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A.Number the men of war; twelve princes namedvv. 1-16

1 On the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses in the Tent of Meeting in the Wilderness of Sinai. He said: 2 “Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. 3 You and Aaron are to number those who are twenty years of age or older by their divisions—everyone who can serve in Israel’s army. 4 And one man from each tribe, the head of each family, must be there with you. 5 These are the names of the men who are to assist you: From the tribe of Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur; 6 from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai; 7 from Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab; 8 from Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar; 9 from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon; 10 from the sons of Joseph: from Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud, and from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur; 11 from Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni; 12 from Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai; 13 from Asher, Pagiel son of Ocran; 14 from Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel; 15 and from Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan.” 16 These men were appointed from the congregation; they were the leaders of the tribes of their fathers, the heads of the clans of Israel.

B.Tribe by tribe, six hundred thousand strongvv. 17-46

17 So Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name, 18 and on the first day of the second month they assembled the whole congregation and recorded their ancestry by clans and families, counting one by one the names of those twenty years of age or older, 19 just as the LORD had commanded Moses. So Moses numbered them in the Wilderness of Sinai: 20 From the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, according to the records of their clans and families, counting one by one the names of every male twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 21 those registered to the tribe of Reuben numbered 46,500. 22 From the sons of Simeon, according to the records of their clans and families, counting one by one the names of every male twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 23 those registered to the tribe of Simeon numbered 59,300. 24 From the sons of Gad, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 25 those registered to the tribe of Gad numbered 45,650. 26 From the sons of Judah, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 27 those registered to the tribe of Judah numbered 74,600. 28 From the sons of Issachar, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 29 those registered to the tribe of Issachar numbered 54,400. 30 From the sons of Zebulun, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 31 those registered to the tribe of Zebulun numbered 57,400. 32 From the sons of Joseph: 33 From the sons of Ephraim, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, those registered to the tribe of Ephraim numbered 40,500. 34 And from the sons of Manasseh, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 35 those registered to the tribe of Manasseh numbered 32,200. 36 From the sons of Benjamin, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 37 those registered to the tribe of Benjamin numbered 35,400. 38 From the sons of Dan, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 39 those registered to the tribe of Dan numbered 62,700. 40 From the sons of Asher, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 41 those registered to the tribe of Asher numbered 41,500. 42 From the sons of Naphtali, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 43 those registered to the tribe of Naphtali numbered 53,400. 44 These were the men numbered by Moses and Aaron, with the assistance of the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family. 45 So all the Israelites twenty years of age or older who could serve in Israel’s army were counted according to their families. 46 And all those counted totaled 603,550.

C.Levi not counted, but camped around the tentvv. 47-54

47 The Levites, however, were not numbered along with them by the tribe of their fathers. 48 For the LORD had said to Moses: 49 “Do not number the tribe of Levi in the census with the other Israelites. 50 Instead, you are to appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the Testimony, all its furnishings, and everything in it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its articles, care for it, and camp around it. 51 Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever it is to be pitched, the Levites are to set it up. Any outsider who goes near it must be put to death. 52 The Israelites are to camp by their divisions, each man in his own camp and under his own standard. 53 But the Levites are to camp around the tabernacle of the Testimony and watch over it, so that no wrath will fall on the congregation of Israel. So the Levites are responsible for the tabernacle of the Testimony.” 54 Thus the Israelites did everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition
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Chapter summary

The first census.

Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾

The first census. On the first day of the second month of the second year after leaving Egypt, the LORD commands a numbering of all males from twenty years old and upward, able to go forth to war. Moses, Aaron, and the twelve tribal princes take the count: 603,550 men of war, not counting the Levites. The Levites are set apart for the tabernacle. To bear it, pitch it, and guard it. And are not to be numbered with the fighting men. The camp arranges itself around the tent. The book opens as a roll call of an army. Henry: the people come out of Egypt a multitude; now they stand up as an ordered host.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Law · Moses — Numbers overview

  • A. 1–16 Number the men of war; twelve princes named
  • B. 17–46 Tribe by tribe, six hundred thousand strong
  • C. 47–54 Levi not counted, but camped around the tent
Top cross-references8 chapters ▾
  • Numbers 2626 verses
    • Numbers 26:1After the plague had ended, the LORD said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron the priest,
    • Numbers 26:5Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. These were the descendants of Reuben: The Hanochite clan from Hanoch, the Palluite clan from Pallu,
    • Numbers 26:7These were the clans of Reuben, and their registration numbered 43,730.
    • Numbers 26:12These were the descendants of Simeon by their clans: The Nemuelite clan from Nemuel, the Jaminite clan from Jamin, the Jachinite clan from Jachin,
    • Numbers 26:14These were the clans of Simeon, and there were 22,200 men.
    • Numbers 26:15These were the descendants of Gad by their clans: The Zephonite clan from Zephon, the Haggite clan from Haggi, the Shunite clan from Shuni,
    • Read Numbers 26: 20 more there →
  • Numbers 223 verses
    • Numbers 2:2“The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance from it, each man under his standard, with the banners of his family.
    • Numbers 2:3On the east side, toward the sunrise, the divisions of Judah are to camp under their standard:
    • Numbers 2:5The tribe of Issachar will camp next to it. The leader of the Issacharites is Nethanel son of Zuar,
    • Numbers 2:6and his division numbers 54,400.
    • Numbers 2:7Next will be the tribe of Zebulun. The leader of the Zebulunites is Eliab son of Helon,
    • Numbers 2:8and his division numbers 57,400.
    • Read Numbers 2: 17 more there →
  • Numbers 714 verses
    • Numbers 7:2And the leaders of Israel, the heads of their families, presented an offering. These men were the tribal leaders who had supervised the registration.
    • Numbers 7:10When the altar was anointed, the leaders approached with their offerings for its dedication and presented them before the altar.
    • Numbers 7:12On the first day Nahshon son of Amminadab from the tribe of Judah drew near with his offering.
    • Numbers 7:18On the second day Nethanel son of Zuar, the leader of Issachar, drew near.
    • Numbers 7:24On the third day Eliab son of Helon, the leader of the Zebulunites, drew near.
    • Numbers 7:30On the fourth day Elizur son of Shedeur, the leader of the Reubenites, drew near.
    • Read Numbers 7: 8 more there →
  • Numbers 109 verses
4 more chapters this one speaks with
  • Genesis 499 verses
    • Genesis 49:3Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power.
    • Genesis 49:5Simeon and Levi are brothers; their swords are weapons of violence.
    • Genesis 49:13Zebulun shall dwell by the seashore and become a harbor for ships; his border shall extend to Sidon.
    • Genesis 49:14Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between the sheepfolds.
    • Genesis 49:16Dan shall provide justice for his people as one of the tribes of Israel.
    • Genesis 49:19Gad will be attacked by raiders, but he will attack their heels.
    • Read Genesis 49: 3 more there →
  • Genesis 465 verses
  • Numbers 14 verses
    • Numbers 1:2“Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one.
    • Numbers 1:5These are the names of the men who are to assist you: From the tribe of Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur;
    • Numbers 1:16These men were appointed from the congregation; they were the leaders of the tribes of their fathers, the heads of the clans of Israel.
    • Numbers 1:18and on the first day of the second month they assembled the whole congregation and recorded their ancestry by clans and families, counting one by one the names of those twenty years of age or older,
    • Read Numbers 1 →
  • Numbers 33 verses
    • Numbers 3:1This is the account of Aaron and Moses at the time the LORD spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.
    • Numbers 3:10So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.”
    • Numbers 3:38Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, before the Tent of Meeting. They were to perform the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites; but any outsider who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.
    • Read Numbers 3 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.