How To Read ‘Numbers’ Well
I don’t know about you, but the name ‘Numbers’ doesn’t make this particular book of the bible that appealing to me. Apologies to any accountants, finance managers or maths teachers reading this, but numbers aren’t massively exciting!
The good news is that the original Hebrew name for this is ‘In the Wilderness’, which is both more apt as a description of what’s going on, and also more intriguing. The name ‘Numbers’ comes from both the Greek and Latin translations of the Hebrew Bible, and the name is in referenced to one of the key elements of this book; two census lists, one for the generation who left Egypt, and one for the generation who will enter the land of Canaan.
These two lists could be seen as the structural markers of the book, chapters 1-25 focussed on those who left Egypt and chapters 26-36 focussing on the new generation.
And these lists are important. They are most likely not historical records. This is for a few reasons.
First, there is very little evidence for the practice of that kind of record keeping among communities in the ancient world.
Second, the numbers provided are huge. The first census has 603,550 men of military age (that is 20 and up) listed, which scholars suggest would amount to a community of around 2-3 million people once women, children and the elderly are accounted for. If 2-3 million people left Egypt and walked around the desert for 40 years, we would expect Egyptian records to show us something about this, and we would expect to find archaeological evidence of such a huge community moving and settling at various points in the wilderness.
So, if these lists aren’t meant to serve as historical records, how should we understand them?
Well, as is often the case with the bible, when something that appears historical is less likely, what is more likely is that a theological point is being made.
In this instance, we can remember back to the covenantal promise which founded this people – God promises Abraham that his descendants will be more numerous than the stars in the sky. Even back to Adam and Eve, the command is to be fruitful and multiply.
These vast numbers, which are at least exaggerations, become a way of saying ‘even though we have faced great hardships, God’s people are still under God’s blessing and God’s promises remain true.’
The second census list shows a similarly large number (about a 3% decrease), and the point could be that the blessing will continue in this next generation!
But whilst the census lists make a key point, the story provides us with much more, so there are other ways of framing the structure of Numbers to help us read it well.
There are, in this story, three key geographical locations;
Mount Sinai, from Numbers 1:1-10:11. This part focusses on preparations being made to leave Mount Sinai having been there for 11 months. In the four books of the Torah/Pentateuch in which Moses is the major character (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy), there are 137 chapters total, and 60 take place at Mount Sinai. This is a significant location for a significant theme – Law Observance.
Wilderness, from 10:12-21:9. We are told in Deuteronomy 1:2 that the journey from Mount Sinai (or Horeb – same thing) to the edge of Canaan should take 11 days. These 11 chapters, however, cover about 38 years! Again, we shouldn’t get too caught up in literal details – it feels almost impossible that an eleven day journey could take 38 years to complete – but remember that 40 (the total of years between Egypt and Canaan) is a symbolic number, particularly representative of times of testing, preparation and spiritual formation. These themes make a lot of sense in the story of Numbers. By this point in the biblical narrative, we’ve already encountered that in the 40 days of Noah’s flood, and the 40 days Moses spent on Mount Sinai receiving the law. In fact, the location of wilderness becomes symbolic for another of the key themes in Numbers – how to follow God in difficult times.
The Plains of Moab, from 21:10-36:13. This chunk covers 4-5 months in the 40th year. This is approaching the end of the journey. In fact, here is where the transition into Deuteronomy takes place. Numbers sets the scene, with the journey approaching Canaan, and ends with the people gathering, and then Deuteronomy picks up where Numbers leaves off, with Moses giving the law again, to the new generation who will enter the land. But more on Deuteronomy when we get there...
So, how do we read Numbers well?
Think about the two census lists as theological demonstrations of the continued blessing of God on the people, even coming out of slavery and as they enter this period of testing.
Break the story into the different locations and think about what’s happening at each place. Sinai as the place of the Law, the Wilderness as the place of trial and transformation, and the Plains of Moab become the place where Moses reforms the people, through giving the law again, after the Wilderness experience.
Remember that this is not a story that stands on it’s own – it flows on from Exodus and on into Deuteronomy. That said, it has it’s own points of emphasis and feels different to those two texts. Look out for those places where it feels uniquely ‘Numbers’ and notice what it might be saying in that difference.
And then, enjoy! For a text which we call by a fairly dull name, there is certainly plenty going on here for us to appreciate, learn from and apply to our own lives!