10 Interesting Facts About Different Books of the Bible – Numbers

Moses was the author of the Book of Numbers, which he wrote between 1450-1410 BC. Apart from Moses himself, other key figures in this book also feature Aaron, Joshua, Caleb, Miriam, Balaam, and Korah. It has 36 chapters. It is called “Numbers” because it contains the census of the people who wandered in the wilderness and then on the Plains of Moab.

Most of the events of this book take place in the wilderness, where the Israelites traveled from Sinai in their bid to reach the Promised Land. But many of them — including Moses himself — disobey God and so He punished them or does not allow them to enter the Promised Land. The book’s first 25 chapters depict the first generation of Israelites in the wilderness, while the second generation is featured in the rest of the book. The overriding themes of this book are obedience to God as well as rebellion, which is followed by repentance and God’s grace.

The Lord spoke to Moses on the first day of the second month – This was in the second year that the Israelites were free from Egypt

The Hebrew title for Numbers is Bemidbar – Bemidbar means “in the wilderness” which is a pretty accurate title considering all the Israelites did was wander during that time.

Numbers covers a period of 39 years – The Israelites numbered (heh) about 2.5 million people. Can you imagine? 2.5 million people travelling together for almost 40 years!

Every Sabbath day, two unblemished male lambs were required to be brought for sacrifice – Along with the lambs, two kilos of four mixed with olive oil were required to be brought

Before the tribe of Levi was scattered throughout the rest of the tribes, there were three clans comprising the tribe – These tribes were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari

If a person touched a dead body, they were to be considered unclean for a whole week

A man named Korah led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron and was in turn swallowed up by the earth – Korah led 250 men against Moses and Aaron but God sent a massive earthquake against them

Moses was prohibited from entering the Promised Land - Moses once took credit for a miracle God provided for the Israelites. He claimed credit for making water gush out of a rock

Moses once convinced God not to turn His wrath onto the Israelites – God became tired of the rebelliousness of the Israelites and wanted to strike them with pestilence. Moses convinced God not to by saying that the Egyptians would say that God could not get His people into the Promised Land

Bible Verse Num 12:2