Numbers 1

1 And the Lord spake to Moses in the desert of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the bond of peace , in the first day of the second month, in the tother year of their going out of Egypt, and said, (And the Lord spoke to Moses in the Sinai Desert, in the Tabernacle of the Covenant, that is, the Tabernacle of the Witnessing, on the first day of the second month, in the second year of their going out of Egypt, and said,)
2 Take ye the sum, or the number, of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, by their kindreds, and families, and all their names each by themselves, whatever thing of male kind, (Take ye the sum, or the number, of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by their kindreds, and families, and list, or register, all their names, whoever is a male,)
3 from the twentieth year and above, of all the strong men of Israel (from twenty years of age and older, of all the strong men in Israel); and thou and Aaron shall number them by their companies.
4 And the princes of the lineages (And the leaders of the tribes), and of the families, in their kindreds, shall be with you,
5 of which princes, these be the names (of which leaders, these be the names); of Reuben, Elizur, the son of Shedeur;
6 of Simeon, Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai;
7 of Judah, Nahshon, the son of Amminadab;
8 of Issachar, Nethaneel, the son of Zuar;
9 of Zebulun, Eliab, the son of Helon;
10 soothly of the sons of Joseph; of Ephraim, Elishama, the son of Ammihud; of Manasseh, Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur;
11 of Benjamin, Abidan, the son of Gideoni;
12 of Dan, Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai;
13 of Asher, Pagiel, the son of Ocran;
14 of Gad, Eliasaph, the son of Deuel;
15 of Naphtali, Ahira, the son of Enan.
16 These were the noblest princes of the multitude, by their lineages, and kindreds, and the heads of the host(s) of Israel, (These were the noblest leaders of the multitude, by their tribes, and kindreds, and the heads of the armies of Israel,)
17 the which princes Moses and Aaron took, with all the multitude of the common people. (which leaders Moses and Aaron took, along with all the multitude of the common people.)
18 And they gathered (them together) in the first day of the second month, and they told them, (or they totalled them,) by kindreds, and houses, and families, and heads, and names of each by themselves, from the twentieth year and above, (And they gathered them together on the first day of the second month, and they listed, or they registered, them by their kindreds, and houses, and families, and heads, and their names, from twenty years of age and older,)
19 as the Lord commanded to Moses, (and so he numbered them there in the Sinai Desert).
20 And of Reuben, the first begotten of Israel, were numbered, in the desert of Sinai, by their generations, and families, and houses, and by the names of all the heads, all thing that is of male kind, from twenty years and above, of men going forth to battle, (And so the sons of Reuben, the first-born of Israel, were listed by their generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, with the names of all who were twenty years of age and older, and all the men who could go forth to battle numbered)
21 six and forty thousand and five hundred.
22 Of the sons of Simeon, by their generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, were numbered, by the names and heads of all, all that is of male kind, from twenty years and above, of men going forth to battle, (The sons of Simeon were listed by their generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, with the names of all who were twenty years of age and older, and all the men who could go forth to battle numbered)
23 nine and fifty thousand and three hundred.
24 Of the sons of Gad, by generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, were numbered, by the names of all, from twenty years and above, all men that went forth to battle, (The sons of Gad were listed by their generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, with the names of all who were twenty years of age and older, and all the men who could go forth to battle numbered)
25 five and forty thousand (and) six hundred and fifty.
26 Of the sons of Judah, by generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, by the names of all, from twenty years and above, all men that might go [forth] to battles, (The sons of Judah were listed by their generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, with the names of all who were twenty years of age and older, and all the men who could go forth to battle numbered)
27 were numbered four and seventy thousand and six hundred. (seventy-four thousand and six hundred.)
28 Of the sons of Issachar, by their generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, by the names of all, from twenty years and above, all men that went forth to battles, (The sons of Issachar were listed by their generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, with the names of all who were twenty years of age and older, and all the men who could go forth to battle numbered)
29 were numbered four and fifty thousand and four hundred. (fifty-four thousand and four hundred.)
30 Of the sons of Zebulun, by generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, were numbered, by the names of all, from twenty years and above, all men that might go forth to battles, (The sons of Zebulun were listed by their generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, with the names of all who were twenty years of age and older, and all the men who could go forth to battle numbered)
