Numbers

God commands Moses to take a census of all men aged twenty and above who can serve in Israel's army. Each tribe is counted with the exception of Levi, who are set apart for tabernacle service. The total military count is 603,550 men.

God arranges the twelve tribes around the tabernacle in a specific camp formation, with three tribes on each side. Judah leads the eastern camp, Reuben the south, Ephraim the west, and Dan the north. The tabernacle and Levites are at the centre. This arrangement is maintained during travel.

The Levites are numbered separately and assigned to serve at the tabernacle under Aaron's oversight. The three Levite clans — Gershon, Kohath, and Merari — each receive specific responsibilities for transporting tabernacle components. God takes the Levites as His own in place of every firstborn in Israel.

A further census counts Levite men aged thirty to fifty who will do the work of transporting the tabernacle. The Kohathites carry the sacred objects (but must not touch or look at them directly), the Gershonites handle curtains and coverings, and the Merarites manage the structural frames and pillars.

God commands that ceremonially unclean people be sent outside the camp to protect its purity. Laws address restitution for wrongs, with an added fifth added to compensation. The chapter details the test of bitter water for a woman suspected of adultery by her husband.

God establishes the Nazirite vow — a voluntary consecration involving abstaining from wine and grape products, not cutting hair, and avoiding contact with dead bodies. The chapter concludes with the famous Aaronic blessing: The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you.

Over twelve days, each tribal leader brings identical dedication offerings for the altar — silver plates and bowls, gold dishes of incense, and animals for various offerings. Though the gifts are the same, God records each one individually, honouring every tribe's contribution. Moses hears God's voice from above the mercy seat.

God instructs Moses on setting up the lampstand so its seven lamps illuminate the area in front of it. The Levites are ceremonially cleansed, consecrated with laying on of hands by the Israelites, and presented as a wave offering before the Lord. Service age limits are set from twenty-five to fifty.

Israel celebrates the Passover at Sinai one year after the exodus. A provision allows those who are unclean or traveling to observe Passover one month later. God's cloud over the tabernacle guides Israel's movements — when it lifts, they march; when it settles, they camp.

God instructs Moses to make two silver trumpets for summoning the community and signalling camp movements. Israel finally departs from Sinai after nearly a year, marching in formation with the cloud leading. Moses invites his father-in-law Hobab to journey with them and serve as a guide.

The people complain about hardships and then about the lack of meat, weeping for the food they had in Egypt. God's anger burns and Moses is overwhelmed, so God puts His Spirit on seventy elders to share the leadership burden. God sends quail in abundance, but strikes the greedy with a plague.

Miriam and Aaron criticise Moses for his Cushite wife and question whether God speaks only through Moses. God rebukes them, declaring Moses uniquely faithful and that He speaks with Moses face to face. Miriam is struck with a skin disease for seven days, and the camp waits for her restoration.

Moses sends twelve spies into Canaan for forty days. They return with enormous grapes confirming the land flows with milk and honey, but ten spies spread a terrifying report about giants and fortified cities. Only Caleb and Joshua urge the people to trust God and take the land.

The people weep, rebel, and want to return to Egypt. God threatens to destroy them, but Moses intercedes. God pardons the people but decrees that the entire adult generation (except Caleb and Joshua) will die in the wilderness over forty years. Some Israelites then rashly attack and are defeated.

God gives supplementary laws about offerings to be observed once Israel enters the Promised Land — a sign of ongoing hope despite the wilderness sentence. A man caught gathering wood on the Sabbath is stoned. God commands Israel to wear tassels on their garments as reminders to obey His commands.

Korah, Dathan, and Abiram lead 250 leaders in a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, claiming all the people are holy enough to lead. God judges dramatically — the earth opens and swallows the rebels and their households, then fire consumes the 250 men offering incense. Even after this, the people grumble and a plague kills 14,700.

God settles the dispute about priestly authority by having each tribal leader place a staff in the tabernacle overnight. Aaron's staff miraculously buds, blossoms, and produces almonds, confirming God's choice of the Levites. The staff is kept in the ark as a permanent witness against future rebellion.

God defines the roles of priests and Levites more precisely. Priests alone handle the sacred objects and altar; Levites assist them. The Levites receive the tithe of all Israel as their inheritance in place of land. In turn, the Levites give a tenth of the tithe to the priests.

God institutes the red heifer purification ceremony for cleansing from contact with a dead body. The heifer is burned completely and its ashes mixed with water to create purification water. Anyone who touches a corpse is unclean for seven days and must be sprinkled on the third and seventh days.

