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Mapping Out the Torah: A Beautiful Message

Over the past few weeks, I have been looking at several places where the Torah narrative
clearly trumps chronological order in favor of spiritual themes. But frankly, a lot of the
skipping around is simply a bit jarring for most of us who are used to a more linear format. It
may not manifest confusion of course right away, while folks are getting their literary feet
wet in parsha, but over time, the more detailed one gets into it, the more the asynchronous
storytelling becomes. Speaking for myself, I found that very challenging because of the way
my mind works, which prompted me to do my best to put the events all in the right order.

In the 2013 Shavuot Special, I meticulously mapped out the Exodus year with a massive
calendar and commentary. That having been done and available for anyone who wants to see
it, the next logical step was to put the rest of the Torah events into their original order. When
you do that, I believe it also opens up a window on to those times and challenges that
otherwise would have been closed.

You see, the Torah books are not really separate stories in time, but one story told from
different viewpoints. It is roughly analogous to how the Gospels workMatthew, Mark,
Luke and John tell the same story about the same 3 year period with different details and
phases. Similarly, Moshes agenda in Leviticus is different than the one in Numbers even as
the same writer details the same period of time with different details.

As the book of Exodus opens, the first 11 chapters detail the 144 years (12 x 12, a really deep
math code and hint) that pass from Josephs death, the last event in Genesis, until the start of
the Exodus drama with Moshe confronting Pharaoh and Egypt reeling from devastating
plagues. In the middle of that series of disasters, Abba YHWH tells Moshe and Aaron that
their calendar has changed, and they are now counting spring to spring. Instructions for the
Passover feast follow, because that is at the next full moon, and the next thing we know the
Israelites are freed from bondage. From Exodus 12-39 then we have that narrative squarely
focused on 1447 BCE, or what I also call Year 0 because YHWH has reset His clock.

Then in Exodus 40 the first day of the first month of Year 1 (1446 BCE) and then winds its
way through separate details in Leviticus and Numbers. Even so, it is the same day with a
fixed date: Friday, March 28
th
, 1446 BCE, also known as 1 Abib.

What also makes this day very, very special is what lead up to it. Up until now, there has
been no Tabernacle and therefore no priesthood. Therefore, Abba YHWH has in effect been
acting as High Priest for the Israelites, according to a very specific time framefrom vernal
equinox in 1447 or Exodus year until the next vernal equinox in the following year. I know
that because, as we have seen, the Israelites were freed from Egypt on Friday, March 22
nd
,
the time when the VE had happened, adjusted for the Hebrew day beginning at sunset. So
from that Friday to the Friday at the start of spring in 1446 (March 21
st
) Abba YHWH is
High Priest. That very next Friday (the 28
th
) is in Hebrew terms that particular year also 1
Abib, so the transition in solar and Hebrew terms is seamless, but only if we get the right
historical years to work with for that astronomy to align!

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So lets look at this day. After Moshe himself spent much of his time erecting the
Tabernacleprobably with significant help from others though the text emphasizes Moshes
involvementthe main objective of that activity is revealed:

28
He then put the screen at the entrance to the Dwelling.
29
He put the altar of burnt
offerings at the entrance to the Dwelling, to the Tent of Meeting, and on it offered the
burnt offering and cereal offering, as Yahweh had ordered Moses.
30
He put the basin
between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it for the ablutions,
31
where
Moses, Aaron and his sons washed their hands and feet,
32
whenever they entered the
Tent of Meeting or approached the altar they washed, as Yahweh had ordered Moses.
33

He then set up the court round the Dwelling and the altar and set up the screen at the
gate-way to the court. Thus Moses completed the work.
34
The cloud then covered the
Tent of Meeting and the glory of Yahweh filled the Dwelling.
35
Moses could not enter
the Tent of Meeting, since the cloud stayed over it and the glory of Yahweh filled the
Dwelling. (Exodus 40:28-35 NJB)

So now the 8 day ordination process begins, and this shifts us into Numbers 7 which tells us
exactly what else happened on this critical first day of Abib.

