The place of the book of Numbers in the literary pattern is clear. First of all, it concludes Israel’s stay at Sinai, and it prepares the people for the march to the land of promise (1:1 - 10:10). Secondly, the book records the actual journey from Sinai to the plains of Moab, and it ends with Israel prepared to launch a campaign into the land of promise. It is telling that the final word of the book is ‘Jericho’; this anticipates the book of Joshua, in which the tribes make an assault on the land by first attacking the site of Jericho.

Dr John D. Currid is Carl McMurray Professor of Old Testament at the Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi. He received his Ph. D. degree in archaeology from the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago. He has several books in print, including the Study Commentaries on Genesis and Exodus in the same series.