Numbers 30:1-32:42, Annual Matot, “Tribes,” Outline

Read Numbers 30:1-32:42 at Bible Gateway.

The Teaching Tools of Scripture
Genesis 1:1-2:3, The Teaching Tools of Scripture, part one and part two
Genesis 1:1-6:8, Finding the Topic Themes of Scripture

Hebrew paragraph divisions

30:1-16 {p} The law concerning vows
31:1-12 {s} Defeat of Midian
31:13-20 {s} Kill the women and male children, be purified on the 3rd, 7th days
31:21-24 {s} Purification of metals / 7th day to come into the camp
31:25-54 {p} The division of the plunder
32:1-4 {s} The country on the east side of the Jordan, a land for livestock
32:5-15 {s} Reuben and Gad: Do not take us over the Jordan; Moses’ rebuke
32:16-19 {p} We will cross over armed with Israel to cause them to inherit
32:20-42 {p} Reuben, Gad, half Manasseh inherit east of the Jordan

Strong themes of the parashah

31:1-54 {sx3+p} Victory for Israel over Midian
32:1-42 {s+s+p+p} Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh inherit the east side of the Jordan

Numbers 30:1-32:42 triennial Torah portions

30:1-31:54, Triennial Matot, “Tribes”
32:1-42, Triennial Umiqneh rav, “Much cattle”

Numbers 30:1-32:42 Chiastic structure

Download the fully expanded Num 30:1-32:42 Matot chiasm pdf (Coming …).

Theme of the parashah

In Matot, the theme of Num 30 is the law concerning vows: pay what you have vowed to YHVH. In Num 32, the theme is the vow of Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh to pay their vow to cross over armed before Israel. In Num 31, Israel pays a vow in defeating Midian, for in Num 25 Midian seduced Israel into idolatry with Baal of Peor, and YHVH commanded them at that time to attack them. The theme of the parashah, then, is pay what you have vowed to YHVH.

Finding Messiah in Matot

This separate post is here.

Additional readings for this parashah

Jer 2:4-28 (my notes) | Luk 13:1-9 (my notes)

Studies in Matot

Numbers 30, Bible for Beginners
Numbers 30, The law concerning vows
Numbers 31, Bible for Beginners
Numbers 31, Waging YHVH’s warfare
Numbers 32, Bible for Beginners
Numbers 30:1-32:42, Chiastic structure, and YHVH’s just judgment

Further study off site

Matot – Restoration of Torah
Matot Torah Pearls – Nehemiah Gordon and Keith Johnson

SCRIPTURE REVEALED SERIES by CHRISTINE MILLER:
THE LAW of LOVE | FINDING MESSIAH in TORAH | NUMBERS in CHIASTIC STRUCTURE