On the day Moses finished erecting the Dwelling (per Exodus 40-AGR), he anointed and
consecrated it and all its furniture, as well as the altar and all its equipment. When he had
anointed and consecrated it all,
2
the leaders of Israel made an offering; they were the
heads of their families, the tribal leaders who had presided over the census.
3
They
brought their offering before Yahweh: six covered wagons and twelve oxen, one wagon
for every two leaders and one ox each. They brought them in front of the Dwelling.
4

Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,
5
'Accept these from them, and let them be set apart for
the service of the Tent of Meeting. You will give them to the Levites, to each as his
duties require.'
6
Moses took the wagons and oxen, and gave them to the Levites.
7
To the
Gershonites he gave two wagons and four oxen for the duties they had to perform.
8
To
the Merarites he gave four wagons and eight oxen for the duties they had to perform
under the direction of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest.
9
But to the Kohathites he gave
none at all, because the sacred charge entrusted to them had to be carried on their
shoulders.
10
The leaders then made an offering for the dedication of the altar, on the day
it was anointed. They brought their offering before the altar,
11
and Yahweh said to
Moses, 'Each day one of the leaders must bring his offering for the dedication of the
altar.'
12
On the first day an offering was brought by Nahshon son of Amminadab, of the
tribe of Judah.
13
His offering consisted of: one silver bowl weighing a hundred and thirty
shekels, one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels (sanctuary shekels), both of
them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a cereal offering,
14
one golden bowl weighing
ten shekels, full of incense,
15
one young bull, one ram and one male yearling lamb as a
burnt offering,
16
one he-goat as a sacrifice for sin,
17
and two bulls, five rams, five he-
goats and five male yearling lambs as a communion sacrifice. Such was the offering of
Nahshon son of Amminadab. (Numbers 7:1-17 NJB)

The next 6 days, or March 29-April 4 are dealt with in similar levels of details as 6 more tribes
(Issaccar, Zebulon, Reuben, Simeon, Gad and EphraimNumbers 7:18-53) each present an
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offering. And this exact same period also has many regulations given that we now call Leviticus,
chapters 1-8.

At this point though it might be helpful to break out the first of two charts showing where all the
Torah chapters relate in terms of chronology. I have mostly excluded Deuteronomy because the
entire book is only about 1 actual day, 1 Shevat in 1406 BCE.

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Chart #1 (Gregorian dates show DAYLIGHT portions of the Hebrew day)
Blank rows indicate a gap in the Torah text between events.
Absolute
Chronology
BCE Year Exodus Leviticus Numbers-
Joshua
Event(s)
Year 0 Winter of
1447 BCE to
Spring of
1446 BCE
Exodus 5-
11
Moshe turns
80 on 1
Shevat/January
9
th

(Deuteronomy
1:3) when he
begins
speaking with
Pharaoh in
Exodus 5. The
reference to
that in 7:7 is
looking
backwards to
chapter 5
because in 7:7
the second
encounter
hasnt
happened yet.
The entire
process from
Bricks
Without
Straw to the
slaying of the
first born takes
place in this
period to
March 23
rd
/15
Abib, for a
total of 64
days.
Exodus 12-
39
Journeys for
this year
recorded in
summary in
Numbers
33:1-15
Israelites freed
from Egypt.
The rest of
Exodus details
their journey
from Rameses
to Mount Sinai
(Exodus 19)
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and they stay
encamped at
Sinai for
nearly two
years,
including
events only
recorded in
Leviticus and
Numbers.
Year 1 Spring of
1446 BCE to
Spring of
1445 BCE

(1446) 1 Abib
Friday, March
28
th

Exodus 40 Priestly
ordination
begins for 8
days total.
(Leviticus
resumes
narrative
on the 8
th

day in
chapters 9-
10.)
Numbers
7:1-17
Moshe sets up
Tabernacle
and begins
ordaining
priests. Judah
presents his
dedication
offering to
Tabernacle.
2-13 Abib
March 29
th

April 9
th

Numbers
7:18-83
Over the next
11 days, each
of the 11 tribes
presents
offerings for
the
Tabernacle.

