The Fourth Book of Moses, called Numbers
Numbers 1
Chapter I · Vol. I, pp. 413–415
1 God commandeth 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.
1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses in a the wilderness of Sinai, b in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first1 day of the secondc month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,
A.M. 2514. B.C. 1490.
a Ex. 19.1. ch. 10.11, 12.
1 We learn from Ex. 40.17 that the tabernacle was erected on the first day of the first month of the second year; and comparing this statement with that in the present verse, we discover that all the transactions narrated in the intervening book of Leviticus must have occurred within the space of a single month.—I.
c 1 Ki. 6.1. ch. 10.11.
2 Taked ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers,2 with the number of their names, every male by their polls;
d Ex. 30.12; 38.25, 26. ch. 26.5-64, with 2 Sa. 24.1, 2. 1 Ch. 21.1, 2; 27.23, 24.
2 Each tribe was subdivided into families, and each family again into fathers' houses. The census was taken, in all probability, by the chiefs of the subdivisions, who gave in their reports to the princes of their several tribes.—P.
3 From twenty years old and upward, all that are e able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.
e ch. 26.2. De. 24.5. 2 Sa. 24.9. 2 Ch. 26.11; 17.13-18.
4 And with you there shall be f a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers.
f ver. 5-15; 2.3-31; 7.10-83; 10.14-27; 34.18-28, 13.2-15. 1 Ch. 27.1-22.
5 And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you: g Of the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur.
g ch. 2.3-31; 7.10-83; 10.14-27; 34.18-28, with Ge. 29.32-35; 30.5-20; 35.17-26; 46.8-24; xlix. 1, 2-5. De. xxxiii. Re. 7.4-8.
6 Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
7 Of Judah; h Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
h Ru. 4.20. 1 Ch. 2.10, 11. Mat. 1.4. Lu. 3.32.
8 Of Issachar; Nethaneel the son of Zuar.
9 Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon.
10 Of the children 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.
15 Of Naphtali; Ahira the son of Enan.
16 These were the k renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.3
k ch. 2.3-31; 7.10-83; 10.14-27; 16.2; 26.9; 11.17. Ex. 18.21. Ju. 6.15. Mi. 5.2. 1 Ch. 27.16-22.
3 They were 'renowned' or 'called' men of the congregation, because they were 'called' or summoned to the stated assemblies where the business of the nation was transacted; they were 'princes,' because of the nobility of birth arising from primogeniture; and they were 'heads' of thousands, because of the authority which they exercised.—P.
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.4
4 In this census no women were reckoned, nor children, nor minors, nor strangers, nor Levites, nor old men.—The census would serve to manifest the faithfulness of God in thus increasing the seed of Jacob; now that they were about to leave the neighbourhood of Sinai, and to resume their journeys; it would prepare for their regular march and encampments, and it would promote the facility of their being trained for the wars which were before them.—I.
19 Asm the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.
A.M. 2514. B.C. 1490.
m ver. 2. ch. 26.1, 2, with 2 Sa. 24.1-10.
20 And the n 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;
n ch. 2.10, 11; 26.5-7, with Ge. 46.9.
21 Those that were numbered of them,5 even of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.
5 The Mosaic census has been called in question, because its several items terminate in ciphers; and well-meaning but inconsiderate expositors have had recourse to various conjectures, founded on admitted or discovered additions of ciphers to historical dates and numbers in Grecian and Hindoo history. But such conjectures and parallels are utterly to be repudiated. The solution of the difficulty, if such it seem, lies in the record itself. Moses in the first census expressly declares, not that the men were 600,000, but that they were 'about' 600,000, Ex. 12.37. Neither in the present census is the exact amount of men 'fit to go forth to war' ever given, but 'those that were numbered of them;' and as the Jewish armies were uniformly officered and mustered by 1000, 100, 50, and 10, the quota of each tribe must necessarily terminate in a cipher, Nu. 31.15. De. 1.15.—Note, As the census for march and for battle is in equable numbers and ranks, but enumerates, for property, each individual, Ezr. ii. Ne. vii., so in our sojourning and warfare, the church moves in order and communion, and each is concerned for the welfare of his companion, Ro. 14.7; but in entering into judgment, 'every man of us shall give account of himself to God,' Ro. 14.12, and claim the heavenly inheritance only by his personal relation to Christ, 2 Co. 5.17.—C.
22 Of the o 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;
o ch. 2.12, 13; 26.12-14, with Ge. 46.10.
23 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.
24 Of the p 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;
p ch. 2.14, 15; 26.15-18, with Ge. 46.16.
25 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Gad, were forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty.
26 Of the q 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;
q ch. 2.3, 4; 26.19-22. 2 Sa. 24.9. 2 Ch. 17.14-16, with Ge. 49.8; 46.12. No tribe was so numerous.
27 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Judah, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.
28 Of the r 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;
r ch. 2.5, 6; 26.23-25, with Ge. 46.13.
29 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.
30 Of the s 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:
s ch. 2.7, 8; 26.26, 27, with Ge. 46.14.
31 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.
32 Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the t children of Ephraim,7 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;
A.M. 2514. B.C. 1490.
t ch. 2.18, 19; 26.35-37, with Ge. 48.19, 20; 46.20. This tribe was more numerous and honoured than that of Manasseh.
