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| Numbers -
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| Key Places in Numbers (Ancient
& Modern maps) 1 Mount Sinai Numbers begins at Mount Sinai in the Desert of Sinai with Moses taking a census of the men eligible for battle. As the battle preparations began, the people also prepared for the spiritual battle they would face. The promised land was full of wicked people who would try to entice the Israelites to sin. God, therefore, taught Moses and the Israelites how to live rightly (Numbers 1:1-12:15). 2 Desert of Paran After a full year at Mount Sinai, the Israelites broke camp and began their march toward the promised land by moving into the Desert of Paran. From there, one leader from each tribe was sent to spy out the new land. After 40 days they returned, and all but Joshua and Caleb were too afraid to enter. Because of their lack of faith, the Israelites were made to wander in the desert for 40 years (Numbers 12:16-19:22). 3 Kadesh With the years of wandering nearing an end, the Israelites set their sights once again on the promised land. Kadesh was the oasis where they spent most of their desert years. Miriam died here. And it was here that Moses angrily struck the rock, which kept him from entering the promised land (Numbers 20). 4 Arad When the king there heard that Israel was on the move, he attacked, but he was soundly defeated. Moses then led the people southward and eastward around the Dead Sea (Numbers 21:1-3). 5 Edom The Israelites wanted to travel through Edom, but the king of Edom refused them passage (Numbers 20:14-22). So they traveled around Edom and became very discouraged. The people complained, and God sent venomous snakes to punish them. Only by looking at a bronze snake on a pole could those bitten be healed (Numbers 21:4-9). 6 Ammon Next, King Sihon of the Amorites refused Israel passage. When he attacked, Israel defeated his army and conquered the territory as far as the border of Ammon (Numbers 21:21-32). 7 Bashan Moses sent spies to Bashan. King Og attacked, but he was also defeated (Numbers 21:33-35). 8 Plains of Moab The people camped on the Plains of Moab, east of the Jordan River across from Jericho. They were on the verge of entering the promised land (Numbers 22:1). 9 Moab King Balak of Moab, terrified of the Israelites, called upon Balaam, a famous sorcerer, to curse Israel from the mountains above where the Israelites camped. But the Lord caused Balaam to bless them instead (Numbers 22:2-24:25). 10 Gilead The tribes of Reuben and Gad decided to settle in the fertile country of Gilead east of the Jordan River because it was a good land for their sheep. But first they promised to help the other tribes conquer the land west of the Jordan River (Numbers 32). |
| Numbers, Book of
The fourth of the books of the Pentateuch, called in the Hebrew be-midbar, i.e., "in the wilderness." In the LXX. version it is called "Numbers," and this name is now the usual title of the book. It is so called because it contains a record of the numbering of the people in the wilderness of Sinai #Nu 1:1-4:49 and of their numbering afterwards on the plain of Moab #Nu 26:1-2. This book is of special historical interest as furnishing us with details as to the route of the Israelites in the wilderness and their principal encampments. It may be divided into three parts:
The period comprehended in the history extends from the second month of the second year after the Exodus to the beginning of the eleventh month of the fortieth year, in all about thirty-eight years and ten months; a dreary period of wanderings, during which that disobedient generation all died in the wilderness. They were fewer in number at the end of their wanderings than when they left the land of Egypt. We see in this history, on the one hand, the unceasing care of the Almighty over his chosen people during their wanderings; and, on the other hand, the murmurings and rebellions by which they offended their heavenly Protector, drew down repeated marks of his displeasure, and provoked him to say that they should "not enter into his rest" because of their unbelief #Heb 3:19 This, like the other books of the Pentateuch, bears evidence of having been written by Moses. The expression "the book of the wars of the Lord," occurring in #Nu 21:14 has given rise to much discussion. But, after all, "what this book was is uncertain, whether some writing of Israel not now extant, or some writing of the Amorites which contained songs and triumphs of their king Sihon’s victories, out of which Moses may cite this testimony, as Paul sometimes does out of heathen poets" #Ac 17:28 Tit 1:12
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| Numbering of the people
Besides the numbering of the tribes mentioned in the history of the wanderings in the wilderness, we have an account of a general census of the whole nation from Dan to Beersheba, which David gave directions to Joab to make #1Ch 21:1 Joab very reluctantly began to carry out the king’s command. This act of David in ordering a numbering of the people arose from pride and a self-glorifying spirit. It indicated a reliance on his part on an arm of flesh, an estimating of his power not by the divine favour but by the material resources of his kingdom. He thought of military achievement and of conquest, and forgot that he was God’s vicegerent. In all this he sinned against God. While Joab was engaged in the census, David’s heart smote him, and he became deeply conscious of his fault; and in profound humiliation he confessed, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done." The prophet Gad was sent to him to put before him three dreadful alternatives #2Sa 24:13 for "seven years" in this verse, the LXX. and #1Ch 21:12 have "three years"), three of Jehovah’s four sore judgments #Eze 14:21 Two of these David had already experienced. He had fled for some months before Absalom, and had suffered three years’ famine on account of the slaughter of the Gibeonites. In his "strait" David said, "Let me fall into the hands of the Lord." A pestilence broke out among the people, and in three days swept away 70,000 At David’s intercession the plague was stayed, and at the threshing-floor of Araunah (q.v.), where the destroying angel was arrested in his progress, David erected an altar, and there offered up sacrifies to God #2Ch 3:1 The census, so far as completed, showed that there were at least 1,300,000 fighting men in the kingdom, indicating at that time a population of about six or seven millions in all.
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NUMBERS, BOOK OF
Contents:
NUMBERS, BOOK OF Fourth book of Old Testament that teaches the identity of the people of God, God’s provision for authority over His people, and God’s plan for their fulfillment as a nation. It answers the questions: "Who are the people of God?" "Who is in charge here?" and, "What are we doing?"Title The book title is "Numbers" in our English Bibles based upon the Vulgate (Latin translation) title, Numeri, and the Septuagint (Greek translation) title, Arithmoi. This title is based on the "numbering" of people (Numbers 1:19; Numbers 1:45; Numbers 2:33; Numbers 3:42; Numbers 4:49; Numbers 26:4). The Hebrew bible uses the first word in the book, Bemidhbar ("in the wilderness"), as the title. This is a helpful description giving the setting for much more that happens to God’s people than taking censuses. In fact, most commentators use a geographical outline to summarize the book. This outline is simply stated: Numbers 1:1-10:10 What happened at Sinai; Numbers 10:11-20:13 What happened in the wilderness; and Numbers 20:14-36:13 What happened from Kadesh to Moab. Contents It seems most productive to consider the contents of the book in the light of the three questions asked above: "Who are the people of God?" "Who is in charge here?" and, "What are we doing?" The following should illuminate this. Outline
In this way, the reader is able to see that every aspect of life during the wilderness wandering was permeated with the centrality of God. Under God’s instructions Israel conscripted an army; God’s presence radiated both a sense of awe and well-being in the center of the camp; God’s promise of a landed inheritance gave them a goal to strive for and an identity; and God was the ultimate authority and spoke both indirectly through His human representatives and directly through His miraculous power. The rebellion narratives (Numbers 11:1-12:16; Numbers 14; Numbers 16; Numbers 17; Numbers 20; Numbers 21:4-9; and Numbers 25:1-18), as well as the account of Balaam the wizard (Numbers 22-24), serve to show how God’s plan and provision cannot be thwarted by any rival possibility or power. Israel needed to stay on God’s side to find success.
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Numbers -
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