Numbers After a year camped at Sinai

Numbers

After a year camped at Sinai, the Israelites set Out for the Promised Land

The promised Land they are Trying to get To is full of People All of these Tribes are Pretty Content and Will not be Happy to have New people

There are 7 main groups living in the region The Anakites Ancestor of a race of giants in old Canaan When the Israelites got to the promised land the Anakites were well established in Hebron 10 of the 12 spies were terrified by the size of these guys

Amalekites Amalek was the son of Eliphaz (Esau’s son) by his concubine Timna Descendents of this tribal chief of Edom were known as the Amalekites They were nomadic or semi-nomadic They settled in the Negev desert,

They had allies in the Edomites, Ammonites, Moabites, and the Midianites The Amalekites were enemies of the Israelites The feud started with grandfather’s antagonism towards Jacob

Hittites The Hittite Empire centered in Turkey extended to Syria But isolated groups were found in central Judah Most of the citations dealt with the Hittites living in the region of Canaan – the isolated groups The name Hittite occurs nearly 50 times in the OT, but none in the NT

The Hittites were not exterminated during Joshua’s Conquest They maintained separate status for a while Until Solomon consigned them to forced labor They eventually blended in with the people of Israel

Amorites Semitic people found throughout the Fertile Crescent Controlled portions of Syria and Babylon They were first mentioned in the Bible as descendents of Canaan Seemed to migrate from the Syrian desert into Mesopotamia and some went into Palestine

They were a major obstacle to the Israelite conquest of Canaan The term Amorite is used in the Bible as a broad ethnic label, referring to the general population of the Holy Land The term Amorites is virtually interchangeable with “Canaanite”

Canaanites Noah’s grandson Canaan was the progenitor of 11 groups that lived in the area of Syria and Palestine by 2, 000 BC They were the principle inhabitants of the fortified cities in the land Jebusites – Walled city, lying on the boundary between Judah and Benjamin – conquered by David It was known as the “city of David” or ancient Jerusalem

Midianites Midian was Isaac’s younger half brother, the forth of six sons born to Keturah, whom Abraham married as an old Man Expelled from Abraham’s family, for Isaac’s sake, they became semi nomadic peoples of the deserts east and south of Palestine Moses moved to Midian and married Zipporah, daughter of a Midiante priest

Moses takes a Census The census report Suggests that Israel Has at least 2 million People The book states That there are 600, 000 men Of fighting age

12 tribes of Israel consisting of 2, 000 people? The Hebrew word for “thousand” can also mean Group, unit or family, so the actual size of the Hebrews has always been open to debate

Moses wanted to get more information about the Promised land its inhabitants… He sends out 12 spies

the Hebrews were camped at Kadesh-Barnea, when the spies left to go to Canaan

The spies found a Land rich in Bounty and…

Anakites – Anakites were an ancient group of Ancient “giants” There are other mentions of this group in Various writing including some by the Egyptians

Two female Skeletons were Found in this Region They were over 7 Feet tall

The spies saw that it was a fruitful land

Back in Bible times, the land was not rocky and desolate The hills were heavily wooded with lush forests – sycamores, cedars and oaks Orchards were cultivated by the inhabitants – citrus trees, figs, pomegranates and bananas However after years of warfare, overproduction and misuse, most of the trees were stripped from the land It was common for invaders to chop down trees, burn orchards and destroy crops

When they returned They told stories of Giants 10 of the Spies Were scared to death Caleb and Joshua, Knew that the Israelites would be Successful if they Tried to take the land

The Israelites decide not to go into the Promised land They also decide they want to kill Moses and Aaron for getting them in this situation.

God had other Plans…

God dooms them to wander in the wilderness – One year for every day the spies were viewing The promised land (40 years) This is to kill off this generation of nonbelievers And not allow them to enter the Promised land

Some historians believe that the Hebrews settled in Kadesh-Barnea for the next 38 years Some state that they were in constant motion in the Wilderness

Satellite view

The group started to Gripe to Moses about Needing Water He talked to God and God told him to talk to The Rock and it would Pour out water

But instead of talking to the Rock, Moses struck The rock with his staff, it did pour out water…

But he had Disobeyed the Lord, he did Not follow the Instructions to the Letter God punished Moses – He would Not be allowed to Enter the promised land

40 years and He can’t go In

Poisonous Snakes invade The Camp Because the Israelites Complained

The people said “get these snakes out of here!” Moses told them to make a snake and place it On a pole

Anyone that was bitten by a snake Could look at the staff and live God wanted the people to know That he was in control But in true fashion the people Corrupted the meaning by Keeping the snake as a idol to worship