2-7 Abib
March 29
th
-
April 3
rd

Leviticus 8 Days 2-7 of
priestly
ordination.
8 Abib
Friday,
April 4
th

Leviticus
9-10
Numbers
3:4;7:54-59
Ordination of
priests ends.
Manasseh
presents
offerings.
Nadav and
Abihu die
offering
strange fire
13 Abib
Wednesday,
April 9
th

Numbers
8:1-26
7 menorahs
presented.
Final
consecration
of the Levites
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performed.
Year 2 1445 BCE-
BCE
(1445) 1 Abib
Monday,
March 15
th

Numbers
9:1-23
Rules for 2
nd

Passover
given.
2 Abib
Tuesday,
March 16
th

Numbers
10:1-10
Commands to
build silver
trumpets
given.
Month of Iyar,
starting
Tuesday,
April 13
th

Numbers
1:1-6:25
First census
for Israel
taken.
Marching
orders for the
tribes given.
Firstborn of
the Levites
then rest of
Israel counted.
Levite clans of
Kohath,
Merari and
Gershon
counted;
responsibilities
given. Purity
and Nazirite
regulations
given; blessing
of the priests
given.
20 Iyar
Wednesday,
May 4
th


It is exactly 2
days shy of 2
full years
solar terms
from when
the Israelites
came to Sinai
on 1 Sivan
(May 5-6) in
1447 BCE to
Leviticus
11:1-27:34
All
commands
given in the
rest of
Leviticus
are while
the
Israelites
are at
Mount
Sinai.
Therefore,
Numbers
10:11-36
Cloud of glory
departs Sinai
and settles on
Paran. Moshe
and the tribes
begin a 3 day
journey there,
arriving before
sunset on
Friday, 22
Iyar/May 6
th
,
the start of
Shabbat.
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now. In
Hebrew
terms they
are 10 days
shy of having
completed 2
full years.
when they
depart,
Leviticus
has ended
by this
same day!
Other events
in spring
Numbers
11:1-12:16;
33:16-17.
Israelites
went from
Hazeroth to
the
wilderness of
Paran
(Numbers
12:18).


Israelites
complain they
dont have
enough meat
and fish.
YHWH
answers by
sending them
quail but also
striking them
down with
plague.
Miriam and
Aaron
complain re-
Moshes
Cushite wife.
Miriam
stricken with
leprosy for 7
days.
Special Note:

Numbers 17-
Aaron's rod
budding:
.
In Exodus
16:35 we are
told the
Israelites ate
manna 40
years until they
came to the
edge of
Canaan, but on
the surface this
appear to be a
contradiction.
Numbers
13:1-19:22.
Israelites are
in the
Wilderness
of Zin
(Numbers
13:21).
Minor stops
in that
wilderness as
the Negev
and the
Valley of
Grapes or
Eschol
(Numbers
13:22-24).
Lowlights
include the bad
report of the
spies, the
command for
the Israelites to
wander 40
more years in
the wilderness
and the Korach
rebellion and
aftermath. Bad
times. But also
the manna is
given.
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All the other
chronological
data we have
strongly points
to a total of 42
years of
wandering in
the wilderness,
comprised of 2
1/2 months on
the road until
they got to
Sinai, and just
under 2 years
at Sinai before
they moved
out to Paran in
Numbers 10
and 11. It was
during that
time that the
Korah
rebellion
happened and,
along with the
spies giving a
bad report
(Numbers 13-
17) sealed
Israel's fate for
wandering an
additional 40
years. When
Deuteronomy
opens it is
literally 40
years and 11
months--so
very nearly 41
years--when
Moses gives
his farewell
speeches. That
41st year will
complete with
30 days of
After this,
they are in
the
wilderness of
Paran when
the bad
report of the
spies comes
back
(Numbers
13:25-26).
Korah
rebellion and
aftermath
happen here
in Paran.
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mourning after
he dies,
leaving another
full year of
wandering left
(#42) before
Joshua can
attach Jericho.

However, the
key to
resolving the
difficulty
comes in
realizing that
Exodus 16:33
says they laid
up the jar of
manna in the
Ark of
Testimony in
the Tabernacle,
and since
neither of those
things existed
in Exodus 16,
it must refer to
an event
AFTER the
Tabernacle
was built at
least a year
later (Exodus
40:1-17;
Numbers 7).

We also know
from the text
that nothing
was added to
the Tabernacle
UNTIL the
events in
Numbers 17,
when Aaron's
budding rod
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was placed
there, so if the
jar of manna
was placed
there at that
time-- a fact
which
Hebrews 9:4
confirms--then
the 40 year
manna count
referenced in
Exodus 16:35
is actually
counting
FORWARD
after two years
from Exodus
were
completed.

In other words,
the text is
meaning to
say, "The
Israelites ate
manna for 40
ADDITIONAL
YEARS after
the jar of
manna was
placed there,
for a total of 42
years from
Exodus", and
so the alleged
contradiction is
easily resolved.

38 YEAR
GAP
Travel stops:
From
Rithmah, to
Rimmon
Perez, to
Libnah, to
Rissah, to
Since the
Israelites were
at the
Wilderness of
Zin when the
bad report of
the spies
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Kehalatha, to
Mount
Shepher, to
Haradah, to
Makheloth,
to Tahath, to
Terah, to
MIthkah, to
Hashmonah,
to Moseroth,
to Bene-
Yakan, to
Hor
Hagigdad, to
Yotbathah, to
Abranah to
Ezion-Geber,
to the
Wilderness
of Zin
(Kadesh)-
Numbers
33:17-36
happened
(Numbers
13:21), and the
stops recorded
in the gap time
taken them
back to that
same place
(Numbers
33:36), their
wandering
years must be
inclusive of all
the stops they
made between
their first and
second visits
to Zin.
Year 40 1407 BCE
Month of
Abib,
beginning
sunset on
Sunday,
March 16
th

Numbers
20:1-22
Miriam dies.
Moshe sins
with getting
water out of
the rock
prematurely at
Meribah.
1 Ab
Thursday,
June 12
th

Numbers
20:23-29;
33:38
Aaron dies on
Mount Hor.
1407-1406
BCE
All events
from 2
Ab,(Friday,
June 13
th
) to
30 Tevet
(Monday,
January 5
th
)
Numbers
21:1-36:13

Since
Deuteronomy
1:3 starts in
40
th
year
after Exodus
on the 1
st
day
of the 11
th

month, the
rest of
Numbers
Events here
include:
Bronze serpent
healing Israel,
journeys
through Moab,
defeating the
Kings of Sihon
and Og, the
drama of
Balak, Balaam
and that
donkey, more
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events must
take place
between 2
Ab and 30
Tevet.
paganism in
Moab, various
censuses and
amendments to
Torah such as
Zelophedads
daughters, war
with the
Midianites and
many new
regulations on
a wide variety
of topics
given.
1406 BCE
1 Shevat
Tuesday,
January 6th
30 days of
mourning
ends
Thursday, 1
Adar/February
5th




Deuteronomy
1:1-34:6
covers 1
Shevat. 30
days of
mourning are
recorded in
Deuteronomy
34:7-12.
Moshe dies at
the end of 1
Shevat and
Israel mourns
him 30 days,
thus
completing the
39
th
year of
wandering in
the wilderness.
Joshua 1-3 In order to
complete the
40
th
year of
wandering in
the wilderness,
Joshua must
wait a whole
year after
Moshes
mourning is
over to enter
into Canaan.
Year 41 We call this
41
st
year
Jubilee Zero.
It is when the
land is taken
from the
Canaanites and
given back to
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YHWH, Who
holds it in trust
for a year
before
transferring it
to Israel.
Year 42 1405 BCE
10 Abib
Shabbat (by
direct
command
from YHWH,
Israelites set
up stones and
cross Jordan)
April 2
nd

(Joshua 4:19)
Other events
for this year
are recorded
elsewhere in
the book of
Joshua.


Joshua 4-6
Jericho
campaign

Joshua 7-8
Defeat at Ai

Joshua 9-10
Victory
helping
Gibeon (sun
stands still)


The year turns
to spring with
Joshua
crossing the
Jordan and
then having
Passover in
Gilgal. Later
that month he
will attack
Jericho.

So the highlights for the chart we have just seen are as follows:

1) As we just explained, Year 0 (1447 BCE) is exclusively dealt with by Exodus chapters
12 through 39.

2) Year 1 (1446 BCE) is recounted in Exodus 40, Leviticus chapters 1 through 10 and
Numbers chapters 7 and 8.

3) Year 2 (1445 BCE) is recorded in Leviticus chapters 11 through 27, since those
commands are all given while Israel is still at Sinai, which they leave after the first 7
weeks of the year (on the 20
th
day of the 2
nd
month). Also covering this year, the first 19
chapters of Numbers but these are out of order chronologically. The actual historical
order is as follows:

a) Events in Abib: Numbers 9:1-10:10.
b) Events in Iyar: Numbers 1:1-6:25, and Numbers 10:11-36.
c) Other spring events: Numbers 11:1-12:16.
d) Summer events to the close of the year: Numbers 13:1-19:22.

