NUMBERS, BOOK or (LXX. Arithmoi; Bel). Bamidbar), the fourth book of the Pen tateuch, consists of 36 chapters, embracing the history of the march of the Israelites through the desert, together with the special laws given during this period as comple mentary to the Sinaitic legislation. Beginning with the census of the people (whence the name of the book), and the assigning of the special places to each tribe with refer ence to the sanctuary, the whole people is classified, and the tribe of Levi specially sin gled out. Ordinances on the purity to lie maintained in the camp, the functions of the priests, and a description of the passover, follow. The second portion of the book describes the journey from Sinai to the borders of Canaan, the miraculous sustenance of the people, their dissatisfaction and consequent rejection, together with various special laws respecting sacrifices, etc., and the episode of torah. The third part embraces the first ten months of the fortieth year of the wandering—an epoch hurried over with remarkable swiftness by the historian. In quick succession, the renewed strife of the people with their leaders, the message to the king of Moab, the death of Aaron, the defeat of the king of Arad, the punishment of the people by serpents, the march from Hoy to Pisga, and the victorious battle against the kings of Sihon and Og, are recounted, and the extraordinary episode of Balaam follows. The further wiles employed by the
alarmed Moabites and Midianites to avert the threatening invasion, and their result, together with the second census, are narrated. Moses is warned of his death, and the vital question of his succession is settled. Further laws and ordinances respecting sacri fices and vows, the conquest of the Midianites, and the partition of the country east of the Jordan among certain tribes, a recapitulation of the encampments in the desert, a detailed specification of the manner in which the promised land should be divided after its conquest, and the final ordinance of the marriages of heiresses among their own tribe only, so as to preserve the integrity of landed property, make up the remainder of the hook.
The book of Numbers is, like the rest of the Pentateuch, supposed by the greater part of modern critics to consist of several documents written by E7ohists and Jehorists respectively. See GENESIS. PENTATEUCH.