Numbers narrates the forty years that the people of Israel spent in the wilderness after departing from Egypt, from Mount Sinai to the borders of the promised land. It is a story of faith put to the test, rebellions, consequences, and the unshakable faithfulness of God toward his people. Through censuses, laws, and epic accounts, we see how God shapes an entire nation to fulfill his purpose.
The book of Numbers receives its name from the Greek "Arithmoi," on account of the two great censuses of the people of Israel that appear in its pages. Jewish and Christian tradition attributes its authorship to Moses, and the events narrated are placed approximately between the 15th and 13th centuries B.C. It covers a period of almost forty years of pilgrimage through the wilderness of Sinai and the region of Canaan. A curious fact: the book includes the famous story of Balaam and his talking donkey, one of the most singular episodes in all the Bible. In Hebrew, the book is called "Bemidbar," meaning "in the wilderness," a title that captures perfectly the essence of its content.