Book 4 of 66 · Old Testament
Numbers
Israel's forty years in the wilderness — numbered, rebellious, and slowly brought to the edge of the land.
36 chapters1,288 versesWritten in HebrewSet The wilderness between Sinai and the Jordan (c. 1440–1400 BC)
Overview
Numbers takes its name from the two censuses that frame it. It follows Israel from Mount Sinai toward the promised land — but when the people believe the spies' fearful report and refuse to enter, they are sentenced to forty years of wandering until that generation dies. Along the way come rebellion under Korah, Moses' own failure at the rock, and the strange story of Balaam. It ends with a new generation poised at the Jordan.
Book facts
- Author
- Moses, by traditionThe fourth book of the Torah, traditionally credited to Moses.
- Date written
- c. 1400 BC (traditional)The traditional date; many scholars date the writing much later.
- Original language
- HebrewHebrew narrative and law, named for the two censuses it records.
- Setting
- The wilderness between Sinai and the Jordan (c. 1440–1400 BC)Israel's forty years of wandering.
How it came to be
Numbers is the fourth book of the Torah and names no author within it. Tradition credits Moses; it continues the story from Exodus and Leviticus.
Its English name comes from the two censuses; its Hebrew name, "In the wilderness," better fits its story.
What is arguedWhether Moses wrote it and when. As with the rest of the Torah, scholars debate whether it was composed at once or assembled from older sources.
The whole book, chapter by chapter
| Chapter | What happens | Who is in it | Where it takes place |
|---|---|---|---|
At Sinai — counting and ordering the camp, chapters 1–10 | |||
| Chapter 1The census | Israel's fighting men are counted, tribe by tribe, at Sinai. | , | |
| Chapter 2The camp arrangement | The tribes are arranged around the tabernacle, each under its own banner. | ||
| Chapter 3The Levites numbered | The Levites are counted and set apart to serve the tabernacle. | , | |
| Chapter 4The service of the Levites | The duties of the Levite families in carrying the tabernacle. | , | |
| Chapter 5The trial of jealousy | Laws on purity, and a ritual for a husband's jealousy. | ||
| Chapter 6The Nazarite vow | The Nazirite vow, and the priestly blessing: "The Lord bless thee, and keep thee." | , | |
| Chapter 7The princes' offerings | The tribal leaders bring identical offerings for the tabernacle's dedication. | ||
| Chapter 8The Levites set apart | The Levites are cleansed and dedicated to their service. | , | |
| Chapter 9The passover kept | Israel keeps the Passover, and a cloud guides when to camp and when to move. | ||
| Chapter 10The silver trumpets | Silver trumpets are made for signals, and Israel sets out from Sinai. | , | , |
The wilderness years — rebellion, wandering, and Balaam, chapters 11–25 | |||
| Chapter 11Quail and the seventy elders | The people crave meat; God sends quail and a plague, and seventy elders share Moses' burden. | ||
| Chapter 12Miriam and Aaron | Miriam and Aaron challenge Moses; Miriam is struck with leprosy and healed at his prayer. | , , | |
| Chapter 13The twelve spies | Twelve spies scout the land; ten bring back a fearful report, but Caleb and Joshua urge faith. | , , | |
| Chapter 14The people refuse to enter | The people refuse to enter, and are sentenced to forty years in the wilderness until that generation dies. | , , | |
| Chapter 15Offerings and fringes | Various offerings, and the command to wear fringes as a reminder. | — | |
| Chapter 16Korah's rebellion | Korah, Dathan, and Abiram rebel against Moses and Aaron; the earth swallows them. | , , , , | — |
| Chapter 17Aaron's rod | Aaron's rod buds overnight to confirm his priesthood. | , | — |
| Chapter 18The priests' charge | The duties and dues of the priests and Levites. | , | — |
| Chapter 19The red heifer | The ritual of the red heifer, for cleansing from contact with death. | , | — |
| Chapter 20The rock at Meribah | Miriam dies; Moses strikes the rock in anger and is told he will not enter the land; Aaron dies. | , , | , , |
| Chapter 21The brasen serpent | When snakes bite the grumbling people, Moses lifts up a bronze serpent for their healing; Sihon and Og are defeated. | , , | , |
| Chapter 22Balaam and the ass | Balak hires the prophet Balaam to curse Israel; Balaam's donkey sees an angel and speaks. | , | |
| Chapter 23Balaam's first oracles | Balaam, unable to curse, blesses Israel instead. | , | |
| Chapter 24Balaam's last oracles | Balaam blesses Israel again and foretells a star to come out of Jacob. | , | |
| Chapter 25Baal-peor | Israel falls into idolatry at Peor; Phinehas's zeal stops a plague. | , | , |
The new generation — a second census and the edge of the land, chapters 26–36 | |||
| Chapter 26The second census | A new census of the generation born in the wilderness. | , | — |
| Chapter 27The daughters of Zelophehad | The daughters of Zelophehad win the right to inherit; Joshua is named Moses' successor. | , , , | — |
| Chapter 28The daily offerings | The schedule of daily and Sabbath offerings. | — | |
| Chapter 29The feast offerings | The offerings for the yearly feasts. | — | |
| Chapter 30The law of vows | Laws about making and keeping vows. | — | |
| Chapter 31War with Midian | Israel takes vengeance on Midian, where Balaam also dies. | , , , | |
| Chapter 32The lands east of Jordan | Reuben and Gad ask for the land east of the Jordan, and agree to help conquer the rest first. | ||
| Chapter 33The journeys of Israel | A list of Israel's camping places through the whole wilderness journey. | , | — |
| Chapter 34The borders of the land | God sets the borders of the land that is to be divided. | , , | — |
| Chapter 35The cities of refuge | Towns for the Levites, and six cities of refuge for those who kill by accident. | — | |
| Chapter 36Inheritance of daughters | A rule so that inherited land stays within each tribe. | — | — |
All 36 chapters. Start reading →
Worth knowing
Key people
Tap a name to see who they are.
Key places
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Known for
Some of the book's best-known moments — tap the verse to read it.
- The priestly blessingNumbers 6:24
- The twelve spiesNumbers 13:2
- Korah's rebellionNumbers 16:32
- Balaam's donkey speaksNumbers 22:28