21:5-9 we have the Hebrews complaining about the food and water, and Yahweh conjuring up fiery serpents to attack them. The text doesn't tell us how many were killed, but it does tell us that Moses had to make a copper snake that resembled a fiery serpent, mount it on a pole, and those who were attacked, if they looked at the copper snake, they would live.

End of story.

If this short story sounds a bit too familiar (the Hebrews want food, they whine a bit, and Yahweh attacks them), then you have been paying attention! This is a repeated theme in the Torah. It is repeated so much that one has to wonder: could all of these be the same story, but from different story tellers, with each one trying to outdo the other in the fantastic ways that God could kill?

As we read last week in 17:27-28, the Hebrews were waking up to the fact that Yahweh wasn't the cuddly kind of God that they were hoping for. The Targum expresses it very well:

But the Israelites said to Moses, "Behold! Some of us were killed by the sword (golden calf episode). Behold! Some of us were swallowed by the earth (Korach rebellion). And Behold! Some of us died in the death (plague for asking for meat). Everyone who approached, who approaches the Tabernacle of Yahweh dies! Indeed, we are all doomed to die!"

The word "love" only appears 24 times in the Torah, and most of those have to do with humans loving humans. When it comes to humans an God we have:

• Exodus 20:6 - God will destroy all who hate him, but will be merciful to those who love Him AND obey Him.
• Deuteronomy 5:10 repeats this.
• ibid 6:5 - You are commanded to love God with all your heart.
• ibid 7:7-9 God claims to have saved the people out of His love, and because of an oath. 
• ibid 7:13 - God will love you if you keep His commandments.
• ibid 10:12 - You must love and serve God.
• ibid 10:15 - God loved the patriarchs and their seed, and the Israelites He saved.
• ibid 11:1 - You must love God and obey Him.
• ibid 11:13 - You must love God with all your heart.
• ibid 11:22 - You must love God and walk in His ways.
• ibid 13:4 - God will send false prophets to test to see if you love Him.
• ibid 19:9 - You must love God and walk in His ways.
• ibid 30:6 - You must love God with all your heart.
• ibid 30:16 - You must love God, walk in His ways, and obey Him.
• ibid 30:20 - If you don't follow Him, you will die. If you chose to follow him, you will live so that you may love Him.

Of course, when I say God, the text says "Yahweh". "Elohim" is never referred to as wanting or giving love. And only the later book of Deuteronomy does the author indicate that Yahweh loves the Israelites. It's an odd book that often contradicts the other texts. A classic example is the first chapter retells the story of the spies and of Korah's rebellion, but the changes are so drastic that they appear to be completely different stories.

So, in total, there are 5 verses that speak of Yahweh loving, ans 12 verses where the Israelites are commanded to love God, obey Him, and walk in His ways with the oft-repeated threat that if you don't, He'll kill you.

And it is from there that we read of His attacks against the Israelites, and not for disobeying, but for being whiny, for the most part!

Look at these three examples which have striking similarities:

• Exodus 16:3-17 - Israelites complain about no food, reminisce about Egypt, God promises them food from the sky (manna), and then promises them meat (it's not mentioned later). The manna falls and they eat. Nobody gets killed.

• Numbers 11:4 -  Israelites complain about no food, reminisce about Egypt, and they hate manna. God sends them food from the sky (quail) which falls in mass quantities (11:31), and the people who eat it die from a plague (11:33). The number of people died is not mentioned, only that "Yahweh struck a very mighty blow against the people".

• Numbers 21:5 - Israelites complain about no food, reminisce about Egypt, and they hate the insubstantial bread. God sends fiery snakes and large numbers die. (21:6). A ritual and some begging by Moses is needed to get Yahweh to stop.

Each of these stories is about the people whining about the food. And the response is more and more intense, from God giving in, to killing people with plagued food, to supernatural serpents of fire. In the Book of Numbers, Yahweh isn't very loving, and in fact, the word "love" is not found anywhere in the book. And I am suggesting that all of these stories are really the same story, just told different ways with different views by the different storytellers.

Summary

We have the same gist of the story being related in different places. The people want decent food, and Yahweh, in Exodus, is OK with that, but in the Book of Numbers, any little complaint sets Him off!

In verse 21:7, the word התפלל (pray) appears, as a way to get Yahweh to stop killing.

And it should be noted that this word appears only 7 times in the Torah, and each time it is used, it is to beg Yahweh to cancel His desire to kill. It isn't to request food, but to survive.

This begging is to a Deity who demands complete obedience, servitude, and threatens anyone who leaves Him with death, and kills anyone who complains about the way things are.

It is only in the Book of Deuteronomy where a few sentences say that Yahweh loves His people, but only on condition that they obey and follow His ways.

It's a rather dysfunctional relationship, to say the least!