The Book of Numbers

Wanderings in the Wilderness

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map of wilderness

Mediterranean Sea

Damascus

Sea of Chinnereth (Galilee)

Jericho

Mt. Nebo

Jerusalem

Salt Sea (Dead Sea)

Hebron

Ramses

Succoth

Gulf of Suez

Mt. Sinai (Horeb)

Red Sea

Ezion-geber

Nile River

Goshen

Egypt

Sinai Peninsula

Canaan

Bashan

Ammon

Moab

Edom

Land of Midian

Wilderness of Zin

Wilderness of Shur

Wilderness of Paran

Wilderness of Etham

Wilderness of Sin

The book of Numbers was named when it was translated into Greek because it contains the account of two occasions when Moses “numbered,” or counted, the people of Israel (see Numbers 1–4; 26). Some Hebrews call it Vayedabber (the first word in the book in Hebrew), which means “And He spoke.” This name seems appropriate since Numbers contains over 150 accounts of God speaking to Moses. The book is more commonly called Bemidbar in Hebrew, which means “In the wilderness,” describing the setting of nearly the entire book. Although the title “Numbers” sounds rather plain, the book actually contains some very significant and inspiring stories of Israel’s forty-year wandering in the desert of Sinai.

Getting Ready to Read Numbers

Numbers contains several stories of the murmuring, complaining, and rebellion of even Moses’ closest associates and family members. The Lord gave the children of Israel the opportunity to enter their land of promise about a year after they left Egypt, but they feared, murmured, and rebelled, so they lost the opportunity. As you read, you should consider that we, like the children of Israel, have a prophet today. How do we receive his counsel? What are the consequences of following or not following the prophet’s counsel?

The book of Numbers can be divided into three sections: (1) leaving Sinai (see chapters 1–10), (2) journeying in the wilderness (see chapters 11–21), and (3) preparing to enter the promised land (see chapters 22–36).