Numbering (Hastings' Dictionary)

See Davin, in vol. i. Ρ. 568. : NUMBERS (so called from the title in the LXxX, Αριθμοί, cf. Vulg. Numeri, given to the book be- cause of the repeated numberings in chapters 1. 3 f. 26 ; Heb. 13773 ‘in the wilderness,’ from the fifth word of 11)" is the ‘fourth Book of Moses,’ and forms one division of the composite work now known as the Hexateuch (which see for justifica- tion of this statement and for general description of the constituent elements J, Εἰ, and P).

It falls readily into three main sections: § 1. The Camp at Sinai, 1-10"; § 2, The Wanderin » 104-19; § 3. The Plains of Moab, 20-36. But the material included in these sections is often very loosely strung on the main thread of narrative, and several chapters are a mosaic made up out of fragments from different sources. The analytical problems are closely analogous to those encountered in Exodus and Leviticus, and will be treated here on the same lines as in those articles.

Some remarks will be added on the authorship and date (§ 4), the historical significance (§ 5), eric the religious value (§ 6) of the book. (The abbreviations and signs pune! are mostly familiar. They will be found explained under Exopus and LEviTicus). § 1. The Camp at Sinai: 1-10", A. Summary. em | > 11-16 Command to number the adult males— 19. δέ Execution of the command (fragments only). 117-53 E ded account of the census— 21-34 Order of tribes in camp and on the march. -46.8.90,11.13.15.

16a,19.21.23.24s 98. 95.30.3]. census notes on the four camps respectively. 814 Aaron's sons and what befell them— 85-10 δεν ες to be set apart as assistants to aron, 811-13 The Levites to be substitutes for the firstborn. 14-22. 27f. 33f. 89 Census of male Levites of all ages. 23-28. 29-92 3533 Duties and positions of the 8 Levitical clans. #43 Census of firstborn males ordered and carried out. «f The Levites and their cattle to be for the firstborn and their cattle.

46-51 een of the surplus of firstborn maies, 41-3. 21-33. 29. Census of adult Levites by clans ordered. +#15. 4-25. 31-53 Duties repeated in fuller de- tail. +16 Particulars as to general duties of Eleazar, +17-® Caution as to distinction of priests and Levites. 54.409 Census of adult Levites effected— 6l4r Lepers to be excluded (from the camp). 68 Special case of a guilt-offering. %. Right of the priests to heave-offerings, eta. 11-31 Composite ordinance as to marital jealousy.

61-41 The law of the Nazirite and of his offerings. 62227 The formula of priestly benediction. 7148 The dedication of the altar, and the gifts. he Divine Voice from above the mercy-seat. 814 The candlestick and its seven lamps. 5-10. 12-158 Moses to consecrate the Levites. +11. 15>-22 Aaron to consecrate the Levites. +23 Alteration of period of Levitical service e Passover celebration in the 2nd year. 96-14 Supplementary Passover for special cases. 153 The cloud and its relations with the camp.

1018. The use of trumpets on the march, 10%. (Pb) Use of trumpets in war, and for festivals. * The book {s also named by the Jews, from its opening word, ΨΥ We find in the Talmud the name ΟΠ ΡΒ HPN κα book NUMBERS B. Analysis. Pe Ξ 11-18 Ps 71-16 19b a YD 3 6-10 14-22 Pe 17-198 «= 20-47 48-53 “1-34 “1-4 pt 4“. ort. 88. 80 4 29-82 856-88 40-43 46-51 Ζ1-1616' 17-20 41-21 22-27 89 ἘΣ Aes 9 6 : Be ue 11’ 12-léa Pt. eh oe 9.5 6-23 108 Pb of. C. Critical Notes. 1-4: The tribes and their encampment.

—These opening chapters relate the numbering of the secular tribes (ch. 1), with their relative positions in the camp (ch. 2), and the numbering of the Levitical clans with their respective duties (ch. 3f.) All comes from P, but not all from the same stratum.

If the account of the ordering of the census in 1-6 be assigned to the great Law and History Book P¥, then the rest of the chapter re- lating the execution of the order is most naturally attributed to a later stage of the compilation, to which ch. 2 may also belong.

Probably ΡῈ had briefer accounts of the census and the camp, which have been independently expanded in 117-88 and 2, just as similar expanded accounts are found in =x 35-40 and Lv 8 P of the fulfilment of commands given in Ex 25-28 and 29 P.

The remains of P#’s narrative may perhaps be found in 1-4 (146) 54, The main grounds for this analysis are as follow : (1) The extreme elaboration of style, the same formula being 12 times repeated, with slight varia- tions ony in and 3, contrasted with the account of the Levitical census in ch. 3, which may be taken as a type of Ῥε, (2) In 27“ Aaron is associ- ated with Moses, cf. 4. But in 190 (οἵ, 3154. 40-42) it is Moses who conducts the census. In 3° Aaron is a gloss, for nwmbered is sing.

; and 15° is robably the same. (3) The order of tribes is eared as one writer would hardly have varied it. Six different arrangements are given below for comparison. A adopts the strict genealogical order. 8B takes Rachel’s son after Leah’s children and puts Zilpah’s last. Comits Levi, gives Joseph’s sons in the order Ephraim, Manasseh, to make up 12, and places B’s last three in reverse order, Asher, Gad, aphtali.

