Numbers: Unbelief in the wilderness

Where Numbers sits

In the story

Act IV, Israel · Redeemed, c. 1446–1406 BC

In the Bible

Old Testament · The Law · book 4 of 66

Before it in the story

Leviticus

After it in the story

Deuteronomy

The fourth book of the Law: it picks Israel up at Sinai where Leviticus leaves them, carries them through forty years in the wilderness, and sets them on the plains of Moab, where Moses speaks Deuteronomy.

Numbers summary

Numbers follows Israel from Sinai to the plains of Moab, almost forty years. At Sinai God counts the men of war, sets the twelve tribes around His tabernacle, cleanses the camp and leads it out by the cloud. Within days the people complain, and at Kadesh they believe the spies' bad report and refuse to go up; God pardons them at Moses' plea but swears that the generation will die in the wilderness and their children will enter. In the years that follow, rebellions are judged, Aaron's priesthood is confirmed, Moses and Aaron are barred from the land for unbelief at Meribah, and the bitten live by looking at the bronze snake. On the plains of Moab the hired diviner Balaam can only bless Israel, yet the people fall into idolatry at Baal-peor. A second census counts the new generation; Joshua is appointed, and God gives offerings, victory, borders and laws for the land they are about to inherit.

Numbers in context

Written by

Moses in substance (Num 33:2; Num 36:13; John 3:14; John 5:46), drawing on records such as the Book of the Wars of the LORD (21:14), with a few later inspired notes such as the remark on his humility (12:3)

Written to

The new generation of Israel camped on the plains of Moab, about to cross the Jordan, whose parents had died in the wilderness

Setting

The wilderness of Sinai, the wilderness of Paran and Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin, the road around Edom, and the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho

When

Covers c. 1445–1406 BC on the early exodus date (1 Kgs 6:1): from the first day of the second month of the second year (1:1) to the last months of the fortieth year (33:38; Deut 1:3). Written by Moses before his death on the plains of Moab, c. 1406 BC.

Why

To show the generation about to enter the land why their fathers died in the wilderness, that God's promise stands even when His judgment falls, and that following the LORD into His inheritance requires faith; and to give them the order, worship and laws for their life in the land.

Themes of Numbers

• Unbelief and judgment
• God keeps His promise through judgment
• The old generation and the new
• God's presence leads the camp
• The need for faith
• Mediators for a dying people
• The inheritance

Key verses in Numbers

• Numbers 6:24–26

  ‘May the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; may the LORD lift up His countenance toward you and give you peace.’

• Numbers 14:8–9

  If the LORD delights in us, He will bring us into this land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and He will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the LORD, and do not be afraid of the people of the land, for they will be like bread for us. Their protection has been removed, and the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them!”

• Numbers 14:21–24

  “Yet as surely as I live and as surely as the whole earth is filled with the glory of the LORD, not one of the men who have seen My glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness—yet have tested Me and disobeyed Me these ten times—not one will ever see the land that I swore to give their fathers. None of those who have treated Me with contempt will see it. But because My servant Caleb has a different spirit and has followed Me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he has entered, and his descendants will inherit it.

• Numbers 20:12

  But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me to show My holiness in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”

• Numbers 21:8–9

  Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. If anyone who was bitten looked at the bronze snake, he would live.

• Numbers 23:19

  God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?

• Numbers 24:17

  I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab and strike down all the sons of Sheth.

• Numbers 26:64–65

  Among all these, however, there was not one who had been numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Wilderness of Sinai. For the LORD had told them that they would surely die in the wilderness. Not one was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

Numbers chapter by chapter

Part 1 · The old generation 1:1–25:18

1. 1
   Numbers 1: Numbered for war

   At Sinai God has Moses count Israel's fighting men, 603,550, while the Levites guard the tabernacle.

2. 2
   Numbers 2: Each man under his standard

   The tribes camp in four groups of three around God's tabernacle, with Judah leading on the east.

3. 3
   Numbers 3: The Levites instead of the firstborn

   God gives the Levites to Aaron to guard the sanctuary and takes them in place of Israel's firstborn.

4. 4
   Numbers 4: Bearing the holy things

   The Levite clans are assigned to carry the tabernacle, the Kohathites touching nothing holy lest they die.

5. 5
   Numbers 5: Where I dwell among them

   Because God dwells in the camp, the unclean go out, wrongs are repaid, and God judges hidden unfaithfulness.

6. 6
   Numbers 6: May the LORD bless you

   Any man or woman may vow separation to the LORD, and the priests bless Israel in His name.

