It is the fourth book of the Pentateuch. Key personalities include Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Joshua, Caleb, Eleazar, Korah, and Balaam. The book of Numbers is named for the Lord’s instruction to Moses to number, or count, all the Israelite males “from twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war” (Numbers 1:3). The early portion of the First Book, down to the endof the twenty-fourth chapter, was probably written by Samuel; while the rest of it and thewhole of the Second, are commonly ascribed to Nathan and Gad, founding the opinion on 1Chronicles 29:29 . The objections to this idea are founded chiefly on theclause, "unto this day," which occurs several times ( Joshua 4:9 ; 6:25 ; 8:28 ). The date and authorship of this book are not preciselyknown. Treasures Old and New: Essays in the Theology of the Pentateuch. An evident unity of method, therefore, pervades this book, andthe information contained in it was of the greatest importance to the Hebrew people, aswithout it they could not have understood the frequent references made in their law to thepurposes and promises of God regarding themselves. Besides, the thoroughknowledge it exhibits of the institutions and usages of the ancient Egyptians and theminute geographical details of the journey to Sinai, establish in the clearest manner theauthenticity of this book. What these frequently used numerics mean reveals the mind of God and the divine design of His revelation to man. The other part, embraced in thefour concluding chapters, narrates the journey of a second caravan of returning captivesunder the conduct of Ezra himself, who was invested with powers to restore, in all itssplendor, the entire system of the Jewish ritual. The historicalcharacter of the book is undoubted, since, besides many internal evidences, itsauthenticity is proved by the strong testimony of the feast of Purim, the celebration ofwhich can be traced up to the events which are described in this book. Thecanonical authority of this book is well established; but another under the name of Ezrais rejected as apocryphal. Ray Stedman: Numbers: The Incomplete Christian Life [, ] Part of the Series: Adventuring Through the Bible. Its authorship by Moses is distinctly asserted by himself ( Exodus 24:4 ), as well as by ourLord ( Mark 12:26 ; Luke 20:37 ). E. J. One direct quotation only from this book ( Numbers 16:5 ) is made in the NewTestament ( 2 Timothy 2:19 ); butindirect references to it by the later sacred writers are very numerous. When we study numbers in the Bible we aren’t looking for meaning in natural occurences of numbers. The chief objectionis founded on Ezra 5:4 , wherethe words, "Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the menthat make this building?" The two parts are essentially connected; theone, which sets out with an account of the descent of the human race from a single pair,the introduction of sin into the world, and the announcement of the scheme of divine mercyfor repairing the ruins of the fall, was necessary to pave the way for relating the other,namely, the call of Abraham, and the selection of his posterity for carrying out thegracious purpose of God. Today they are associated with computers and the depersonalization that threatens our society.' versions. The awesome complexity of the earth itself, as well as the infinite vastness of the universe (which man cannot even begin to comprehend), are silent witnesses of the existence and wisdom of a Master Creator. The Pentateuch possessed the strongest claims on theattention of the Jewish people, as forming the standard of their faith, the rule of theirobedience, the record of their whole civil and religious polity. So called from its treating ofthe laws relating to the ritual, the services, and sacrifices of the Jewish religion, thesuperintendence of which was entrusted to the Levitical priesthood. Outline of the Book of Numbers Israel prepares for the journey to the Promised Land - Numbers 1:1-10:10. Finally, thePentateuch "is indispensable to the whole revelation contained in the Bible; forGenesis being the legitimate preface to the law; the law being the natural introduction tothe Old Testament; and the whole a prelude to the gospel revelation, it could not havebeen omitted. 