Ὁ puts Gad into Levi’s place after Simeon, E moves the group Judah, Issachar, Zebulun to the head of the list, while F sets Manasseh above Ephraim in correspondence with their altered proportion of numbers, a. Gn 465 Ps Β. Ex 124 Ps oNul+l5 Ps g.Nu2&7& 1013-23 ps Reuben Reuben Reuben Judah Simeon Simeon Simeon Issachar Levi Levi Zebulun eee ἘΠ L Judah — Ὁ uw Issachar Reuben Issachar Issachar Zebul i Zebulun Zebulun ᾿ eas i ran τῆς.

ee \ J,, anasseh hraim Asher }z Benjamin } R Benjamin ae Joseph Dan Dan pe R } B — Dan Benjamin Naphtali ἘΞ τος — δὰ νεῖ 2 as } s a Asher Naphtali Asher Naphtali Naphtali L=Leah’s sons, R=Rachel’s, Z=Zilpah’s, B=Bilhah’s, J Joseph’s. Manasseh, Ephraim. t+ Joseph's place vacant, since the is of those who came down to join him in Egypt. Gut. ‘fifth’) of the numberin; * (Sota 860, Joma vil. 1; cf. Auusegixeds/u of Origen ap. ‘ ) =e useb, HE vi. 25). NUMBERS p. Nu 1243 Ps ¥.

Nu 261-51 Ps Reuben . 46,500 Reuben 48,780 — 2,770 Simeon . 69,300 Simeon 2,200 —87,100 Gad . 46,650 G . 40,600 — 6,150 Judah . 74,600 Judah . 76,500 —- + 1,900 Issachar . 54,400 Issachar . 64,300 + 9,900 Zebulun . 657,400 Zebulun 60,6500 + 8,100 Ephraim . 40,500 Manasseh . 52,700 + 20,600 Manasseh . 82,200 Ephraim . 82,600 + 8,000 Benjamin. 85,400 Benjamin 45,500 +10,200 Dan. 62,700 Dan . 64,400 + 1,700 Asher . 41,500 Asher. 63,400 +11,900 Naphtali . 63,400 Naphtali .

45,400 — 8,000 603,550 601,730 — 1,820 1-83 looks like a late insertion. The phrase ‘Dwelling of the testimony’ ™- > is first found in Ex 38% P, ®t seems to presuppose the descrip- tion of the encampment in ch. 2. The prohibition () to number Levi should precede and not follow the general account of the numbering. Perhaps this verse has been misplaced. In ch. 2 we have a further variation of order in the names of the tribes, and the amount of un- necessary repetition is enormous.

All the new information, i.e. about the position of the tribes in the camp and on the march, could have been pnt in a single sentence. One or two points of anguage confirm the assignment to P. But the curious series of parenthetical notes of the census results (see conspectus above) may well have been added later still. Chapter 3 is made up of differing elements. 1 can only be P, because it follows the late repre- sentation of the ἀπο ΠΕ of other priests than the high priest.

Observe also the order Aaron and Moses, and the use of the formula These are the generations, though the sons of Moses are not named, and the particulars have all appeared before (cf. Ex 6%, Lv 10'). 5° on the choice of the Levites for ministry, and the parts of 1 on the Levitical census, contain nothing unsuitable to Pe; and the three inserted paragraphs on the position and duties of the Levites (cf. “ and 89) might be also P%, but that the reference to ‘altars’ in !

, whereas P® knows only one altar, and the mention of ‘cords’ 38 87, alluded to elsewhere onl in P Ex 3518 39”, indicate a later origin. 11-8 ae “1 recall P® in their use of ‘I am J”,’ and may rest on an older basis, but do not fit on to Ῥὲ here. #-# (observe that the introductory formula is not P8’s, cf. δι 1) and -5 (containing several rare phrases) rest on the idea of the Levites as substitutes for the firstborn, and develop it in the style of P.

Chapter 4 combines an account of a fresh census of adult Levites, with a statement as to their duties, By its elaboration, its phraseology, and its reference to the golden altar 4 (cf. Ex 30 P*), this chapter is marked as secondary. 5-6: Various ceremonial laws.—The first para- graph (02) on the exclusion of the leper and the unclean person seems to presuppose Lv 13-15, un- less indeed it refers to yet earlier codifications.

The phrase in the midst of which I dwell recalls Ly 1551 264, and suggests that, if this be not a passage from an earlier source, at least the editor caught the spirit of his older models when he added this auprlentent to relate their provisions to the camp of Nu 1-3.—* supplements Ly 5'-67 on the guilt-offering by arranging that, where the injured person is absent or dead and has no kinsman, the compensation shall go to the priest.— mentions other items of priestly revenue.

54-81, on marital jealousy, is marked as Pt because of its archaic flavour and certain reminiscences of P» (as in #81), with the absence of P®’s terms (ex- cept tabernacle 1). But after the criticism of Stade (ZATW, 1895?) it is difficult to accept it as NUMBERS aunity. The view here adopted is that two laws, A providing for a solemn curse on a defiled wife, and B furnishing a test for a wife suspected of defilement, have been woven together.

In 7 a real alternative of guilt or innocence is contem- plated. With this -, now a colophon, but, by analogy with other cases, probably originally a title, agrees, and the discriminating use of the water in 15: 3 corresponds. On the other hand, in the introduction ('“"-), to which answers a con- clusion in (observe absence of connexion with »), the guilt is assumed, and the water is only the means of inflicting the curse. Similarly, A’s jealousy-offering is B's memorial-offering.

