1 God commands Moses to number the people
5 The princes of the tribes
17 The number of every tribe
47 The Levites are exempted for the service of the Lord

wilderness Nu 10:11,12 Ex 19:1 Le 27:34

tabernacle Ex 25:22 Le 1:1

on the first day. As the tabernacle was erected on the first day of the month, in the second year of their departure from Egypt, and this happened on the first day of the second month, in the same year, it is evident that the transactions related in the preceding book must all have taken place in the space of one month, and during the time the Israelites were encamped at Mount Sinai. Nu 9:1 10:11 Ex 40:17 1Ki 6:1

2 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;

take ye the sum. This numbering was probably intended to illustrate the Divine faithfulness in thus increasing the seed of Abraham; to prepare them to preserve due order in their march; and to distinguish the tribes and families. Nu 26:2-4,63,64 Ex 30:12 38:26 2Sa 24:1-3 1Ch 21:1,2 27:23,24

the children Ge 49:1-3 Ex 1:1-5

after Nu 1:18,22,26 Ex 6:14-19

3 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.

twenty Nu 14:29 32:11 Ex 30:14

able Nu 26:2 De 3:18 24:5 2Sa 24:9 2Ch 17:13-18 26:11-13

by their Nu 33:1 Ex 12:17

4 And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers.

Nu 1:16 2:3-31 7:10-83 10:14-27 13:2-15 17:3 25:4,14 34:18-28 Ex 18:25 Jos 22:14 1Ch 27:1-22

5 And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you: of the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur.

Elizur Nu 2:10 7:30 10:18 Ge 29:32-35 30:5-20 35:17-26 46:8-24 49:1 Ex 1:2-5 De 33:1 Re 7:4-8

6 Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

Shelumiel Nu 2:12 7:36

7 Of Judah; Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

Nahshon Nu 2:3 7:12 10:14 Ru 4:18 1Ch 2:10,11 Mt 1:2-5 Lu 3:32

8 Of Issachar; Nethaneel the son of Zuar.

Nethaneel Nu 2:5 7:18 10:15

9 Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon.

Eliab Nu 2:7 7:24 10:16

10 Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim; Elishama the son of Ammihud: of Manasseh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

Elishama Nu 2:18 7:48 10:22 1Ch 7:26,27

Gamaliel Nu 2:20 7:54 10:23

11 Of Benjamin; Abidan the son of Gideoni.

Abidan Nu 2:22 7:60 10:24

12 Of Dan; Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

Ahiezer Nu 2:25 7:66 10:25

13 Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocran.

Pagiel Nu 2:27 7:72 10:26

14 Of Gad; Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

Eliasaph Nu 7:42 10:20

Son of Reuel Nu 2:14

Deuel. As the daleth is very like the resh, they might be easily mistaken for each other; and hence this person being called both Deuel and Reuel, may be easily accounted for. The Septuagint and Syriac have Reuel, in this chapter; and in ch. 2:14, the Samaritan, Vulgate, and Arabic have Deuel, instead of Reuel, with which reading a vast number of MSS. concur, and which is also supported by ch. 7:42 10:20. We may therefore safely conclude, the Deuel, and not Reuel, was the original reading.

15 Of Naphtali; Ahira the son of Enan.

Ahira Nu 2:29 7:78 10:27

16 These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.

the renowned. Keruey haaidah, literally 'the called of the congregation,' those who were summoned by name to attend. Nu 2:3-31 7:2,10-83 10:14-27 11:17 16:2 26:9 Jud 6:15 1Ch 27:16-22

heads Nu 1:4 Ex 18:21,25 De 1:15 1Sa 22:7 23:23 Mic 5:2

17 And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names:

Nu 1:5-15 Joh 10:3 Re 7:4

18 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.

their pedigrees Ezr 2:59 Ne 7:61 Heb 7:3,6

by the Nu 1:2

according Nu 1:20

from twenty. In this census no women were reckoned, nor children, nor minors, nor strangers, nor Levites, nor old men; which, collectively, must have formed an immense multitude; the Levites alone amounted to 22,300 men.

19 As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.

Nu 1:2 26:1,2 2Sa 24:1-10

20 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;

Nu 2:10,11 26:5-7 Ge 29:32 46:9 49:3,4 1Ch 5:1

21 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.

That a comparative view may be easily taken of the state of the tribes, we will here produce them, compared with that of the second census, (ch 26) in their decreasing proportion, beginning with the greatest and proceeding to the least.

