Numbers, Chapter 1

Numbers Chapter 1

Verses 1-54: The Census of Israel’s Fighting Men

1. The LORD spoke to Moses in the Tent of Meeting in the Wilderness of Sinai, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of Egypt, saying,
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 Ocran;
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 who had been specified by name,
18. and on the first day of the second month, they assembled the whole community together, who 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. So he counted them in the Wilderness of Sinai.
20. The descendants of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, their generations, by their clans and families, by name, every male head counted individually, twenty years old or more, all who were able to serve in the army,
21. those counted from the tribe of Reuben were 46,500.
22. From the descendants of Simeon, their generations, by their clans and families, those who were counted, by name of every male head, twenty years old or more, all who were able to serve in the army,
23. those counted from the tribe of Simeon were 59,300.
24. From the descendants of Gad, their generations, by their clans and families, by name, every male head counted individually, twenty years old or more, all who were able to serve in the army,
25. those counted from the tribe of Gad were 45,650.
26. From the descendants of Judah, their generations, by their clans and families, by name, every male head counted individually, twenty years old or more, all who were able to serve in the army,
27. those counted from the tribe of Judah were 74,600.
28. From the descendants of Issachar, their generations, by their clans and families, by name, every male head counted individually, twenty years old or more, all who were able to serve in the army,
29. those counted from the tribe of Issachar were 54,400.
30. From the descendants of Zebulun, their generations, by their clans and families, by name, every male head counted individually, twenty years old or more, all who were able to serve in the army,
31. those counted from the tribe of Zebulun were 57,400.
32. From the sons of Joseph: from the descendants of Ephraim, their generations, by their clans and families, by name, every male head counted individually, twenty years old or more, all who were able to serve in the army,
33. those counted from the tribe of Ephraim were 40,500.
34. From the descendants of Manasseh, their generations, by their clans and families, by name, every male head counted individually, twenty years old or more, all who were able to serve in the army,
35. those counted from the tribe of Manasseh were 32,200.
36. From the descendants of Benjamin, their generations, by their clans and families, by name, every male head counted individually, twenty years old or more, all who were able to serve in the army,
37. those counted from the tribe of Benjamin were 35,400.
38. From the descendants of Dan, their generations, by their clans and families, by name, every male head counted individually, twenty years old or more, all who were able to serve in the army,
39. those counted from the tribe of Dan were 62,700.
40. From the descendants of Asher, their generations, by their clans and families, by name, every male head counted individually, twenty years old or more, all who were able to serve in the army,
41. those counted from the tribe of Asher were 41,500.
42. From the descendants of Naphtali, their generations, by their clans and families, by name, every male head counted individually, twenty years old or more, all who were able to serve in the army,
43. those counted from the tribe of Naphtali were 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 by their ancestral houses.
46. All those counted were 603,550.
47. But the Levites were not counted along with them by their ancestral tribe.
48. For the LORD had spoken to Moses, saying,
49. “Only the tribe of Levi you shall not count, nor shall you take a census of them among the Israelites.
50. Instead, you are to appoint the Levites over the Tabernacle of the Testimony, over all its furnishings and everything belonging to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, they shall attend to it and camp around the tabernacle.
51. When the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and when the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall erect it. Any unauthorized person who comes near shall be put to death.
52. The Israelites shall pitch their tents by their companies, each man by his own camp and each man by his own standard.
53. However, the Levites shall camp around the Tabernacle of the Testimony so that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the Israelites. And the Levites shall keep the charge of the Tabernacle of the Testimony.”
54. This the Israelites did; according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so they did.

Interpretation: Verses 1-46 discuss the initial census in the Book of Numbers is more than a mere headcount; it represents a foundational moment for Israel as a structured community with military capabilities, preparing them for the challenges ahead in conquering and settling the Promised Land. The detailed accounting of each tribe underscores the theme of unity and individual contribution within the collective journey. Verses 47-54 highlight the distinct role of the Levites within the Israelite community. Unlike the other tribes who were counted for military service, the Levites were assigned the sacred duties of caring for the Tabernacle and its rituals. This separation underscores the importance of spiritual leadership and the sanctity of religious practices in the life of the community. Their encampment around the Tabernacle symbolizes their role as intermediaries between the divine presence and the people, safeguarding the holiness of the congregation and preventing divine wrath.