Abstract
This commentary is the result of a fruitful collaboration between two scholars from very different backgrounds. The first part consists of an extended Introduction in which the authors consider the composition and compilation of Numbers, the way in which the material is ordered, some key concepts (holiness, impurity, atonement, ritual etc.), and the Christian application of the book. The commentary itself follows a regular three-fold pattern. First, the authors discuss the context of the passage; they then provide a readable exegesis of the text; finally, each section concludes with a reflection on the theological or ethical message that the passage intends to communicate. Contentious issues, such as the large numbers in the census, are discussed with commendable clarity. The volume contains a detailed bibliography, and the authors succeed admirably in highlighting significant features of the text as well as illuminating the debates concerning key passages. The commentary usefully serves the need of professional scholars and teachers, and will prove a helpful resource for students, clergy, and laypeople. It can be warmly recommended as a valuable addition to the revised Tyndale Old Testament Commentary series.