NUMBERS

CHAPTER 1: THE CENSUS

• The Book of Number begins where Leviticus ends at Mt. Sinai.
• The Lord commands Moses to take a census of all the Israelite men who can serve in the army.
• The Lord then commands that the Levites are to be exempt from the army, and that they are in charging of guarding, carrying and setting up the tabernacle.

CHAPTER 2: THE ENCAMPMENT

• The Israelites are organized into camps according too which Son of Jacob (Israel) they descend from. They are known as the 12 tribes of Israel.
• All these camps surround the Levites who guard the tabernacle.

THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL

CHAPTER 3: REDEMPTION MONEY

• The Lord commands Moses to count all the male Israelites and all the male Levites.
• The Lord then commanded that however many more Israelites there are then Levites have to pay Aaron 5 shekels for their redemption.

CHAPTER 4: CENSUS OF THE LEVITES

• The Lord commands Moses to take a census of the different Levite clans and assign them to different tasks.

CHAPTER 5: LAWS

• The Lord commands Moses to send any Israelites away who are sick.
• The Lord establishes Laws on atonement for sin.
• The Lord establishes how to test if a wife has committed adultery.

CHAPTER 6: THE NAZIRITE VOW

• The Lord establishes the rules Israelites must follow if they are making a vow to separate themselves from society in order to dedicate themselves to the Lord.
• They are not permitted to drink wine, cut hair, or touch dead corpses.

CHAPTER 7: OFFERINGS

• Leaders from the twelve tribes of Israel give offerings to the Lord.

CHAPTER 8: PURIFYING THE LEVITES

• The Lord instructs Moses on how to purify the Levites, and that the Levites have been chosen to be priests.

CHAPTER 9: PASSOVER

• The Lord commands Moses to have the Israelites celebrate Passover.
• Some of the Israelites complained to Moses that they could not celebrate Passover because they were ceremonially unclean. Moses asked the Lord about the matter, and the Lord replied they were permitted to celebrate Passover.
• The Lord covered the tabernacle in the form of a cloud.

CHAPTER 10: HEADED TO ISRAEL

• The Lord instruct Moses to make two silver trumpets and have Aaron use them for battle calls, and gatherings.
• Eventually the Lord’s cloud lifts from the tabernacle and the Israelites leave Sinai. The cloud eventually settles in the Desert of Paran.
• Moses convinces his brother in law to stay with the Israelites.

CHAPTER 11: THE LORD FEED THE PEOPLE

• The people complain about lack of meat, saying it was better in Egypt.
• The Lord hears their complaints and promise he will feed them.
• He also commands Moses to bring elders from tribes and he will give them the holy spirit as well, in order to help keep the people under control.

CHAPTER 12: AARON AND MIRIAM REBEL

• Aaron marries a Cushite woman named Miriam, because of this they begin rebelling against Moses claiming that God also speaks through them.
• The Lord becomes angry and cans them to the tent of the meeting, and then curses Miriam with leprosy.
• Aaron then pleas with Moses to forgive then and petition the Lord to heal Miriam.
• The Lord instructs Moses to have her sent to stay outside of the camp for one week then she may come back.

CHAPTER 13: EXPLORING CANAAN

• The instructs Moses to send some men to explore the land of Canaan.
• Moses forms a group made up of representatives of each of the 12 tribes to explore Canaan. He instructs them to make reports on the people who live there, how their cities are built, the fertility of the land, what types of plants are growing.
• The explorers report back to Moses that land is filled with people who are stronger them, but it is flowing with milk and honey.
• One of the explorer’s named Caleb advise they should seize the land, the others advise that the Israelites should not attack them and spread rumors to the people that the land is bad and filled people stronger then them.

CHAPTER 14: 40 YEARS IN THE DESSERT

• After they hear the news that the promised land was bad, the Israelites complain that the Lord has led them to this land to die. Moses and Aaron attempt to convince them, but the Israelites rebel and talk about stoning them.
• The Lord becomes angry and threatens to send a plague to destroy them. Moses convinces him not too.
• Then Lord says he will forgive them but that none of this generation that came out of Egypt will se the promised land, except for Caleb and Joshua because they were faithful.
• The Lord condemns them to 40 years in the dessert. After they hear this the Israelites say they will enter the promised land but the Lord is not with them, and they are not victorious.

CHAPTER 15: OFFERINGS

• The Lord instructs Moses on the offerings the Israelites should make when they enter the promised land.
• The Lord instructs Moses on offerings to make if sin is committed unintentionally.
• A man is caught working on sabbath day, and the Lord commands he must be put to death.

CHAPTER 16: LEVITES REBEL

• Some of the Levites rebel against Moses and Aaron claiming they should lead. Moses instructs them to come to the tent of meeting.
• Moses prays to the Lord and God replies saying he will strike down all the Israelites because of these men. Moses pleas with the Lord to have mercy on them and to just kill the rebels.
• Moses the tells the people if these men are killed by miracles this will prove that the Lord is with him. The men are killed by miracles.
• The Israelites then rebel against Moses and Aaron and the Lord says he is sending a plague to kill them, but Aaron goes amongst the Israelites and makes an offering in their midst to protect them.

CHAPTER 17: THE STAFFS

• The Lord commands Moses to retrieve 12 staffs from the twelve tribes. Moses obeys.
• Moses then presents the staffs to the Lord and leaves them in the tent overnight.
• The next morning Moses retrieves the staffs and returns them to the leaders of the 12 tribes.
• The Lord instructs Moses to leave Aaron’s staff claiming it will stop the people from rebelling.

