Numbers1
New King James Version
1Now the Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying:
2“Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male individually,
3from twenty years old and above—all who are able to go to war in Israel. You and Aaron shall number them by their armies.
4And with you there shall be a man from every tribe, each one the head of his father’s house.
5“These are the names of the men who shall stand with you: from Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur;
6from Simeon, Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai;
7from Judah, Nahshon the son of Amminadab;
8from Issachar, Nethanel the son of Zuar;
9from Zebulun, Eliab the son of Helon;
10from the sons of Joseph: from Ephraim, Elishama the son of Ammihud; from Manasseh, Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur;
11from Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gideoni;
12from Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai;
13from Asher, Pagiel the son of Ocran;
14from Gad, Eliasaph the son of Deuel;
15from Naphtali, Ahira the son of Enan.”
16These were chosen from the congregation, leaders of their fathers’ tribes, heads of the divisions in Israel.
17Then Moses and Aaron took these men who had been mentioned by name,
18and they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month; and they recited their ancestry by families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, each one individually.
19As the Lord commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the Wilderness of Sinai.
20Now the children of Reuben, Israel’s oldest son, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, every male individually, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war:
21those who were numbered of the tribe of Reuben were forty-six thousand five hundred.
22From the children of Simeon, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, of those who were numbered, according to the number of names, every male individually, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war:
23those who were numbered of the tribe of Simeon were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.
24From the children of Gad, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war:
25those who were numbered of the tribe of Gad were forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.
26From the children of Judah, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war:
27those who were numbered of the tribe of Judah were seventy-four thousand six hundred.
28From the children of Issachar, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war:
29those who were numbered of the tribe of Issachar were fifty-four thousand four hundred.
30From the children of Zebulun, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war:
31those who were numbered of the tribe of Zebulun were fifty-seven thousand four hundred.
32From the sons of Joseph, the children of Ephraim, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war:
33those who were numbered of the tribe of Ephraim were forty thousand five hundred.
34From the children of Manasseh, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war:
35those who were numbered of the tribe of Manasseh were thirty-two thousand two hundred.
36From the children of Benjamin, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war:
37those who were numbered of the tribe of Benjamin were thirty-five thousand four hundred.
38From the children of Dan, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war:
39those who were numbered of the tribe of Dan were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.
40From the children of Asher, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war:
41those who were numbered of the tribe of Asher were forty-one thousand five hundred.
42From the children of Naphtali, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war:
43those who were numbered of the tribe of Naphtali were fifty-three thousand four hundred.
44These are the ones who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron numbered, with the leaders of Israel, twelve men, each one representing his father’s house.
45So all who were numbered of the children of Israel, by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war in Israel—
46all who were numbered were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty.
47But the Levites were not numbered among them by their fathers’ tribe;
48for the Lord had spoken to Moses, saying:
49“Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, nor take a census of them among the children of Israel;
50but you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the Testimony, over all its furnishings, and over all things that belong to it; they shall carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; they shall attend to it and camp around the tabernacle.
51And when the tabernacle is to go forward, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall set it up. The outsider who comes near shall be put to death.
52The children of Israel shall pitch their tents, everyone by his own camp, everyone by his own standard, according to their armies;
53but the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the Testimony, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel; and the Levites shall keep charge of the tabernacle of the Testimony.”
54Thus the children of Israel did; according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so they did.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Numbers 1.
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.
Key Words
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
מִדְבָּר: a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs)
סִינַי: Sinai, mountain of Arabia
אֹהֶל: a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance)
מוֹעֵד: properly, an appointment, i.e. a fixed time or season; specifically, a festival; conventionally ayear; by implication, an assembly (as convened for a definite purpose); technically the congregation; by extension, the place of meeting; also a signal (as appointed beforehand)
אֶחָד: properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first
שֵׁנִי: properly, double, i.e. second; also adverbially, again
חֹדֶשׁ: the new moon; by implication, a month
שָׁנֶה: a year (as a revolution of time)
Cross References
Numbers 1Relates the previous census poll-tax total to the current military census numbers.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Judah's preeminence and largest census size fulfill Jacob's dying prophetic blessing.
Supported by JFB
Fulfillment of Jacob's blessing where Ephraim is prophesied to exceed Manasseh in number.
Supported by JFB
Fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant promise regarding the massive increase of his offspring.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Establishes the chronological timeline of Israel's stay in the wilderness of Sinai.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The Tabernacle set up exactly one month prior to this census command.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Contrasts this first census with the second census where none of this generation remained.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The legal prescription for taking a census and paying the ransom money.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The practical implementation of the Levites dismantling and transporting the tabernacle.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Contrasts Moses' authorized census with David's unauthorized and sinful numbering.
Supported by JFB
Formal setting apart of the tribe of Levi for priestly assistance and duties.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The Tabernacle of Testimony designated under the hand of the Levites.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Shows how failure to guard the sanctuary results in divine wrath breaking out.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Identifies the designated leaders of the tribes selected to assist Moses.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The precise arrangement of the tribes around the tabernacle according to standards.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB