Numbers: Why is it so similar to Exodus?

Numbers Chapter 8-12

The book of Numbers bears an uncanny resemblance to Exodus. In Exodus, the Israelites travel from Egypt into the wilderness. In Numbers, they travel from Mount Sinai into the wilderness. In both Exodus and Numbers:

• They celebrate Passover.

• God travels ahead of them, leading the way. He looks like a cloud in the daytime, and like fire at night.

• Trumpets sounds play a significant role in declaring God’s presence.

• People complain about not having food, and God provides manna and quail.

• Moses’ father-in-law shows up.

• God provides water from a rock.

There are probably many similarities I haven’t noticed yet. What is the purpose of this? Maybe the act of comparing Exodus and Numbers helps us learn something important.

For example, in Exodus, the Israelites complain about not having food, and God provides manna and quail. God continues to provide manna six days a week, but not quail.

In Numbers, the Israelites complain because they are tired of eating manna. Just like in Exodus, they long for the days of eating meat in Egypt. God reacts differently this time. He causes a wind to blow, which brings quail from the sea. The quail fall from the sky into the Israelite camp, and cover the land three feet deep, a day’s walk in every direction. Then, as the Israelites are about to eat the meat, God causes a plague to fall on them, and many die.

These stories only make sense if you compare them. God provides for people in need, but not for people who are ungrateful. He punishes people who take his gifts for granted and always want more.

The nature of the punishment drives the point home. By providing more quail than any nation could want, God shows he can provide for anyone who asks. In Exodus, God instructs the Israelites to only gather what they need for one day, because more will come tomorrow. In Numbers, every Israelite gathers ten homers of quail. By one estimate, that’s 1,900 birds per person. Much more than anyone could eat in a day. God is angry at their arrogance, first for not appreciating the manna, and again for being greedy for quail. So God brings a plague on them.

Moses

Another commonality between Exodus and Numbers is Moses’ leadership qualities. In Exodus, Moses’ father-in-law advises him to delegate responsibility. Moses follows the advice and appoints trustworthy people to serve as judges.

In Numbers, Moses complains about the responsibility he carries. He says, “I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.” So, God took the Spirit that was on Moses, and placed it on 70 more elders. When two extra elders received the spirit, some people become upset. But Moses wishes the entire camp could have the spirit of God in them. Moses in not interested in hoarding power.

The next story makes the same point. Aaron and Miriam (who we first meet in Exodus) speak against Moses in private. They don’t like Moses’ Cushite wife. “Cushite” probably means African, so they are being racist. Aaron and Miriam want more power for themselves.

God hears their words, so he punishes them. He says he speaks to prophets in visions and dreams, but he speaks to Moses face to face. Moses is a prophet above prophets. (In Exodus, Miriam is introduced as a prophetess). God punishes Miriam by giving her a skin disease. She becomes ritually unclean and has to live outside the camp for seven days.

This story could be about God supporting a tyrannical Moses. However, the details show Moses is the opposite of a tyrant. At the beginning of the story, the author seems to address to the reader, saying Moses was “more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.” Then, when Miriam falls ill, Moses prays for God to heal her. Paired with the previous story in which Moses was happy that more elders received the Spirit of God, we get a picture of a reluctant but capable leader. Someone who doesn’t want power, but serves the community well.

What’s in the middle of the sandwich?

It is interesting to compare and contrast Exodus and Numbers. The similarities and differences allow us to see a fuller truth. In Hebrew literature, when you notice two similar stories, with a different story in between, there is something to ponder. If Exodus and Numbers are the bread, that means Leviticus is the meat. Plus, Leviticus is in the centre of the Torah, which is the first five books of the Bible. Does this mean that Leviticus is of central importance?

I think this confirms my theory that Leviticus is one key to understanding the whole Bible. It is difficult, but if you work to understand Leviticus, you unlock more meaning from the rest of the story.