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4) Year 40 (1407 BCE) and therefore 38 years are skipped over except for the travel stops
given in Numbers 33, begins with Miriams death in the first month in Numbers 20 and
continues to the end of the book covering events until the end of the 10
th
month. All of
Deuteronomy takes place on 1 Shevat, the first day of the 11
th
month, except for the 30
days Israel mourns for Moshe after his death, which brings this year to a close.

5) Year 41 (1406 BCE) has no events associated with it directly but is inferred from other
Scripture evidence. In the 2
nd
year after the Exodus (Numbers 9:1-2) the Israelites send
out spies into the land of Canaan (Numbers 13). When those spies come back with a bad
report (except Joshua and Caleb), Abba YHWH punishes Israel with wandering a year in
the wilderness for each of the 40 days they spent spying out the land. Since it is already 2
years past the Exodus, that means it takes 42 years from Exodus to the Jericho campaign.
But by the time Moshe dies and is mourned for 30 days, only 39 years of wandering in
the wilderness had been completed. This means Joshua has to wait another full year
before attacking Jericho. This waiting year I call Jubilee Zero. In the Jubilee, land
reverts to its original Owner, YHWH. In one place He warns Israel that the Canaanites
are being expelled for their wickedness and He will do the same to Israel if they also sin.
So YHWH hold the land in trust for a year after taking it from the Canaanites and at the
end of that year he will give it to Israel. Joshua 1-3 covers this broad time frame.

6) Year 42 (1405 BCE) is dealt with in the first 10 chapters of the book of Joshua, covering
the Jericho, Ai and Gibeon campaigns.

But a wider and very beautiful pattern is revealed when we take the same data and arrange it
slightly differently. Here is that chart for your review:

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Chart #2: (Gregorian dates show DAYLIGHT portions of the Hebrew day)
Blank rows indicate a gap in the Torah text between events.
Hebrew
Date
Gregorian
Date
Day of the
Week
12 tribes
dedicating
Tabernacle
(Numbers 7)
8 day
ordination of
the priests
(Exodus 40);
Leviticus 1-
10). Also
miscellaneous
notes as
needed go
here.
Scripture Topic
(Leviticus
regulations)
1 Abib
(1446
BCE)
March 28
th
Friday Levite clans
followed by
Judah
(Numbers 7:1-
17)
Moshe sets up
Tabernacle
begins
ordination of
Aarons sons
(all of Exodus
40).
Division of
Leviticus
topics is based
on the phrase:
Speak to the
sons of Israel
which usually
adds, and say
to them.
Other times
there are
ending phrases,
either by
themselves or
in combination
that tell us the
discussion
ended.
Day 1 Lesson:

Priestly offering
instructions
(Leviticus 1)

Cereal offering
instructions
(Leviticus 2)

Peace offering
instructions
(Leviticus 3)
2 Abib March 29
th
Shabbat
(YHWH
ordered
continuous
offerings
and
ordinations.
Isaacar
presents
offerings
(Numbers
7:18-23)
Day 2 of
priestly
ordination
process.
Day 2 Lesson:

Rules on sin
offerings
(Leviticus 4:1-
5:13)



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3 Abib March 30
th
Sunday Zebulon
presents
offerings
(Numbers
7:24-29)
Day 3 of
priestly
ordination
process.
Day 3 Lesson:

Rules on guilt
offerings
(Leviticus 5:14-
19)
4 Abib March 31
st
Monday Reuben
presents
offerings
(Numbers
7:30-35)
Day 4 of
priestly
ordination
process
Then YHWH
spoke to
Moshe,
saying, is
another
indicator of a
daily topic.
Day 4 Lesson:

Rules on sin
offerings given
(Leviticus 6:1-7)



5 Abib April 1
st
Tuesday Shimeon
presents
offerings
(Numbers
7:36-41)
Day 5 of
priestly
ordination
process
Day 5 Lesson:

Rules on burnt
offerings
(Leviticus 6:8-
18)
6 Abib April 2
nd
Wednesday Gad presents
offerings
(Numbers
7:42-47)
Day 6 of
priestly
ordination
process
YHWH spoke
to Moshe,
saying divides
the daily
lessons.
Day 6 Lesson:

Rules for priestly
anointing
offering given
(Leviticus 6:19-
23)
7 Abib April 3
rd
Thursday Ephraim
presents
offerings
(Numbers
7:48-53)
Day 7 of
priestly
ordination
process
Day 7 Lesson:

