Chronicling a journey, as seen in ch. 33, was a form of record keeping employed widely in ancient times. These detailed records were a valuable resource for later historians. The detailed records in the Bible, in particular, help to confirm… Read More »Chronicling a journey
Amorites. The Amorites inhabited the land west of the Euphrates River, which included Canaan. In fact, the name “Amorite” means “westerner.” They spoke a dialect similar to both the Canaanites and the Hebrews and were often considered to be a… Read More »Amorites
Sharing the plunder. Soldiers in ancient times were regularly paid through the spoils of war. Contracts were often signed to guarantee that commanders would not interfere when it came time for their soldiers to “claim their pay.” In 31:25–47, Israelite… Read More »Sharing the plunder
During the Feast of Booths, the Israelites were to live in temporary dwellings (“booths”) as a reminder of their life in the wilderness. The large number of sacrifices offered during the eight days shows the importance of this feast. The… Read More »Feast of Booths
How wealthy would the Israelites become? The sacrifices described in chs. 28–29 called for a total of 113 bulls, 1,086 lambs, more than a ton of flour, and 1,000 bottles of oil and wine. Israel would have had to become… Read More »How wealthy would the Israelites become?
Wild oxen (24:8) are believed to be the ancestors of domestic cattle. In the OT, the wild ox was a symbol of strength.
Aram. The pagan prophet Balaam described himself as being from Aram. Aram was a confederation of small towns in present-day Syria. It was named for Aram, the son of Shem and grandson of Noah. It was in this region that… Read More »Aram
Balaam remembered. Evidence for Balaam’s existence can be seen on an eighth-century b.c. inscription found in Jordan. It begins with, “Inscription of Balaam the son of Beor, the man who was seer of the gods.”
The bronze serpent. When the people of Israel looked upon the serpent in order to live (21:9), it was a prophetic picture of the day when believers would look to the crucified Christ for salvation (John 3:14–15).
The King’s Highway (20:17) is the main trade route from Damascus to Arabia. It runs north to south, east of the Jordan River and Dead Sea. The King’s Highway has been in continuous use for more than 3,000 years.
Tithing. Various nations in ancient times practiced limited kinds of tithing, but Israel led the way in expecting the entire nation to support the priesthood in this way. Though Christians are no longer bound by this law, many today voluntarily… Read More »Tithing
What is a censer? A censer (16:17) was a vessel used for burning incense before the Lord. Censers were usually made of stone, but portable ones could be made of bronze. They held live coals for burning the incense.
God’s glory (14:21) refers to his measureless power and splendour.
Exaggerated claims? The spies’ reports about the size of the people of Canaan were exaggerations calculated to scare the people. However, their report about the size of the cities was true. Canaanite cities of that time were large and heavily… Read More »Exaggerated claims?
Did Moses have a second wife? The “Cushite woman” mentioned in 12:1 was probably Moses’ second wife. “Cush” can refer to Ethiopia or to a much larger portion of Africa, depending on the era in biblical history. The controversy about… Read More »Did Moses have a second wife?
Bdellium (11:7) has been described as a precious stone similar to a pearl. It has also been described as a pale, yellow tree resin. Ancient history books tell of its being used to make perfumes, which means it was probably… Read More »Bdellium
The ark of the covenant traveled in front of the Israelites as they marched to Kadesh (10:33); like the cloud (11:25), it symbolized God’s presence and his guidance of the people.
The delayed Passover (9:6–14) took place one month after the official Passover. It was for those who could not attend the regular Passover due to ceremonial uncleanness. Sharing in the Passover was a high privilege. Not participating in the Passover… Read More »The delayed Passover
Laying on of hands in the OT was used primarily in dealing with sacrificial offerings, usually animals. This act identified the animal as belonging to a particular person. The animal was seen to be taking that person’s place as a… Read More »Laying on of hands
Nazirites were dedicated laypersons. Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist were lifelong Nazirites.
What is a “grain offering of jealousy”? This was part of a ritual to determine the guilt or innocence of a woman accused of adultery (5:11–31). Oil and frankincense were not poured over this offering, as they were with other… Read More »What is a “grain offering of jealousy”?
Symbols of holiness are found all throughout Numbers. The tabernacle objects that were farther from the presence of God in the Most Holy Place could be made of ordinary materials like bronze. Within the Most Holy Place, everything was overlaid… Read More »Symbols of holiness
Guard duty. It was the Levites’ job to put to death anyone other than Aaron and his sons who attempted to enter the holy ground of the tabernacle. This included Israelites and not just outsiders. Only those whom God had… Read More »Guard duty
The arrangement of the Israelites’ camp symbolized the Lord’s prominence. It was arranged in a square, with the east side of the camp considered the prime position. This pattern is still followed by tent-dwellers today in the Middle East. In… Read More »The arrangement of the Israelites’ camp
Where do the events in Numbers take place? Chapters 1–9 take place near Mount Sinai. In chs. 10–12 the people travel to Kadesh, where they will spend the next 40 years (chs. 13–19). Next they journey toward Canaan (chs. 20–21),… Read More »Where do the events in Numbers take place?