Numbers

After a year camped at Sinai, the Israelites set Out for the Promised Land

The promised Land they areTrying to getTo is full ofPeople

All of these Tribes arePretty Content and Will not be Happy to have New people

There are 7 main groups living in the region

The Anakites

Ancestor of a race of giants in old Canaan

When the Israelites got to the promised land the Anakites were well established in Hebron

10 of the 12 spies were terrified by the size of these guys

Amalekites Amalek was the son of Eliphaz (Esau’s son) by his concubine Timna

Descendents of this tribal chief of Edom were known as the Amalekites

They were nomadic or semi-nomadic

They settled in the Negev desert,

They had allies in the Edomites, Ammonites, Moabites, and the Midianites

The Amalekites were enemies of the Israelites

The feud started with grandfather’s antagonism towards Jacob

Hittites

The Hittite Empire centered in Turkey extended to Syria

But isolated groups were found in central Judah

Most of the citations dealt with the Hittites living in the region of Canaan – the isolated groups

The name Hittite occurs nearly 50 times in the OT, but none in the NT

The Hittites were not exterminated during Joshua’s Conquest

They maintained separate status for a while

Until Solomon consigned them to forced labor

They eventually blended in with the people of Israel

Amorites

Semitic people found throughout the Fertile Crescent

Controlled portions of Syria and Babylon

They were first mentioned in the Bible as descendents of Canaan Seemed to migrate from the Syrian desert into Mesopotamia and some went into Palestine

They were a major obstacle to the Israelite conquest of Canaan

The term Amorite is used in the Bible as a broad ethnic label, referring to the general population of the Holy Land

The term Amorites is virtually interchangeable with “Canaanite”

Canaanites

Noah’s grandson Canaan was the progenitor of 11 groups that lived in the area of Syria and Palestine by 2,000 BC

They were the principle inhabitants of the fortified cities in the land

Jebusites – Walled city, lying on the boundary between Judah and Benjamin – conquered by David

It was known as the “city of David” or ancient Jerusalem

Midianites

Midian was Isaac’s younger half brother, the forth of six sons born to Keturah, whom Abraham married as an old Man

Expelled from Abraham’s family, for Isaac’s sake, they became semi nomadic peoples of the deserts east and south of Palestine

Moses moved to Midian and married Zipporah, daughter of a Midiante priest

Moses takes a Census

The census reportSuggests that Israel Has at least 2 millionPeople

The book statesThat there are600,000 men Of fighting age

12 tribes of Israel consisting of 2,000,000 people?

The Hebrew word for “thousand” can also meanGroup, unit or family, so the actual size of the Hebrews has always been open to debate

Moses wanted to get more information about the Promised land and its inhabitants… He sends out12 spies

the Hebrews were camped at Kadesh-Barnea, when the spies left to go to Canaan

The spies found a Land rich in Bounty and…

Anakites – Anakites were an ancient group ofAncient “giants”

There are other mentions of this group in Various writing including some by the Egyptians

Two female Skeletons wereFound in this Region

They were over 7 Feet tall

The spies saw that that it was a fruitful land

Back in Bible times, the land was not rocky and desolate

The hills were heavily wooded with lush forests – sycamores, cedars and oaks

Orchards were cultivated by the inhabitants – citrus trees, figs, pomegranates and bananas

However after years of warfare, overproduction and misuse, most of the trees were stripped from the landIt was common for invaders to chop down trees, burn orchards and destroy crops

When they returned They told stories ofGiants

10 of the Spies Were scared to death

Caleb and Joshua, Knew that the Israelites would beSuccessful if they Tried to take the land

The Israelites decide not to go into the Promised land

They also decide they want to kill Moses and Aaron for getting them in this situation.

God had other Plans…

God dooms them to wander in the wilderness – One year for every day the spies were viewingThe promised land (40 years)

This is to kill off this generation of nonbelieversAnd not allow them to enter the Promised land

Some historians believe that the Hebrews settled in Kadesh-Barnea for the next 38 years

Some state that they were in constant motion in the Wilderness

Satellite view

The group started toGripe to Moses aboutNeeding Water

He talked to God and God told him to talk to The Rock and it wouldPour out water

But instead of talking to the Rock, Moses struck The rock with his staff, it did pour out water…

But he had Disobeyed the Lord, he didNot follow the Instructions to the Letter

God punished Moses – He would Not be allowed to Enter the promisedland

40 years and He can’t go In

Poisonous Snakes invadeThe Camp

Because the IsraelitesComplained

The people said “get these snakes out of here!”Moses told them to make a snake and place itOn a pole

Anyone that was bitten by a snakeCould look at the staff and live

God wanted the people to know That he was in control

But in true fashion the people Corrupted the meaning by Keeping the snake as a idol to worship