Irene Nowell, OSB, is a Benedictine of Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison, Kansas, where she has lived for almost sixty years. An accomplished theologian and biblical scholar, Nowell is a past president of the Catholic Biblical Association and the author of Numbers (of the New Collegeville Bible Commentary); Sing a New Song: The Psalms in the Sunday Lectionary; Women in the Old Testament; and Pleading, Cursing, Praising; all published by Liturgical Press. She is also a member of the editorial board of Give Us This Day (Liturgical Press).

• ContentsAbbreviations    4THE BOOK OF NUMBERSIntroduction    5Text and Commentary    11Census and Preparation for the Departure from Sinai (1:1–10:10)    11Departure, Rebellion, and Wandering in the Wilderness for Forty Years (10:11–25:18)    46Second Census of a New Generation, Preparation to Enter the Promised Land (26:1–36:13)    109Review Aids and Discussion Topics    150Index of Citations from the Catechism of the Catholic Church    152Maps   153

Sr. Irene accomplishes a compelling biblical invitation. Her clear focus and lucid exposition will allow you to follow the shaping of a people. . . . Her commentary on the trials of Moses and the people, failures and successes, their trying to follow (or not) what is perceived as God’s will helps us to appreciate the idea of desert, where God lures us and speaks to our hearts. Perhaps think about The Book of Numbers as the ‘book for Lent’ that Benedict suggests.Benedictines