Day 61: Second Numbering of Israel

Ironically, as I read today about the Israelites poised on the border marked by the river Jordan, the news is full of refugees on the border between Libya and Tunisia.

After the failure of the Israelites’ nerve, when they stood on the edge of the Promised Land and drew back, God promised that none of that generation would enter the land. Well, now there’s another census, and forty years have passed. A new generation are about to have a go, and on the threshold of a new chapter, there is a lengthy pause for breath. And I do mean lengthy. I’ve just leafed forward through the Cover to Cover book, and discovered there’s another 15 days before I’ll be reading about their entry into the land itself.

Balaam’s prophecies

Numbers 24:15-25

The Israelites enticed

Numbers 25:1-5

Zimri & Cozbi put to death

Numbers 25:6-15

The Midianites to be punished

Numbers 25:16-18

Second numbering of Israel

Numbers 26:1-51

Division of the land

Numbers 26:52-56

Number of Levites

Numbers 27:57-58, 62

None remaining of the first numbering

Numbers 26:63-65

The inheritance law

Numbers 27:1-11

First, there’s some more prophecies from Balaam, foretelling success for the Israelites and doom for their neighbours. That must have cheered the Israelites up. For the first time in ages, they’ll be happy campers. But first, there is another lapse, another fall from grace, as they are enticed to sleep with Moabite women and worship their gods. God sends a plague and 24,000 people die. What a disaster.

The second census takes place, and the numbers come out pretty similar to the first, 40 years previously. There are about 600,000 Israelite men aged over 20. Of that number, a mere handful remained of those present at the previous counting.

Moses now has the job of preparing these people carefully to go in and possess the land that God has promised them.