the book of
NUMBERS IN A NUTSHELL
Numbers 6:24-26 Numbers 12:8
The LORD bless and keep you; the LORD With Moses I speak face to face, clearly,
make his face shine upon you & be & not in riddles, & he beholds the form of
gracious to you; the LORD lift up his face the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to
upon you and give you peace. speak against my servant?
CENSUS The people complain about not having meat (Num 11:1-15)
Elders appointed, God’s Sprit comes on them & they prophesy (Num 11:16-30)
God sends a multitude of quail along with a plague, many die (Num 11:31-35)
God commands Moses & Aaron to take a census of the people (Num 1:1-16)
Miriam & Aaron oppose Moses but God defends him (Num 12)
There were 603,550 men 20+ years old counted (Num 1:17-46)
Levites not counted but appointed to keep the tabernacle (Num 1:47-54)
Laws given for keeping the tabernacle & ark (Num 3-4)
Anyone unclean must be outside the camp (Num 5:1-4)
Numbers 14:8
If the LORD delights in us, he will bring us
Confession & restitution required for any sin or breach of faith (Num 5:5-10)
into this land & give it to us, a land that
flows with milk & honey.
Numbers 10:29
Come with us, & we will do good to you,
for the LORD has promised good to Israel.
TWELVE SPIES
LEAVING SINAI
12 spies are sent into Canaan to scope out the land (Num 13:1-24)
10 spies advise take the land because of its powerful inhabitants (Num 13:25-29)
Caleb & Joshua give a good report & advise to take the land (Num 13:30-33)
The Israelites celebrate the first Passover (Num 1:1-14)
The cloud rests on the tabernacle until it is time to set out (Num 9:15-23) The people fear Canaan’s inhabitants, reject God’s promise (Num 14:1-10)
The Israelites continue on from Sinai (Num 10:11-36) God threatens to again destroy the people but Moses intercedes (Num 14:13-19)
God says no one in this generation will go into the Promised Land (Num 14:20-38)
Numbers 15:39 Numbers 21:9
Remember all the commandments of the Moses made a bronze serpent & set it on
LORD, & do not follow after your own heart a pole, & if a serpent bit anyone, he would
& your own eyes, which you are inclined to look at the bronze serpent & live.
whore after.
Israelites are refused passage through Edom (Num 20:14-21)
WILDERNESS Aaron dies & appoints son Eleazar as successor (Num 20:22-29)
Israel defeats the king of Arad, the Amorites, and Og (Num 21:1-3, 10-35)
WANDERING The people complain & God sends poisonous serpents as punishment (Num 21:4-6)
Moses intercedes to God on behalf of the people (Num 21:7)
A man is executed for breaking the Sabbath (Num 15:32-36)
Moses instructed to set up a bronze serpent on a pole (Num 21:8)
The Israelites tie blue tassels on garments to remind them to obey (Num 15:37-41)
Anyone who has been bitten that looks at the serpent will live (Num 21:9)
Levite Korah rises up against Moses opposing his authority (Num 16:1-15)
The ground swallows Korah & followers for their rebellion (Num 16:16-50)
God confirms Aaron as appointed & chosen priest (Num 17)
Numbers 22:18
Though Balak were to give me his house
Numbers 20:12 full of silver & gold, I could not go beyond
Because you did not believe in me, to uphold the command of the LORD, to do less or
me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, more.
you shall not bring this assembly into the land
Balak, prince of Moab, summons Balaam to curse the Israelites (Num 22:1-21)
that I have given to them.
Balaam is a non-Israelite who is somehow a prophet of Yahweh (Num 22:7-14)
Balaam’s donkey speaks to him to stop him from cursing Israel (Num 22:22-35)
The people begin to grumble again about their thirst (Num 20:2-9)
Balaam blesses Israel rather than cursing them (Num 22:36-24:25)
Moses strikes a rock to get water rather than speaking to it (Num 20:10-11)
God denies Moses entrance to the Promised Land for disobedience (Num 20:12-13)
Israel intermarries with local women & worships their idols (Num 25:1-5)
Phineas, son of priest Eleazar, spears a man & his Midianite lover (Num 25:6-9)
Numbers 27:17-18
That the congregation of the LORD may
not be as sheep that have no shepherd,
take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in
whom is the Spirit, & lay your hand on him.
PROMISED LAND
PREPARATION
A census is taken of the new generation (Num 26:1-62)
Everyone on old census but Moses, Joshua, & Caleb are dead (Num 25:63-65)
Joshua appointed & commissioned to succeed Moses (Num 27:12-23)
Laws about offerings (Num 28-29)
Laws about vows specific to men & women (Num 30)
Numbers 33:55
If you don't drive out the inhabitants of the
land from before you, those who remain
will be as barbs in your eyes & thorns in
your sides.
Israel defeats & plunders Midian in battle (Num 31)
Israel commanded to drive out all of Canaan’s inhabitants (Num 33:50-56)
God warns any inhabitants left will be a thorn in Israel’s side (Num 33:55)
Cities appointed for Levites to dwell as they inherit no land (Num 35:1-8)
Cities of refuge set to protect anyone who accidentally murders (Num 35:9-34)
