Numbers 1

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sina, in the tabernacle of witness, on the first day of the second month, in the second year of their departure from the land of Egypt, saying,

2 Take the sum of all the congregation of Israel according to their kindreds, according to the houses of their fathers' families, according to their number by their names, according to their heads: every male

3 from twenty years old and upwards, every one that goes forth in the forces of Israel, take account of them with their strength; thou and Aaron take account of them.

4 And with you there shall be each one of the rulers according to the tribe of each: they shall be according to the houses of their families.

5 And these are the names of the men who shall be present with you; of the tribe of Ruben, Elisur the son of Sediur.

6 Of Symeon, Salamiel the son of Surisadai.

7 Of Juda, Naasson the son of Aminadab.

8 Of Issachar, Nathanael the son of Sogar.

9 Of Zabulon, Eliab the son of Chaelon.

10 Of the sons of Joseph, of Ephraim, Elisama the son of Emiud: of Manasses, Gamaliel the son of Phadasur.

11 Of Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gadeoni.

12 Of Dan, Achiezer the son of Amisadai.

13 Of Aser, Phagaiel the son of Echran.

14 Of Gad, Elisaph the son of Raguel.

15 Of Nephthali, Achire the son of Aenan.

16 These were famous men of the congregation, heads of the tribes according to their families: these are heads of thousands in Israel.

17 And Moses and Aaron took these men who were called by name.

18 And they assembled all the congregation on the first day of the month in the second year; and they registered them after their lineage, after their families, after the number of their names, from twenty years old and upwards, every male according to their number:

19 as the Lord commanded Moses, so they were numbered in the wilderness of Sina.

20 And the sons of Ruben the first-born of Israel according to their kindreds, according to their divisions, according to the houses of their families, according to the number of their names, according to their heads, were—all males from twenty years old and upward, every one that went out with the host—

21 the numbering of them of the tribe of Ruben, was forty-six thousand and four hundred.

22 For the children of Symeon according to their kindreds, according to their divisions, according to the houses of their families, according to the number of their names, according to their polls, all males from twenty years old and upward, every one that goes out with the host,

23 the numbering of them of the tribe of Symeon, was fifty-nine thousand and three hundred.

24 For the sons of Juda according to their kindreds, according to their divisions, according to the houses of their families, according to the number of their names, according to their polls, all males from twenty years old and upward, every one that goes forth with the host,

25 the numbering of them of the tribe of Juda, was seventy-four thousand and six hundred.

26 For the sons of Issachar according to their kindreds, according to their divisions, according to the houses of their families, according to the number of their names, according to their polls, all males from twenty years old and upward, every one that goes forth with the host,

27 the numbering of them of the tribe of Issachar, was fifty-four thousand and four hundred.

28 For the sons of Zabulon according to their kindreds, according to their divisions, according to the houses of their families, according to the number of their names, according to their polls, all males from twenty years old and upward, every one that goes out with the host,

29 the numbering of them of the tribe of Zabulon, was fifty-seven thousand and four hundred.

30 For the sons of Joseph, the sons of Ephraim, according to their kindreds, according to their divisions, according to the houses of their families, according to the number of their names, according to their polls, all males from twenty years old and upward, every one that goes out with the host,

31 the numbering of them of the tribe of Ephraim, was forty thousand and five hundred.

32 For the sons of Manasse according to their kindreds, according to their divisions, according to the houses of their families, according to the number of their names, according to their polls, all males from twenty years old and upward, every one that goes out with the host,

33 the numbering of them of the tribe of Manasse, was thirty-two thousand and two hundred.

34 For the sons of Benjamin according to their kindreds, according to their divisions, according to the houses of their families, according to the number of their names, according to their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, every one that goes forth with the host,

35 the numbering of them of the tribe of Benjamin, was thirty-five thousand and four hundred.

36 For the sons of Gad according to their kindreds, according to their divisions, according to the houses of their families, according to the number of their names, according to their polls, all males from twenty years old and upward, every one that goes forth with the host,

37 the numbering of them of the tribe of Gad, was forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty.

38 For the sons of Dan according to their kindreds, according to their divisions, according to the houses of their families, according to the number of their names, according to their polls, all males from twenty years old and upward, every one that goes forth with the host,

39 the numbering of them of the tribe of Dan, was sixty and two thousand and seven hundred.

40 For the sons of Aser according to their kindreds, according to their divisions, according to the houses of their families, according to the number of their names, according to their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, every one that goes forth with the host,

41 the numbering of them of the tribe of Aser, was forty and one thousand and five hundred.

42 For the sons of Nephthali according to their kindreds, according to their divisions, according to the houses of their families, according to the number of their names, according to their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, every one who goes forth with the host,

43 the numbering of them of the tribe of Nephthali, was fifty-three thousand and four hundred.

44 This is the numbering which Moses and Aaron and the rulers of Israel, being twelve men, conducted: there was a man for each tribe, they were according to the tribe of the houses of their family.

45 And the whole numbering of the children of Israel with their host from twenty years old and upward, every one that goes out to set himself in battle array in Israel, came to

46 six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.

47 But the Levites of the tribe of their family were not counted among the children of Israel.

48 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

49 See, thou shalt not muster the tribe of Levi, and thou shalt not take their numbers, in the midst of the children of Israel.

50 And do thou set the Levites over the tabernacle of witness, and over all its furniture, and over all things that are in it; and they shall do service in it, and they shall encamp round about the tabernacle.

51 And in removing the tabernacle, the Levites shall take it down, and in pitching the tabernacle they shall set it up: and let the stranger that advances die.

52 And the children of Israel shall encamp, every man in his own order, and every man according to his company, with their host.

53 But let the Levites encamp round about the tabernacle of witness fronting it, and there shall be no sin among the children of Israel; and the Levites themselves shall keep the guard of the tabernacle of witness.

54 And the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. force.
• [b]. ????e? dicebantur olim tabulae publicae; atque inde ?pa????, quod videtur esse,
• [c]. head or poll.
• [d]. 500.
• [e]. according to the situation of his captain or prince.

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.