Book of Numbers

Books of the Hebrew Bible

Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1–2 Samuel 1–2 Kings 1–2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon (Song of Songs) Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel other Minor Prophets

The Israelites travel through the wilderness as described in the Book of Numbers.

The Book of Numbers is the fourth of the books of the Pentateuch, taking up the story of the Israelites journey through the wilderness after the construction of the Tabernacle in the Book of Exodus and continuing though the conquest of the territories east of Canaan.

Its name comes from the the Greek Septuagint version in which the book is called Arithmoi ("Numbers") because it begins with record of the numbering of the people in the wilderness of Sinai (1-4) and also tells of a later numbering on the plain of Moab (26). In the Hebrew version it is titled Ba-Midbar (במדבר)—"In the Desert"—from its opening lines.

This book contains several of the Bible's most memorable episodes:

• The story of the Israelite spies in Canaan.
• God's decision to have the Israelites wander for 40 years in the wilderness.
• The rebellion of Korah and his followers against Aaron's priesthood.
• The story of Aaron's rod that budded and flowered.
• Moses' sin of striking the Rock at Kadesh.
• The construction of the bronze serpent that healed the Israelites.
• The deaths of Miriam and Aaron.
• The hilarious episode of Balak, Balaam and a talking donkey.
• The sedection of the Israelites into sexual and religious sin at Baal Peor.
• The conquest of Moab and Midianite lands east of the Jordan.

It also provides numerous details as to the route of the Israelites in the wilderness and their principal encampments, as well as a number of laws governing the conduct of sacfrices, criminal regulations, and the proper conduct of holy war.

The period covered by the book 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 38 years and ten months; a dreary period of wanderings. The Israelites were fewer in number at the end of their wanderings than when they left the land of Egypt.

The modern documentary hypothesis asserts that the book of Numbers was created as part of the combination by a redactor of the Torah from two competing parallel works known as JE and the Priestly source.

Summary

Overview

Numbers takes up the story left off in Exodus with the successful construction of the Tabernacle. The Book of Leviticus provides a lengthy interlude between the two narratives, dealing primarily with religious regulations. After a tragic false start due to the episode of the Golden Calf, the Israelites are now strongly united, with Moses and Aaron as their leaders and the Tabernacle as their sacred sanctuary. God is visibly present with them, showing them when to camp by settling in the form of a cloud over the Tabernacle and signaling when to leave by causing the cloud to rise. A short journey is intitally envisioned as the Israelites march north toward Canaan.

The book goes on to describe their initial faith, their failure act with confidence after hearing the reports of spies sent to survey the land, and the consequent 40 years of dreary wandering when God determines to punish the first generation of Israelites for their faithlessness by having them gradually die in the wilderness. By the book's end, all of those who were adults at the time of the intial Exodus except Moses, Joshua, and Caleb, have perished. The new generation, though far from perfect spiritually, demonstrates substantial military strength, and the Israelites are finally poised for conquest.

Numbering the tribes

God orders Moses, in the wilderness of Sinai, to take the number of those able to bear arms among the men "from twenty years old and upward"—the tribe of Levi being excepted—and to appoint chiefs over each tribe. The result of the numbering is that 603,550 Israelites are found to be fit for military service. The Levites are assigned exclusively the service of the Tabernacle (Ch. 1). The Levites are to camp immediately outside of the Tabernacle, with the other tribes encamped around the Levites, each tribe being distinguished by its chosen banner. Tribe of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun encamp to the east of the Tabernacle; Reuben, Simeon, and Gad to the south; Ephraim and Manasseh to the west; and Dan, Asher, and Naphtali to the north. The same order is to be preserved for the march. (Ch. 2)

Priests, Levites and laws

Because of the death of Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu, only his reamining sons Eleazar and Ithamar serve as priests during his lifetime. The Levites are ordained for the service of the Tabernacle, taking the place of the first-born sons of the Israelites, who hitherto be claimed by God as his.

