Moses lays out the boundaries of the promised land and then explains that Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun, together with a leader from each tribe, would decide how to divide up the promised land. Reuben, the tribe of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh were not included in this list because they had already received their inheritance.
Giving to the Priests
Moses also made provisions for each tribe to give some of their land for the Levites. Some of these towns would be refuge towns for a person who has killed another to flee. It was to protect him from the avenger before he could receive a fair trial.
Murder
Moses then sets out laws about murder and the refuge cities.
If an accused leaves the refuge city and is killed by an avenger. The avenger will not be guilty of murder. The accused must stay in the refuge city until the high priest dies. Then he can return home.
There are early forms of laws regarding murder and manslaughter. For example, if you accidentally kill someone out of rage, it's not as serious as premeditated murder. The assembly will judge. If a person is found to be a murderer, he will be put to death.
Zelophehad's Daughters
Remember these ladies? The women's rights activists? Well, some other members of the clan got concerned that if they married non-Israelites, then a part of the inheritance would belong to an outsider. Worse yet, during the year of the jubilee, all debts would be forgiven, and those properties would be lost forever.
The Lord agreed, and stated that women who had inheritances had to marry within their clan. Zelophehad's daughters obeyed the Lord and married some cousins on their father's side, thus preserving the inheritance.
And with that, we finish NUMBERS! Only one of book (Deuternomony) and then we will be done with the first five book of the Bible (plus Job!). Deuternomony should be easier since we've been having sermon series on it. It's almost like we've already read it.
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