<P> The Book of Numbers (from Greek Ἀριθμοί, Arithmoi; Hebrew: בְּמִדְבַּר ‬, Bəmiḏbar, "In the desert (of)") is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible, and the fourth of five books of the Jewish Torah . The book has a long and complex history, but its final form is probably due to a Priestly redaction (i.e., editing) of a Yahwistic source made some time in the early Persian period (5th century BCE). The name of the book comes from the two censuses taken of the Israelites . </P> <P> Numbers begins at Mount Sinai, where the Israelites have received their laws and covenant from God and God has taken up residence among them in the sanctuary . The task before them is to take possession of the Promised Land . The people are counted and preparations are made for resuming their march . The Israelites begin the journey, but they "murmur" at the hardships along the way, and about the authority of Moses and Aaron . For these acts, God destroys approximately 15,000 of them through various means . They arrive at the borders of Canaan and send spies into the land . Upon hearing the spies' fearful report concerning the conditions in Canaan, the Israelites refuse to take possession of it . God condemns them to death in the wilderness until a new generation can grow up and carry out the task . The book ends with the new generation of Israelites in the Plain of Moab ready for the crossing of the Jordan River . </P> <P> Numbers is the culmination of the story of Israel's exodus from oppression in Egypt and their journey to take possession of the land God promised their fathers . As such it draws to a conclusion the themes introduced in Genesis and played out in Exodus and Leviticus: God has promised the Israelites that they shall become a great (i.e. numerous) nation, that they will have a special relationship with Yahweh their god, and that they shall take possession of the land of Canaan . Numbers also demonstrates the importance of holiness, faithfulness and trust: despite God's presence and his priests, Israel lacks faith and the possession of the land is left to a new generation . </P> <P> Most commentators divide Numbers into three sections based on locale (Mount Sinai, Kadesh - Barnea and the plains of Moab), linked by two travel sections; an alternative is to see it as structured around the two generations of those condemned to die in the wilderness and the new generation who will enter Canaan, making a theological distinction between the disobedience of the first generation and the obedience of the second . </P>

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