The analysis which follows rests on the above main grounds, and is effected by aid of the parallels and contrasts tabulated below. A 11.188 180 * l5r ar B® 18d 80aléd30d 16. 19. BD 28 Mr ὙΠ. 5b-2e altar a Bato J” Bb Bar 23 A. Parallels and Contrasts. Β, If any man’s wife 12 when a wife @ go aside 12 being under her husband, goeth aside 39. 19f. lien with thee 19f. (18. 19. 20 diff. in Heb.) it be kept close (diff. gender) 13> he shall set the woman before J", and the priest . .

30 meal-offering of jealousy 35. 1δτ. 1δγ; cf. law of jealousy 2, spirit of ἌΘΩΝ Cy the priest shall bring her near, and set her before J” 16 the offering is taken from the woman's hand 35 the water that causeth the curse 19, 22 18r, 24r prepared 1 and administered the priest shall cause her to swear, and say unto the a cf, Zr, ey native bei roposed, cf. 7. and Prd P lie with her carnally 18 tt behid .. no witness 1ϑδιο the man shall bring his wife unto the priest beech bebe J ms ee ; cf.

bringing iniquity to eat babe} the Bojer shall set the woman ‘ore J” 18 the offering put on the woman's palms (Heb.) 18 the water of bitterness 18. 231. 1% taken 18 ceremonially the eae wen ae the 8 say unto t. woma J” make thee a@ curse Db ; cf.27, no alter- native being given (cf. 12 where her t is assumed). and he shall make the woman drink the water of bitter- ness thigh falling away and belly swelling U and afterward shall make the woman drink the water 2b ; cf. 278 (om. LXX).

belly to swell and thigh to fall away 27 the offering waved before J” 61-2: The Law of the Nazirite.—As a whole this ordinance conforms to the type of Lv 1-7, such allusions as to the door of the tent of meeting readily dropping out here as there. °§ may be even earlier than P, as separation unto his God? and other hrases recall po cf. especially Ly 21 7- 4.—-7 The ormula of benediction is no doubt much older than the setting in which P presents it. 7-8: The dedication of the altar.

—It is agreed that this is a late section. The date given by comparing ἢ with Ex 40 17 makes the transaction rior to Nu 1, yet the order and position of tribes in 1-4 is presupposed, and the language is more overladen with repetitions than anywhere else, the same formula being 12 times repeated, with only the necessary change of 6 out of 118 English words in the translation.—® Apparently an isolated fragment of Ps.—8', like Lv 24!

and Ex 27%, relates to the candlestick, and seems to regulate the position and lighting of the lamps. It is probably the latest of the three yes,—*™3, pro- viding bor a consecration rite in the case of the Levites, can hardly be other than secondary, as this service if original would surely have been ordered in ch. 3, when the selection of the tribe was com- manded, just as the consecration in Lv 8 was com- manded in Ex 29.

Much of the earlier matter is repeated here, and traces may be discerned of a double representation, according as Moses or Aaron 14 includes only and she be not defiled, iis given to R, who has inserted many harmonizing touches elsewhere. Obs. its cumbrous Heb., a that spirit is masc. here, but fem. in », ‘UMBERS is the chief actor, the former being the earlier view. —* Alters 45 by making the Levites begin work at the age of 25 instead of 30.

—9', on the pass- over of the second year, is followed by an ordin- ance in ' introduced by a narrative of an illustrative case ὅδ, a type elsewhere found in P, to which 1.16 may perhaps all belong.—" is identi- fied as P by its relation to Ex 40.—10'8 may well be P¥, and this ascription suits the view that P had a briefer account of the camp, now replaced by 2.—-, with its scene in your land (ten parallels in P) instead of on the march, is held to be an inserted fragment of ΡΒ", cf.

Ly 17° 23” ete. § 2. The Wanderings: 10"-19. A. Summary. 104-2 PeThe march from Sinai begun, ”in due order of camps, 9:88 Jwith Hobab as guide and the ark in front; Jformula used at start and halt. 11-8 EMurmurers burnt up at Taberah ; /manna and quails followed by a plague at Kibroth- Hattaavah; seventy elders endowed with spirit of rophecy in aid of Moses ; jealousy of Joshua over Idad and Medad. 12 Moses’ Cushite wife; jealousy of Aaron and Miriam, and leprosy of liriam. 13 4&?

The mission of the spies; 14 J2? the people turned back from Canaan in punish- ment for murmuring and unbelief; Jdefeated Ὁ ᾿ to be worn as a memorial on the hem of the gar- ments. 16 JERebellion Τοῦ On, ®of Dathan and ment of murmuring stopped by the atonement of Aaron. 17 ’sAaron’srod that budded. 18 ’*Duties and revenue of priests and Levites. 19 ?Ordin- ances affecting those unclean by the dead. 17b to South 18b to weak 17c-18a to what ἐξ is 180 Canaan 27a to honey 28 808.

rt meena dee 25-26 Paran lo 4 26b Depart 270-31 18-l4a Aoney 15 1éb Ch _ A DN τις AE πΠαρΩ haa aes 16f. 1 _ 16™ houscholda 38 to them 34 ee Tis 2 See el Sadat then We hdl Ὑ ? NUMBERS 570 C. Critical Notes. 10" contains the first stage of P®’s itinerary after leaving Sinai. It is followed by an account of the mode of marching, which can only be P* from its relation to 2, ἢ being probably its close.

With - the JE thread is resumed from Ex with a fragment of J, whose opening may partly survive in Ex 184, its close being omitted in favour of the view of guidance given in 97 Both this para- sraph and 33: are linguistically connected with J. ‘he poetical refrains in * may well have come from the Book of the Wars of J”. Contrast the advance of the ark in J with its central place in P.