Miriam dies at Kadesh. The people again quarrel about water, and God tells Moses to speak to the rock. Instead, Moses strikes the rock twice in anger, and God declares that Moses and Aaron will not enter the Promised Land because they did not trust Him. Aaron dies on Mount Hor and his son Eleazar succeeds him.

Israel defeats the Canaanite king of Arad. When the people grumble again, God sends venomous snakes that kill many. Moses makes a bronze serpent and sets it on a pole; anyone bitten who looks at it lives. Israel then conquers the Amorite kings Sihon and Og, taking their territories east of the Jordan.

Balak king of Moab hires the prophet Balaam to curse Israel. God tells Balaam not to go, then permits him with conditions. On the way, Balaam's donkey sees the angel of the Lord blocking the path three times and finally speaks to Balaam. God opens Balaam's eyes to see the angel.

Balaam attempts to curse Israel three times as Balak requests, but each time God compels him to bless Israel instead. Balaam declares that God is not a man that He should lie, and that what He has blessed cannot be cursed. Frustrated, Balak takes Balaam to another location for another attempt.

Balaam delivers two more prophetic oracles blessing Israel, comparing them to a lion and foretelling a star and sceptre rising from Jacob — a Messianic prophecy. Balak dismisses Balaam in anger, but Balaam gives a final oracle predicting the doom of Moab, Edom, Amalek, and other nations.

Israelite men are seduced into sexual immorality and idolatry with Moabite women at Baal Peor, following Balaam's counsel. God's anger brings a plague that kills 24,000. Phinehas the priest zealously intervenes by executing an Israelite man and Midianite woman together, and God grants him a covenant of peace for his zeal.

After the plague, God commands a second census of the new generation. The total military count is 601,730 — slightly fewer than the first census. The entire first generation has died in the wilderness except Caleb and Joshua. Land is to be distributed by lot according to tribal size.

The daughters of Zelophehad boldly request their father's inheritance since he died without sons, and God rules in their favour, establishing the right of daughters to inherit. God tells Moses to view the Promised Land from Mount Abarim before he dies. Joshua is commissioned as Moses's successor through the laying on of hands.

God restates the daily, weekly, and monthly offerings that must be maintained — the daily burnt offerings of two lambs, the Sabbath offerings, and the New Moon offerings. Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread offerings are detailed. These offerings ensure continual worship and atonement.

The offerings for the remaining festivals are prescribed: the Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and the seven-day Feast of Tabernacles. The Feast of Tabernacles requires an extraordinary number of bull offerings — seventy bulls over the week, decreasing each day — making it the most lavish celebration.

Laws are given about vows, particularly regarding women. A man's vow is binding immediately, but a woman's vow may be confirmed or annulled by her father (if unmarried) or husband on the day he hears of it. Silence constitutes approval. These laws reflect the household authority structure of ancient Israel.

God commands Israel to take vengeance on Midian for the Baal Peor seduction. Twelve thousand soldiers defeat Midian, killing their kings and Balaam. The plunder is divided between warriors, the community, and the Levites. The soldiers offer gold to the Lord as a memorial because not one Israelite was lost in battle.

The tribes of Reuben and Gad request to settle east of the Jordan because the land is good for livestock. Moses initially rebukes them, comparing them to the faithless spies. They agree to cross the Jordan and fight alongside their brothers before returning to their eastern inheritance. Half of Manasseh also settles east.

A complete travel log lists all forty-two camping sites from Egypt to the plains of Moab, tracing Israel's entire wilderness journey. God commands Israel to drive out the inhabitants of Canaan, destroy their idols and high places, and divide the land by lot. He warns that failure to remove the inhabitants will cause ongoing trouble.

God defines the precise boundaries of the Promised Land — from the wilderness of Zin in the south to Mount Hor and Lebo-hamath in the north, the Mediterranean Sea in the west, and the Jordan River in the east. Leaders are appointed from each tribe to oversee the land distribution.

God commands the Israelites to give the Levites forty-eight cities with pasturelands throughout the nation. Six of these are designated as cities of refuge where someone who accidentally kills another can flee for protection from blood revenge. The chapter distinguishes between murder and manslaughter.

The leaders of Manasseh raise a concern that if the daughters of Zelophehad marry outside their tribe, their land inheritance would transfer permanently. God rules that women who inherit land must marry within their own tribe to keep each tribe's territory intact. The book closes with Israel on the plains of Moab, ready to enter the land.