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Numbers 1

Numbers1

American Standard Version · Public Domain

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1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,

2 Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, every male, by their polls;

3 from twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel, thou and Aaron shall number them by their hosts.

4 And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of his fathers’ house.

5 And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you. Of Reuben: Elizur the son of Shedeur.

6 Of Simeon: Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

7 Of Judah: Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

8 Of Issachar: Nethanel the son of Zuar.

9 Of Zebulun: Eliab the son of Helon.

10 Of the children of Joseph: Of Ephraim: Elishama the son of Ammihud. Of Manasseh: Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

11 Of Benjamin: Abidan the son of Gideoni.

12 Of Dan: Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

13 Of Asher: Pagiel the son of Ochran.

14 Of Gad: Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

15 Of Naphtali: Ahira the son of Enan.

16 These are they that were called of the congregation, the princes of the tribes of their fathers; they were the heads of the thousands of Israel.

17 And Moses and Aaron took these men that are mentioned by name:

18 and they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month; and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls.

19 As Jehovah commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.

20 And the children of Reuben, Israel’s first-born, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

21 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.

22 Of the children of Simeon, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, those that were numbered thereof, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

23 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.

24 Of the children of Gad, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

25 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Gad, were forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty.

26 Of the children of Judah, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

27 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Judah, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.

28 Of the children of Issachar, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

29 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.

30 Of the children of Zebulun, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

31 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.

32 Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

33 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred.

34 Of the children of Manasseh, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

35 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.

36 Of the children of Benjamin, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

37 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.

38 Of the children of Dan, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

39 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.

40 Of the children of Asher, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

41 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.

42 Of the children of Naphtali, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

43 those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.

44 These are they that were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men: they were each one for his fathers’ house.

45 So all they that were numbered of the children of Israel by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel;

46 even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.

47 But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them.

48 For Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

49 Only the tribe of Levi thou shalt not number, neither shalt thou take the sum of them among the children of Israel;

50 but appoint thou the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all the furniture thereof, and over all that belongeth to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the furniture thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.

51 And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

52 And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, according to their hosts.

53 But the Levites shall encamp round about the tabernacle of the testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of the testimony.

54 Thus did the children of Israel; according to all that Jehovah commanded Moses, so did they.

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Numbers 1

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Numbers 1. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.

Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The numbering of the Israelites. (1–43). The number of the people. (44–46). The Levites not numbered with the rest. (47–54).

vv1-43

The people were numbered to show God's faithfulness in thus increasing the seed of Jacob, that they might be the better trained for the wars and conquest of Canaan, and to ascertain their families in order to the division of the land. It is said of each tribe, that those were numbered who were able to go forth to war; they had wars before them, though now they met with no opposition. Let the believer be prepared to withstand the enemies of his soul, though all may appear to be peace.

vv44-46

We have here the sum total. How much was required to maintain all these in the wilderness! They were all provided for by God every day. When we observe the faithfulness of God, however unlikely the performance of his promise may appear, we may take courage as to those which yet remain to be fulfilled to the church of God.

vv47-54

Care is here taken to distinguish the tribe of Levi, which, in the matter of the golden calf, had distinguished itself. Singular services shall be recompensed by singular honours. It was to the honour of the Levites, that to them was committed the care of the tabernacle and its treasures, in their camps and in their marches. It was for the honour of the holy things that none should see them, or touch them, but those who were called of God to the service. We all are unfit and unworthy to have fellowship with God, till called by his grace into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and so, being the spiritual seed of that great High Priest, we are made priests to our God. Great care must be taken to prevent sin, for preventing sin is preventing wrath. Being a holy tribe, they were not reckoned among other Israelites. They that minister about holy things, should neither entangle themselves, nor be entangled, in worldly affairs. And let every believer seek to do what the Lord has commanded.

Cross References

Numbers 1
v2Exodus 38:26thematic

Relates the previous census poll-tax total to the current military census numbers.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v27Genesis 49:8-12fulfillment

Judah's preeminence and largest census size fulfill Jacob's dying prophetic blessing.

Supported by JFB

v33Genesis 48:19fulfillment

Fulfillment of Jacob's blessing where Ephraim is prophesied to exceed Manasseh in number.

Supported by JFB

v46Genesis 22:17fulfillment

Fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant promise regarding the massive increase of his offspring.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v1Exodus 19:1thematic

Establishes the chronological timeline of Israel's stay in the wilderness of Sinai.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v1Exodus 40:17thematic

The Tabernacle set up exactly one month prior to this census command.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v2Numbers 26:64contrast

Contrasts this first census with the second census where none of this generation remained.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v2Exodus 30:12thematic

The legal prescription for taking a census and paying the ransom money.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v51Numbers 10:17-21thematic

The practical implementation of the Levites dismantling and transporting the tabernacle.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v22 Samuel 24:1-3contrast

Contrasts Moses' authorized census with David's unauthorized and sinful numbering.

Supported by JFB

v49Numbers 3:6thematic

Formal setting apart of the tribe of Levi for priestly assistance and duties.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v50Exodus 38:21thematic

The Tabernacle of Testimony designated under the hand of the Levites.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v53Numbers 16:46thematic

Shows how failure to guard the sanctuary results in divine wrath breaking out.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v4Numbers 1:16thematic

Identifies the designated leaders of the tribes selected to assist Moses.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v52Numbers 2:2thematic

The precise arrangement of the tribes around the tabernacle according to standards.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB