NUMBERS a Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition

* New Beacon Bible Commentary

NUMBERS A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition

A l e x V a r u g h e s e Barry L. Ross Robert D. Branson Copyright 2021 by Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City PO Box 419527 Kansas City, MO 64141 www.BeaconHillBooks.com ISBN 978-0-8341-3943-5 Printed in the United States of America All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews. Cover Design: J.R. Caines Interior Design: Sharon Page Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version® (NIV®). Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. Emphasis indicated by underlining in boldface quotations and italic in lightface quotations. The following version of Scripture is in the public domain: King James Version (KJV) The following copyrighted versions of Scripture are used by permission: The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. The New American Standard Bible® (NASB®), copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. www.Lockman.org. The New English Bible (NEB), © the Delegates of the Oxford University Press and the Syndics of the Cambridge Uni- versity Press 1961, 1970. New JPS Hebrew-English Tanakh (NJPS), © 2000 by The Jewish Publication Society. All rights reserved. The New King James Version® (NKJV). Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. The Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT), copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible (NRSV), copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Varughese, Alex, 1945- author. | Ross, Barry Lowell, 1938- author. | Branson, Robert, 1941- author. Title: Numbers : a commentary in the Wesleyan tradition / Alex Varughese, Barry L. Ross, Robert D. Branson. Description: Kansas City, MO : Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 2021. | Series: New Beacon Bible commentary | In- cludes bibliographical references. | Summary: “This is a Bible commentary, in the Wesleyan tradition, of the book of Numbers”— Provided by publisher. Identi!ers: LCCN 2020026567 (print) | LCCN 2020026568 (ebook) | ISBN 9780834139435 | ISBN 9780834139442 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Bible. Numbers—Commentaries. Classi!cation: LCC BS1265.53 .V37 2021 (print) | LCC BS1265.53 (ebook) | DDC 222/.1407—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020026567 LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020026568

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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 CONTENTS

General Editors’ Preface 13 Acknowledgments 15 Abbreviations 17 Bibliography 21 Table of Sidebars 24 INTRODUCTION 25 A. Numbers in Its Canonical Placement 26 B. The Title of the Book 27 C. Literary Forms 27 D. Structure and Organization 28 E. Authorship and Composition 29 F. Chronology of Israel’s Wilderness Journey 30 G. Theology 31 COMMENTARY 35 I. PREPARATIONS FOR THE MARCH FROM SINAI: NUMBERS 1:1—10:10 35 A. The First Census of the Twelve Tribes of Israel (1:1-54) 35 1. The Command to Take a Census (1:1-3) 38 2. Tribal Leaders to Assist Moses and Aaron (1:4-16) 40 3. The Census (1:17-46) 44 4. The Special Place and the Function of the Levites (1:47-54) 45 B. The Organization of the Tribal Camps around the Tabernacle (2:1-34) 48 1. Yahweh’s Command (2:1-2) 50 2. On the East (2:3-9) 50 3. On the South (2:10-16) 51 4. In the Middle (2:17) 51 5. On the West (2:18-24) 52 6. On the North (2:25-31) 52 7. Summary Statement (2:32-34) 52 C. Census of the Levites and Their Responsibilities (3:1—4:49) 53 1. Introduction of Aaron’s Sons as Priests (3:1-4) 55 2. Duties of the Levites (3:5-10) 56 3. Yahweh’s Claim on the Levites (3:11-13) 57 4. Yahweh Commands Moses to Count the Levites (3:14-16) 58 5. Sons of Levi and Their Clans (3:17-20) 58 6. Census of the Levitical Clans and Their Responsibilities (3:21-39) 58 7. Census of the Firstborn Israelite Males and Their Redemption (3:40-51) 61 8. Census of the Levites for Their Service (4:1-49) 62 D. Puri!cation of the Camp (5:1-31) 67 1. The Removal of Unclean Persons (5:1-4) 68 2. Restitution for Defrauding Others (5:5-10) 69 3. Legislation on Marital In!delity (5:11-31) 71 E. The Nazirite Vow of Dedication and the Priestly Blessing (6:1-27) 78 1. Conditions of the Nazirite Vow (6:1-8) 79 2. Ritual Procedure for the Puri!cation of a Nazirite De!led by a Corpse (6:9-12) 80 3. The Termination of the Nazirite Vow (6:13-21) 82 4. The Priestly Blessing (6:22-27) 84 F. Offerings of the Tribal Leaders for the Dedication of the Tabernacle (7:1-89) 87 1. Initial Gifts for Transporting the Tabernacle (7:1-9) 88 2. Offerings for the Dedication of the Altar (7:10-89) 89 G. Lighting the Lampstand (8:1-4) 92 H. The Puri!cation and Consecration of the Levites for Their Work at the Tent of Meeting (8:5-26) 93 1. Puri!cation Ritual Instructions (8:5-15) 94 2. The Levites Belong to Yahweh (8:16-19) 96 3. Ful!llment of Yahweh’s Command Concerning the Levites (8:20-22) 97 4. Age Limits Set for the Levites’ Work at the Tent of Meeting (8:23-26) 97 I. Israel Celebrates the Passover (9:1-14) 98 1. The Observance of the Second Passover (9:1-5) 100 2. Complaint by the Unclean Israelites Who Were Excluded from the Celebration (9:6-8) 100 3. Provision for a Supplemental Passover (9:9-14) 100 J. The Cloud of Yahweh’s Presence (9:15-23) 102 K. The Trumpets (10:1-10) 104 1. Signal for the Assembly and the Departure of the Camps of Israel from Sinai (10:1-7) 104 2. Occasions for the Trumpet Blasts (10:8-10) 105 II. JOURNEY FROM SINAI TO THE DESERT OF PARAN: NUMBERS 10:11—12:16 107 A. Departure from Sinai (10:11-36) 107 1. The Israelites Set out When the Cloud Lifted from above the Tabernacle (10:11-28) 108 2. Another Account of Israel’s Departure (10:29-36) 109 B. Complaint, Wailing, and Opposition to Moses (11:1—12:16) 111 1. The People’s Complaint and Fire from Yahweh (11:1-3) 112 2. The Craving of the Rabble (11:4-6) 113 3. Description of the Manna (11:7-9) 113 4. Moses’ Complaint about His Burden (11:10-15) 114 5. The Exchange between Yahweh and Moses (11:16-23) 116 6. The Seventy Elders Receive a Portion of the Spirit from Moses (11:24-25) 118 7. The Exchange between Joshua and Moses Concerning Two Elders (11:26-30) 118 8. Quail and the Plague (11:31-35) 119 9. Miriam and Aaron Challenge Moses’ Authority (12:1-3) 120 10. Yahweh Speaks to Aaron and Miriam (12:4-9) 121 11. Miriam’s Skin Disease and Moses’ Plea for Her Healing (12:10-16) 123 III. EVENTS AT KADESH IN THE DESERT OF PARAN: NUMBERS 13:1—14:45 129 A. Men Explore Canaan and Their Report (13:1-33) 129 1. Moses Chooses Twelve Explorers (13:1-16) 130 2. Moses Gives Instructions to the Explorers (13:17-20) 130 3. The Exploration (13:21-25) 131 4. The Majority Report, Part 1 (13:26-29) 132 5. Caleb’s Interruption (13:30) 132 6. The Majority Report, Part 2 (13:31-33) 133 B. Continued Grumbling, Invasion of Canaan Attempted, Defeat at Hormah (14:1-45) 133 1. The People Desire to Return to Egypt (14:1-4) 134 2. The People Rebel against Yahweh (14:5-9) 134 3. Yahweh Offers Moses the Chance at National Greatness (14:10-12) 135 4. Moses Reminds Yahweh of Yahweh’s Reputation (14:13-16) 136 5. Moses Pleads with Yahweh to Show Fidelity (14:17-19) 136 6. Yahweh Demonstrates Fidelity (14:20-25) 137 7. Yahweh Declares Punishment for Grumbling (14:26-35) 137 8. Death by Plague (14:36-38) 138 9. The People Defy Yahweh and Attempt to Enter Canaan (14:39-45) 139 IV. AN INTERLUDE OF VARIOUS LAWS: NUMBERS 15:1-41 141 A. Laws Concerning Animal, Grain, and Bread Offerings (15:1-21) 142 B. Unintentional and Intentional Sins (15:22-31) 144 C. Case Law: The Sabbath Wood-gather (15:32-36) 146 D. Attach Tassels to Your Garments (15:37-41) 146 V. MOSES’ AND AARON’S LEADERSHIP: NUMBERS 16:1—19:22 149 A. Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and On Arise against Moses (16:1-50 [16:1—17:15 HB]) 150 1. Korah Foments Rebellion (16:1-3) 150 2. Moses Responds to Korah and His Associates (16:4-7) 151 3. Moses Confronts Korah and His Fellow Levites (16:8-11) 152 4. The Rebels Defy Moses (16:12-15) 153 B. Moses’ Response to Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (16:16-19) 153 C. Yahweh Announces the Punishment of the Rebels (16:20-24) 154 D. Yahweh Punishes the Rebels (16:25-35) 154 E. The 250 Censers Recycled (16:36-40 [17:1-5 HB]) 156 F. The Israelite Community Grumbles against Moses and Aaron (16:41-45 [17:6-10 HB]) 157 G. Yahweh Sends a Plague (16:46-50 [17:11-15 HB]) 158 H. Aaron’s Rod Budded, Blossomed, and Produced Almonds (17:1-13 [16-28 HB]) 159 1. Yahweh Commands Twelve Staffs Placed in the Tent of Meeting (17:1-5 [16-20 HB]) 159 2. Aaron’s Staff Produces Almonds (17:6-11 [21-26 HB]) 160 3. The Israelites Panic (17:12-13 [27-28 HB]) 161 I. The Duties of the Priests and Levites Are Clari!ed (18:1-32) 162 1. The Priests’ and Levites’ Tabernacle Responsibilities (18:1-7) 163 2. Payments for Priestly Work (18:8-19) 164 3. Yahweh, Inheritance, and Share for Both Priest and Levite (18:20) 167 4. The Support for the Levites (18:21-24) 168 5. The Levites Must Also Give Tithes (18:25-32) 169 J. A Red Cow’s Ashes and Water of Puri!cation (19:1-22) 172 1. The Selection and Burning of a Red Cow (19:1-8) 172 2. The Collection and Safeguarding of the Red Cow’s Ashes (19:9-10) 174 3. Uncleanness through Touching a Human Corpse (19:11-16) 174 4. The Formula for Making Water of Cleansing and Its Application (19:17-22) 175 VI. FROM KADESH TO MOUNT HOR: NUMBERS 20:1-29 177 A. Miriam Dies; Yahweh’s Instruction for Obtaining Water (20:1-8) 178 B. Moses’ Sin and Yahweh’s Punishment (20:9-13) 179 C. Moses’ Requests to Pass Through Edom (20:14-21) 181 D. Aaron’s Death (20:22-29) 182 VII. THE ISRAELITES TRAVEL FROM HOR TO THE LAND OF THE AMORITES: NUMBERS 21:1-35 185 A. Victory at Hormah (21:1-3) 186 B. The Israelites’ Impatience because of the Journey (21:4-5) 187 C. Fiery Snakes and Death; a Bronze Snake and Life (21:6-9) 188 D. The Israelites’ Travel to the Jordan Valley (21:10-20) 189 E. Israel’s Defeat of Amorite Sihon of Heshbon (21:21-31) 191 F. Israel’s Defeat of Og of Bashan (21:32-35) 192 VIII. BALAAM, BALAK, AND THE ISRAELITES: NUMBERS 22:1—24:25 195 A. Israel in the Plains of Moab (22:1) 197 B. Balak Sends for Balaam—Twice (22:2-20) 197 C. Balaam, His Donkey, and the Angel of Yahweh (22:21-35) 201 D. Balaam and Balak Meet (22:36-40) 204 E. Balaam and Balak Sacri!ce Bulls and Rams (22:41—23:6) 205 F. Balaam’s First Oracle (23:7-12) 207 G. Balaam’s Second Oracle (23:13-26) 208 H. Balaam’s Third Oracle (23:27—24:13) 212 I. Balaam’s Fourth Oracle (24:14-19) 216 J. Balaam’s Final Three Oracles (24:20-24) 219 1. Balaam’s Fifth Oracle (24:20) 219 2. Balaam’s Sixth Oracle (24:21-22) 219 3. Balaam’s Seventh Oracle (24:23-24) 220 K. Balaam Departs (24:25) 221 IX. YAHWEH’S ANGER OVER ISRAEL’S SIN AT BAAL PEOR: NUMBERS 25:1-18 227 A. Moab Seduces Israel (25:1-5) 228 B. Midianites Seduce Israel (25:6-18) 229 1. An Israelite Brings a Midianite Woman into the Camp (25:6-9) 229 2. Yahweh’s Covenant with Phinehas (25:10-13) 230 3. The Identity of the Man and Midianite Woman (25:14-15) 231 4. Israel at War with Midian (25:16-18) 231 X. THE SECOND CENSUS: NUMBERS 26:1-65 233 A. Yahweh’s Command to Take a Census (26:1-4) 234 B. The Census of the Clans (26:5-51) 234 1. Descendants of Reuben (26:5-11) 234 2. Descendants of Simeon and Gad (26:12-18) 235 3. Descendants of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun (26:19-27) 235 4. Descendants of Joseph’s Two Sons Manasseh and Ephraim (26:28-37) 235 5. Descendants of Benjamin, Dan, Asher, and Naphtali (26:38-51) 235 C. The Allotment of the Land (26:52-56) 236 D. The Census of the Levites (26:57-65) 236 XI. THE DAUGHTERS OF ZELOPHEHAD AND THE NEW LEADER: NUMBERS 27:1-23 239 A. The Daughters of Zelophehad Petition Moses (27:1-11) 240 B. God Told Moses that He Soon Would Die (27:12-14) 241 C. Moses’ Successor (27:15-23) 241 XII. PERSONAL OFFERINGS TO GOD AND THE SPRING FESTIVALS: NUMBERS 28:1-31 245 A. Twice Daily Offerings (28:1-8) 246 B. Sabbath Offerings (28:9-10) 246 C. Monthly Offerings (28:11-15) 246 D. The Passover (28:16-25) 247 E. Festival of Weeks (28:26-31) 247 XIII. SACRED EVENTS IN THE SEVENTH MONTH: NUMBERS 29:1-40 [29:1—30:1 HB] 249 A. Festival of Trumpets (29:1-6) 250 B. Day of Atonement (29:7-11) 250 C. Festival of Tabernacles (29:12-40 [29:12—30:1 HB]) 250 XIV. FULFILLMENT OF VOWS BY WOMEN: NUMBERS 30:1-16 [2-17 HB] 253 XV. WAR AGAINST THE MIDIANITES: NUMBERS 31:1-54 257 A. Preparations for War (31:1-6) 258 B. Victory at War (31:7-12) 258 C. The Spoils of War (31:13-24) 258 D. The Soldiers’ Spoils of War (31:25-41) 259 E. The Spoils Given to the Israelites (31:42-47) 260 F. The Of!cers’ Offering to Yahweh (31:48-54) 260 XVI. THE TRANSJORDAN ISRAELITE TRIBES: NUMBERS 32:1-42 263 A. Reubenites and Gadites Request Not to Cross the Jordan (32:1-5) 264 B. Moses Rejects the Request of the Reubenites and Gadites (32:6-15) 265 C. Reubenites and Gadites Offer to Send Soldiers (32:16-19) 265 D. Moses Accepts Their Pledge (32:20-27) 266 E. Moses Gives Orders to Eleazar the Priest, Joshua, and the Family Heads (32:28-32) 266 F. The Gadites, Reubenites, and the Half-tribe of Manasseh Drive out the Amorites (32:33-42) 267 XVII. STAGES IN ISRAEL’S JOURNEY: NUMBERS 33:1-56 269 A. Yahweh Commanded Moses to Record the Stages in the Journey (33:1-4) 270 B. Journey from Rameses, Egypt, to the Desert of Sinai (33:5-15) 271 C. Journey from Desert of Sinai to Kadesh (33:16-36) 271 D. Journey from Kadesh to the Plains of Moab (33:37-49) 272 E. Yahweh Has Moses Describe the Conquest of Canaan (33:50-56) 273 XVIII. THE BOUNDARIES OF THE LAND OF ISRAEL: NUMBERS 34:1-29 275 A. The Four Boundaries (34:1-12) 276 B. The Inheritance of the Land Assigned by Lot (34:13-29) 277 XIX. THE LEVITES’ TOWNS GIVEN FROM THE ISRAELITES’ INHERITANCE: NUMBERS 35:1-34 279 A. The Towns and Their Pasturelands Given to the Levites (35:1-5) 280 B. Six Cities of Refuge (35:6-15) 281 C. If Someone Commits Murder (35:16-21) 283 D. If Someone Accidentally Kills a Person (35:22-28) 283 E. The Law Concerning Murder (35:29-34) 283 XX. WHOM ZELOPHEHAD’S DAUGHTERS MUST MARRY: NUMBERS 36:1-13 285 A. Possible Loss of Tribal Inheritance (36:1-4) 286 B. Yahweh’s Command Concerning Tribal Inheritance (36:5-9) 286 C. Marriages of Zelophehad’s Daughters (36:10-12) 286 D. Conclusion of the Book of Numbers (36:13) 287 INTRODUCTION NUMBERS

The Book of Numbers does not present a "attering portrait of the !rst generation of Israelites, whom we meet in the !rst half of the book. They were organized at Sinai as the people of God and as the army of God with the tent of Yahweh at the center of their encampment (1:1—10:10). Numbers 10:10—25:18 narrates the story of the journey of this generation from Sinai to the plains of Moab. Most of this generation died in the wilderness; the re- mainder of the !rst generation died in the plains of Jordan. In the second half of the book, the story focuses on the second generation of Israelites encamped in the plains of Moab (chs 26—36), awaiting further instructions before they entered the promised land. Is- rael’s history in the promised land will begin with this generation. In the biblical tradition, the prophet Jeremiah is the only person who speaks a good word about Israel in her formative days in the wilderness. He says, This is what the LORD says: “I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown.” (2:2b)

25 Such a nostalgic memory of Israel’s life in the wilderness is not shared by most of the biblical tradition. The opening chapter of the book of Deuter- onomy rehearses in detail Israel’s rebellion, their fear of the Canaanites, and lack of trust in God at Kadesh Barnea, which prompted God to become angry and say, “No one from this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your ancestors” (1:35; see vv 19-46). One psalmist describes the !rst generation of Israelites in the wilderness as those who “forgot what he [God] had done and did not wait for his plan to unfold,” but “put God to the test” (106:13-14). Another psalmist describes God’s response to this ungrateful !rst generation: For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray, And they have not known my ways.” So I declared on oath in my anger, “They shall never enter my rest.” (95:10-11) Though the !rst generation of Israelites are given a negative evaluation in the book, their stories are a part of Israel’s Torah because of their instructional value for later generations of God’s people. One psalmist includes the story of Israel’s rebellion and testing of God

NUMBERS in the wilderness in his brief rehearsal of the God-Israel relationship, which he offers as a “teaching” () and a “parable” () for future generations (Ps 78:1-2). His goal for his teaching is that the present and future generations “would not be like their ancestors—a stubborn and rebellious generation,” who “continued to sin” by “rebelling in the wilderness against” God, and “did not believe in God or trust in his deliverance” (78:6-8, 17-18, 22). Another psalmist warns his audience not to “harden” their “hearts” as their ancestors did “in the wilderness” where they “tested” and “tried” God “though they had seen” what he did for them. He reminds them of the urgency of the moment (“Today”) to hear and obey the voice of God (95:7b-9). The Apostle Paul reiterates this teaching function of the stories of Israel in the wilderness. He cautions his readers not to be like the Israelites who, though they enjoyed God’s saving presence in the wilderness, suffered God’s judgment of death because of their idolatry, sexual immorality, and grumbling against God. He goes on to say, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come” (1 Cor 10:11; see vv 1-13). A. Numbers in Its Canonical Placement Numbers is the fourth book of the Torah, commonly called the Penta- teuch or the Books of Moses. Chronologically, Numbers continues the narrative of Exodus. The Israelites, after God liberated them from Egypt through the leadership of Moses, arrived at Sinai “on the !rst day of the third month

26 after the Israelites left Egypt” (Exod 19:1). Numbers 10:11-36 narrates the departure of the Israelites from Sinai “on the twentieth day of the second month of the second year” of the exodus (v 11). Sinai is thus the scene of all that is recorded in Exod 19—40, Lev 1—27, and Num 1:1—10:10, which are placed in the interval between the arrival of the Israelites at Sinai and their departure from there. The book ends with report of the encampment of Israel on the plains of Moab, by the Jordan across from Jericho, which is the setting of Moses’ !nal instructions to Israel, the content of Deuteronomy, the !nal book of the Torah. B. The Title of the Book Numbers is called Bemidbar (“in the wilderness”) in the Hebrew Bible (MT). This is the !fth word of the opening verse of the book. In the MT, the Torah books are titled either by the !rst word or by a signi!cant word in the !rst verse. The book is less commonly known as wayyedabber (“And he spoke”), the !rst word in the opening verse (Milgrom 1990, xi). The Hebrew title Bemidbar suggests the wilderness setting of the events narrated in the book. Israel’s journey through the wilderness is a key theme of NUMBERS the book. The journey begins at Sinai and ends on the plains of Moab. At the end of the book, the Israelites are encamped on the plains of Moab, preparing to enter into Canaan, the land of promise. The English title is derived from the Vulgate’s (Latin) Numeri and the Septuagint’s (Greek/LXX) Artemio. The title Numbers underscores the two census accounts in the book (chs 1—4; 26). C. Literary Forms Law and narrative are the two major literary forms found in Numbers. Milgrom considers the alternation of law and narrative as “a striking feature of Numbers.” The following chart is based on Milgrom’s identi!cation of the alternation of law and narrative in the book (1990, xv): Law Narrative 1:1—10:10 10:11—14:45 15 16—17 18—19 20—25 26:1—27:11 27:12-23 28—30 31:1—33:49 33:50—36:13 Milgrom also identi!es in addition to these two dominant types of materials, a variety of other genres that contribute to both the richness and the complexity of the book. His list includes poetry (21:17-18), prophecy (24:3-9), victory song (21:27-30), prayer (12:13), blessing (6:24-26), lampoon (22:22- 35), diplomatic letter (21:14-19), civil law (27:1-11), cultic law (15:17-21),

27 oracular decision (15:32-36), census list (26:1-51), temple archive (7:10-88), and itinerary (33:1-49) (1990, xiii). Poetry in the book is concentrated in chs 21—24, most notably in the story of Balaam in chs 22—24. The poems in chs 21—24 are considered “elo- quent examples of early biblical poetry” (Levine 1993, 72). Chapter 21 pre- serves an excerpt from the Book of the Wars of Yahweh (vv 14-15), Song of the Well (vv 17-18), and a poem about Heshbon (vv 27-30). Scholars also identify the following texts as poetry: The priestly blessing (6:24-26) The Song of the Ark (10:35-36) D. Structure and Organization There is no consensus among commentators on the logic behind the structure of Numbers. Commentators are in general agreement that the contents of Numbers are organized in a somewhat arbitrary manner. However, scholars have made various proposals to make sense of the structure of the book. According to Wenham, the book is “cast in large cycles in which three important eras of revelation, at Sinai, Kadesh, and in the plains of Moab, are separated by two bridge passages describing the journeys from Sinai to Kadesh, and from Kadesh to the plains of Moab” (1981, 18). NUMBERS Olson shows that Numbers is organized around the two census lists (chs 1, 26). According to Olson, the !rst census introduces the !rst half of the book (chs 1—25). This section focuses on the !rst generation of Israelites who came out of Egypt, who were on the way to the promised land, but died in the wilderness because of their rebellion against God. The second census introduces the second generation, “the New Generation of Hope” in chs 26—36, in contrast to “the Old Generation of Rebellion” in chs 1—25. This new generation emerges as God’s people ready to enter the promised land (1996, 4-5). Olson also argues for a cohesive organization of the book by showing a number of other parallels between the two parts of the book, in addition to the census lists. He concludes that the “overarching structure of the death of the old generation and the birth of a new generation of hope provides the interpretive framework for the varied contents of the book of Numbers” (ibid., 5-6). Milgrom sees the topographical and chronological data in Numbers as an important clue to the recognition of its structure. The journey of Israel begins in the wilderness of Sinai. At the conclusion of the book the Israelites are in the plains of Moab, awaiting their entry into Canaan. Milgrom divides Israel’s forty-year journey in the wilderness into three main stages: the wilderness of Sinai (1:1—10:10), the vicinity of Kadesh where the nation spent the bulk of forty years (10:11—20:13), and !nally, the trek from Kadesh that took them to the plains of Moab where they prepared for their entry into the promised land (20:14—36:13) (1990, xiii). Milgrom also recognizes the possibility of

28 organizing the book around the census of the two generations of Israelites, following Olson’s proposal (ibid.). E. Authorship and Composition Generally speaking, there are three different approaches to the understanding of the authorship and composition of Numbers. References in the Pentateuch to Moses writing some of the records (Exod 17:14; 24:4; 34:27; Num 33:2; Deut 31:9, 22), and the numerous references in Exodus—Deuteronomy to God speaking to Moses have led both Jewish and Christian traditions to claim that Moses wrote the !rst !ve books of the Bible. Numbers 33:2 states that Moses recorded the various stages in the journey of the Israelites from the time they departed Egypt to their arrival in the plains of Moab. Though this is the only mention of Moses as the writer in Numbers, the book records God’s speaking to him over sixty times (Ashley 1993, 3). Thus, most or all of the content of Numbers in its present form is viewed by some scholars today as the work of Moses. The second approach focuses on the literary structure and formation

of the book through a critical investigation of the book, following the basic NUMBERS assumptions of the documentary hypothesis. Scholars who follow this approach begin with the assumption that the Pentateuch in its present form can be traced to four literary sources. The earliest of these four sources is the Yahwist/J source dated to the tenth or the ninth century BC, produced in the southern kingdom of Judah. The second source is called Elohist/E, produced in the northern kingdom of Israel in the eighth century BC. A third source, found only in the book of Deuteronomy (D), was composed in the seventh century in Judah; this source is associated with the reforms of Josiah in 621 BC. The fourth source was the work of Priestly writers (P), dated to the sixth century in the wake of the Babylonian exile. At the turn of the twentieth century, using the assumptions of the documentary hypothesis, Gray produced his Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Numbers (1903) as part of the International Critical Commentary series. Gray concluded that Numbers is derived from two earlier works: (1) a compi- lation of J (ninth century BC) and E (eighth century BC) materials/stories in the seventh century (JE); (2) a priestly history of sacred institutions (P) that was written about 500 BC. Other priestly materials were later added to the combined works of JE and P (Gray 1965, xxx-xxxi). Most critical studies on Numbers since Gray’s commentary begin with his assumptions. Generally speaking, these studies assign the materials in chs 1—10 and 26—36 to the Priestly source (P), and most of 10:29—25:5 to the JE source. Priestly narrative and law are also woven throughout this middle portion of the book, notably in chs 15—19. These studies attribute the !nal form of the book to priestly writers (P) who reworked the JE source and essen- tially reconstructed the record of the wilderness period to highlight their own

29 particular theological concerns. This method of studying the book diachroni- cally, by disassembling and reassembling the literary sources in a chronological sequence from the earliest to the latest, is followed by a number of the commentators of Numbers (see Noth 1968, 4-12; Levine 1993, 48-49; Dozeman 1998, 6-7). The third approach focuses on the !nal form of the book of Numbers, without delving into questions or investigation of its sources. Scholars who follow this approach treat the book synchronically and investigate the stylistic and structural features that bind the various literary units into a cohesive work in its !nal form. They entertain the possibility of more than one hand in the composition of Numbers only when the text presents con"icting data. This method promotes a “close reading” of the book, a holistic engagement of the complete book, and refuses to see the book as a composite of various literary parts, each having a meaning apart from the whole (see Milgrom 1990, xii-xiii). The !nal form of the book of Numbers is the subject of this commentary. We believe that the literary growth and development of Numbers spanned over a long period, from its wilderness setting to the formation of the book in the present form in the exilic or perhaps in the early postexilic period. We also think it is dif!cult to conclude how the legal materials and stories in the book were preserved and transmitted before they were incorporated in the Pentateuch. The book in its present form conveys a uni!ed message about NUMBERS the wilderness period in the history of Israel. As we work our way through the book, we hope to demonstrate the essential theological unity of the book and its integral relationship to the rest of the Torah. F. Chronology of Israel’s Wilderness Journey Though the tradition speaks of Israel in the wilderness for forty years (14:33-34; Amos 2:10; 5:25), there is no scholarly consensus on the chronology of this period. The book begins with the census taken in “the Desert of Sinai on the !rst day of the second month of the second year” (i.e., the fourteenth month) after the exodus (Num 1:1). The events of 1:2—10:10 cover nineteen days. On “the twentieth day of the second month of the second year” after the exodus, Israel set out from the Desert of Sinai and traveled toward the Desert of Paran (10:11-12). It is possible that the Israelites arrived at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran sometime in the second year (12:16; 13:5, 26). Based on God’s verdict of “forty years” of wandering in the wilderness as punishment for Israel’s lack of trust in God and rebellion against him in 14:33- 34, we may place the events in 10:12—14:45 also in the second year, after their arrival at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran (13:26). The events narrated in 21:4—36:13 occur after the death of Aaron on “the !rst day of the !fth month of the fortieth year” after the exodus (33:37- 39; see 20:22-29). According to Deut 1:3 Moses addressed the Israelites in the region of Moab, east of the Jordan “in the fortieth year, on the !rst day

30 of the eleventh month” and expounded the law. That means, the events in 21:4—36:13 took place within !ve months of the fortieth year. Numbers does not give a clear chronology of the thirty-eight years between the arrival of the Israelites at Kadesh in the second year and their encampment in the plains of Moab in the fortieth year. The problem of chronology is complicated by Num 20:1, which also records the arrival of the Israelites at Kadesh in the Desert of Zin “in the !rst month,” without any reference to the day or the year. The location of Kadesh also compounds the problem of chronology in Numbers. Numbers 13:1-3 states the Desert of Paran as the location from where Moses sent out the twelve spies to explore the land and its productivity and to assess the strength and weak- ness of the inhabitants. The spies returned with their report to Moses and the Israelites at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran (13:26). However, according to 20:1, 27:14, 33:36, and Deut 32:51, Kadesh was located in the Desert of Zin, the area directly north of Paran. Numbers 34:3 includes the Desert of Zin in the southern area of Canaan (see also Josh 15:1, 3). According to Num 13:21, the Desert of Zin was included in the reconnaissance mission of the twelve spies who were

sent out by Moses from Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. NUMBERS The question of the two arrivals at Kadesh does not have an easy solution (Num 13; 20:1). Ashley thinks that Kadesh was perhaps near the border between the Desert of Zin and the Desert of Paran and that perhaps the border between the two areas was not clearly distinguished (1993, 237). This may have led some traditions to place Kadesh in the Desert of Paran and others to place it in the Desert of Zin. Ashley suggests that the people began their wanderings at Kadesh (14:25) and ended them at Kadesh (20:1). Thus, after leaving Kadesh at the beginning of the journey, they returned to Kadesh in the fortieth year (1993, 380). It is possible that the Israelites, after their initial arrival at Kadesh, stayed there for a few months and then left Kadesh and wandered aimlessly in the wilderness, probably in the Desert of Paran, for thirty-eight years. Then they returned to Kadesh again, and from there they began the !nal phase of their journey, which took them to Moab. One thing is clear. Numbers does not cover the entire history of Israel in the wilderness; the focus is on the second year and the fortieth year of Israel’s journey. G. Theology Though a detailed theological understanding of God is lacking in Num- bers, the book conveys several signi!cant lessons about God, which are listed below: 1. God’s presence and guidance of Israel in the wilderness. The tabernacle at the center of the camp of Israel symbolically represented God’s presence in the midst of Israel during their wilderness journey. The !ery cloud of God’s

31 presence guided every aspect of Israel’s journey—when to set out, when to set up camp, and how long to stay at a place of encampment (9:13-23). When the Israelites broke camp and set out from Sinai, the ark of the covenant went before the people to !nd a place of rest for the people (10:33-34). 2. God’s communication with Israel. The book begins with God’s command to Moses to take a census of the Israelites (1:1-2). God continued to speak to Israel through Moses throughout Israel’s wilderness journey. “The LORD said/spoke to Moses” is a frequently found phrase in the book. 3. God’s covenantal commitment to Israel. God’s covenantal commitment to Israel is re"ected in a number of incidents narrated in the book. He provided food and water to sustain his people in the wilderness (chs 11; 20). Sev- eral times he responded to Moses’ intercession and halted his judgment (11:2), spared the nation from total destruction (14:13-35), and brought healing to those who were being punished for their sin (12:13; 21:4-9). At the end of the wilderness journey, we !nd the second generation of the Israelites camped out on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, waiting for their entry into the land of Canaan, which God had promised to their ancestors through his covenant with them (33:50-54; see Gen 15:18-21; 17:8; 26:3-5; 28:13-14). The instructions God gave to Israel for their orderly and structured life and movement in the wilderness were an extension of God’s covenant rela- NUMBERS tionship with Israel (Num 1—2). God’s instruction on the priestly blessing further displays his covenant commitment to be the source of the total well- being of the Israelites (6:22-27). 4. Holiness of God. The book of Numbers continues the theme of the holiness of God, which is a key focus of the books of Exodus and Leviticus. God is holy and he is separate from humans. However, this holy God’s dwelling is also in the midst of the people. God’s dwelling in the midst of the people did not mean that the people can casually approach the presence of God. The sanctuary was protected by the encampment of the Levites (1:53). Only the priests, Aaron and his sons, were permitted to enter the sanctuary. The holy objects in the sanctuary were to be covered by the priests in preparation for their transportation by the Kohathites, who were not permitted to touch them or even look at them (4:15, 17-20). These holy objects were symbols of the holiness of God and as such they were not to be touched and seen by the common person without incurring God’s wrath. The early chapters of Numbers thus convey the dangerous consequence of living with the holy God who is in the midst of his people. They have access to the holy God, but they must be careful not to be casual in their approach to his holy presence. 5. Israel’s failure to be a holy people. Viewed from the theological perspective of Exod 19—Num 10 (including Leviticus), stories of Israel’s rebellion and testing of God in Num 11—14, 16, and 20 convey the failure of Israel to be God’s holy people when they were faced with the dif!cult realities of life

32 in the wilderness. According to 20:12, God denied Moses the privilege to lead the people into the promised land because he did not “honor” God “as holy in the sight of the Israelites.” 6. Life in the wilderness is a key theological theme in Numbers. We ob- serve three aspects of the Israelites’ life in the wilderness based on the stories in Numbers. a. The Israelites’ survival in the wilderness depended on their utter de- pendence on the provisions from God. Numbers portrays the Israelites, however, as a people who were totally discontent with the way they were to live their life in the wilderness. Adverse conditions in the wilderness caused them to have a distorted memory of the past. Though God graciously provided for them their daily bread—manna, the “bread from heaven”—they craved for meat and the food they ate in Egypt. God responded to the people’s complaint with a generous “all you can eat” supply of quails (11:31-35). The Israelites enjoyed the meat, but along with quails also came God’s judgment. In his providence, he supplied. In his anger, he punished the unfaithful, the ungrateful, and the rebellious people who have failed to remember his gracious and

wonderful deeds on their behalf. NUMBERS b. The success of the Israelites’ travel through the wilderness toward the promised land depended on their unwavering faith in God’s presence with them and his guidance of their journey. At Kadesh, when they were at the southern border of Canaan, they failed to believe in God’s presence with them, and in his power that would make it possible for them to enter the land and take possession of it. Instead, they saw themselves as “grasshoppers” before the giant-like inhabitants of Canaan. Moreover, they wished to return to Egypt and die there. They complained that God brought them out of Egypt so that they would fall by the sword of their enemies in Canaan. Lack of faith in God at this critical moment in their journey resulted in God’s judgment of the !rst generation of Israelites, who aimlessly wandered and eventually perished in the wilderness over thirty-eight years (chs 13—14). Only the second generation would enter the promised land. c. The Israelites rebelled against the leadership of Moses and thereby rejected God’s leadership over them in the wilderness. The challenge to Moses’ authority as the God-appointed leader came from his own siblings—Miriam and Aaron (12:1-2). The people as a whole rejected Joshua and Caleb’s report about Canaan and refused to go up and enter the land (13:25—14:10). Later the nation disregarded Moses’ leadership and counsel and attacked Canaan (14:39-45). Opposition to Moses also came from Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and 250 lay leaders of Israel (16:1-50). All these incidents convey the theme of Israel’s rejection of God’s authority over them. Those who refused to sub- mit to God’s authority suffered his judgment—Miriam was stricken with a skin disease, the rebellious generation perished in the wilderness, and a plague killed a massive number of people.

33 7. Moses the intercessor. Moses emerges in Numbers as a faithful leader and a true intercessor on behalf of Israel. God’s wrath and judgment frequently came upon the Israelites because of their continued rebellion and murmuring. Moses interceded for them at Taberah (11:1-3), and at Kadesh (14:13-19). He interceded on behalf of Miriam (12:3). When God punished the Israelites with !ery serpents, he again interceded for the nation (21:7). Moses shows that intercession for the people of God is the mark of a true servant leader of God. NUMBERS

34 COMMENTARY NUMBERS I. PREPARATIONS FOR THE MARCH FROM SINAI: NUMBERS 1:1—10:10

1:1-54

A. The First Census of the Twelve Tribes of Israel (1:1-54) BEHIND THE TEXT Numbers 1 focuses on Yahweh’s command to Moses at Sinai to count “all the men in Israel” who were “twenty years old or more” and were “able to serve in the army” (v 3) and its ful!llment by Moses and Aaron, with the help of a chosen representative from each of the twelve tribes. Yahweh’s command excluded the Levites from this military census because of their special assignment to the tabernacle. According to 1:1, Yahweh’s command was given on “the !rst day of the second month of the second year” after Israel’s departure from Egypt. Exodus 38:25-28 also mentions a census of those who were “twenty years old or more” for the purpose of collecting from each one counted a half-shekel as ransom payment (see Yah- weh’s command in Exod 30:11-16). This census was taken during the tabernacle construction and the total count (603,550) matches

35 the number reported in Num 1:46. The ransom payment (total 100 talents and 1,775 shekels) was used in the construction of the bases and hooks of the tabernacle (Exod 38:27-28). The tabernacle was set up on the !rst day of the !rst month (of the second year) of the exodus (Exod 40:2). Thus it is reason- able to assume that the Exodus census took place a few months before the tabernacle was set up, in the !rst year of Israel’s departure from Egypt. This raises the question of two separate censuses within a few months, both at Sinai, one during the construction of the tabernacle and the second after the tabernacle was set up, prior to Israel’s departure from Sinai. Those who follow the chronology of the two censuses see two distinct censuses, one for the purpose of collecting a half-shekel ransom payment and the other for military enlisting (Ashley 1993, 51). Milgrom thinks there was only one census and that “Exodus provides the original and authentic setting” (1990, 338). The argument for only one census cannot be sustained without discount- ing the chronological data in Exod 40:2 and Num 1. It is possible that there were two censuses, the !rst by counting those who brought their half-shekel ransom payment (Exod 38:26), and the second done by tribal representatives listing the names of every male twenty years or older by their clan and family (Num 1:2-3). The fact that these two censuses were done within a few months would account for the same total number (603,550) in Exod 38:26 and Num 1:46. Numbers 1 (and 26) are not the only places in the OT where accounts NUMBERS of a military census is found. Though an actual number is not given, Josh 8:10

1:1-54 records Joshua taking a count of his army (“mustered his army”) before the campaign against Ai. Saul and David frequently counted the !ghting men in advance of a military campaign (see 1 Sam 11:8; 13:15; 15:4; 2 Sam 18:1). Da- vid ordered the census of his army, which he recognized as a sin against Yah- weh (2 Sam 24:1-10). Other kings who conducted military censuses were Asa (2 Chr 14:8 [7 HB]), Jehoshaphat (2 Chr 17:13-18), Amaziah (2 Chr 25:5-6), and Uzziah (2 Chr 26:11-13). Amaziah’s military census also included those who were twenty years or older (2 Chr 25:5). Commentators have also attempted to explain the unusually large number of males reported in the census account. The !gure of 603,550 males twenty years old or more, not counting women and children, presupposes a population of over two million people in the wilderness of Sinai. Wenham posits the following four main problems with this total !gure, some of which are also raised by other commentators (1981, 69-70; see also Gray 1965, 13-15; Milgrom 1990, 339): 1. Even with the provisions of manna, quail, and miraculous supply of water, it is dif!cult to imagine how such a great multitude of people would have met their physical needs, camped out around the tabernacle, and marched together in the wilderness. 2. Among the total 603,550 males over twenty years of age, only 22,273 were !rstborn (Num 3:40-43). The ratio of adult males to !rstborn was about

36 27:1. What this means is that there would have been twenty-seven sons in an average family. 3. According to Exod 23:29-30, Israel’s population was not large enough to take possession of the land all at once. God tells that he will not drive out the Canaanites in a “single year” but “little by little” until the Israelite population increased enough to take possession of the land. Concern is expressed in v 29 that if the Canaanites were driven out in a single year the land would be desolate and be taken over by wild animals (see also Deut 7:22). However, Canaan could have been !lled by two million people. The total population of Palestine until the recent Jewish immigration into the land was only just over a million. 4. The census account indicates a “mathematical oddity” in that most of the !gures are “rounded off to the nearest hundred” and the hundreds appear between 200 and 700. No tribal census ends in 000, 100, 800, or 900. There are no easy ways to resolve the large number reported in the census in Num 1 (see Ashley 1993, 63-66 for a summary of various proposals). Some of the popular explanations for the large numbers are given below:

1. According to Gray, the large numbers are “entirely unhistorical and NUMBERS unreal” because of the impossibility of such a large population spending forty years in the wilderness. Gray speculates that the largest numbers for Judah in both Num 1 and 26 perhaps re"ect the writer’s desire to show the preeminence of Judah (1903, 11-15).

2. Milgrom suggests that the total number was “meant to be understood 1:1-54 literally.” He compares this to the Chronicler’s reference to massive armies in 2 Chr 13:3; 14:8 [7 HB]; 17:14-19. However, he admits the tendency of ancient stories to “in"ate numbers” (1990, 339). 3. Some have suggested that the large numbers in Num 1 re"ect the population of a later period, perhaps that of David (Albright 1957, 253). Support for this view is drawn from 2 Sam 24:9, which lists eight hundred thousand !ghting men for Israel and !ve hundred thousand for Judah (see 1 Chr 21:5). 4. Some commentators think the large numbers most likely have symbolic and theological value for the writers. The census indicates the ful!llment of God’s promise to Abraham that his descendants would multiply and become a “great nation” (Gen 12:2). The census also implies the military power and strength of God’s army, since the Israelites were on their way to conquer and take possession of the promised land (Dozeman 1998, 35). 5. A number of other proposals revolve around the meaning of the word , translated in most English translations as “thousand.” This word can also mean “clan/tent group/family.” Thus, the total for Reuben (46,500) would mean forty-six (families) and !ve hundred men. Reading as a tent group or family assumes a misunderstanding of its meaning by the writers of Numbers. The LXX and the Samaritan Pentateuch basically agree with the MT, which understands as “thousand.”

