Numbers 1

1 The LORD spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the Desert of Sinai. It was the first day of the second month in the second year after leaving Egypt. He said,

2 "Take a census of the whole community of Israel by families and households. List every man by name

3 who is at least 20 years old. You and Aaron must register everyone in Israel who is eligible for military duty. List them by divisions.

4 One man from each tribe will help you. Each of these men must be the head of a household.

5 "Here are the names of the men who will help you: Elizur, son of Shedeur, from the tribe of Reuben;

6 Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai, from the tribe of Simeon;

7 Nahshon, son of Amminadab, from the tribe of Judah;

8 Nethanel, son of Zuar, from the tribe of Issachar;

9 Eliab, son of Helon, from the tribe of Zebulun;

10 Elishama, son of Ammihud, from the tribe of Ephraim; Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur, from the tribe of Manasseh; (Ephraim and Manasseh are Joseph's descendants.)

11 Abidan, son of Gideoni, from the tribe of Benjamin;

12 Ahiezer, son of Ammishaddai, from the tribe of Dan;

13 Pagiel, son of Ochran, from the tribe of Asher;

14 Eliasaph, son of Deuel, from the tribe of Gad;

15 Ahira, son of Enan, from the tribe of Naphtali."

16 These were the men chosen from the community, the leaders of their ancestors' tribes, and heads of the divisions of Israel.

17 Moses and Aaron took the men who had been named

18 and assembled the whole community on the first day of the second month. Each man at least 20 years old provided his genealogy by family and household. Then his name was listed.

19 So Moses registered the men of Israel in the Desert of Sinai as the LORD had commanded him.

20 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Reuben, Israel's firstborn son, listed every man by name who was at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty.

21 The total for the tribe of Reuben was 46,500.

22 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Simeon registered and listed every man by name who was at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty.

23 The total for the tribe of Simeon was 59,300.

24 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Gad listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty.

25 The total for the tribe of Gad was 45,650.

26 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Judah listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty.

27 The total for the tribe of Judah was 74,600.

28 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Issachar listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty.

29 The total for the tribe of Issachar was 54,400.

30 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Zebulun listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty.

31 The total for the tribe of Zebulun was 57,400.

32 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Joseph--those from Ephraim--listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty.

33 The total for the tribe of Ephraim was 40,500.

34 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Manasseh listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty.

35 The total for the tribe of Manasseh was 32,200.

36 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Benjamin listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty.

37 The total for the tribe of Benjamin was 35,400.

38 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Dan listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty.

39 The total for the tribe of Dan was 62,700.

40 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Asher listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty.

41 The total for the tribe of Asher was 41,500.

42 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Naphtali listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty.

43 The total for the tribe of Naphtali was 53,400.

44 Moses, Aaron, and the 12 leaders of Israel, each representing his own family, added up these totals.

45 So the Israelites were registered by households. The grand total of men who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty

46 was 603,550.

47 But the households from the tribe of Levi were not registered along with the other Israelites.

48 The LORD had said to Moses,

49 "Don't register the tribe of Levi or include them in the census with the other Israelites.

50 Put the Levites in charge of the tent of God's words, including the equipment for the tent and everything else having to do with the tent. The Levites will carry the tent and all its equipment. They will take care of the tent and camp around it.

51 When the tent has to be moved, the Levites will take it down. When we camp, they will set it up. Anyone else who comes near the tent will be put to death.

52 "The other Israelites will camp with each family in its own area under its own flag.

53 The Levites will camp all around the tent of God's words. In this way [the LORD] won't be angry with the community of Israel. So the Levites will be in charge of the tent of God's words."

54 The Israelites did everything as the LORD commanded Moses.

Numbers 1 Commentary

Chapter 1

This book is called NUMBERS from the several numberings of the people contained in it. It extends from the giving of the law at Sinai, till their arrival in the plains of Jordan. An account is given of their murmuring and unbelief, for which they were sentenced to wander in the wilderness nearly forty years; also some laws, both, moral and ceremonial. Their trials greatly tended to distinguish the wicked and hypocrites from the faithful and true servants of God, who served him with a pure heart.

The numbering of the Israelites. (1-43) The number of the people. (44-46) The Levites not numbered with the rest. (47-54)

Verses 1-43 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.

Verses 44-46 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.

Verses 47-54 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.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS

This book has its name from the account it gives of the "numbers" of the children of Israel, twice taken particularly; which name it has with this Greeks and Latins, and so with the Syriac and Arabic versions; but with the Jews it is called sometimes "Vajedabber", from the first word of it, "and the Lord spake"; and sometimes "Bemidbar", from the fifth word of the first verse, "in the wilderness", and sometimes "Sepher Pikkudim"; or, as with Origen {a}, "Ammesphkodim", the book of musters or surveys. That it was written by Moses is not to be doubted; and is indeed suggested by our Lord himself, Joh 5:46 compared with Nu 3:14, and the references to it, in the New Testament, fully ascertain to us Christians the authenticity of it, as that of our Lord hinted at, and those of the apostle in 1Co 10:4, Heb 9:13,14. It contains an history of the affairs of the Israelites, and of their travel in the wilderness for the space of thirty eight years; though the principal facts it relates were done in the second year of their coming out of Egypt, and in the last of their being in the wilderness; and it is not merely historical, but gives a particular account of several laws, ceremonial and judicial, to be observed by the people of Israel, as well as has many things in it very instructive, both of a moral and evangelical nature.

\\INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 1\\

In this chapter orders are given to Moses to take the number of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upwards, Nu 1:1-3; and the men that were to assist in this work, one of each tribe are mentioned by name, Nu 1:4-16; all which was accordingly done, Nu 1:17-19; and the particular numbers of each tribe are recorded, as they were taken, Nu 1:20-44; and the sum total is given, Nu 1:45,46; the Levites being excepted, who were employed about the tabernacle, and so not to be employed in military service, Nu 1:47-51; they encamped about that, while the Israelites pitched their tents every man by his own camp and standard, Nu 1:52-54.

{a} Apud Euseb. Hist. Ecclesiast. l. 6. c. 25.