11" is hard to place, and is given to E, because it does not fit the J context, and follows E in speaking of Moses praying. Dillmann regards the incident as part of E’s manna story, now displaced by J and P; Bacon views it as a sequel to the perilous contest with Amalek Ex 17®1, which really comes in after the departure from Horeb. In * is found a story of the people’s discontent with the manna, their demand for flesh, the sending of the quails, and the resulting plague.

The language (see below) connects this with J, and the description of the manna as a natural thing, though eave provided, is agreeable to his general treat- ment of such incidents. But the story is dislocated by a double set of insertions. (1) There is a series which tells of Moses’ burden of responsibility being relieved by the inspiration of seventy prophet- elders.

(2) In 12-15 we find the language of J, but matter incongruous with this context, fitting in well, however, as Bacon suggests, between Ex 8385 and 15, a point in JE which must have been quite close to this before P was inserted. Accordingly (1) is ascribed to E, as the emphasis on prophecy and the phraseological features require, but not to its earliest stage. Rather it is a secondary (ΕΠ) parallel to the Jethro incident of Ex 18. (2) is regarded asa misplaced portion of J. See Exopus, aa, loc.

(1) and (2) were probably already united in JE, and transferred hither together. Ch. 12 is given as a whole to E. Bacon suggests that the Cushite woman is Jethro’s daughter, who is name- less in Ex 18. Minor clues.—J—mizxed multitude 4 ct. Ex 1258; Jthy servant Jfound favour 1.15; Jconceived 12; sanctify yourselves 18 Ex 19%; against to-morrow 18 Ex 810. ; presse, you 20 (Heb.); Jjlocks and herds ®; went forth a wind from J” 81 cf. Ex 1018 1421b; Jyet, ere 83 (Heb.); people journeyed . .

51216; for say unto me gee Ex 3313, S—Eprayed2; bear ... alone 14.17; Eelderg 16.21.30; the tent of meeting 16 124 Ex 837, which was outside the camp 35 124f. Ex 337-1 ct. its central position in P; the cloud in connexion with the tent ® 125 Ex 339 ct. Ex 1821 1419; Eprophet, prophesy 35.) 126%; Joshua as the minister of Moses @ Ex 2418 3311; Miriam 12) Ex 15%; the man Moses 123 Ex 113; meek 123 ct. 11% ; speak against 121.

8 215-7"; vision 126 Gn 151 462, Edream 126; Aeal 1213 Gn 2017 Ex 1538, 13-14: The sending of the spies.—The numerous duplicates and divergences in this section re- quire explanation, and find it adequately in the hypothesis that J E and P are all represented in combination, while the very phenomena which dis- prove unity furnish clues to the tracing of the separate threads. The analysis given above is for τὸ most part covered by the evidence collected ow. Parallels and Contrasts.

—J—({a) Caleb 14% and others sent by Moses 1377 into the South 17>. 2 (ct. ede South 2%) to sce the land 18; (Ὁ) they come unto Hebron 22 cf. Gn 1318; (c) they report to Moses 27; (d) that the people are strong 38. δὶ cf. 18, children of Anak 2 2 cf. Jos 1514 Jg 119, ct. sons of A. 33r; e) and that the land Jfloweth with milk and honey @ 148: Ὁ the people wept 1419 οἱ, 1110. 18; (ε) in fear of falling by the sword 145 cf. 455, their Jwives and little ones becoming a prey 143 ef.

31 Dt 139; (ἢ) Caleb stills ere 807. ΤΣΕΞΟ Σ ΣΑΣ “5 1411.3 1630; signs 141) cf. Ex ; Jthe Lord 1417; 1418" Js cf. Ex 346-9, E—(a) [In Dt 12, perh. founded on E, 12 unnamed men are sent at the request of the people) into the mountains lic ct, 140.4; ® they come unto valley of Eshcol 2 and return to Ki 350; (0) they bring back word to them (the NUMBERS people) 2%; (a). that 5 peoples oonuPy all the land ® (ct. » in graphy of 14 cluding the tic? geograp| hyo! ΠῚ eee Caleb with ten others to Out 1.

16. 17m. 21. 25. 5220 146. 7. 84. 88. 38) ; (Ὁ) they spy out the land from Zin unto Rehob, te. trom end to end 31, and return... at the end of 40 days (cf. 145%) .. unto the wilderness of Paran 385; (0) they report (an evil report 321 to Moses and to Aaron, and to all the Peongregation 385 οἵ, 145. 2f. ; (d) that all the e they saw in t are men of great stature 820. e) and that the land .. eateth up the inhabitants thereof 32; 8 the Peongregation . .

Pmurmur (1427-29) against Moses and against Aaron 141" 2.5; (g) Joshua (not named in JE) and Caleb expostulate 146f θα. 10.— Would (oh that) 142 208 Gn 1718; Pstone with stones (Heb.) and Pthe glory of J" 1410; Phear iniquities 14% ; PJ the Lord 1485; Pplague 1487, 15: Sundry laws.—” has received the customary setting from R?, but, at least so far as ὁ, seems to rest on a basis older than P, With cf, P® in Ly 19” 23! 253, and observe a burnt-offering or a sacrifice *, of. Lv 178 P®.

Ly 2 regulates the in- dependent meal-offering; this prescribes it as an adjunct to animal offerings.—, in which the person changes from 8rd to 2nd, supplements the preceding by prescribing and regulating the drink-offering ; it my be Py, as may 15:16. which provides for the case of strangers, as in Lv 17, where also this element may not be primary.—!, whose opening words in Heb. differ from *», may also rest on an early basis. For the usage οἵ. Ezk 44%,.