Rules on other
offerings given
under the header
of: Then
YHWH spoke to
Moshe,
saying(Leviticus
6:24-7:38)
8 Abib April 4
th
Friday Manasseh
presents
offerings
(Numbers
Day 8 of
priestly
ordination
process. Nadav
Day 8 Lesson:

Rules for the
final ordination
17 | P a g e

7:54-59) and Abihu die
later this day
(Leviticus 9-
10). Since
Manasseh
means causing
to forget it is
interesting that
Nadav and
Abihu forget
the right
procedure and
die because of
it when this
tribe is
presenting their
offering!
of the priests
(Leviticus 8)
9 Abib April 5th Shabbat
(Continuous
offerings
through
Shabbat by
YHWHs
express
commands)
Benjamin
presents
offerings
(Numbers
7:60-65)
Aaron, Eleazar
and Ithamar
serve their first
Shabbat.
Day 9 Lesson:

Instructions on
kosher food
given (Leviticus
11)
10 Abib April 6
th
Sunday Dan presents
offerings
(Numbers
7:66-71)
Day 10 Lesson:

Instructions on
purity/separation
given (Leviticus
12)
11 Abib April 7
th
Monday Asher presents
offerings
(Numbers
7:72-77)
This time the
separating
phrase is And
YHWH spoke
to Moshe and
Aaron saying
Day 11 Lesson:

Instructions on
detecting leprosy
given (Leviticus
13)
12 Abib April 8
th
Tuesday Naphtali
presents
offerings
(Numbers
7:78-83)
There is also a
concluding
phrase at the
end of this
chapter, These
are the laws
Day 12 Lesson:

Instructions on
cleansing leprosy
given (Leviticus
14)
13 Abib April 9
th
Wednesday 7 menorahs
presented.
Final
Separating
phrase,
YHWH spoke
Day 13 Lesson:

Instructions on
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consecration
of the Levites
performed
(Numbers 8:1-
26)
to Moshe
saying and
also a
concluding
phrase, this is
the law for
other bodily
discharges given
(Leviticus 15)
Between
14 Abib
and before
about 1
Tishri
There must be
Yom Kippur
instructions
given well
before the fast
since the
Tabernacle is
up this year.
Instructions for
Yom Kippur
(Leviticus 16)

1 Abib
(1445
BCE)
March 15
th
Monday Rules for 2
nd

Passover given
(Numbers 9)
More instructions
on animal
sacrifices given
and the
prohibition
against eating
blood explained
(Leviticus 17)
2 Abib March 16
th
Tuesday Commands to
build silver
trumpets given
(Numbers
10:1-10)
Instructions on
proper and
improper sexual
relations given
(Leviticus 18)


1 Iyar
(daylight
period)
April 15
th
Thursday First census
taken
(Numbers 1).
Instructions on
moral and ritual
purity given
(Leviticus 19)



2 Iyar April 16
th
Friday Orders on
encampment
of troops/
tribes given
(Numbers 2)

Also language
like These are
the rules for X
or You will
therefore keep
my
commandments
indicates the
end of a days
instructions.

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3 Iyar April 17
th
Shabbat













Census results
for and duties
of the Levites
given
(Numbers 3)
Levites and
priests have
work and
responsibilities
on Shabbat
whereas
Israelites dont
unless
commanded
directly by
YHWH
otherwise.


4 Iyar April 18
th
Sunday Census results
and duties
given for
Kohathites,
Gershonites
and Merarites
(Numbers 4)


Penalties for
violating purity
regulations given
(Leviticus 20)
5 Iyar April 19
th
Monday Rules for
unclean people
given along
with resolving
charges of
adultery
(Numbers 5)
YHWH said
to Moshe,
speak to the
priests.
More rules for
the priests given
(Leviticus 21:1-
15)



6 Iyar April 20
th
Tuesday Rules for
Nazirite vow
given
(Numbers 6).

Please note
Numbers 7
and 8 have
been
accounted for.
Then YHWH
said to Moses
saying, speak
to Aaron
Prohibition
against priests
with deformities
working
(Leviticus 21:16-
24)



7 Iyar April 21
st
Wednesday Special Note:
A lot of the


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separation of
topics/days is
evident with
the phrase
speak to the
children of
Israel and tell
them formula
which
indicates the
passage of
time from the
previous
command.

