Numbers Introduction & Lesson 1

Introduction to book of Numbers

THE Book of Numbers reads almost like a chronicle of the principal events during the thirtyeight years which elapsed between Israel's stay in the wilderness of Sinai and their arrival on
the borders of Canaan.
What took place during the journey to Mount Sinai had been intended to prepare the people
for the solemn events there enacted. Similarly, the thirty-eight years wanderings which
followed were designed to fit Israel for entering and possession of the Land of Promise. The
outward history of the people during that period exhibited, on the one hand, the constant care
and mercy of Jehovah, and on the other, His holiness and His judgments. The laws and
ordinances given them were needful for the organization of the commonwealth of Israel in its
future relations. A brief analysis of the whole book will show the connection of all.
In general, the Book of Numbers seems to consist of three parts::
I (Numbers 1-10:10) Detailing the preparations for the march from Sinai;
1. The numbers and the outward arrangement of each of the tribes,
(Numbers 1, 2) and the appointment of the Levites to their service (3, 4.);
2. Laws concerning the higher and spiritual order of the people, culminating in the
priestly blessing (5, 6.);
3. The three last occurrences before leaving Mount Sinai (7, 8, 9:1-14);
4. The signals for the march in the wilderness (9:15-10:10).

II. (Numbers 10:11-21) The history of the journeying of Israel through the wilderness;
1. From Sinai to Paran, near Kadesh, detailing all that happened there (10:10-14);
2. From the announcement of the death of the generation which had 125 come out
from Egypt to the re-assembling of the people at Kadesh in the fortieth year
after the Exodus (15-19);
3. The march from Kadesh to Mount Hor, with the events during its course (20, 21).

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Numbers Introduction & Lesson 1

III. (Numbers 22-26) The various occurrences on the east of the Jordan.
1.
2.
3.
4.

The attempts of Moab and Midian against Israel (22-25.);

A fresh census and the ordinances connected with it (25-27.);
Certain sacred laws given in view of settling in Palestine (28-30.);
The victory over Midian, the division of the territory gained, along with a review of
the past (31-33:49);
5. Some prospective directions on taking possession of the Land of Promise (33:5036:38).

Before leaving the encampment at Mount Sinai, God directed Moses and Aaron to take a
census of all who constituted the host of Israel in the language of Scripture. "All that are able
to go forth to war," "their armies," (Numbers 1:3) that is, "every male from twenty years old
and upwards." In this they were to be assisted by one delegate from each tribe, "every one
head of the house of his fathers" (1:4); or, as they are designated in ver. 16, "the called
(representatives) of the congregation, princes of their paternal tribes, heads of thousands in
Israel."
The latter expression indicates that the census was taken on the plan proposed by Jethro,
(Exodus 18:21, 25) by which Israel was arranged into thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
This also accounts for the even numbers assigned to each tribe as the final result of the
numbering, Manifestly, the census was made on the basis of the poll taken nine months
before for the purpose of the "atonement money." (Exodus 30:11-16) This poll had yielded a
total of 603,550, (Exodus 38:26) which is precisely the same number as that in Numbers
1:46.
Probably, therefore, the census was substantially only a re-arrangement and registration of
the people according to their tribes, in thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, made with the
co-operation of the hereditary rulers of the tribes. The above number of men capable of
bearing arms would, if we may apply modern statistical results, imply a total population of
upwards of two million. Thirty-eight years later, just before entering upon possession of the
land, a second census was taken, (Numbers 26) which yielded a total number of 601,730
capable of bearing arms (26:51), thus showing a decrease of 1820 during the years of
wandering in the wilderness. Arranging these two censuses according to the tribes, and
placing them side by side, we gather some interesting information:

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Numbers Introduction & Lesson 1