The Levites are also divided into three families, the Gershonites, the Kohathites, and the Merarites, each under a chief, and all headed by one prince, Eleazar, son of Aaron. The death penalty is stipulated for any unauthorized person approaching the sanctuary, and a redemption fee is instituted for first-born Israelites who would otherwise have to serve at the Tabernacle (Ch. 3.). Each of the three branches of Levites from 30 to 50 years of age is numbered, and their special duties defined, the total number coming to 8,580 (Ch. 4).

"Lepers" and other ritually unclean persons are excluded from the camp. Restitution must be made for wrongs committed against another person. "Each man's sacred gifts are his own, but what he gives to the priest will belong to the priest."

If a man suspects his wife of infidelity, he is to bring her to the priest with an offering. A ritual is to be performed in which the woman swears and oath and drinks "bitter water." She will suffer a horrible curse if her oath is false (Ch. 5).

Ordinances are instituting concerning the taking of the vow of a Nazarite. The famous priestly blessing is formally pronounced:

The Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;

the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. (Num. 6:24-27)

The Tabernacle is finished, and each of the chiefs of the 12 tribes brings a rich offering. The golden Menorah is lit, and the Levites are formally consecrated to begin their duties. The retirement age for Levites is set at 50 years. The Passover holiday is instituted and celebrated. The penalty for not celebrating Passover is to be cut off from membership in the people of Israel. Aliens are permitted to celebrate Passover under the same regulations as Israelites. The Israelites continued on the journey, settling when the holy cloud of God settled over the Tabernacle, and moving on when the cloud lifted (Ch. 7-9)

Moses makes two silver trumpets for convoking the congregation and announcing the recommencement of a journey, and the various occasions for the use of the trumpets are stipulated.

The Israelites begin their first journey after the construction of the Tabernacle, stopping at the Desert of Paran. Moses invites his brother-in-law, Hobab the Midianite to join them. He declines at first but agrees after Moses implores them to act as their guide through the desert (Ch. 10).

Complaints bring God's anger

At Taberah, God become angry upon hearing the complaints of the people and sends fire to consume some of those on the outskirts of the camp. Moses, hearing continued grumbling from the people over the monotony of having to eat only manna, loses patience and complains to God that his burden of leadership is too heavy. God tells him to choose 70 elders to assist him in the government of the people. God also provides quail for the people to eat. The 70 elders are brought close to the sacred tent. The elders are touched by the Spirit that was formerly only on Moses and immediately prophesy. At Kibroth Hattaavah, Yahweh provides abundant quail as promised, but smites the people with a plague for having complained about his earlier gift of manna (Ch. 11).

At Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticize Moses for having married a Chushite woman, claiming that they, too, are prophets. God calls them to the sacred tent and explains that, while Moses siblings indeed are prophets, Moses' authority is not to be challenged because he speaks with God "face to face." Miriam is punished with a skin disease and is shut out of camp for seven days, at the end of which the Israelites proceed again to the wilderness of Paran (Ch. 12).

Spying in Canaan

God commands Moses to send spies into Canaan, one leader from each of the tribes. After 40 days, the spies return and report to Moses, Aaron, and to the whole assembly at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran. They report the land to be rich and "flowing with milk and honey." However, they also bring intelligence that the towns are walled and heavily fortified. Caleb urges an aggressive course, confident that the land can be taken. The other spies, however, counsel caution, spreading a "bad report" about giant Nephilim and other formidable foes that inhabit the land (Ch. 13).

That night, treason against Moses and Aaron spreads in the camp, and there is talk of electing a new leader who will lead the Israelites back to Egypt. Joshua and Caleb remain loyal, imploring the people to have faith that God will deliver victory to them. Their speeches, however, are to no avail. God again becomes angry and tells Moses that he plans kill all of the Israelites and begin a new nation descended from Moses. Arguing that the Egyptians and Canaanites will think that Yahweh is powerless to fulfill his promises and will think badly of him, Moses convinces God to relent. Moses even quotes scripture to its Author: "Yahweh is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion." God is apparently moved by Moses' entreaties and agrees to forgive. However, his mercy is limited, as he tells Moses and Aaron that he will cause all of the generation who witnessed the early miracles of the Exodus to die in the wilderness, the two exceptions being Joshua and Caleb alone. God sentences the Israelites to 40 years of wandering, one year for each day of spying. The fickle Israelites immediately repent and determine to march immediately into Canaan. Moses forbids this and refuses either to join them or to allow the Ark of the Covenant to serve as their standard. Without divine support, the army is badly beaten by a coalition force of Canaanites and Amalekites, and the Israelites are forced to retreat to Hormah (Ch. 14).

