I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading. I had been using One Year Bible Online, but it was time for a change.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Numbers 27-29.

    Every time I read this passage it seems to me that there is a deep insight to be found in the story of Zelophehad’s daughters. I have struggled with finding that insight. However, as I was thinking about writing that I could not find that insight something came to my mind. In that society, women were economically provided for by their father and/or brothers until such a time as they married. The ruling here said that women whose father had died and who had no brothers should be able to economically provide for themselves. They should not be forced to throw themselves on the mercy of the first man they could find who was willing to support them.

    When Moses realized that his death was near he acted to ensure strong leadership for the people of Israel. However, Moses did not wait until that time to prepare for it. Ever since the people had left Egypt, Joshua had worked as Moses’ deputy. However, Moses also realized that there needed to be a separation of spiritual and secular leadership. Over time when the two roles are combined either the concerns of being secular leader will corrupt the spiritual side or the concerns of being spiritual leader will belittle the needs on the secular side. This is a problem which every organization faces. If the organization is a purely secular one the problem is minor. However, for religious organizations this is a problem which must be dealt with. The secular and spiritual leadership should work together, but they should be separate people whose only common interest is the good of the organization.