1God commandeth Moses to number the people. 5The princes of the tribes. 17The numbering of the people. 20, 22, &c. The number of each tribe. 44The sum total. 47The Levites are exempted for the service of the tabernacle.
1AND the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day 1of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,
1 Called Zif, and agreeing most with our April, as the first month most with our March. See 1 Kings 6 on verse 1.
2Takea ye 2the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, 3every male by their polls;
a Exod. 30:12.
2 Hebr. the head. Also verse 49; Exod. 30:12; Num. 4:2. Understand a short summary of a great multitude of men.
3 Hebr. according to their heads, or, skulls, or, brainpans.
3From 4twenty years old and upward, all 5that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall 6number them by their armies.
4 Hebr. from a son of twenty year; so frequently in this chapter.
5 That is, all those who were made use of in time of war to bear arms, and were suitable to be led against the enemies to fight them. And consequently there were those who were excluded because of sickness and indisposition of body or age, and so below often. See this manner of speech likewise in Deut. 24:5; 2 Chron. 26:11.
6 The Hebrew word not only signifies to number, but likewise to observe and to supervise those who are numbered, which we call to muster.
4And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one 7head of the house of his fathers.
7 Hebr. a man of the head, that is, the most important man of every tribe, the first by birthright and consequently the head of it. See on verse 16.
5¶And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you: of 8the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur.
8 The italics the tribe of are added for clarification, and so likewise in the following verses.
6Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
7Of Judah; Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
8Of Issachar; Nethaneel the son of Zuar.
9Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon.
10Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim; Elishama the son of Ammihud: of Manasseh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
11Of Benjamin; Abidan the son of Gideoni.
12Of Dan; Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
13Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocran.
14Of Gad; Eliasaph the son of 9Deuel.
9 Otherwise called, Reuel, Num. 2:14.
15Of Naphtali; Ahira the son of Enan.
16These were 10the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, 11heads of 12thousands in Israel.
10 That is, those who were summoned, namely, the heads and princes of the people of each tribe, who were called together when there were any weighty matters to be transacted. Compare Num. 16:2; 26:9. Other, the called ones.
11 See the annotation Job 12 on verse 24.
12 See Judges 6 on verse 15.
17¶And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names:
18And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, 13and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, 14by their polls.
13 That is, they made it appear by their genealogies from what forefathers they were descended. Other, they were written down and they made a register of them, or, they were marked and registered.
14 See on verse 2.
19As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.
20And the children of Reuben, Israel's eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, 15all that were able to go forth to war;
15 See on verse 3.
21Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.
22¶Of the children of Simeon, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, those that were numbered of them, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
23Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.
24¶Of the children of Gad, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
25Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Gad, were forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty.
26¶Of the children of Judah, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
27Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Judah, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.
28¶Of the children of Issachar, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
29Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.
30¶Of the children of Zebulun, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
31Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.
32¶Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
33Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred.
34¶Of the children of Manasseh, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
35Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.
36¶Of the children of Benjamin, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
37Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.
38¶Of the children of Dan, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
39Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.
40¶Of the children of Asher, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
41Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.
42¶Of the children of Naphtali, throughout their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
43Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.
44These are those that were numbered, which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being 16twelve men: each one was for the house of his fathers.
16 Namely, the twelve rulers of Israel. See on verses 4, 16.
45So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel;
46Even all they that were numbered were sixb hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.
b Exod. 38:26.
47¶But the Levites 17after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered 18among them.
17 That is, howbeit that the Levites were likewise a tribe by themselves, yet their tribe was not reckoned, nor brought into account in this numbering.
18 Hebr. in the midst of them.
48For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying,
49Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel:
50But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle 19of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.
19 Thus the tabernacle is likewise called in verse 53 and Exod. 38:21, etc., in regard that therein was kept the testimony of God’s will, that is, the law, written on two tables of stone, and located in the ark of the covenant. See Exod. 25:21; Heb. 9:4.
51And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the 20stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
20 Understand, anyone, who was not of the tribe of Levi, such a person was not permitted to come near it, nor lay any hand on for to help take it down, or carry, or set it up, etc.
52And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard,c throughout their hosts.
c flag, banner*
53But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no 21wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the 22charge of the tabernacle of testimony.
21 Namely, of the righteous and almighty God, Who will not suffer the transgression of His laws, and especially those touching His worship, to go unpunished.
22 See Lev. 8 on verse 35.
54And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.