Census

How Nave’s arranged it

• The numbering of Israel
• By MosesExodus 38:26Numbers 1Numbers 3:14–43Numbers 26
• By David2 Samuel 24:1–91 Chronicles 21:1–81 Chronicles 27:24
• A poll tax to be levied at eachExodus 30:12–16Exodus 38:26
• Of the Roman Empire, by CaesarLuke 2:1–3

The passages, in Bible order (9)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 9 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Exodus 30:12–16

   “When you take a census of the Israelites to number them, each man must pay the LORD a ransom for his life when he is counted. Then no plague will come upon them when they are numbered.

   ›Commentary on Exodus 30:12–162 voices

   “When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, after their number,....

   “Then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul - This was a very important ordinance, and should be seriously considered. See Exo 30:13 (note).

   Everything gathered on Exodus 30:12–16→

   Verse page →Original language →

2. Exodus 38:26

   a beka per person, that is, half a shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, from everyone twenty years of age or older who had crossed over to be numbered, a total of 603,550 men.

   ›Commentary on Exodus 38:262 voices

   “A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary,....

   “A bekah for every man - The Hebrew word בקי beka, from בקי baka, to divide, separate into two, seems to signify, not a particular coin, but a shekel broken or cut in two; so, anciently, our farthing was a penny divided in the midst and then subdivided, so that each division contained the fourth part of the penny; hence its name fourthing or fourthling, since corrupted into farthing. There appear to be three particular reasons why much riches should be employed in the construction of the tabernacle, etc.

   Everything gathered on Exodus 38:26→

   Verse page →Original language →

3. Numbers 1:1

   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:

   ›Commentary on Numbers 1:12 voices

   “A month had passed away since the setting up of the tabernacle Exo 40:2, Exo 40:17: and the Sinaitic legislation was now complete (compare Lev 27:34). A census (“sum”) was commanded, to be based not upon any fresh registration of individuals, but upon that which had accompanied the previous collection of the offerings. Compare Exo 30:11, etc.; Exo 38:25-

   “And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai,....

   Everything gathered on Numbers 1:1→

   Verse page →Original language →

4. Numbers 3:14–43

   Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, saying,

   ›Commentary on Numbers 3:14–431 voice

   “And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai,.... At the same time he gave the order, and made the declaration before mentioned, and in the place where now the children of Israel were, and from whence they shortly removed: saying; as follows.

   Everything gathered on Numbers 3:14–43→

   Verse page →Original language →

5. Numbers 26:1

   After the plague had ended, the LORD said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron the priest,

   ›Commentary on Numbers 26:12 voices

   “After the plague - These words serve to show approximately the date at which the census was taken, and intimate the reason for the great decrease in numbers which was found to have taken place in certain tribes. Compare Deu 4:3 and Num 26:5 note in this chapter.

   “And it came to pass after the plague,....

   Everything gathered on Numbers 26:1→

   Verse page →Original language →

6. 2 Samuel 24:1–9

   Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He stirred up David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”

   ›Commentary on 2 Samuel 24:1–92 voices

   “And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel,....

   “And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel - This sentence is the heading of the whole chapter, which goes on to describe the sin which kindled this anger, namely, the numbering of the people 1Ch 21:7-8; 1Ch 27:24. There is no note of time, except that the word “again” shows that these events happened “after” those of 2 Sam. 21. (Compare also 2Sa 24:25; 2Sa 21:14.)

   Everything gathered on 2 Samuel 24:1–9→

   Verse page →Original language →

7. 1 Chronicles 21:1–8

   Then Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.

   ›Commentary on 1 Chronicles 21:1–81 voice

   “As the books of Scripture are arranged in our Version, Satan is here for the first time by name introduced to us. He appears not merely as an “adversary” who seeks to injure man from without, but as a Tempter able to ruin him by suggesting sinful acts and thoughts from within. In this point of view, the revelation made of him here is the most advanced that we find in the Old Testament. The difficulty in reconciling the statement here, “Satan provoked David,” etc. with that of Samuel, “the Lord moved David,” etc. 2Sa 24:1 is not serious.

   Everything gathered on 1 Chronicles 21:1–8→

   Verse page →Original language →

8. 1 Chronicles 27:24

   Joab son of Zeruiah began to count the men but did not finish. For because of this census wrath came upon Israel, and the number was not entered in the Book of the Chronicles of King David.

   ›Commentary on 1 Chronicles 27:242 voices

   “Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number,....

   “Neither was the number put in the account - Joab did not return the whole number; probably the plague began before he had finished: or, he did not choose to give it in, as he had entered on this work with extreme reluctance; and he did not choose to tell the king how numerous they were.

   Everything gathered on 1 Chronicles 27:24→

   Verse page →Original language →

9. Luke 2:1–3

   Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole empire.

   ›Commentary on Luke 2:1–32 voices

   “He has rightly added the name of the governor, to mark the course of time. For if the names of the Consuls are affixed to the tables of prices, how much more ought the time to be noted down, of that event which was the redemption of all men? There is described a secular registration, implied a spiritual, to be laid before the King not of earth but of Heaven; a registering of faith: a census of souls. For the old census of the Synagogue was abolished, a new census of the Church was preparing.

   “And it came to pass in those days,.... When John the Baptist was born, and Christ was conceived, and his mother pregnant with him, and the time of his birth drew on. The Ethiopic version reads, "in that day"; as if it was the same day in which John was circumcised, and Zacharias delivered the above song of praise: that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus; second emperor of Rome; the name Caesar was common to all the emperors, as Pharaoh to the Egyptians, and afterwards Ptolemy.

   Everything gathered on Luke 2:1–3→

   Verse page →Original language →