Numbers 1-2

CHAPTER 1:
         One month has passed since God began giving the Levitical portion of the law to Moses in the tabernacle. (v.1) (Exodus 40:2, 17, Numbers 9:1, 10:11) Ten months have passed since the children of Israel first arrived at Mount Sinai. (Exodus 19:1) The title from this book is derived from that phrase in verse 1 “…in the wilderness…”. According to the introduction to this book in my study Bible, “The English title has its origin in the Greek version of the Old Testament (Septuagint), where, by way of the Latin Vulgate, we get the English name.” Where Exodus gives an account of the Israelites’ journey from Egypt, the covenant at Sinai, and the erection of the tabernacle, and Leviticus is an instruction on the holiness of God and the proper way in which to worship Him, Numbers now turns the focus to the Israelites’ journey towards the promised land. This book is about faith and obedience.
         Numbers is divided into two logical sections: chapters 1-21, which begins with a census of the generation that left Egypt, and chapters 26-36, which begins with a new generation after God’s judgement against those that violated His law by intermarrying with the Moabites and adopting their false religion. In between these two sections is the account of Balaam. According to the Moody Bible Commentary, “Numbers does not follow a strict chronological chain of events. This shows that Moses was not focusing on establishing a timeline but rather an account concerned primarily with thematic and theological lessons within their history.”
 
          Verse 1: “…the Lord spake unto Moses…” As with Exodus and Leviticus, this phrase appears several times throughout this book, emphasizing the divine origin of its contents. “…in the tabernacle of the congregation…” (Exodus 25:22, Leviticus 1:1) God is still meeting with Moses at the newly erected tabernacle.
 
         Verses 2-3: “Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel…” (v.2) (Numbers 26:2, 63-64, 2 Samuel 24:2, 1 Chronicles 21:2) The note in my study Bible says that this command echoes the one previously given in Exodus 30:12 and 38:21. “The men were counted in connection with the atonement money, that is, from that day forward, to pay for the daily offerings of the community. Since Exodus 30 does not state that the census was carried out, it makes sense to assume this census is the implementation of the payment.” This is the first of five such censuses that are in the OT: four of them recorded here in Numbers (chapters 3, 4, and 26), and the fifth is found in 2 Samuel 24. “…all that are able to go forth to war…” indicates that God is preparing Israel to conquer the promised land. (v.3)
 
          Verses 4-16: These verses list the representative from each tribe that is appointed to assist Moses with the census. (v.4) There are two names worth noting here: Nahshon of the tribe of Judah and Elishama of the tribe of Ephraim. It is the lineage of the former that will one day give birth to Boaz (Ruth 2:1) from whom will come Jesse, the father of David, the future king of Israel. That lineage, as we well know, is the one which will give birth to the messiah, Jesus Christ. (Matthew 1) Elishama is the grandfather of Joshua, son of Nun, who will be Moses’ successor and will lead the Israelites into the promised land.
 
            Verses 17-46: The total number of Israelite males, “…twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war…” (v.45) is 603,550. (v.46) That total is the same number given in Exodus 38:26. Keep in mind that this sum is only the men over twenty years of age. That means that when the number of women and children is added to that total the nation of Israel is very likely about two million, according to the Moody Bible Commentary.
          This fact has been a source of contention and controversy among Biblical scholars in the last two centuries. Some have argued that the Hebrew word “eleph” used in this chapter, which translated in English means “thousand”, actually means “clan” or “chief” instead of “thousand”. But the Moody commentators make this point: “In such an attempt, the total number of digits before ‘eleph from each tribe do not add up to 603 (i.e., 46 + 59 + 45 + 74 +54 +57 + 40 + 32 + 35 + 62 + 41 + 53 = 598, not 603) and the digits after the ‘eleph add up to 5,550.” We must always proceed with firm belief that the Bible states exactly what it says: no more, no less. God preserved His word in pure, perfect modern English for us today, and the King James translators got it right. There was, indeed, over two million Israelites that came out of Egypt and are now preparing to conquer the land that God had promised to them.
             This, then, is the result of the census:

