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Introduction
to Numbers
This summary of the book of Numbers provides information about the
title, author(s), date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a
brief overview, and the chapters of the Book of Numbers.
The English name of the book comes from the Septuagint (the
pre-Christian Greek translation of the OT) and is based on the census lists
found in chs. 1; 26.
The Hebrew title of the book (bemidbar,
"in the desert") is more descriptive of its contents. Numbers
presents an account of the 38-year period of Israel's wandering in the desert
following the establishment of the covenant of Sinai (compare 1:1
with Dt 1:1).
The book has traditionally been ascribed to Moses. This conclusion
is based on (1) statements concerning Moses' writing activity (e.g., 33:1-2; Ex 17:14; 24:4;
34:27) and (2) the assumption that the first
five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch, are a unit and come from one author.
See Introduction to Genesis: Author and Date of Writing.
It is not necessary, however, to claim that Numbers came from
Moses' hand complete and in final form. Portions of the book were probably
added by scribes or editors from later periods of Israel's history. For
example, the protestation of the humility of Moses (12:3) would hardly be convincing if it came from his own
mouth. But it seems reasonable to assume that Moses wrote the essential content
of the book.
Numbers relates the story of Israel's journey from Mount Sinai to
the plains of Moab on the border of Canaan. Much of its legislation for people
and priests is similar to that in Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. The book
tells of the murmuring and rebellion of God's people and of their subsequent
judgment. Those whom God had redeemed from slavery in Egypt and with whom he
had made a covenant at Mount Sinai responded not with faith, gratitude and
obedience but with unbelief, ingratitude and repeated acts of rebellion, which
came to extreme expression in their refusal to undertake the conquest of Canaan
(ch. 14). The community of the redeemed forfeited
their part in the promised land. They were condemned to live out their lives in
the desert; only their children would enjoy the fulfillment of the promise that
had originally been theirs (cf. Heb
3:7 -- 4:11).
In telling the story of Israel's desert wanderings, Numbers offers
much that is theologically significant. During the first year after Israel's
deliverance from Egypt, the nation entered into covenant with the Lord at Sinai
to be the people of his kingdom, among whom he pitched his royal tent (the
tabernacle) -- this is the story of Exodus. As the account of Numbers begins,
the Lord organizes Israel into a military camp. Leaving Sinai, they march forth
as his conquering army, with the Lord at the head, to establish his kingdom in
the promised land in the midst of the nations. The book graphically portrays
Israel's identity as the Lord's redeemed covenant people and its vocation as
the servant people of God, charged with establishing his kingdom on earth.
God's purpose in history is implicitly disclosed: to invade the arena of fallen
humanity and effect the redemption of his creation -- the mission in which his
people are also to be totally engaged.
Numbers also presents the chastening wrath of God against his
disobedient people. Because of their rebellion (and especially the nation's
refusal to undertake the conquest of Canaan), Israel was in breach of covenant.
The fourth book of the Pentateuch presents a sobering reality: The God who had
entered into covenant with Abraham (Ge
15; 17), who had delivered his people from bondage
in the exodus (Ex 14-15), who had brought Israel into covenant
with himself as his "treasured possession" (Ex
19; see especially Ex
19:5) and who had revealed his holiness and the gracious means of
approaching him(Lev 1-7) was also a God of wrath. His wrath
extended to his errant children as well as to the enemy nations of Egypt and
Canaan.
Even Moses, the great prophet and servant of the Lord, was not
exempt from God's wrath when he disobeyed God. Ch. 20,
which records his error, begins with the notice of Miriam's death (20:1) and concludes with the record of Aaron's death (20:22-29). Here is the passing of the old guard.
Those whom God has used to establish the nation are dying before the nation has
come into its own.
The questions arise: Is God finished with the nation as a whole
(cf. Ro 11:1)? Are his promises a thing of the past?
In one of the most remarkable sections of the Bible -- the account of Balaam,
the pagan diviner (chs. 22 - 24)
-- the reply is given. The Lord, working in a providential and direct way,
proclaims his continued faithfulness to his purpose for his people despite
their unfaithfulness to him.
