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Books of the Bible |
Generally accepted to be Moses
Shortly before the Hebrew people entered into the promised land, about 1400 B.C.
Numbers shows the events that caused Israel to have to spend 40 years in the wilderness and how those events and the time in the wilderness shaped the people.
Preparation of the old generation to inherit the promised land. (1-10:10)
Organization (1-4)
Sanctification (5-10)
Failure of the old generation to inherit the promised land. (10:11-25)
Failures en-route to Kadesh (10:11-12)
Failure at Kadesh (13-14)
Failures in the wilderness (15-19)
failure en-route to Moab (20-15)
Preparation of the new generation to inherit the promised land. (26-36)
Reorganization (26-27)
Regulations (38-30)
Conquest and Division (31-36)
The book covers a span of about 40 years from around 1440 B.C., when they left Mt. Sinai until they entered Canaan in approximately 1400 B.C.
First Census, arrangement of the camp. Setting aside of the Levites. Travel from Sinai to Kadesh, complaints from the people. God's provision in quail and the plague with them. Miriam and Aaron oppose Moses. Spies sent into Canaan, the spies report, the people condemned to 40 years in the wilderness. The sin of Moses at Kadesh. Serpents in the camp, bronze serpent raised over the people. Balaam is unable to curse the Israelites. Second census, Joshua chosen to succeed Moses. Certain tribes settle in the trans-Jordan. Instructions given for dividing the land, cities of refuge and inheritance.
Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Joshua, Caleb, Balaam
Most significant is God's punishment on the people for their breaking of the covenant. The punishment is for correction and it shapes the people to do His will. Of additional note is the fact that God did not give up on the people, even though they failed Him time and again.