Numbers is one book out of the first five books of the Bible. As a whole, it is known as the Torah or the Pentateuch. They are, in reality, one body of work and hold significant weight, particularly for the Jewish people, but also for Christians. It's safe to consider the rest of the Old Testament applications, or extensions, of the Torah.
Looked at another way, you can read the Torah as one story. Genesis serving as the preamble, Exodus as historical narrative, Leviticus laying out the stipulations, Numbers being a record of rewards and punishments (more of the latter, unfortunately), and Deuteronomy as the song.
This introductory survey will not cover every verse of Numbers. It won't even cover every chapter. It is highlighting a handful of events within Numbers that I believe will surprise you. There will be beauty and mercy, alongside judgment and punishment. God reveals Himself over and over again to His people, the Israelites, for forty years while they are wandering in the Sinai Peninsula - slowly making their way from Egypt to the Promised Land.
If you're new or feel new to the book of Numbers, the best way to read through this collection is by reading through Numbers in its entirety while making your way through this work. Additionally, The Bible Project has put together a helpful overview video of the book of Numbers.
A brief sum of Numbers 1-6
The book begins with the Israelites jeaving Mt. Sinai, where they received the ten commandments, or the decalogue (if you're looking for fancy words; I know I am). There is then a large census - where we get the title of the book "Numbers." Interestingly, the Hebrew people call this book "The Wilderness" or something along that idea. We also see the arrangements of the camp while they are following God's presence with the tabernacle. There are specific roles and tasks for each person in the camp.
The tabernacle is literally titled the 'tent of testimony' - serving as a recurring, physical witness to the presence of God with His people. Inside the tabernacle was the Ark of the Covenant, a holy object that only specific people could handle (as you might have heard about Uzzah in 2 Samuel 6 or 1 Chronicles 13). The Ark of the Covenant carried in it the decalogue (10 commandments) given to Moses on Mt. Sinai.
There are more legal enactments. If you find some of these troubling (which they are certainly at least puzzzling) please find a good commentary that can help unpack them more. The mistake we can make when we read the Holy Scriptures is to read it and transpose it onto our culture. A truth that we all need to remember is that the Bible was written for you. But it was not written immediately to you. It was written in a different time, to a people from a different land, living in a different culture.
Right after the parameters for the Nazirite vow, we are introduced to what is called the "Aaronic Blessing" in Numbers 6:24-26.
Aaronic Blessing - Numbers 6:24-26
v24 - The Lord bless you and keep you
This first line is well known, and I imagine you've already heard it before, even popularized in 2020 by the hit worship song "The Blessing."
What does it mean for the Lord to 'bless'? Bless, generally, relates to the power to be fertile and prosperous in all areas of life. It means what it looks like it means, but specifically for the Israelite community (and really all ancient people), progeny (another fancy word for kids, offspring, turks, lil bubs) was of significant import. Having children is a staple of 'blessing' in ancient cultures, though its value has deteriorated in our modern age. You can read about the dedication of Samuel in 1 Samuel 1 and how his mother, unable to have children, was beside herself and even was provoked by her rival, Peninnah for Hannah's inability to conceive. (who also happened to be her husband's other wife - talk about things worth diving deeper into!). It was everything for women and men alike.
The second 'blessing' is that the Lord would 'keep'. We’re helped by Psalm 121:7-8 on what is involved in being ‘kept’ by God:
The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. (Psalm 121:7-8, NIV)
The idea of 'keeping' is brought up again in 1 Peter 1:4b-5a “you who through faith are shielded by God’s power…”
v25 - the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you
The second line holds a potent metaphor, likening God to light. When God ‘shines His face on you’ it means He smiles at you, delights in you. If he delights in you, you can be sure that He will be gracious to you.
v26 - the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace
If ‘shine’ (v25) refers to delight, ‘turn His face toward you’ means to pay attention to you. Consider that God doesn’t just like you, He’s paying attention to you! It reminds me of my kids, who love to have me or their mom 'watch' them in their adolescent achievements. Whether it's how high they can jump, a sporting event they're competing in, or a hilarious mustache they've made after eating pizza. And as good parents... let me rephrase... as present parents we are to stop what we're doing and watch them - to pay attention to them - even if it’s unimpressive, like a wheely on a razor scooter.
As he turns his face towards you, He gives you peace. Gone must be the notion of peace as ‘not war’ - it is an all-encompassing term - in Hebrew, shalom. It means the total restoration of a full relationship. It's Garden of Eden, Return of Christ language.
This Aaronic Blessing is rich on the surface. And it becomes even more rich when you look more closely. Let’s consider four lenses: poetry, peace, personal, and passion (you’re welcome for the alliteration).
Poetry, Peace, Personal, Passion
Poetry
The Aaronic Blessing is one of the oldest poems in Scripture! Poetry, or rhymes, help aid memory and recollection. Consider the well known nursery rhyme that begins with "Bah bah black sheep…" (you might even be humming the tune in your head). You definitely know the next line. If you don't ... well, I'm sorry. You should google it. And be concerned about your void-of-nursery-rhymes upbringing.
