Bible Book of the Month: Numbers

The fourth book of Moses is called Numbers in the English Bible, and this follows the usage of the Greek Septuagint translation. In the Hebrew it is called Bammidhbar (“In the wilderness”). The former name comes from the two census lists that appear prominently at the beginning and end of the book. The latter name, however, appears to be more descriptive, for the book of Numbers largely describes the wilderness wanderings of Israel. Numbers takes up the narrative of the wilderness journey close to the point where Exodus leaves off.

Difficulties In Numbers

The prominent feature of the census lists in Numbers needs a little explanation. Israel had no Bureau of the Census, nor were the people interested in mere vital statistics. This was not an ordinary census such as we are familiar with. The Hebrew word saphar often means to “count,” but it is not the word used in these lists. There is another word, paqadh which sometimes means “visit,” either in judgment or in blessing, but which also means to “number an army.” It really means to “muster troops.” To illustrate its usage, one may turn to 1 Kings 20:15 where Benhadad mustered an army against Israel, or to Joshua 8:10 where Joshua prepared for the battle of Ai, or to 2 Kings 3:6 where Jehoram mustered an army against Moab. The word does not mean merely to count; its meaning is technical and refers to raising an army. It was this fact that made David’s action in 2 Samuel 24 sinful. David’s sin was not in proudly counting his population, but in embarking on a campaign of war when it was apparently uncalled for. So in Numbers: the use of this word gives us the picture of Moses organizing the soldiers in preparation for the invasion of Palestine. After the first attempt failed and the wilderness wanderings were finished, Moses mustered the troops again in preparation for the assault upon Palestine under Joshua. For this reason only the fighting men over 20 years of age were numbered.

The tribe of Levi was also numbered, but for a different purpose. Instead of choosing a percentage of men out of each tribe for the carrying on of the tabernacle work and service, God chose to use the whole tribe of Levi. He substituted them for the firstborn on the principle that the firstborn belonged to God since he had spared Israel’s firstborn in the last Egyptian plague. The firstborn of Israel were therefore counted, the Levites also were counted and the difference adjusted by a payment of five shekels apiece (Num. 3:47). A problem arises here in that there were so few firstborn (22,273) among so many people (603,550 grown men). Different suggestions have been proposed, but it is probable that the trouble arises from our ignorance of what constituted a firstborn son. Possibly the firstborn was only counted as such when the oldest child was a boy (Exod. 13:15). Perhaps if a father and son in one family were both living and both firstborn, only one of them was counted in the reckoning. Possibly the number of the firstborn was reckoned with one from each family or clan rather than from each household—or there may have been some other restriction.

The size of the nation has also been a problem to some. From the number of 600,000 grown men, the total has been estimated at about 2,000,000. It is thought that such a movement was impossible. Indeed, critics are fond of saying that these figures are a backward projection of some of Solomon’s lists.

Now it may be admitted (as is pointed out in a note in the Scofield Reference Bible, p. 1220) that the transmission of numbers with unfailing accuracy was difficult in ancient Hebrew. Still, these numbers are similar for the various tribes and add up to a total which checks. The totals are about the same in the later list of Chapter 26 though some of the individual tribes changed rather widely during the 40 year interval. There is actually no basis for skepticism as to these numbers except the feeling that the Exodus really could not have been so large an event. But of course it could have been. We must not picture it as a military parade with everyone in step and banners flying. It was more of a mass emigration of nomad peoples. Out in the wilderness the camp may have spread out over hundreds of square miles at various times in order to forage the animals.

The figures are at least consistent with other similar figures. It is not a copy of Solomon’s list, for in David’s time the nation had over 1,300,000 soldiers (2 Sam. 24:9). Saul, a much weaker king, had 330,000 (1 Sam. 11:8). Rehoboam after the division of the kingdom had only 180,000 men in Judah (1 Kings 12:21). During the days of the Judges, the number is once given as 400,000 not counting Benjamin (Judges 20:2). Gideon mustered 32,000 men out of three and a half tribes in a time of heavy oppression (Judges 6:35) which compares favorably with Joshua’s 40,000 out of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh (Josh. 4:13). Comparison with Numbers 26 would show about 100,000 soldiers in these Transjordan tribes, but presumably half of them had to stay in Transjordan as occupation troops.

We should remember, also, that a handful of troops could not do what Joshua did. Ancient armies did not have 18 men in the factories for every one man at the front as we did in the last war. If he had, Joshua would only have had 33,000 men in his fighting force! And yet he could not put his whole army in the field at once. Many of these counted were infirm or IV-F! Many had to guard the camp and occupy what had been won. And yet at the height of his northern campaign, Joshua was able to capture the city of Hazor which had gathered to itself a large defensive coalition. The city of Hazor has lately been excavated and is estimated to have contained 40,000. Such a city, strongly fortified, and with numerous allies could not have been conquered by a handful of wandering shepherds. Joshua evidently moved at the head of a large and powerful fighting force.

We do not have the figures for many other ancient armies. Sennacherib claims to have taken 200,150 prisoners from the towns of Judah exclusive of Jerusalem. Shalmanezer claims that the army he led at the battle of Qarqar numbered 120,000. These were doubtless first line troops as they were operating 400 miles from their home base (see the documents in J. B. Pritchard, Ancient Near Eastern Texts, pp. 288 and 280). The armies in Numbers thus appear to be of a reasonable size.

There is more to Numbers than problems. There are valuable lessons. There are beautiful lessons to be learned of the Lord’s guidance. The presence of the Lord was visibly symbolized in the cloud by day and the fire by night that hovered over the Tabernacle. And when that presence of the Lord removed, the people were to journey. The words of Numbers 10:33 probably do not mean that it went “before” the camp. The word may as well be translated “in the presence of” the camp. In the march as in the encampment the ark was in the middle of the people. The beautiful invocation of Numbers 10:35,36 is quoted by David in Psalm 68:1 and in Solomon’s prayer of dedication in 2 Chronicles 6:41 (cf. Ps. 132:8). It doubtless became a precious invocation in Israel.

Rebellions

But familiarity breeds contempt and the generation that refused the leading of the Lord at Kadesh Barnea rebelled many times both before and after that experience. They tired of their situation. After all, they had been used to plenty and security in Egypt. Now they had to adapt to nomad life in the edges of the desert and the oases of the Sinai peninsula. In Egypt they had security with slavery and surely could not worship God as they pleased. The Egyptian state was totalitarian and the king was God. In the wilderness, on the other hand, they could worship God according to their conscience and they had freedom, but with privation. Many there were who would look back at Egypt and be willing to sell their soul for a mess of pottage.

The individual rebellions recounted in Numbers cannot be treated in detail. At one time Miriam and Aaron grew envious of Moses because of his Ethiopian wife—apparently she was his second wife and quite possibly a Negro! His first wife may or may not have been living. Moses, the record says, did not defend himself, but God severely rebuked the pair for their actions. Numbers 12:6 is a remarkable divine commendation of Moses the great head of the prophetic line and type of “that Prophet” who was yet to come. God evidently spoke with Moses in great intimacy. Truly he was a chosen vessel. Some have taken exception to Numbers 12:3 where Moses is said to have been very meek. They say that Moses could not have written this or he would not have been meek! But customs differ in reporting such matters. Paul says about the same thing in Acts 20:19 and no offence is taken.

Sometime after the disaster at Kadesh Barnea came the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. The rebellion was strong and a rather complete record is given of it in chapters 16 and 17. Korah’s men were consumed by fire from the Lord when they approached with their incense. And Dathan and Abiram and such of the congregation as stood with them were buried alive as the earth opened under them (went down “quick into the pit” merely means “buried alive.” There is no thought of a passageway to some underworld region). Another famous incident of rebellion is given in chapter 20 when the people murmured for lack of water. Such an incident is also recorded in Exodus 17 and some have argued that these are two accounts of the same incident. But it seems supercritical to feel that in 40 years of wilderness sojourning the people could not have complained about the lack of water more than once!

The rebellion at Kadesh Barnea was the most decisive of all. The story is brief, but the consequence of their lack of faith was 40 years of trouble. The people were encamped in the wilderness of Paran south of the area called the Negeb which Israel is developing today. The Lord told Moses to send out spies, one for each tribe, for a reconnaissance mission to gauge the resources of the land and the best way of attack. All the spies agreed that the land was attractive. All agreed that it included many well-fortified independent city states. The only difference was that Caleb and Joshua believed that the Lord was able to give them the land; the others did not. It would seem that the Israelites were as able to take the land of Palestine on the first attempt as later.

Conquest And Balaam

The conquest of Transjordan is given briefly in Numbers 21. In early times, the Amorite kingdoms of northern Transjordan had pressed down into the territory of Moab dispossessing the Moabites and driving them to the south of the Arnon canyon. Israel, in pitched battles with Sihon and Og, kings of the Amorites, won all this territory north of the Arnon valley which is at about the middle of the Dead Sea. The record of this conquest is repeated more extensively in Deuteronomy 2 and 3 and Jephthah repeats the same story in Judges 11 when the Moabites laid claim to this area 300 years later. Interestingly, Numbers 21:28, 29 are quoted in Jeremiah 48:45, 46 in connection with Jeremiah’s woes upon Moab. This section, said to be “from those that speak in proverbs,” can only refer to the political situation before Israel invaded. The short songs in Numbers 21:14, 15 and 17, 18 also probably refer to this period of conquest. Verse 14 does not seem to speak of the Red Sea experience. “Sea” is not in the Hebrew. Septuagint and other evidence favors a translation something like the following: “It is said in the book of the wars of the Lord, a fire flamed in Suphah and in the brooks of Arnon.” W. F. Albright holds that verse 17 is only a title of the song mentioned (Hebrew Union College Annual, 1950–51, p. 7).