— 2-81 in its present form must rank as P, and its lace in the chronological series would seem to be etween Ly 5!8 and Ly 4; but in places it recalls P», e.g. in 35:81. ef. Lv 20 (the penalties) and 24%,— 82-8 is like the secondary element in Ly 24", which see. The closing formula, as J” commanded Moses, is common only in P, 16: Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.

—Here we find not only a double JE thread, whose strands are separable on grounds mainly phraseological, but a twofold priestly representation. In we have to do with a civil disturbance, 4On and perhaps Korah, or ®Dathan and Abiram, being the ring- leaders, but in P with an assertion of ecclesiastical rights.

By giving in the same order the connected points in the four variations of the narrative as much will be done as space allows to justify the analysis, and at the same time the characteristics of each will emerge. Parallels and Contrasts.—J—{a) The leaders, Bacon esta, were Korah the son of Kenaz, a kinsman of Oaleb, et. 1h 283, and On the son of Peleth 14; (b) they charge Moses with t ny and failure as leader 13f.

; (0) Moses protests indignantly 15; (ἃ) isolates the offenders 360; (6) and prophesies an earth- oa 27c-30 which forthwith takes place 31, and the Grounp ves asunder, and they and all that appertain to them go down alive into Sheol 80. 38,—J ing...h 13f.; to kill us 13 cf. Ex 1411 178; Jtents >; consumed %> Gn 1825f. 1915.17; Jlittle ones 2c; vindication of Moses’ commission 38 cf. Ex 810 418. 18 §22—despised 30 1120 1411.

23, E—(a) The leaders are Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, sons of Reuben 161c ; (0) they rise up before Moses 2, refuse to come when summoned 12 14b, complaining of harshness and failure to enrich them 14; (c) Moses and the Eelders of Israel (his judicial colleagues Ex 18) visit the offenders ; (d) who stand at the door of their tents 27, all Israel bein about them 34; (6) the BaARTH opens her mouth and swal. up them and their HOUSEHOLDS (ct. 27¢ 838) and closes αι; them 32a. 880.

(Ὁ) all Israel flee at the ery of them 4— and vineyards 14b 2017 2122 Ex 225, _Ps—{a) The leader is Korah 15, perhaps borrowed from J, and his associates, who are not Levites, are the 250 princes of the Peongregation (ct. 273, where it is implied that a Manassite might have been among them 2b. 6f. 18.

85); (b) they complain of the sacerdotal pretensions of Moses and Aaron, as against the whole congregation 3, ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi 7> (transposed now from end of 8); (0) Moses P falls on his face, and then announces an ord for the morrow by offering incense #7 ; (ἃ) all the congregation are assembled by Korah at the door of the tent of meeting, Moses and Aaron are bidden to escape the coming general ruin, their intercession procures permission to the congregation to depart from the tabernacle, i.

e. of J”, the words ‘of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram’ being a gloss, }>¥p not being used of a human dwelling 18. 34. 384. 37; (6) fire then comes forth from J” (i.e. presumally from 2 ies su) ig com: aoe ἘΣ assemb!

JSrom among he assembly $% (observe that Ps’s fire has still to come 85, so that this is distinct) ; (6) the censers of these sinners are beat oe τ a covering of, altar, and as a memorial of the rights of the priesthood 940, 17-18: These chapters are by general agreement assigned to Ps, But Cc nter (Oxf. Hex. ad loc.) gives reasons for considering this one of the earliest portions of that work, with which it is not quite uniform either in form (e.g.

the address to Aaron instead of Moses 18)" 8: 3) or in substance (e.g. the apie of 3510 in 18?-7),—18-83 on the tithe of the tithe (observe the address to Moses ) appears to include fresh material. 19, on uncleanness by the dead, fills a serious gap noticeable in Ly 11-15. 1:18 prob. rests on old usage, but bears marks of late codification (e.g. Eleazar the Priest 5, statute of the law? 31"). The opening of 1.3 This is the law of at once suggests P (cf.

on Leviticus 1-7), and nothing seems to be incon- sistent with this. Can this section have belonged once to Ly 11-15 and been transferred here where the water of separation™, whose eecperetion and ae are described in 1, is more elaborately regu- ? § 8. The Plains of Moab: 20-36. A. Analysis. 3 J 19-20 21b 19) | “:.. 516 to border 3594 ἰο Kadeh “1 4-9 με) 23-29 QL ἃ to Hor J 24b-25 26° 83-35” ᾿ς tO a! 21-ta Jabbok 91, .-ϑΌῸϑὄὉ pe Livi Tje-abarim J 8b-7 i 171.

22-36a Ammon 8-1 16 27’ 28 29-30’ 1-19 20-24’ 25 J "ΟῚ ΩΝ ‘8:39 28 by oe 99 ᾿ 30-31 bere! 39 et Pp 1-14 1 1-40 1-16 1-38 J 89 40’ 411. B. Summary. 20'3 EDeath of Miriam. 4°Water from the rock. “4:9 JEFailure of the route through Edom; "death of Aaron. 21 /Fighting with the Canaanites; ®the brazen serpent; “®conquest of the Amorites and occupation of their country. 22-24 7®Story of Balaam.

