(Originally Written April 26, 2008 in the Journal)
Numbers
Chapter 1
Moses and Aaron took a census of every male from every tribe 20 years of age and older.
46,500 of the tribe of Reuben
59,300 of the tribe of Simeon
45,660 of the tribe of Gad
74,600 of the tribe of Judah
54,400 of the tribe of Issachar
56,400 of the tribe of Zebulun
40,500 of the tribe of Ephraim
32,200 of the tribe of Manasseh
35,400 of the tribe of Benjamin
62,700 of the tribe of Dan
41,500 of the tribe of Asher
53,400 of the tribe of Naphtali
A total of 603,550
The Levites were not counted because they are priests.
Chapter 2 - The tribes are arranged by the Lord.
Chapter 3
The Levites are counted, males one month and older. They were separated into their smaller camps and given specific duties with the Dwelling of the Lord. The Levites numbered 22,000.
The number of first-born Israelites was 22,273. The Levites were ransomed for the first-borns and money was paid for the 273 others. Thus, the Levites belonged to the Lord.
Chapter 4
The Levite clans were given specific tasks:
- The Kohathites carry the most sacred items, but cannot touch them
- The Gershonites carry the coverings of the Dwelling
- The Merarites carry the poles and boards of the Dwelling
Each Levite was assigned an individual task as well
Chapter 5
The Israelites expelled all unclean persons from the camp.
The Israelites were instructed to give all ill-gotten goods back and pay restitution.
Men who suspected their wives of adultery were instructed to bring her to the priest to be cursed or acquitted.
Chapter 6 - The Vow of the Nazirite
Chapter 7 - Each Prince of each tribe brings sacrifices to the Lord
Why do you allow me to be tormented so? What have I done to incur such wrath, such pain? Why does my mind not rest? Why is my soul not quieted? Where is your fucking love? Where is your gentleness? Why have you tied me to a woman who has no feeling for me? Why have you made me to love such a mean-spirited woman? The Lord is always right and always benevolent. Everything that is is just and true. But I, I suffer so hard. Is this fair and true? Is that right and just? I suffer; she cares not. I weep; she feigns interest. I am an alien in my own house. I am mistreated, yet not avenged. I am unloved and whipped by the woman the Lord gave me. I am abused by the one I love. I am cut deeper and deeper everyday to be sewn up and have the stitches ripped again and again. My heart is an open wound and no healing takes place. Kill me now or heal me. Hear my cry because you are merciful. Hear my cry because you are the Lord God!
Chapter 8 - The purification of the Levites
Chapter 9 - The Israelites moved or encamped according to the command of the Lord.
Chapter 10 - Silver trumpets are made to call the Israelites or sound the alarm for war. God will hear the horn and remember His people.
Chapter 11 -
Moses was distressed by all the people complaining. He asks God to kill him if that was the way he would be treated. Moses gathered 70 elders and the Lord shared the burden of Moses with them. They all began to prophesy. The Lord bestowed quail on the people of Israel. Then they became greedy so the Lord hit them with a plague.
Chapter 12 - Aaron and Miriam became jealous of Moses' power. Miriam was struck with leprosy by the Lord and had to be removed from the camp for seven days.
Chapter 13 -
The Lord told Moses to send out 12 men, one prince from each tribe to scout the land of Canaan. The spies returned and told Moses that the land was full of giants and turned the people away from overtaking the land.
Chapter 14
The people revolted against Moses, Caleb and Joshua. They wished to return to Egypt. The Lord doomed all those who revolted and wished to destroy Israel. Moses persuaded him not to. The Lord doomed the whole generation to wander for forty years in the desert. When Moses told the Israelites this some of them marched into the land but were defeated by the Amalekites and Canaanites.
Chapter 15
Rules regarding sacrifice.
A man is stoned for breaking the sabbath.
Men must wear tassels on their cloaks as a visual reminder of the Lord's commandments.
Chapter 16
Korah rebels against Moses and Aaron. Korah and his 250 men were consumed by fire for their punishment.
Dathan and Abiram rebel against Moses. They are swallowed by the earth as punishment.
Chapter 17
God sought to blot out the sinful community but Aaron made atonement for them. Still, more than 14,000 died.
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