Numbers questions ch.1-12*

Israel’s Camp around the Tent of Meeting

Numbers 1:1-6:27

Key Verse – Numbers 2:2

1.      [1:1-54] When and where did God tell Moses to conduct a census of the Israelite people (1:1)? Who were to be counted and why (1:2-3, 45)? Who were not to be counted (1:57-49)? Why (1:50-54)?

2.      [2:1-3:10] How and where was each tribe to camp (2:1-2, 3-34)? Who were Aaron’s and Moses’ families when God spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai (3:1-3)? What were they to do (3:9-10, 38)?

3.      [3:11-51] Why did God take the Levites from among Israel (3:11-13, 44-45)? How many fewer Levites were there, compared with the total number of Israel’s firstborns (3:39-45)? What did God tell them to do regarding the firstborn Israelites who exceeded the number of Levites (3:46-51)? Note the sons of Levi and the census of their children (3:17; 4:1-3, 23, 30, 49).

4.      [5:1-6:27] Who were to be sent outside of the camp (5:1-2)? Why (5:3)? If a man or woman wronged another, how were they to make restitution (7)? How was a wife’s chastity to be tested and proven (5:11-31)?

5.      [6:1-21] If someone made a Nazirite vow, what must he or she do during and after the period specified in the vow (6:1-21)? How were Aaron and his sons to bless the Israelites (6:22-27)?

6.      Discuss why God commanded Israel to set up her camp around the tent of meeting in the manner described in this passage.

The pillar of cloud above the tabernacle

Numbers 7-10
Key verses - 9:15-18

1.                  [7:1-8:4] What did Moses do when he finished setting up the tabernacle (7:1)? What gifts did the Israelite leaders bring to God at that time (2-3)? What were these gifts used for (4-9)? What offerings did these leaders bring for the tabernacle’s dedication and how did they present them before the altar of the Lord (10-88)? Why (11)? What else did Aaron set up and how did he do so (8:1-4)?

2.                  [8:5-26] How were the Levites purified (5-8)? Following their purification, how were they presented to God (9-14)? Why (15-19)? How did the Levites come to serve at the tabernacle and for how long (20-26)?

3.                  [9:1-14] When, where, and how did the Israelites celebrate the Passover (1-5)? What problem came about and how was this issue resolved (6-14)? What was the significance of their celebration of the Passover (cf. Exodus 12:14,17)?

4.                  [9:15-10:10] What happened once the tabernacle was set up (15-16; cf. Exodus 25:8; 40:34)? How did God command the Israelites to set out or encamp, and how did the Israelites obey (17-23)? For what did God tell Moses to use the silver trumpets and how were they to be used (10:1-10)?

5.                  [10:11-36] When did the Israelites set out and where were they headed (11-13)? In what order were Israel’s divisions to march (14-28; cf. Ch. 2)? Who accompanied them on their journey and why (29-32)? How long did Israel have to travel and how did God lead them (33-34)? What did Moses say whenever the ark set out or came to rest (35-36)? Why?

6.                  Overall, how did God prepare the Israelites and lead them while they were in the desert? 

I wish…

Numbers 10:11-12:16

Key Verse - 11:29 “But Moses replied, "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD's people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!"”

1.      [10:11-36] When did Israel set out from Mount Horeb (11-12)? What was the significance of this (13)? Find the order of their march (14-28). What did Moses offer to Hobab and why (29, 31-32)? What did Hobab decide to do (30,33a)? During Israel’s three-day journey, how did the tabernacle and the cloud of the Lord’s presence led them (33-34)? What did Moses say whenever the ark set out (35-36)? Discuss which of his hopes was depicted in this.

2.      [11:1-3] About what did the Israelite people complain (11:1a; Deuteronomy 9:22)? What happened then (1b)? How did the fire die down (2)?

3.      [11:4-15] What did the rebelling rabble and the other Israelites complain about (11:4, 10)? Why (5-9)? When the Lord was exceedingly angry with Israel, what did Moses ask Him (11-15)?

4.      [11:16-23] What did God tell Moses to do (16-20)? What was Moses’ question concerning His offer (21-22)? What was God’s answer (23)?

5.      [24-30] When Israel’s leaders were brought before the tent, what did the Lord do (25)? What happened to the two men who remained in the camp (26, 27)? What was Moses’ wish regarding this (27-30)?

6.      [31-35] As the elders returned to the camp, what happened (31)? What did the Israelites do with the quail (32)? In anger, what did the Lord do (33)? What was the result (34)? What does this tell us about Israel?

7.      [12:1- 16] Who began to talk against Moses and why (1-3)? Where, when, and about what did God speak to these two people (4-8)? After the Lord spoke to them, what happened to Miriam and Aaron (9-10)? How did Aaron plead (11-12)? As Moses cried out on Miriam’s behalf, how did God answer him (14-15)?