CHAPTER 18: LEVITES RECEIVE OFFERINGS

• The Lord instructs Aaron that he will take care of the tent of the meeting, in return he will receive a portion of the offerings.

CHAPTER 19: CLEANSING WATER

• The Lord instructs Moses and Aaron about how to clean people who have to dead corpses, ordering them to sprinkled with holy water.

CHAPTER 20: WATER FROM THE ROCK

• The Israelites travel to the Desert of Zin
• The Israelites begin complaining again for there is no water. The Lord instructs Moses to take Aaron’s staff and tap a rock twice and water will pour from it. Moses does this.
• The Lord then tells Moses and Aaron that they won’t enter Israel because have they not trusted God enough.
• Moses sends messengers ahead to Edom to ask permission to pass through their land. They deny the Israelites passage. So the Israelites turn away.
• The Israelites then traveled to Mt. Hor. Here Aaron dies.

CHAPTER 21: CONQUEST

• The Israelites defeat the Canaanite king of Arad.
• The Israelites then travel from Mt. Hor. The Israelites then began to complain again, and the Lord sent snakes to attack them. They then plead to Moses to pray to the Lord to have mercy on them. Moses obeys, and the Lord obeys.
• The Israelites then travel to Moab.
• The Israelites then defeat Sihon King of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan.

CHAPTER 22: BALAK SUMMONS BALAAM

• Balak king of Moab who fears the Israelites sends a request Balaam, who is known for blessing people successfully, to bless him in his battle against the Israelites.
• The Lord speaks to Balaam and tells him to refuse Balak’s request because the Israelites are blessed.
• Balak requests his services again and this time the Lord telsl Balaam he can go but to only do as he instructs.
• On the way Balaam and his donkey are harassed by an angel which reminds Balaam to only do as the Lord instructs.
• Balak and Balaam meet.

CHAPTER 23: BALAAM PROPHESIZES

• Balak asks Balaam to curse the Israelites, but the Lord instructs Balaam to bless them. Balak is angry at this.
• Balak then takes Balaam to another location to view the Israelites hoping this will change the mind of Balaam. The Lord instructs Balaam to bless the Israelites again.
• Balak then takes Balaam to another place hoping this will change his mind.

CHAPTER 24: BALAAM RETURNS HOME

• Balaam blesses the Israelites again.
• Balaak becomes angry and sends Balaam home.
• But Balaam first warns Balak about what Israel is going to do to him.
• Balaam then leaves.

CHAPTER 25: ISRAELITES ARE SEDUCED

• Several Israelites are seduced by Moabite women, and begin worshipping Moabite Gods. The Lord instructs Moses to kill them. Moses obeys.
• Then one of the Israelites begins a relationship with a Midianite women, and one Aarons grandsons kills them. The Lord is pleased at this.
• The Lord then instructs Moses to Kill the Midianites.

CHAPTER 26: CENSUS

• The Lord commands Moses and Aarons eldest son Eleazor to take a census of the Israelites and distribute land between them.

CHAPTER 27: JOSHUA IS CHOSEN TO BE MOSES SUCCESSOR

• After the census several daughters of a fallen Israelite pled to Moses that their father had died but left no sons and that their family should be denied a share of the property.
• Moses brought the case before God and the Lord approved of their request, and instructed Moses to report to Israelites that if a Man dies without sons his inheritance belongs to his daughters.
• Then the Lord tells Moses that he will not enter the promised land because of his disobedience. So Moses asks him to choose a successor. The Lord chooses Joshua to be his successor.

CHAPTER 28: OFFERINGS

• The Lord instructs Moses on when to make offerings.

CHAPTER 29: MORE OFFERINGS

• Chapter 28 continued.

CHAPTER 30: VOWS

• Moses instructs the Israelites on the rules regarding vows.

CHAPTER 31: CONQUEST OF THE MIDIANITES

• The Lord commands Moses to take vengeance on the Midianites. So Moses gathers an army and conquers the Midianites.
• After the battle the Israelites divided the war spoils.

CHAPTER 32: GADITES AND REUBINITES

• The Gadites and Reubinites who were two of the Israelite tribes believe the land east of the Jordan where they are camping is good for raising livestock. Moses became angry with them and rebukes them, reminding them what the Lord did the last time they refused to enter the promised land.
• The Gadites and Reubinites reform their request and ask Moses if they can build cities here and leave the women, children and livestock behind while they march with the army into the promised land. Then they would return after the conquest.
• Moses approves of their request.

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CHAPTER 33: TIMELINE OF ISRAELITES JOURNEY

• The Lord commands Moses to record all the locations they went to during their journey from Egypt.
• The Lord instructs Moses to invade Canaan, distribute the plunder according to the size of the clan, and make sure to drive out all the inhabitants that are in Canaan.

CHAPTER 34: BORDERS OF ISRAEL

• The Lord establishes the borders of Israel.

CHAPTER 35: TOWNS

• The Lord sets up towns in Canaan.
• The Lord establishes dealing with violent crime.

CHAPTER 36: DAUGHTERS WHO HAD INHERITED PROPERTY

• A dispute arises over the daughters who inherited property in chapter 27. Their tribe was worried that their property would be taken by a different tribe when they married.
• At the Lord’s command Moses instructed the people that if a father had no sons and the daughters inherited the family property, the daughters could not marry outside their tribe.