Hello. My name is Eliav, but everyone just calls me Eli. I am nearly nine years old, and I’ve lived all my life in the wilderness here. But my grandfather, Joshua, tells me that we will soon be entering the land of Canaan, the land that G-d promised to us.
Not more idols!
Do you know Joshua? He is one of Moses’ most trusted friends. I help Grandfather a lot, and he tells me some of what’s happening in the camp, more than a lot of people know. For example, did you know that the plague we just had was because of some people starting to pray to the Moabites’ gods? All sorts of people are dying, and Moses has told everyone that anyone trying to get people to worship these idols is to be executed. Pretty scary, isn’t it? I also just heard that the plague ended when Pinhas, who was Aaron’s grandson, killed some of the people involved. It didn’t sound too good to me, but G-d told Moses that if not for Pinhas, G-d would have destroyed the whole people of Israel. That’s really not good. In fact, G-d was so pleased with how much Pinhas trusted and believed in G-d, that Pinhas and his descendants will be the priests of Israel forever.
Now that the plague is over, Moses wants to recount everyone. He and Eleazar, the new high priest, are taking a census, just like they did with Aaron way back when everyone first left Egypt. I don’t really know anyone who remembers Egypt. Almost everyone who was grown-up then has died here in the wilderness. Only Moses, Caleb, and my grandfather, Joshua, were there.
Weeks later…
Wow, they finished the census, and there are an awful lot of us! Check out these numbers!
| Reuben |
43,730 |
| Simeon |
22,200 |
| Gad |
40,500 |
| Judah |
76,500 |
| Issachar |
64,300 |
| Zebulun |
60,500 |
| Manasseh |
52,700 |
| Ephraim |
32,500 |
| Benjamin |
45,600 |
| Dan |
64,400 |
| Asher |
53,400 |
| Naphtali |
45,400 |
That makes 601,730 adult men! And that’s not all. From the tribe of Levi, there are now 23,000 men and boys as well.
Tirtzah returns
Do you remember Tirtzah? She used to be Miriam’s assistant when she was young? She and my grandfather knew each other well because they spent so much time with Moses and Miriam, and Tirtzah is best friends with my mother too. Well, her father just died. She and her sisters are very sad, but also very worried. I was visiting Grandpa Joshua the other day when they came to Moses.
“Moses,” Tirtzah called to him, “please listen to us. We have a serious problem.”
Moses nodded, and Tirtzah kept talking. “These are my sisters, Machlah, Noa, Choglah and Milcah. Because our father, Zelophehad, didn’t have any sons, what will happen to his allotment in Canaan and other possessions? Until now, property has stayed with the tribe, but if we marry outside of our tribe of Menasseh, will we lose everything?”
Moses said he would ask G-d, and soon came back with the answer.
“G-d has heard you, my friend Tirtzah,” he said, “and you have a just argument. From now, if there are no sons to inherit a man’s possessions, his daughters will inherit it.” When the five women heard this, they were so happy. Tirtzah gave Moses a hug, although her sisters seemed scared of the man who had just finished speaking with G-d. Still, they were all smiling when they left the tent.
Promotion!
Oh wow! Grandpa Joshua just told me something very sad, but also very wonderful. G-d just talked to Moses again, and told Moses to go up onto the mountain where his brother Aaron died. Once he’s there, G-d will show him the land of Canaan, but Moses won’t be allowed to cross the Jordan to enter with us. Instead, Moses will die up there on the mountain.
But first, he is going to pass all his authority to my grandfather! Yes, Eleazar the priest and Moses will call a meeting of all the people, and they’ll announce that Grandpa Joshua will now be the leader of the people.
