Numbers 10 (v29-36), Everybody Move!

Imagine what it was like for Israel to be on the move.  With 600,000 plus men of military age, there were likely 2-3 million people to get moving.  Yet, as you read 10:11-32, it is a well-run event.  The first segment of the journey went three days (v33), from the wilderness of Sinai to the wilderness of Paran (v12).  There would be stops at night, but without setting up camp.  It was more stopping where you are and catch a few winks.  Food would have been prepared beforehand.  Don’t you love 10:35-36?  Starting and stopping were deeply spiritual events.  They were the people of YAHWEH, headed for the Promised Land, a land of milk and honey.  (By the way, this is my understanding of the travels in the wilderness.  Others might see it differently as far as whether they actually set up camp each day.)

In this chapter we see for the fourth time the men, sons of their fathers, who were the tribal leaders (Num. 1,2,7,10).  Again, I want to share some thoughts about their names.  First, here are the meanings of the names, the son and then the father:

·       v14: Nahshon = Enchanter; Aminadab = my kinsman is noble

·       v15: Nethanel = given to God; Zuar = littleness

·       v16: Eliab = my God is Father or God is father; Helon = strength

·       v18: Elizur = my God is a rock; Shedeur = darter of light

·       19: Shelumiel – friend of God; Zurishaddai = my Rock is Almighty

·       20: Eliasaph = God has added; Deuel = they know God

·       v22: Elishama = my God has heart; Ammihud = my kinsman is Majesty

·       v23: Gamaliel = reward of God; Pedahzur = the Rock has ransomed

·       v24: Abidan = my father is judge; Gideoni = my hewer (warlike)

·       v25: Ahiezer = my brother is help; Ammishaddai = my Kinsman is Almighty

·       v26: Pagiel = event of God; Ocran = troubled

·       v27: Ahira = my brother is evil; Enan = having eyes.

I often pause to wonder why these people got these names.  The last one, Ahira, is hard to imagine.  Why would he be given that name.  As opposed to Ahiezer, my brother is help, a name given by a father whose name attributed Deity to the Kinsman.  Note the other “Kinsman” name: Ammihud, my Kinsman is Majesty.  What encouragement to bear a name that speaks of the hope of Israel, the promised Savior!

The names in v26 I find fascinating.  Ocran got a name that spoke of the situation Israel was in, one of trouble and bondage.  His name is related to Achan, the “troubler of Israel” (Josh. 6:8).  Ocran, at the time his son was born, would have known God’s promise about their situation.  God told Abraham the time of being in Egypt would be 400 years (Gen. 15:13).  So Ocran gave his son the name “event of God.”  He was confident that in Pagiel’s lifetime deliverance would come, and it would come from God.  It’s interesting.  Pagiel is a combination of two words: event and God.  The “event” term is used in Eccl. 9:11 when the writer, describing life without God, says time and chance happen to all.  The righteous in Israel, in the later years in Egypt, were not counting on “time and chance.”  They anticipated an “event of God”.

(Note: There is a reference to Moses' father-in-law and his family going with Israel in Num. 10:29-32.  We did a study of this man, posted on July 29-31, 2021.)