Crunching The Numbers Series

June 07, 2025

Today, as we begin the book of Numbers, we are going to do things a little bit differently. Instead of going in chapter order, we are going to look at the first 10 chapters in chronological order:

Number 9:1-14 records that on the 14th day of the 1st month of the 2nd year, Israel celebrated Passover.

Chapters 7, 8 & 9 are an expansion of the consecration of the Tabernacle and the Priests found in Exodus 40 and Leviticus 1-9.

Chapter 7 records the offerings brought by the leaders of each tribe as part of the dedication of the Tabernacle. The 1st offering of 6 covered carts and 12 oxen were presented the day the Tabernacle was erected. For the next 12 days each tribal leader presented additional offerings on behalf of his people (7:12-88).

Chapter 8 pertains to the Priests and Levites.

Numbers 9:15-23 - On the day when the Dwelling was erected, the cloud covered the Dwelling, the tent of the commandments; but from evening until morning it took on the appearance of fire over the Dwelling. It was always so: during the day the Dwelling was covered by the cloud, which at night had the appearance of fire. Whenever the cloud rose from the tent, the Israelites would break camp; wherever the cloud came to rest, they would pitch camp. At the bidding of Yahweh the Israelites moved on, and at his bidding they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the Dwelling, they remained in camp. Even when the cloud tarried many days over the Dwelling, the Israelites obeyed Yahweh and would not move on; yet sometimes the cloud was over the Dwelling only for a few days. It was at the bidding of Yahweh that they stayed in camp, and it was at his bidding that they departed. Sometimes the cloud remained there only from evening until morning; and when it rose in the morning, they would depart. Or if the cloud lifted during the day, or even at night, they would then set out. Whether the cloud tarried over the Dwelling for two days or for a month or longer, the Israelites remained in camp and did not depart; but when it lifted, they moved on. Thus, it was always at the bidding of Yahweh that they encamped, and at his bidding that they set out; ever heeding the charge of Yahweh, as he had bidden them through Moses.

It is now the 1st day of the 2nd Month of the 2nd year out of Egypt and the Children of Israel are still camped at the base of Mount Sinai.

God has delivered, sustained and set Israel apart for His service and now they are about to enter a new phase in their history. They were going to begin functioning as a nation within their covenant relationship with God, “You are to be holy because I am holy.” As we saw in Leviticus, virtually every aspect of their daily lives was influenced and prescribed by law: religious and ceremonial laws, dietary and hygiene laws, civil and family laws.

Now that the Tabernacle had been erected, the priests consecrated and the laws given, Israel was now to fulfill another part of God’s promise to Abraham – the conquest of Canaan. God had promised to make them victorious so long as they remained faithful and obedient to the covenant.

Up to this point in the story, however, despite Yahweh’s mighty works on their behalf, when there was little water, Israel accused Moses of trying to kill them. When they thought they would run out of food, they complained and longed for the food of Egypt. When Moses was MIA they replaced God with a calf of gold. Everything was a struggle. Everything was a crisis. The way was too hard. God’s expectations were too great. At any perceived hardship they were ready to give up and go back to slavery.

This will be the ongoing struggle that God will face in the book of Numbers, a People who want the perks of being “Chosen” but none of the responsibility. What we will learn in the coming weeks is that, despite everything they are about to do, God is going to stick with them. They will be unfaithful. He will be faithful.

That part of the story is in the future. Today, Yahweh directed Moses to prepare for the conquest of Canaan by numbering the people. A Census of all able-bodied fighting men aged 20 and over was to be taken:

Reuben - 46,500

Simeon - 59,300

Gad - 45,650

Judah - 74,600

Issachar - 54,400

Zebulun - 57,400

Ephraim - 40,500

Manasseh - 32,200

Benjamin - 35,400

Dan - 62,700

Asher - 41,500

Naphtali - 53,400

Total: 603,550

The tribes were also assigned their areas of encampment around the Tabernacle and their order of march.