Numbers—Hard Questions

1. Why are varying minimum and maximum ages given for Levitical service (Num. 4:3, 8:24; cf. I Chron. 23:3, 24; Ezra 3:8)?

2. How trustworthy are the statistical numbers? Could so many people really have survived in the wilderness and crossed the Sea of Reeds so quickly (Num. 1-4, 26; cf. Ex. 14:21-24)?

3. Why does God punish the Israelites for eating the quail He provided? Why do their complaints warrant this punishment now even though similar complaints they year before were not punished (Num. 11:31-44; cf. Ex. 16:11-18)?

4. If Moses is as humble as Num. 12:3 states, would he have written such a statement about himself? Does this verse suggest that Moses may not be the author of Numbers?

5. When the twelve spies were sent out, did they leave from Paran or from Kadesh Barnea (Num. 13:3; cf. Num. 20:1)?

6. If Moses didn’t change Hoshea’s name to Joshua until Numbers 13:16, why is he referred to as Joshua in Ex. 17:9 and Ex. 24:13?

7. If Canaan was a fertile land flowing with milk and honey, why would the spies describe it as a land that devours its inhabitants (Num. 3:32; cf. Num. 13:27)?

8. Are children responsible for the sins of their parents (Num. 14:18)?

9. Since Numbers says that nearly the whole adult generation died during Israel’s wanderings, why don’t we find archaeological evidence of their graves in the region (Num. 14:34-35)?

10. Did they Israelites pass “through Edom” or “beyond” Edom (Num. 20:14-21; cf. Deut. 2:4-7, 8)?

11. With an army of 601,730 men, why would Israel have allowed Edom to turn them back (Num. 20:14-21, cf. Num. 26)?

12. Does the phrase, “Gathered to his people” refer to burial rituals or to belief in the afterlife (Num. 20:24)?

13. Did Aaron’s death occur on Mount Hor or at Moserah? Why don’t these passages agree (Num. 20:28; 33:38-39; cf. Deut. 10:6)?

14. If God gave Balaam permission to go down to Moab, why did He get angry when Balaam went (Num. 22:20-22)?

15. Does Num. 23:19 imply that God does not change His mind? What about passages that tell of God “repenting”, “relenting” and not carrying out the judgement that He had threatened (cf. Ex. 32:14; I Sam. 15:11; Jer 26:3; etc)?

16. Why is the name Agog mentioned in Num. 24:7 when I Sam 15:8 says that Agog was alive during the time of King Saul?

17. When Phinehas kills Zimri and Cozbi, why are his actions praised? Does this passage allow for exercising vigilante justice (Num. 25:7-13)?

18. Did 23,000 or 24,000 people die in the plague of Baal-peor (Num. 25:9; cf. I Cor 10:8)?

19. Was the destruction of Midial morally justified (Num. 31)?

20. Why is no ransom allowed for first degree murder, when ransom is not forbidden for the other 15 crimes punishable by death under the Old Testament law (Num. 35:21)?

21. According to Num. 35:30, are more than one eye-witness required in order to put a murderer to death? Wouldn’t this regulation make punishment obsolete since someone would rarely commit a crime in full view of the public?