06_Biblica_AN_Ska_Layout 1 01/04/14 12:04 Pagina 102 ANIMADVERSIONES Old and New in the Book of Numbers 1 “Buntscheckig”, i.e. “multicolour”, “variegated”, “multifarious” — that is how Wellhausen describes the nature of a few verses attributed to the Jehovist in Numbers 20-21 2. The adjective could be applied to the Book of Numbers itself, it seems to me, since everyone recognizes its disunity. On the one hand, one finds in it long lists of names (e.g. Numbers 1,1-44; 3,14-39; 26; 33,1-49) or of geographical features (34), narratives (e.g. Num 11,1-3.4-34; 12,1-16; 13,1–14,45; 16,1–17,27; 20,1-13.14-21.22-29; 21,1- 3.4-9.10-35, etc.), laws of different types (e.g. 5,1-4.5-10.11-31; 6,1-21; 7,1-89; 8,1-4; 9,1-14; 15,1-16.17-21.22-31.37-41, etc.) and some poetic passages (e.g. 6,22-27; 10,35-36; 21,14-15.17-18.27-30, and Balaam’s or- acles in Numbers 23–24). This is however only one side of the problem. The second is that we do not find in Numbers any continuity between the different sections of the book. We have something like a juxtaposition of membra disiecta rather than a series of coherent units 3. The reader looks in vain for something similar to a narrative such as Exodus 1–15, where the different sources are arranged in a logical and chronological order. Moreover, it is very difficult to see continuity or development in the pieces attributed to any of the sources present in Numbers. I. The different facets of the problem — J. Wellhausen and M. Noth Scholars have proposed several, often contradictory, explanations of this problematic situation 4. M. Noth is probably one of the most often quoted commentators in the field. The sentence which is very often re- peated summarizes the debate very well: 1 This is a slightly revised version of a conference given at the interna- tional SBL Congress in Amsterdam, 22-26 of July, 2012. 2 J. WELLHAUSEN, Die Composition des Hexateuchs und der historischen Bücher des alten Testaments (Berlin 31899 = Berlin 1963) 108. 3 The expression membra disiecta comes from the Latin poet Horace (Satires, 1.4.62). 4 For a summary of the positions, see T. RÖMER, “De la périphérie au cen- tre: Les livres du Lévitique et des Nombres dans le débat actuel sur le Penta- teuque”, The Books of Leviticus and Numbers (ed. T. RÖMER) (BETL 215; Leuven 2008) 3-34, esp. 22-32 (“Les Nombres: un livre-pont?”). BIBLICA 95.1 (2014) 102-116