I could even hum a tune and you'd know the song. Right now, if you want (or later, that's fine), just hum the notes of "Mary had a..." and see how those around you react. If they don't know it, see above about childhood.
Poetry aids in memory and recollection.
The first line speaks of blessing and keeping - may the Lord bless you and keep you. Then the second line is an expansion of the first notion, "bless" with face shine and be gracious. Finally the third line is an expansion of "keep" when Moses writes turn his face towards you and give you peace.
Bare with me as we dive deeper into poetry. It is truly fascinating (at least it is for me, so I am including it).
Even the number of words, syllables and consonants are poetic.
The first line in English is “The Lord bless you and keep you.” But in Hebrew, it's yĕbārekĕkā YHWH vĕyišmĕrekā. Transliterated it sounds like: yeh-va-reh-khe-kha - yahweh - veh-yeesh-meh-reh-kha. It contains three words, twelve syllables and fifteen consonants. Not impressed? Consider the second line.
In English it is “The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.” In Hebrew it is yāʾēr YHWH pānāyw ʾēlêkā wîḥunnekā. Transliterated: yah-ehr YHWH pah-nahv eh-leh-kha vee-khoo-neh-ka. We see now five words, fourteen syllables and twenty consonants.
Notice a pattern? 3:12:15 --> 5:14:20.
The third line in English: “The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” In Hebrew "yišāʾ YHWH pānāyw ʾēlêkā wĕyāśēm lĕkā šālôm." Transliterated: yee-sah YHWH pah-nahv eh-leh-kha veh-yah-sem leh-kha sha-lom. Can you guess the numbers?
3:5:?
12:14:?
15:20:?
Seven words, sixteen syllables, twenty-five consonants.
As the Aaronic Blessing enlarges, the words increase from three to five to seven, the syllables from twelve to fourteen to sixteen, and the consonants from fifteen, to twenty, to twenty-five.
Another even deeper dive into the poetic form of this blessing.
Consider that the name of Yahweh is repeated three times. This repetition emphasizes that Yahweh, the LORD, is THE source of blessing & keeping. It’s also an adumbration.
Let me just say here, that I really enjoy the English language (along with others). I really like specific words that allow us to get to the heart of the matter. I'm not using terminology in an attempt to sound smart, though I've been told I am - I was, for the record, a mathlete in middle school. I just really like big words.
Adumbration means to provide vague indications or representations in advance.
The threefold repetition of Yahweh is an adumbration of the Trinity: Father, Son, Holy Spirit! How beautiful!
Also, if you remove the Name, Yahweh from the blessing, there are twelve words remaining, pointing to the twelve tribes of Israel.
If you're confused or lost, that's ok. If you're not, you will agree that it is truly a beautiful piece of poetry. Next, the theme of peace.
Peace
As the lines of this ancient, poetic blessing lengthen, their content becomes richer, producing a crescendo that culminates in the word peace. Peace in our culture is not the same as Biblical peace.
Fill in the blank for me... "peace and ______" (the answer is quiet). When we think of peace, we think of rest and relaxation. I'm an early riser, and mostly because I have three kids, two dogs, a cat, and a wife (not placed in order of my affections). But when I wake an hour earlier than the rest of my house, I have some 'peace and quiet.'
But consider, if all I get is quiet and alone-time, I’m going to be lonely.
Biblical peace - in Hebrew shalom - isn’t about rest and relaxation but about restoration. Fullness of life and wholeness in all areas of life: with God, with self, with others, with nature. You can re-read the story of the fall in Genesis and see how when sin entered the world, all four of those relationships were broken. God has been working to set those back right. To be at peace in every area - God, self, others, nature - this is back to the Garden, before sin entered the world, or ahead to His return, when He will wipe every tear from our eyes.
Consider peace with God means we can know God more and more. Peace within ourselves is to become increasingly self-aware, emotionally healthy. Peace with others is to experience ‘no shame nakedness’ - put down walls and be authentic and vulnerable with others. Peace with nature, or the created order, is to be able to soak in the beauty, admire the order and taste the fruitfulness of creation.
That’s what we ask God to do, give us that peace. Not just 'no war.' Though war is obviously antithetical to peace. The Aaronic Blessing is poetic, it is culminating in peace, but it’s also personal.
Personal (this one’s for the lovers of literature, aka grammar police)
Each line has Yahweh, The LORD, as its subject, emphatically reminding us that it is Yahweh who is the source of all good. After Yahweh, we see two verbs. The first verb clause invokes God’s movement towards his people - bless you, face shine on you, turn His face towards you.
The second clause asks God to act on their behalf: bless and keep, face shine and be gracious, turn his face towards you and give you peace.
This priestly blessing is to individuals within the community, and extends to the community as a whole.
It is notable, because it comes immediately after the Nazirite vows. But it’s for everyone.
Jew, and foreigner. Men, and women. Priests, Levites, Nazirites, and the rest.
What do you do with this?
He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.Hebrews 9:12 ESV
"we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Hebrews 10:10
The sacrifice has been met. Through Christ. And it came at a great cost, of which we can see within this blessing.
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). Matthew 27:45-46 (NIV)
