Handout #15: Bamidbar,Countings, 3 themes, Priestly code, tabernacle, Nazarite, Seventy, quail, Neeshutan, serpents, representative gov’t, Lehi (to life), cloud, stewardship, purification, rationalist. April 2014
Book of Numbers: Heb: Bamidbar (in the desert). Narrative history -1450 bc approx. Journey to take possession of land God promised their fathers. Locations: Mt. Sinai, Kadesh-Barnea, plains of Moab. People were called Hebrews until they entered Canaan. There they became a nation = Israelites.
Countings: those able to bear arms=603,550 first census. In chptr 26, only 601,730 counted ready. Levites excluded; they are given charge of tabernacle and how Israel should be organized around it, in preparation for conquest of land, but their failure to move forward condemns them to die in wilderness until new generation is ready to do the work and are successful. The book covers a 39-year history.
Themes: 1) divine-human relationship treaties: Genesis to Deuteronomy, beyond. 2) The covenant between God and Noah immediately after Deluge. 3) between God and Abraham – all Israel at Mount Sinai. Elaborate laws (in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers) for Israelites, plus their faith to YHVH and His help. The harsh environment of the wilderness lead to Israel’s spiritual development as a nation.
The Israelite culture, made up of a system of religious worship and rituals eventually constituted a sub-civilization and became the Priestly Code, defining Judaism. In the 5 books, God instructs his prophets to teach the people an ethical, legislative, practical, religious lifestyle – a holistic way of life, a distinctive way of looking at the world in relation to God. Everything had a set place in the world order so the Israelites could be distanced from the profane world to assume a measure of God’s holiness.
The tabernacle complex, as with the other symbols of Israel’s ritual system, had zones of holiness. The direction of holiness moved from outside the camp (least holy place) to the holy of holies (most holy place). For each zone the Priestly Code defined who was allowed to be there, ending up with only the high priest in the holy of holies, and him only one day each year. Gradations of holiness are evident also in the construction materials of the tabernacle complex, with fabrics and metals increasing in value moving up each level of holiness.
The symbolism of the tabernacle expresses two important themes of priestly theology: the continuity of life and the presence of God. The floral designs on the walls of the tabernacle and the menorah portray the “tree of life” image. God was present with them even outside the Promised Land.
Membership in social groups was based on family lineage, and roles were assigned accordingly. The tribe of Levi provided the officials who were authorized to perform religious functions. Both Moses and his brother Aaron were from this tribe.
A Nazarite: man/woman who took vows of separation to consecrate him/herself to God’s work. (Num 6:1-21).
In answer to Moses’ request for help, seventy men were chosen and endowed with the ‘spirit that was upon him’ (i.e., upon Moses; it means they were endowed with some of the same authority and spiritual gifts) so that they were able also to ‘prophesy.’ When some people objected that two of the men were prophesying who did not come out for the ceremony of installation, Moses said wishfully, ‘Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them!’ He refused to forbid them to prophesy. (Num 11:16-17, 24-29)
When God sent the quail in answer to Israel’s longing for something other than manna, the people turned gluttonous. The smallest catch equaled about one hundred bushels, far beyond normal need. The greedy lust for more than they could use brought a just punishment upon the people. How many died in the plague is not recorded, but the place was called “Graves of the Craving” or “The Graves of Lust” (Num 11:19-20, 31-35)
Bronze serpent: Neshutan Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole in the middle of the Israelite camp (Numbers 21:1 ). God had told Moses to do this so the Israelites bitten by serpents could express their faith by looking at it and be healed. The need for the serpent came in one of the times Israel murmured against God and Moses. (See 2Kings 18:4).
Archaeological evidence from Mesopotamian and, more importantly, Canaanite sites reveals that the crawling serpent was a symbol of the fertility of the soil. The serpent was often represented associated with the fertility goddesses, the bull, the dove (life of the heavens), and water. This kind of symbolism had been known in the ancient Middle East since at least 4000 B.C. and became common in Palestine after 1800 B.C. It was widespread in the classical Canaanite cult.
Moses’ division of troops into 10s, 20s, etc., and his process of hearing complaints, delegating authority and other rules of law enacted during the Diaspora in the desert became the basis for representative government in American and French jurisprudence. Our Constitution is based upon the principles of leadership and organization that came from the books of Numbers and Leviticus during the Israelite encampments.
