In Numbers 27, Moses is directed by the Lord to go up to the Abarim mountain range and view the land that will be given to the Israelites after his death. Moses then asked God to appoint someone to take over the responsibility in shepherding the Israelites. The Lord told Moses to take Joshua as his successor and commission him before the whole assembly of Israelites so that they will respect his authority and obey him.

Numbers 26 records the second census instructed by the Lord, "Take a census of the whole Israelite community by families--all those twenty years old or more who are able to serve in the army of Israel." The total number of the men of Israel was 601,730.
"Not one of them was among those counted by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai. For the Lord had told those Israelites they would surely die in the desert, and not one of them was left except Caleb and Joshua."

In Numbers 25, the Lord sent a plague upon the Israelites, killing 24,000 as a result of their immorality and participating in Moabite sacrifices to the Baal of Peor. A grandson of Aaron, Phinehas, turned the Lord's anger away from the Israelites by his zeal for God's honor. God said to Moses, "Therefore tell him (Phinehas) I am making my covenant of peace with him. He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood, because he was zealous for the honor of his God and made atonement for the Israelites."

Numbers 24
The Holy Spirit of God came upon Balaam and he received a clear message from the Lord, as he again blessed the Israelites. "...water will flow from their buckets, their offspring will have all they need, their king will be great .. their kingdom will be exalted..God brought them out of Egypt and for them He is strong. " Balek again became enraged that Balaam had blessed the Israelites, but Balaam says again, "I am powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord.. I could say only what the Lord says".

Numbers 23
King Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done? I brought you to curse my enemies (Israelites), but instead you have blessed them!!" Balaam responded, "Can I say anything except what the Lord tells me? Didn't I tell you that I must do whatever the Lord tells me? How can I condemn them? For the Lord their God is with them. I received a command to bless them."

Numbers 22
King Balak called on Balaam to curse the "vast horde" of Israelites which arrived from Egypt because he felt threatened by them.
Balaaam was, however, directed by God not to cooperate. Balaam told Balak that "the Lord will not let me go with you" and also that he "would be powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord". The Lord told Balaam they he may say "only what I tell you to say". Balaam told Balak , "I have no power to say just anything . I will speak only the messages that God gives me." Though Balaam probably was willing to be employed by King Balak and to cooperate with his plans to curse the Israelites, he acknowledged God's sovereignty and yielded to God's guidance and direction.

Numbers 21 ... and they spoke against God..."Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert?" Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them, killing many Israelites. The people then acknowledged their sin in speaking against the Lord and asked Moses to pray for them. Moses prayed for them and the Lord instructed Moses to make a bronze snake on a pole for the people to look upon and they would live.