A Census of Israel’s Warriors. he LORD spoke [by special revelation] to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai in the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle) on the first day of the second month in the second year after the Israelites came out of the land of Egypt, saying,
“Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, by their families (clans), by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, every male, head by head
from twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go out to war. You and Aaron shall number them, army by army. Num 1:1-3
INTRODUCTION TO THE OLD TESTAMENT
The Experiences in the Wilderness
I. THE CAMP AT SINAI, Numbers 1:1-10:10
1. The First Numbering and Location of the Tribes, Num_1:1-54; Num_2:1-34
1. How did this census differ from those we take now? Why was the tribe of Levi not included?
A CENSUS OF ISRAEL’S WARRIORS
The LORD spoke [by special revelation] to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai in the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle) on the first day of the second month in the second year after the Israelites came out of the land of Egypt, saying,
“Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, by their families (clans), by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, every male, head by head
from twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go out to war. You and Aaron shall number them, army by army.
And with you there shall be a man [to assist you] from each tribe, each being the head of his father’s household.
These then are the names of the men who shall stand with you: from [the tribe of] Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur;
from [the tribe of] Simeon, Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai;
from [the tribe of] Judah, Nahshon the son of Amminadab;
from [the tribe of] Issachar, Nethanel the son of Zuar;
from [the tribe of] Zebulun, Eliab the son of Helon;
from the sons (descendants) of Joseph: from [the tribe of] Ephraim, Elishama the son of Ammihud; from [the tribe of] Manasseh, Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur;
from [the tribe of] Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gideoni;
from [the tribe of] Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai;
from [the tribe of] Asher, Pagiel the son of Ochran;
from [the tribe of] Gad, Eliasaph the son of Deuel;
from [the tribe of] Naphtali, Ahira the son of Enan.
These men were the ones called from the congregation, the leaders of their fathers’ (ancestors’) tribes; they were the heads of thousands [the highest ranking officers] in Israel.”
So Moses and Aaron took these men who were designated by name,
and assembled all the congregation on the first day of the second month, and they registered by ancestry in their families (clans), by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names from twenty years old and upward, head by head,
just as the LORD had commanded Moses. So he numbered them in the Wilderness of Sinai.
The sons of Reuben, Israel’s (Jacob’s) firstborn, their generations, by their families (clans), by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war:
those of the tribe of Reuben numbered 46,500.
Of the sons of Simeon, their descendants, by their families (clans), by their fathers’ households, their numbered men according to the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war:
those of the tribe of Simeon numbered 59,300.
Of the sons of Gad, their descendants, by their families (clans), by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war:
those of the tribe of Gad numbered 45,650.
Of the sons of Judah, their descendants, by their families (clans), by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war:
those of the tribe of Judah numbered 74,600.
Of the sons of Issachar, their descendants, by their families (clans), by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war:
those of the tribe of Issachar numbered 54,400.
Of the sons of Zebulun, their descendants, by their families (clans), by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war:
those of the tribe of Zebulun numbered 57,400.
Of the sons of Joseph: the sons (descendants) of Ephraim, their descendants, by their families (clans), by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war:
those of the tribe of Ephraim numbered 40,500.
Of the sons of Manasseh, their descendants, by their families (clans), by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war:
those of the tribe of Manasseh numbered 32,200.
Of the sons of Benjamin, their descendants, by their families (clans), by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war:
those of the tribe of Benjamin numbered 35,400.
Of the sons of Dan, their descendants, by their families (clans), by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war:
Of the sons of Asher, their descendants, by their families (clans), by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war:
those of the tribe of Asher numbered 41,500.
Of the sons of Naphtali, their descendants, by their families (clans), by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war:
those of the tribe of Naphtali numbered 53,400.
These were the ones who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron numbered, with the leaders of Israel, twelve men, each representing his fathers’ household.
So all those numbered of the sons of Israel, by their fathers’ households, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war in Israel,
all who were numbered were 603,550.
LEVITES EXEMPTED
The Levites, however, were not numbered among them by their fathers’ tribe.
For the LORD had said to Moses,
“Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, nor shall you take their census among the sons of Israel [since they are unavailable to go to war].
But appoint the Levites over the tabernacle (sanctuary) of the Testimony, and over all its furnishings and all things that belong to it. They shall carry the tabernacle [when traveling] and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it and camp around it.
When the tabernacle is to go forward, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to [be set up for] camp, the Levites shall set it up. But the layman (non-Levite) who approaches the tabernacle shall be put to death.
The Israelites shall camp according to their armies, every man by his own camp and every man by his own [tribal] standard (banner).
But the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the Testimony, so that there will be no wrath against the congregation of the Israelites. The Levites shall be in charge of the tabernacle of the Testimony.”
Thus the sons of Israel did these things; according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses, so they did.
Comments by
F.B.Meyer
On
Numbers 1:1-54
NUMBERED FOR WAR; SET APART FOR WORSHIP
This book records two numberings of the host; the first, at Sinai; and the second, thirty-eight years after, on the threshold of Canaan. It is also the book of the Wilderness wanderings, and contains the story of journeys, service, and vicissitude. It is therefore a valuable guide book to the Church in her present stage.
For us, too, there is a census. God numbers His jewels. He keeps an inventory of His people. Not one of them is omitted, however weak or unworthy. “In thy book all my members are written.” We must be able to tell our pedigree; i.e., we must be assured of our regeneration into God’s family. If we are doubtful about our childship to God, we shall be fit for neither campaigning nor fighting. The secret of failure always lies here. The Levites were not included because, in a very special sense, they belonged to God. He therefore was responsible for their well-being as He is for all of us who are united by faith with Christ-the true Aaron.
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