The Book of Mormon makes no mention of Lehi’s people meeting any other party in their eight years of wandering. Casual meetings with stray families of Bedouins then as now would merit no special attention, but how were they able to avoid any important contacts for eight years and some 2500 miles of wandering? Every inch of the desert is claimed by some tribe or other that will demand the life of a trespasser. “Marked boundaries do not exist, and it is natural that questions of ownership should be settled by fighting, which becomes an annual affair, while the looting of camels grows into a habit.” Hence the need for extreme caution and strict avoidance on Lehi’s part. (Lehi in the Desert. H. Nibley)
Laws of Purification
Anciently, an Israelite who had been in the presence of one who died or had been dead was held to be defiled (see Reading 15-3). This chapter in Numbers describes the way in which such a person was purified. First, a red heifer was slain, burned, and the ashes laid aside. Then the ashes were placed in pure water and the mixture sprinkled upon those who had been defiled. This was known as “the water of separation,” since by it one was separated, or purified, from sin (v. 9). Failure to avail oneself of the cleansing power in this way resulted in being “cut off from among the congregation” (v. 20).
The Brazen Serpent in the Wilderness
Much vital symbolism can be found in this ordinance. One who defiles himself with sin undergoes a spiritual death and is cut off from God’s presence through the loss of the Holy Spirit. Recovery from spiritual death is obtained by faith in Christ’s Atonement (symbolized by the death of the red heifer), repentance from sin, baptism in water, receiving the Holy Ghost, and obedience to God’s commandments. All who thereafter commit certain serious sins and refuse to repent are likewise “cut off from among the congregation,” that is, excommunicated (v. 20). Numbers 21:4–9.
The tribes were deployed in four groups of three tribes. On the east side of the camp and at the front of the moving column were Issachar and Zebulun with Judah at the head. On the south side in second position were Simeon and Gad under the leadership of Reuben. In the middle were the Levites. On the west and fourth in the line of march were Manasseh and Benjamin led by Ephraim. On the north and in the rear were Asher and Naphtali with Dan at the head.
The places of honor, at the head of the hosts and immediately following the tabernacle, were held by Judah and Ephraim, respectively. Judah camped directly east of the tabernacle entrance.
What Was the Stewardship of the Levites? Chapter 4 of Numbers speaks of the Levites’ role in transporting the tabernacle, and these verses in chapter 8 refer to their stewardship and service in it. Since they had been given to Aaron and his sons to assist them as they administered in the sacred ordinances, the Levites were assigned to set up and take down the tabernacles, clean it, carry wood and water, and slay animals to be used by their brethren in these sacrifices. They were allowed to begin such service five years earlier than those who transported the tabernacle. (See Numbers 8:24; 4:3.)
Meaning of the cloud over tabernacle This statement is the most comprehensive on the law of the Lord concerning the movement of the camp of Israel. Since the cloud of smoke and fire was a visible sign of God’s presence, Israel learned to literally follow the Lord. They made camp, broke camp, traveled, and performed their services at the command of the Lord—the Hebrew reads, “at the mouth of Jehovah” (see v. 18). In very deed they were schooled to follow Jehovah, who has ever directed His church and kingdom, and yet many of them did not transfer the meaning from this miraculous physical demonstration to its more important spiritual corollary.
In rabbinic literature, it was taught that the Torah was one of the six or seven things created prior to the creation of the world. According to Eliezer ben Yose the Galilean, for 974 generations before the creation of the world the Torah lay in God’s bosom and joined the ministering angels in song. The Septuagint rendered the Hebrew torah by the Greek nomos (“law”), probably in the sense of a living network of traditions and customs of a people. The designation of the Torah by nomos, and by its Latin successor lex (whence, “the Law”), has historically given rise to the misunderstanding that Torah means legalism.
A rationalist theory according to which the ethical and religious-intellectual beliefs imparted by the Torah are all attainable by human reason. He held that the Torah is divisible into two parts:
(1) commandments which, in addition to being revealed, are demanded by reason (e.g., prohibitions of murder, fornication, theft, lying.
(2) commandments whose authority is revelation alone (e.g., Sabbath and dietary laws), but which generally are understandable in terms of some personal or social benefit attained by their performance. But Maimonides said:
Torah concerns the welfare of the body and of the soul.
(The only way Torah can be successfully edited is through the God-given authority of His prophets)