Numbers Outline1

D. L. Webster

Census, camping and marching instructions1:1-4:49
  • Census of the twelve tribes2
    		• 1:1-54
  • Camping instructions
    		• 2:1-34
  • Census of the Levites, Levites taken in place of the firstborn
    		• 3:1-51
  • Duties of the Levites
    		• 4:1-33
  • Kohathites
    		• 4:1-20
  • Gershonites
    		• 4:21-28
  • Merarites
    		• 4:29-33
  • Summary of the Census of the Levites
    		• 4:34-49
    Laws5:1-6:27
  • Quarantine
    		• 5:1-4
  • Restitution
    		• 5:5-10
  • Test for a suspected unfaithful wife
    		• 5:11-31
  • Nazirite vow
    		• 6:1-21
  • The Aaronic Blessing
    		• 6:22-27
    Offerings for the dedication of the altar7:1-88
  • Wagons and oxen for moving the tabernacle
    		• 7:1-9
  • List of offerings by tribe3
    		• 7:10-83
  • Summary of the offerings
    		• 7:84-88
    Instructions given by God through Moses7:89-9:14
  • Lighting of the lampstand
    		• 7:89-8:4
  • Purification of the Levites
    		• 8:5-26
  • Instructions regarding Passover
    		• 9:1-14
    Moving from Sinai to the edge of Canaan49:15-14:45
  • God leads by means of the cloud over the tabernacle
    		• 9:15-23
  • Bugles/Trumpets used to give signals
    		• 10:1-10
  • Beginning to move
    		• 10:11-36
  • Taberah: Fire of God's anger due to Israel's grumbling
    		• 11:1-3
  • Kibroth Hattaavah: Quail and a plague when Israelites complain about not having meat
    		• 11:4-34
  • Hazeroth: Miriam and Aaron jealous of Moses
    		• 11:35-12:16
  • Wilderness of Paran: failure to take Canaan
    		• 13:1-14:45
  • Spies sent to scout out Canaan
    		• 13:1-25
  • Spies' return and report
    		• 13:26-33
  • Israelites lack of faith, near revolt
    		• 14:1-10a
  • God appears, pronounces punishment
    		• 14:10b-38
  • Israelites rebel again, attempt to take Canaan
    		• 14:39-45
    Laws15:1-41
  • Offerings
    		• 15:1-31
  • Account of punishment for violating the Sabbath
    		• 15:32-36
  • Tassels
    		• 15:37-41
    Resistance against Moses and Aaron16:1-18:7
  • Korah's rebellion
    		• 16:1-40
  • Israelites grumble, struck with a plague
    		• 16:41-50
  • Aaron's staff buds as a sign
    		• 17:1-11
  • People afraid, God gives instructions
    		• 17:12-18:7
    Laws18:8-19:22
  • Portions for the priests and Levites
    		• 18:8-32
  • Water of Cleansing, red heifer (cow)
    		• 19:1-22
    Moving from Kadesh and beginning conquest of Canaan20:1-25:18
  • Kadesh: Waters of Meribah, Moses doesn't follow God's command
    		• 20:1-13
  • Edom refuses Israelites passage5
    		• 20:14-21
  • Mount Hor: Aaron dies
    		• 20:22-29
  • Hormah: King Arad attacks
    		• 21:1-3
  • On the road around Edom: poisonous snakes
    		• 21:4-9
  • Traveling
    		• 21:10-20
  • Defeat of the Amorites and Og, king of Bashan
    		• 21:21-35
  • Balaam sent to curse Israel, blesses them instead
    		• 22:1-24:25
  • Shittim: Moabites and Midianites entice Israelites into worship of Baal Peor
    		• 25:1-18
    Census and inheritance26:1-27:11
  • Census of the twelve tribes2
    		• 26:1-51
  • Inheritance instructions
    		• 26:52-56
  • Census of the Levites
    		• 26:57-62
  • Summary
    		• 26:63-65
  • Instructions for inheritance when no son
    		• 27:1-11
    Joshua to succeed Moses as leader27:12-23
    Laws28:1-30:16
  • Offerings
    		• 28:1-29:40
  • Two daily offerings
    		• 28:1-8
  • Sabbath
    		• 28:9-10
  • First of the month
    		• 28:11-15
  • Passover
    		• 28:16-25
  • Feast of Firstfruits/Weeks/Harvest
    		• 28:26-31
  • Feast of Trumpets
    		• 29:1-6
  • Day of Atonement
    		• 29:7-11
  • Feast of Tabernacles/Booths/Ingathering
    		• 29:12-40
  • Vows of women
    		• 30:1-16
    Vengeance on the Midianites31:1-54
    Gad, Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh get inheritance land east of the Jordan32:1-42
    Travel log from Egypt to the Plains of Moab33:1-49
    Instructions for the land of Canaan33:50-36:13
  • Drive out the previous inhabitants and destroy their idolatry
    		• 33:50-56
  • Borders of the land
    		• 34:1-15
  • People in charge of dividing up the land
    		• 34:16-29
  • Cities for the Levites
    		• 35:1-8
  • Cities of refuge and who can seek asylum
    		• 35:9-34
  • Inheritance land to stay within a tribe
    		• 36:1-13
    Notes:
    1 The book of Numbers is called "In the Wilderness" by Jews.
    2 The twelve tribes of Israel don't exactly match the twelve sons of Jacob. Levi is not counted as one of the twelve, due to being set apart by God. Joesph's two sons who were adopted by Jacob, Ephraim and Manasseh, are counted in his place.
    3 Each tribe brought the exact same offering, so this list reads rather redundantly.
    4 The events recorded in Exodus, Leviticus, and up to this point in Numbers apparently take place in the first twenty months after the exodus from Egypt.
    5 The timing of the events recorded in Number 15:1-20:13 is uncertain. The events recorded from this point (20:14) forward apparently take place in the final year before entering the promised land. The travel log in chapter 33 would suggest that Israel camped at Kadesh for the intervening thirty-seven years.