Numbers 1

The Census

1 The LORD spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the Desert of Sinai on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt. He said:

2 “Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one.

3 You and Aaron are to count according to their divisions all the men in Israel who are twenty years old or more and able to serve in the army.

4 One man from each tribe, each of them the head of his family, is to help you.

5 These are the names of the men who are to assist you: from Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur;

6 from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;

7 from Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab;

8 from Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar;

9 from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon;

10 from the sons of Joseph: from Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud; from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;

11 from Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni;

12 from Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;

13 from Asher, Pagiel son of Okran;

14 from Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel;

15 from Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan.”

16 These were the men appointed from the community, the leaders of their ancestral tribes. They were the heads of the clans of Israel.

17 Moses and Aaron took these men whose names had been specified,

18 and they called the whole community together on the first day of the second month. The people registered their ancestry by their clans and families, and the men twenty years old or more were listed by name, one by one,

19 as the LORD commanded Moses. And so he counted them in the Desert of Sinai:

20 From the descendants of Reuben the firstborn son of Israel: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, one by one, according to the records of their clans and families.

21 The number from the tribe of Reuben was 46,500.

22 From the descendants of Simeon: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were counted and listed by name, one by one, according to the records of their clans and families.

23 The number from the tribe of Simeon was 59,300.

24 From the descendants of Gad: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.

25 The number from the tribe of Gad was 45,650.

26 From the descendants of Judah: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.

27 The number from the tribe of Judah was 74,600.

28 From the descendants of Issachar: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.

29 The number from the tribe of Issachar was 54,400.

30 From the descendants of Zebulun: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.

31 The number from the tribe of Zebulun was 57,400.

32 From the sons of Joseph: From the descendants of Ephraim: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.

33 The number from the tribe of Ephraim was 40,500.

34 From the descendants of Manasseh: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.

35 The number from the tribe of Manasseh was 32,200.

36 From the descendants of Benjamin: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.

37 The number from the tribe of Benjamin was 35,400.

38 From the descendants of Dan: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.

39 The number from the tribe of Dan was 62,700.

40 From the descendants of Asher: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.

41 The number from the tribe of Asher was 41,500.

42 From the descendants of Naphtali: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.

43 The number from the tribe of Naphtali was 53,400.

44 These were the men counted by Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family.

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.

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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.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

Cross References 90

1. S Exodus 27:21; S Exodus 40:2
2. S Exodus 19:1
3. ver 18; Exodus 40:17
4. S Exodus 6:14
5. Exodus 30:11-16; Numbers 26:2
6. ver 18
7. Numbers 3:40
8. Exodus 4:14; Numbers 17:3
9. S Exodus 30:14
10. ver 20; Numbers 26:2; Joshua 5:4; 1 Chronicles 5:18
11. S Leviticus 24:11; S Joshua 7:1
12. ver 16; Numbers 7:2; Numbers 30:1; Numbers 31:26
13. Exodus 18:21; Numbers 34:18; Deuteronomy 1:15; Joshua 22:14
14. Numbers 17:2
15. S Genesis 29:32; Deuteronomy 33:6; Revelation 7:5
16. Numbers 2:10; Numbers 7:30; Numbers 10:18
17. ver 22; Numbers 25:14
18. Numbers 2:12; Numbers 7:36,41; Numbers 10:19
19. ver 26; S Genesis 29:35; Psalms 78:68
20. Exodus 6:23; Numbers 7:12; Ruth 4:20; 1 Chronicles 2:10; Matthew 1:4; Luke 3:32
21. S Genesis 30:18; Numbers 10:15
22. Numbers 2:5; Numbers 7:18
23. ver 30; Numbers 10:16
24. Numbers 2:7; Numbers 7:24
25. ver 32
26. Numbers 2:18; Numbers 7:48,53; Numbers 10:22
27. ver 34; Numbers 10:23
28. Numbers 2:20; Numbers 7:54
29. Numbers 10:24
30. Numbers 2:22; Numbers 7:60; Psalms 68:27
31. ver 38
32. Numbers 2:25; Numbers 7:66; Numbers 10:25
33. ver 40; Numbers 10:26
34. Numbers 2:27; Numbers 7:72
35. ver 24; Numbers 10:20
36. Numbers 2:14; Numbers 7:42
37. ver 42; Numbers 10:27
38. Numbers 2:29; Numbers 7:78
39. S Exodus 18:25
40. Numbers 32:28
41. S ver 4; Exodus 18:21; Numbers 7:2
42. ver 1
43. Ezra 2:59; Hebrews 7:3
44. ver 2
45. S Exodus 30:14
46. Exodus 30:12; Numbers 26:63; Numbers 31:49
47. S Genesis 29:32; S Genesis 46:9; Numbers 26:5-11; Revelation 7:5
48. S Genesis 10:15
49. Numbers 26:7
50. S Genesis 29:33; Numbers 26:12-14; Revelation 7:7
51. Numbers 26:14
52. S Genesis 30:11; Numbers 26:15-18; S Joshua 13:24-28; Revelation 7:5
53. Genesis 46:16; Numbers 26:18; 1 Chronicles 5:11
54. S ver 7; Genesis 29:35; Numbers 26:19-22; Matthew 1:2; Revelation 7:5
55. Numbers 26:22
56. S Genesis 30:18; Numbers 26:23-25; Revelation 7:7
57. S Genesis 30:18
58. Numbers 26:25
59. S Genesis 30:20; Numbers 26:26-27; Revelation 7:8
60. Numbers 26:27
61. Genesis 49:26
62. S Genesis 41:52; Numbers 26:35-37
63. Numbers 26:37; 1 Chronicles 7:20
64. S Genesis 41:51; Numbers 26:28-34; Revelation 7:6
65. S Genesis 35:18; Numbers 26:38-41; 2 Chronicles 17:17; Jeremiah 32:44; Obadiah 1:19; Revelation 7:8
66. Numbers 26:41
67. Genesis 30:6; Numbers 26:42-43; Deuteronomy 33:22
68. Numbers 26:43
69. S Genesis 30:13; Numbers 26:44; Numbers 26:44-47; Revelation 7:6
70. Numbers 26:47
71. S Genesis 30:8; Numbers 26:48-50; Revelation 7:6
72. Numbers 26:50
73. S Exodus 1:1-4
74. Numbers 26:64
75. ver 3; Numbers 14:29
76. Numbers 2:32
77. S Exodus 12:37; Exodus 38:26; Numbers 2:32; Numbers 26:51; 2 Samuel 24:9
78. S Numbers 3:17-20; Numbers 2:33; Numbers 26:57
79. Numbers 4:3,49
80. Exodus 25:9; S Exodus 26:1
81. S Exodus 16:34; Exodus 38:21; Acts 7:44; Revelation 15:5
82. Numbers 3:31
83. S Exodus 26:1
84. Numbers 4:5
85. Numbers 3:38; Numbers 4:15; Numbers 4:1-33
86. S Exodus 21:12
87. Numbers 2:2; Numbers 10:14; Psalms 20:5; Song of Songs 2:4; Song of Songs 6:4
88. Numbers 2:10; Numbers 3:23,29,38
89. Leviticus 10:6; Numbers 16:46; Numbers 18:5; Deuteronomy 9:22
90. S Exodus 38:21; Numbers 18:2-4

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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible