NUMBERS CHAPTER 31 ~ 36

NUMBERS 31

1 And YHWH spoke to Moses and said
2 "Take vengeance on Midianites bred
For Israel's folk. Afterward you
Shall be gathered to your folk true."
3 So Moses spoke to the folk, saying
"Arm some of yourselves for the slaying,
And go against the Midianites
To take vengeance upon YHWH's rights
On Midian. 4 "A thousand from
Each tribe of all the tribes shall come,
And Israel you shall send to war."
5 There were recruited from before
Israel divisions one thousand
From tribe armed for war, twelve thousand
In all. 6 Then Moses sent them to
The war, one thousand from each tribe,
He sent them to the war to do
With Phinehas the son and scribe
Of Eleazar reigning priest,
With the holy things at the least
And signal trumpets in his hand
To go before and give command.

A just war it seems is a war that You,
Beloved, command to make the battle true.
Yet I doubt that the king that sets command
Today is acting by Your divine hand.
Perhaps I should doubt even prophet Moses
If I were among those armies he chose us.
Doubt, doubt the breaking of the Decalogue
Until revealing light dispel the fog!
Few doubt the right to kill the wakened foe
That spreads out on the plains in battle show,
And just as few are ready for the slaughter
Of self through self's illusion on the water.
Who grasp mirages with tenacious grip
Still with impunity divine blood sip.

7 And they warred with the Midianites,
Just as YHWH commanded by rights
Moses, and they killed all the males.
8 They killed the kings of Midian,
The lofty kings of Midian,
With those who were killed in assails,
Evi, Rekem, Zur, and Hur, and
Reba, the five kings that command
Midian. And Balaam the son
Of Beor they also had killed
With the sword once they had begun.
9 And Israel's children battle-thrilled
Took the women of Midian
Captive, with their children by plan,
And took as spoil all of their herds,
All their flocks, all their goods and birds.
10 All the cities they also burned
With fire all of the cities earned
Where they lived, and also their forts.
11 And they took all the spoil of courts
And all the booty, man and beast.
12 Then they brought the captives to feast,
The booty, and the spoil along
To Moses, Eleazar's song,
The priest, and to the congregation
Of the people of Israel's nation,
To encampment in Moab's plains
By the Jordan, across the mains
From Jericho in expectation.

The family of Moses' wife was caught
Between two camps of relatives who fought,
And both found on each side the divine word
Was graven for a prophet and heart stirred.
Nothing arouses the blood-spilling wail
Like true prophets turned back to meet the veil
Succumbing to idolatry. The gale
Sweeps all before, but saves the first female
That helped insinuate idolatry.
One follows honour, one the lust of gold,
Another finds a woman makes him bold,
But higher still I climb without my knowing
That I depart from You in where I'm going
By showing pity to the weak and glowing.

13 And Moses along with the priest
Eleazar, all the increased
Leaders of the assembly, went
To meet them outside the camp's tent.
14 But Moses was wroth with the men
Who led the army, once again
With captains over thousands and
Captains over hundreds in hand,
Who'd come from the battle command.
15 And Moses said to them, "Have you
Kept all the women live in crew?
16 "Look, these women caused Israel's sons,
Through the counsel of Balaam's cuns,
To trespass against YHWH in what
Happened in Peor at the glut,
And there occurred a plague among
YHWH's congregation, and it stung.
17 "Now therefore, kill you every male
Among the little ones for sale,
And kill every woman who's known
A man with intimacy grown.
18 "But keep alive for yourselves all
The young girls who've not known the call.
19 "And as for you, remain outside
The camp seven days and to hide,
Whoever has killed any thane,
And whoever has touched the slain,
Purify yourselves and those caught
On third day and on seventh sought.
20 "Purify every garment and
Everything made of leather band,
Every woven of goats' hair, and
Everything made of wood to stand."

Ach, three days outside camp, seven at most
Serve to cleanse every soldier's winning boast
Of having killed a pagan whore at hand.
A fie upon both wrath and on command.
And yet, Beloved, I seek indeed to kill
The shadow figures that weaken my will
To set aside all craven image still
And bow to You alone below the hill.
Let me stay three days in the forest damp
Or seven days walking around the camp,
But let me then be clean from every whiff
Of god concepts and carven, stony chiff.
I draw back from touching the gods I've slain
And wash my woollen belt, wash not in vain.

21 Then Eleazar the priest said
To the men of war who'd been led
Into the battle, "This command
Of the law which YHWH by the hand
Of Moses gave you is for sin:
22 "The gold, silver, bronze, iron, the tin,
And the lead only, 23 "everything
That can endure the fire and sing,
You shall put through the fire, and it
Shall be clean, purified and fit
With purifying water's mit.
But all that cannot last the fire
You'll put through water and require.
24 "And you shall wash your clothes upon
The seventh day, be clean at dawn,
And afterward you may come in
The camp once more and without sin."

Baptism of water and fire set free
The soldiers' from their false iniquity.
They've killed civilians by prophet's command
And scattered idols' whoredoms from the land,
And brought back for themselves and brothers all
The precious things that idols can recall.
To set gold to the fire and silk to cold
Water's enough to purify the bold
From coveting the sculpted and the wrought.
Beloved, cleanse me from every evil thought
By water and by fire, and yet I still
Crave cleansing from the coveting and kill.
What cannot go through fire and what must shrink
In water, set that thing upon the brink.

25 Now YHWH spoke to Moses and said
26 "Count up the plunder that was spread,
Of man and beast, you and the priest
Eleazar and unpoliced
Chief fathers of the congregation,
27 "And divide the plunder in ration,
In two parts, between those who took
Part in the war, who went to fight,
And all the congregation's right.
28 "And levy a tribute for YHWH
On the men of war who in crew
Went out to battle: one of each
Five hundred of the human peach,
The cattle, donkeys, and the sheep,
29 "Take from their half, and give to keep
To Eleazar the priest as
A heave donation that YHWH has.
30 "And from the half of Israel's folk
You'll take one of each fifty spoke,
Drawn from the human beings and
The cattle, and the donkeys, and
The sheep, from all the livestock, and
Give them to the Levites who keep
Charge of the tent of YHWH and sweep."
31 Moses and Eleazar priest
Did as YHWH commanded at least
To Moses. 32 The booty remaining
From the plunder, which the men straining
At war had taken, was remaining
At six hundred and seventy-five
Thousand sheep all captured alive,
33 And seventy-two thousand head
Of cattle, 34 sixty-one instead
Thousand of donkeys, 35 thirty-two
Thousand persons in all the crew,
Of women who had not known man.
36 And the half, the portion in ban
For those who had gone out to war,
Was in number three hundred more,
Thirty-seven thousand five hundred
Sheep, 37 and what is YHWH's tribute fed
Of the sheep was six hundred and
Seventy-five and by command.
38 The cattle thirty-six thousand,
Of which YHWH's tribute's seventy-two.
39 The donkeys were in thousands due
Thirty thousand five hundred true
Of which in tribute were for YHWH
Sixty-one. 40 The persons involved
Were sixteen thousand, which resolved
To thirty-two persons for YHWH
In tribute. 41 Moses gave the whole
Tribute which was YHWH's offering goal
To Eleazar the priest's holding,
As YHWH told Moses without scolding.
42 And from the half of Israel's folk,
Which Moses divided the stroke
From the men who fought, 43 now the half
Belonging to the rod and staff
Of the assembly was in number
Three hundred thirty-seven of
Thousands five hundred as above
Of sheep they'd taken to encumber,
44 Thirty-six thousand cattle, and
45 Thirty thousand five hundred hand
Of donkeys, 46 and sixteen thousand
Persons, 47 and from Israel's sons' half
Moses took one of fifty's staff,
Drawn from both man and beast, and gave
Them to the Levites to be slave,
Who kept charge of YHWH's tent, as YHWH
Commanded Moses what to do.

I wonder if they baptized all the sheep
And oxen and donkeys they took to keep,
And all the virgin ladies and their daughters
Who could not bear the fire, but went through waters?
Suspicion covers every bit of booty
That Moses and the Levites took in duty.
Beloved, I come not to be critical,
I do not question what You do or shall.
It's just that mind grows numb beneath the skull
Of donkeys braying till the senses dull.
Since I am neither soldier nor a priest,
I have no portion in the bounty's feast.
While the great and the salaried take share,
I wander a poor dervish, eating air.

48 The generals of the army,
The captains of thousands to see
And captains of hundreds, came near
To Moses, 49 and spoke in his ear,
"Your servants have taken a count
Of the men of war under mount,
And not a man of us is missing.
50 "Therefore we've brought an offering kissing
For YHWH, what every man found of
Ornaments of gold's hoarded love:
Armlets and bracelets, signet rings
Earrings and necklaces, what sings
To make atonement for ourselves
Before YHWH and not before elves."
51 So Moses and Eleazar
The priest received the gold by far
From them, and all the ornaments
Fashioned and engraved as presents.
52 And all the gold of the offering
That they offered to YHWH, to bring
From the captains of thousands and
Captains of hundreds at their hand,
Was sixteen thousand and what's more
Seven hundred fifty shekels' store.
53 The men of war had taken spoil,
Every man for himself and toil.
54 And Moses and Eleazar
The priest received the gold by far
From the captains of thousands and
Of hundreds, and brought it to stand
In the tent of meeting to be
Memorial for them to see,
Israel's folk before YHWH's decree.

Oh, dear, unselfish captains with their loads
Of gold to share with prophet without modes!
What must be done with wealth brought to the town
To give to those in charge, those of renown?
Moses redeems his name and glorious crown
By posting all the profits in the tent
To be memorial of where they went.
Today I think the dividend would find
A quicker route to lining the unblind.
Faith set a precedent in desert bloom
That ought to shine out to the brim of doom.
Beloved, rain blessings down on Moses' cast,
And give him fame and family to last,
While pope and counsellor's procession passed.

NUMBERS 32

1 Now the children of Reuben and
The children of Gad in their band
Had a very great herd of stock,
And when they saw the land and rock
Of Jazer and of Gilead,
That indeed the region's not bad
As place for livestock, 2 folk of Gad
And of Reuben came and spoke to
Moses, to Eleazar too,
The priest, and to the leaders of
The congregation set above,
Saying 3 "Ataroth, Dibon, and
Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon at hand,
Elealeh, Shebam, Nebo, and
Beon, 4 "the country which YHWH spoiled
Before Israel's assembly foiled,
Is a land for livestock, and your
Servants have livestock sent before."
5 Therefore they said "If we have found
Favour in your sight, let this ground
Be given to your servants for
Possession. Do not take us over
The Jordan, but leave us to clover."
6 And Moses said to Gad's tribe and
To the children at Reuben's hand
"Shall your brothers go to war while
You sit here? 7 "Why will you beguile
The heart of Israel's folk from going
Into the land of YHWH's own showing
To give them? 8 "Thus your fathers did
When I sent them away and hid
From Kadesh Barnea to see
The land. 9 "For when they went to be
In the Valley of Eshcol and
Saw the land to disheartened stand
Beguiling Israel's children's heart,
So that they did not for their part
Go in the land which YHWH had given
Them, 10 "so YHWH's anger was unshriven
Aroused that day, He swore an oath,
Saying 11 'Surely none of the growth
Of men who came up from Egypt,
From twenty years old to the crypt,
Shall see the land of which I swore
To Abraham, Isaac, what's more
To Jacob, because they have not
Wholly followed Me as I taught,
12 'Except Caleb the son born to
Jephunneh, the Kenizzite true,
And Joshua the son of Nun,
For they've wholly followed YHWH's run.'
13 "YHWH's anger was aroused upon
Israel, He made them wander on
In the desert for forty years,
Until the generation's tears
That had done evil in the sight
Of YHWH was gone, passed from the light.
14 "And look! You have risen instead
Of your fathers, a brood and bred
Of sinful men, to increase still
More the fierce anger of YHWH's will
Against Israel. 15 "For if you turn
Away from following Him and spurn,
He will once again leave them in
The desert, and you will begin
To destroy all these folks for sin."

If I had any petition to make
To Moses for myself or others' sake,
I think I would think twice or even thrice
About appearing without sacrifice.
A brood of vipers is a hard word and
A harsh accusing to hear where I stand.
But Moses is a prophet, let him speak.
Though he was wrong, that will not make him weak.
Give me the patience to bear the harsh word
Of accusation my behaviour's stirred
Against my true intention and my deed.
But at the same time, I'll not quench my need
To curse the ones I see breaking Your law
Whatever may hide in their hearts and claw.

16 Then they came near to him and said
"We will build sheepfolds here instead
For our livestock, and cities for
Our little ones, 17 "but we implore
To arm ourselves, ready to go
Before Israel's folk to the show
Until we've brought them to their place,
And our little ones will have space
To live here in the cities' forts
For fear of the land's folk and sports.
18 "We will not return to our homes
Until each one of them that roams
Of Israel's sons has received his
Inheritance to sit and fizz.
19 "For we will not inherit there
With them upon the other share
And side of Jordan and beyond,
Because our heritage has spawned
To us on this the eastern side
Of the Jordan where we reside."

I'd have remarked on Moses' lack of tact.
But these men keep their temper and to fact.
Yet stubbornly they refuse to depart
From the land that has captured every heart.
Beloved, You leave the personality
Of every self in Self to guarantee
The splendours of creation in the act.
Some love the rolling hills, some desert tract,
Some Jordan's plain, and some the flooding Nile.
If prophet is not patient with the smile
A man bears for the glades of his own share,
You, my Beloved, bend to meet with the fair
That loves his land. There are such men as I
Whose roots are in the caravan saray.

20 Then Moses said to them, "If you
Do this thing, if you will be true
To arm yourselves here before YHWH
For the war, 21 "and all your armed men
Cross over the Jordan again
Before YHWH until He has driven
Out His foes from the land they live in
Before Him, 22 "and the land's subdued
Before YHWH, then after renewed
You may return and be blameless
Before YHWH and Israel's address,
And this land shall be your possession
Before YHWH and for your confession.
23 "But if you do not do so, then
Take note, you've sinned against YHWH's yen,
And know your sin will find you out.
24 "Build cities for your children stout,
And folds for your sheep, and do what
Has come from your mouths not unshut."

Moses becomes amusing in his state,
And even on reflection must show hate
And cursing for the angels of the Lord
Who button on cuirass and flaming sword
To help a brother find his hall and field.
Moses simply cannot politely yield.
If, if, he cries and waves his hands around,
Maintaining his own prophecy and ground.
No wonder he could not awaken love
And loyalty but only murmured shove.
You support Moses in his quirks and rant
Because there is no other on the slant
To lead the people out of Egypt's cant.
The populace will follow shirt and pant.

25 And the children of Gad and those
Of Reuben spoke as Moses chose,
Saying "Your servants here will do
As my lord Moses tells them to.
26 "Our little ones, our wives, our flocks,
And all our livestock in their walks
Will be there in the cities of
Gilead, 27 "but your servants, love,
Will cross over with every man
Armed for war, according to plan,
Before YHWH to battle and war,
Just as my lord says on that score."

They're dead, they're all dead those who would rebel
Or even stand up to Moses in hell.
The living answer Moses' cursing spell
With "my lord Moses" and a bow and scrape.
Whether the master wear a divine cape
Or one of his own fashioning and shape,
All alike demand subservience that's due
Position as chief of a crowd or few.
Subservience is required in the way,
But is a fault unless a man can sway
The right amount of greed and cruelty
And lust his peer group expects of the free.
Beloved, each crowd has personality
To which each must conform or lose the day.

28 So Moses gave command about
Them to Eleazar the stout
Priest, and to Joshua the son
Of Nun, and to the chiefs when done,
The fathers of the tribes of all
The sons of Israel by call.
29 And Moses said to them, "If Gad
And Reuben's children are not sad
To cross the Jordan here with you,
And every man armed with the crew
For battle and war before YHWH,
And the land's subdued before you,
Then you shall give to them the land
Of Gilead for plot as planned.
30 "But if they do not cross with you,
And armed, they shall have plot and stew
Among you there in Canaan's land."
31 Then the children of Gad in band
And the children of Reuben said
In answer, "Just as YHWH has said
To your servants, so we will do.
32 "We'll cross over armed before YHWH
Into the land of Canaan true,
But the possession of our plot
Is with us on this side as sought
Of the Jordan." 33 So Moses gave
To the children of Gad the wave,
To the children of Reuben, and
To half of tribe Manasseh's band,
The son of Joseph, the kingdom
Of Sihon, Amorites' king's sum
And the kingdom of Og the king
Of Bashan, the land with its thing
Of strong cities within its flanks,
The cities with surrounding banks.
34 And then the children of Gad built
Dibon and Ataroth with silt
And Aroer, 35 Atroth and Shophan
And Jazer and Jogbehah's land,
36 Beth Nimrah also Beth Haran,
Fortified cities, and sheepfolds.
37 And the children that Reuben holds
Built Heshbon and Elealeh and
Kirjathaim, 38 and Nebo and
Baal Meon, their names being changed
And Shibmah, and they gave and ranged
Other names to the cities which
They built other side of the ditch.
39 And the children of Machir son
Of Manasseh went on the run
To Gilead and took it, and
Dispossessed the Amorites' band
Who were in it. 40 So Moses gave
Gilead to Machir to save
The son of Manasseh, and he
Lived in it satisfied and free.
41 Also Jair son of Manasseh
Went and took its small towns in spe,
And called the small towns Havoth Jair.
42 Then Nobah went and took as fair
Kenath and its villages there,
And he called it Nobah by name,
After his own name and his fame.

The cows, the cows of Bashan mark the plot.
I too would love the cows in luscious spot,
Their brown flecks glistening on the white along
The paths they take through field and wood and song.
No wonder Gad and Reuben thought that way,
As well as half the tribe of Manasseh.
The lowing of the mothers and the calves,
The springing of the heifers, beats by halves
The rocky ascent up from Jericho
Toward Jerusalem and on the go.
Beloved, Creator of the bulls and cows
Of Bashan, look at shining horns and brows
And tell me if Your heart does not rise up
To sing and take to lip a joyous cup.

WEEK 43 NUMBERS 33

1 These are the journeys of the folk
Of Israel, who went out on stroke
Of Egypt's land by their armies
At Moses' and Aaron's decrees.
2 Moses recorded where they started
Each time on journey they departed
At the command of YHWH. And these
Are their journeys according to
The places of departure's cue.
3 They left from Rameses in the first
Month, on the fifteenth day of first
Month, on the day after Passover
The children of Israel stove her,
Went out with boldness in the sight
Of all the Egyptians alight.
4 For the Egyptians were engaged
With burying all their firstborn,
Whom YHWH had killed of them with scorn.
Also on their gods YHWH enraged
Had executed judgements gauged.
5 Then the children of Israel moved
From Rameses and camped where it proved
To be Succoth. 6 And they departed
From Succoth and camped not down-hearted
At Etham, which is on the edge
Of the wilderness privilege.

Beloved, to leave my slavery I must
Leave also home in the Egyptian dust.
From house and salary I am turned out
To live in simple shelters made of stout
Palm leaves or tents of skins. Nomadic coast
Becomes my changing homeland and I move
My succoth to Etham, from desert groove
To sea-bound shore. I flee my slavery
Of men and bosses to find I'm not free
From self until I give myself to Thee.
I turn from the Egyptian first-born gods
And follow in the tracks my donkey plods.
I make short shrift of the Egyptian wealth
I bring with me as I step out in stealth.

7 They moved from Etham and turned back
To Pi Hahiroth at the slack,
Which is eastward from Baal Zephon,
And they camped near Migdol as drawn.
8 They left from before Hahiroth
And passed through the midst of the growth
Of sea into the wilderness,
Went three days' journey's for address
In the wilderness of Etham,
And camped by Marah's monogram.

Beloved, they all accuse me with their craft,
They looked with scorn at me and then they laughed.
"Do not spoil life with bitterness, be gay,"
The preachers seeing my wounds had to say.
It's lack of faith and fortitude, and worse,
It's lacking in maturity to curse.
But I say, my Beloved, that those who live
In Hahiroth's sweet meadows fail to give
Due distance between Egypt and their souls,
And staying there must fail of all the goals.
For having passed Baal Zephon, lord of dark,
And Migdol, fearsome tower in the park,
To settle for an hour in Marah's march,
I'm closer to the Promised Land and arch.

9 They moved from Marah and came to
Elim, and at Elim did spew
Twelve springs of water and about
Them seventy palms like a shout,
So they camped there. 10 Then they removed
From Elim and camped by the grooved
Red Sea. 11 They removed from the Red
Sea and camped in the desert dread
Of Sin. 12 They journeyed from the dry
Wilderness of Sin and camped by
Dophkah. 13 They left Dophkah and camped
At Alush. 14 They moved from the cramped
Alush and camped at Rephidim,
Where there was no water to swim
Or for the people there to drink.

My bitterness, Beloved, is once made sweet,
Not by the psycho-machination's feat,
But coming to Elim where Your trees grow
In cool oasis where the twelve springs flow.
My bitterness is foiled, Beloved, to find
The breezes of the Red Sea on my mind,
And crushed by the determined pace I set
Through the harsh desert of Sin where I met
The cattle of Dophkah that wandered wild
In Alush's stark rantings unbeguiled.
It's only bitter march that can bring rest,
True rest in Rephidim's secluded vest.
Beloved, I find Your secrets where I stand
And look in knowing wonder on the land.

15 They left Rephidim at the brink
And camped in Sinai wilderness.
16 They moved from Sinai wilderness
And camped at Kibroth Hattaavah.
17 They went from Kibroth Hattaavah
And camped at Hazeroth. 18 They left
Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah.
19 They went from Rithmah unenfeoffed
And camped at Rimmon Perez then.
20 They left Rimmon Perez like men
And then they camped at Libnah numb.

Who camp by Libnah's blanched colours have learned
Of Sinai, heard Your voice, and yet have earned
Your guidance to survive the graves of lust
At Kibroth Hattaavah, the courts of dust
Where Miriam doubted Moses' zeal for You.
They've smelled the broom of Rithmah and the dew
Of many mornings wakened to their prayers.
Who camp by Libnah's whitewashed tombs and cares
Have seen the pomegranate of the breach
Of covenant and humbled each to each
To be made white by penitence and blood.
But even whiteness can be just a flood
Of spiked hypocrisy before the doom.
But some are white for having found Your room.

21 They moved from Libnah and camped at
Rissah. 22 They journeyed from the flat
Of Rissah to Kehelathah.
23 They went from Kehelathah and
Camped at Mount Shepher, stood in awe.
24 They moved from Mount Shepher to stand
At Haradah. 25 They moved from there
In Haradah and camped with care
At Makheloth. 26 They made their path
From Makheloth towards Tahath.
27 They left Tahath and camped at night
At Terah. 28 They moved from Terah
And encamped at last at Mithkah.
29 They went from Mithkah out of sight
And then encamped at Hashmonah.
30 They departed from Hashmonah
And camped at Moseroth. 31 They went
From Moseroth and camped where sent
At Bene Jaakan. 32 They moved from
Bene Jaakan till they had come
To encamp at Hor Hagidgad.
33 They departed Hor Hagidgad
And camped at Jotbathah. 34 They moved
From Jotbathah, camped unreproved
At Abronah. 35 They departed
From Abronah until they hid
At Ezion Geber. 36 They moved from
Ezion Geber and camped when come
To the desert of Zin, known by
The name of Kadesh. 37 They passed by
Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor's hand,
On the boundary of Edom's land.

Desert of thorn or sacred purifying,
I come to You, Beloved, nothing defying.
The Grecian urns or facing profiles choose
To make the good or take the bad and lose.
The glass is always half full for the one
And half empty for those in life who're done.
I skip the exercise, I do not bear
The pessimistic weight, I do not share
The optimistic feel, I do not care
For pains and pleasures, thorns or holy water.
I come into the dergah for the slaughter,
See desert bloom, inhale tortured perfume
And love the very heat and hearth and air:
With cantillated miracles meet doom.

38 Then Aaron the priest went up to
Mount Hor at the command of YHWH,
And died there in the fortieth year
After sons of Israel appear
To have come out of Egypt's land,
On the first of the fifth month's stand.
39 Aaron was one hundred and twenty
Three years old when he died in plenty
On Mount Hor. 40 Now the king of Arad,
The Canaanite, who lived in arid
South in the land of Canaan, heard
Of Israel's folk's coming and stirred.

The shock of Aaron's death made Israel skittish.
They fled from Arad when the king got fittish.
Beloved, I look toward the mountain peaks
Where Aaron's death occurred, and see the streaks
Of crimson sunset overlay the slopes
With pinks and purples. As I hold my hopes
Up to inspection of the setting sun,
I wonder how many such days have run
In shimmering introspection since the man
Climbed Hor to meet his God in final death.
Did anything prepare him for the trip?
I doubt it did, despite the daily sip
Of life-restoring words. Then life released.
Hor may be any mountain name increased.

41 So they departed from Mount Hor
And camped at Zalmonah in corps.
42 They departed from Zalmonah
And camped at Punon. 43 They withdraw
From Punon to camp at Oboth.
44 They left Oboth and were not loath
To camp at Ije Abarim,
At Moab's border it would seem.
45 They departed from Ijim and
Camped at Dibon Gad by command.
46 They moved from Dibon Gad and camped
At Almon Diblathaim vamped.
47 They moved from Almon Diblathaim
And camped in the mountains some time
Of Abarim, before Nebo.
48 They went away from the mountains
Of Abarim and in the plains
Of Moab they camped by Jordan,
Across from Jericho a span.
49 They camped by the Jordan, from Beth
Jesimoth as far as the breath
Abel Acacia Grove on plains
Of Moab under suns and rains.

So near the heights of Promised Land the names
Of the 'campments show no exalted claims.
The expectation at the Red Sea brink
Might be to enter where the angels drink
The nectar of the gods while glory-crowned.
But shedding all illusions to the ground
From stage to stage becomes more isolated,
Deserted and apart from golden fated.
Zalmonah's shades to Oboth's water-skins
Imply the blistering heat of sun and shins
Barked on the barren rocks of Ijem's way,
And head baked in the glaring eye of day.
The road to heaven is paved with march and digs,
No more comfort than double cake of figs.

50 Now YHWH spoke to Moses in plains
Of Moab by the Jordan's steam,
Across from Jericho, and said
51 "Speak to the sons of Israel,
And say to them, 'When you have well
Crossed the Jordan into the land
Of Canaan, 52 'then you shall take hand
To drive out all inhabitants
Of the land from before your glance,
Destroy all their engraved stones, and
Destroy their moulded images,
And demolish their high places,
53 'And you shall dispossess the land
And live in it, for I have given
You the land to possess and live in.

The command is not strange device to those
Alone who followed Moses when You chose.
You still expect the one who hears Your voice
To destroy all idolatry by choice
That comes within his power. The graven stone,
The grove where resound tap, rattle and tone
Of heathen worship in frenetic dance:
All these remain to be destroyed with glance
From every life that's consecrated to
The dergah's living sacrifice to You.
You give the earth to the meek and poor for
A place to live and cantillate the score
Of Your names in a pure and slender sound,
While dagons fall down broken to the ground.

54 'And you'll divide the land by lot
As an inheritance well sought
Among your families, to those
Of greater size you'll give what rose
In larger heritage, and to
The smaller you shall give on cue
A smaller heritage, and then
What falls by lot to each unpen.
You shall inherit by the tribes
Of your fathers as it prescribes.
55 'But if and when you do not drive
Out the inhabitants of hive
From the land before you, then it
Shall be that those whom you've left fit
Shall be irritants in your eyes
And thorns in your sides, no disguise,
And they shall harass you as long
As you live in the land with wrong.
56 'Moreover it shall be that I
Will do to you as I would try
To do to them to make them fly.'"

I have experienced the irritant
In eye that's granted by inhabitant
Of the land from which my attempts to drive
Idolatry were not destined to thrive.
I have felt thorns and their harassment too
In everything I do or try to do.
My shout of outrage and my quiet foil
Provide only new fields for them to spoil.
Beloved, give me the ways and screens to go
In victory against the threatening foe.
Help me to pluck the thorn out of my breast
And bind my wounds so I may meet the test.
Crowd out idolatry from my heart's room
With Your crown jewels or let me meet my doom.

NUMBERS 34

1 Then YHWH spoke to Moses and said
2 "Command the folk of Israel led,
And say to them, 'When you come to
The land of Canaan, this is true
The land that shall fall unto you
As an inheritance, the land
Of Canaan to its furthest hand.
3 'Your southern border shall be from
The wilderness of Zin to come
Along the border of Edom,
Your southern border shall extend
Eastward until the Salt Sea's end,
4 'Your border shall turn from the side
On the south slope of Akrabbim,
Continue to Zin in its pride,
And be on the south of the trim
Kadesh Barnea, then it shall
Go on to Hazar Addar's hall,
Arriving at Azmon to call,
5 'The border shall turn from Azmon
To the stream of Egypt to run,
And it shall end beside the sea.
6 'As for the western border's fee,
You shall have the Great Sea to be
A border, and this too shall be
Your western border. 7 'And this shall
Be your northern border to call:
From the Great Sea you shall mark out
Your border line to Mount Hor's route,
8 'From Mount Hor you shall mark it out
To entrance of Hamath, then turn
Toward Zedad, 9 'the border stern
Shall proceed to Ziphron, and it
Shall end at Hazar Enan fit.
This shall be your northern extent.

While whirling through the four gates on the mount
I turn northward to find the cherished fount
Of Hamath's hot springs where awareness true
Of Your creating essence meets the dew.
From Zedad's siding on the north I turn
Toward the handsome top of Ziphron's burn
To find Hazar Enan, village of springs.
As I look out upon a world of things,
I see behind their beauties hidden ones
Ruling and serving under moons and suns,
Bearing in melon alabaster jar
Refreshing sips of juices squeezed from star
Hung ripe and red and yellow on the tree
Of life born by the whirling company.

10 'You shall mark out your eastern bent
From Hazar Enan to Shepham,
11 'The border shall go from Shepham
To Riblah on east side of Ain,
The border shall go down the plain
And reach the eastern side of sea
Of Chinnereth, 12 'the border free
Shall go down along Jordan's run,
And it shall end at the Salt Sea.
This shall be your land all about.'"
13 And Moses commanded the stout
Sons of Israel, telling the plot,
"This is the land which you by lot
Shall inherit, which YHWH's commanded
To give to the nine tribes remanded
And to the half-tribe. 14 "For the tribe
Of the sons of Reuben ascribe
To the house of their fathers' pride,
And the tribe of the sons of Gad
By the house of their fathers' side,
Have received heritage to add,
And the half-tribe of Manasseh
Has received heritage this day.
15 "The two tribes and the half-tribe well
Received their inheritance spell
On this side of the Jordan's sighs,
Jericho eastward, toward sunrise."

From Shepham to Riblah upon the east
I naked come to find the fertile feast.
Who enter on the dergah floor to turn
In sacred dance to the ecstatic burn
Of love to You, Beloved, may live to learn
That like the Prophet Jeremiah's eye
Put out because he needs must testify,
The beauty of the world may darken fast
For those in the footpath who choose to last.
Not that the art and music fail to thrill
The soul to know Your oneness and Your will,
But that the darkened heart may set a stone
Before the dancing feet by zephyrs blown.
The blinded eye may see Your image still.

16 And YHWH spoke to Moses, and said
17 "These are the names of the men led
To divide the land among you
As an inheritance and due:
Eleazar the priest and one
Named Joshua the son of Nun.
18 "And you shall take of every tribe
One leader the land to subscribe
For the inheritance. 19 "These names
Are of the men: from the tribe's claims
Of Judah, Caleb who's the son
Of Jephunneh, 20 "from the tribe won
Of the children of Simeon,
Shemuel son of Ammihud,
21 "From the tribe of Benjamin good,
Elidad son of Chislon who
22 "Was a leader from the tribe true
Of the children of Dan, Bukki
Of Joseph, the son of Jogli,
23 "A chief of the tribe Manasseh,
Hanniel son and Ephod's stay,
24 "And a chief from tribe Ephraim,
Kemuel the son of Shiphtan,
25 "A chief from the tribe Zebulon,
Son of Parnach, Elizaphan,
26 "A chief from the tribe Issachar,
Paltiel Azzan's son and star,
27 "A chief from the tribe of Asher,
Ahihud who was son and fer
Of Shelomi, 28 "and a chief from
The tribe of Naphtali to come,
Pedahel son of Ammihud."
29 These are the ones YHWH's command could
Rely upon to divide lot
Of heritage among the sought
Children of Israel in the land
Of Canaan where they came to stand.

Let Your lots fall upon me as I stand
Before Your chosen twelve before the land.
Too many would come to appoint a man
To be the chief of every caravan.
From every tribe a chief divinely sought
In clear light of day or in occult draught
Has come to give Your guidance on the earth.
Let me always follow the chief of worth.
Not the elected and not those whose wealth
Has made them leaders of the world by stealth,
But Your pure ones reveal Your word to me
Without the grandstand and the company.
Beloved, I follow in the steps of twelve,
And leave the pathways of the fox to shelve.

Numbers 35

1 And YHWH spoke to Moses upon
The plains of Moab by the drawn
Jordan across from Jericho,
Saying 2 "Command then on the go
The sons of Israel that they give
The Levites cities where to live
From the inheritance of their
Possession, and you'll also share
With the Levites of common land
Around the cities where they stand.
3 "They'll have the cities to live in,
And their common land shall be bin
For their cattle, and for their herds,
And for all their beasts with their turds.
4 "The cities' common land which you
Shall give the Levites as their due
Shall extend from the city wall
Outward a thousand cubits' fall.

The Levites were scattered among the tribes
Not so it would be easier to take bribes,
Nor yet in punishment as Genesis might show,
But for convenience of their come and go
In service to the people and the tent
Where You, Beloved, look on the value spent.
The Levites were scattered and yet were given
Cities and lands for their cattle to live in,
Which only proves even theocracy
Demands its priests to have economy
And farm their wealth like every Dick and Harry,
And not just live like royals and be merry.
So every bishop ought to earn his keep
With ox and donkey to husband his heap.

5 "And you shall measure all around
Outside the city on the ground
Upon the east side two thousand
Cubits, and on the south side's hand
Two thousand cubits, on the west
Side two thousand cubits at best,
And on the north side two thousand
Cubits. And the city shall stand
In the middle. This shall belong
To them as common land and strong
For the cities. 6 "And now among
The cities which you'll set unstrung
For the Levites you shall appoint
Six cities of refuge in joint,
To which a manslayer may flee.
And to these you shall add to be
Forty-two cities. 7 "So in all
The cities you'll give to the call
Of the Levites are forty-eight,
These you shall give common estate.
8 "And the cities which you will give
Shall be from the possession sieve
Of Israel's folk, and from the larger
Tribes you shall give many on charger,
And from the smaller you shall give
But few where they may come to live.
Each shall give some of its cities
To the Levites, by the decree's
Proportion of inheritance
That each receives in song and dance."

The priestly cities also must include
The place of refuge for the killer dude
Who in his carelessness cuffed out a life,
If he did not do so from hate or strife.
As I stand on the fringes of the fray,
It seems a weary mite to draw a ray
Between a killing that was done in sport
And one not done on purpose in the fort.
The end results are death in every case
And the same loss to family and grace.
Perhaps that's why You let avenging rood
Pass on the careless killer unpursued
If he steps out a foot beyond the bent
Of priestly city, field or cattle tent.

9 Then YHWH spoke to Moses and said
10 "Speak to the sons of Israel wed,
And say to them, 'When you have crossed
The Jordan into Canaan's frost,
11 'Then you'll appoint cities to be
Cities of refuge for your fee,
That the manslayer who kills a soul
By accident may flee the toll.
12 'They shall be cities of refuge
For you from the avenger's stooge,
That the manslayer may not die
Until he stands before the try
Of the assembly in judgement.
13 'And of the cities which you lent,
You'll have six cities of refuge.
14 'You shall appoint three cities huge
On this side of the Jordan flood,
And three cities you'll set in bud
In Canaan's land, and they will be
Cities of refuge where to flee.
15 'And these six cities all shall be
For refuge for all Israel's folk,
And for the stranger, and the bloke
Who stays among them, anyone
Who kills a person that was done
By accident may flee and run.
16 'But if he strikes him with a spade
Of iron, so that he dies unmade,
He is a murderer, and shall
Surely be put in death's canal.
17 'And if he strikes him with a stone
In the hand, by which one alone
Could die, and he does die, then he's
A murderer, before he flees
He surely shall be put to death.
18 'Or if he strikes him with a tool
Of wood in hand which by the rule
Might cause death, and the one does die,
He is a murderer thereby,
He surely shall be put to death.

The death sentence upon the killer seems
To conflict with what Decalogue's word gleams.
Yet it is clear that slaying of the slayer
Is to prevent further loss to the player.
Who once kills may as well kill friend or brother,
And better of two evils is to smother
That risk in getting rid of one instead
Of waiting for ten more hit in the head.
I see the wisdom when theocracy
Is true and well-guided in Your mercy,
But not when countries are ruled by the oil
That greases every palm come in to spoil.
Your Word is poorly taken justifying
The killing all around I see and dying.

19 'The avenger of blood himself
Shall kill the murderer, not elf,
When he meets him, he'll put him down.
20 'If he pushes him out of hate
Or, while he's lying there in wait,
Throws something at him so he dies,
21 'Or in hatred strikes by surprise
With his hand so that someone dies,
The one who struck him shall be put
To a sure death, both hand and foot.
He is a murderer, and when
The avenger of blood meets then
He'll put the murderer to death.
22 'However, if he pushes him
Suddenly without hate made dim,
Or casts something at him without
Lying in wait, 23 'or without doubt
Uses a stone, by which a man
Could die, throwing it without plan
At him without seeing, so that
He dies, while he was not foe fat
Or seeking his harm, 24 'then the folk
In congregation judge the bloke
Between the slayer and the one
Who would avenge blood on the run
According to these judgements done.
25 'So the assembly shall save slayer
From hand of avenging blood payer,
And the assembly shall return
Him to refuge city to learn
Where he had fled, and he'll remain
There until the death of the main
High priest anointed with the oil.
26 'But if the slayer to his spoil
At any time goes outside led
Of the limits of where he fled
To the city of refuge, 27 'and
The avenger of blood at hand
Finds him outside the city line
Of refuge, and the blood avenger
Kills the manslayer, the avenger
Shall not be guilty of his blood,
28 'Because he should have stayed the stud
In his city of refuge till
The death of the high priest fulfil.
But after death of the high priest
The manslayer may go released
To the land of his heritage.
29 'And these shall be from age to age
A statute of judgement to you
In all your dwellings what to do.
30 'Whoever kills a person, then
The slayer shall be put to death
On the eye-witnesses of men,
But one witness does not suffice
For the death sentence in a trice.