37 None of the above proposals offers a satisfactory answer to the question of large numbers in the census of Num 1 and 26. The logistical dif!culty of over two million people traveling through the wilderness following a speci!c order and arrangement is reason enough to avoid a strict literal understanding of the numbers. The fact that numbers in the Bible often have symbolic value prompts us to favor the view that the writer(s) of Numbers may have intended the large census numbers as symbols of Israel’s strength and power as the army of God. Numbers 1 can be outlined as follows: Yahweh’s command to Moses and Aaron to take a census of the Israelites (vv 1-4); names of the tribal representatives who were to assist Moses and Aaron (vv 5-16); the listing of the men twenty years old or more (vv 17-19); the census of the tribes (vv 20-46); duties of the Levites (vv 47-53); concluding statement (v 54).

IN THE␹ TEXT 1. The Command to Take a Census (1:1-3) 1 The LORD spoke (or, “said”; ) is a frequently found phrase in the Pentateuch. In Numbers, this phrase occurs about forty-!ve times. With this introductory phrase, the writer traces the content of the book to

NUMBERS Yahweh’s speech. The speci!c location where the divine speech took place was the tent 1:1 of meeting (). The noun (“appointed time, place, meeting”; BDB, 417) is derived from the verb (“to appoint,” “to meet by appointment,” or “to gather/assemble by appointment”; BDB, 416). In Exodus and Numbers the tent shrine is called (“tent of meeting”) and (“tabernacle”) numerous times. Exodus 29:42-43 indicates God met with Moses and spoke to him at the entrance to the tent of meeting. In the tent of meeting suggests Yahweh’s speaking to Moses from within the tent, in the holy of holies, “from between the two cherubim above the atonement cover on the ark of the covenant law” (Num 7:89 []). The Desert of Sinai was the general geographical area of Yahweh’s speech to Moses. The more speci!c location was perhaps the vicinity of Mount Sinai where the Israelites set up their camp when they arrived in the Desert of Sinai “on the !rst day of the third month” after they left Egypt (Exod 19:1; see vv 1-2, 16-17). The traditional site is Jebel Musa in the southern Sinai Peninsula. The OT also refers to this place as Horeb (Exod 3:1; Deut 1:6). The !rst day of the second month of the second year after the exodus from Egypt suggests that the Israelites had been at Sinai for eleven months since they arrived there “on the !rst day of the third month” after the exodus (Exod 19:1). The tent of meeting was set up a month earlier, “on the !rst day of the !rst month” (Exod 40:2).

38 The Tabernacle/The Tent of Meeting According to Exod 25:8, Yahweh commanded Moses to tell the Israelites to “make a sanctuary [] for” him; this was to be made by their freewill offering of gold, silver, and bronze and other materials speci!ed by Yahweh (vv 2-7). He promised to “dwell” ( [v 7]) among the Israelites in the “tabernacle” ( [v 9]) that he asked them to make, following the pattern he gave to Moses (v 9). The term is found forty-eight times in Exod 25—40. It occurs in Numbers over thirty times. Another frequently found term for the “tabernacle” in Exod 25—40 is “the tent of meeting” (, thirty-three times; in Numbers !fty-four times). Its !rst occurrence in Exod 27:21 (also in 28:43) appears to refer to the innermost part of the tabernacle (i.e., the holy of holies). However, in later occurrences, the tent of meeting is often used for the entire tent/tabernacle. Exodus 40:1, 34-35 and Num 3:38 do not seem to distinguish between the terms “tabernacle” and the “tent of meeting.” Some scholars think that the term “tent of meeting” preceded the term “tabernacle,” based on Exod 33:7-11. Prior to the completion of the construction of the tabernacle, Moses is said to have pitched a “tent . . . outside the camp, call- NUMBERS ing it the ‘tent of meeting’” (Exod 33:7). Moses would go into this tent and Yah- weh would speak to him “as one speaks to a friend” (33:11; see also Num 7:89). The two terms ( and ) seem to convey two different theological ideas. The tent of meeting focuses on the tent as a place of revelation, where Yahweh spoke to Moses and the Israelites. The tabernacle focuses on the dwelling of Yahweh in the midst of his people. Though these two terms are “not 1:2 synonymous,” by the time of the writing of Exodus-Numbers, they were brought together by the writers “to designate the one wilderness sanctuary” (Dozeman 1998, 32).

2 Yahweh’s speech to Moses begins with a command, Take a census of the whole Israelite community. Take a census () is literally “lift the head” or “calculate the total.” The same idiom is found in Exod 30:12, which records Yahweh’s command to Moses for a census of the adult males in Israel for the purpose of the half-shekel tax to help !nance the construction and furnishings of the tabernacle. The Hebrew term has several meanings, including “top” or “sum” or “total.” The census was to be a counting of the whole Israelite community (, lit. the whole congregation/ community of the sons of Israel). The term community () is derived from the verb (“to meet,” “to appoint,” “gather by appointment”); it is thus related to the noun (“meeting” in the “tent of meeting” in Num 1:1). In its basic meaning, the term includes the entire nation, the whole Israelite community as in v 2 (see also Exod 16:1; Num 16:46 [17:11 HB]). The community is thus de!ned by its association with the tent of meeting; it consists of those who gather around it to receive revelation and present their offering. Elsewhere the term refers

39 to adult males (Num 14:1-4; 31:26, 28, 43) and tribal leaders meeting as a decision-making body (Exod 12:3, 21; Josh 22:14-16) (Milgrom 1990, 4-5). The census was to be taken by their clans [] and families (, lit. their ancestral houses), the tribal subdivisions. In the social structure in Israel, a clan () was a larger subdivision of a tribe (), which included family groups and blood relatives. A family/household ( ) was the basic social unit, the extended family group made up of parents and their children, including married sons and their wives. The !nal phrase, listing every man by name, one by one, further de- !nes the census-taking process. Listing every man by name ( ) is literally, according to the count/number of the names of every male. Each male was to be counted one by one or individually (, lit. according to their skulls/heads; means “skull, head”; BDB, 166a). The census was to be done with special attention given to each individual’s name and his clan and family association. 3 Yahweh’s command to count the Israelites was addressed to Aaron also, though he spoke only to Moses (v 1). God’s command to Moses and Aaron further de!ned the limit of the census. Twenty years was set as the minimum age of all who were to be counted. All . . . who are . . . able to serve in the army (, lit. all who [are able to] go out to war/!ght/serve or go out [as

NUMBERS an] army) reveals the military purpose of the census. There was no age limit set for the census in Num 1. According to Mil- 1:3-16 grom, the absence of an upper age limit and other physical criteria in Num 1 indicates the primary goal of this military census—the conquest of the promised land (1990, 338). The command is to count (, from , “number,” “reckon,” “muster,” “visit,” “appoint”) all the men above twenty years of age according to their divisions (, from , pl. of ). According to ch 2, there were twelve tribal divisions (). 2. Tribal Leaders to Assist Moses and Aaron (1:4-16) 4 The census was to be done with the help of one tribal leader from each of the twelve tribes (one man from each tribe). The writer uses the term for tribe, instead of the more commonly found term . Both terms literally mean “staff.” Each of the twelve tribal representatives chosen as census assistants oc- cupied the position as the head [] of his family (), literally, the head of his ancestral/father’s house ( 1:16 for another designation for these men). 5-16 Each tribe is listed along with the name of its representative. Each tribal name is pre!xed with a prepositional lamed, which connotes representa- tion, according to Levine. Thus (from Reuben [v 5]) means “representing Reuben” (1993, 135-36).

40 The tribal list in vv 5-15 is the !rst of the seven lists of the Israelite tribes (excluding Levi) in Numbers (see the other six in 1:20-43; 2:3-31; 7:12-83; 10:14-27; 13:4-16; 26:5-62). The order of the tribes in the list varies from the birth order of Jacob’s sons, as illustrated below: Birth order (Gen 29:31—30:24; 35:16-18) Tribal list (1:5-15) Reuben (L) Reuben Simeon (L) Simeon Levi (L) (not counted) Judah (L) Judah Dan (R/B) Issachar Naphtali (R/B) Zebulun Gad (L/Z) Ephraim (J) Asher (L/Z) Manasseh (J) Issachar (L) Benjamin Zebulun (L) Dan Joseph (R) Asher

Benjamin (R) Gad NUMBERS Naphtali (L = Leah; R = Rachel; R/B = Rachel’s maid Bilhah; L/Z = Leah’s maid Zilpah; J = Joseph’s sons) The tribal list, though it does not follow the birth order of Jacob’s sons, shows a logical pattern. The !rst !ve names (Reuben to Zebulun) are the Leah 1:5-16 tribes. The next three (Ephraim to Benjamin) are the Rachel tribes. The last four names (Dan to Naphtali) are Jacob’s sons by the maidservants of Leah (Zilpah) and Rachel (Bilhah). See a similar grouping of the sons of Jacob in Gen 35:23-26 in which Dan and Naphtali (sons of Rachel’s maid) follow Ra- chel’s sons Joseph and Benjamin, whereas in Num 1:5-15, Asher and Gad (sons of Leah’s maid) are inserted between Dan and Naphtali.

Tribal Lists in Numbers The following table shows the order of the tribes in the tribal lists in Num- bers: 1:5-15 1:20-43 2:3-31 7:12-83 10:14-27 13:4-16 26:5-62 Reuben Reuben Judah Judah Judah Reuben Reuben Simeon Simeon Issachar Issachar Issachar Simeon Simeon Judah Gad Zebulun Zebulun Zebulun Judah Gad Issachar Judah Reuben Reuben Reuben Issachar Judah Zebulun Issachar Simeon Simeon Simeon Ephraim Issachar Ephraim Zebulun Gad Gad Gad Benjamin Zebulun Manasseh Ephraim Ephraim Ephraim Ephraim Zebulun Manasseh Benjamin Manasseh Manasseh Manasseh Manasseh Manasseh Ephraim Dan Benjamin Benjamin Benjamin Benjamin Dan Benjamin Asher Dan Dan Dan Dan Asher Dan Gad Asher Asher Asher Asher Naphtali Asher Naphtali Naphtali Naphtali Naphtali Naphtali Gad Naphtali

41 None of these lists follow the birth order of the sons of Jacob (Ephraim and Manasseh were the sons of Joseph). Most notably, these lists omit Levi, because the Levites were exempt from military service. We might add here that the birth order is not followed in the tribal lists in Genesis (see Gen 35:23-26; 46:8-26; and 49:1-29) and in Exodus (Exod 1:2-5). There are no good explanations for the variations in the tribal lists in Num- bers. Only three of these lists (2:3-31; 7:12-83; and 10:14-27) show the same order of the tribes. These three lists indicate the division of the twelve tribes into four camps around the tabernacle, the organization of the Rachel tribes into one camp, the prominent place of the divisions of Judah in the march, and the position each tribe was to take when the tribes set from Sinai.

Following the traditional identi!cation of a person in ancient Israel, each person chosen to assist Moses is introduced as son of followed by the name of the father. The pattern is the same for vv 5-9 and 11-15. Verse 10 deviates from the pattern with the listing of the sons of Ephraim and Manasseh as the sons of Joseph. The names of the leaders (and their fathers) listed in vv 5-15 appear again in 2:3-31; 7:12-83; and 10:14-27. The names Nahshon and Amminadab occur in Exod 6:23 and Ruth 4:20. Other names do not occur anywhere else in the OT (Gray 1965, 6). The meaning of names in the following list and other important facts NUMBERS about the names are taken from Gray (1903, 7-8) and Levine (1993, 136-38).

1:5-16 Representing the tribe of Reuben—Elizur son of Shedeur (Num 1:5). Elizur means “My God is a rock.” This name occurs only in Numbers. Shedeur means “Shaddai is/gives light.” Representing the tribe of Simeon—Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai (v 6). Shelumiel probably means “God is my friend” or “at peace with God.” This name occurs only in Numbers. Zurishaddai means “a rock is Shaddai.” Representing the tribe of Judah—Nahshon son of Amminadab (v 7; see Ruth 4:20 for these two names). According to Exod 6:23, “Aaron married Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon.” Nahshon perhaps means “snake-like” (Hebrew means “snake,” “serpent”). Amminadab means “my (divine) kinsman is generous.” Representing the tribe of Issachar—Nethanel son of Zuar (v 8). Netha- nel means “God has given.” This name also appears in 1 Chr 2:14; 24:6; Ezra 10:22; Neh 12:21, 36. The meaning of Zuar is not certain; Levine suggests “young, small.” Representing the tribe of Zebulun—Eliab son of Helon (Num 1:9). Eli- ab means “God is father.” Eliab is a common name in the OT (Deut 11:6; 1 Sam 16; 17:13; 1 Chr 2:13; 6:12 [5:38 HB]; 12:10 [11 HB]; 15:18; 2 Chr 11:18). Helon probably means “powerful one.” The pattern is interrupted by the introduction of Ephraim and Manasseh as sons of Joseph (Num 1:10). Representing the tribe of Ephraim—Elishama

42 son of Ammihud. Elishama means “my God has heard.” This name also occurs in 2 Sam 5:16; 2 Kgs 25:25; 1 Chr 2:41; 7:26; 2 Chr 17:6; Jer 36:12, 20, 21; 41:1. Ammihud means “my kinsman is the Majestic One” (Levine) or “the kinsman is glorious” (Gray). Representing the tribe of Manasseh—Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. Ga- maliel means “God has been gracious to me” (Levine) or “God is my reward” (Gray). This name occurs only in Numbers in the OT; see this name for a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin in Acts 5:34. Pedahzur means “the Rock has redeemed me.” Representing the tribe of Benjamin—Abidan son of Gideoni (Num 1:11). Abidan occurs only in Numbers; the name means “my Father is strong” (Levine) or “the (divine) father has judged” (Gray). Gideoni (Gideon in Judg- es) means “the destroyer, shatterer.” Representing the tribe of Dan—Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai (v 12). Ahiezer also occurs in 1 Chr 12:3. The name means “the (divine) brother/ kinsman is a help.” Ammishaddai means “Shaddai is my kinsman.” Representing the tribe of Asher—Pagiel son of Okran (Num 1:13). NUMBERS Both names occur only in Numbers. Pagiel perhaps means “my entreaty of El” (Levine) or “lot or fate (given by) God” or “the mark (or target) of God” (Gray). Levine suggests “the defeater, subduer” as the literal meaning of Okran. Representing the tribe of Gad—Eliasaph son of Deuel (v 14). Eliasaph occurs only in Numbers. The name means “God has added.” Levine thinks 1:5-16 Deuel should be corrected to read Reuel (“the companion of God”); in 2:14 the name is Reuel in most manuscripts of the MT (see the NIV note). The meaning of the !rst part of the name Deuel is uncertain; the second part, “El,” means God. Representing the tribe of Naphtali—Ahira son of Enan (1:15). Both names do not occur outside of Numbers. Ahira means “my brother/kinsman is a friend.” Enan probably means “the one who sees/knows” (Levine). The men appointed from the community (, lit. “those called of the community” [v 16]) are called leaders of their ancestral tribes ( , lit. “chieftains of the ancestral tribes”). The term (“leader”) derives from the verb (“lift up”) and thus it could also be translated as “exalted one.” These leaders are also called the heads of the clans of Israel ( ). The term translated as “clan” is (lit. “thousand”). Milgrom notes that here refers to the “largest tribal subdivision.” He thinks use of the term re"ects a fully operative clan structure in the ancient times (1990, 7). Gideon stated that his “clan” () was the “weakest in Manasseh” and that he was the “least in his family” (, “father’s house”). Thus, a clan was larger than a father’s house but smaller than a father’s tribe.

43 3. The Census (1:17-46) 17-19 The !rst task of the men who were speci!ed or appointed by name () was to assemble (they assembled; , from, “to assemble”) the whole community together on the !rst day of the second month, the same day when God spoke to Moses (vv 17-18; see v 1). Verse 18 explains the process of census taking that was done by the tribal leaders. The people registered their ancestry is literally, they registered themselves or they registered (; this Hitpael form of , “to bear,” “to beget,” is found only here in the OT; NRSV, “they registered themselves”). Levine suggests that the verbal form “connotes something like registering one’s own genealogy” (1993, 139). Milgrom translates as “[they] declared their lineage” (1990, 7). The registration of the people followed the tribal structure, from the largest tribal subdivision (, clans) to the smaller family units (, fathers’ houses or families). The census was done by the number of names, from twenty years of age and above, one by one (or individually; see v 2 for the meaning of ) (v 18). Verse 19 reports that the census was done in the Desert of Sinai, according to Yahweh’s command to Moses (see vv 2-3). 20-43 The census of each tribe follows a pattern. The tribe is listed !rst

NUMBERS (for example, Reuben), followed by a reference to the listing of those who met the criteria for military service (“twenty years old or more and able to serve in

1:17-43 the army” [v 3]) and the source of the census (“listed by name, one by one” [v 18], according to the records of “their clans and families”), and total number of those who were counted (for Reuben, 46,500 [v 21]). Each list contains the wording of vv 2-3 and 18. Repetition/redundancy is perhaps the most characteristic feature of the census list here. The list of the tribes varies from the list in 1:5-15 slightly; Gad is moved from the eleventh place to the third place in the census list (v 24). Reuben is identi!ed as the !rstborn son of Israel (Jacob) in v 20. Verse 32 introduces the sons of Joseph, the tribe of Ephraim (v 33), and the tribe of Manasseh (v 34). The following is the census list by each tribe and the total of each tribe: Reuben 46,500 (vv 20-21) Simeon 59,300 (vv 22-23) Gad 45,650 (vv 24-25) Judah 74,600 (vv 26-27) Issachar 54,400 (vv 28-29) Zebulun 57,400 (vv 30-31) Ephraim 40,500 (vv 32-33) Manasseh 32,200 (vv 34-35) Benjamin 35,400 (vv 36-37) Dan 62,700 (vv 38-39)

44 Asher 41,500 (vv 40-41) Naphtali 53,400 (vv 42-43) 44-46 Moses with the help of the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family ( [v 44]), completed the census taking. The total number 603,550 recalls Exod 12:37, which refers to “about six hundred thousand men on foot” coming out of Egypt. (For a detailed discussion of the problem of large numbers in Numbers and various scholarly proposals, Introduction.) How this census was done so quickly, in less than twenty days (see 10:10), is not clear. One explanation is that each clan was responsible for its own count; all the clans carried out the counting simultaneously, and Moses received from each clan its number, which was then totaled to arrive at the !nal !gure. In contrast, David’s census, which took over nine months and twenty days to complete, was done tribe by tribe and district by district (2 Sam 24:1-9) (Milgrom 1990, 5). 4. The Special Place and the Function of the Levites

(1:47-54) NUMBERS 47-49 The !nal section of ch 1 opens with the observation that the tribe of the Levites . . . was not counted along with the other tribes (Num 1:47). Verses 48-49 indicate that the Levites were not counted in the census of the other Is- raelites because of Yahweh’s command that forbade Moses from including the

Levites in the tribal census. It is clear that the prohibition, you must not count 1:44-53 [, from , “number,” “appoint,” etc.] the tribe of Levi (v 49), was not a permanent injunction against a census of the Levites at any time. They are counted separately in ch 4. The emphasis is on not including the Le vites in the census of the other Israelites. Numbering them along with the other tribes would have meant that the Levites did not have a distinct place among the tribes of Israel. The focus of the command was on the separateness of the Levites. Additionally, their exclusion from the census of the other tribes, which was a military census, indicates their exemption from military service. 50-53 The separateness of the Levites is the focus of vv 50-53. What made the Levites distinct from the rest of the Israelites was their clerical status and the sacred tasks Yahweh assigned to them through Moses. Yahweh commanded Moses to appoint (, from ) them to be in charge of the tabernacle of the covenant law (v 50). The use of the verb in v 49 and in v 50 indicates a play on words (You must not count . . . instead, appoint). The phrase over all its furnishings and everything belonging to it indicates that no part of the tabernacle was excluded from the responsibility of the Levites. Thus, Yahweh exempted the Levites from military service so that he could assign them the sacral mission of serving the tabernacle. The tabernacle of the covenant law or the tabernacle of the testimony () is identical with “the tent of meeting” in 1:1. It is simply called

45 the tabernacle () in v 51 (see also Exod 38:21 for “the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the covenant law” []). It is the place of Yahweh’s dwelling among his people. The name the tabernacle of the covenant law/testimony implies the tabernacle as the place of the ark and the tables of the law within it. It is also called “the tent of the covenant law” ( ) in Num 9:15; 17:7 [22 HB]; and 18:2. The responsibilities of the Levites are spelled out in 1:50b-53. These are described in detail in ch 4. Their task included the following: 1. Transport the tabernacle and all its furnishings. The task of carrying the tabernacle and its furnishings is expanded to include its dismantling and setting up (v 51a). 2. Take care of the tabernacle (, from , “minister,” “serve”). Budd notes that “is widely used of ‘service’ rendered by a subordinate to a superior.” In Numbers its use is limited to “Levitical service” (1984, 17-18). See 3:6 where God commands Moses to present the tribe of Levi to Aaron “to assist” () him (also 8:26; 16:18; 18:2). 3. Encamp around the tabernacle and guard it. The Levites were to pitch their tents around the tabernacle and thus to secure the tabernacle from any unauthorized entry into the sacred space. They were also authorized to put to death anyone who attempts to intrude into the sacred space. The phrase is literally, “a stranger who approaches shall be put NUMBERS to death.” Milgrom notes that the formula also occurs in 3:10, 38 and 18:7

1:50-53 (1990, 342). The word “stranger” () here refers to an unauthorized person. Ashley thinks refers to “a non-Levite” who would attempt to usurp the role of the Levites (1993, 68). Levine suggests that in this context it means “both unconsecrated Israelites and non-Israelites,” though in Num 16:40 [17:5 HB] the term designates “nonpriests” (1993, 141). Milgrom translates (from , “come near, approach”) as “encroach,” since it occurs in a prohibi- tive context; he suggests that in permissive contexts the term means “qualify” (1990, 342). Milgrom also notes that elsewhere God is the one said to carry out the punishment of crimes against the sacred space (see Exod 28:43; 30:20-21; Lev 10:6, 9; Num 4:15, 19-20). Only here, such a crime is punishable by human agency. He !nds the rationale for God’s authorization of the Levites in the statement, “so that my wrath will not fall on the Israelite community” (1:53b). When God unleashes his wrath on those who encroach the sacred space, it will affect the whole community (see 16:46-50 [17:11-15 HB]). The Levites are charged with the authority to stop the intruder, before God’s wrath falls on the whole community (1990, 342-43). Verse 52 of ch 1 is a general statement about the organization of the camp of Israel. This is elaborated in ch 2. It is perhaps included here to empha- size the role of the tents of the Levites as a buffer zone between the tabernacle and the tents of the tribes of Israel.

46 The sentence, The Levites are to be responsible for the care of the tabernacle of the covenant law () is literally, the Levites shall keep the service of the tabernacle of the covenant law (v 53). Scholars are divided on the meaning of keep [, from , “to keep, guard”] the service [mišmeret] of the tabernacle. Milgrom suggests “guard duty” as the meaning conveyed by this phrase. Based on v 53a, he sees the Levites’ carrying out of their “guard duty” as necessary to “prevent the outbreak of God’s wrath” on the community (1990, 11). This idea is conveyed by the NRSV, “and the Levites shall perform the guard duty of the tabernacle of the covenant.” Levine thinks that phrase means “to ful!ll (=keep) a charge, perform a duty.” Thus he maintains the view that though the Levites performed the task of guarding the tabernacle, the phrase here refers to the performance of their various religious duties in the tabernacle (1993, 142). The NIV reading seems to convey this idea. 54 The account of the census concludes with a statement that indicates the Israelites’ ful!llment of Yahweh’s command to Moses. NUMBERS FROM THE TEXT Numbers 1 conveys several lessons about the Israelites in the wilderness of Sinai, as they were preparing for their journey in the wilderness toward the promised land. These lessons are extremely relevant for the people of God 1:54 today. 1. Numbers begins with Yahweh’s speech to Moses (1:1-15). The narrative ends with the report that “the Israelites did all this just as the LORD commanded Moses” (1:54). Though most of the rest of the story of Numbers characterizes the Israelites as a rebellious and murmuring people, we see in Is- rael’s obedience to God’s command in ch 1 the appropriate way to respond to God, who calls us to follow him. The rest of the story of Numbers reminds us of the tragic consequence of disobedience, complaint, and murmuring against God’s goodness and faithfulness. 2. Chapter 1 presents Israel as God’s army, organized under human leadership. Their identity as God’s army de!ned their existence. As God’s army, they were on a mission—to journey through the wilderness to arrive in the promised land and take possession of it for themselves and their descendants. They were to be the agents through whom God would ful!ll the promises he had made to their ancestors. The church is often depicted as an army with a mission to the world. Our mission is not a military conquest, but the spread- ing of the gospel message throughout the world. This enterprise may lead us to encounter the forces of evil in our world, but as Paul reminds us, we are to engage in this warfare, above all else, with truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the word of God (Eph 6:10-17).

47 3. Human leadership was essential to the life of the Israelites in the wilderness. In Num 1, the tribal leader of each tribe was chosen to assist Moses in the census taking. It is important to note that these tribal leaders were lay leaders. The church continues to depend on lay leaders to carry out the work of God’s kingdom; their involvement is essential to the ful!llment of God’s mission in the world today. 4. The census of the Israelites, though it was done to count the number of men over the age of twenty and able to serve in the army of Israel, indicates the ful!llment of God’s promise to bless the descendants of Abraham and make them a great nation (Gen 12:2; 13:16; 17:4-5). The large numbers in the census account also depict Israel as a people who enjoy God’s creational blessing and ful!ll the creational mandate, “Be fruitful and increase in number” (Gen 1:28). 5. The census list does not give priority to the tribes by listing them by their size, from the largest to the smallest. The focus is on listing every tribe and counting every male twenty years old or more and able to serve in the army of Israel. As Dozeman points out, the emphasis seems to be on Israel’s preparedness to ful!ll its mission (1998, 40). Numbers reminds us that in God’s kingdom, the size of a church does not matter. What is important is the involvement of every church, and its every member, in the kingdom’s mission. 6. Numbers 1 portrays Israel in the wilderness as a people who experi-

NUMBERS enced the reality of God’s presence in their midst. However, their familiarity with the tent of meeting did not mean that they could treat it casually and 2:1-34 approach it on their own terms. There were boundaries to keep in their relationship to the holy God in their midst. The camp of the Levites around the tent of meeting reminded them of the dangerous consequences of encroaching the holy presence of God. Numbers 1 reminds us that living with the holy God is a risky business. Through incarnation, God made his dwelling among humans (John 1:14). God’s presence can transform our lives, and give us strength and power for our daily life. However, we also stand to suffer God’s judgment if we treat the holy presence of God casually in our life and worship. The writer of Hebrews reminds his readers to “worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming !re’” (12:28-29). B. The Organization of the Tribal Camps around the Tabernacle (2:1-34) BEHIND THE TEXT The twelve tribes of Israel encamped around the four sides of the tent of meeting as military divisions, three tribes on each side, and each division with its own tribal leader. The leaders of the tribal divisions were those who assisted Moses and Aaron in the census taking in 1:5-15.

48 Milgrom notes that the rectangular arrangement of the Israelite camp in the wilderness was similar to the Egyptian camp of Ramesses II, who may have been the pharaoh mentioned in the Exodus story. Like in the Israelite camp, where the tabernacle was in the center, the tent of Pharaoh was in the center of the Egyptian camp. Milgrom speculates that the Israelite camp in the wilderness may have been patterned after a contemporary Egyptian camp (1990, 340). The tribal order in ch 2 differs from their order in the census list in 1:20-43. Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun move from their fourth, !fth, and sixth places in the census list to the !rst, second, and third places in ch 2. This was to give Judah the prominent role as the leading tribe in the march out of Sinai (see Gen 49:10). In later history, Judah became the royal tribe by God’s choos- ing of David from the tribe of Judah. Judah continued to play a signi!cant role in the history of Israel particularly in the exilic and postexilic times. Reuben, Simeon, and Gad, who are !rst, second, and third in the census list, take the fourth, !fth, and sixth places in Num 2. The encampment of the divisions of Israel around the tabernacle conveys

a religious motif. At the center of the encampment of Israel was the sacred NUMBERS dwelling of God. The Israelite army was not a secular force, but the army of Yahweh, who led Israel into battle and gave them victory over their enemies.