The time in Transjordan included the interesting contact with Balaam. We know little enough about him. He was from Aram, the mountains of the East (23:7), for example, hinter Syria. He was from the land of the children of Ammo (22:5, Hebrew). This place apparently can now be identified from the Idrimi inscription of about 1450 B.C. as a place in Syria near Aleppo (W. F. Albright, Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, April 1950, p. 15). It has been much disputed whether Balaam was a worshiper of the true God outside of Israel like Melchizedek, or whether he was a heathen soothsayer through whom God truly spoke on this occasion. The latter is perhaps the easier to maintain since Balaam was later slain among the Midianites who had seduced the Israelites to go after idols (Num. 25 and 31:8).

The messages of Balaam first speak in general terms of God’s blessings upon Israel. It is of interest that Balaam quotes the old Abrahamic blessing (Num. 24:9; Gen. 12:3). Had he some contact with the Abrahamic tradition? Or was this a common proverbial way of giving a benediction? At last Balaam gets more specific. The prediction of a star from Jacob and a scepter from Israel had its fulfilment in all of the victories of Israel and the Davidic dynasty, but is to be fully fulfilled in the Messianic King of whom David was but a type.

The final chapters are somewhat parallel with the end of Deuteronomy. Numbers 27:12–23 gives the preparation for Moses’ death which took place only after the farewell addresses of Moses were given to the last assembly as recorded in Deuteronomy. As in the central portion of Deuteronomy, so here, there are various laws especially for the offerings and feasts (Num. 28 to 30). The arrangement was concluded for Reuben and Gad and half of Manasseh to stay in Transjordan but to send a contingent to assist in the invasion of Palestine (Num. 32). Chapter 33 is a summary of the places where Israel had encamped in the trek through Sinai. Of all the places mentioned it seems that only about two, Ezion Geber and Punon (modern Feinan) can be identified with any certainty. Finally, the boundaries of Palestine proper which Israel was to inherit are given in chapter 34. As in the Abrahamic promises, the boundaries go north as far as Hamath near “the great river, the river Euphrates.” Only in the heyday of David and Solomon did Israel’s control actually extend this far. But the biblical promised land includes what we speak of as Palestine, Transjordan, and Syria as well. The book of Numbers mainly is the record of Israel’s preparations to enter this promised land.

Outline

I. Preparations to leave Sinai (1:1 to 10:10).

A. First numbering of the host (1 to 4).

B. Miscellaneous laws and ordinances (5 to 10:10).

II. From Sinai to Kadesh Barnea (10:11 to 14:45).

A. The order of march (10).

B. Rebellions by the way. Taberah, the Quails, Miriam’s leprosy, the Defeat at Kadesh (11–14).

III. Wilderness wanderings (15 to 21:20).

A. Various laws (15).

B. Korah’s rebellion against Aaron’s priesthood (16–18).

C. Ordinance of red heifer (19).

D. Moses’ sin, Aaron’s death, and the fiery serpents (20 to 21).

IV. Conquests in Transjordan (21:21 to 25).

A. Conquest of Sihon and Og (21).

B. Balaam’s prophecy (22 to 24).

C. Mixing with Midian (25).

V. Preparation to enter Palestine (26 to 36).

A. Second numbering and appointment of Joshua (26 to 27).

B. Laws of offerings, feasts, and vows (28 to 30).

C. Further war with Midian (31).

D. Inheritance of two and a half tribes in Transjordan (32).

E. Summary of the wilderness journeys (33).

F. Arrangements for settlement in Palestine (34 to 36).

Literature

Helpful literature on Numbers is not abundant. The standard commentaries of Keil and Delitzsch, Lange, and Calvin are good. The special study of W. F. Albright, “The Oracles of Balaam,” Journal Biblical Literature, LXIII, 1944, pp. 207–233 should be mentioned. It maintains the antiquity of this section. An excellent treatment is given by Allan A. MacRae in The New Bible Commentary, edited by F. Davidson, Inter-Varsity, London, 1953.

R. LAIRD HARRIS

Professor of Old Testament

Covenant Theological Seminary

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