Second Census
(Numbers 26)
(Prince Elizur, "My God the Rock.")
(Prince Shelumiel, "God my Salvation.")
(Prince Eliasaph, "My God that gathers.")
(Prince Nahshon, "The Diviner.")
(Prince Nethaneel, "God the Giver.")
(Prince Eliab, "My God the Father.")
(Prince Elishama, "My God the Hearer.")
(Prince Gamaliel, "My God the Rewarder.")
(Prince Abidan, "My Father is Judge.")
(Prince Ahiezer, "My Brother is Help.")
(Prince Pagiel, either "My Fate is God," or "My prayer41,500
God.")
53,400 (Prince Ahira, "My Brother is Friend.")
603,550

First Census
(Exodus 30; Numbers 1)
REUBEN
46,500
Simeon
59,300
Gad
45,650
JUDAH
74,600
Issachar
54,400
Zebulon
57,400
EPHRAIM
40,500
Manasseh
32,200
Benjamin
35,400
DAN
62,700

43,730
22,200
40,500
76,500
64,300
60,500
32,500
52,700
45,600
64,400

Asher

53,400

Naphtali

45,400
601,730

A comparison of the foregoing figures will show, that, while some of the tribes remarkably
increased, others equally remarkably decreased, during the thirty-eight years' wanderings.
Thus, for example, Issachar increased nineteen percent, Benjamin and Asher twenty-nine per
cent, and Manasseh about sixty-three percent. while Reuben decreased six percent, Gad
twelve percent, Naphtali fifteen percent, and Simeon almost sixty-three percent.
Some interpreters have connected the large decrease in the latter tribe with the judgment
following upon the service of Baal Peor; the fact that Zimri, a prince of the tribe of Simeon,
had been such a notable offender (Numbers 25:6-14) leading to the inference that the tribe
itself had been largely implicated in the sin.
Bible History: Old Testament

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Numbers Introduction & Lesson 1

Lesson 1

I (Numbers 1-10:10) Detailing the preparations for the march from Sinai;
1. The numbers and the outward arrangement of each of the tribes,
(Numbers 1, 2) and the appointment of the Levites to their service (3, 4.);
a) What was the purpose of the census (Numbers 1:1-4)?

b) Numbers 1:5-16 identifies the leaders of each tribe and is shown in the table
above. But note 1:17-18. Can you recite your Christian ancestry when
required?

c) Numbers 1:19-46 records the numbers in each tribe as shown in the above
table. But from 1:47-54, why werent the Levites part of the census?

d) Numbers 2 tells of the arrangement of the tribes when Israel was on the move.
Moving on to chapter 3:1-4, who were the sons of Aaron?

e) What was the work of the Levites (Numbers 3:6-13)?

f) Why and how was the census of the Levites different from the other tribes.
(Numbers 3:14-16)?

g) Who were the sons of Levi? (Numbers 3:17)

h) Why did God take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the
children of Israel (Numbers 3:40-51)?

i) What was the duty of the sons of Kohath(4:1-20)?

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Numbers Introduction & Lesson 1

j) What was the duty of the sons of Gershon (4:21-28)?

k) What was the duty of the sons of Merari (4:29-33)?

l) What were the results of the census of the Levites (4:34-49)?

2. Laws concerning the higher and spiritual order of the people, culminating in the
priestly blessing (5, 6.)
a) What were the Israelites to do with unclean individuals (5:1-4)?
b) What was the law concerning confession and restitution (5:5-10)?
c) What did the Law say concerning unfaithful wives? (5:11-31)?

d) What was the vow of the Nazirite (6:1-21)?

The word Nazarite signifies separation. Some were appointed of God, before their birth, to
be Nazarites all their days, as Samson and John the Baptist. But, in general, it was a vow of
separation from the world and devotedness to the services of religion, for a limited time, and
under certain rules, which any person might make if they pleased.Matthew Henry Concise

e) How were Aaron and his sons to bless the children of Israel (6:22-27)?

3. The three last occurrences before leaving Mount Sinai (7, 8, 9:1-14);
a) Chapter 7 is the 2nd longest chapter in the Bible (89 verses) and they are all
about the gifts of the princes. The message to us is that Jesus knows exactly
what we give him and what we keep for ourselves.

b) What is the purpose for the instructions of the lampstand at this time
(8:1-4)?

c) The remainder of chapter 8 deals with the cleansing of the Levites.