Diagram of the Tribal Arrangement around the Tabernacle

Asher Dan Naphtali 2:1-34

Merarites Issachar Benjamin

N Tent of W E Meeting Judah Ephraim S Gershonites “Sons of Aaron”

Kohathites

Manasseh Gad Reuben Simeon Zebulun

(Adapted from Gray 1903, 17)

Numbers 2:1-2 states Yahweh’s command for the tribal organization around the tabernacle. The tribal divisions located east of the tabernacle are listed in vv 3-9. The tribal divisions located south of the tabernacle are listed in vv 10-16. The central position of the Levites is the focus of v 17. The tribal divisions located west of the tabernacle are listed in vv 18-24. The tribal divi-

49 sions located north of the tabernacle are listed in vv 25-31. Chapter 2 ends with a summary of the total of all the divisions and a statement that indicates Israel’s ful!llment of Yahweh’s command.

IN THE␹ TEXT 1. Yahweh’s Command (2:1-2) 1 Aaron is included as a recipient of Yahweh’s command, along with Moses (compare with 1:1). 2 Yahweh’s command speci!ed the organization of the Israelites around the tent of meeting. The phrase some distance from it (, translated variously as “far off,” “at a distance”) indicates that there was to be a designated space between the tribal camps and the tent of meeting. Numbers 2:17 designates this space for the camp of the Levites. Joshua 3:4 stipulates a distance of “two thousand cubits” (3,000 feet or 900 meters) between the ark and the tribes. The Israelites were to camp with his standard (, from , “standard,” “banner”; NIV: under their standard; NRSV: “in their respective regiments”). Ashley understands to mean “the "ag or banner marking off each camp of three tribes” (1993, 73). The term here perhaps refers to a NUMBERS military unit, according to Milgrom (1990, 11) and Levine (1993, 147-48). The phrase holding the banners of their family () is 2:1-4 literally, with the banners of their ancestral houses. This phrase indicates that each ancestral house perhaps had its own distinctive insignia (Milgrom 1990, 11; Ashley 1993, 73). 2. On the East (2:3-9) 3-4 The description of the encampment begins with those who were to encamp on the east, toward the sunrise ( is a redundant expres- sion). The term qedem (east) also means “front.” The east side was the front of the tent of meeting. This was the position of the divisions of the camp of Judah . . . under their standard (, lit. the standard of the camp of Judah by their armies/divisions). Milgrom suggests that (“camp”) is a synonym for (“standard,” meaning a military unit; v 2 above). Three divisions (, from , “army”) (the tribe of Judah and its af!liated tribes Issachar and Zebulun) constituted the camp of Judah (). The name of the leader [; see 1:16] of the people of Judah (2:3) is already mentioned in 1:7 (“Nahshon son of Amminadab”). The phrase his division or his army indicates Nahshon’s role as the leader of a tribal militia (2:4). The census of Judah is repeated here (74,600) to show the strength of the military division of Judah (1:27).

50 5-8 Judah’s af!liate tribes are listed. Verse 5 begins with the phrase , literally, and those encamping next to him; the plural par- ticiple (, those encamping) refers to both Issachar and Zebulun (vv 5-6, 7-8). Next to him implies the position of Judah in the center (Milgrom 1990, 12). Each af!liate tribe was to occupy a place next to Judah, one on each side, as illustrated in the diagram of the tribal organization around the tent of meeting ( Behind the Text for 2:1-34). The identi!cation of the tribal leader of each tribe and the total number of each division (vv 5-8) follow the pattern of vv 3-4. Verse 5 identi!es Netha- nel son of Zuar (1:8) as the leader of the people of Issachar. Verse 6 of ch 2 reports that his division numbered 54,400 (1:29). Verse 7 of ch 2 identi!es Eliab son of Helon (1:9) as the leader of the people of Zebulun. Verse 8 of ch 2 reports that his division numbered 57,400 (1:31). 9 This is a summary statement of the total of the three divisions of Judah (186,400). Judah and his divisions were to set out !rst (, lit. “at the head”) when the Israelites left Sinai and marched through the wilderness toward the promised land. 3. On the South (2:10-16) NUMBERS 10-16 The pattern of vv 3-9 is followed here, with only minor variation. The encampment on the south consisted of the leading camp of Reuben in the middle and the two af!liate tribes, Simeon and Gad, one on each side of the camp of Reuben. 2:5-17 Verse 10 identi!es Elizur son of Shedeur (1:5b) is mentioned as the leader of the people of Reuben. Verse 11 of ch 2 reports that his division numbered 46,500 (1:21). Verse 12 of ch 2 identi!es Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai (1:6) as the leader of the people of Simeon. Verse 13 of ch 2 reports that his division numbered 59,300 (1:23). Verse 14 of ch 2 identi!es Eliasaph son of Deuel (see 1:14) as the leader of the people of Gad. Verse 15 of ch 2 reports that his division numbered 45,650 (1:25). Verse 16 of ch 2 is a summary statement of the total of the three divisions of Reuben (151,450). The divisions of Reuben were to set out second, following the divisions of Judah, when the Israelites left Sinai. 4. In the Middle (2:17) 17 The tent of meeting and the camp of the Levites were to be in the middle of the camps of the Israelites during the march. In the middle here seems to refer to the space between the divisions of Reuben and the divisions of Ephraim (between the second and third divisions). The divisions of the Levites were to set out in the same order of their encampment (see 3:23, 29, 35, 38; see also 10:17-24).

51 5. On the West (2:18-24) 18-24 The encampment on the west of the tent of meeting consisted of the leading camp of Ephraim in the middle and the two af!liate tribes, Manasseh and Benjamin, one on each side of the camp of Ephraim. Verse 18 identi!es Elishama son of Ammihud (1:10) as the leader of the people of Ephraim. Verse 19 of ch 2 reports that his division numbered 40,500 (1:33). Verse 20 of ch 2 identi!es Gamaliel son of Pedahzur (1:10) as the leader of the people of Manasseh. Verse 21 of ch 2 reports that his division numbered 32,200 (1:35). Verse 22 of ch 2 identi!es Abidan son of Gideoni ( 1:11) as the leader of the people of Benjamin. Verse 23 of ch 2 reports that his division numbered 35,400 (1:25). Verse 24 of ch 2 is a summary statement of the total of the three divisions of Ephraim (108,100). The divisions of Ephraim were to set out third, following the Levites, when the Israelites left Sinai. 6. On the North (2:25-31) 25-31 The encampment on the north of the tent of meeting consisted of the leading camp of Dan in the middle and the two af!liate tribes, Asher and

NUMBERS Naphtali, one on each side of the camp of Dan (v 25). Verse 25 identi!es Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai (1:12) is mentioned 2:18-34 as the leader of the people of Dan. Verse 26 of ch 2 reports that his division numbered 62,700 (1:39). Verse 27 of ch 2 identi!es Pagiel son of Okran (1:13) as the leader of the people of Asher. Verse 28 of ch 2 reports that his division numbered 41,500 (1:41). Verse 29 of ch 2 identi!es Ahira son of Enan (see 1:15) as the leader of the people of Naphtali. Verse 30 of ch 2 reports that his division numbered 53,400 (1:43). Verse 31 of ch 2 is a summary statement of the total of the three divisions of Dan (157,600). The divisions of Dan were to set out last, when the Israelites left Sinai. 7. Summary Statement (2:32-34) 32-33 The sum total of all the divisions is the same reported in 1:46: 603,550. Verse 33 of ch 2 reiterates that the Levites . . . were not counted along with the other Israelites, following Yahweh’s command to Moses (1:47-48). 34 Another statement indicating the ful!llment of Yahweh’s command to Moses by the Israelites. This verse af!rms that the preceding verses describe the way the Israelites encamped and the way they set out on their march from Sinai to the promised land—tribe by tribe, divisions by divisions, each Israel- ite staying with his clan and family. This verse also anticipates Israel’s march

52 through the wilderness like that of a well-organized army, with each unit keeping its assigned place on the march. FROM THE TEXT The focus of ch 2 is on the organization of the camp of Israel around the tent of meeting. References to the order in which various camps were to set out from Sinai make clear the military connotations of this chapter. The theological perspective of this chapter is equally important. God dwells among his people, at the center of their existence. The wilderness, an utterly inhospitable and threatening place, is a safe and comfortable place for the people to live and move around because God dwells among them. Later in Israel, Jerusalem, the geographical location of the temple, was understood to be “the center of the nations” (Ezek 5:5). Isaiah envisioned that nations would make pilgrimage to “the mountain of the LORD’s temple” to learn from Yahweh so that they may “walk in his paths” (2:1, 3). In Ezekiel’s vision, a new temple is the source of life-giving water, a river with fruit trees on both banks (47:1-12). In the eschatological visions of the writer of Revelation,

God’s dwelling place is in “the new Jerusalem,” “the Holy City” that comes NUMBERS “down out of heaven from God.” The writer envisions God’s dwelling among the people. “They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God” (21:2, 4). The writer of Revelation also speaks of the life-giving quality of the presence of God in ch 22. He sees in his vision “the river of the water of life . . . "owing from the throne of God and of the Lamb,” and “the 3:1— 4:49 tree of life,” the leaves of which bring “the healing of the nations” (vv 1-2). These later biblical perspectives on the temple can be traced back to the report of the tent of meeting as the center point of Israel’s encampment in Numbers. The church, the body of Christ, is God’s temple in the world (see 1 Cor 3:16-17). Numbers 2 reminds every church that its mission is to be a life- giving, life-sustaining, and life-transforming agency of God in the community where it exists today. C. Census of the Levites and Their Responsibilities (3:1—4:49) BEHIND THE TEXT Chapters 3—4 give us a glimpse of the place of the Levites in the Isra- elite community, their number, the position of their camp, and the various tasks assigned to them as caretakers of the tent of meeting. Moreover, these chapters also show the relationship between the priests and the Levites. Exodus 6:16-25 gives an outline of the family tree of Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah (Gen 29:34), and the ancestor of both priests and Levites. The tribe of Levi originally was a secular tribe, like the rest of the tribes of Israel.

53 We do not know why God has chosen the Levites as his specially chosen people from among the Israelites (Num 3:11). Moses declared that the Levites have been “set apart to the LORD today,” the day they carried out the killing of those who participated in the worship of the golden calf (Exod 32:29). In Deut 33:8-11, Moses attributes their priestly status to their loyalty to God that superseded their loyalty to their parents, brothers, and even children. Their special assignment as guards of the tent of meeting would have required them to kill anyone who trespassed its sacred boundary (Num 1:51). Moses’ and Aaron’s membership in the tribe of Levi perhaps may be another reason for God’s special choice of that tribe for work at the tent of meeting. The Exodus genealogy of Levi lists Gershon, Kohath, and Merari as the three sons of Levi (6:16; see Gen 46:11; 1 Chr 6:2 [5:28 HB]). This genealogy also identi!es Amram, one of the sons of Kohath, as the father of Aaron and Moses (Exod 6:20; see 1 Chr 6:3 [5:29 HB]), and Aaron as the father of Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar (Exod 6:23; Num 3:2; 1 Chr 6:3 [5:29 HB]). Though these sons of Aaron were anointed as priests, Nadab and Abihu “died before the LORD when they made an offering with unauthorized !re before him in the Desert of Sinai” (Num 3:4; Lev 10:1-2). Israel’s priestly families descended from Aaron’s remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar (Num 3:4). The Levites included all the descendants of Levi, except the house of Aaron (the Gershonites, the Kohathites, excluding the house of Aaron, and NUMBERS the Merarites).

3:1— Numbers 3:5-9 indicates that the institution of Levites was established 4:49 to give assistance to Aaron and his sons by performing duties for them and by “doing the work of the tabernacle” (vv 7-8). Numbers 3—4 also show that there was a hierarchy among the Levites. While the Gershonites and the Merarites were responsible for the care and transport of the tabernacle frames and coverings, and so forth, the care and transport of the most holy objects was assigned to the Kohathites. The prominence of the Kohathites among the Levites may have been due to their relationship to Aaron and his sons, members of the Kohathite clan and priests in Israel. Leviticus and Numbers show two clearly distinct ways the priests and Levites were ordained into their respective ministry roles. According to Lev 8, the priests were consecrated through an elaborate ordination ritual, which included anointing with oil. Because of their ordination, they were to maintain a higher degree of holiness (Lev 21:1—22:16). According to Num 8, the Levites were consecrated to their ministry through a puri!cation ritual (vv 5-22). The degree of holiness held by Levites was between that of ordained priests and the laity in Israel (Dozeman 1998, 47). The detailed description of the various responsibilities of the Leviti- cal clans in Num 3—4 clearly indicates that a clear delineation between the priests and Levites and their respective roles in relation to the tent of meeting was set in the wilderness period.

54 The structure of chs 3—4 indicates the writer’s special interest in not only delineating the ordained priests, Aaron and his sons, from the Levites, the rest of the tribe of Levi, but also de!ning the speci!c roles of the priests and the various clans of Levi (3:1-10). The census of the Levites one month old or more (3:11-51) emphasizes the special place of the Levites as substitutes for the !rstborn of all the Israelites. The focus of ch 4 is on the census of the Le- vites old enough to serve in the tent of meeting and the various tasks assigned to each clan of the tribe of Levi.

IN THE␹ TEXT 1. Introduction of Aaron’s Sons as Priests (3:1-4) 1 This is the account of (, lit. these are the generations of/family lines of ) is similar to the formulaic introduction to genealogies found in Genesis (2:4; 6:9; 10:1, etc.). Aaron is mentioned !rst, most likely because he was the !rstborn (Exod 6:20). Though Moses’ family line is presumed to have been a part of this account, the focus is on Aaron’s family and the tribe of Levi.

In 1 Chr 23:14-17 the sons of Moses are counted as part of the tribe of Levi and NUMBERS not as priests. The account in Num 3:1-4 is clearly meant to delineate Aaron and his sons, the priestly house, from the rest of the Levites. Mount Sinai, instead of “the Desert of Sinai” (see 1:1), is mentioned as the location of Yahweh’s speech to Moses (vv 5ff.) in which he designated the Levites as substitutes for the !rstborn of the Israelites, and their speci!c 3:1-4 responsibilities. 2-4 There are two genealogical introductions here. Both v 2 and v 3 begin with the phrase These are/were the name of (). Verse 2 lists the names of the four sons of Aaron—Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Verse 3 identi!es Aaron’s sons named in v 2 as the anointed priests [ ], who were ordained for priesthood (). Exodus 29:21; 30:30; and 40:15 refer to the anointing of Aaron and his sons with the sacred anointing oil. The ritual of anointing set Aaron and his sons apart for service as priests (Exod 30:30). The term ordained (, lit. “!ll the hand,” which refers to “a symbolic act that transfers authority from one person to another”; Levine 1993, 155) is found in the OT only in respect to the installation of priests. What this phrase originally meant is not known. As it appears in the OT, the phrase conveys the empowerment of Aaron and his sons to exercise priestly authority in Israel and to carry out priestly functions (Milgrom 1990, 15). The death of Nadab and Abihu (Num 3:4) is reported in Lev 10. They “offered unauthorized !re before the LORD, contrary to his command. So !re came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD” (Lev 10:1-2). The Desert of Sinai is mentioned as the place of their death. Scholars debate the meaning of unauthorized !re (, lit.

