


Take this 3-question quiz first to see how much you know BEFORE you read!
This Week's Reading: Numbers 11-14; 20-24
Come Follow Me Insight #1

As you read the scriptures you’ll notice certain numbers keep showing up. Why is that? Symbolism! The book of Numbers is a great chance to look into them more deeply. Let’s look at some of the things that certain numbers symbolize:
a. Number three: divine fullness
i. The three-part Godhead is a model for our earthly presidencies: 1st Presidency, stake, ward, and every priesthood presidency
ii. 3 days of light were a sign of Christ coming into the world
iii. 3 days of darkness were a sign of Christ leaving the world
iv. Christ’s mortal ministry was 3 years long
v. There are 3 witnesses to the Book of Mormon
vi. There were 3 wise men
vii. 3 Nephites were translated
viii. There are 3 degrees of glory.
b. Number seven: wholeness, perfection
i. The Earth was created in 7 “days”
ii. Jacob worked 7 years for Rachel
iii. Egypt had 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine
iv. There are 7 wounds on Jesus’s body (one in each foot, one in each hand, one in each wrist, and one in His side)
v. To destroy the walls of Jericho 7 priests walked around Jericho 7 times for 7 days blowing 7 shofars on the 7th day
c. Number eight: spiritual renewal or rebirth
i. Circumcision was done at 8 days old
ii. Baptism is done at 8 years old
iii. There were 8 people allowed on Noah’s ark
iv. The Jaredites sailed to America in 8 ships
v. There are 8 additional witnesses to the Book of Mormon
vi. Lehi’s family traveled for 8 years in the wilderness
d. Number ten: completeness of order
i. 10% tithing
ii. 10 plagues in Egypt
iii. 10 commandments
e. Number twelve: perfection in governance and witness
i. 12 tribes of Israel
ii. 12 oxen support the temple baptismal fonts
iii. Jesus’ first public appearance was at age 12
iv. Young Men enter priesthood service at (or close to) age 12
v. Jesus called 12 apostles
f. Number forty: time of testing, trial, or preparation
i. The spies who went into Canaan were gone for 40 days
ii. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 year
iii. The resurrected Savior taught for 40 days
iv. During the flood, it rained for 40 days and 40 nights
v. Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days
vi. Jesus fasted for 40 days
vii. It took 40 years to build the Salt Lake City temple
g. Seventy: 7×10 = completeness or perfection of order
i. Jesus sent 70 special missionaries to teach in His name
ii. The quorum of the 70
iii. 70 elders accompanied Moses on Mount Sinai to meet the Lord
iv. We should be willing to forgive 70×7 times
Come Follow Me Insight #2
When the Israelites complained that they wanted to eat meat the Lord answered them – with a vengeance! The scriptures say there was so much quail that it surrounded the camp as far as a day’s journey and two cubits high. (Numbers 11:31) How much quail is this? Well, a cubit is about 18 inches (source), and a day’s journey would be at least 5 miles. This means the Israelites had quail almost 3 feet high and at least five miles wide covering the ground of the camp. Yum??

Come Follow Me Insight #3

In Numbers 12 we read about Aaron and Miriam complaining about Moses’ marriage to an Ethiopian. But wait! Wasn’t his wife, Zipporah a Midianite? She sure was!
But the book of Josephus states that Moses was married to an Ethiopian woman even before he met Zipporah. “According to Josephus, when Moses was a general of the Egyptian army in the attack against the Ethiopians, he married an Ethiopian woman as a political alliance to end the war.” (Old Testament Student Manual, Numbers 1–12: Wilderness Wanderings, Part 1)
My Favorite Scriptures for the Week
- Numbers 11:11-16
- Numbers 12:1-10
- Numbers 13:1-3, 21, 25-31
- Numbers 14:1-10; 26, 33-34
- Numbers 20:1-3; 7-12
- Numbers 21:5-9 and Alma 33:19-20
- Numbers 22:21-35