Note there are four steps to this. What is the significance of:

Sprinkle with water.

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Numbers Introduction & Lesson 1

Shave all of their flesh.

Wash their clothes

Sin offering
d) What new law was given concerning the Passover (9:1-14)?

4. The signals for the march in the wilderness (9:15-10:10).

a) How did God lead the people in the wilderness (9:15-23)?

b) What was the purpose of the two silver trumpets (10:1-10)?

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- Lesson 2

Part Two The Failure of the Old Generation to Inherit the

Premised Land (10:11-25:18)

I. The Failure of Israel en Route to Kadesh (10:11-12:16)

Israel Departs Mount Sinai

1. As the children of Israel started their journey, what trivbe was in the
front(10:11-28)?
2. Who was Reuel the Midianite and what did Moses request of him 10:2932)?
Failure of the People (11:1-9)

1.

Why did God send fire down from heaven (11:1-3)?

2.
Egypt (11:4-9)?

When the people grumbled, what did they say about

Failure of Moses (11:10-15)

What did Moses request of God (11:10-15)?

How did Moses describe his relationship to the people (11:10-15)?
God Provides for Moses (11:16-30)

3.

What did God give to Moses to help hium (11:16-25)?

4.

What did Eldad and Medad do (11:26-30)?

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- Lesson 2
God provides for the people !!:31-35)?

5.

How did God provide for the people (11:31-32)?

6.

Why was the anger of the Lor4d kindled again (11:33-35)?

Failure of Miriam and Aaron (12:1-16)

Why did Miriam and Aaron speak against Moses (12:1-2)?

How did Moses react to their charges (121:3)?
How did God react to the situation (12:4-16)?

II. The Climactic Failure of Israel at Kadesh (13:1-14:45)

A. Investigation of the Promised Land (13:1-33)

1. What was the purpose of sending spies into the land of Canaan (13:120)?
2. How long were the spies in the land? (13:21-25)?
3. What did the spies say about the land of Canaan ( 13:26-33)?
Israel rebels Agaisnt God (14:1-10)

1. How did the people react to the report of the spies (14:1-5)?

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- Lesson 2
2. What did Joshua and Caleb say about the promised Land (14:6-10)?
Moses Intercedes (14:11-19)

1. What did God suggest that he might do to the people (14:11-12)?

2. What did Moses Suggest to the Lord (14:13-19)?
God Judges Israel (14:20-:38)

1. How did Gog punish the people for their unbelief (14: 20-35)?
2. How did God punish the ten evil spies (14:36-38)?
B. Israel Rebels Against the Judgment of God (14:39-45)
1. How did the people react to Gods punishment (14:39-44)?
2. What did the Amalekites and the Canaanites do to the people (14:45)?

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- Lesson 3
III. The Failure of Israel in the Wilderness (15:1-19:22)
A. Review of the offerings (15:1-41)
a. Israel is at one of its lowest points in history; it has just rebelliously rejected
God's offer to bring the nation into the Promised Land; God has consigned them to
wander in the wilderness for 38 years, until the unbelieving generation had perished
in the wilderness, and a new generation of faith would take the Promised Land.
i. Yet, immediately after this stinging rebellion and the chastisement from the
Lord, Israel receives precious tokens of God's mercy, care, and help to Israel.
b. God helps Israel: This section reads just like the passages of law God had so
patiently instructed Israel with at Sinai; now, after their failure at Kadesh-Barnea,
God is taking them "back to school."
c. God is merciful to Israel: This section deals with sacrifice, sacrifice to cover sin
and sacrifice as an expression of thanksgiving. Israel, at their point of failure,
needed to be reminded of sacrificial atonement, and the need to give thanks - even
in the wilderness
d. God cares for Israel: These are commands that can only be fulfilled in the
Promised Land - there is the inherent promise that God will lead them there, and will
not leave them in the wilderness forever.(David Guziks Commentaries on the Bible)

