The Book of Numbers
Author	Moses
Date Written	Between 1450 and 1400 BC
Time Span	About 39 years (the period of Israel's history from the second year after the Exodus to just prior to the conquest of Canaan).
Title	The book of Numbers gets its name from the 2 censuses (numberings) of the nation Israel.
Background	The fourth book of the Pentateuch, Numbers, is a sequel to the book of Exodus. Approximately one month elapses from the time the Tabernacle is constructed at the end of Exodus to the time of the census at the beginning of Numbers. During that month the instructions in the book of Leviticus are given.
Where Written	Mt. Sinai and the wilderness, as Moses leads the people to the Promised Land.
To Whom	To the Israelites.
Content	Numbers is the story of nearly 40 years of wilderness wandering by the Israelites between the times of 2 separate censuses of the people. The first census is of the old generation, the generation that came up out of Egypt. It takes place at Mt. Sinai in the second year of the Exodus. The second census is of the new generation. It takes place on the plains of Moab, opposite Jericho, 38 years later just prior to the nation's entering of Canaan. Even though the old generation (with the exception of Joshua and Caleb) is not allowed to enter the Promised Land, God still provides for and sustains the people
Themes	Our discipline from God is sometimes stern, but He ultimately rewards those who are obedient to His Word. We will never have to live in the wilderness&ldots;but we may have to walk through it. Just as God's punishment of disobedience is sure&ldots;so is God's pardon and restoration for repentance. We can progress as children of God only as we allow Him to nurture our growth. Murmuring and complaining are offensive to the God we serve.
Key Words	"Wanderings"; "Census." The emphasis of Numbers is on the wanderings of the Israelites in the wilderness during the time between the "census" taken of the old generation of Israelites and later the "census" of the new generation.
Outline	1:1- 4:49 The first census of the Israelites is taken 5:1-10:10 Israel prepares to inherit the Promised Land 10:11-21:35 Israel fails to inherit the Promised Land 22:1-25:18 Israel encounters the Moabites and Balaam 26:1-26:65 The second census of the Israelites is taken 27: 1-36:1 The new generation prepares to inherit the Promised Land
More	Audio of the Book of Numbers

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