NUMBERS OUTLINE

Author: Moses (1:1; 33:2)

Purpose: The book itself is an historical record of the numbering of Israel and their wandering in the wilderness. The book stresses the importance of faithfulness to God. It continues where Exodus left off.

Date: Like the other books which make up the Pentateuch, Numbers was written sometime during the period of the wandering, before the death of Moses.

I. Israel at Sinai 1-10:10

    A. The Census 1-4

         1. The arrangement of the camp 2

         2. The Levites 3-4

              a. The priests 3:1-4

                   Aaron and his sons

              b. The Levites 3:5-39

                   i. They are to assist in the work v.7

                   ii. They are taken in place of the first born     males vv. 12,13

              c. The Kohathites 4:1-20

                   i. They are to care for the most Holy things     v. 4

                   ii. They are to carry these when the camp     moves v. 15

                   iii. They must not touch them lest they die     v.15

              d. The Gershonites 4:21-28

                   i. They are to carry the curtains and outer

                   coverings and equipment used for this

                   vv. 25,26

              e. The Meratites 4:29-49

                   i. The tent frames, posts, ropes etc.

                   vv. 31,32

         3. This is the first census, a second census is

             recorded in chapter 26.

              a. This is a military census

              b. These are the generation that will not enter

                  the land of promise.

B. The Purity of the People 5-6

         1. The Uncleanness 5:1-4 (Lev. 13;15;19)

         2. Restitution vv. 5-10 (Lev. 6:1-7)

         3. Adultery vv. 11-31 (Lev. 20:10)

         4. The Nazirite 6:1-21

              a. One who dedicates him or herself voluntarily unto the Lord for a specific period of time, which may include an entire lifetime (Samson, Samuel, John the Baptist). The word comes from a Hebrew word which means to seperate or consecrate.

              b. Requirements:

                   [1] No wine or fermented drink v. 3

                   [2] No contact with anything from the

                    vineyard v. 4

                   [3] Can not cut the hair for the period of     the vow v. 5

                   [4] Must have no contact with any dead body

                   vv. 6 

              c. Cleansing from defilement vv. 9-21

         5. Blessings from the priest vv. 22-27

    C. Dedication of the Tabernacle 7-10:10 (see Ex. 40)

         1. The Offerings 7

              a. The offerings of the leaders 7:1-11

              b. Daily offerings for the dedication of the

                  alter 7:12-83

              c. A summary of the offerings 7:84-88

              d. The voice of the Lord 7:89

                   i. This is a fulfillment of Ex. 25:22

         2. The Lamps 8:1-4

         3. Consecration of the Levites 8:5-26

         4. Observance of the Passover 9:1-14

              a. The events of this chapter preceed those of

                 chapter 1.

         5. God's Presence 9:15-23

         6. The Silver trumpets 10:1-10

II. From Sinai to Kadesh 10:11-12:16

    A. Departure from Sinai 10:11-36

    B. Taberah 11:1-3

         1. Fire falls on the camp

              a. Only three day after their departure from

                  Sinai, the people begin to complain.

         2. Moses prays the prayer of intercession

    C. Craving other food 11:4-35

         1. The people complain against the manna vv. 4-9

              a. The people are stired up by the rabble. These

                  are non-Israelites who came with them out of

                  Egypt.

         2. The Lord's anger v. 10

         3. Moses questions the Lord vv. 11-15

         4. The seventy elders appointed vv. 16-30

              a. They will share God's Spirit v.17

              b. They will share Moses' burden v. 17

              c. God grants the request of the people vv. 18-20

                   i. It will be a blessing and a curse

              d. The Spirit falls on the elders vv. 24-30

                   i. The sign of the Spirit, they prophesy

                   v. 25

                   ii. Moses' wish for the people v. 29

         5. The quail vv. 31,32

         6. The plague vv. 33-35

              a. Kibroth Hattaavah means graves of craving

    D. Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses 12

         1. The criticism of Moses vv. 1-3

              a. He had married a Cushite v. 1

              b. They try to justify their action v. 2

         2. The Lord's summons vv. 4-9

         3. Miriam's leprosy v. 10

         4. Aaron repents vv. 11,12

         5. Moses' intercession v. 13

         6. The Lord's reply vv. 14, 15

         7. The people move v. 16

III. Israel at Kadesh Barnea 13:1-20:13

    A. Spies sent out to Explore Canaan 13

         1. Their Names vv. 14-16

         2. Their Instructions vv. 17-20

         3. Their Exploration vv. 21-25

         4. Their Report vv. 26-32

              a. Caleb's minority report v.30

    B. The Rebellion of the People 14:1-39

         1. The unbelief of the People vv. 1-10

         2. Moses Intercession vv. 11-19

         3. God's Anger v. 12

         4. God's Promise vv. 20-25 (see also v. 30)

         5. God's Pronouncement vv. 26-39

    C. Israels Presumption 14:40-45

         Israel first refused to believe that God would go with them, now they refuse to believe that He will not.

