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Numbers Chapter 1

The Census of Israel Totals 603,550, Exempting Levites God commands Moses to number the people

1 1 Exo 19:1; Exo 25:22 A1And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,

2 Exo 30:12; 2 Sam 24:2; 1 Chr 21:2 2Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls;

3From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.

4 1 Chr 27:1; Num 2:2 4And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers. The princes of the tribes

5 Gen 29:32; Deu 33:6; Rev 7:5 5And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you: of the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur.

6Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

7 Luk 3:32; 1 Chr 2:10 7Of Judah; Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

8Of Issachar; Nethaneel the son of Zuar.

9Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon.

10Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim; Elishama the son of Ammihud: of Manasseh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

11Of Benjamin; Abidan the son of Gideoni.

12Of Dan; Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

13Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocran.

14 Num 2:14 14Of Gad; Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

15Of Naphtali; Ahira the son of Enan.

16 1 Sam 22:7; Deu 1:15; Exo 18:25 16These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel. The number of every tribe

17¶And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names:

18 Heb 7:3; Neh 7:61 18And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls.

19 Num 26:1-2; 2 Sam 24:1 19As the Lord commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.

20 Eph 6:12; 2 Cor 3:5; 1 Cor 16:13; Psa 144:1; Psa 60:12; Psa 44:3 20And the children of Reuben, Israel’s eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

21Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.

22Of the children of Simeon, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, those that were numbered of them, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

23Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.

24 Rev 7:5; Jer 49:1; Jos 4:12; Gen 49:19; Gen 30:11 24Of the children of Gad, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

25Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Gad, were forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty.

26 Rev 5:5; Heb 7:14; Mat 1:2; Psa 78:68; 1 Chr 5:2 26Of the children of Judah, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

27Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Judah, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.

28Of the children of Issachar, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

29Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.

30Of the children of Zebulun, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

31Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.

32 Oba 1:19; Jer 7:15; Psa 60:7; Jdg 12:6; Num 2:18-19; Gen 48:19-20 32Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

33Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred.

34Of the children of Manasseh, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

35Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.

36 Rev 7:8; Psa 68:27; 2 Chr 17:17; Jdg 20:44-46; Num 26:41 36Of the children of Benjamin, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

37 Gen 30:5-6; Gen 46:23; Num 2:25 37Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.

38Of the children of Dan, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

39Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.

40Of the children of Asher, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

41Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.

42Of the children of Naphtali, throughout their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

43Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.

44 Num 26:64 44¶These are those that were numbered, which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men: each one was for the house of his fathers.

45So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel;

46 1 Kin 4:20; Deu 10:22; Num 26:51 46Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.

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Introduction to Numbers
by John MacArthur

Title

The English title “Numbers” comes from the Greek (LXX) and Latin (Vg.) versions.¹ This designation is based on the numberings that are a major focus of chaps. 1-4 and 26. The most common Hebrew title comes from the fifth word in the Hebrew text of 1:1, “in the wilderness [of].” This name is much more descriptive of the total contents of the book, which recount the history of Israel during almost 39 years of wandering in the wilderness. Another Hebrew title, favored by some early church Fathers, is based on the first word of the Hebrew text of 1:1, “and He spoke.” This designation emphasizes that the book records the Word of God to Israel.

Author and Date

The first 5 books of the Bible, called the Law, of which Numbers is the fourth, are ascribed to Moses throughout Scripture (Josh 8:31; 2 Kin. 14:6; Neh 8:1; Mark 12:26; John 7:19). The book of Numbers itself refers to the writing of Moses in 33:2 and 36:13.

Numbers was written in the final year of Moses’ life. The events from 20:1 to the end occur in the 40th year after the Exodus. The account ends with Israel poised on the eastern side of the Jordan River across from Jericho (Num 36:13), which is where the conquest of the land of Canaan began (Josh 3-6). The book of Numbers must be dated ca. 1405 B.C., since it is foundational to the book of Deuteronomy, and Deuteronomy is dated in the 11th month of the 40th year after the Exodus (Deut 1:3).