25 Sin and | punishment of Israel Εἴη the matter of Baal-Peor, 7i in going after the women “of Moab, Ῥοΐ Midian. 26-36 all P (except 32° /Man- NUMBERS 571 ie conquests beyond Jordan): for contents see ow. C. Critical Notes. 20-21: !¥ on Miriam’s death is given to E, ef. 191 Ex 15” and Gn 35%. In (the people strove—ct. the congregation, the assembly, the children of Israel— with Moses—ct. with J” 15. Moses and Aaron 1: 5: 10) δ (cf. 1615 Ex 17}.3) & (speak unto the rock, ct.

take the rod, presumably to smite the rock ®, unless Cornill’s reconstruction be adopted, by which ὃ is transposed to form the first command in P, dis- obedience to which constitutes the offence) there are se ted elements assigned to J’s Meribah story, E’s having come in Ex 17. The rest of 4 (with its sequel in 330.39) is left for P, though it looks as if the editor had ont of tenderness obscured the account of the sin of Moses and Aaron (ef. the stronger expression in ™ rebelled),—18.

2a and 212- are o viously from one hand, while ™ 2% show marks of difference pointing to J, as the other passages are reminiscent of Thus with highway ct. king’s way “ 21”, and note that in J a formidable military advance ™ causes a retreat Ὧν, whereas E relates a mere refusal ™, which leaves the people still at Kadesh to move at leisure ™, ‘ks of J are :—Jcattle, Jmuch people, strong hand Ex 819 18% 320, turned away, ct. turned aside 7 212%; and of E:— messengers 142121, Kadesh 10.14.16.

Ὁ 1328, travail that hath befallen us 14 Ex 188, went down into Eg. 1s Jos 248, α tong time (Heb. many days) 15 Gn 21% Jos 247, evil entreated Jos 2420, an angel 16 Ex 1419, border 161. 21 2118.22, field . . vineyard 17 2122 1614, by the tay to 214 14%, spake against 2157 121, sinned 217 1410, take away 217 Ex 23%, prayed, standard (or banner) 218 Ex 1715mg.) 211. The fighting between the Canaanite (the king of Arad being prob.

a gloss) and Israel is generally supposed to be told by J, but the ppenamess are conflicting, and the ascription to must be left as doubtful. 21 follows on 20”, the death of Aaron, but “Ὁ continues 207, the march from Kadesh, and the story of the serpents is also given to E on the ground of verbal parallels, see above,—0-s 110-15 and 16:39 consist of extracts from itineraries assigned to P, E, and J. Each opens with a different for- mula, FP! 1a 991, 33, 220% 21> 12-18 cf.

Dt 10%, a fragment prob. from Εἰ, 715. 18>-9,_> aorees with Jg 118 (prob. based on E) but not with Nu 33, Chee that in 3 the people are not so far on as in 4, and that in another J fragment begins which has its sequel in (Ammon is left out in Jg 1119: and * ||"). J tells of conquest and occu- pation of cities and towns 35. 5, E of the land 3" 8! Some J phrases may be added :—twhereof J” said 16 102, gather ... together ct. P207 £1116 Heb. form, cf. Ex 816 42, sang Isr.

this song Ex 151, field of Moab ® Gn 8635 of. Gn 823, looketh down upon ® 2323, from its similarity of matter to ἘΝ ἘΞ is regarded asa gloss, no mention of Og being now found 22-24: In the art BALAAM will be found a com- parison of the accounts in P and JE, and also of the main reasons for the analysis of JE. It will be enough here to subjoin some of the more striking details on which the partition rests. J—(a) Moab is distressed δὺ Ex 113, (Ὁ) the elders of Moab? (and of Midian 4.

Τὴ are sent as messengers % 2412 (servants of Balak 18) unto Balaam, (c) to the land of the children of his people Cammé, perh. read with good auth. of Ammon) ὅς, (d) with rewards 7 of, 18 2418 and promise of promotion to honour 17. 37 2411 ; (6) Balaam sets out innocently % accompanied only by Ais 2 servants @ and is stopped and warned through the ass ΣΡ 35. (8dr), (f) the Jangel of J” appearing 31 by day 2; (g) in spite of his fame for magic 7 24!

Balnam responds solely to the Spirit of God 24%, having promised not to go beyond the word of J” 18 24\3—Jhless . . Jourse 6249, silver and gold 182413 Gn 133 2435.58; ride 2230 Gn 2461, sword drawn in. . 5.5] Jos 513 turn aside 23.2% 202), these three times 35. δ 241% of. 14%, thy life long © Gn 4815; vthy (era) place 2411.8, ὺ 8) Moab is sore afraid ὃ» ; (b) the princes 6f Moab are sent for B, 816. 19-21. 40 936.17; (0) to Pethor, which ὦ by the River (i.e. Euphrates, in the far East, cf.

Aram 237) δὺ οἱ, Gn 31% Ex 29%) Joe 24%. 140; (4) urgency being shown by a second more dis- tinguished embassy 1° while Β. is weloomed with a feast # ; (6) 572 NUMBERS with a caution ™, Balaam is first forbidden to go 13, then let ret Balaam twice (f) God speaking to him at night £12. 19f. s ( lavish sacrifices tries to win an acceptable message 23! 14, yet will only speak what God speaks to him ® or puts in his mouth 8 098. 12 l6_bring . . word 813%, God came unto B. 9.

