Numbers, Book of, is the fourth book of the Bible. Its title comes from ancient Greek and Latin versions of the Bible. It reflects parts of the book that describe the numbering (census) of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The Hebrew title In the Wilderness is perhaps more accurate because the book tells about the Israelites during their traditional 40 years of wandering in the wilderness after their departure from Egypt.
The Book of Numbers begins at Mount Sinai with God ordering the Israelite leader Moses to take a census of the Israelites. The book ends with the Israelites camped on the plains of Moab, an area east of the Jordan River, just before entering Canaan. The book highlights the personal virtue of Moses as the leader of the difficult and rebellious Israelites. An assortment of religious material is interwoven with the main story. This material includes stories that describe the priestly role of the Levites, one of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Other passages give procedures for such religious rituals as purification rites and sacrificial offerings to God.