Background and Setting

Most of the events of the book are set “in the wilderness.” The word “wilderness” is used 48 times in Numbers. This term refers to land that contains little vegetation or trees, and because of a sparsity of rainfall, it cannot be cultivated. This land is best used for tending flocks of animals. In 1:1-10:10, Israel encamped in “the wilderness in Sinai.” It was at Sinai that the Lord had entered into the Mosaic Covenant with them (Ex 19-24). From 10:11-12:16, Israel traveled from Sinai to Kadesh. In 13:1-20:13, the events took place in and around Kadesh, which was located in “the wilderness of Paran” (Num 12:16; 13:3, 26), “the wilderness of Zin” (Num 13:21; 20:1). From 20:14-22:1, Israel traveled from Kadesh to the “plains of Moab.” All the events of 22:2-36:13 occurred while Israel was encamped in the plain to the N of Moab. That plain was a flat and fertile piece of land in the middle of the wasteland (Num 21:20; 23:28; 24:1).

The book of Numbers concentrates on events that take place in the second and fortieth years after the Exodus. All incidents recorded in 1:1-14:45 occur in 1444 B.C., the year after the Exodus. Everything referred to after 20:1 is dated ca. 1406/1405 B.C., the 40th year after the Exodus. The laws and events found in 15:1-19:22 are undated, but probably all should be dated ca. 1443 to 1407 B.C. The lack of material devoted to this 37 year period, in comparison with the other years of the journey from Egypt to Canaan, communicates how wasted these years were because of Israel’s rebellion against the Lord and His consequent judgment.

Historical and Theological Themes

Numbers chronicles the experiences of two generations of the nation of Israel. The first generation participated in the Exodus from Egypt. Their story begins in Ex 2:23 and continues through Leviticus and into the first 14 chapters of Numbers. This generation was numbered for the war of conquest in Canaan (Num 1:1-46). However, when the people arrived at the southern edge of Canaan, they refused to enter the Land (Num 14:1-10). Because of their rebellion against the Lord, all the adults 20 and over (except Caleb and Joshua) were sentenced to die in the wilderness (Num 14:26-38). In chaps. 15-25, the first and second generations overlap; the first died out as the second grew to adulthood. A secondnumbering of the people commenced the history of this second generation (Num 26:1-56). These Israelites did go to war (Num 26:2) and inherited the land (Num 26:52-56). The story of this second generation, beginning in Numbers 26:1, continues through the books of Deuteronomy and Joshua.

Three theological themes permeate Numbers. First, the Lord Himself communicated to Israel through Moses (Num 1:1; 7:89; 12:6-8), so the words of Moses had divine authority. Israel’s response to Moses mirrored her obedience or disobedience to the Lord. Numbers contains three distinct divisions based on Israel’s response to the word of the Lord: obedience (chaps. 1-10), disobedience (chaps. 11-25), and renewed obedience (chaps. 26-36). The second theme is that the Lord is the God of judgment. Throughout Numbers, the “anger” of the Lord was aroused in response to Israel’s sin (Num 11:1, 10, 33; 12:9; 14:18; 25:3, 4; 32:10, 13, 14). Third, the faithfulness of the Lord to keep His promise to give the seed of Abraham the land of Canaan is emphasized (Num 15:2; 26:52-56; 27:12; 33:50-56; 34:1-29).

Interpretive Challenges

Four major interpretive challenges face the reader of Numbers. First, is the book of Numbers a separate book, or is it a part of a larger literary whole, the Pentateuch? The biblical books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy form the Torah. The remainder of the Scripture always views these 5 books as a unit. The ultimate meaning of Numbers cannot be divorced from its context in the Pentateuch. The first verse of the book speaks of the Lord, Moses, the tabernacle and the Exodus from Egypt. This assumes that the reader is familiar with the 3 books that precede Numbers. Still, every Hebrew manuscript available divides the Pentateuch in exactly the same way as the present text. In them the book of Numbers is a well defined unit, with a structural integrity of its own. The book has its own beginning, middle, and ending, even as it functions within a larger whole. Thus, the book of Numbers is also to be viewed with singular identity.