God reveals various ordinances regarding future life in Canaan. Non-Israelites are allowed to participate in the sacrifical worship of Yahweh, but a required to follow the same standards as Israelites:

The community is to have the same rules for you and for the alien living among you; this is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. You and the alien shall be the same before the Lord. (15:15)

Sin offerings are provided for the atonement of those who sin unintentionally. But those who sin willfully are guilty of blasphemy and must be "cut off." An immediate demonstration is provided as man is caught carrying wood on the sabbath. God commands Moses to have him stoned to death, and them man is taken outside the camp and executed for his crime (15).

Korah's rebellion

Korah, a grandson of the Levite leader Kohath, leads a movement that attempts to democratize the priesthood, claiming: "The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord's assembly?" Supporting him are 250 well respected members of the community. Moses challenges them to meet at the sacred altar the next morning and let God decide the matter, claiming the Korah and his Levite followers have rebelled not against Aaron's priesthood but against God himself. Moses prays that God will not accept the offering of the would-be priests.

In the morning, God commands Moses and Aaron to have the rest of the assembly move away from the tents of Korah and his followers. The families of the rebels are promptly killed as the ground opens up to swallow them. God then sends fire to slay the usurper-priests standing at the altar. When the remaining people hold Moses responsible for the slaughter, God sends a plague upon the entire camp, killing and additional 14,700 people until Aaron succeeds in placating God with an offering of incense (16).

God confirms his support of Aaron's priesthood by having Moses gather one rod from each of the tribes and causing Aaron's rod alone to bloom miraculously (17).

Aaron and his family are declared by God to be responsible for any iniquity committed in connection with the sanctuary. The Levites are again appointed to help Aaron and his sons, the priests, in the keeping of the Tabernacle. The priestly portions and tithes given to the Levites are specified. The Levites must in turn tithe to the priests (Ch. 18). Aaron's son Eleazer models a rite of purifcation through the sacrifice of a red heifer. Other laws of purification are also instituted (Ch. 19).

The Sin of Moses

After Miriam's death at Kadesh, the Israelites blame Moses and Aaron for the lack of water. Moses, ordered by God to speak to the rock, grows furious with against the Israelites and disobeys by striking the rock instead of speaking to it. Water is produced, but Moses and Aaron are punished by the announcement that they will not be allowed to enter Canaan: "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."

As the Israelites near Canaan, the king of Edom refuses permission for them to pass through his land. Aaron's dies on Mount Hor in the territory of Edom, and is succeeded as high priest by his son Eleazer (20).

The bronze serpent

King Arad of the Canaan is defeated at Hormah and several Canaanite towns are utterly destroyed by the Israelites.

Having been denied passage through Edom, the Israelites retrace their route from Mount Hor to the Red Sea. On the way, they are bittle by a horde of by "fiery serpents" after speaking against God and Moses. When the people repent, God commands Moses to fashion a bronze image of a serpent, which heals any Israelite who gazes at it.

Moving north toward the valley of Moab, the Israelites ask permission of Sihon, king of the Amorites, to pass through his land. When he refuses, they defeat him and take over his lands. They also conquer another Amorite king, Og of Bashan, and take control of his terriories (21).

The legend of Balaam

As the Israelites continue their conquest of Moabite towns the Moabite king Balak hires the prophet Balaam son of Beor to curse the approaching army. Balaam inquires not with a pagan God but with Yahweh himself, who instructs him not to curse the Israelites, because "the are blessed." Balak sends other princes to Balaam, offering him rich bribes, but he resists on the grounds that he must not disobey "Yahweh my God." Yahweh, however, instructs Balaam to go with the delegation but to do only what God commands.

