Name. It is named from the two enumerations of the people, at Sinai, Ch. 1. and at Moab, Ch. 26.
Connection with Former Books. Genesis tells of Creation, Exodus of redemption, Leviticus of worship and fellowship, and Numbers of service and work. In Leviticus Israel is assigned a lesson and in Numbers she is getting that lesson. In this book as in Exodus and Leviticus Moses is the central figure.
Central Thought. Service which involves journeying, which in turn implies walk as a secondary thought. All the types of the books bear upon this two-fold idea of service and walk.
Key-Phrase. "All that are able to go forth to war" occurs fourteen times in the first chapter. There was fighting ahead and all who could fight must muster in.
The History Covered is a period of a little more than thirty-eight years (Num. 1:1; Deut. 1:3) and is a record (1) of how Israel marched to the border of Canaan, (2) wandered thirty-eight years in the wilderness while the old nation died and a new nation was trained in obedience to God, (3) then returned to the border of the promised land.
Analysis.
I. The Preparation at Sinai, 1:1-10:10.
1. The number and arrangement of the tribes, Chs. 1-2.
2. The choice and assignment of the Levites, Chs. 3-4.
3. Laws for the purity of the camp, Chs. 5-6.
4. Laws concerning the offerings for worship, Chs. 7-8.
5. Laws concerning the passover and cloud, 9:1-14.
6. Signals for marching and assembling 9:15-10:10.
II. The Journey to Moab, 10:11-22:1.
1. From Sinai to Kadesh, 10:11-14 end.
2. From Kadesh to Kadesh (the wilderness wanderings), 19:1-20:21.
3. From Kadesh to Moab, 20:22-22:1.
III. The Sojourn at Moab, 22:2-36 end.