Numbers, the fourth book of the Old Testament "is based primarily on the
numbering or census of the people. ...the book falls into two main divisions:
(1) chs 1-25 relate how the entire first Exodus generation, which murmured
against God in the wilderness and refused to take the land, died off, except
for Moses and two faithful spies, Joshua and Caleb; (2) chs 26-36, beginning
with another census, deal with the new generation that God led toward the
promised land under Moses' leadership." [from the introduction to "Numbers" in
The New Oxford Annotated Bible, p. 163.] The title of the book in Jewish
tradition is "in the wilderness." Though traditionally ascribed to Moses, the
inspired authors of Numbers may include some authors of Genesis
as well as other unknown writers.