1. What was the law concerning grain and drink offerings (15:1-21)?

2. What was the law concerning unintentional sins (15:22-31)?

3. What was the penalty for violating the Sabbath (15:32-36)?

4. Why were the Israelites to wear tassels on their garments (15:37-41)?

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- Lesson 3

B. Rebellion of Korah

1. What sin did Korah, Dathan, Abiram and On commit (16:1-3)?

2. How did God take care of the rebellion of these evil men (16:4-40)?

C. Rebellion of Israel Against Moses and Aaron (16:41-50)

1. What new complaint did the people have against Moses (16:41)?

2. How many people perished in Gods righteous retribution (42-50)?

D. Role of t e Priesthood (17:2-19:22)

1. What was the significance of the budding of Aarons rod (17:1-13)?

2. What were the duties of the priests and Levites (18:1-7)?

3. How were the priests and Levites to be supported (18:8-32)?

4. What were the laws concerning purification (19:1-22)?

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- Lesson 4
4. What were the laws concerning purification (19:1-22)?
a). Describe the taking of a red heifer. (19: 1-2)

b). What was different about the sacrifice, burning, and

gathering of ashes from the red heifer (19:3-10)?

c). Touching dead bodies makes one ceremonially

unclean (19:11-13). Death is the result and positive proof of sin
(Genesis 2:15-17, Romans 5:12). Death is like "sin made visible." How
could he/she be cleansed?

d). When does a dead body cause someone to become

unclean (19:14-16)?

e). What was the purpose for the ashes of the red
heifer (19:17-19)?

f. What is the nature of uncleanness (19:20-22)?

IV. The failure of Israel En Route to Moab

(20:1-25:18)
A.

Miriam dies (20:1). Where was Miriam buried?

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- Lesson 4
B.

Moses and Aaron Fail (20:2-13)

1. How did God want Moses to provide water for the
people (20:2-8)?
2. What sin did Moses commit?
3. What was his punishment?

C. Edom refuses Passage (20:14-21)

1. What did the messengers of Moses request from the King of

the Edomites? (20:14-21)

2. When and how did God punish the Edomites? (Ezekiel 25:12-

13)

D. Aaron Dies (20:22-29)

1. How was Aaron gathered to his people (20:22-29)?
2. What was done with Aarons garments?
E.

Israels Victory over the Canaanites (21:1-3)

1. What is meant by will utterly destroy in the vow to God?

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- Lesson 4
F. The Failure of Israel (21:4-9)
1. Why did God punish the people of Israel (21:4-9)?

2. How could the people of Israel be saved (21:4-9)?

G. Journey to Moab
1. Where is the book of Wars of the Lord mentioned in 21:14?
2. In addition to the name of the places they pass through on their
way to the promised land, brief passages of poetry are recorded.
What does this convey?

H. Israels Victory over Ammon (21:21-32)

1. What did Israel request of King Sihon (21:21-22)?
2. What did Israel do in response to King Sihons aggression
(21:23-32)?

I. Israels Victory over Bashan. Who was the aggressor

(21:33-35)? (SEE Deut 3)

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 Lesson 5
Failure with the Moabites (22:1-25:18)
1. Who was Balak (22:1-6)?
2. Who was Balaam (22:1-6)?
3. What did Balak request of Balaam (22:1-6)?

4. Was Balaks fear logical (also see Deut 2:9)?

5. What did Balaam tell the messengers from Balak (22:7-14)? What

did he conceal?
6. What did God tell Balaam to do (22:15-21)?

7. Describe the event that occurred with Balaam and the Angel

(22:22-35). T
8. What was Balaams first prophecy (22:36-23:11)?

9. What was Balaams second prophecy (23:12-26)?

10. What was Balaams third prophecy (23:27-24:14)?

11. What was Balaams fourth prophecy (24:15-25)?

12. What sin did the Israelites commit with the Moabites (25:1-18)?

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 Lesson 5

The Preparation of the New

Generation to Inherit the Promised
Land (26:1-36:13)
I.

The reorganization of Israel (26:1-27:23)

a.

