Numbers

Wilderness journey (Numbers 10:11–21:20)

David A. Dorsey, The Literary Structure of the Old Testament

1. a
   journey begins: departure from Sinai10:11–36two short, positive journey poems/songs of Moses; marching order as journey begins
2. b
   complaint about hardship, manna, and no food11:1–35God sends fire and quail to punish them, and many die; they cry to Moses, who prays (wayyitpallēl) and relief is given; people complain that Moses has brought them out of Egypt; death comes as people bite the quail ("while it was in their teeth")
3. c
   Miriam punished for her sin (with Aaron): leprosy12:1–16Israel waits seven days
4. d
   rebellion at Kadesh (in Wilderness of Zin)13:1–14:45punishment: people will not enter Canaan; people see spies' grapes, figs, pomegranates brought from land; ends: military setback as Israel stopped by Amalekite army
5. e
   ritual regulations15:1–36offerings and ritual purification
6. f
   holiness of Aaron above Levites challenged15:37–16:50Korah revolt (trigger is perhaps the tassel law?)
7. g
   CENTER: budding of Aaron's rod17:1–13
8. f′
   holiness of Aaron above Levites explained18:1–32differing duties and privileges of Aaron and Levites
9. e′
   ritual regulations19:1–22water of ritual purification
10. d′
    rebellion at Kadesh (in Wilderness of Zin)20:1–21punishment: Moses and Aaron will not enter Canaan; people complain about lack of grapevines, figs, pomegranates; ends: military setback as Israel stopped by Edomite army
11. c′
    Aaron punished for his sin: death20:22–29Israel mourns thirty days
12. b′
    complaint about hardship, manna, and no food21:4–9God sends fiery serpents to punish them, and many die; they cry to Moses, who prays (wayyitpallēl) and relief is given; people complain that Moses has brought them out of Egypt; death comes as snakes bite the people
13. a′
    journey ends: arrival at plains of Moab21:10–20two short, positive journey poems/songs of Israel; order of march from camp to camp as journey ends