Balaam is Moab's answer to Moses, the man of God. He is an
internationally known prophet who shares the pagan belief that the God of
Israel is like any other deity who might be manipulated by acts of magic or
sorcery. But from the early part of the narrative, when Balaam first encounters
the one true God in visions, and in the narrative of the journey on the donkey (ch.
22), he begins to learn that dealing with the
true God is fundamentally different from anything he has ever known. When he
attempts to curse Israel at the instigation of Balak king of Moab, Balaam finds
his mouth unable to express the curse he desires to pronounce. Instead, from
his lips come blessings on Israel and curses on its enemies (chs. 23
- 24).
In his seven prophetic oracles, Balaam proclaims God's great
blessing for his people (see 23:20). Though the immediate enjoyment of this
blessing will always depend on the faithfulness of his people, the ultimate
realization of God's blessing is sure -- because of the character of God (see 23:19). Thus Numbers reaffirms the ongoing
purposes of God. Despite his judgment on his rebellious people, God is still
determined to bring Israel into the land of promise. His blessing to Israel
rests in his sovereign will.
The teaching of the book has lasting significance for Israel and
for the church (cf. Ro 15:4; 1Co 10:6,11). God does display his wrath even
against his errant people, but his grace is renewed as surely as is the dawn
and his redemptive purpose will not be thwarted.
The large numbers of men conscripted into Israel's army (see,
e.g., the figures in 1:46; 26:51) have puzzled many interpreters. The
numbers of men mustered for warfare seem to demand a total population in excess
of 2,000,000. Such numbers appear to be exceedingly large for the times, for
the locale, for the desert wanderings, and in comparison with the inhabitants
of Canaan. See note on 3:43.
Various possibilities have been suggested to solve this problem.
Some have thought that the numbers may have been corrupted in transmission. The
present text, however, does not betray textual difficulties with the numbers.
Others have felt that the Hebrew word for "thousand"
might have a different meaning here from its usual numerical connotation. In
some passages, for example, the word is a technical term for a company of men
that may or may not equal 1,000 (e.g., Jos 22:14, "family division"; 1Sa 23:23, "clans"). Further, some
have postulated that this Hebrew word means "chief" (as in Ge 36:15). In this way the figure 53,400 (26:47) would mean "53 chiefs plus 400
men." Such a procedure would yield a greatly reduced total, but it would
be at variance with the fact that the Hebrew text adds the
"thousands" in the same way it adds the "hundreds" for a
large total. Also, this would make the proportion of chiefs to fighting men
top-heavy (59 chiefs for 300 men in Simeon).
Another option is to read the Hebrew word for "thousand"
with a dual meaning of "chief" and "1,000," with the chiefs
numbering one less than the stated figure. For example, the 46,500 of Reuben (1:20) is read as 45 chiefs and 1,500 fighting men, the 59,300
of Simeon (1:23) is read as 58 chiefs and 1,300 fighting
men, etc. But in this case, as in the former, the totals of 1:46 and 2:32 must then be regarded as errors of understanding
(perhaps by later scribes).
Still another approach is to regard the numbers as symbolic
figures rather than as strictly mathematical. The numerical value of the Hebrew
letters in the expression bene
yisra'el ("the Israelite community," 1:2)
equals 603 (the number of the thousands of the fighting men, 1:46); the remaining 550 (plus 1 for Moses) might come from
the numerical equivalent of the Hebrew letters in the expression "all the
men . . . who are able to serve in the army" (1:3).
This symbolic use of numbers (called "gematria") is not unknown in
the Bible (see Rev 13:18), but it is not likely in Numbers,
where there are no literary clues pointing in that direction. (For one more
option [hyperbole] see note in 1Ch 12:23-27.)
While the problem of the large numbers has not been satisfactorily
solved, the Bible does point to a remarkable increase of Jacob's descendants
during the four centuries of their sojourn in Egypt (see Ex 1:7-12). With all their difficulties, these
numbers also point to the great role of providence and miracles in God's
dealings with his people during their life in the desert (see note on 1:46).