7 Jacob, on his death-bed, had foretold the superiority of Ephraim the younger to Manasseh the elder. He guided his hands wittingly, putting his right hand upon Ephraim's head; and when Joseph would have interfered, desiring to appropriate the greater blessing to the elder, his father refused, saying, 'He also shall become a great people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations,' Ge. 48.19. We see the fulfilment of the ancient prediction now very distinctly begun. Ephraim is here put before Manasseh, and the tribe of the former outnumbers that of the latter by several thousands. The superiority, as we shall afterwards see, is continued at a future period. Moses, in the blessing wherewith he blessed the children of Israel before his death, says, 'They are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh,' De. 33.17. 'Known unto the Lord are all his works, even from the beginning of all that he hath spoken: one jot or one tittle cannot fall to the ground.'—J.
33 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred.
34 Of the u 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;
u ch. 2.20, 21; 26.28-34, with Ge. 48.19, 20; 46.20.
35 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.
36 Of the x children of Benjamin,8 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;
x ch. 2.22, 23; 26.38-41. 2 Ch. 17.17, 18, with Ge. 46.21.
8 At the time when the patriarchs went down to Egypt with their father, Benjamin, it would seem, had more children than any of his brethren: he had ten sons, Ge. 46.21. Yet, when this census was taken, his tribe was less numerous than any of the rest, except that of Manasseh. On the other hand, Dan had but one son when they went down, and now his tribe exceeds all others but that of Gad. It was thus that the Lord, who giveth no account of his doings, although all events, even the most minute, are according to infinite wisdom, fulfilled his promise to Abraham of a seed more in number than the stars of heaven.—P.
37 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.
38 Of the y 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;
y ch. 2.25, 26; 26.42, 43, with Ge. 46.23.
39 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.
40 Of the z 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;
z ch. 2.27, 28; 26.44-47, with Ge. 46.27.
41 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.
42 Of the a 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;
a ch. 2.29, 30; 26.48-50, with Ge. 46.24.
43 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.9
A.M. 2514. B.C. 1490.
9 The tribe of Judah was much larger than any of the others. Dan stood second, but had 12,000 fewer than Judah. Ephraim and Manasseh together were within 2000 of being equal to Judah. Manasseh was the smallest of the twelve, and Benjamin came next to it. It will be seen by a comparison with the census recorded in ch. xxvi., which was taken at the close of the wilderness journey, that the relative strength of the tribes changed very much during the forty years' wandering.—P.
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.
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;
46 Even all they that were numbered were b six hundred thousand, and three thousand, and five hundred and fifty.
b ch. 2.32; 23.10; 26.51. Ex. 12.37; 38.26. 1 Ch. 21.5. 2 Sa. 24.9. 2 Ch. 13.3; 17.14-19. De. 10.22. 1 Ki. 4.20. He. 11.11, 12, with Ge. 12.2; 13.16; 15.5; 17.6; 22.17; 26.3; 28.14; 46.3, 4. Re. 7.4-9.
48 For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying,
49 Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel:
50 But thou shalt appoint the Levites d 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 And e 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 f the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
e ch. 4.5-33; 10.11, 17, 21.
f Every one not a Levite, ch. 16.40; 3.10, 38; 18.22. Le. 22.10-13. 2 Sa. 6.7. 1 Sa. 6.19.
52 And the children of Israel shall g pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts.
g ch. ii. x.
53 But the Levites shall h 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.
h ver. 51; ch. 3.7; 18.3. 2 Ti. 4.2. 1 Ti. 4.13-16. Ac. 20.28, 31.
Notes
Reflections.—In this numbered people I discern the true Israel of God, numerous as the sand by the sea-shore; all numbered of Jesus, and written in his book of life; all under his government and laws, declared by his prophets and apostles; all ranked in goodly order in their respective generations, for the wars of the Lord; and all honourably distinguished from the world that lieth in wickedness, and from the mixed multitude of hypocrites. Here likewise I may observe, that ministers and magistrates ought to take heed to every one of the flock over whom the Lord hath made them overseers; that the more honour any one hath conferred upon him, the more active he ought to be in well-doing, according to his station; and to do without delay whatever the Lord requires of him. When I see the numbers of the respective tribes so little proportioned to their families at their entrance into Egypt, about two hundred and fifteen years before, I cannot but think how little even outward things go by common probabilities, and how unstable all created comforts are. When I read the sum total, I see how truly and marvellously God, in a few years, fulfilled his promises in multiplying the patriarch's posterity, notwithstanding all that the Egyptians could do to diminish them. Who likewise but must admire the liberal kindness of God, in forty years' miraculous maintenance of such multitudes of sinners; while he discerns the destructive nature of sin, which, in forty years, buried them all but two in the earth, and all in the wilderness! When I see the Levites distinguished from the rest, let me think how honourably God rewarded their honest zeal against the worshippers of the golden calf: and that ministers ought to be more holy than ordinary saints, to exert themselves to the utmost to prevent the sins of others; and that, though they are not to entangle themselves in worldly business, or in intimacy with carnal men, yet they are not to be idle, but spiritual soldiers of Christ, set for the defence of his church and gospel.