chapter 01

Census time.

Numbers promises to be just about as tedious and Leviticus. We eventually get to some nice slaughters. First, there must be another census taking. For names and numbers you will have to refer to the original. They don’t really help the story much.

They tell us that this census happen two years two months after leaving Egypt. There is little to suggest the Hebrews did all their breeding in Egypt. And there has been no evidence that there was a wandering tent city of herders of millions in any desert. The story was most likely written in Babylon. And maybe the Hebrews were slaves there. You narrator doubts it. Your narrator is inclined to think they were the ruling class. How did Paul say it. ‘We act as though we have nothing but we own everything.’ There were certainly slaves in Babylon. Slaves have been almost everywhere. It wasn’t too long ago that the southern states of the USA were full of slaves. And that was after a grand genocide of many nations. So there is enough truth in the atrocities of the Torah even if the details are way off.

So there are, like with the Mormons, astrological signs and eggs in America, twelve over fathers. The 12 ancestral houses listed by names.

Joseph, the first son from Jacob’s favorite wife had two head sons. Two ancestral houses. The Levites were the chosen of the chosen race. The animals on the farm more equal. War pigs. So they were the 13th house. The holy house in the middle. In this book it is maybe Saturn they refer to. In Christianity, the sun is the 13th house. 12 houses around the holy one. The son of God.

So, anyway, each son had anywhere from 32,000 to 63,000 males over age 20 who could bare arms. There is no mention of iron or steel so we are likely still in the bronze age. Egypt had metal furnaces. Sharpen bone is also good to slice your enemy and they had much of that. Bows and arrows work well. Spears are good. And 603,550 soldiers are also good. They also had fire to fight their enemies. Lots of animal fat to burn.

vs. 49: Do not on any account enroll the tribe of Levi or take a census of them with the Israelites. EQ

At least not till next chapter.

Only the Levites were holy enough to take care of the holy tent of blood sacrifice. Anyone not Levite who got close to the tent was put to death.

Vs. 51: any outsider who encroaches shall be put to death. EQ


chapter 2

This chapter is all about which troop is to camp where. Who they where. How many they were. Every troop made a flag and a banner of whatever and camped at a distance from the bloody holy tent.

The names and numbers are listed and who is to camp where. North 3 troops, East 3 troops, South 3 troops, West 3 troops.

And that is how they marched. Unless they weren’t going to war, then the other few million came along.


chapter 3

Now for the line of the high priests, Aaron and Moses. At the time with the Lord on Mount Sinai. Aaron had four sons, Moses, the Lord, killed two. Moses said ‘cause they used the wrong incense. But more to show his power. Make Aaron know who was boss. The other two sons were likely really sons of Moses from Aaron’s wife. Just speculating, of course.

That’s how tyrants are. My sperm is God.

The tribe of Levi got to serve Aaron. Aaron the priest. The servant of Moses. So the Levites were assigned to Aaron and his sons. To furnish the holy tent. Aaron and his sons were to be the priests and do priestly things and any outsider who had a problem with that would be cut down by the sword of God’s justice.

So it came to pass that the Levites took a census of them selves for the Lord.

Kohath, Amram, Mahli and Mushi and so many others. From one month up. Males. Forget the women. 7,500.

They had their duties spelled out; who ties what part of the tent.

The clans of Amranites, Hebronites, Uzzielites another 8.600. Doing the sanctuary. Lamp stands, alters and other shiny stuff for official doing of things. Like eating. And blood rituals.

The Mahlites too, 6,200. Planks and posts and furniture.

That made 22,000 to look after the holy tent. And anyone not a Levite what didn’t like it would be put to death. That is a grand number of priests to look after one tent. Even a big one.

Then they counted the first born of the Israelites. And that number was 22,273. And if that is true, the average family had 27 sons. So most soldiers had more than one wife. For there would be daughters as well.

Vs. 45: and the Levites shall be Mine. EQ

So the deal was, Moses would take the Levites in exchange for all of the first born of the rest of the Israelites. Ownership. Not so unlike Molech.

For the 273 extra first-borns, a tax of five shekels per head. Money for Aaron and his sons. Redemption money. So Moses took the 1,365 sanctuary shekels. And gave it to Aaron and sons ‘cause the Lord said. So.

Quote from a great science fiction novel by Ken MacLeod, ‘Learning the World’: The Height was a busy place, but how much of its activity represented something real, and how much really symbolic, was another matter. EQ.


chapters 04 - 06