In a comic episode, God becomes angry as Balaam travels and sends an angel to block his path. The donkey lays down in the road under Balaam, who does not see the angel. The dokey complains to her master, saying; "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?" After a brief dialog with his beast, Balaam finally notices the angel, who informs him that were it not for donkey's reticence, Balaam would have surely been killed. The angel repeats God's previous instructions to Balaam, who then continues his journey and meets Balak as planned. Balak prepares seven altars at Kiriath Huzoth and together he and Balaam sacrifice a bull and a ram on each altar. God inspires Balaam with the following prophetic message:

How can I curse those whom God has not cursed?

How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced?...

Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel?

Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my end be like theirs! (Num. 23:8-10)

Undeterred, Balak erects news altars on a different high place, at Pisgah, and offers new sacrifices there, but Balaam prophesies: "There is no sorcery against Jacob, no divination against Israel." Balak tries again at Peor, with similar results as Balaam looks over the approach Israelite horde and declares: "How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel! ...May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!"

The disappointed Balak finally dismisses Balak, who returns home, pronouncing a prophecy of doom against Moab as he does so.

Moabite women

Despite Balaam's declaration of God's blessing, the Israelites themselves earn the Lord's curse. Encamped at Shittim commit sexual sin with the women of Moab and join them in worshiping the Baal of Peor. God commands Moses to execute all the participants in this episode. A plague destroys 24,000 Israelites until it is put to a stop when Aaron's grandson, the priest Phinehas, takes a spear and with one might thrust gruesomely slays both an Israelite leader and his Midianite wife, a local princess. Impressed by Phinehas' zeal God promises his lineage "a covenant of a lasting priesthood." God commands Moses to "Midianites as enemies and kill them." (Ch. 25)

A new census, taken just before the entry into the land of Canaan, gives the total number of males from 20 years and upward as 601,730. The number of the Levites from a month old and upward is 23,000. The land shall be divided by lot. The daughters of Zelophehad, their father having no sons, share in the allotment, establishing a precedent for females to inherit land. On God's orders, Moses commissions Joshua as his successor (Ch. 26-27).

Prescriptions are given for the observance of the feasts and for offerings for different occasions: daily, on the Sabbath, the first day of the month, the seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover), the day of first-fruits, the festival of trumpets, the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukoth). Laws are institued concerning the vows of men and of married and unmarried women (Ch. 28-30).

War against Midan

God commands a war of "vengeance" against Midan. An Israelite force of 12,000 carries out the task with Phinehas as their standard-bearer. They kill "every man," of the opposition, including five Midian kings and the unfortanate Balaam, the prophet who had previously refused to curse them at the risk of his life. The Israelites plunder and burn the Midianite towns, taking women and children captive. Moses scolds them for letting the women and boys live and blames Balaam for the seduction of the Israelites into Baal worship. He orders the commanders: "Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man." Other laws of wartime plunder are also instituted and the very sizeable Midianite booty is enumerated (Ch 31).

The Reubenites and the Gadites request that Moses to assign them the land east of the Jordan. After exacting their promise to join in the conquest of the land west of the Jordan before settling, Moses grants their request. The land east of the Jordan is divided among the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. Cities are rebuilt and renamed by these tribes (Ch. 32).

The final chapters

A detailed list is given of the Israelites stopping points during their 40 years' wanderings in the wilderness, many of which are not previously mentioned. While in the plains of Moab the Israelites are told that, after crossing the Jordan, they should expel the Canaanites and destroy their idols.

The boundaries of the land of which the Israelites are about to take is specified. The land is to be divided among the tribes—other than Gad, Reuben, and Mannasseh—by lot. The Levites, however, are to live throughout the country in 48 specified towns. They are also to recieve pastureland for their flocks. the six cities of refuge. Laws are instituted concerning murder and the cities of refuge, and female inheritance (Ch. 33-36).

Critical analysis

Modern scholars find ample evidence to suggest that the Book of Numbers was not written by Moses as tradition holds, but was compiled from several sources long after the events it describes. Only one passage, namely, 33:2 actually claims to have Moses as its author. But even this passage is met with skepticism and is actually considered to be one of the latest in the Pentateuch.

