Numbers 1-19

"Michael Morales has marshaled a breathtaking spectrum of Jewish, Christian, and critical perspectives unprecedented in commentary to Numbers - or to any book of the Hebrew Bible. His attention to the ways structure, themes and vocabulary create a unified whole within chapters and across the book makes this an indispensable resource." -- Joshua Berman, Bar-Ilan University, author of Inconsistency in the Torah: Ancient Literary Convention and the Limits of Source Criticism "With close attention to the text, and deeply informed by classical and modern sources, Michael Morales offers a theologically rich and informative reading of Numbers. By highlighting the importance of Israel's Camp he demonstrates the literary integrity of the book. Far from Numbers being the junk room of the priestly material, he demonstrates that it is a coherent work. This substantial commentary will therefore be a key point of reference for all future work on Numbers." -- David G. Firth, Trinity College Bristol "Michael Morales's work on Numbers is a breathtaking achievement. It is a rare thing for a work of this scale (or any scale) to marry depth of scholarship, breadth of reading, clarity of expression and an evident commitment to the gospel of Christ, but this book has it all. It's worth having for the introduction alone, which brilliantly outlines a theological approach to Numbers that is both dramatically fresh and yet historically rooted, particularly in the rich Jewish tradition of reading the book as a keystone of the Pentateuch. Morales's careful and thoughtful exegesis is married with a profound commitment to biblical theology. Judicious insights and stimulating suggestions are presented with a beautiful lightness of touch. This deserves to be the standard evangelical work on Numbers for many years to come, and will repay careful study by pastors, scholars and students alike." -- J. Gary Millar, Principal, Queensland Theological College, Brisbane, Australia "Page-turner and game-changer! I never expected to say that of a book about Numbers. Michael Morales's commentary on Numbers changes everything. No commentary or study opens up Numbers more richly than these two volumes - from the census of the first generation to the second ruling about the inheritance of the daughters of Zelophehad. Every page of Morales's interpretation leads me to re-study Numbers as though I have never read it before. The exciting engagement with rich Judaic interpretative traditions sets every part of Numbers within the entire book and the entire Torah as well as within all of the Christian Scriptures. Pastors, students and scholars will want to set aside the latest paperback in order to take to the beach or to the park Morales's page-turner of a commentary and find out what's next. Morales invites all of us back into the wilderness sojourn of Numbers as though for the very first time." -- Gary Edward Schnittjer, Distinguished Professor of Old Testament, Cairn University, Philadelphia, and author of the award-winning Old Testament Use of Old Testament: A Book-by-Book Guide

L Michael Morales (Author) Michael Morales is professor of biblical studies at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Taylors, South Carolina. Previously he was provost and professor of Old Testament at Reformation Bible College in Sanford, Florida. He is the author of Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord? (NSBT 37) and The Tabernacle Pre-Figured: Cosmic Mountain Ideology in Genesis and Exodus.

Illustrations ix Editors' preface xi Author's preface xiii Abbreviations xv Introduction 1 1. The 'soul' of Numbers: leadership of the covenant community 3 1.1. The consecration of the Dwelling in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers 4 1.2. Leviticus and Numbers in relation to the ending of Exodus 6 1.3. Numbers 9:15-23 as reversal of Exodus 33 8 1.4. Numbers and Deuteronomy 9 2. The story of Numbers: the Camp of Israel 12 2.1. The Camp of Israel is created within the context of the Sinai revelation 14 2.2. The Camp of Israel as the culmination of the Sinai covenant 15 2.3. The Camp of Israel is the paradigm for the ideal of covenant community 19 2.4. The breastplate of the high priest 21 2.5. The Camp of Israel and the signs of the zodiac 22 2.6. The Camp of Israel as YHWH's earthly hosts 25 2.7. Traditional Jewish interpretation of the Camp of Israel 27 2.8. Ezekiel's vision of the throne-chariot and Israel's Camp 30 2.9. Cherubim in the wilderness 34 2.10. The divine appellation yhwh seba'ot yoseb hakkerubim and Israel's Camp 37 2.11. The Sinai theophany and Israel's Camp 38 2.12. The throne-chariot in the book of Revelation and Israel's Camp 40 2.13. Conclusion: Balaam's vision of the Camp of Israel 41 3. The sojourn of Israel's Camp (Num. 11 - 25) 42 4. The spiritual nature of Israel's Camp: purity laws (Num. 5 - 6) 46 4.1. The purity laws and the structure of Israel's Camp 48 4.2. The purity laws as paradigmatic for the life of Israel's Camp 53 4.3. The purity laws and Israel's wilderness sojourn 58 5. The structure of Numbers 61 5.1. A threefold literary structure of Numbers 61 5.2. A twofold division 67 6. The composition of Numbers 68 6.1. Is the book of Numbers a unity? 68 6.2. Who composed the book of Numbers? 69 7. The text of Numbers 73 Text and commentary 75