Numbers 1:45-54

45 All the Israelites twenty years old or more who were able to serve in Israel’s army were counted according to their families.

46 The total number was 603,550.

47 The ancestral tribe of the Levites, however, was not counted along with the others.

48 The LORD had said to Moses:

49 “You must not count the tribe of Levi or include them in the census of the other Israelites.

50 Instead, appoint the Levites to be in charge of the tabernacle of the covenant law—over all its furnishings and everything belonging to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; they are to take care of it and encamp around it.

51 Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall do it. Anyone else who approaches it is to be put to death.

52 The Israelites are to set up their tents by divisions, each of them in their own camp under their standard.

53 The Levites, however, are to set up their tents around the tabernacle of the covenant law so that my wrath will not fall on the Israelite community. The Levites are to be responsible for the care of the tabernacle of the covenant law.”

54 The Israelites did all this just as the LORD commanded Moses.

Numbers 1:45-54 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Cross References

• 1. ver 3; Numbers 14:29
• 2. Numbers 2:32
• 3. S Exodus 12:37; Exodus 38:26; Numbers 2:32; Numbers 26:51; 2 Samuel 24:9
• 4. S Numbers 3:17-20; Numbers 2:33; Numbers 26:57
• 5. Numbers 4:3,49
• 6. Exodus 25:9; S Exodus 26:1
• 7. S Exodus 16:34; Exodus 38:21; Acts 7:44; Revelation 15:5
• 8. Numbers 3:31
• 9. S Exodus 26:1
• 10. Numbers 4:5
• 11. Numbers 3:38; Numbers 4:15; Numbers 4:1-33
• 12. S Exodus 21:12
• 13. Numbers 2:2; Numbers 10:14; Psalms 20:5; Song of Songs 2:4; Song of Songs 6:4
• 14. Numbers 2:10; Numbers 3:23,29,38
• 15. Leviticus 10:6; Numbers 16:46; Numbers 18:5; Deuteronomy 9:22
• 16. S Exodus 38:21; Numbers 18:2-4