Chapter 33—The Terrible Murmurings of God’s
People
This chapter is based on
Numbers 10
to 12.
The government of Israel was characterized by thorough organi-
zation, wonderful for its completeness and simplicity. God was the
center of government, the sovereign of Israel. Moses stood as leader
to administer the law in His name. A council of seventy was afterward
chosen to assist Moses in the general affairs of the nation. Next came
the priests, who consulted the Lord in the sanctuary. Chiefs, or princes,
ruled over the tribes. Under these were “captains over thousands, and
captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over
tens.”
Deuteronomy 1:15
.
The Hebrew camp was separated into three great divisions. In
the center was the tabernacle, the abiding place of the invisible King.
Around it were stationed the priests and Levites. Beyond these were
encamped all the other tribes.
The position of each tribe was specified. Each was to march and
to encamp beside its own standard, as the Lord had commanded.
Numbers 2:2, 17
. The mixed multitude that had accompanied Israel
from Egypt were to abide upon the outskirts of the camp, and their
offspring were to be excluded from the community until the third
generation.
Deuteronomy 23:7, 8
.
Strict order and thorough sanitary regulations were enforced, mea-
sures indispensable to the preservation of health among so vast a
multitude. It was necessary also that perfect order and purity be main-
tained. God declared: “The Lord thy God walketh in the midst of
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thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee;
therefore shall thy camp be holy.”
Deuteronomy 23:14
.
In all the journeyings of Israel, “the ark of the covenant of the
Lord went before them, ... to search out a resting place for them.”
Priests bearing silver trumpets were stationed near. These priests
received directions from Moses, which they communicated to the
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