187-188. Proud member In the New Testament numerous allusions to incidents in the Book of Numbers appear: the bronze serpent (Jn 3:14–15), the sedition of Korah and its consequences (1 Cor 10:10), the prophecies of Balaam (2 Pt 2:15–16), and the water gushing from the rock (1 Cor 10:4). This book is so called because itcontains an account of the enumeration and arrangement of the Israelites. The book tells of the murmuring and rebellion of God's people and of their subsequent judgment. Thetwo were, by the ancient Jews, conjoined so as to make one book, and in that form could becalled the Book of Samuel with more propriety than now, the second being wholly occupiedwith the relation of transactions that did not take place till after the death of thateminent judge. The symbolism of numbers 1, 3 and 7 are most agreed upon, while variations may occur with others. Commentators,however, are divided about this, some supposing that the statements in 1 Samuel 2:26 ; 3:1 , indicate the hand of the judgehimself, or a contemporary; while some think, from 1 Samuel 6:18 ; 12:5 ; 27:6 , that its composition must bereferred to a later age. The authorship of these books is unknown; but the prevailingopinion is that they were compiled by Ezra, or one of the later prophets, from the ancientdocuments that are so frequently referred to in the course of the history as of public andestablished authority. An essential key to understanding God's Word and its design is through the meaning of Biblical numbers. Much of its legislation for people and priests is similar to that in Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. 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, ingratitud… God is 'The Great Geometrician' and does everything after a plan by number, weight, and measure. They have always been placed at the beginning of the Bible,not only on account of their priority in point of time, but as forming an appropriate andindispensable introduction to the rest of the sacred books. It doesn’t have any application to our Bible study. Originallythese books formed one continuous work, as in the Hebrew manuscripts they are stillconnected in one unbroken roll. Skip to content. Numbers tells the story of the Israelites during the nearly forty years from the time they left Mount Sinai until they reached the eastern border of the land that God had promised to give them. TITLE:. It is chiefly,however, the duties of the priests, "the sons of Aaron," which this bookdescribes; and its claim to be the work of Moses is established by the followingpassages:-- 2 Chronicles 30:16 ; Nehemiah 8:14 ; Jeremiah 7:22-23 ; Ezekiel 20:11 ; Matthew 8:4 ; Luke 2:22 ; John 8:5 Romans 10:4 ; 13:9 ; 2 Corinthians 6:16 ; Galatians 3:12 ; 1 Peter 1:16 . "Only to the students of the Word, those to whom God's Spirit has given spiritual insight, will the code be plain. Homemaking, Homeschooling, Homesteading, Home Business and Other Stuff of Life. 614-615. The authorship is commonly ascribed to Ezra, whose leading object seemsto have been to show the division of families, possessions, &c., before the captivity,with a view to the exact restoration of the same order after the return from Babylon.Although many things are restated and others are exact repetitions of what is contained inKings, there is so much new and important information that, as JEROMEhas well said, the Chronicles furnish the means of comprehending parts of the NewTestament, which must have been unintelligible without them. Copyright © 2020, Bible Study Tools. The Eternal challenges us through Isaiah that He alone is Creator. Article Images Copyright © 2020 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. When the Bible was translated into Greek, its books were given Greek names. But this, at least in thecase of Rahab, is no valid reason for rejecting the idea of his authorship; for assumingwhat is most probable, that this book was composed toward the close of Joshua's longcareer, or compiled from written documents left by him, Rahab might have been still alive.A more simple and satisfactory way of accounting for the frequent insertion of the clause,"unto this day," is the opinion that it was a comment introduced by Ezra, whenrevising the sacred canon; and this difficulty being removed, the direct proofs of thebook having been produced by a witness of the transactions related in it, the strong andvivid descriptions of the passing scenes, and the use of the words "we" and"us," ( Joshua 5:1-6 ),viewed in connection with the fact, that, after his farewell address to the people, Joshua"wrote these words in the book of the law of God" ( Joshua 24:26 )--all afford strongpresumptive proof that the entire book was the work of that eminent individual. The Hebrew title is Bemidbar or “In the Wilderness” ( rbdmb) (of Sinai?) We propose to take them in order, and to give under each not merely lists of passages or things, but to, where possible, explain their significance and illustrate their meaning. Numbers takes up the story where Exodus left off. EXODUS, a "going forth," derivesits name from its being occupied principally with a relation of the departure of theIsraelites from Egypt, and the incidents that immediately preceded as well as followedthat memorable migration. And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes … Elwell; Baker Book House, Grand Rapids MI, 1989. In answer to this question, it mightbe sufficient to state that, in the public and periodical rehearsals of the law in thesolemn religious assemblies of the people, implying the existence of numerous copies,provision was made for preserving the integrity of "The Book of the Law." Just as God employed mathematical laws to create everything, He used numerals in the design of His word. RUTH is properly a supplement to thepreceding book, to which, in fact, it was appended in the ancient Jewish canon. Salem Media Group. 