Notes on the book of Numbers

took these men which are expressed by their names: and they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and _they declared their pedigrees_ aft...

“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, ‘Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by...

“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, ‘Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to...

“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, ‘Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The Lord bless thee an...

This is the very longest section in the entire book of Numbers. It contains a detailed statement of the names of the twelve princes of the congregation, and of their respective...

“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, ‘Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick.’ And Aa...

“And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, ‘Let the children of Isra...

“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, ‘Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them; that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and...

Hitherto we have been occupied, in our study of this book, with God’s mode of ordering and providing for His people in the wilderness. We have traveled over the first ten chapte...

The brief section of our book to which we now approach may be viewed in two distinct aspects: in the first place, it is typical or dispensational; and in the second, moral or pr...

“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, ‘Send thou men that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall y...

“And all the congregation lifted up their voice and cried; and the people wept that night.” Need we wonder? What else could be expected from a people who had nothing before thei...

THE words with which our chapter opens are peculiarly striking, when taken in connection with the contents of chapter xiv. There, all seemed dark and hopeless. Moses had to say...

then let him meditate on chapter xv, and we feel assured he will not seek to push “the stranger” off the platform, for he will be ready to confess himself a debtor to mercy alon...

The chapter on which we have just been dwelling is what may be called a digression from the history of Israel’s wilderness life, except indeed the short paragraph respecting the...

This settles the great question as to priesthood and sacrifice for sin. Christians cannot be too clear or decided in reference to it. It lies at the very foundation of true Chri...

One of the most important sections of the book of Numbers now lies open before us, presenting for our consideration the deeply interesting and instructive ordinance of “The Red...

“Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin, in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried...

him the land of Canaan from thence. It was grace that led Jehovah to provide a grave for His servant and bury him therein. It was better to see the land of Canaan in company wit...

This chapter brings prominently before us the familiar and beautiful ordinance of the brazen serpent—that great evangelical type. “And they journeyed from Mount Hor by the way o...

Here a new scene opens upon our view. We have been on the top of Pisgah, hearkening to God’s testimony respecting Israel, and there, all was bright and fair—without a cloud, wit...

This, though one of the longest chapters in our book, does not call for much in the way of remark or exposition. In it we have the record of the second numbering of the people,...

The conduct of the daughters of Zelophehad, as recorded in the opening section of this chapter, presents a striking and beautiful contrast to the unbelief on which we have just...

This brief section has what we may term a dispensational bearing. It applies specially to Israel, and treats of the question of vows and bonds. The man and the woman stand in ma...

We have here the closing scene of Moses’ _official_ life, as in Deuteronomy xxxiv. we have the closing scene of his _personal_ history. “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, ‘...

The fact recorded in this chapter has given rise to considerable discussion. Various have been the opinions advanced in reference to the conduct of the two tribes and a half. We...

hand of Jehovah. The self-same hand which had guided their wanderings, here fixes the bounds of their habitation. Alas! they never took possession of the land as given of God. H...

The opening lines of this most interesting chapter set before us the gracious provision which Jehovah made for His servants the Levites. Each of the tribes of Israel was privile...