1st Census 2nd Census
1. Judah 74,600 76,500
2. Dan 62,700 64,400
3. Simeon 59,300 22,200
4. Zebulum 57,400 60,500
7. Reuben 46,500 43,730
8. Gad 45,650 40,500
9. Asher 41,500 53,400
10.Ephraim 40,500 32,500
11.Benjamin 35,400 45,600
12.Manasseh 32,200 52,700
Totals: 603,550 601,730

Thus we find Judah the most populous tribe, and Manasseh the least so; the difference between them being as great as 42,000. Jacob had given Judah the pre-eminence in his prophetic blessing; and that tribe was to have the precedence in the encampments of Israel; accordingly God had increased them more than any of their brethren. Ephraim and Manasseh, according to the same prophecy, were numbered as distinct tribes, Ephraim having the superiority, as it was foretold; and Joseph indeed appears 'a fruitful bough.' Nu 2:10,11 26:7

22 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;

Nu 2:12,13 26:12-14 Ge 29:33 34:26-30 42:24 46:10 49:5,6

23 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.

Nu 2:13 25:8,9,14 26:14

24 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;

The tribe of Gad marched along with that of Simeon, under the standard of Reuben; and it seems on that account, to have been introduced in this order. The other tribes also, are here classed together according to their encampments, and the order of their subsequent march. Nu 2:14,15 26:15-18 Ge 30:10,11 46:16 49:19

25 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Gad, were forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty.

Nu 2:15 26:18

26 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;

Nu 2:3,4 26:19-22 Ge 29:35 46:12 49:8-12 2Sa 24:9 1Ch 5:2 2Ch 17:14-16

27 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Judah, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.

Nu 2:3,4 26:22 2Sa 24:9 2Ch 17:14-16

28 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;

Nu 2:5,6 23:23-25 Ge 30:18 46:13 49:14,15

29 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.

Nu 1:6 26:25

30 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;

Nu 2:7,8 26:26,27 Ge 30:20 46:14 49:13

31 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.

Nu 2:8 26:27

32 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;

Nu 2:18,19 26:35-37 Ge 30:24 37:1 39:1 46:20 48:1 49:22-26 De 33:17

33 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred.

the tribe Ge 48:5 De 33:17

were forty Nu 2:19 26:37

34 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;

no reference

35 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.

Nu 2:21 26:34 Ge 48:19,20

36 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;

Ge 35:16-18 44:20 46:21 49:27

37 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.

Nu 2:23 26:41 Jud 20:44-46 2Ch 17:17

38 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;

Ge 30:5,6 46:23 49:16,17

39 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.

Nu 2:26 26:43

40 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;

Ge 30:12,13 46:27 49:20

41 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.

Nu 2:28 26:47

42 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;

Naphtali Ge 30:7,8 46:24 49:21

43 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.

Nu 2:30 26:50

44 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.

Nu 1:2-16 26:64

45 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;

no reference

46 Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.

What an astonishing increase from seventy persons who went down into Egypt about 215 years before, where they had latterly endured the greatest hardships! Such was the effect of God's promise, which cannot fail. Nu 2:32 23:10 26:51 Ge 12:2 13:16 15:5 17:6 22:17 26:3 28:14 46:3,4 Ex 12:37 38:26 De 10:22 1Ki 4:20 2Sa 24:9 1Ch 21:5 2Ch 13:3 17:14-19 Heb 11:11,12 Re 7:4-9

47 But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them.

Nu 1:3,50 2:33 3:1 4:1 8:1 26:57-62 1Ch 6:1 21:6

48 For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying,

no reference

49 Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel:

Nu 2:33 26:62

50 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.

thou shalt Nu 3:1-10 4:15,25-33 Ex 31:18 32:26-29 38:21 1Ch 23:1 25:1 26:1 Ezr 8:25-30,33,34 Ne 12:8,22,47 13:5,10-13,22

the tabernacle Nu 1:53 20:11 Ex 31:18 38:21 Ps 122:4

shall encamp Nu 2:17 3:23-38 10:21

51 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.

the Levites Nu 4:5-33 10:11,17-21

the stranger Nu 3:10,38 16:40 18:22 Le 22:10-13 1Sa 6:19 2Sa 6:7

52 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.

Nu 2:2,34 10:1 24:2

53 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.

shall pitch Nu 1:50 3:7 18:3 1Ti 4:13-16 2Ti 4:2

there be Nu 8:19 16:46 18:5 Le 10:6 1Sa 6:19 Jer 5:31 23:15 Ac 20:28-31

and the Nu 3:7,8 8:24-26 18:3-5 31:30,47 1Ch 23:32 2Ch 13:10

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

Nu 2:34 Ex 23:21,22 39:32,43 40:16,32 De 12:32 1Sa 15:22 Mt 28:20