          
         Verses 47-53: The tribe of Levi is not numbered among the men of war because they are tasked with protecting the tabernacle as well as assisting with the disassembly and transportation of it when it’s time to move the camp. (v.50-51) (Numbers 2:33, 26:62) Not all of this tribe can serve as priests – that honor is reserved only for Aaron and his sons – but the Levites are also tasked with the daily maintenance and upkeep of the tabernacle and the holy things. (Exodus 38:21, Numbers 3:7-8, 4:15, 25, 33) Verse 51 makes it clear that only the tribe of Levi may assemble and disassemble the tabernacle. Anyone else that comes near to it will be put to death. Verse 53 states the reason for the protection of the tabernacle by the Levites: “…that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel…”. (Leviticus 10:6, Numbers 8:19, 16:46, 18:5, 1 Samuel 6:19) The holiness of God and His dwelling place are paramount and must be kept undefiled. Perhaps it was because the sons of Levi answered Moses’ call to arms during the incident with the golden calf that God chose this tribe to protect and defend the tabernacle. (Exodus 32:26)
           Verse 54: As with many passages in the Pentateuch, this chapter ends with an affirmation that the children of Israel obey all that Moses commands them to do because it is the word of the Lord. It is especially emphasized here at the beginning of Numbers because of the events recorded later in this book. Sadly, the Israelites are not always so faithful and obedient.

CHAPTER 2:
         This chapter is God’s instruction to Moses for the arrangement of the twelve tribes when they set up camp. God is a God of order and detail, and all of these directions here at the beginning of Numbers are to help prepare His chosen nation for their conquering of the promised land. There’s also a specific order and significance to the placement and listing of the twelve tribes throughout this chapter. There is always a unique symmetry and/or symbolism to everything that is recorded of God and His actions throughout scripture, and this chapter is no exception.
 
           Verse 2: The Hebrew word for “standard” is degel, which means “flag” or “banner”. Each tribe has its own standard “…with the ensign of their father’s house…”. (Numbers 1:52, 24:2) An ensign is an emblem or symbol. The tents of each tribe will be pitched so that the entire camp surrounds the tabernacle, but with a large buffer zone between them and the tabernacle. (Joshua 3:4) As made clear in the previous chapter, the dwelling place of the Lord must be kept free of any accidental or deliberate defilement.
 
            Verses 3-33: Starting on the east side of the camp (v.3), God lists the placement of each tribe. (See Figure 1 on the next page, courtesy of the MacArthur Bible Commentary.) Judah is named first, and with them are Issachar and Zebulun. (v.5-9). The list of men chosen at the beginning of chapter 1 are named here as the military leaders of each tribe. (Refer back to the table above.) The total of these three tribes is 186,400. (v.9) Next up is the south side, under the flag of Reuben, and he is joined by Simeon and Gad. (v.10-16) Their total is 151,450. (v.16) On the west side, under the flag of Ephraim, is Manasseh and Benjamin. (v.18-24). Their total is 108,100. (v.24) And, finally, in the north are Dan, Asher, and Naphtali. (v.25-31) Their total is 157,600. (v.31) Verse 32 repeats the same total from the census in chapter 1: 603,550.
         Verses 9, 16-17, 24, and 31 list the order of marching rank. Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun are first; Reuben, Simeon, and Gad second; then the tribe of Levi bearing the ark and all the materials of the tabernacle (Numbers 10:17, 21); then Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin in the third rank; bringing up the rear are Dan, Asher, and Naphtali.

          It is no coincidence that the tribe of Judah is named first, for it’s from that lineage that the Messianic line of Christ will be born. The Moody Bible Commentary also makes this point: “Rachel’s sons were located together on the west side of the tabernacle. Leah’s offspring were on the east and south side of the tabernacle with one exception—Gad (the oldest son of Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid) was in the open slot with Leah’s two oldest sons, Reuben and Simeon, on the south side. The rest of the handmaids’ sons were together on the north side of the encampment.” The text does not specify the placement of each tribe within their assigned sides, but it can be safely presumed from the phrasing of verses 3, 10, 18, and 25 that the tribes of Judah, Reuben, Ephraim, and Dan are at the center of their respective groups. The tribe of Levi is not numbered because of their special assignment regarding the tabernacle. (v.33) (Numbers 1:47, 26:57) God will give further instruction to Moses regarding the Levites in the next two chapters.
 
            Verse 34: Same as chapter 1, this passage ends with the note that Israel obeys all that God commands Moses regarding the arrangement of the camp. (Numbers 24:5-6) “The posture of the people presented at this point is one of order and obedience. Here there was universal harmony and submission to both the Lord and Moses. This early obedience contrasts, however, with the people’s later rebellions.” (The Moody Bible Commentary)