Numeri 1:16

16 Questi furono i chiamati dal seno della raunanza, i principi delle tribù de’ loro padri, i capi delle migliaia d’Israele.

Numeri 1:16 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 1:16

These [were] the renowned of the congregation
The most famous and eminent among the people, for their birth and pedigree, or for their excellent qualities of wisdom, courage, and the like; or "the called of the congregation" ^F4, whom God had called by name and selected from the rest of the congregation to the above service, whereby great honour was done them: Aben Ezra says, the sense is, that the congregation did nothing until they had called them; with which agrees the note of Jarchi,

``who were called to every business of importance in the congregation:''

princes of the tribes of their fathers;
as Elizur was prince of the children of Reuben, ( Numbers 7:30 ) ; the same is there said of the rest in their respective tribes:

heads of thousands in Israel;
the congregation of Israel being divided into thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, by the advice of Jethro, ( Exodus 18:21 ) ; each of these divisions had a ruler over them, and thousands being the highest number, these princes were chiliarchs, rulers or heads of thousands.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F4 (hdeh yayrq) "convocati coetus", Montanus, Drusius; "convocati e coetu", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Numeri 1:16 In-Context

14 di Gad: Eliasaf, figliuolo di Deuel;

15 di Neftali: Ahira, figliuolo di Enan".

16 Questi furono i chiamati dal seno della raunanza, i principi delle tribù de’ loro padri, i capi delle migliaia d’Israele.

17 Mosè ed Aaronne presero dunque questi uomini ch’erano stati designati per nome,

18 e convocarono tutta la raunanza, il primo giorno del secondo mese; e il popolo fu inscritto secondo le famiglie, secondo le case de’ padri, contando il numero delle persone dai venti anni in su, uno per uno.