Reading: Number 1-4, Psalm 40

Welcome to the book of grumbles. What’s that? The title is Numbers? Well, yes it is, and that is probably because of today’s reading. The Hebrew name means “in the wilderness,” which is really what the active parts of the book are about- the Israelite journey in the wilderness before entering the promised land in the book of Joshua. The name “Numbers” comes from the Greek translation of the Hebrew known as the Septuagint, in which the book is named Αριθμoι (Arithmoi), which we translate “Numbers.” It is really the book of grumbles, though.

Anyway, enough about names. What is going on it this book? The first four chapters are mostly lists. I know, you were hoping the really dull reading was over with in Leviticus, and yet here you are reading census numbers, the organization of the Israelite camp, a weirdly specific swap of the tribe of Levi for all the firstborn in the rest of the tribes, and the responsibilities of certain Levites to carry parts of the tabernacle.

As usual, this is all very important, if dull to read through. The people of Israel are about to leave Sinai and head towards the land of the promise- the land of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They have been given the tabernacle, the place of God’s reign and a hint of the new creation to come. They have a priesthood that exemplifies a life without death, disease, deprivation, or deformity. But you know what happens when you try and move people from one place to another? Utter chaos, that is what. Things get lost, people get mixed up, social structures are strained to the breaking point. Add on the fact that these people were recently slaves, have never been where they are going, and are going to have to fight when they get there. It’s like any long family trip, except the family is millions of people. Good luck with that, Moses.

So God has Moses get organized. The people are numbered, which has the attendant benefit of organizing them. Each tribe has a chief responsible for his people. The tribes are then assembled into groups of three, with one chief over the other two. These groups are told to camp to the north, south, east, and west of the tabernacle, which is the center of the camp. (At this point we should be used to it, but I’ll point out again that the tabernacle is the center of everything here, just as in Leviticus.) The twelve tribes (Manasseh, Joseph’s son, is swapped out for Levi, because they have a special role) know where they are supposed to be and when, and they have a leadership structure. It won’t prevent all the chaos of moving, but it will cut down on it a good bit.

So what about the tribe of Levi? They get special duties related to the tabernacle. God makes it clear they are the substitution for the lives of the firstborn of Israel by literally having the Israelites count their firstborn, comparing the total with the number of Levites, and having the overage paid out to the tabernacle treasury. The animals of the Levites stand for the firstborn animals of Israel as well. God is making a distinction with the tribe of Levi. They are now the firstborn, or first fruit, of Israel. They stand apart as something separate and different. As we saw in the book of Leviticus, the Levites have a higher standard of behavior, and the priests an even higher one. They are physically to surround the tabernacle when they camp. They are also given very particular tasks depending on which family within the tribe they belong to, all relating to the tabernacle’s travel.

God is putting together a system by which the Israelites can move without totally falling apart and squabbling over who gets to do what. Everything is assigned and organized, and the people know what they are supposed to do. When the people get to the promised land, they will be ready to take action.