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Chapter Four- Numbers

Zipporah was a talented and dedicated genealogist. She felt it was important for two reasons: she wanted her children to know their roots, their family history, and to have a sense of belonging to a continuous line of people whose stories were linked by relationship and blood; the other reason was remembrance and respect for those who had gone before her. People struggled through life in order to improve conditions for their children and for this, they deserved to be remembered, not forgotten as though they never existed. It was her way of making her ancestresses live on while instilling respect for the human spirit, in her children.

So, while Moses was conducting a census to see if he had enough bodies to defeat other people, and steal their land, Zipporah was celebrating the accomplishments of people, both past and present. So, to review: a significant, scientific genealogy, a mitochondrial genealogy! Eve begat Aubree and Zoe. Aubree begat Margarette, who begat Hannah, who begat Hatti, who begat Geogiannah, who begat Laviniah, who begat Apami, who begat Dorothi, who begat Susannah. Zoe begat Alidah, who begat Thelmah, who begat Elizabeth, who begat Rosah, who begat Alexanderinah, who begat Joannah, who begat Isabellah, who begat Marion. Marion begat Lillith, who begat Sheilah, who begat Shalamah, who begat Gertrude, who begat Phebe, who begat Phoenicia, who begat Cynicah, who begat Gretah, who begat Hagar, who was the maid of Sarai. Susannah begat Annah, who begat Jean, who begat Sophiah, who begat Katherine, who begat Zinniah, who begat Wiccah, who begat Christina, who begat Sarai. Hagar begat Ismaela, who begat Lanaiah, who begat Laviniah, who begat Mariah, who begat Pamelai, who begat Zipporah. Sarai begat Selena, who begot Lentilah, who begot Shalamah, who begot Tara, who begot, Jokhaber, who begot Miriam.

Moses' sons are not included in the exhaustive body count conducted in the Book of Numbers for war purposes. Check it for yourself. That's because they were not there with him. They spent their lives in Midian with Zipporah, because Moses was both nuts and cruel. Wait and see. Also, while Moses was casting out lepers from the camp and making absurdly intrusive regulations about sexual conduct, Miriam and Zipporah were helping their community to institute health and safety reforms to minimize the spread of contagious diseases and care for those who contracted them, rather than subjecting them to perverse and useless cleansing rituals `a la The Book of Leviticus (14), and then exiling them. They created latrines and sewage systems, cisterns with aqueducts, and canals to carry water, and proper procedures for keeping communal wells sanitary and universally accessible. They taught the Midianites hygiene and herbal and natural medicinal practices, and even some marginal birth control methods. Meanwhile, the war-like Israelites under Moses were encouraging their ranks to reproduce like cockroaches to make more soldiers for the war effort!

The Midianites prospered under Zipporah and Miriam's gentle philosophy of community spirit. Projects were undertaken and accomplished by committee- each person contributing to her or his abilities, and each person receiving according to her or his needs. Homes were built by the whole group. There was a sowing and reaping schedule among the farms and orchards. Nobody cared, on a social level, who slept with whom, as long as mutual consent existed.

The Midianites' lack of preoccupation with other people's sex lives and personal business left them more mental and physical energy to enjoy other aspects of life. It wasn't all just toil and trouble for the progressive Midianites. They celebrated such festivals as had never been seen before. None involved ritual slaughter, but always good food, gathering, talking, singing, dancing, and lots of music. They knew how to party. Winter Solstice was a huge holiday...

MORE ON WINTER SOLSTICE- GO TO NEXT PAGE

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