The book has three major divisions, based on Israel's geographical
locations. Each of the three divisions has two parts, as the following
breakdown demonstrates: (1) Israel at Sinai, preparing to depart for the land
of promise (1:1 -- 10:10), followed by the journey from Sinai to
Kadesh (10:11 -- 12:16); (2) Israel at Kadesh, delayed as a
result of rebellion (13:1 -- 20:13), followed by the journey from Kadesh to
the plains of Moab (20:14 -- 22:1); (3) Israel on the plains of Moab, anticipating the
conquest of the land of promise (22:2 -- 32:42), followed by appendixes dealing with
various matters (chs. 33 - 36).
I.
Israel at Sinai, Preparing to Depart for the Promised Land (1:1;10:10)
A.
The Commands for the Census of the People (chs. 1-4)
B.
The Commands for Purity of the People (5:1;10:10)
II. The Journey from
Sinai to Kadesh (10:11;12:16)
III.
Israel at Kadesh, the Delay Resulting from Rebellion (13:1;20:13)
IV.
The Journey from Kadesh to the Plains of Moab (20:14;22:1)
V.
Israel on the Plains of Moab, in Anticipation of Taking the
Promised Land (22:2;32:42)
VI.
Appendixes Dealing with Various Matters (chs. 33-36)
──《New International Version》
Introduction to Numbers
This book is called NUMBERS from the several numberings
of the people contained in it. It extends from the giving of the law at Sinai,
till their arrival in the plains of Jordan. An account is given of their
murmuring and unbelief, for which they were sentenced to wander in the
wilderness nearly forty years; also some laws, both, moral and ceremonial.
Their trials greatly tended to distinguish the wicked and hypocrites from the
faithful and true servants of God, who served him with a pure heart.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on
Numbers》
00 Overview
NUMBERS
INTRODUCTION
The name of the book
Bunsen entitles it “The Munster-roll.” But the thought which gives
unity to this book is very concrete and definite. Both to the book of prophetic
legislation, or Exodus, and to Leviticus, the book of sacerdotal or cultus
legislation, there is annexed the book of the kingly calling of Israel under
its King Jehovah--the book which treats of the host of God, of the discipline
of the army, of its typical march from Sinai to Canaan, from the Mount of God
to the elementary conquest of the world under the standard of the Ark of the
Covenant, and under the guidance of Jehovah; and because this march is typical,
it is darkened and checked in many ways by the power of sin. Another
designation, “The wandering towards Canaan,” is partly too indefinite, partly
too narrow, because the wandering as a whole had already begun with the Exodus
from Egypt. (J. P. Lange, D. D.)
The authorship of the book
Much which has been said upon the Mosaic authorship of the
Pentateuch generally, applies with special force to the authorship of this
book. One portion, viz., the catalogue of the stations or encampments (33) is
expressly ascribed to Moses (verse 2). Some of the legislative enactments which
are found only in this book, or which are recapitulated in Deuteronomy are
expressly assigned to Moses in Joshua--
, point to the
conclusion that the writer of the book was either an eye-witness of the scenes
which he records, or a forger whoso skill has been unequalled in after ages.
The topographical notices, again, testify to an acquaintance with the history
of Egypt (e.g., Numbers 13:22)
, and also with that of the surrounding nations, previously to the entrance
into Canaan (e.g., Numbers 21:13)
; whilst the allusions to Egyptian customs, products, and institutions, and
also to particular incidents of Egyptian history, are such as cannot, with any
great amount of probability, be ascribed to any writer between the days of
Moses and those of Solomon (e.g., Numbers 11:5-7; Numbers 21:5-9; Numbers 33:4; Numbers 33:6-8)
. Again, the contrast between the general allusions to the topography of
Canaan, such as might well have been obtained from traditional sources, or from
the reports of the spies, as compared with the more minute descriptions given
in Joshua, precisely corresponds with the recorded history of Moses. Thus,
while in Joshua the boundaries of Canaan are expressed with great minuteness,
in Numbers they are laid down in general terms (cf. Joshua 15:1-63 with Numbers 34:1-29.)
