_{Handout 29}

Numbers

The Book of Numbers – General Observations:

1. The book gets its title from the fact that it records two censuses, two ‘numberings’ of Israel.

   Census	Chapters	Where	It Counts…	Who did / did not…
   1st	1 – 4	Mt. Sinai	__	__
   2nd	26	The Plains of Moab	__	__

2. Numbers narrates the events from . . .

   until . . . .

   Israel chooses not to trust God = not to enter the land, in chs. 13 & 14. After that, the chronological sequence of chs. 15–20 is not spelled out clearly. It seems likely that the goal of these chapters . . .

3. In general, the events recorded in Numbers flow in chronological order. However, they are not quite in strict chronological order; rather, an event has been moved to the front, to chs. 1–4.

   What:

   Why: We’ll answer this just below.

4. Q: Does Numbers have a “big conclusion”?

   A:

5. Q: So how do we identify the overall structure, and the major theme of Numbers?

   The key is to ask two questions:

   • Q: Since the book is generally chronological in sequence → then why do they place the first census at the beginning of the book, instead of placing it where it would fall chronologically, in early chapter 10?

   —Also—

   • Q: Why does Numbers record two censuses of the nation—when no other book in the Pentateuch records any?

     A: Because the purpose of the book, in addition to moving Israel from Mt. Sinai to the plains of Moab, is to highlight . . .

   ∴ The professor’s suggested nickname for Numbers:

6. The book of Numbers makes sense . . .

• Numbers 1-4

  The first census = the census of the 1st = the unbelieving generation

• Numbers 5

  The test for an unfaithful wife.

• Numbers 6

  The Nazirites / The Nazirite Vows. // This is the backdrop for the account of . . .

• Numbers 10:11-36 (cf. Ps 68)

  The cloud lifts for the first time. → Israel’s departure from Sinai.

  Again: ⇒ Israel’s privilege.

• Numbers 13 & 14

  The 12 spies, and Israel’s failure to enter the promised land, at Kadesh-Barnea.

  See esp. Num 14:21–24, “None of the men who have seen my glory . . . shall see it.” cf. Ps 95, & Deut 8:2-5.

• Sometime between the end of ch. 14 and the beginning of ch. 20, most of the 40 years pass.

• Numbers 15

  • vv. 22-29 “unwitting” sin? What does that mean?
  • vv. 30-31 “defiant sin”

  • vv. 32-36 A man breaks the Sabbath; cf. Exod 31:12-18.

  • Q: How to understand “unwittingly” / “inadvertently” in v. 22?

    Note vv. 30–31: “Defiant” sin

  • Q: So, how do we understand the difference between these two?

    A:

  If a Sabbath-breaker was executed → What covenant are they under?

• Numbers 22–24

  The Balaam Oracles; see esp. the 4th oracle = 24:15-19.

• Numbers 25 :(

  This is the last thing recorded about the 1st = the unbelieving generation.

• Numbers 26

  The __ __ = the census of the . . .

• Numbers 26:63-65 – tells us that . . .

  See similarly Deut 2:14–15, and Josh 5:6.

• Numbers 27 & 35

  Zelophehad’s daughters, & the question of women inheriting land.