I suppose there was a time, in the distant past, when people never thought of themselves — or other people — as numbers.
In fact, there must have been a time, in the distant past, when numbers had not yet been invented. This is hard to imagine, for a person like myself who was assigned a number on my birth certificate, and shortly thereafter, was registered (by my own parents!) with the Social Security Administration and had yet another number attached to my identity. Not that I blame my parents. They needed me to have a Social Security number so they could claim me as a dependent on their income tax returns.
I did the same thing to my own kids. I let the government number them.
But still, there must have been a time, long ago, when numbers didn’t exist. If you were making dinner for a crowd of people, and numbers didn’t exist, you simply made a mental list of each person’s name and estimated how much mammoth stew each one would probably eat. Estimating double, if any of them were teenage boys.
For a very large dinner party, you probably drew pictures on the cave walls, to help you keep track. (You would of course account for any service animals that would be accompanying their owners.)
By the time of the Flood, we know that humans had discovered, at the very least, the number “2”, because Noah was told to collect two of each animal — male and female. Eventually, the numbers up to 12 were invented, so that people could buy a dozen eggs.
There were certain disadvantages to life before the invention of numbers, but as civilizations developed, numbers became more and more necessary. Necessary, that is, to the people in power.
Based on my (admittedly limited) research into how and why humans finally started using numbers to keep track of each other, it would appear that “taxes” played a significant role in the transition. Also, “compulsory registration for military service”.
The hallmarks of modern civilization. But also, the hallmarks of ancient civilization.
In 2 Samuel, there’s an interesting little story about counting the population.
And again the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah.” And the king said to Joab the captain of the host, who was with him, “Go now to and fro through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the sum of the people…”
It’s not explained what excuse King David gave for wanting to number his people. But I bet it had something to do with taxes and military service. Joab warned him against it, but once the king makes up his mind, what can you do?
And Joab gave up the sum of the numbering of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.
Things didn’t turn out so well for David and the tribes of Israel, as a result. David knew he had sinned, and someone was going to pay the penalty.
So Jehovah sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men…
Have we learned anything from this story? Apparently not. As some will remember, back in 2020, the United States government started counting its population for the decennial census, legally mandated by the Constitution.
By August 2021, 600,000 people had died of COVID. Mostly taxpayers.
Was it worth it?
At any rate, I’ve been assigned all kinds of numbers over the years. The most important seems to be my phone number, to judge by the vast quantity of junk text messages I receive daily. Also, important: my bank account number and my credit card number. Actually, three credit card numbers. And their balances.
Without my numbers, I would essentially cease to exist.
Why Jehovah allowed this to happen to us, we will probably never know.
Underrated writer Louis Cannon grew up in the vast American West, although his ex-wife, given the slightest opportunity, will deny that he ever grew up at all. You can read more stories on his Substack account.