Lesson date: 03/17/5857AA

Verse 1 – The name Shittim- H7851 = the place of acacias. Did you notice anything? Do you hear the Children of Yisra’el complaining about where they are? There is a reason for that and it is found in the second part of the verse: the people began to whore with the daughters of Mo’ab”. Whore = zanah (H2181) and it specifically refers to the Bride of YHVH committing spiritual adultery more than physical adultery. This why why Exodus 20:5 is worded so exactly: … “For I, יהוה your Elohim am a jealous Ěl, visiting the crookedness of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,”

The word Zanah comes from a primitive root that has a special connotation: “Highly fed and therefore wanton.” In other words all their needs are met now all they want women. And, because the worship of Ba’al involved sexual orgies the Yisra’elites found what they were looking for.

Verse 2 – shows us that they lusted after the women so badly that they even bowed down to their gods.

This goes back to the first sin committed in the Garden of Eden. This goes forward to the reason Yeshua had to die long after this event took place, spiritual adultery, chasing after other gods. Is there indication of physical adultery? Yes, but what is paramount in the Hebrew is spiritual adultery.

Now, all of this didn’t just happen. It was part of the plan for our greedy profit, oops, prophet for hire, Bil’am. Look back to Bemidbar 24:14: Come let me advise you…

Bil’am still wanted to get paid so he shared with Balaq how to destroy the Army of Yisra’el by seducing them and getting them to serve another god: Rev 2:14 “But I hold a few matters against you, because you have there those who adhere to the teaching of Bil‛am, who taught Balaq to put a stumbling-block before the children of Yisra’ěl, to eat food offered to idols, and to commit whoring.

Verse 3-5 – Ba’al Peʽor was a Mo’aḇite ‘mighty one’, which service included sexually immoral acts. The name Ba’al means ‘husband, land owner’ and its general meaning and term as used in pagan idolatry and worship is ‘lord’, which may be a little shocking to you if you have never realised this – the term lord is an inherited term from pagan worship used for thousands of years. פְּעוֹר Peʽor – Strong’s H6465 was the name of a mountain in Moab. This name comes from the word פָּּעַּר ‘pa’ar’ – Strong’s H6473 which is a verb meaning ‘open wide’ and so in essence Ba’al Peʽor can be accurately rendered as ‘lord of the opening’ or the ‘lord that opens wide’. We know that יהושע says that wide is the way that leads to destruction and many find it!!! The occurrences of this verb ‘pa’ar’, to ‘open wide’, indicate adjunction with the strong passion or feeling, usually not very positive and described the wide opening of the mouth, hence alluding to other body cavities! Hoshěa remarks on the Ba’al Peʽor event (Hoshěa 9:10) and it is clear that the Yisra’ĕlites defiled themselves with abundant fornication and sexual perversion as the Ba’al worship rites were celebrated by the grossest obscenity. So here we can translate that being joined to Ba’al Peʽor meant being led on the wide path of destruction. We are to be the joined body of Messiah – joined to Messiah יהושע – being led in His narrow way!

YHVH was so angry He ordered that the men who had committed adultery to be hung in broad daylight.

Verse 6-13 – Was man was so brazen as to bring a foreign woman into the camp and have sex with her in front of the Tent of Appointment and in front of Mosheh and the others. Pinehas, son of El’azar, son of Aharon was so angry he grabbed a spear and ran both the man and the woman with a single thrust. Already YHVH’s anger was so intense that it had killed 24,000 of the perpetrators but the plague stopped upon the killing of the man and woman. Due to Pinehas’ passion for YHVH he received a special through a covenant of peace. The priesthood went to Levi, then to Aharon and now because of Pinehas’ passion for YHVH it is further “narrowed” down to Pinehas.

1Co 10:6 And these became examples for us, so that we should not lust after evil, as those indeed lusted.

1Co 10:7 And do not become idolaters as some of them, as it has been written, “The people sat down to eat and to drink, and stood up to play.”

1Co 10:8 Neither should we commit whoring, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell,

1Co 10:9 neither let us try Messiah, as some of them also tried, and were destroyed by serpents,

1Co 10:10 neither grumble, as some of them also grumbled, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

Verses 14-18 – As we have discussed many times before, women are seldom mentioned by name unless there is a reason to do so. Is it just so we will blame that person for what they did or honor them for what they accomplished? No, I don’t think they is the only reason. Here we learn the name of the Midyaite woman and it is Kozbi, H3579 – “my lie”. This almost sounds like a confession from Hasatan of one of his trade secrets, he deceives with lies.

These names have great significance. Case in point, the Name of our Messiah, Yeshua H3444. What does it mean? Literally it means Yehovah’s Salvation but is usually translated as “My Salvation” in scripture when YHVH is speaking. Here are just a few of the times it is used in the scriptures: Exo. 15:2; I Sam. 2:1; II Sam. 22:3; Job 13:16; Psalms 13:5; 18:2, 46; 25:5; 27:1,9 and many many more times. Is it any wonder that we see this question being asked in Proverbs: Pro 30:4  Who has gone up to the heavens and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who established all the ends of the earth? What is His Name, And what is His Son’s Name, If you know it?

Now, with almost 20/20 hindsight we know His Name is “My Salvation” יהושע not Jesus. Pro_22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. Ecc_7:1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.

We are called by a Good Name Jas 2:7  Do they not blaspheme that good Name by which you are called?

Ahavah vberakhot