Numbers 1

Chapter Overview

What happens in Numbers 1

God tells Moses to count all the men of Israel who are old enough to serve in the army. Each tribe is counted one by one, and a leader is chosen from each tribe. The Levites are not counted because they have a special job caring for the tabernacle.

Scripture

God Commands a Census

Study note

One year after leaving Egypt, while camped in the Sinai wilderness, God told Moses to take a count of every man who was twenty years old or older and able to fight. This census was important because Israel needed to know the size of its army. Each tribe would also have a leader to help with the counting.

1 Out in the Sinai wilderness, inside the tent of meeting, the Lord talked with Moses. This happened on the first day of the second month, during the second year after Israel had come out of Egypt. And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,

2 "I want you to take a census of all the Israelites. Record them by their family groups and households. Go through every male and write down each name." Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls;

3 "You and Aaron need to count every man who is twenty or older and fit to serve as a soldier. Organize them into their military units." From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.

4 "One man from each tribe should assist you. Pick someone who is the leader of his family." And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers.

The Tribal Leaders

Study note

God named one leader from each of the twelve tribes to help Moses and Aaron with the census. These men were already respected heads of their family groups. They would serve as representatives and military commanders for their tribes.

5 Here are the men who were chosen to help: Elizur son of Shedeur represented the tribe of Reuben. And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you: of the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur.

6 Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai stood for Simeon. Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

7 Nahshon son of Amminadab stood for Judah. Of Judah; Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

8 Nethanel son of Zuar represented Issachar. Of Issachar; Nethaneel the son of Zuar.

9 Eliab son of Helon represented Zebulun. Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon.

10 Two men stood for the family line of Joseph. Elishama son of Ammihud stood for Ephraim. Gamaliel son of Pedahzur stood for Manasseh. Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim; Elishama the son of Ammihud: of Manasseh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

11 Abidan son of Gideoni represented Benjamin. Of Benjamin; Abidan the son of Gideoni.

12 Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai stood for Dan. Of Dan; Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

13 Pagiel son of Ocran represented Asher. Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocran.

14 Eliasaph son of Deuel represented Gad. Of Gad; Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

15 Ahira son of Enan represented Naphtali. Of Naphtali; Ahira the son of Enan.

16 The community selected these men to serve as leaders. Each one was the head of his tribal family and commanded a large group of thousands in Israel. These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.

The Census Begins

Study note

Moses and Aaron gathered the whole community together on the exact day God had instructed. Every man reported which family and tribe he belonged to. This organized counting ensured no one was missed.

17 Moses and Aaron brought together these men who had been specifically named. And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names:

18 On the first day of the second month, they called the whole community together. Every man twenty years old or older came forward. Each one told which family and household he belonged to. Every name was written down. And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls.

19 Moses counted the people in the Sinai wilderness. He followed the Lord's directions exactly. As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.

The Count of Each Tribe

Study note

Each tribe's fighting men were carefully counted. The numbers ranged from 32,200 for the tribe of Manasseh to 74,600 for the tribe of Judah. The total number of men who could serve in the army came to 603,550. These large numbers showed how much the Israelite people had grown since the days of Jacob.

20 The men from Reuben's tribe, Israel's oldest son, were registered according to their family groups and households. Every male twenty or older who could serve as a soldier had his name recorded. And the children of Reuben, Israel's eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

21 Reuben's tribe totaled 46,500 men. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.

22 The men from Simeon's tribe were registered by their family groups and households. Every male twenty or older who could serve as a soldier had his name recorded. Of the children of Simeon, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, those that were numbered of them, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

23 Simeon's tribe totaled 59,300 men. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.

24 The men from Gad's tribe were registered by their family groups and households. Every male twenty or older who could serve as a soldier had his name recorded. Of the children of Gad, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

25 Gad's tribe totaled 45,650 men. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Gad, were forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty.

26 The men from Judah's tribe were registered by their family groups and households. Every male twenty or older who could serve as a soldier had his name recorded. Of the children of Judah, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

27 Judah's tribe totaled 74,600 men. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Judah, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.

