"Numbers" (Mark A. Awabdy)

TITLE: Numbers (Baker Commentary on the Old Testament: Pentateuch)
AUTHOR: Mark A. Awabdy
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2023, (672 pages).
 

Despite its dated content, the Old Testament continues to be revered and cherished by many people, especially believers. The challenge for modern readers is how such ancient writings relate to contemporary times. Most people would know Genesis as the first book of the Bible. Many might also know about Exodus, given the popularity of the classic movie "The Ten Commandments" usually screened during the Easter and Christmas seasons. As one moves further down the Pentateuch, so does familiarity. This series of Baker commentaries focuses on the Pentateuch of which the book of Numbers is the fourth. The intent is to provide a reliable resource for modern readers to understand "the nature of God, creation, humankind, sin, salvation, atonement, sacrifice, holiness, and righteousness." This is done through multiple bridging of the old and the new. The author helps bring to life the ancient meaning and contemporary relevance of the texts; to help modern readers dialogue through themes that flow consistently throughout the Bible. One important aspect of this commentary is how the author addresses the issue of reader boredom or reader confusion when reading Numbers.  Sharing the "grief" that many people might have experienced in this fourth book of the Pentateuch, author-professor Mark Awabdy guides us through each chapter with the help of primary Hebrew manuscripts, Qumran/Dead Sea scrolls, Samaritan fragments, Early and Modern Translations, and many other exegetical tools. He laments how the title Numbers is a misnomer which often misleads readers into downplaying its importance. After all, only four out of 36 chapters contain statistics. Instead, he prefers the Jewish title "In the Wilderness." I concur as that is a lot more representative than mere "Numbers." Why the misleading label? The reason is partly historical reliance on the translators of the Septuagint which results in a literal translation of the Greek word "Arithmoi" into its title. That said, the numerical sections of the book are deemed "theological," not simply statistical facts. He calls the book an "unfolding story" of literary forms that consists of one whole story and a series of individual units embedded within it. The challenge is to try to interpret it as coherent as possible, according to the literary Hebrew narratives and cultural uniqueness. 

Awabdy makes an astute insight concerning interpreters and readers. Readers tend to see the book's substructures as separate units while the interpreters need to sense an overarching theme. Getting at the unity of the various compositions is a key purpose in this book. He gives us five pointers on how to do that:

1. Identify the intertexts while exegeting any passage
2. Recognize the contrasting materials
3. Summarize the discrete theology of each layer
4. Describe the different theologies in tension with one another
5. Explain the overarching theological message

Understanding the ancient contexts requires a knowledge of the land, familiarity with the literature, iconography, awareness of archaeology, and an identification of the theological themes. This is what Awabdy has tried to do in this commentary. With the knowledge of geography, we understand why things happen in various terrains. Like camping in a place without much rainfall or water sources, leading to a desperate reliance only on the LORD. Archaeology helps us piece together the history of the texts. Literature and iconography provide additional contexts for a more accurate interpretation. Theologically, the author helps us to understand Numbers' portrayal of God and contrasts it with the other gods of the Ancient Near East. 

Three Thoughts

First, the commentary clarifies a number of misconceptions, especially about "Numbers" being a misnomer. Many people commonly believe that "Numbers" is simply about mundane statistics and repetitive numerical details. That is far from the Truth. Yet, this is how many people let titles guide their reading or studying choices. If in the past a reading generation still gets misled by titles and erroneous synopses, the problem might be even more acute for today's browsing and TLDR generations. The age-old maxim bears repeating: Do not judge a book by its cover. In this instance, do not judge the Book of Numbers by its title. Thankfully, Awabdy helps us debunk such ideas in favour of the Hebrew title, "In the desert." Such an insight should help teachers and preachers in promoting the study of the Book of Numbers.

Secondly, the commentary is not strictly verse-by-verse but follows the chapter flow of the Book. This makes it a quick and helpful reference resource. Each chapter comes with an Introduction, a translation, interpretation, and Implications. While the Interpretation happens at the exegesis level, the theological aspects are mostly located in the implications section. Many of the intertextual comparisons are done at the Interpretation section. 

Finally, I like the way the author is sensitive to modern minds. As many of the ancient texts are based on the Ancient Near East cultural origins, it can be difficult to make sense of it for the modern person. Awabdy helps us to understand not only what it means then but also what it means for us at the present time. He does this by asking questions that we are all familiar with. Questions like:

• Is taking a census in the Army a test of trust in human power or in God?
• Is there a hierarchy within the people of God?
• How do we understand the Theology of the Passover then and now?
• Why is Sabbath breaking taken so seriously in Numbers 15?
• What was the sin of Moses and Aaron?
• How do we make sense of bizarre passages in Numbers 5, 11, 31?

The Book of Numbers is definitely one of the least read and understood. Have no fear. If there is ever any doubt or uncertainty, this commentary can be a helpful guide to help us read, study, and apply its theological implications. 

Mark A. Awabdy (PhD, Asbury Theological Seminary) is a professor of Old Testament and biblical languages, who teaches in the Arabian Gulf and South Asia. He is the author of Immigrants and Innovative Law and a commentary on LXX Leviticus.

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Academic via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.