Numbers 1-19
Published on 16. May 2024
Book
Hardback
528 pages
978-1-78974-471-2 (ISBN)
Description
This detailed and comprehensive commentary by L. Michael Morales sheds fresh light on a part of the Bible often referenced yet rarely preached and understood.
Often overlooked and regularly misunderstood, the Book of Numbers is a daunting prospect for scholars, preachers and students. It covers part of the Israelites' wilderness years between Egypt and the land of the promise - seemingly very different to and detached from our modern context. Yet God's covenant love remains the same, and the book of Numbers remains extremely relevant for ecclesiology and for the church's life within the already-not yet of the present 'wilderness' era.
In his magisterial new commentary, Morales carefully demonstrates the ongoing relevance of Numbers, it's positive vision for life and the surprising challenge it offers to contemporary Christians. This detailed and comprehensive commentary sheds fresh light on a part of the Bible often referenced yet rarely preached and explained.
The Apollos Old Testament Commentary aims to take with equal seriousness the divine and human aspects of Scripture. It expounds the books of the Old Testament in a scholarly manner, accessible to non-experts, and it shows the relevance of the Old Testament to modern readers. Written by an international team of scholars, these commentaries are intended to serve the needs of those who preach from the Old Testament, as well as scholars and all serious students of the Bible.
Volume 1 begins with an Introduction which gives an overview of the issues of date, authorship, sources and outlines the theology of the book, providing pointers towards its interpretation and contemporary application. An annotated Translation of the Hebrew text by L. Michael L. Morales forms the basis for his comments
Within this commentary on Numbers 1-19, Form and Structure sections examine the context, source-critical and form-critical issues and rhetorical devices of each passage. Comment sections offer thorough, detailed exegesis of the historical and theological meaning of each passage, and Explanation sections offer a full exposition of the theological message within the framework of biblical theology and a commitment to the inspiration and authority of the Old Testament.
Often overlooked and regularly misunderstood, the Book of Numbers is a daunting prospect for scholars, preachers and students. It covers part of the Israelites' wilderness years between Egypt and the land of the promise - seemingly very different to and detached from our modern context. Yet God's covenant love remains the same, and the book of Numbers remains extremely relevant for ecclesiology and for the church's life within the already-not yet of the present 'wilderness' era.
In his magisterial new commentary, Morales carefully demonstrates the ongoing relevance of Numbers, it's positive vision for life and the surprising challenge it offers to contemporary Christians. This detailed and comprehensive commentary sheds fresh light on a part of the Bible often referenced yet rarely preached and explained.
The Apollos Old Testament Commentary aims to take with equal seriousness the divine and human aspects of Scripture. It expounds the books of the Old Testament in a scholarly manner, accessible to non-experts, and it shows the relevance of the Old Testament to modern readers. Written by an international team of scholars, these commentaries are intended to serve the needs of those who preach from the Old Testament, as well as scholars and all serious students of the Bible.
Volume 1 begins with an Introduction which gives an overview of the issues of date, authorship, sources and outlines the theology of the book, providing pointers towards its interpretation and contemporary application. An annotated Translation of the Hebrew text by L. Michael L. Morales forms the basis for his comments
Within this commentary on Numbers 1-19, Form and Structure sections examine the context, source-critical and form-critical issues and rhetorical devices of each passage. Comment sections offer thorough, detailed exegesis of the historical and theological meaning of each passage, and Explanation sections offer a full exposition of the theological message within the framework of biblical theology and a commitment to the inspiration and authority of the Old Testament.
Reviews / Votes
"Michael Morales has marshaled a breathtaking spectrum of Jewish, Christian, and critical perspectives unprecedented in commentary to Numbers - or to any book of the Hebrew Bible. His attention to the ways structure, themes and vocabulary create a unified whole within chapters and across the book makes this an indispensable resource." -- Joshua Berman, Bar-Ilan University, author of Inconsistency in the Torah: Ancient Literary Convention and the Limits of Source Criticism "With close attention to the text, and deeply informed by classical and modern sources, Michael Morales offers a theologically rich and informative reading of Numbers. By highlighting the importance of Israel's Camp he demonstrates the literary integrity of the book. Far from Numbers being the junk room of the priestly material, he demonstrates that it is a coherent work. This substantial commentary will therefore be a key point of reference for all future work on Numbers." -- David G. Firth, Trinity College Bristol "Michael Morales's work on Numbers is a breathtaking achievement. It is a rare thing for a work of this scale (or any scale) to marry depth of scholarship, breadth of reading, clarity of expression and an evident commitment to the gospel of Christ, but this book has it all. It's worth having for the introduction alone, which brilliantly outlines a theological approach to Numbers that is both dramatically fresh and yet historically rooted, particularly in the rich Jewish tradition of reading the book as a keystone of the Pentateuch. Morales's careful and thoughtful exegesis is married with a profound commitment to biblical theology. Judicious insights and stimulating suggestions are presented with a beautiful lightness of touch. This deserves to be the standard evangelical work on Numbers for many years to come, and will repay careful study by pastors, scholars and students alike." -- J. Gary Millar, Principal, Queensland Theological College, Brisbane, Australia "Page-turner and game-changer! I never expected to say that of a book about Numbers. Michael Morales's commentary on Numbers changes everything. No commentary or study opens up Numbers more richly than these two volumes - from the census of the first generation to the second ruling about the inheritance of the daughters of Zelophehad. Every page of Morales's interpretation leads me to re-study Numbers as though I have never read it before. The exciting engagement with rich Judaic interpretative traditions sets every part of Numbers within the entire book and the entire Torah as well as within all of the Christian Scriptures. Pastors, students and scholars will want to set aside the latest paperback in order to take to the beach or to the park Morales's page-turner of a commentary and find out what's next. Morales invites all of us back into the wilderness sojourn of Numbers as though for the very first time." -- Gary Edward Schnittjer, Distinguished Professor of Old Testament, Cairn University, Philadelphia, and author of the award-winning Old Testament Use of Old Testament: A Book-by-Book GuideMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Nottingham
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Inter-Varsity Press
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 33 mm
Weight
966 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78974-471-2 (9781789744712)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Michael Morales is professor of biblical studies at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Taylors, South Carolina. Previously he was provost and professor of Old Testament at Reformation Bible College in Sanford, Florida. He is the author of Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord? (NSBT 37) and The Tabernacle Pre-Figured: Cosmic Mountain Ideology in Genesis and Exodus.
