An Introduction to the Book of Numbers

On Wednesday evenings the Adult Bible class will be studying Moses’ fourth book: Numbers. Please read this article and all thirty-six chapters of the book of Numbers in preparation for our first lesson this coming Wednesday night.

Title

The title for the book in our English Bibles is from the Greek title (arithmoi, “numbers”) in the Septuagint. It was chosen based of the censuses found in chapter one (also Numbers 1:19; 1:45; 2:33; 3:42; 4:49; 26:4). The Hebrew title is based on the fifth word in the first verse: bemidbar meaning “in the wilderness.” Perhaps, “Wilderness” would have been a more appropriate title for the book, since it is found some 45 times.

Author

All the internal and external evidence supports the idea of Moses being the author. The book of Numbers opens with “And the Lord spake unto Moses.” A phrase found some eighty more times in the book. Moses is the key speaker and figure of the book. Twice he is identified as the one who is writing down the Words of God (Numbers 33:2; 36:13). Both Jesus and Paul held Moses to be the author of the first five books of the Old Testament (Luke 16:29; 24:27; John 1:17; 2 Cor. 3:15). However, this does not mandate that Moses was the only contributor to the book of Numbers. In fact, there is evidence that other editorial additions had been made by other inspired men (Num. 12:1,3; 13:22; 15:22-23; 21:14-15; 32:33ff; 32:33ff).

Date

The fact that most of the book of Numbers was penned by Moses helps to narrow down the date. Further scriptural information helps to pin point a time in history for these events. “Now the Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt” (Num 1:1). Deuteronomy opens with: “Now it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month” (Deut 1:3). Couple this information with that of the Deuteronomy and you come up with the events of the Book of Numbers lasting thirty-eight years, nine months and ten days. This would cover a period between 1438 and 1401 B.C.

Place of Numbers in the Canon

Numbers forms a bridge in the books of the Pentateuch. Where the travels of Israel left off in Exodus, they are now resumed in the book of Numbers. It works as a transition between the giving of the Law in Exodus and Leviticus with the entering of the Promised Land in Deuteronomy and Joshua. The reason is given for the annihilation of the first generation of adult who escaped Egypt. It was their refusal to enter the land and sent them back into the desert to die. This would necessitate the second census. In the first census there were 603,550 males above the age of 20 and in the second some 38 years later there were only 601,730 males above the age of 20. Since there was a new generation of Israelites, there was a need for a second giving of the Law. Therefore, the need for Deuteronomy meaning “second law.”

Structure of the Book

The mind of the present-day Bible student wants to see Numbers as purely a historical accounting and sees the need for the subject matter to be arranged in a chronological sequence in the lay-out of the book. The variety of literary genres in the book of Numbers is amazing. It has narrative, poetry, law, a song, prophecy, census lists, etc. This only adds confusion as to how it has been laid out. Many scholars have struggled with the structure of the book. It appears to be too random. There will be stories interrupted by civil laws and vice versa. Proper study of the Bible requires the student to resist the temptation to force their contemporary literary criteria on an ancient document.

D. Olson believes the book can be divided up into two contrasting and comparative sections. His argument seems to be most compelling, as he shows chapters 1-25 are mirrored by chapters 26-36. For example, in chapter 1 there is the census of the twelve tribes and again in chapter 26. A census of the Levites is found in chapter 3 and again in chapter 26. Laws concerning vows are found in both chapters 6 and 30. This pattern is seen throughout the book.

Additionally, M. Douglas has found the content of Numbers to be arranged in a ring of composition pattern with story, law, story, law, etc. throughout. It would seem to reason is God inspired Moses to write this book for their and our learning, He would expertly and perfectly arrange the structure of the book to accomplish His purposes.

The book naturally falls into three sections: at Mount Sinai (1:1-10:10); from Mount Sinai to Edom (10:11-20:21); and from Edom to the Jordan on the Plain of Moab (20:22-36:13).

Purpose

The purpose God had Moses pen this book will explain the content and the structure. Obviously it is more than just the telling of Israelite history and laws.

The climactic point in the book comes when Israel accepted the recommendation of the ten spies and refuse to enter the promise land. In rebellion they seek a new leader to lead them back to Egypt. Thus, Numbers shows God’s wrath against a rebellious people. Even Moses was not spared from the wrath of God. In contrast the book also shows the grace of God on many occasions. God did respond positively. Moses’ intercession demonstrates God’s mercy (Num. 11:2; 12:13; 14:13-20; 16:20-24; 21:7) and spared Israel. Thus demonstrating God’s willingness to keep His covenant and bring the next generation of Israelites to the promise land despite the rebellion of the first.

Both the severity of God’s wrath and the goodness of His mercy are demonstrated by the miracles present in the book of Numbers. When they rebelled He sent fiery brass serpents into their camp. Yet His wrath against sin was countered by another miracle to manifest His mercy. The brass serpent made by Moses at the instruction of God to save the snake bitten rebellious Israelites who looked upon it. Later is was called Nehushtan and used as an object of worship. King Hezekiah destroyed it some seven centuries later (2 Kings 18:4). “The purpose of the wilderness miracles may have been: to preserve the nation…to teach the nation..to impress the surrounding nations…” (Halley 163). The Israelites were former slaves, surrounded by enemies and living in the desert which could in no way support their masses. They were to trust God’s miraculous provisions or be annihilated.

Perhaps the best source of information about the purpose and teaching found in the book of Numbers is how the writers of the rest of the Bible used it. Eight-five year old Caleb recalled the events of Numbers 13-14 when Joshua and he brought back a good report. Yet Israel rebelled and would not go into the land to posses it. Now forty-five years later Caleb still wants to go take on the giants and claim his part of the promise land God sent them into possess. Despite the rebellion in Numbers, Caleb and the next generation are faithful to the covenant.

Concerning the time when Moses spoke to the people instead of speaking to the rock to obtain water the Psalmist wrote, “they angered Him also at the waters of strife, So that it went ill with Moses on account of them; because they rebelled against His Spirit, so that he spoke rashly with his lips” (Psalm 106:32,33). Even Moses rebellion did not stop God for keeping His Word.

The wickedness of Balaam is referenced by Peter, Jude and John. John writes a letter to the church a Pergamos giving Christ’s warning, “but I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality” (Rev. 2:14).

Paul used the rebellion of Israel to warn the saints at Corinth. After warning them not to commit sexual immorality, tempt God, or complain as the Israelites did in the book of Numbers, he writes: “now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Cor. 10:11).

The Hebrew writer quotes Psalm 95 warning his readers: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” He continues by describing the failure of that rebellious generation missing out on the rest in the promise land and left to their Wilderness Wanderers. They do not have to suffer the same fate. “For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief” (Hebrews 3:16-19).

Jesus used Moses’ bronze serpent on a pole to teach Nicodemus how He can heal all men. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:14,15). Even God’s ultimate plan to save all men could not be thwarted by the rebellious generation.

At this point it becomes clear that the book of Numbers is used to teach: Do not rebel like the Israelites in the wilderness or you too will miss out on the promise land and face the wrath of God.

– Daniel R. Vess