Instructions for
Set-Apart
offerings for
priests given
(Leviticus 22:1-
16)

8 Iyar

April 22
nd
Thursday Rules for
acceptable
offerings.
(Leviticus 22:17-
32)


9 Iyar April 23
rd
Friday Rules for
Shabbat and
Pesach are given
(Leviticus 23:1-
8)

10 Iyar April 24
th
Shabbat No command to
override Shabbat
is here and
therefore no
instructions are
given today.
11 Iyar April 25
th
Sunday All these are
again under the
umbrella
phrase of
speak to the
sons of
Israel
First fruits
instructions
given
Omer
count/Shavuot
instructions
given along with
the command to
leave edges of
the fields for the
poor Also
command to
leave the edges
21 | P a g e

of the fields for
the poor given
(Leviticus 23:9-
23)
12 Iyar April 26
th
Monday Yom Teruah and
Yom Kippur and
instructions
given (Leviticus
23:24-34)
13 Iyar April 27
th
Tuesday Sukkot
instructions
given (Leviticus
23:34-44)

Commands for
lighting the
lamps and
Tabernacle
bread, some
relating to
regular days and
Shabbat
(Leviticus 24:1-
10). On this
same day
someone curses
in the name of
Yahweh. He is
put into custody
for the rest of this
day while Moshe
awaits
instructions
(Leviticus 24:11-
12)
14 Iyar April 28
th
Wednesday In particular,
the eye for an
eye teaching
makes best
sense
happening right
after the
blasphemer is
stoned.
Blasphemer is
stoned and the
speak to the
children of Israel
and tell them
formula is
applied to that
and some other
regulations
(Leviticus 24:13-
23).
22 | P a g e

15 Iyar April 29
th
Thursday Though the
phrase speak
to the children
of Israel and
tell them does
not separate 26
from 25, the
summary
statement in
26:55 performs
that function
here.
Land Sabbath
and Jubilee rules
given while
Israelites are still
at Sinai. Noting
that the phrase
speak to the
children of Israel
and tell
them___ is
continuous from
one topic to the
other. There is
no separation
between the two
topics. (Leviticus
25)
16 Iyar April 30
th
Friday Same thing
applies to
separating the
rewards for
obedience and
the
punishments
for
disobedience.
Separating
statement,
identical to the
previous one (I
am YHWH
your Elohim
who brought
you out of the
land of Egypt)
appears in
26:13.
Rewards for
obedience given
(Leviticus 26:1-
13)


17 Iyar May 1
st
Shabbat No command
given by YHWH
to override the
Shabbat,
therefore no
instructions
given this day.
18 Iyar May 2
nd
Sunday Very clear
separating
Punishments for
disobedience
23 | P a g e

language given
at the end of
26.
given (Leviticus
26:14-46)
19 Iyar May 3
rd
Monday Speak to the
sons of Israel
statement in
27:2 has no
other
separating
phrases until
the end of the
chapter.
Therefore these
are all on the
same day.
Rules on vows
given explicitly
while Israel is
still at Sinai
(Leviticus
27:34)

20 Iyar May 4
th
Tuesday Cloud of glory
departs Sinai
and settles on
Paran. Moshe
and the tribes
begin a 3 day
journey there,
arriving before
sunset on
Friday, 22
Iyar/May 6
th
,
the start of
Shabbat. It is
also possible
that having left
that Tuesday
that it counts
as full day and
they arrive
Thursday
night.
(Numbers
10:11-36)
Please note
that the
commands of
Leviticus run
out just before
the Israelites
depart Sinai,
both
according to
Leviticus
27:34 and
matching the
portions of
each
commands
parsed out to
each day that
Torah gives.

25 Iyar May 9
th
Sunday Israelites
complain
about not
having enough
fish and meat.
(Numbers 11)

26-28 Iyar May 10-12 Monday-
Wednesday
YHWH
promises

24 | P a g e

relief; Israel
prepares for
quail. They
fall and gather
them for a few
days and the
complainers
die from
plague.
29 Iyar May 13
th
Thursday Miriam and
Aaron
grumble
against Moshe
for taking a
Cushite wife.
Miriam begins
7 days
isolation as a
leper.