7. 7
   Numbers 7: Gifts for the altar

   Twelve tribal leaders bring equal gifts for the altar, and God speaks from the mercy seat.

8. 8
   Numbers 8: The lamps and the Levites

   The lamps are lit, and the Levites are cleansed and given to God in the firstborn's place.

9. 9
   Numbers 9: At the LORD's command

   Israel keeps the Passover, with a second date for the unclean, and moves only as the cloud leads.

10. 10
    Numbers 10: Rise up, O LORD

    Silver trumpets are made, and when the cloud lifts Israel leaves Sinai in order, the ark going before.

11. 11
    Numbers 11: Who will feed us meat?

    The people crave meat; God puts Moses' Spirit on seventy elders and sends quail, with a plague.

12. 12
    Numbers 12: My servant Moses

    Miriam and Aaron challenge Moses; God defends His faithful servant, strikes Miriam with leprosy, and heals her.

13. 13
    Numbers 13: Spy out the land

    The spies find the land good; ten spread a bad report of Nephilim, but Caleb urges Israel up.

14. 14
    Numbers 14: Unable to enter

    Israel refuses the land; at Moses' plea God pardons, yet swears the generation will die in the wilderness.

15. 15
    Numbers 15: When you enter the land

    After the refusal God gives laws for life in the land, judges defiant sin, and commands blue tassels.

16. 16
    Numbers 16: Between the living and the dead

    Korah's company rebels against Moses and Aaron; God judges them, and Aaron's incense stays the plague.

17. 17
    Numbers 17: Aaron's staff that budded

    Of twelve staffs laid before the LORD, only Aaron's buds, blossoms and bears almonds: God's chosen priest confirmed.

18. 18
    Numbers 18: I am your portion

    Priests and Levites guard the sanctuary and bear its guilt; holy gifts and the tithe support them.

19. 19
    Numbers 19: The ashes of a heifer

    The ashes of a spotless red heifer, burned outside the camp, cleanse those defiled by death.

20. 20
    Numbers 20: The waters of Meribah

    Miriam dies, Moses strikes the rock in unbelief and is barred from the land, and Aaron dies.

21. 21
    Numbers 21: Look and live

    Israel defeats Arad; the bitten live by looking at the bronze snake; Sihon and Og fall before Israel.

22. 22
    Numbers 22: Balaam and the donkey

    Balak hires Balaam to curse Israel; God restrains the greedy diviner with an angel and a speaking donkey.

23. 23
    Numbers 23: God is not a man, that He should lie

    From two heights Balaam can only bless: God does not lie, and His blessing cannot be reversed.

24. 24
    Numbers 24: A star from Jacob

    Balaam blesses Israel a third time and foretells a Star and Scepter who will rule over Israel's enemies.

25. 25
    Numbers 25: Worshiping Baal of Peor

    Israel joins in worshiping Baal of Peor; Phinehas's zeal stops the plague, and God gives him a covenant of peace.

Part 2 · The new generation 26:1–36:13

1. 26
   Numbers 26: The new generation counted

   A new census counts the next generation for the land; of the first, only Caleb and Joshua remain.

2. 27
   Numbers 27: Heirs and a shepherd

   God grants Zelophehad's daughters their inheritance and appoints Joshua to shepherd Israel after Moses.

3. 28
   Numbers 28: My food at its appointed time

   God sets Israel's calendar of public offerings: daily, Sabbath, new moon, Passover and firstfruits.

4. 29
   Numbers 29: The seventh month

   The seventh month brings Trumpets, the Day of Atonement and the eight days of Tabernacles with their offerings.

5. 30
   Numbers 30: Vows that stand

   Vows bind; a father or husband may annul a dependent woman's vow on the day he hears it.

6. 31
   Numbers 31: Vengeance on Midian

   Israel executes the LORD's judgment on Midian for Peor, kills Balaam, purifies itself and loses not one man.

7. 32
   Numbers 32: Be assured that your sin will find you out

   Reuben and Gad ask for land east of the Jordan; warned by Moses, they pledge to fight first.

8. 33
   Numbers 33: These are the journeys

   Moses records each stage from Egypt to Moab, and God commands Israel to clear the land.

9. 34
   Numbers 34: The borders of the land

   God draws the four borders of Canaan and names the leaders who will divide it among the tribes.

10. 35
    Numbers 35: Cities of refuge

    Levites receive forty-eight cities; six are refuges where a manslayer lives safe until the high priest's death.

11. 36
    Numbers 36: The inheritance kept whole

    Heiresses must marry within their father's tribe, so each tribe's inheritance stays whole; the book closes in Moab.

See the outline of Numbers