    D. Various Laws 15

         1. Offerings in the Land vv. 1-21

         2. Offerings for Unintentional Sins vv. 22-31

         3. Breaking the sabbath vv. 32-36

         4. The Blue Tassels vv. 37-41

    E. Korah's Rebellion 16

         1. The Rebellion vv. 1-19

              a. Moses' Anger v. 15

         2. The Result vv. 20-50

              a. The earthquake v. 31

              b. Fire from heaven v. 35

    F. Aaron's Rod that budded 17

         1. The devine Command vv. 1-6

              a. Because of the challanges to the authority of

                  Aaron's priesthood God commandss that the head      of each tribe bring a staff and the man of

                  God' choosing will be identified.

         2. The sign vv. 7-13

              b. Aaron's rod blossoms, buds and bears. This is

                  to be a sign to all generations and will be

                  placed in the ark. (Heb. 9:4)

    G. The Priests and Levites 18

         1. The Duties of the Priests and Levites vv. 1-7

         2. Offerings for the Priests and Levites vv. 8-32

    H. The Ashes of the Red Hefer 19

         1. The Ordinance vv. 1-10

         2. The Meaning vv. 11-22

    I. The Sin of Moses 20:1-13

         1. The complaint of the people vv. 1-5

         2. Moses' Intercession and Instruction vv. 6-8

         3. Moses strikes the rock vv. 9-13

IV. From Kadesh t the Plains of Moab 20:14-22:1

    A. Israel's confrontation with Edom 20:14-21

         1. Israel's request vv. 14-17, 19

         2. Edom's Reply vv. 18, 20

         3. Israel turns away v. 21

    B. The Death of Aaron 20:22-29

         1. Aaron is not permitted to enter the "Promised Land"

            v. 24

              a. He sinned along with Moses at Meribah

         2. Eliazar succeeds Aaron v. 26

         3. Aaron dies on Mt. Hor v. 28

         4. Israel mourns thirty days v. 29

    C. The Destruction of Arad 21:1-3

         1. The Canaanites attack Israel v. 1

         2. Israel makes a vow to the Lord v. 2

         3. Arad completely destroyed v. 3

    D. The Bronze Serpent 21:4-9

         1. The people speak against God and Moses vv. 4,5

              a. They were impatient v. 4

         2. Snakes are sent among them by God v. 6

         3. The people repent, and Moses intercedes v. 7

         4. The bronze serpant vv. 8,9 (see II Kings 18:4, also

             John 3:14,15)

    E. The journey to Moab 21:10-20

    F. The Defeat of Sihon and Og 21:21-22:1

V. Israel on the Plains of Moab 22:2-32:42

    A. Balaam 22:2-24:25

         1. Balak summons Balaam 22:2-41

         2. Balaam's Donkey vv. 21-41

         3. Balaam's 1st Oracle 23:1-12

         4. Balaam's 2nd Oracle 23:13-26

         5. Balaam's 3rd Oracle 23:27-24:14

         6. Balaam's 4th Oracle 24:15-25

    B. Moab deceives Israel 25:1-19

    C. The Second Census 26:1-65

    D. Zelophehad's Daughters 27:1-11 (also 36:1-13)

    E. Joshua chosen to succeed Moses 27:12-23

    F. Offerings 28:1-31

    G. Feasts 29:1-40

    H. Vows 30:1-16

    I. Israel's revenge against Midian 31:1-24

    J. Dividing the Spoils 31:25-54

    K. The Transjordanian Tribes 32:1-42

VI. Additional Matters 33:1-36:13

    A. A Review of Israel's Journey 33:1-55

    B. The Boundries of Canaan 34:1-29

    C. Towns for the Levites 35:1-5

    D. Cities of Refuge 35:6-34

    F. The Inheritance of Zelophehad's Daughters 36:1-13