2 Gn 203 SIM, saddled his ass Ἢ Gn 223, utmost part 3b 2016, send 57 οἱ, Jos 24%, offered 234 Gn 2213, 25'° is almost the last piece of JE in Nu, and contains both elements. J—(a) the people 1”, (Ὁ) began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab”, (c) who seduced them to worship ¢heir gods Ex 34; (d) J” isangry, and bids Moses take all the chiefs and hang them up before the sun‘, E—(a) Jsr.,(b) abode in Shittim™ Jos 91, (c) and Isr.

joined himself to the Baal of Peor; (ἃ) Moses bids the judges (cf. Ex 18) slay every one his men who had sinned δ, 25° has lost its beginning, but it is clearly Ps, and may have ascribed the temptation by Midian- itish women to Balaam (cf. 31)° P), R® seems to have preferred }° as a commencement, but the plague raging in ® does not answer either to or °, ®18 interrupts the connexion with 26! and is assigned to P, preparing the way for 31.

26 relates the second census of the people after the forty years. It is encumbered with interpola- tions in 1¥. 11. 8s. δδὺ-61. if. and can hardly be Ρε, The order of tribes follows 1” P (except Man- asseh before Ephraim, see table above), and the clans are dependent on Gn 465% P*, Moreover, the order for the division of the land is given to Moses, who was not to enter it, 27°, Dt 32, and with- out even naming the land or announcing its con- quest (contrast 33°": 3435.)

The phrase as J” com- manded Moses is also late. Thus 26 may be based on P¥ but belongs now to P. 27-4, on the case of Zelophehad’s daughters, follows on 26°, and the hraseology is of like character with 26,.—14 at Dt 32- can hardly both be original. The suggestion of Dillmann is a happy one, that the insertion of Dt in P required the announcement of the death of Moses to be placed later, and that this passage, which does not open like P*, has been inserted by an editor to fill the gap.

— is then supposed to have been orig. eee by Dt 328-2; probably an account of Loses’ death followed (cf. Nu 2u®-), 28f., a detailed list of the offerings prescribed for the full round of sacred seasons, is given to P.

Its position among other supplements and away from the calendar in Ly 23 dated forty years back, its uniform inclusion of the later elements of Ly 23 and addition of the New Moon festival, the elabora- tion of 29** on the Feast of Booths or Ingathering (observe that both names are dropped), and the phraseological indications, all converge towards the same conclusion. 30, on Vows, may rest on an older, simpler basis, but it is shown by its style to be itselt late.

It does not attach itself to Ly 27 or Nu 6. 31, on the war with Midian, comes awkwardly after the message about Moses’ death. Some ery (go to meet ¥, thy servants) suggest a ependence on J, or a borrowing of his language which is foreign to P. The ignoring of Joshua in favour of Phinehas δ, and Eleazar’s unique exercise of authority ™, point to P, and the uliar phraseology confirms this. 32!

-, on the settlement of the 24 tribes, has still stronger indications of an underlying J element; but here, too, the whole must be given to P. For the eg πες τσὶ of evidence see Oxf. Hex.—*-42, in which the conquest of Gilead, assumed in 4, is assigned to a Manassite clan, from its resem- blance to Jg 1, is given to J, cf. 21%-™, but “ is a harmonizing interruption. Cf. also Jg 10+. ~® gives an itinerary, largely based on JE (esp. J), with 40 stations in 40 years.

Its position in the book and its mixed contents ] to its NUMBERS being ascribed like 31f. to P.—%- seems derived by P from 2 sources, (1) a command, belonging to the school of P® (cf. Lv 26%. 89 20%), to drive out the Canaanites, destroy images, and possess the land δ10:δ8, 8of. ; (2) an order to divide the land by lot δ, based (in part verbally) on 26°-,—34!- describes minutely ie future boundaries of the land W.

of Jordan which Moses had never seen, but only alludes vaguely to the eastern regions he had seen.— names the tribal agents for the de- limitation. Comparison with analogous passages in P and with the account in Jos of the actual division, make it most unlikely that this can be P*, though it may be an expansion of a briefer section, ef. Jos 14%. 35 combines two orders, about 48 Levitical cities 1-8 (contrast 1850.

4, where priests and Levites have no property, only income), and about blood, re- venge 4, The latter has terms foreign to ῬῈ (e.g. high priest, holy owl -), and, after a full close 3, resumes the subject and closes with a verse 4 borrowed from an earlier source like P, ef. 19, Ly 15" 18", δ refers to the cities of refuge, and both sections are best understood as not having formed part of P%.

—36 supplements 27/4 on the rights oh heiresses, ὃ 4, AUTHORSHIP AND Dae ea in a broad sense do these questions arise. e can speak of schools of writing and periods of composition, but we cannot name an individual or dogmatize about a year. In the wider sense the results of criticism as sketched above lead to some definite conclusions. All the strata of literary deposit in the Hex. seem to be laid bare in a section taken through the Book of Numbers.

(1) If the earliest and latest elements in J were put in writing be- tween B.C. 850 and 650, as the indications suggest, then the bits of folk-song and the traditions of national life and movement which are associated with them in 20-21 must be dated amongst the oldest. The stories of Hobab (ch. 10), of the manna and quails (ch. 11), of Caleb and the spies (ch. 1372-*4), of the revolt of (Korah and) On (ch.

16), and the episode of Balaam, take a middle place, while the advanced conceptions and lofty tone of parts of chs. 11 and 14 represent the last contributions of this school. (2) Similarly, E has its archaic frag- ments of verse, from the Book of the Wars of J” or elsewhere, with brief notes of international rela- tions in chs, 20-21, its middle period producin the narratives of Caleb and the spies (ch. 13), 0 Dathan and Abiram (ch. 16) and of Balaam (ch. 22f.)