28 The men from Issachar's tribe were registered by their family groups and households. Every male twenty or older who could serve as a soldier had his name recorded. Of the children of Issachar, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

29 Issachar's tribe totaled 54,400 men. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.

30 The men from Zebulun's tribe were registered by their family groups and households. Every male twenty or older who could serve as a soldier had his name recorded. Of the children of Zebulun, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

31 Zebulun's tribe totaled 57,400 men. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.

32 Among Joseph's descendants, the men from Ephraim's tribe were registered by their family groups and households. Every male twenty or older who could serve as a soldier had his name recorded. Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

33 Ephraim's tribe totaled 40,500 men. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred.

34 The men from Manasseh's tribe were registered by their family groups and households. Every male twenty or older who could serve as a soldier had his name recorded. Of the children of Manasseh, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

35 Manasseh's tribe totaled 32,200 men. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.

36 The men from Benjamin's tribe were registered by their family groups and households. Every male twenty or older who could serve as a soldier had his name recorded. Of the children of Benjamin, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

37 Benjamin's tribe totaled 35,400 men. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.

38 The men from Dan's tribe were registered by their family groups and households. Every male twenty or older who could serve as a soldier had his name recorded. Of the children of Dan, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

39 Dan's tribe totaled 62,700 men. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.

40 The men from Asher's tribe were registered by their family groups and households. Every male twenty or older who could serve as a soldier had his name recorded. Of the children of Asher, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

41 Asher's tribe totaled 41,500 men. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.

42 The men from Naphtali's tribe were registered by their family groups and households. Every male twenty or older who could serve as a soldier had his name recorded. Of the children of Naphtali, throughout their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

43 Naphtali's tribe totaled 53,400 men. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.

44 Moses and Aaron finished this count with help from the twelve tribal leaders of Israel. Each leader stood for one tribe. These are those that were numbered, which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men: each one was for the house of his fathers.

45 So every Israelite man aged twenty or older was counted. Each one was fit to serve in the army. They were sorted by family. So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel;

46 The grand total came to 603,550 men. Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.

The Levites Are Set Apart

Study note

God specifically told Moses not to include the tribe of Levi in the military count. The Levites had a different role. They were put in charge of the tabernacle and all its furnishings. They camped around it to protect it, and they were responsible for setting it up and taking it down whenever Israel moved.

47 The Levites, however, were not included in this count with the other tribes. But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them.

48 The Lord had already told Moses, For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying,

49 "Leave the tribe of Levi out of the census. Do not count them with the rest of the Israelites." Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel:

50 "Instead, put the Levites in charge of the tabernacle of the testimony and all its items and tools. Their job is to carry the tabernacle, take care of everything in it, and set up their own tents around it." But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.

51 "Whenever it is time to move the tabernacle, the Levites must take it apart. When it is time to stop, the Levites must set it back up. If anyone else tries to get near the tabernacle, that person must be put to death." And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

52 "The rest of the Israelites should set up their tents in organized groups, with each person near his own tribal flag and banner." And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts.

53 "The Levites, though, must set up their tents all around the tabernacle of the testimony. This will keep God's anger from falling on the rest of the community. The Levites are responsible for guarding the tabernacle." But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony.

54 The Israelites followed every instruction the Lord had given Moses. They obeyed it all. And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.

Key Themes

Themes in Numbers 1

God's orderly preparation for his peopleEvery person counts in God's planTribal identity and community responsibilityThe levites set apart for sacred service

Apply This Today

Living Numbers 1

God values order and preparation, not chaos. Just as every Israelite was counted and given a place, God knows you by name and has a role for you in His purposes. Being part of a faith community means accepting both identity and responsibility.

Go Deeper

Study Numbers in Covenant Path

Read every chapter with study aids, bookmarks, and daily reading plans — free in the app.

Download for iOS Download for Android

← Numbers 1 →