Chukat, Numbers 19-22:1, begins with one of the Torah's most bizarre commandments. A red heifer without blemish was to be taken outside the camp and slaughtered. In its entirety, it was burned to ashes (along with cedar wood, hyssop, and crimson fluff).

The ashes of this heifer, when mixed with water were the only way for a person to become ritually clean after coming in contact with a corpse.  This mixture was also used to purify a tent that had held a corpse. The intrigue of this ritual is that any person (presumably the officiating priest) involved in this cleansing ritual becomes, himself, unclean until the evening!

Chapter 20 begins with Miriam's death, and the community again suffering from lack of water. God commands Moses to take his Aaron and his staff and order "the rock" to yield its water. Moses strikes the rock twice and copious water flows.  God informs Moses and Aaron that, "Because you did not trust Me enough to affirm My sanctity...you shall not lead this congregation into the land that I have given them."

Moses asks the king of Edom for permission to cross his territory. Moses promises that the people will neither pass through Edom's fields and vineyards nor use Edom's wells. The king of Edom refuses, and the Hebrews went back into the wilderness.  At Mount Hor, God orders Moses to take Aaron and Aaron's son Eleazar to the top of the mountain. There, Moses removes Aaron's sacred vestments and dresses Eleazar. Aaron dies on the mountain. The community mourns Aaron for thirty days.

The king of Arad attacks the Hebrews and takes some captives.  The Israelites counterattack and wipe out the king of Arad.  The people again complain against Moses. God sends poisonous serpents/snakes against the people. The people repent QUICKLY. Moses makes a copper serpent and mounts it on a pole. All who look at the serpent recover from their snakebites.

Israel fights Sichon, king of the Amorites, and wins. The Hebrews sing a victory song.  They engage Og, king of Bashan, in battle and again win. The Hebrews encamp across from Jericho.

The second portion, Balak, Numbers 22:2-25:9, begins with the famous story of Balaam. Balak, the King of Moab, and a group of Midianite leaders are frightened by the Hebrew victory over the Amorites. They decide to hire a professional to curse the Hebrews, and this is Balaam son of Beor. God forbids Balaam to curse the Hebrews, and Balaam obeys.

King Balak sends other dignitaries to Balaam offering him anything he wants to curse the Hebrews. God permits Balaam to go with the dignitaries but adds, "Whatever I command you, that you shall do."

Balaam goes off with the dignitaries. God is furious and sends an adversary against Balaam. Balaam's donkey sees the angel; Balaam doesn't. The donkey swerves. Balaam beats the donkey. The donkey tries to avoid the angel a second time and her maneuver pushes Balaam's foot against a fence. Balaam beats the donkey. The donkey sees the angel again and lies down. Balaam beats the donkey.

The donkey turns to Balaam and says, "Why are you beating me?" Balaam answers the donkey. The donkey points out that she's not in the habit of causing trouble. Balaam agrees. Balaam then sees the angel. The angel informs Balaam that he may continue on his errand.

Balaam meets King Balak and has him set up seven altars. He makes offerings. He tells Balak to stay by the altars. Balaam goes off, and God puts words in Balaam's mouth. Balaam then blesses the Hebrews rather than cursing them.

King Balak is not happy. He tries a second time and makes seven altars. Again Balaam blesses the Hebrews. King Balak tries a third time. Again Balaam blesses the Hebrews. King Balak, in rage, strikes his hands together. Balaam reminds him that he can only speak what God permits. Balaam then dooms the Amalekites and the Kenites, and proceeds to go home.

Chapter 25 describes the people of Israel sinning by sleeping with Moabite women and joining in their sacrifices. God orders the ringleaders to be impaled. A Hebrew overtly takes a Midianite woman into his tent. Pinchas, son of Eleazar (the High Priest), takes a spear and skewers the pair through their bellies. The plague, which had killed 24,000 people, stopped.