, and its latest stage illustrated by the account of the seventy elders (ch. 11), and the complaint of Aaron and Miriam (ch. 12). (3) Even D has its echo in one paragraph, 21%", (4) The four stages of priestly legislation and historio- graphy are met in turn. The peculiar notes of the w of Holiness P» are detected twice, namely, in 10 and 15°“, and suspected elsewhere. The careful codifying of priestly teaching (P*) is pre- served in 5f. 15.19.

The priestly groundwork of law and history (P£), though probably at many points displaced in favour oF an expanded version, is kept in parts of 1. 3. 9. 10, which are occupied with the census of laity and clergy in the holy congregation, the second Passover, and the first moving of the Camp from Sinai; it recounts the story of the spies (ars 13), the sacrilege of Korah and the congregation (ch. 16), and the budding of Aaron’s rod (ch. 17), provides for priests and Levites (ch.

18), and tells of the death of Aaron (ch. 20), the heroism of his grandson Phinehas (ch. 25), and the choice of Joshua (ch. 27). The remainder, occupying more than half of the whole book, though as far as possible from bein, homogeneous, must come under the one heading οἱ priestly supplements P, some of them little later NUMBERS in time than P, others among the latest additions to the Hex. Enough has been said above to enable the student to form his own conclusions about these. § 5.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE.—Again, the dis- tinction must be drawn between the direct witness to the past and the indirect evidence as to the times of the writers.

The whole book is abund- antly significant in the latter sense, JE illustrating for us how antiquity looked in the palmy days of Israel’s national greatness, and P revealing the effect of circumstances in changing the point of view, and so transforming almost beyond recogni- tion the picture of the rat But, except in places where there is independent reason to suppose that P rests on some part of JE which it has displaced, it is im ible here, any more than elsewhere, to accept its testimony as in the modern sense his- torical.

Even the earlier sources can be used onl. with discrimination as eunplying data for histori- cal conclusions. But the general facts of the delay in entering Canaan, the roundabout route, and the conquest of the Amorites, being witnessed by both lines of tradition, and agreeable to the rest of our knowledge, emerge as well established. See, further, separate arts. on MOsESs, ete. § 6. RELIGIOUS VALUE. — What has been said under this head in the arts.

on Exopus and LEVITICUS is saree applicable to the continuation of those books in Numbers. But a word may be added on that which is distinctive. (1) The fact is well brought out that a nation as well as an individual may have a moral and religious char- acter, and be bound by its acts. Proved to be unprepared for conquest and colonization, Israel is subjected to the discipline of delay. (2) The need of divine guidance is symbolized by the ad- vance of the ark (JE) or the cloud (P).

(3) Types of character are presented whose lessons teach us still: Moses with the meekness of astrong nature under restraint, Miriam with the petty jealousy which often disfigures even good women, Caleb honest and whole-hearted, Balaam weak but not worthless ; pular movements are described which have thelr modern parallels—the fickleness of the mob,—“‘ little Israelites’ to-day, Chauvinists to-morrow,—their disposition to blame anybody but themselves, the readiness of the laity to assert their rights rather than fulfil their duties,—all these are before us especially in JE.

(4) Taking the description of the camp and congregation given in P and P as an ideal picture of the past whose value is in its symbolism, even as the picture of the future in the Apocalypse is in the same way precious, there is much to be gleaned: —the order and particularity, the distribution of duties, the equalization of burdens, the provisions for unity by co-operation, the elaboration of a stately ceremonial, nothing being left to the spur of the moment, but confusion avoided by fulness of rubrical direction,—in all this there is latent a wealth of suggestion as to the nature, the worship, and the organization, not to say the financial management, of the Church of to-day.

(5) Perhaps the highest point is reached in the lofty and yet broad view of prophetic inspiration found in ΕἸ] f.: Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets ! Accordingly, it only needs that the Lord should ut His Spirit upon the modern readers of Num- να; and they will not fail to find fresh truth breaking forth out of this portion of His word. LireraTurs.—Apart from the works cited under Haxarevon and the general commentaries, there is little to refer to.

ie Bacon, Exodus, 1804, is valuable for JE; the Oxf. Hex, 1900 (ed. by J. E. Carpenter and the present writer) has been used largely, and may be consulted for fuller information ; the vol.in the Expos, Bible ia by R. A. Watson; preachers may also refer to Bp. Hall’s Contemplations ; the forthcoming vol. by G. B. Gray in the Intern, Crit. Com, has a large gap to fill, G. HARFORD-BATTERSBY. NUMENIUS (Νουμήνιος), the son of Antiochus was one of the ambassadors sent by Jonathan, about B.C.

144, to renew the treaty between the Jews and Romans. He was also charged with letters from the high priest and the Jewish people to the Spartans and others, in order to establish friendly relations with them (1 Mae 12'%), The am- bassadors were well received at Sparta (ib. 14%) and at Rome (id. 12*-), and sent back to Judea with a safe-conduct. Subsequently, about the time of the popular decree in favour of Simon (B.

c 141), Numenius was sent with another embassy to Rome, taking as a present a golden shield weigh- ing a thousand minas. The Senate passed a decree in favour of the Jews, guaranteeing them the un- disturbed possession of their country, and gave to the ambassadors letters to the neighbouring kings and independent States, informing them of the terms of this decree. The embassy returned to Jerusalem in B.C. 139 (1 Mac 15%). See art. Lucius, and cf. Schiirer, HJP I. i. 266-268. H. A. WHITE.