The Second Census (26:1-51)

1. Who was included in this second census (26:1-2)?
2. What was the total number of the men of Israel?
3. What was to be the method of dividing the land
(26:52-56)?
4. Why werent the Levites included in the Census
(26:57-62)?
5. How many of the adults who left Egypt were still
alive at this time (26:63-65)?
6. What were the laws regarding the inheritance of the
land (27:1-11)?

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 Lesson 5
b.Appointment of Israels New Leader
(27:12-23)
1. Why did God choose Joshua to lead the people
(27:12-21)?
2. How was Joshua set apart for this work (27:21-23)?

c. The regulations of Offerings and Vows

(28:1-30:16)
1. What offerings were to be made daily (28:1-8)?
2. Since Christians no longer conduct sacrifices, what
must we do to please God? ( see Hebrews 11:1-6)
3. What offering was to be made on the Sabbath
(28: 9-10)?
4. What offering was to be made on the day of the New
Moon (28:11-15)? (Orthodox synagogues without

sacrifices joyfully keep the celebration by chanting

Psalms 104, 8 and 148).
5. What was the length of the Passover (28:16-25)?
6. The feast of weeks falls one week of weeks after
Passover and is also know as the feast of harvest
(Pentecost is second day). What was the offering on the
first day (28:26-31)?
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 Lesson 5
1.

In the seventh month what feast was held on the

a. first day (29:1-6)?
b.

tenth day (29:7-11)?

c.

fifteenth day (29:12-40)?

2.

How binding were the vows a man might make

(30:1-2)?

3.

How and why could a womans vow be overruled (30:3-16)?

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 Lesson 5
A summary of the sacrifices.
Young
Bulls

Rams

Daily
Sabbaths
New Moons
Passover
Pentecost
New Year
Day of
Atonement
Tabernacles*

Male
Lambs
2

2
2x7 = 14
2
1
1

1
1x7= 7
1
1
1

2
7
7x7 = 49
7
7
7

13+12+11
+10+9+8+7
+1 = 71

2x7+1
= 15

14x7+7
= 105

Goats

1
1x7 = 7
1
1
1
1x8 = 8

*In Jewish tradition, the seventy bulls being sacrificed in the first 7 days
represent the seventy nations (in Genesis10) in anticipation of their conversion
to the God of Israel. The ninety-eight lambs of the first seven days avert the 98
curses found in Deut. 28:15-68. On the eighth day the sacrifices were for Israel
alone.

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 Lesson 6
The conquest and Division of Israel
(31:1-36:13)
A. Victory of Midian (31:1-54)
a. Why did the Israelites fight against the Midianites (31:1-11)?
(recall 25:6-15)

b. Why was Moses angry with the officers of the army? (31:12-18)?

c. What were they to do with the plunder of the land (31:12-24)?

d. How was the plunder divided (31:25-54)?

B. Division of the Land East of Jordan (32:1-42)

a. What request did the children of Gad and Reuben make (32:1-8)?

b. What agreement was made with these people (32:9-42)?

C. The Summary of Israels Journey (33: 1-49)

a. Throughout the 42 encampments of the journey God was always there.

D. Gods Judgment on the Canaanites (33:50-56)

a. What was Gods instructions about the how to treat the inhabitants of the
promised land? (33:50-54)

b. If they do not follow the instructions what will happen? (50:55-56)

E. What were the boundaries of the promised land? (34:1-29)

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 Lesson 6
a. What was the south border ? (34:1-5)

b. What was the western border ?(34:6)

c. What was the northern border ?(34:7-9)

d. What was the the border to the east ? (34:10-12)

F. How was the land divided? (34:13-29)

G. Special cities in Canaan (35:1-34)

a. Where were the Levites to live in the promised land (35:1-8)?

b. What was the purpose of the cities of refuge (35:9-34)?

H. Special Problems of Inheritance in Canaan(36:1-13)

a. What was the problem that the heads of Gilead brought to Moses (36:1-4)?

b. What was Gods solution to this problem(36:5-13)?

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