Content
Illustrations ix
Editors' preface xi
Author's preface xiii
Abbreviations xv
Introduction 1
1. The 'soul' of Numbers: leadership of the covenant community 3
1.1. The consecration of the Dwelling in Exodus, Leviticus
and Numbers 4
1.2. Leviticus and Numbers in relation to the ending of
Exodus 6
1.3. Numbers 9:15-23 as reversal of Exodus 33 8
1.4. Numbers and Deuteronomy 9
2. The story of Numbers: the Camp of Israel 12
2.1. The Camp of Israel is created within the context of the
Sinai revelation 14
2.2. The Camp of Israel as the culmination of the Sinai
covenant 15
2.3. The Camp of Israel is the paradigm for the ideal of
covenant community 19
2.4. The breastplate of the high priest 21
2.5. The Camp of Israel and the signs of the zodiac 22
2.6. The Camp of Israel as YHWH's earthly hosts 25
2.7. Traditional Jewish interpretation of the Camp of Israel 27
2.8. Ezekiel's vision of the throne-chariot and Israel's Camp 30
2.9. Cherubim in the wilderness 34
2.10. The divine appellation yhwh seba'ot yoseb hakkerubim
and Israel's Camp 37
2.11. The Sinai theophany and Israel's Camp 38
2.12. The throne-chariot in the book of Revelation and
Israel's Camp 40
2.13. Conclusion: Balaam's vision of the Camp of Israel 41
3. The sojourn of Israel's Camp (Num. 11 - 25) 42
4. The spiritual nature of Israel's Camp: purity laws (Num. 5 - 6) 46
4.1. The purity laws and the structure of Israel's Camp 48
4.2. The purity laws as paradigmatic for the life of Israel's
Camp 53
4.3. The purity laws and Israel's wilderness sojourn 58
5. The structure of Numbers 61
5.1. A threefold literary structure of Numbers 61
5.2. A twofold division 67
6. The composition of Numbers 68
6.1. Is the book of Numbers a unity? 68
6.2. Who composed the book of Numbers? 69
7. The text of Numbers 73
Text and commentary 75
Editors' preface xi
Author's preface xiii
Abbreviations xv
Introduction 1
1. The 'soul' of Numbers: leadership of the covenant community 3
1.1. The consecration of the Dwelling in Exodus, Leviticus
and Numbers 4
1.2. Leviticus and Numbers in relation to the ending of
Exodus 6
1.3. Numbers 9:15-23 as reversal of Exodus 33 8
1.4. Numbers and Deuteronomy 9
2. The story of Numbers: the Camp of Israel 12
2.1. The Camp of Israel is created within the context of the
Sinai revelation 14
2.2. The Camp of Israel as the culmination of the Sinai
covenant 15
2.3. The Camp of Israel is the paradigm for the ideal of
covenant community 19
2.4. The breastplate of the high priest 21
2.5. The Camp of Israel and the signs of the zodiac 22
2.6. The Camp of Israel as YHWH's earthly hosts 25
2.7. Traditional Jewish interpretation of the Camp of Israel 27
2.8. Ezekiel's vision of the throne-chariot and Israel's Camp 30
2.9. Cherubim in the wilderness 34
2.10. The divine appellation yhwh seba'ot yoseb hakkerubim
and Israel's Camp 37
2.11. The Sinai theophany and Israel's Camp 38
2.12. The throne-chariot in the book of Revelation and
Israel's Camp 40
2.13. Conclusion: Balaam's vision of the Camp of Israel 41
3. The sojourn of Israel's Camp (Num. 11 - 25) 42
4. The spiritual nature of Israel's Camp: purity laws (Num. 5 - 6) 46
4.1. The purity laws and the structure of Israel's Camp 48
4.2. The purity laws as paradigmatic for the life of Israel's
Camp 53
4.3. The purity laws and Israel's wilderness sojourn 58
5. The structure of Numbers 61
5.1. A threefold literary structure of Numbers 61
5.2. A twofold division 67
6. The composition of Numbers 68
6.1. Is the book of Numbers a unity? 68
6.2. Who composed the book of Numbers? 69
7. The text of Numbers 73
Text and commentary 75