Preserve me, my Beloved, from the sad state
Of being an avenger to the hate
That killed a brother of my own at hand.
You see, Beloved, I live upon a land
Where lynchings have fallen in disrepute
And citizen action simply won't suit.
If You had seen justice done here and now
You must have laid Your hand to sword and plough.
Who touch Your hem with love still lie beneath
The thraldom of democracy's bequeath
Of power lobbies and those who compel
With wealth the come and go, the ebb and swell.
Preserve me, my Beloved, from peace and law
That do not hold Your messenger in awe.

31 'Moreover you shall take no ransom
For the life of a slayer handsome
Who is guilty of death, but he
Shall surely be put in death's tree.
32 'And you shall take no ransom for
Him who has fled to city door
For refuge, that he may return
To live in the land and not burn
Before the death of the high priest.
33 'So you shall not pollute the least
Of the land where you are, for blood
Defiles the land, and like a flood
No atonement can be made for
The land, for the blood that before
Is shed on it, except by blood
Of him who shed it. 34 'Therefore scud,
Do not defile the land which you
Inhabit, and where I live too,
For I YHWH live among the folk
Of Israel, the One who spoke.'"

The Torah accepts no ransom at all
For the death sentence or its just recall.
In those days it was true no doubt that You
Spoke to the divine guide appointed true
And revealed the just reward of each one
Who claimed to be a Jewish mother's son.
But law was turned to farce in Babylon
By elders who in lust hid from the sun.
Therefore in grace You brought to light the gift
Of the Qur'an in which there is no rift
In granting ransom for the killer's toll.
May such grace always bind the human soul.
Divine grace alone can cleanse evil stain
Upon the ground in sacrificial rain.

NUMBERS 36

1 Now the chief fathers of the tribes
Of the children of Gilead's vibes
The son of Machir, and the son
Of Manasseh, once they've begun,
Of the families of Joseph's sons,
Came near and spoke without their guns
Before Moses, before the leaders,
The chief fathers of Israel's seeders.
2 And they said "YHWH commanded my
Lord Moses to give land as by
Inheritance in lot to folk
Of Israel, and at one stroke
My lord was told by YHWH to give
Inheritance that does not live
Of our brother Zelophehad
To his daughters for good or bad.
3 "Now if they're married to one of
The sons of the other tribes' glove
Of Israel's sons, then their share will
Be taken from our fathers' till,
And it will be added upon
The share of the tribe where they've gone
To marry, so it will be taken
From the lot of our own forsaken.
4 "And when Israel's sons' Jubilee
Comes, then their heritage in fee
Will be added to the tribe's share
Into which they marry and bear,
So their inheritance will be
Taken away eternally
From the inheritance in tribe
Of our fathers to circumscribe."

The daughters of Zelophehad were glad
To bring an issue not to stay unclad
With property because their poor old dad
Had no sons to ensure his wealth and fame.
You gave support to those glad girls and claim.
Now the tribe's sons come in to join the sport
For fear their land will go to some cohort
Outside their bounds. Beloved, ten words sufficed
For You to tell the world justice was priced.
It's humans need a constant bickering
To decide who should have the golden thing.
I'll wager that the issue never came
To settlement, but each new answer given
Provided merely more where men have striven.

5 Then Moses told Israel's sons by
The word of YHWH to testify
"What the tribe of Joseph's son speaks
Is right. 6 "This is what YHWH's word seeks
Concerning Zelophehad's daughters,
Saying 'Let them marry the wroughters
Whom they think best, but they may marry
Only within their father's very
Tribe and family.' 7 "So heritage
Of Israel's folk from age to age
Shall not change hands from tribe to tribe,
For every one who does subscribe
To Israel's folk shall keep the plot
Of the tribe of his fathers taught.
8 "And every daughter who possesses
Inheritance in any messes
Of a tribe of Israel's folk shall
Be wife of one collateral
Family of her father's tribe, so
The folk of Israel each may go
To hold the heritage in tow
Of his own fathers. 9 "And thus no
Inheritance shall change hands from
Tribe to another, but each come
To every tribe of Israel's folk
Shall stay where its allotment broke."
10 As YHWH commanded Moses, so
Did daughters of Zelophehad,
11 Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, and Noe,
And Milcah, of Zelophehad,
The daughters were married to sons
Of their father's brothers, which stuns.
12 They were married into families
Of Manasseh's children to please
The son of Joseph, and their plot
Remained in the tribe and the lot
Of their father's family brought.
13 These the commandments and judgements
Which YHWH commanded sacraments
To Israel's folk by Moses' hand
In the plains of Moab by land
Of the Jordan, from Jericho,
Near the land that YHWH would bestow.

The statutes may be done, the word recited,
But there is left the world of men indicted.
Divine guidance takes flight from here to be
A beacon of justice and love's fair tree.
Beloved, let me submit with humble grace
Before Your divine guide, although no face
Appear before my sight. I know the voice,
I have heard its sweet words to hold its choice
Remembrances upon my daily prayer.
Add guidance to the gift of gate in air
That patience might command the hand to hold
Only the dervish's account and told.
The Jordan flow upon my tiny plot
And water all the lentils I have got.


AUTHOR: THOMAS G. MCELWAIN

Copyright © 2007 Adams & McElwain Publishers and Thomas McElwain First Published in two volumes, The Beloved and I 2005, and Led of the Beloved, 2006. Second Edition, 2010 Third and revised edition, 2012 All rights reserved. No part of this verse commentary on the sacred Scriptures may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in a retrieval system, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from publisher.

To purchase the books, please go to:

http://www.lulu.com/shop/thomas-mcelwain/the-beloved-and-i-genesis-to-maccabees/paperback/product-20136835.html

http://www.lulu.com/shop/thomas-mcelwain/the-beloved-and-i-job-to-revelation/paperback/product-20050862.html