Table of Contents
Series Foreword xi
Introduction 1
A Journey from One Land to the Next 2
A Journey from One Temple to the Next 3
A Journey from One World to the Next 4
At Sinai, Preparation for the Journey (Leviticus 1:1-27:34; Numbers 1:1-10:10)
General Instructions "on Mount Sinai": Leviticus 1:1-27:34 11
Instructions on Sacrifice: Leviticus 1:1-7:38 14
For All the People (1:1-6:7; 7:22-36) 14
Three Voluntary Offerings (1:1-3:17) 14
Burnt Offerings (1:1-17) 14
Grain Offerings (2:1-16) 17
Offerings of Well-Being (3:1-17) 19
Two Atoning Offerings (4:1-6:7) 21
Purification and Reparation Offerings (4:1-6:7) 21
Additional Instructions (7:22-38) 24
Prohibition of Fat and Blood (7:22-27) 25
Portions for Priests (7:28-36) 25
For the Priests Only, Five Offerings (6:8-7:21, 37-38) 27
Concluding Observations on the Manual of Sacrifice 29
Inauguration of Israel's Worship: Leviticus 8:1-10:20 31
The Ordination of the Priests (8:1-36) 32
The Beginning of Tabernacle Service (9:1-7, 22-24) 35
Tabernacle Service Goes Awry(10:1-20) 36
Instructions on Clean/Unclean: Leviticus 11:1-15:33 39
Foods (11:1-47) 40
Childbirth (12:1-8) 43
Skin and Fungus Diseases (13:1-14:57) 45
Genital Discharges (15:1-33) 50
Distinguishing Clean from Unclean: Summary Comments 52
Inauguration of the Day of Atonement: Leviticus 16:1-34 54
Once a Year 55
Some Particulars 56
Centrality for Judaism and Christianity 57
Instructions on Holiness: Leviticus 17:1-27:34 59
Holiness Regarding Animals (17:1-16) 61
Holiness in Sexual Relations (18:1-30) 64
Holiness in All of Life (19:1-37) 70
Penalties for Violation of Holiness (20:1-27) 76
Holiness of Priests (21:1-24) 80
Holiness of Offerings (22:1-33) 83
Holiness of Festivals (23:1-44) 86
Introduction 86
The Sabbath (23:1-3) 87
Spring Festivals (23:4-22) 88
Fall Festivals (23:23-44) 91
Holiness of Lamp and Bread (24:1-9) 94
Punishment for Blasphemy (24:10-23) 95
Holiness of Land (25:1-55) 99
Introduction 99
The Sabbatical Year (25:1-7) 99
The Year of Jubilee (25:8-55) 101
Closing Rewards and Punishments (26:1-46) 104
Final Instructions regarding Redemption (27:1-34) 107
Instructions for the March "in the Wilderness": Numbers 1:1-10:10 109
Taking the First Census: Numbers 1:1-54 111
The Scandal of Particularity 112
The Cost of Census 112
The Cost of the Battle Ahead 113
Instructions for Camp and March: Numbers 2:1-34 114
God's People at Rest 114
God's People on the Move 115
Enrollment of the Levites: Numbers 3:1-4:49 116
Priorities for the March 117
Memorial of the Exodus 117
Accommodation by God 118
Further Instructions #1: Numbers 5:1-6:27 119
On Unclean Persons (5:1-4) 119
On Confession and Restitution (5:5-10) 120
On a Jealous Spouse (5:11-31) 121
On Nazirites (6:1-21) 124
Regarding Benediction (6:22-27) 125
Final Preparations: Numbers 7:1-10:10 127
Presentation of Offerings (7:1-89) 127
Setting Up Lamps (8:1-4) 129
Consecration of Levites (8:5-26) 130
Observation of Passover (9:1-14) 131
Appearance of Cloud and Fire (9:15-23) 133
Making Trumpets (10:1-10) 134
In the Wilderness, the Journey of God's People (Numbers 10:11-21:9)
The People Start to March: Numbers 10:11-36 139
This Is the Day the Lord Has Made 139
Let Us Rejoice and Be Glad in It 140
Who Wouldn't Want to Be a Member? 140
The People Start to Complain: Numbers 11:1-12:16 143
At Taberah, the People (11:1-3) 144
At Kibroth-hattaavah, the People and Moses (11:4-35) 147
At Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron (12:1-16) 151
The People Attempt an Invasion: Numbers 13:1-14:45 155
A Foretaste of the Future (13:1-24) 155
Thanks, but No Thanks (13:25-14:12) 158
A Prophet Stands (or Falls) in the Breach (14:5-19) 160
God's Gracious Discipline Continues (14:20-38) 163
A False Show of Piety (14:39-45) 165
Further Instructions #2: Numbers 15:1-41 168
To Follow Thee More Nearly 169
Missing the Forest for the Trees 170
The Thread of Gospel Woven In 171
The People Rebel, Threats from Within: Numbers 16:1-17:13 172
A Threefold Rebellion 175
A Threefold Response 177
From Bad to Worse 177
Signs of Hope in the Midst of Chaos 178
Attacks from Without or Within 179
Further Instructions #3: Numbers 18:1-19:22 181
Proper Relations with the Priests and Levites (18:1-32) 181
Proper Procedures with the Dead (19:1-22) 183
Further Rebellions, Defeats, Victories: Numbers 20:1-21:35 186
Rebellion at Meribah (20:1-13) 187
Edom's Refusal (20:14-21) 191
The Death of Aaron (20:22-29) 192
Victory over Arad and Kings Sihon and Og (21:1-3, 10-35) 194
The Fiery Serpents (21:4-9) 197
At Camp in Moab, Preparation for the Conquest (Numbers 22:1-36:13)
Enemies Attack, Threats from Without: Numbers 22:1-24:25 203
Balak Summons Balaam to Curse Israel (22:1-6) 205
First Refusal (22:7-14) 208
Regroup, Reload, Return (22:15-21) 209
An Interlude: The Story of Balaam's Ass (22:22-35) 210
The Main Act 216
Prologue (22:36-40) 216
Act 1 (22:41-23:12) 217
Act 2 (23:13-26) 219
Act 3 (23:27-24:14) 220
Another for the Road (24:15-24) 222
Some Conclusions 224
The People Rebel, Threat of Assimilation: Numbers 25:1-18 227
Atonement Must Be Made 229
Another Generation Must Be Raised 230
Some Space Must Be Cleared 230
Taking a New Census: Numbers 26:1-65 232
The Lord Knows People by Name 233
The Lord Keeps Promises 233
New Life and New Hope 233
Last-Minute Instructions: Numbers 27:1-30:16; 36:1-13 235
Daughters of Zelophehad (27:1-11; 36:1-13) 235
Appointment of Joshua (27:12-23) 238
Regarding Offerings (28:1-29:40) 241
Regarding Vows (30:1-16) 244
Final Victory in the Wilderness: Numbers 31:1-54 247
War as Vengeance 249
War as Worship 251
War as Threat 252
Instructions for the Conquest: Numbers 32:1-35:34 255
Regarding Transjordan (32:1-42) 255
Reviewing the Journey (33:1-49) 259
Regarding Conquest (33:50-56) 262
Regarding Boundaries (34:1-35:34) 266
Epilogue 273
In the Camp 273
On the Road 275
In the Land 276
Bibliography 281