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

   “WILL you kindly open your Bibles to Exodus 30, for I must commence my discourse by expounding that passage. When the account was taken of the number of the children of Israel, the Lord commanded that every male over 20 years of age should pay half a shekel as Redemption money, confessing that he deserved to die, acknowledging that he was in debt to God and bringing the sum demanded as a type of a great Redemption which would, by-and-by, be paid for the souls of the sons of men.

   “The Ransom of Souls. - Exo 38:25-28. On comparing these words with those of Num 1:1-3, we may perhaps infer that the first passage relates to a mere counting of the adult Israelites at the time when the money was taken from each, and that what the latter passage enjoins was a formal enrolment of them according to their genealogies and their order of military service.

   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 38:261 voice

   “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-

   “Note, When any work is to be done for God it is good to set about it quickly, while the sense of duty is strong and pressing. And, for aught that appears, it was but one day's work, for many other things were done between this and the twentieth day of this month, when they removed their camp, ch. x.

   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,

   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 26:11 voice

   “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.

   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

   “Satan was the active mover, while God only withdrew His supporting grace, and the great tempter prevailed against the king. The order was given to Joab, who, though not generally restrained by religious scruples, did not fail to present, in strong terms (see on 1Ch 21:3), the sin and danger of this measure.

   “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→

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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 21:1–82 voices

   “Hence the numbering of that people was in itself regarded as an undertaking by which the anger of God could be easily aroused; but when the arrangements were made by Moses for the taking of the census, God was not angry because the people were numbered for the express purpose of the tax for the sanctuary, and the money which was thus collected ("the atonement money," Ex 30:16) appeased Him.

   “Satan stood - Before the Lord and his tribunal to accuse David and Israel, and to beg God's permission to tempt David. Standing is the accusers posture before men's tribunals; and consequently the holy scripture (which useth to speak of the things of God, after the manner of men, to bring them down to our capacities) elsewhere represent Satan in this posture.

   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

   “No notice was taken of this census in the historical register, as from the public calamity with which it was associated it would have stood as a painful record of the divine judgment against the king and the nation.

   “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 →