31 seven and fifty thousand and four hundred.
32 Of the sons of Joseph, of the sons of Ephraim, by generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, were numbered, by the names of all, from twenty years and above, all men that might go forth to battles, (The sons of Joseph, those of the sons of Ephraim, were listed by their generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, with the names of all who were twenty years of age and older, and all the men who could go forth to battle numbered)
33 forty thousand and five hundred.
34 Forsooth of the sons of Manasseh, by their generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, were numbered, by the names of all, from twenty years and above, all men that might go forth to battles, (And the sons of Manasseh were listed by their generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, with the names of all who were twenty years of age and older, and all the men who could go forth to battle numbered)
35 two and thirty thousand and two hundred.
36 Of the sons of Benjamin, by generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, were numbered, by the names of all, from twenty years and above, all men that might go forth to battles, (The sons of Benjamin were listed by their generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, with the names of all who were twenty years of age and older, and all the men who could go forth to battle numbered)
37 five and thirty thousand and four hundred.
38 Of the sons of Dan, by generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, were numbered, by the names of all, from twenty years and above, all men that might go forth to battles, (The sons of Dan were listed by their generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, with the names of all who were twenty years of age and older, and all the men who could go forth to battle numbered)
39 two and sixty thousand and seven hundred.
40 Of the sons of Asher, by generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, were numbered, by the names of all, from twenty years and above, all men that might go forth to battles, (The sons of Asher were listed by their generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, with the names of all who were twenty years of age and older, and all the men who could go forth to battle numbered)
41 forty thousand and a thousand and five hundred.
42 Of the sons of Naphtali, by generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, were numbered, by the names of all, from twenty years and above, all men that might go forth to battles, (The sons of Naphtali were listed by their generations, and families, and houses of their kindreds, with the names of all who were twenty years of age and older, and all the men who could go forth to battle numbered)
43 three and fifty thousand and four hundred.
44 These men it be, which Moses and Aaron and the twelve princes of Israel numbered, each by their houses and kindreds. (These be the men, whom Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel listed, or registered, each by the house of his kindred.)
45 And all men of the sons of Israel, by their houses, and families, from twenty years and above, that might go forth to battles, (And all the men of the Israelites, by their houses, and families, from twenty years of age and older, who could go forth to battle,)
46 were all together six hundred thousand and three thousand men, and five hundred and fifty. (were altogether six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men.)
47 Soothly the deacons in the lineage of their families were not numbered with them. (But the Levites, in the tribe of their families, were not listed with them.)
48 And the Lord spake to Moses, and said, (For the Lord spoke to Moses, and said,)
49 Do not thou number the lineage of Levi, neither set thou the sum of them with the sons of Israel; (Do not thou list, or register, the tribe of Levi, nor take thou the sum of them among the Israelites;)
50 but thou shalt ordain them upon the tabernacle of (the) witnessing, and upon all the vessels thereof, and upon whatever thing pertaineth to [the] ceremonies, either sacrifices. They shall bear the tabernacle, and all the purtenances thereof, and they shall be in the service of it, and they shall set [their] tents by compass of the tabernacle (and they shall pitch their tents around the Tabernacle).
51 When men shall go forth, or be removed, the deacons shall take down the tabernacle; when the tents shall be set (up), they shall set it up (again). Whoever of strangers nigheth (to it), he shall be slain (he shall be put to death).
52 Soothly the sons of Israel shall set tents, each man by his companies, and his fellowships, and his host; (And the other Israelites shall pitch their tents, each man in his company, and his fellowship, and his army;)
53 forsooth the deacons shall set their tents by compass of the tabernacle, lest indignation be made on the multitude of the sons of Israel; and they shall (stand) watch in the keepings of the tabernacle of witnessing. (but the Levites shall pitch their tents around the Tabernacle, lest my indignation come upon all the multitude of the Israelites; and they shall keep charge of the Tabernacle of the Witnessing.)
54 Therefore the sons of Israel did by all things which the Lord commanded to Moses. (And so the Israelites did all the things that the Lord commanded to 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.

Numbers 1 Commentaries

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.