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The book of Numbers can seem like one of the most irrelevant books in the Bible to the average reader. Between apparently worthless censuses and inapplicable laws, it is not difficult to understand the widespread aversion to the fourth book of the Torah. However, like all books of the Bible, every feature is included for a purpose, in which case Numbers should not only be read casually, but also examined in detail. In doing so we can discover how intimately God's will affected the Israelites while at the same time perceiving how His will for us has an impact on our lives. Major aspects of moral values and behavioral issues infiltrate the text, giving us a glimpse of how God reacts to our conduct, inferring that nothing is hidden from His eyes. We'll join the Israelites in their conquests through the wilderness, discover some of the law's nuances, and view firsthand that, through both successes and failures, God is with us the whole way.

When translated from the Hebrew, "B'midbar" or, "Numbers," means "in the wilderness." The book of Numbers initiates with a census, but covers more than simply the numbering of tribes. We are privy to in-depth accounts detailing the thirty-eight years the Israelites wandered through the boondocks. But not to disappoint anyone, we'll start off with the survey, where God instructed Moses to number every male over the age of twenty from each tribe, excepting the Levites. Each tribe was listed individually, with their unique populations included within the end result. When the daunting task was finally completed, the total population equaled six hundred and three thousand, five hundred fifty individuals, excluding women and children. With numbers like these we have no problem understanding why Moses will become so frustrated against the entire nation in later chapters.

With such a sizeable population to control, one aspect was for certain; Moses needed a method with which to keep the people in line. The Israelites were notorious for their selfish, rebellious attitudes, and if everyone did as they pleased, the result would have made for a tremendous disaster. The Ten Commandments had been previously bestowed upon the people, but the Lord had a long way yet to go. Reading through the first few chapters of Numbers, one of the first occurrences we encounter is the installation of Tabernacle duties. Members of the Levite tribe - the Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites were bequeathed specific tasks. The duties of the Kohathites were

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