Raymond Brown. The Message of Numbers: Journey to the Promised Land, Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2002
...which goes back to the early Christian centuries when the Greek translation of the Old Testament (the Septuagint) entitled the book Arithmoi. When Jerome later prepared his influential Latin translation, the Vulgate, he called it Numeir, a title passed on to later versions.
In biblical times, the Israelite people provided two better titles, both drawn from the book's opening verse. Some called it 'in the wilderness', the fifth word of 1:1, describing its historical context. Others preferred a title focusing on its theological contents, from the book's opening word(1:1), 'and he[the Lord' spoke'. What the Lord said to his people and did for them in the wilderness forms the main substance of the book. (16)
Numbers 15 - The central message of this new chapter is that, despite their disobedience and rebellion, a patient and merciful God was speaking again to people. He kept lines of communication open as he talked to them about undeserved grace (1-2), sacrificial worship (3-21), promised forgiveness(22-29) and necessary obedience(30-40).
Numbers 20 - First, they disobeyed God's command... Secondly, they misused God's gifts... A visible display of his astonishing mercy was spoilt by the angry rebuke of a self-willed speaker. When God generously endows his servants with the gifts they need, they must not be used for personal satisfaction or for human applause. Thirdly, they obscured God's glory. The Lord's accusation was brief but direct: 'you did not trust in me enough to honour me as holy in the sight of the Israelites'... The people's thirst was quenched, but the Lord was robbed of an opportunity for his name to be exalted as a holy, merciful and generous God. Finally, they hindered God's people. The huge multitude had not deserved the divine compassion, but the Lord was eager to reveal it... The leaders drawn attention to themselves rather than to the Lord... The people were robbed of an opportunity for adoration and praise... At Kadesh that day, he had no lessons to share except a tragically negative one: those who refuse to do what God says receive less than he wants to give. (178-180)
Numbers 25 - Balaam probably told the Moabites that, 'though he could not curse the Israelites, he knew a way whereby the Israelites would curse themselves'.(226) 31:8,16 ...Participation in the Moabite food festival meant sharing in the veneration of their gods. Tragedy followed as these compliant Israelite men joined in worshipping the Baal of Peor... Anything is an idol if it comes between us and God. 1 Corinthians 6, 10
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