1a. What galaxies are mentioned in Scripture. Although the arrangement of some is obvious, others are not and require in-depth Bible study. Its author was inall probability Samuel, the last of the judges (see Judges 19:1 Judges 21:25 ), andthe date of the first part of it is fixed in the reign of Saul, while the five chapters atthe close might not have been written till after' David's establishment as king in Israel(see Judges 18:31 ). These studies provide Bible answers to Bible questions and will guide you to God's truth as revealed by His Holy Word. In the Septuagintthe title given them is Paraleipomenon, "of things omitted," that is, thebooks are supplementary because many things unnoticed in the former books are hererecorded; and not only the omissions are supplied, but some narratives extended whileothers are added. The general opinion of the Church inevery succeeding age has been that Ezra was the author of this book. The title of this book is derivedfrom the pious and valiant leader whose achievements it relates and who is commonlysupposed to have been its author. The Mosaic origin of the Pentateuch is established by theconcurring voices both of Jewish and Christian tradition; and their unanimous testimony issupported by the internal character and statements of the work itself. These lessons are only available at this Internet site. It is interesting to note that, on average, one in every five scriptural verses contains a number. However when dealing with the Hebrew text Numbers (B’midbar) can also be called the fifth and sixth book of Torah. The book tells of the murmuring and rebellion of God's people and of their subsequent judgment. NUMBERS. 2. They were travelling from Egypt to a country called Canaan. Indeed, God has wonderfully revealed Himself through His creation (Romans 1:20). CHRONOLOGICAL SETTING:. Theadmission of Moses to the privilege of frequent and direct communion with God ( Exodus 25:22 ; 33:3 ; Numbers 7:89 ; 9:8 ); his repeated and solemndeclarations that he spoke and wrote by command of God; the submissive reverence that waspaid to the authority of his precepts by all classes of the Jewish people, including theking himself ( Deuteronomy 17:18 ; 27:3 ); and the acknowledgment ofthe divine mission of Moses by the writers of the New Testament, all prove the inspiredcharacter and authority of his books. 1 lesson overview of the Book of Numbers. R. K. Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament, pp. Compiled & Edited by BibleStudyTools Staff, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The arguments that have been alreadyadduced as establishing the Mosaic origin of the Pentateuch prove of course that Moses wasthe author of Genesis. Numbers relates the story of Israel's journey from Mount Sinai to the plains of Moab on the border of Canaan. Imagine what the Scriptures would be like without the direct inspiration of a single Author! Edward F. Vallowe, in his book entitled Biblical Mathematics, writes the following. ISBN 9780802826794. THE FIRST AND SECOND BOOKS OF CHRONICLESwere also considered as one by the ancient Jews, who called them "words ofdays," that is, diaries or journals, being probably compiled from those registersthat were kept by the king's historiographers of passing occurrences. 1 lesson overview of Numbers. The task would be virtually impossible without the inspiration of an almighty God. AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BIBLE New American Standard Version (NAS) This is the first lesson of a 16 lesson online Bible study series. The book of numbers is largely Narrative History as far as its genre. Much of its legislation for people and priests is similar to that in Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Introduction to Studying Numbers by Brad Stephenson. This series will primarily focus on their spiritual significance. Today they are associated with computers and the depersonalization that threatens our society." NIV Study Bible, pp. The Pentateuch, the name by which the first five books of theBible are designated, is derived from two Greek words, pente, "five," and teuchos, a "volume," thus signifying the fivefold volume. Numbers (B’midbar) Stats: Traditionally and normally it is called the fourth book of Torah. See Explanation “ Backward / Upside Down Nuns ” in “Hebrew Anomaly” for for more information. Indeed the referencesare so numerous, and the testimonies so distinctly borne to the existence of the Mosaicbooks throughout the whole history of the Jewish nation, and the unity of character,design, and style pervading these books is