Numbers1
New Living Translation
1A year after Israel’s departure from Egypt, the Lord spoke to Moses in the Tabernacle in the wilderness of Sinai. On the first day of the second month of that year he said,
2“From the whole community of Israel, record the names of all the warriors by their clans and families. List all the men
3twenty years old or older who are able to go to war. You and Aaron must register the troops,
4and you will be assisted by one family leader from each tribe.
5“These are the tribes and the names of the leaders who will assist you:TribeLeaderReuben Elizur son of Shedeur
6Simeon Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai
7Judah Nahshon son of Amminadab
8Issachar Nethanel son of Zuar
9Zebulun Eliab son of Helon
10Ephraim son of Joseph Elishama son of AmmihudManasseh son of Joseph Gamaliel son of Pedahzur
11Benjamin Abidan son of Gideoni
12Dan Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai
13Asher Pagiel son of Ocran
14Gad Eliasaph son of Deuel
15Naphtali Ahira son of Enan
16These are the chosen leaders of the community, the leaders of their ancestral tribes, the heads of the clans of Israel.”
17So Moses and Aaron called together these chosen leaders,
18and they assembled the whole community of Israel on that very day. All the people were registered according to their ancestry by their clans and families. The men of Israel who were twenty years old or older were listed one by one,
19just as the Lord had commanded Moses. So Moses recorded their names in the wilderness of Sinai.
20-This is the number of men twenty years old or older who were able to go to war, as their names were listed in the records of their clans and families:TribeNumberReuben (Jacob’s oldest son) 46,500
21-Simeon 59,300
22-Gad 45,650
23-Judah 74,600
24-Issachar 54,400
25-Zebulun 57,400
26-Ephraim son of Joseph 40,500
27-Manasseh son of Joseph 32,200
28-Benjamin 35,400
29-Dan 62,700
30-Asher 41,500
31-Naphtali 53,400
32These were the men registered by Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel, all listed according to their ancestral descent.
33They were registered by families—all the men of Israel who were twenty years old or older and able to go to war.
34The total number was 603,550.
35But this total did not include the Levites.
36For the Lord had said to Moses,
37“Do not include the tribe of Levi in the registration; do not count them with the rest of the Israelites.
38Put the Levites in charge of the Tabernacle of the Covenant, along with all its furnishings and equipment. They must carry the Tabernacle and all its furnishings as you travel, and they must take care of it and camp around it.
39Whenever it is time for the Tabernacle to move, the Levites will take it down. And when it is time to stop, they will set it up again. But any unauthorized person who goes too near the Tabernacle must be put to death.
40Each tribe of Israel will camp in a designated area with its own family banner.
41But the Levites will camp around the Tabernacle of the Covenant to protect the community of Israel from the Lord’s anger. The Levites are responsible to stand guard around the Tabernacle.”
42So the Israelites did everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
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