Numbers 33:56
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Numbers 33:56
56 Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them.
Chapter Context
Numbers 33 is a mixed narrative and legal chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of obedience, truth, judgment. Written during Israel's wilderness period (c. 1446-1406 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: The wilderness journey occurred between Egypt's dominance and the Canaanite tribal systems.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-56: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it reveals key aspects of God's character through divine actions and declarations. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Numbers and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Numbers 33:56
56 Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them.
Analysis
The warning that remaining Canaanites 'shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell' uses vivid imagery to describe the constant irritation and danger of compromising with sin. Pricks and thorns cause ongoing pain and damage. This teaches that tolerating sin creates perpetual problems, not peaceful coexistence. The Reformed understanding that sin not mortified will inevitably mortify us is powerfully illustrated. We cannot make peace with what God has condemned.
Historical Context
Israel's history validated this warning completely. The Canaanite peoples who remained continually seduced Israel into idolatry, intermarried with them, and corrupted their worship. The judges period records cycle after cycle of compromise, corruption, oppression, and deliverance. The thorns God warned about proved exactly as painful as He said. Compromise never brought peace, only ongoing trouble.
Reflection
- How does the imagery of thorns and pricks describe the ongoing pain of tolerating sin?
- What does Israel's history of compromise teach about the impossibility of peaceful coexistence with sin?
- In what ways does unmortified sin inevitably damage Christian life and witness?
Cross-References
- Parallel theme: Deuteronomy 28:63