so clearly perceptible, notwithstanding therationalistic assertions of their forming a series of separate and unconnected fragments,that it may with all safety be said, there is immensely stronger and more varied evidencein proof of their being the authorship of Moses than of any of the Greek or Roman classicsbeing the productions of the authors whose names they bear. 187-188. At what time they were divided into five portions, eachhaving a separate title, is not known, but it is certain that the distinction dates at orbefore the time of the Septuagint translation. But it is interesting andimportant to all mankind, inasmuch as besides revealing the origin and early developmentof the divine plan of grace, it is the source of all authentic knowledge, giving the truephilosophy, history, geography, and chronology of the ancient world. As a narrative ofGod's faithfulness in giving the Israelites possession of the promised land, this historyis most valuable, and bears the same character as a sequel to the Pentateuch, that theActs of the Apostles do to the Gospels. In the case of Numbers, the Greek translation abandoned the excellent Hebrew name, and used a Greek word meaning “numbers” (arithmoi) that actually describes only a few of its chapters. The book of Numbers tells the story of the Israelites during the nearly forty years from the time they left Mount Sinai until they reached the eastern border of the land that God had promised to give them. This uncertainty, however, as to the authorshipdoes not affect the inspired authority of the book, which is indisputable, being quoted inthe New Testament ( 1 Samuel 13:14 in Acts 13:22 , and 2 Samuel 7:14 in Hebrews 1:5 ), as well as in many ofthe Psalms. The purpose of the book of Numbers is to tell about how Israel prepared to enter the promise land, but sinned and was punished. Israel leaves Mt. E. J. Purpose and Scope. JOSHUA. The inspiration and canonical authority of the book is attested bythe fact of Ruth's name being inserted by Matthew in the Saviour's genealogy [ Matthew 1:5 ]. The Pentateuch, the name by which the first five books of theBible are designated, is derived from two Greek words, pente, "five," andteuchos, a "volume," thus signifying the fivefold volume. But, substantially, the Pentateuch is the genuine work of Moses, and many, whoonce impugned its claims to that character, and looked upon it as the production of alater age, have found themselves compelled, after a full and unprejudiced investigation ofthe subject, to proclaim their conviction that its authenticity is to be fully relied on. Contents. That Moses did keepa written record of the important transactions relative to the Israelites is attested byhis own express affirmation. Kenneth Boa: 8. There is thestrongest reason, then, for believing that the Pentateuch, as it exists now, issubstantially the same as it came from the hands of Moses. NEHEMIAH appears to have been the author ofthis book, from his usually writing in his own name, and indeed, except in those partswhich are unmistakably later editions or borrowed from public documents, he usuallyemploys the first person. 3. A single author would have to be a genius to develop a numerical design that applies to the entire book. ), xxvi. Their connections and patterns, when we search them out and understand them, reveal the handiwork of God. Numbers relates the story of Israel's journey from Mount Sinai to the plains of Moab on the border of Canaan. Certain prophetic books of the Bible, such as Daniel and Revelation, introduce a complex, interrelated system of numerology which exhibits definite patterns. Bill McRae: 4. The chief divisions of the Book of Numbers are as follows: GENESIS, the book of the origin orproduction of all things, consists of two parts: the first, comprehended in the firstthrough eleventh chapters, gives a general history; the second, contained in thesubsequent chapters, gives a special history. ___________________; “The Fourth Book of Moses (Numbers),” Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament Vol. 1 This designation is based on the numberings that are a major focus of chaps. It is probable, however, that these supposed marks of anafter-period were interpolations of Ezra. "[The] various writers of the different books, men who lived in different ages, and most of whom never saw the others, would have crossed up each other had they not all been guided by a master mind, One, Who never makes a mistake, and Whose knowledge and wisdom comprehend the events of all time. The inspired characterof this book is confirmed by allusions to it in many passages of Scripture (compare Judges 4:2 ; 6:14 with 1 Samuel 12:9-12 ; Judges 9:53 with 2 Samuel 11:21 ; Judges 7:25 with Psalms 83:11 ; compare Judges 5:4 Judges 5:5 with Psalms 7:5 ; Judges 13:5 ; 16:17 with Matthew 2:13-23 ; Acts 13:20 ; Hebrews 11:32 ). 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