Lesson 6: Numbers

Title, Author And Date Title: Hebrew: “And He spoke;” “In the Wilderness;” LXX: “Numbers” Author Moses Date Written After 1406 B.C. (Eve of Conquest) Events 1445 (Sinai) – 1406 (Plains Of Moab) Title is misleading!!! Should be israeliticus!! Events: note the slowing of time – genesis = ~8,200 Exodus = ~430 years, Leviticus is just 30 days! numbers will be 80 years and Deut will be about a month again.

Chronology of Numbers 2nd Year 1st Month The Offering at the Tabernacle (7:1-9); The Cloud and Trumpets (9:15-10:10) The Offerings of Each Tribal Leader (7:10-89) The Dedication of the Levites (8:1-26) The Second Passover (9:1-8) 2nd M Numberings Begin and Further Laws Given (1:1-6:27) The Passover for the Defiled (9:9-14) The Departure from Sinai (10:11-32) 3rd M Journey from Sinai to Kadesh (10:33-12:16) 4th M Spies Sent Out (13:1-20) Spying the Land (13:21-24) 6th M Spies Return and the People Rebel (13:25-14:38) The Futile Invasion Attempt (14:39-45) 7-12 M Death in the Wilderness (15:1-19:22) 3rd Year through 39th Year NOTHING!!! 40th Year 1 M Miriam Dies (20:1) The Rebellion of Moses at Meribah (20:2-13) 2nd M Edom Denies Israel Passage (20:14-21) 3rd M Journey to Mount Hor (20:22) 4th M Aaron Dies (20:23-28; 33:38) 5th M Aaron Mourned (20:29) 6th M Travel to and Victories in Transjordan (21:1-22:1) 8th M Balaam (22:2-25:18) 9th M Final Preparations for Canaan (26:1-36:13) 11th M Moses Exhorts Israel (Deut. 1:5) Moses Dies (Deut. 34:5) 12th M Moses Mourned (Deut. 34:8)

Purpose of Numbers To chronicle the failure of Israel to obey the Lord by faith and enter the Promised Land, the consequent discipline of the Lord bringing about the death of that entire generation of Israel, and the preparation of the next generation of Israel to enter the Land

Outline The Experience of the First Generation of Israel (1-25) Obedience at Sinai (1-6) Disobedience in the Wilderness (7-22) Rebellion on the Plains of Moab (23-25) The Experience of the Second Generation of Israel (26-36) Preparation for Conquest (26:1-33:49) Anticipation of Conquest (33:50-35:13)

Theme: Organization of the Nation

Problem: How should we understand the Numbers? Literal and Precise Gematria Different meaning of “thousand” Symbolic Deliberate Hyperbole Lost Ancient System Textual Corruption Archaeology of the Wilderness Climate of the Wilderness Demographics of the ANE

The wilderness of Paran Total Population 1937: 18,000 Total Rainfall: 1-2 inches

The wilderness of Zin How could anyone survive here let alone 3,000,000 people? Deut 8:3-4

Route out of Egypt

Wilderness wanderings

Theme: The Rebellions of Israel 11 – Grumbling about food 12 – Miriam and Aaron Rebel 14 – Rebellion of Spies and Conquest 15 – Sabbath Breaking 16 – Korah 20 – Moses Strikes the Rock 21– Impatience with Journey 25 – Whoring with the Edomites

Theme: the wrath of god 11 – Plague through Quail 12 – Miriam Leprous, Aaron Scolded 14 – Cursed to Die in Wilderness, Defeat in Battle 15 – Offender Stoned 16 – Earth Swallows them Up 20 – Moses Denied Entry to Promised Land 21– Poisonous Serpents 25 – Public Execution, Defeat of Edom

Balaam (22-24) Problem: How does Balaam fit with the other prophets? A True Prophet of Yahweh A False Prophet A Neutral Prophet – his character unimportant

Theme: the Patience and promise of god 40 Years!!!! Heb 3:14-4:2