. It may be observed further, that the fact that the boundaries assigned to the
promised land were never actually realised, even in the clays of David and
Solomon, affords a strong argument in support of the belief that the books in
which they arc described were not written at the late period to which they are
assigned by some modern critics, in which case the original assignment would
naturally have been made to accord with the actual extent of the kingdom. It
must be observed, further, that the statistics of this book stop short of the
death of Moses, and that the records of families are restricted to the Mosaic
era Thus, e.g., we read of the promise given to Phinehas and to
his seed after him of an everlasting priesthood (Numbers 25:13), and we find mention of
the part which Phinehas took in one of the latest expeditions in which Moses
was engaged (Numbers 31:6); but we must have recourse
to the books of Chronicles and of Ezra 2:1-70 we desire to obtain
information concerning his descendants. (C. J. Elliot, M. A.)
The chronology of the book.--
1. The narrative commences with “the first day of the second month of
the second year after they were come out of Egypt” (Numbers 1:1); and the death of Aaron at
the first encampment during the final march on Canaan (Numbers 20:2) took place in the first day
of the fifth month of the fortieth year (Numbers 33:38).
2. Between these two dates, therefore, intervene no less than 38 1/4
years (cf. Deuteronomy 2:14)
, the long and dreary period of tarrying in the wilderness till the disobedient
generation had wasted away.
3. The solemn rehearsal of the law contained in Deuteronomy was
commenced by Moses after the overthrow of Sihon and Og, in the beginning of the
eleventh month of the fortieth year (Deuteronomy 1:3-4).
4. We have, consequently, from the death of Aaron to the opening of
Deuteronomy a space of exactly six months, in which all the events narrated in
the fourth part of this book (Numbers 20:1 to end) would seem to have
occurred, with the probable exception of the defeat of the king of Arad.
5. Those events are many and remarkable. After the tedious years of
suspense were once passed, the history of the chosen people hurries on, not
without a sort of dramatic propriety, to a crisis. Crowded as this space is, it
yet has room enough for the incidents here assigned to it.
6. The first month of the six was passed at the foot of Mount Her in
mourning for Aaron (Numbers 20:29). But it is likely that
during this month a part of the host was engaged in revenging upon the king of
Arad the molestation inflicted by him on the Israelites during their journey
from Kadesh to Mount Her.
7. Next ensued the journey “from Mount Her by the way of the Red Sea
to compass the land of Edom” (Numbers 21:4); and this, being about two
hundred and twenty miles to the brook Zered, would be accomplished within four
weeks.
8. The appearance of the host in the plains of Moab brought them into
the neighbourhood of Sihon, king of the Amorites. The policy pursued by him of
resisting the progress of Israel with all his forces (Numbers 21:23) caused his overthrow to be
speedy and total; as was also for like reasons that of Og, king of Bashan. The
two battles at Jahaz and Edrei probably took place both within a fortnight; i.e.,
towards the middle of the third of the six months in question.
9. The issue of the conflict with the Amorite kings determined Balak
to send for Balaam (Numbers 22:2). The distance from Moab to
the nearest point of the Euphrates is about three hundred and fifty miles, and
Pethor may have been yet more distant. But as Balak was urgent, and could of
course command all facilities for travelling, two months would amply suffice
for his ambassadors to go and return twice over; and for the delivery by Balaam
of his prophecies (22-24). No doubt during these weeks the Israelites were
engaged in completing and consolidating their conquest of Gilead and Bashan.
10. We have thus a margin of at least six weeks left, during which
occurred the seduction of Israel by the wiles of the Midianites, and the
consequent plague (25); the second numbering of the people in the plains of
Moab (26); and the war upon the Midianites (27).
11. It is accordingly in full consistency that the death of Moses is
spoken of (Numbers 31:2) in connection with the
Midianitish war, and as following close upon it; and that Balaam after quitting
Balak had not yet returned home when that war occurred, and was taken captive
amongst the Midianites. (T. E. Espin D. D. , in Speak. Com.)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》