Understanding the Book of Numbers* The Book of Numbers may be viewed as a transitional work describing the period between the arrival at Sinai with the giving of the Ten Commandments and the Law along with the establishment of the priesthood and the actual entry of the Children of Israel into the Promised Land. The key themes of Numbers are: The Promised Land and the journey toward it The faithfulness of God Rebellion, complaints, and human weakness In this regard, Numbers deals with four thematic segments: 1. Lists and Legislation 2. Dissatisfaction and Rebellion 3. Difficulties and Contributions 4. Numbers and Jewish Ritual This week for Sunday, February 5, 2017, we will be discussing Numbers 13-17 which deals with the following matters: Spies in Canaan, the rebellion of the people (Chapters 13-14) Various laws (offerings, sin, dress) (Chapter 15) Rebellion of Korah, Dthan, and Abiram, Aaron s staff (Chapters 16-17) *John Bowker. The Complete Bible Handbook: an Illustrated Companion. DK Publishing. New York 1998 Numbers Study Questions NUMBERS 13 1. What is the Lord's instruction to Moses? (Numbers 13:1-2) 2. What is the time frame when this instruction is given, and what does it indicate? (Numbers 13:1-2) (Numbers 10:11) (Numbers 11:34-35) (Numbers 12:16) 3. What name does Moses give to Hosea; what does Hosea mean; what does Joshua mean? (Numbers 13:16) 4. Where does Moses send the spies, what are his instructions to the spies, and why the specificity? (Numbers 13:17-20) 5. What are the names of the places the spies go to and where are they? (Numbers 13:21-23) 6. Who is Anak? (Numbers 13:21)
Understanding the Book of Numbers Page 2 7. Where is Zoan? (Numbers 13:22) 8. What is the place called where the spies found the grapes, and why? (Numbers 13:23-24) 9. How long are the spies gone and what do they report when they return? (Numbers 13:25-29) 10. What does Caleb propose to do? (Numbers 13:30) 11. What is the response from the other spies? (Numbers 13:31-33) 12. Was this report true? (Numbers 13:31-33) NUMBERS 14 1. What is the reaction of the people of the congregation of Israel upon hearing the spies report, and what do they plot to do? (Numbers 14:1-4) 2. What is the reaction of Moses and Aaron, and why? (Numbers 14:5) 3. What is the reaction of Joshua and Caleb; what do they tell the people? (Numbers 14:6-9) 4. What is the people's reaction--what do they prepare to do? (Numbers 14:10) 5. What is the Lord's reaction to the people? (Numbers 14:11-12) 6. What is Moses intercession; what does he remind the Lord of; what does he tell the Lord about how this will play to the Egyptians and Canaanites? (Numbers 14:13-19) 7. What is the Lord's response to Moses intercession, and what is his vow? (Numbers 14:20-24) 8. Who does the Lord exempt from this curse, and why? (Numbers 14:24) 9. In which direction does the Lord send the people of Israel, and why? (Numbers 14:25) 10. What is the Lord's instruction to Moses and Aaron? (Numbers 14:26-35) 11. What is the difference between this pronouncement and that of Numbers 14:20-24? 12. What is the Lord's equation in determining the number of years the people of Israel will remain in the wilderness? (Numbers 14:33-34) 15. What is the significance of this number in terms of a life-time? (Numbers 14:29-34)
Understanding the Book of Numbers Page 3 16. What happened to the men who lied in their report, and who was spared, and why? (Numbers 14:36-38) 17. Upon hearing Moses report, what do the people propose to do? (Numbers 14:39-40) 18. What does Moses warn, and why? (Numbers 14:41-43) 19. What do these people do and what happens to them? (Numbers 14:44-45) NUMBERS 15 1. The Lord gives Moses certain instructions; when are they to be carried out? (Numbers 15:1-10) 2. What is to be offered with the animals, oil and cereal? (Numbers 15:1-10) 3. What is a "hin" (Numbers 15:1-10) 4. What is the significance of this particular offering, as it pertains to us? (Numbers 15:1-10) (Matthew 26:26-29) 5. What emphasis does the Lord place on these instructions that are given to Moses? (Numbers 15:11-16) 6. What further instruction does the Lord give to Moses, and at what time is this to be carried out? (Numbers 15:17-26) 7. Who is to make atonement for an unwitting violation of the Lord's statutes? (Numbers 15:24-26) 8. What is the person who violates the Lord's statutes to do? (Numbers 15:27-29) 9. What differentiation does the Lord make for the person who sins unwittingly? (Numbers 15:29) 10. What stipulation does the Lord make for the person who violates the law "high handedly" or knowingly? (Numbers 15:30-31) (Leviticus 24:22) 11. What happened to the man who was gathering sticks on the Sabbath day? (Numbers 15:32-36) 12. Who participated in the execution of the man, and why? (Numbers 15:35-36) (Leviticus 24:10-23)
Understanding the Book of Numbers Page 4 13. What does the Lord command Moses to tell the people to do, and why? (Numbers 15:37-41) 14. What form does this today, and does it have any significance regarding our worship? (Numbers 15:37-41) NUMBERS 16 1. Who rises up against Moses and Aaron; what families are they from, and what do they claim in their protest? (Numbers 16:1-3) 2. How does Moses react to this rebellion and what does he say? (Numbers 16:4-5) 3. What instructions does Moses give the rebels? (Numbers 16:6-7) 4. What does Moses tell Korah further, and what does it mean? (Numbers 16:8-11) 5. Who does Moses call next, and what is their reply? (Numbers 16:12-14) 6. What does Moses say to the Lord, and what is its significance? (Numbers 16:15) 7. Where do Moses, Aaron and the rebels assemble? (Numbers 16:16-19) 8. Why does the Lord tell Moses and Aaron to separate themselves from the entire congregation? (Numbers 16:20-22) 9. What does Moses do in response to the Lord's instructions? (Numbers 16:22) 10. What are the Lord's next instructions? (Numbers 16:23-25) 11. What does Moses say to the rebels about their fate? (Numbers 16:28-20) 12. What happens to the rebels and what is the reaction of the rest of the congregation? (Numbers 16:31-35) 13. What instructions does Moses give to Eleazar; what is to be done with the censers of the rebels and why? (Numbers 16:36-38) 14. What is the special significance of the passages of Numbers 16:39-40? 15. What is the reaction of the congregation of the people of Israel to this incident? (Numbers 16:41) 16. What does the Lord tell Moses to do, and what does Moses instruct Aaron to do in response? (Numbers 16:42-46)
Understanding the Book of Numbers Page 5 17. What happens to those Aaron was unable to reach in time, and how many are affected? (Numbers 16:47-50) 18. What is the meaning of this incident? (Numbers 16) NUMBERS 17 1. What does the Lord instruct Moses to get from each house of Israel? (Numbers 17:1-3) 2. How many rods does Moses collect? (Numbers 17:1) 3. What is Moses to do with each rod? (Numbers 17:2) 4. Who does the Lord place at the head of the House of Levi? (Numbers 17:3) 5. What does the Lord instruct Moses to do with the rods, and what does the Lord say will happen, and why? (Numbers 17:4-5) 6. What happened to whose rod, and why? (Numbers 17:6-8) 7. What does the Lord tell Moses to do with Aaron's rod and why? (Numbers 17:9-11) 8. Why does the Lord make this arrangement, and why is Aaron and Levi chosen? (Numbers 17) 9. What is the people's newest lament, and why are they afraid? (Numbers 17:12-13) (Numbers 16:41-50)