The second interpretive question asks, “Is there a sense of coherence in the book of Numbers?” It is readily evident that Numbers contains a wide variety of literary materials and forms. Census lists, genealogies, laws, historical narratives, poetry, prophecy, and travel lists are found in this book. Nevertheless, they are all blended to tell the story of Israel’s journey from Mt. Sinai to the Plains of Moab. The coherence of Numbers is reflected in the outline that follows.

A third issue deals with the large numbers given for the tribes of Israel in 1:46 and 26:51. These two lists of Israel’s men of war, taken 39 years apart, both put the number over 600,000. These numbers demand a total population for Israel in the wilderness of around 2.5 million at any one time. From a natural perspective, this total seems too high for the wilderness conditions to sustain. However, it must be recognized that the Lord supernaturally took care of Israel for 40 years (Deut 8:1-5). Therefore, the large numbers must be accepted at face value

The fourth interpretive challenge concerns the heathen prophet Balaam, whose story is recorded in 22:2-24:25. Even though Balaam claimed to know the Lord (Num 22:18), Scripture consistently refers to him as a false prophet (2 Pet 2:15, 16, Jude 11). The Lord used Balaam as His mouthpiece to speak the true words He put in his mouth

1. LXX Septuagint—an ancient translation of the Old Testament into Greek, Vg. Vulgate—an ancient translation of the Bible into Latin, translated and edited by Jerome

Outline of Numbers
by John MacArthur

I. The Experience of the First Generation of Israel in the Wilderness (Num 1:1-25:18)

A. The Obedience of Israel toward the Lord (Num 1:1-10:36)
1. The organization of Israel around the tabernacle of the Lord (Num 1:1-6:27)
2. The orientation of Israel toward the tabernacle of the Lord (Num 7:1-10:36)
B. The Disobedience of Israel toward the Lord (Num 11:1-25:18)
1. The complaining of Israel on the journey (Num 11:1-12:16)
2. The rebellion of Israel and its leaders at Kadesh (Num 13:1-20:29)
a. The rebellion of Israel and the consequences (Num 13:1-19:22)
b. The rebellion of Moses and Aaron and the consequences (Num 20:1-29)
3. The renewed complaining of Israel on the journey (Num 21:1-22:1)
4. The blessing of Israel by Balaam (Num 22:2-24:25)
5. The final rebellion of Israel with Baal of Peor (Num 25:1-18)

II. The Experience of the Second Generation of Israel in the Plains of Moab: The Renewed Obedience of Israel toward the Lord (Num 26:1-36:13)

A. The Preparations for the Conquest of the Land (Num 26:1-32:42)
B. The Review of the Journey in the Wilderness (Num 33:1-49)
C. The Anticipation of the Conquest of the Land (Num 33:50-36:13)

Introduction to Numbers
by John MacArthur

Title

Author and Date

Background and Setting

Historical and Theological Themes

Interpretive Challenges

Outline of Numbers
by John MacArthur

I. The Experience of the First Generation of Israel in the Wilderness (Num 1:1-25:18)

II. The Experience of the Second Generation of Israel in the Plains of Moab: The Renewed Obedience of Israel toward the Lord (Num 26:1-36:13)

The 1440 Agenda

Remembering Marcy

Study Bible

Introduction to Numbersby John MacArthur

Title

Author and Date

Background and Setting

Historical and Theological Themes

Interpretive Challenges

Outline of Numbersby John MacArthur

I. The Experience of the First Generation of Israel in the Wilderness (Num 1:1-25:18)

II. The Experience of the Second Generation of Israel in the Plains of Moab: The Renewed Obedience of Israel toward the Lord (Num 26:1-36:13)

Books of the Bible

Chapters in Numbers

The 1440 Agenda

Introduction to Numbers
by John MacArthur

Outline of Numbers
by John MacArthur