55 “strange/alien !re”). Levine thinks that they burned incense that was not pre- scribed by the law at the incense altar in the holy place (1993, 156). Leviticus 10:1 emphasizes their act as a violation of the divine command. Since Nadab and Abihu did not have any sons, the of!ce of priesthood became the exclusive privilege of Eleazar and Ithamar, the two surviving sons of Aaron (Num 3:4). They served as priests while their father Aaron was still alive. The phrase during the lifetime of their father suggests that the priestly of!ce was held by both Aaron and his sons concurrently, though Aaron would have served in the capacity of high priest. 2. Duties of the Levites (3:5-10) 5-6 Yahweh commanded Moses to bring the tribe of Levi [ ] and present them to Aaron (v 6). Milgrom suggests that the Hebrew term (from , “come near,” “approach”) has “cultic connotation” (1990, 16). This is evident in Exod 28:1, where we read Yahweh’s command to Moses: “Have Aaron your brother brought [] to you from among the Israelites . . . so they may serve as priests.” The same term is used for the pre- sentation of an offering in Exod 29:3. The phrase present them to Aaron utilizes the idiom (“cause to stand before” or “to make someone stand before someone”), which

NUMBERS conveys the idea of subordination (Milgrom 1990, 16). The task of the Levites is to assist (, Piel of , means “serve,” “minister”) Aaron in the perfor- 3:5-8 mance of his priestly functions. 7 The twofold task of the Levites is summarized here. They are presented to Aaron to perform duties for [] him [the priests] and for the whole community before the tent of meeting, and to do the work of the tabernacle (). The NIV reading implies assistance given by the Levites to the priests, and the maintenance of the tabernacle on behalf of the people. Milgrom suggests that means “guard duty” here (1990, 16). The phrase before/in front of the tent of meeting indicates the Levites’ task of guarding the outer court of the tent of meeting (). The work [] of the tabernacle refers to the setting up and dismantling of the tabernacle and transporting it during the wilderness march (Milgrom 1990, 343; Dozeman 1998, 50). Work in the Levitical terminology, according to Milgrom, maintains its basic meaning of “physical labor” (ibid.). 8 Though words and phrases from v 7 are repeated here, v 8 adds an additional task to the Levites. The Levites were also to guard [] all the furnishings of the tent of meeting. Milgrom suggests that both verses together specify the guard duty of the Levites, “when the camp was at rest (v. 7) and in transit (v. 8)” because of the reference to the furnishings of the tent (1990, 16-17; see Ashley 1993, 79). When the tent was set up, these furnishings were inside the tent and they were guarded by the priests (3:38). When the people

56 were on the march, these furnishings were guarded by the Levites, as indicated by v 8 (see also vv 25, 31, 36) (Milgrom 1990, 17). The phrase ful!lling the obligations of the Israelites ( ; lit. a duty on behalf of the people of Israel) implies that the Levites were to discharge their task of “doing the work of the tabernacle” (v 7) as substitutes for the people of Israel (see 3:40-48). 9 Yahweh commanded Moses to give the Levites to Aaron and his sons. The verb (“to give”) probably conveys here the idea of Yahweh giving the Levites as a gift. Milgrom suggests that here implies dedication (1990, 17). In vv 11-12, the Levites belong to Yahweh. In vv 40ff. the Levites belong to Yahweh as substitutes for “all the !rstborn of the Israelites” (v 41). In 8:16, the Levites are the Israelites who are to be “given wholly” to Yahweh. Here in 3:9, they are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to Aaron (and his sons). In essence, Yahweh is giving/dedicating what belongs to him to Aaron and his sons to assist him, to guard the tent, and to do the work of the tabernacle. 10 Yahweh commanded Moses to appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as

priests (You shall appoint Aaron and his sons and they shall keep/guard/ NUMBERS watch over [] their priesthood []). According to Levine, the He- brew term means the “priestly fraternity, the group of priests” though “most often . . . this term refers to the priestly of!ce” (1993, 156-57). Guard- ing the priesthood here perhaps means protecting it from encroachment. In 18:7, the function of the priests is related to “everything at the altar and inside 3:9-13 the curtain.” Yahweh’s command here and in 18:7 includes a death sentence for anyone else [ means “stranger”; here, anyone not a priest] who approaches the sanctuary. Protecting/guarding the sacred objects within the sanctuary was thus a part of the task of the priesthood. 3. Yahweh’s Claim on the Levites (3:11-13) 11-13 The content of vv 11-13 is very similar to that of 8:16-19. Yahweh conveyed to Moses his decision to take the Levites as substitutes for the !rstborn males of the Israelites (v 12). Verse 13 provides the historical basis for Yahweh’s claim on all the !rstborn in Israel, both human and animal. He set apart ( [v 13], “set apart,” “consecrate”) for himself every !rstborn when he struck down all the !rstborn of the Egyptians (Exod 13:1-2, 11-16; 22:29- 30 [28-29 HB]; and 34:19-20). This implies that the !rstborn males held a sacred status. It is not clear if the sacred status of the !rstborn was transferred to the Levites when the latter became substitutes for the former.

I am the LORD is a characteristic phrase that also occurs in Exod 6:8; 12:12; and Num 3:41, but more frequently in Lev 17—26. This phrase here conveys Yahweh’s sovereignty and claim over human and animal life, and his authority to set apart the !rstborn in Israel.

57 4. Yahweh Commands Moses to Count the Levites (3:14-16) 14-16 The Desert of Sinai is mentioned again as the scene of the census of the Levites (Num 3:14). Moses ful!lled Yahweh’s command to count the Le- vites [more speci!cally, every male a month old or more] by their families and clans (v 15). Verse 16 should be understood as a summary statement, since the report of the census taking is found in vv 20-51. The purpose of the census of the Levites was to determine the number of Levites who would be a substitute for the !rstborn males of the Israelites. One month or more is stipulated here as the age of the Levite to be counted because the !rstborn male of the Israelites eligible for substitution/redemption by the Levites was to be “a month old or more” (v 40; see vv 40-41). Levine suggests that by the word of the LORD ( [v 16]) should be rendered “by the order of YHWH.” This phrase, which occurs repeatedly in Numbers, indicates divine authority and it reinforces the idea that all the commands concerning the priests and their work were “directly ordained by God and were not merely matters of custom and convention” (1993, 158). 5. Sons of Levi and Their Clans (3:17-20) 17-20 The three Levitical houses and their respective clans are an introduc-

NUMBERS tion to the more speci!c and detailed treatment of each house, its number, its leader, and its speci!c tasks at the tent of meeting in vv 21-37. The names 3:14-26 of the three sons of Levi—Gershon, Kohath, and Merari—who make up the three Levitical houses are given !rst (v 17; see also Gen 46:11; Exod 6:16), followed by the names of the clans that belong to each house. The clans of Gershon (Gershonites) were Libni and Shimei (Num 3:18). The clans of Kohath (Kohathites) were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel (v 19). Amram was the father of Aaron, Moses, and Miriam (Exod 6:20; 1 Chr 6:3 [5:29 HB]). The clans of Merari (Merarites) were Mahli and Mushi (Num 3:20). 6. Census of the Levitical Clans and Their Responsibilities (3:21-39) Verses 21-39 follow a pattern, which includes the name of each Levitical house, names of clans that belong to each house, number of males a month old or more, location of the camp of the clans, name of the leader of each Levitical house, and the responsibilities of each Levitical house. a. Gershonites (3:21-26) 21-26 The Gershonites (Libnites and Shimeites), with their total number of 7,500 males were to encamp on the west, behind the tabernacle (vv 21-23). Their leader was Eliasaph son of Lael (v 24). The tent of meeting () is the designation for the tent shrine (v 25; see 1:1).

58 The speci!c duty of the Gershonites at the tent of meeting was to guard [mišmeret] the tabernacle [] and the tent [], its covering [, from ; “covering”], and the screen of the door of the tent of meeting ( [3:25]; see Exod 26:36). The tabernacle and the tent usually refer to the sanctuary itself with its two chambers, the holy place and the most holy place. Here they are treated separately as in Exod 26:1-14. The focus is only on the curtains/coverings and not on the frames (see Exod 26:15-29). In Exod 26:1-6 the tabernacle was made of “ten curtains of !nely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim woven into them” (v 1). The tent in vv 7-13 refers to a covering over the tabernacle that consisted of “eleven curtains” made up of goat hair. Its covering refers to the “covering of ram skins dyed red, and . . . a covering of the other durable leather” mentioned in v 14. The screen of the door of the tent of meeting refers to the curtain at the entrance to the tent, which was visible to all who were in the court of the tent. According to v 36, this was a “curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and !nely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer.”

The Gershonites were also responsible for guarding the curtains of the NUMBERS courtyard, the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar, and the ropes—and everything related to their use (Num 3:26). See Exod 27:9-19 for a detailed description of the courtyard, the entrance to the court, and the curtains, posts, and silver bands and hooks on the posts. The speci!c tasks of the Gershonites are stated in Num 4:24-28. 3:27-31 b. Kohathites (3:27-32) 27-31 The Kohathites (Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, and Uzzielites), with their total number of 8,600 males were to encamp on the south side of the tabernacle (vv 27-29). The number 8,600 is considered to be a textual error. The actual total may have been 8,300, which when added to the Ger- shonite total 7,500 and the Merarite total 6,200, give the grand total of 22,000 (v 39). If the MT 8,600 is kept for the Kohathites, then the grand total would be 22,300. The MT textual corruption is explained as the result of the omis- sion of the consonant lamed (l ) from šlš (three), which would have yielded the reading šš (six) in the record of the census of the Kohathites (thus 8,600 instead of 8,300). The general duty of the Kohathites was to guard [] the sanctuary ( [v 28]). Their speci!c duties are listed in v 31. The leader of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel (v 30). The Kohathites’ responsibilities included the guarding (mišmeret) of the sacred objects of the sanctuary (v 31). The ark refers to the ark of the covenant, located in the holy of holies (Exod 25:10-22). The table is the table of the bread of the Presence in the holy place (Num 3:31; Exod 25:23-30). The

59 lampstand with its six branches gave light in the holy place (Num 3:31; Exod 25:31-40). The altars perhaps refer to the altar of burnt offering in the open court of the tabernacle (Num 3:31; Exod 27:1-8) and the altar of incense in the holy place (Exod 30:1-10). The vessels of the sanctuary () are listed in Num 4:14 (see also Exod 38:3). The curtain/screen ( [Num 3:31]) could be the curtain that separated the holy place from the holy of holies (Exod 26:31-33). See Num 4:4-16 for more detailed description of the speci!c duties of the Kohathites. 32 The chief leader of the Levites (i.e., the leader of the leaders of the three Levitical families) was Eleazar son of Aaron. Aaron and his sons were members of the Kohathite clan. The selection of Eleazar as chief leader of the Le- vites indicates the preeminence of the Kohathites among the Levitical clans. c. Merarites (3:33-37) 33-37 The Merarites (Mahlites and Mushites [v 33]) with their total number of 6,200 males were to encamp on the north side of the tabernacle. Their leader was Zuriel son of Abihail (vv 33-35). The responsibilities of the Merarites included the guarding (mišmeret) of the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, bases, all its equipment . . .

NUMBERS posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs and ropes (vv 36-37). These structural parts of the tabernacle are described in Exod 26:15- 3:32-38 29; 27:9-19. Numbers 4:29-33 gives further description of the duties of the Merarites. d. The Camp of Moses, and Aaron and His Sons (3:38) 38 The most honored place in the encampment around the tent of meeting was given to Moses and Aaron and his sons. They were to encamp before the tabernacle [], to the east, before the tent of meeting [], toward the sunrise. Since Moses’ sons (Gershom and Eliezer) were not part of the of!cial priesthood, we assume they were encamped along with the Ko- hath ites, the clan to which Moses belonged (see 1 Chr 23:12-17). East is where the entrance to the tabernacle was located. The writer leaves no uncertainty about the location of the camp of the priests, and their proximity to the entrance to the tabernacle. They were placed there to carry out the task of guarding () the sanctuary (, “sanctuary,” “sacred space/area”). The term often refers to the tabernacle in the wilderness (Exod 25:8; Lev 12:4; Num 10:21; 18:1). Guarding the sanctuary perhaps means guarding the entrance to the tabernacle. The phrase on behalf of the Israelites indicates that they were ful!lling the duty of the Israelites as their substitutes, by replacing the !rstborn males of the Israelites. ( 3:10 for the command to put to death anyone who encroached the sanctuary.)

60 e. The Census Total of the Levites (3:39) 39 The total number of male Levites, one month old or more, was 22,000 ( v 28). 7. Census of the Firstborn Israelite Males and Their Redemption (3:40-51) 40-41 Yahweh commanded Moses to count and make a list of the names of all the !rstborn Israelite males who are a month old or more (v 40). Leviticus 27:1-8 provides no provision for the dedication and redemption of an infant under one month old (see Lev 27:6). Milgrom notes that “an infant younger than thirty days old was not considered a person, presumably because of the high rate of infant mortality.” He also states that “this principle is still operative in Jewish practice,” and that “no mourning rites are maintained for an infant under thirty days old” (1990, 23). Numbers 3:41 seems to be a restatement of 3:11-13. All the Levites and their livestock are to be a substitute for all the !rstborn of the Israelites and the all the !rstborn of the livestock of the Israelites. This does not mean that

the Israelites were permitted to redeem the !rstborn of their livestock. They NUMBERS belonged to Yahweh and they were to be offered as a sacri!ce on the altar, according to Num 18:15, 17 and Lev 27:26-27. ( Num 3:13 for comments on the statement, “I am the LORD.”) 42-43 Moses ful!lled Yahweh’s command. The total number of !rstborn males a month old or more . . . was 22,273 (v 43). 3:39-48 44-45 Yahweh’s command to Moses is a reiteration of what has been previ- ously stated by Yahweh (see vv 12-13, 41). 46-48 The provision for the redemption of the !rstborn Israelites who exceeded the number of the Levites is stated. Each Levite, a month old or more, was to take the place of a !rstborn male Israelite a month old or more. The total number of the Levites (22,000) fell short of the total number of the !rstborn males of Israel (22,273) by 273. Verses 46-47 stipulate the redemption of the excess !rstborn males of the Israelites by paying !ve shekels per person. See 18:16, which stipulates the redemption of the !rstborn by paying the redemption price, which was set at !ve shekels. The verb redeem ( [3:46]) “denotes a process by which something lost to the original owner can be recovered through the payment of money” (Milgrom 1990, 23). Deuteronomy 21:8 uses the verb to denote Yahweh’s redemption of Israel from their bondage in Egypt (see also Mic 6:4). The shekel is not a coin but a unit of weight. The speci!c mention of sanctuary shekel (Num 3:47) perhaps implies that the sanctuary had its own measurement standard, which is listed in v 47 as twenty gerahs. Milgrom suggests that a sanctuary shekel weighed about 11.5 grams (1990, 23). A gerah would then be .57 grams, and !ve shekels (one hundred gerahs) would be close to !fty-eight grams or two ounces.