6 Sivan May 20
th
Thursday Since Iyar in
this year had
30 days
(whereas
rabbinic
calendar is not
fully wedded
to the lunar
cycle) Miriam
returns to the
camp in time
for Shavuot.
(Numbers 12)

Early
summer
(end of
Sivan)
Late June

Spies are sent
out just at the
beginning of
grape season
(Numbers
13:23)

Mid
summer
(perhaps
9
th
of Ab)
July 20
th
? Tuesday (if
it was the 9
th

of Ab)
Spies give bad
report; Israel
condemned to
wander in the
wilderness for
40 years, one
for each day
they spied out

25 | P a g e

the land.
Events
from
Numbers
15-19 are
of
uncertain
timing
before the
text skips
38 years
to
Miriams
death.


The gorgeous dual-pattern begins again with the 8 day ordination of the priests and the 12 day
dedication ceremony for the Tabernacle both starting on 1 Abib.

And it is here that the different emphases of Numbers and Leviticus are most apparent. Numbers
is clearly focused on the civilian leadership of the main 12 tribes of Israel. Leviticus on the other
hand is more focused on the requirements of priests and Levites, hence its name in Greek which
means pertaining to the Levites. This represents also what I call a Double Witness pattern,
where two sources are both talking about the same moment in time, but from different
perspectives.

But the real show stopper happens when we start matching the rules chapters of Leviticus with
each day for either the priestly ordination or the Tabernacle dedication, because it is only at that
point that we see the full design where theology trumps chronology.

For example, while in historical time we have the Tabernacle being set up and the priestly
ordinations beginning (Exodus 40, Numbers 7), the matching regulations for that first day, from
Leviticus chapter 1, are all about rules for priestly offerings. This is a perfect thematic fit to the
historical events that are taking place!

The same thing happens throughout the next 6 days, where each day of priestly ordination
(mirrored by the offerings of the tribes for the Tabernacle) has a relevant series of instructions
for those same priests, a perfect match from day 2 to Leviticus 2, day 3 to Leviticus 3 and so on,
until the end of Leviticus 7.
1


At that point, Leviticus 8 details the rules for the end of ordination, and the next two chapters
after that seamlessly also relate events on that same 8
th
day. In the parallel account in Numbers
though, again that account being more focused on the other tribes, Manasseh does his offering
and this gives us a beautiful remez or hint.


1
More precisely these things are broken out by topical discussion, not just whole chapters in sequence. Also, there
is technically a 13
th
day, when the rest of the Levites are consecrated (Numbers 8).
26 | P a g e

Manasseh means causing to forget and when Manasseh does that offering, Nadav and Abihu
die because they have forgotten how to offer their fire appropriately unto Abba YHWH. Now
the 8 days of preistly ordination being concluded, the rest of Numbers 7 kicks in with the
remaining 4 days of dedicating the Tabernacle, during which time the tribes of Benjamin, Dan,
Asher and Naphtali dedicate their offerings.

From that point on forwards, I simply continued applying one topic of Leviticus at a time and
matched it up to the historical events recorded in Numbers. What I found was that the number of
Leviticus topics/chapters very closely matched the number of historical events, to the degree that
topics of Leviticus ends just prior to the time that the Israelites leave Sinai, which is recorded in
Numbers 10.

In other words, each regulation in a chapter of Leviticus goes very well with each day of
chronological time given in Numbers, especially when we track the phrase YHWH spoke to
Moshe, speak to the Israelites saying___ as separating each days instructions, which makes
perfect sense. Then when Leviticus finishes all its regulations which are tied to Sinai and the
text literally runs out on that last day before they leave Sinai, the text of Numbers basically
agrees with it and says Okay, discussion at Sinai is over, time to move out tomorrow!

So this is the true core of Moshes design in writing the Torah under the inspiration of the Ruach
haKodesh. Teach the history (Numbers) and then teach the regulations behind that history
(Leviticus), so that each side of the equation is reinforced by the other. And this happens
repeatedly throughout this process as it makes perfect sense that the bulk of priestly instructions
also end at the moment the 8 days of ordination do!

Therefore we have two witnesses to the time period, but each witness speaks to different yet
complementary details. First we are told the WHAT and then we are told the WHY, and if
telling the WHY takes 5 or 6 chapters to do while the narrative is on hold or the narrative slightly
cycles back to the beginning, so be it. It is far more important to see the interconnected purpose
of the text than to always think of it in terms of pure chronological order, so that by the mouths
of two witnesses HIS word might be established (Deuteronomy 19:15)!