Numbers 1-20

Numbers, the third book of Moses, fourth overall in the New Testament, takes its name from the fact that God asks Moses to conduct an census of all the Hebrews he's led out of Egypt.  Each of the twelve tribes of Israel (descendants of Jacob's twelve sons, in other words) are counted.  For the record, Judah's family was the most productive in the fruitful-and-multiplying business, with Dan coming in second.  Joseph's was a comfortable middle-of-the-pack performer.  Levi's brood is not counted, though, since the Levites are quickly tapped as the keepers of the first temple, God's switch in exchange for the strict tithing of all first-borns he'd previously called dibs on.

I'd just like to say it's amazing what a little time will do.  Sure, the twelve tribes had a significant role in Jewish history, but in Genesis you'd hardly know that any of the brothers besides Joseph would have had a positive role to play at all.  They sold him to Egypt, after all, and tried to convince their father that he was dead.

Then again, the Hebrews after Egypt were not exactly ones to appease God or refrain from grumbling.

Speaking of the temple keepers, they seem to have been presaging Samson in God's edict that they not cut their hair.  He'd already requested his people not round their beards or trim their sideburns, but this is going a step further.  It didn't give the Levites superpowers, and they were allowed to shorn themselves without consequence eventually, but the idea that those closest to God were also the hairiest clearly was one that had some legs to it.

A lot of Numbers also reiterates things previously experienced in the other books, which can sometimes be a little confusing.  Either that or some of the same grumbling and near-smiting occur again.  There's a new one with a fire that consumes property until Moses prayed, but there's also the return of quail, or perhaps its debut.  There are also many cultural rules outlined.

The best numbers in Numbers, weirdly enough, read like a preview of the later Twelve Days of Christmas, twelve days in which gifts are presented to bless the budding temple.

Some additional early prophesying occurs with the otherwise obscure figures of Eldad and Medad, which leads to more grumbling and eventually the premature death of Miriam, the wife of Aaron, who is exiled for a week by way of penance for her role in this latest round of discontent.  Aaron himself does not so long after.

Somewhat related, but God officially declares that Moses and all his generation will not see the promised land for themselves because of their continued wickedness (Moses not so much because of his wickedness, but because he couldn't possibly live long enough to usher the next generation; he remains a humble and awesome dude).  God appoints Joshua and the less famous Caleb as the succeeding stewards.

God swallows up a couple of negative nellies into the ground, straight to Sheol (Hell) to prove he still has a few tricks up his sleeve, and fear tactics remain one of his favorite past-times.  It doesn't quite stick, however, and so he unleashes a massive plague on his people.

The Nephilim are mentioned again, but are still not actually explained.

Numbers continues.