The consensus of critical scholarship holds to the view of the documentary hypothesis, namely that three primary sources—designated as "J," (Yahwist) "E," (Elohist) and "P," (Priestly)—furnished the basic material for Numbers and for much of the rest of the Pentateuch. The influence of the later Deuteronimist ("D") is also seen to a lesser degree as well as that of an even more recent Redactor ("R"). According to this theory, these sources were edited and combined in stages starting around the ninth century B.C.E., and the book did not reach its final form until at least the sixth century and possibly not until after the Babylonian exile.

The first section of the book (chapters 1-10), covering the last several days at Sinai, comes mostly from P. Beginnign with chapter 11, the sources become more complex, with J, E, and P being each represented. The hand of J is detected in the account of Moses' father-in-law being called Reuel instead of Jethro. The story of the quails, in which Yahweh behaves so mercurially, is also thought to be typical of J. On the other hand, sections of chapters 11 and 12, as evidenced by their particular descriptions of the tent of meeting as apart from the camp, are thought to be from E. The priestly source is again evident the narratives dealing with sacrificial laws and the tradition of fringes on priestly garments, the story of the execution of the man found gathering wood on the Sabbath, the account of the budding of Aaron's rod. etc. E, which takes a dimmer view of Aaron, is thought to have supplied the story of Aaron and Miriam's criticism of Moses as well as the narrative of the origin of the brazen serpent.

The story of Balaam, containing several repititions and variations, seems to have been woven together from J and E. In the J sections, Balaam is a prophet of Yahweh who refused to practice sorcery. In the E passages. it is not Yahweh but Elohim who speaks to Balaam. The prophetic poems of Balaam may be older than either J or E, and the story of Balaam's being blamed for Israel's seduction by the Moabite women clearly is discordant with J's view of the prophet as courageously devoted to Yahweh.

Tantalizing hints of early traditions are found in certain place in the Book of Numbers. For example, the story of the bronze serpent explains the later existence of this icon in the Temple of Jerusalem. The story of Miriam and Aaron opposing Moses has given rise to speculation of competing traditions in which the figures of Miriam, Aaron, and Moses played leading roles. In this vein, the bronze serpent of Moses is particularly interesting. House for centuries in the Temple of Jerusalem, it was eventually condemned as an idol in the time of King Hezekiah and consequently destroyed. Some scholars speculate that the Israelites may have brought with them from Egypt a healing serpent-god that was originally seen as compatible with Yahweh worship but later, as the "Yahweh-only" movement came to the fore, became unacceptable. J's portrayal of Balaam as a prophet of Yahweh operating in Moab also offers found for thought as to the possibility that the God of Israel was worshiped early on by the Moabites, identified in biblical tradition as descendants of Abraham's nephew Lot. The reference to a now lost "book of the wars of the Lord," occurring in Numbers 21:14, has given rise to much discussion.

See also

• Torah
• Balaam
• Priestly Blessing
• Wilderness of Sin
• Torah portions in Numbers: Bamidbar, Naso, Behaalotecha, Shlach, Korach, Chukat, Balak, Pinchas, Matot, and Masei

External links

Online versions and translations of the Book of Numbers:

• Original text:
  • במדבר Bamidbar - Numbers (Hebrew - English at Mechon-Mamre.org)

• Jewish translations:
  • Numbers at Mechon-Mamre (Jewish Publication Society translation)
  • Numbers (The Living Torah) Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan's translation and commentary at Ort.org
  • Bamidbar - Numbers (Judaica Press) translation with Rashi's commentary at Chabad.org

• Christian translations:
  • Online Bible at GospelHall.org
  • Numbers at bible.oremus.org (New Revised Standard Version)
  • Numbers at Wikisource (Authorised King James Version)

• Translations identifying sources according to the documentary hypothesis:
  • Numbers with sources highlighted, at Wikisource

Related articles:

• Book of Numbers article (Jewish Encyclopedia)

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