61 Yahweh commanded Moses to give the shekels collected for the redemption of the excess !rstborn males of the Israelites to Aaron and his sons (v 48). 49-51 Moses ful!lled Yahweh’s command and collected the redemption money [] from those who exceeded the number redeemed by the Levites (v 49). We do not know how Moses determined the identity of the 273 who needed to be redeemed by paying the redemption price. Verse 50 most likely does not deal with all the !rstborn of the Israelites. Moses collected from each of the 273 !rstborn males, who exceeded the number of the Levites, silver weighing !ve shekels per person. This amounted to a total of 1,365 shekels, or an equivalent of nearly sixteen kilograms of silver. Moses gave the redemption money [ ; see in v 49] to Aaron and his sons, and thus ful!lled Yahweh’s command. 8. Census of the Levites for Their Service (4:1-49) Here we !nd another census of the Levites, who were thirty to !fty years of age. The purpose of this census was to determine the number of Le- vites who were able to serve and work at the tent of meeting. a. Yahweh’s Command to Count the Kohathites and Their Responsibilities (4:1-20) 1-3 The Kohathites (v 2) are mentioned !rst in Yahweh’s command here, NUMBERS most likely because the priestly family of Aaron and his sons belonged to this clan, and they were responsible for covering the holy objects in the tabernacle. 3:49— 4:6 The minimum age set for service in the tent—thirty—is found only in ch 4 (v 3; compare with twenty-!ve years in 8:24; also 1 Chr 23:24, 27; 2 Chr 31:17; Ezra 3:8). The word “serve” () is used in 1:3 for military service (i.e., to go to war). Here it is used for the service of the Levites at the tent of meeting. The use of the term in both contexts of service indicates that, for the writer of Numbers, Levitical service was “just as integral to Israel’s military advance as the carrying of weapons” (Budd 1984, 48). The term work () implies skilled labor to be carried out by the Kohathites, as opposed to the physical labor () of the other Levites (see v 23) (Milgrom 1990, 24). 4-6 The Kohathites are charged with the task of the most holy things in the tent of meeting (v 4). The most holy things () refer to the sacred objects listed in vv 5-16. In Exod 26:34 refers to the “most holy place” (see also 1 Kgs 8:6; Ezek 41:4). When the camp was ready to march on, Aaron and his sons were to enter the holy place and remove the shielding curtain ( [Num 4:5], i.e., the curtain that separated the holy place from the most holy place; see Exod 26:31-33; 35:12; 39:34). They were then to put it over the ark of the covenant law, as a covering over it (Num 4:5). Milgrom suggests the possibility that since the priests were forbidden to look at the ark, they would have

62 entered the holy place, removed the curtain, held it high before them, and walked forward into the most holy place until they could place it over the ark (1990, 26). The priests’ task also included the covering of the shielding curtain with durable leather [ (v 6), meaning not clear; see “dolphin skin” (NJPS), “!ne leather” (NRSV)], and over that another covering with a cloth of solid blue (v 6). These three layers of covering would have well protected the ark, the most sacred object in the tent of meeting. Finally, the priests were to insert the poles into the rings on either side of the ark (Exod 25:12-14), so the Ko- hathites could carry the ark during the march. 7-8 Numbers 4:7-12 focuses on the preparation of the holy objects in the holy place by the priests for their transport. The account begins with the preparation of the table of the Presence ( [v 7]). This table and its various utensils are described in Exod 25:23-30. The priests were to spread a blue cloth wrap over the table and then place on it plates, dishes and bowls, and the jars for drink offerings, and the bread (Num 4:7). The continual bread () refers to the twelve loaves of bread regularly placed on

the table on every Sabbath (see Exod 25:30; Lev 24:5-9). The table and all the NUMBERS utensils were to be covered again with two layers of coverings, a scarlet cloth !rst and a covering of durable leather over it (Num 4:8). Finally, the priests were to insert the poles in the rings on the four corners of the table so the Ko- hathites could carry the table during the march (see Exod 25:26-27).

9-10 The priests’ next task was to cover the lampstand and all its acces- 4:7-14 sories (lamps, wick trimmers, trays, and jars for the olive oil) with a blue cloth (Num 4:9). The lampstand is called the lampstand of the light ( ). The lamps of the lampstand refer to the “six branches” of the lampstand, “three on one side and three on the other” (Exod 25:32). The lampstand accessories were then to be wrapped in a covering of the durable leather and put on a carrying frame (Num 4:10). 11 The next item to be covered by the priests was the gold altar. It is also called the altar of incense (see Exod 30:1-10). Again, this was to be done with a blue cloth !rst and then with the durable leather. Poles were to be placed in the rings on two opposite sides of the altar (see Exod 30:4). 12 The vessels of service () mentioned here perhaps include all the additional articles used in the sanctuary hitherto not mentioned. They were all to be wrapped in a blue cloth, covered with an outer covering of durable leather, and placed on a carrying frame. 13-14 The last of the most holy things that the priests were to cover and prepare for transport was the bronze altar (Num 4:13), which was located in the court of the tabernacle (see Exod 27:1-8). The priests were to remove the ashes from the bronze altar and then spread a purple cloth over it (Num 4:13). They were then to place all the utensils of the altar (!repans, meat forks, shov- els and sprinkling bowls) on the purple cloth, and then cover the altar and all

63 the utensils with durable leather, and place the poles in the rings on two sides of the altar (v 14; see Exod 25:4-7). 15 The duties of the Kohathites were to begin only when the priests completed their task of covering the holy objects () and all the holy vessels ( ), and when the camp of the Israelites was ready to set out on the march. They were warned that the consequence of touching the holy objects () while transporting them would be lethal. Carrying the holy objects on poles thus required special skills. Milgrom suggests that the term (“work” in Num 4:3) implies this “skilled labor” (1990, 28). It is likely that the three colors of the coverings of various holy objects— blue, purple, and scarlet—had some signi!cance. However, we do not know for certain what each color signi!ed. It is possible that blue symbolized the highest degree of holiness. All the holy objects were to have a blue wrap; however, only the ark of the covenant was to have an outer covering of solid blue cloth. The outer covering of the rest of the objects was durable leather. The blue outer cover would have distinguished the ark, the holiest object in the tent, from all other sacred objects while the Israelites were on the march. Exodus 24:10 indicates that when Moses, Aaron, and the seventy elders went up on Mount Sinai, they saw under the feet of God, “something like a pave- ment made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky.” This text thus associates the color blue with the presence of God (see Wenham 1981, 83). NUMBERS 16 Some of the holy things that were used in the service of the tabernacle 4:15-20 were to be handled by Eleazar, Aaron’s older surviving son. In addition to his administrative oversight over the entire tabernacle and its holy furnishings and articles, he was responsible for the handling of, and perhaps the transport of, the following four most holy objects: (1) the oil for the light ( ; see Exod 25:6; 27:20-21) was used for lighting the lamps of the lampstand/Menorah; (2) the fragrant incense/incense of spices ( ) was used on the golden incense altar (see Exod 25:6; 30:34-38); the daily grain offering () probably refers to the “grain offering” () in Lev 6:14-17 [7-10 HB], where it is instituted as a priestly offering; (4) the anointing oil () was used to anoint and thus consecrate the tent of meeting and all the holy objects, and Aaron and his sons (see Exod 25:6; 30:25-31). 17-20 The instruction given in Num 4:15 is elaborated here. The key concern is the continued existence of the Kohathites and their ongoing service at the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons are charged with the responsibility of protecting the Kohathites from destruction (v 18). They were to do this by doing their duty, by going into the sanctuary and assigning each Kohathite the speci!c item he was to carry (v 19). Their task of preparing the holy objects with great care for transport following the instructions in vv 4-14 is assumed here. The Kohathites are also warned of the lethal consequence of going into the sanctuary before Aaron and his sons have !nished their work, and catch-

64 ing even a slight glimpse of the sacred objects (v 20). The phrase even for a moment ( [v 20]) literally means “the time it takes to swallow” (Ashley 1993, 106). b. Yahweh’s Command to Count the Gershonites and Their Responsibilities (4:21-28) 21-23 Yahweh’s command to Moses to count the Gershonites follows the pattern of the command in vv 1-3. Again, the purpose of the census was to determine the number of Gershonites who were quali!ed to serve in the work at the tent of meeting (v 23). 24-28 Verse 24 is a general statement of the work () of the Ger- shonites. The Hebrew term implies physical labor, thus the work of removing the curtains, packing them and loading them on wagons, and hanging them when the tent is set up in a new place (Ashley 1993, 107; Milgrom 1990, 30). The phrase in their carrying and their other work () is literally for doing work and for carrying/lifting. This phrase could be a hen- diadys; in that case, it means “to do the work of carrying or transporting” (see Levine 1993, 170). NUMBERS The Gershonites’ work is elaborated in vv 25-26; this is somewhat of a repetition of their work stated in 3:25-26. The Gershonites were to carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the tent of meeting. The tabernacle () and the tent of meeting () refer to the same tent structure. Its covering refers to the inner layer of covering made of “ram skins dyed red” over 4:21-30 which there was a covering of durable leather (see Exod 26:14). Other curtains of the tabernacle that the Gershonites were responsible for removing and transporting include the curtains for the entrance to the tent of meeting [see Exod 26:36-37], the curtains of the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar [see Exod 27:9, 11-12, 14-15], the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard (see Exod 27:16). The concluding summary statement in Num 4:26 indicates that the Gershonites were to perform all the work associated with the removal and the transport of the curtains, including those not speci!cally mentioned in Yahweh’s command. The Gershonites’ work, whether carrying or doing other work (v 27), was to be done under the careful supervision of Aaron and his sons. The priests were also to assign to the Gershonites all the items they were responsible to transport. Verse 28 concludes the section, with the note that the Gershonites were to perform their work under the supervision of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest. c. Yahweh’s Command to Count the Merarites and Their Responsibilities (4:29-33) 29-30 Yahweh’s command to Moses to count the Merarites repeats the pattern of the command given in vv 2-3 (see also vv 21-23).

65 31-33 The Merarites were assigned the task of dismantling and transporting the frames of the tent, crossbars, posts, and bases and the posts and bases of the courtyard, tent pegs, ropes and other equipment of the tent (vv 31-32; see 3:36-37). They were to do their work under the supervision of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest (4:33). d. The Counting of the Levite Clans (4:34-49) This section gives the record of the ful!llment of Yahweh’s command by “Moses, Aaron and the leaders of the community” (v 34). The counting of each of the Levitical clans follows a repetitive pattern, which includes the following: the name of group (“Kohathites,” etc.) and reference to “their clans and families”; the age of those counted (“thirty to !fty years of age” [v 35]); note about serving in the “work at the tent of meeting” as the purpose of the census, the number of those counted, and a concluding statement af!rming the total of each group and that the counting was done at the command of Yahweh. 34-37 The total number of Kohathites . . . from thirty to !fty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent—2,750 (vv 35-36). 38-41 The total number of Gershonites . . . from thirty to !fty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent—2,630. 42-45 The total number of Merarites . . . from thirty to !fty years of age

NUMBERS who came to serve in the work at the tent—3,200. 46-49 This summary statement gives 8,580 (v 48) as the total number of 4:31-49 all who were from thirty to !fty years of age who came to do the work of serving and carrying the tent of meeting (v 47). The account ends with the statement that the three Levitical clans were counted, as the LORD commanded Moses (v 49). FROM THE TEXT Numbers 3 and 4 show that the work of the tent of meeting was not the privilege of a select few members of the tribe of Levi. Aaron and his sons offered sacri!ces; the Gershonites were responsible for the care of the coverings and curtains of the tent; the Kohathites were responsible for the care of the holy objects; the Merarites were responsible for the care of everything related to the frames and posts and bases of the tent. Everyone was involved in some aspect of the tent and its ministry. It is important to note that the writer of these chapters does not elevate the work of one group as more signi!cant than the work of another group. All the clans of the tribe of Levi worked together for the common purpose of preserving the holiness of God within the camp of Israel. The ministry work of the priestly tribe was as indispensable as the secular task of serving in God’s army by other tribes. Together they made up the people of God in the world, and together they worked to ful!ll God’s plans for them in the world.

66 In 1 Cor 12, Paul speaks of a similar pattern of God’s people working together and utilizing their spiritual gifts for the welfare of the whole church. He states: There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (Vv 4-7) Numbers 3 and 4 indicate the hierarchical structure of Israel’s priestly tribe and the nation itself (see chs 1—2). Each tribe has a leader, each clan has a leader, each family has a leader. In the same way within the tribe of Levi, there was the priestly family of Aaron and his sons; among the three clans of the tribe, the Kohathites were the ones responsible for the transportation of the holy objects. This hierarchical order was not unlike the organization of leadership in the early church. Paul writes, “And God has placed in the church !rst of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues” (1 Cor 12:28). In Eph 4:11-13, Paul states the primary purpose of hierarchical leader- NUMBERS ship in the church. He writes: So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the 5:1-31 whole measure of the fullness of Christ. D. Purification of the Camp (5:1-31) BEHIND THE TEXT Chapters 1—4 dealt with the organization of the camp of Israel for its march through the wilderness. The community was organized around the tent of meeting, the holy presence of Yahweh in the midst of his people. Yahweh gave special instructions for the careful handling of the various holy objects and other materials of the tent to the Levites. These chapters thus portray Israel as a holy people called to live in the holy presence of Yahweh, and to maintain holiness, both in their encampment and in their journey in the wilderness. The focus of holiness in these chapters has its foundation in Yahweh’s call to Israel to be a holy people because he is holy (Lev 11:44-45). The focus of Num 5 is on maintaining the holiness of the camp. There are three different legislations in this chapter. The !rst legislation deals with the removal of unclean persons to areas outside the camp (vv 1-4). The second legislation deals with de!lement within the camp by a person who defrauded another person and then denied it under oath (vv 5-10). The third legislation deals with de!lement within marriage relationships (vv 11-31).