COZBI, THE DAUGHTERS OF ZELOPHEHAD

Learn: Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

The nation of Israel spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness after departing Egypt. It was not that the distance to reach the Promised Land was so great(according to Deuteronomy it is an eleven day journey from Horeb-“Mt. Sinai”-to Kadesh-Barnea), but that the Israelites were so rebellious. When they arrived at the border of the land that God had promised, they refused to go in because they did not trust God (Numbers 13:1-14:45). So the LORD brought their own prediction of dying in the wilderness to pass. Only those 20 years and younger, aside from Joshua and Caleb (who trusted the LORD), were allowed to enter into God’s Promised Land. During the time that they wandered, as recorded from Numbers 13-36, the people were protected and instructed of the LORD by his servant Moses. They were also chastised when they rebelled. During this time period there are two accounts dealing women that have been recorded for us.

Read: Numbers 25:1-18 to do the lesson.

Read Numbers 22, 23, 24, 31:16 for background of the events of our lesson.

1.According to v 1 of chapter 25, what did the children of Israel begin to do?

2. What is the behavior that the people engaged in which is called “whoredom” in vers1? v 2

3. How does God describe the relationship that he has with the nation of Israel? Isaiah 54:5

4. How does God describe what the nation did? v 3a

5. In a marriage, both the husband and wife promise that they are committed only to each other. If one person of that union is involved with a person outside of that relationship it is called________________ or _________________(as is written in v 1)?

6. What reaction did the LORD have because of Israel’s treachery? vv 3b, 4 

7. How did Moses implement God’s command? v 5 

8.  How did one of the Midianite women flaunt her disregard for the God of Israel and the people of God who cried before the LORD because of the wickedness of their fellow Israelites? v 6

9. Because of the gross wickedness that was going on, the LORD brought a plague on the nation. How was the plague stopped? vv 7, 8

10. What was the total of those who were judged and died either by being slain or by plague because of the wickedness of this whoredom? v 9

11. How did God bless Phineas for what he did to turn away the LORD’S wrath? vv 11-13

12. The evil woman whose name is recorded enticed a man whose family was in leadership. His example was of grave consequence in causing others to stumble. What is the name of the vile woman who was part of the wiles used by the Midianites to beguile the people of Israel to sin?  vv 15, 18

13. Cozbi is an example of the type of woman men are told to avoid in Proverbs 7:5-27. How did the actions of Cozbi (verses 6 and 18 in Numbers 25), and what judgement it brought to the man she enticed, fit with the description of the “strange” woman described in this Proverbs passage?

14. According to Numbers 31:16, how did this despicable behavior by the people of Israel and the resulting judgment get started?

15. We can see through the reference chapters that Balaam knew the Living God and had communication with him, but knowing who God is and on occasion even speaking what God desires is not a guarantee of right relationship with God. Using the Scripture listed above and Matthew 7:15-23 explain how we know that Balaam was not a true believer in God, even though God used him to prophecy truth concerning the nation of Israel.

Read: Numbers 27:1-11

16. The women spoken of in this chapter are the exact opposite of wicked Cozbi. They were women who loved the LORD, who came to Moses with an honest concern for their inheritance. What are the names of the five daughters of Zeloph’ehad?  v 1

17. When they had a problem, which would lead to the Loss of their father’s inheritance, they did not complain or stir up trouble in the camp. How did they set a good example before their people and us?  vv 2-4

18. When the women brought their problem to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the princes of the people, what did they know would be done to solve the problem?  v 5

19. What was the LORD’S answer to Moses concerning the five sisters’ situation and the right of inheritance when a man had no sons?  vv 6-11

20. Later on in Numbers 36:1-3 we see that the chief leaders of the tribe of Manasseh came to Moses for a further clarification needed concerning the inheritance of the family of Zeloph’ehad. What was the problem? 

21. Again Moses went to the LORD for the answer to the problem. We see that Moses was a man who never tried to solve the problem with his own wisdom, but went to the author of all wisdom. What did the LORD command to be done so that the inheritance of the land given to the family of Zeloph’ehad should remain part of the inheritance of the tribe of Manasseh?  vv 5-8

22. What was the general command that would apply to the whole nation concerning the inheritance of land?  v 9

23. Did the five sisters follow the command of the LORD?  Explain.  vv 11, 12

24. Where were the people of Israel when these last commandments concerning the division of the land were given?  v 13

25. There is a great difference between the atmosphere in the situation surrounding the woman Cozbi and the atmosphere when the women who were the daughters of Zeloph’ehad came and brought their problem to Moses. Can you think of opposite words that could describe this difference?

26. In the lives of people around us we can often see the same difference, the same opposite atmosphere in which people live. What conclusion can you draw from this lesson about the results achieved in life by choices we make?