1On the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses in the Tent of Meeting in the Wilderness of Sinai. He said: 2“Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. 3You and Aaron are to number those who are twenty years of age or older by their divisions—everyone who can serve in Israel’s army. 4And one man from each tribe, the head of each family, must be there with you. 5These are the names of the men who are to assist you: From the tribe of Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur; 6from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai; 7from Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab; 8from Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar; 9from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon; 10from the sons of Joseph: from Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud, and from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur; 11from Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni; 12from Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai; 13from Asher, Pagiel son of Ocran; 14from Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel; 15and from Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan.” 16These men were appointed from the congregation; they were the leaders of the tribes of their fathers, the heads of the clans of Israel. 17So Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name, 18and on the first day of the second month they assembled the whole congregation and recorded their ancestry by clans and families, counting one by one the names of those twenty years of age or older, 19just as the LORD had commanded Moses. So Moses numbered them in the Wilderness of Sinai: 20From the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, according to the records of their clans and families, counting one by one the names of every male twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 21those registered to the tribe of Reuben numbered 46,500. 22From the sons of Simeon, according to the records of their clans and families, counting one by one the names of every male twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 23those registered to the tribe of Simeon numbered 59,300. 24From the sons of Gad, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 25those registered to the tribe of Gad numbered 45,650. 26From the sons of Judah, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 27those registered to the tribe of Judah numbered 74,600. 28From the sons of Issachar, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 29those registered to the tribe of Issachar numbered 54,400. 30From the sons of Zebulun, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 31those registered to the tribe of Zebulun numbered 57,400. 32From the sons of Joseph: 33From the sons of Ephraim, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, those registered to the tribe of Ephraim numbered 40,500. 34And from the sons of Manasseh, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 35those registered to the tribe of Manasseh numbered 32,200. 36From the sons of Benjamin, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 37those registered to the tribe of Benjamin numbered 35,400. 38From the sons of Dan, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 39those registered to the tribe of Dan numbered 62,700. 40From the sons of Asher, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 41those registered to the tribe of Asher numbered 41,500. 42From the sons of Naphtali, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, 43those registered to the tribe of Naphtali numbered 53,400. 44These were the men numbered by Moses and Aaron, with the assistance of the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family. 45So all the Israelites twenty years of age or older who could serve in Israel’s army were counted according to their families. 46And all those counted totaled 603,550. 47The Levites, however, were not numbered along with them by the tribe of their fathers. 48For the LORD had said to Moses: 49“Do not number the tribe of Levi in the census with the other Israelites. 50Instead, you are to appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the Testimony, all its furnishings, and everything in it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its articles, care for it, and camp around it. 51Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever it is to be pitched, the Levites are to set it up. Any outsider who goes near it must be put to death. 52The Israelites are to camp by their divisions, each man in his own camp and under his own standard. 53But the Levites are to camp around the tabernacle of the Testimony and watch over it, so that no wrath will fall on the congregation of Israel. So the Levites are responsible for the tabernacle of the Testimony.” 54Thus the Israelites did everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
Matthew Henry's Commentary
This book is called NUMBERS from the several numberings of the people contained in it. It extends from the giving of the law at Sinai, till their arrival in the plains of Jordan. An account is given of their murmuring and unbelief, for which they were sentenced to wander in the wilderness nearly forty years; also some laws, both, moral and ceremonial. Their trials greatly tended to distinguish the wicked and hypocrites from the faithful and true servants of God, who served him with a pure heart.The numbering of the Israelites. (1-43) The number of the people. (44-46) The Levites not numbered with the rest. (47-54) 1-43 The people were numbered to show God's faithfulness in thus increasing the seed of Jacob, that they might be the better trained for the wars and conquest of Canaan, and to ascertain their families in order to the division of the land. It is said of each tribe, that those were numbered who were able to go forth to war; they had wars before them, though now they met with no opposition. Let the believer be prepared to withstand the enemies of his soul, though all may appear to be peace. 44-46 We have here the sum total. How much was required to maintain all these in the wilderness! They were all provided for by God every day. When we observe the faithfulness of God, however unlikely the performance of his promise may appear, we may take courage as to those which yet remain to be fulfilled to the church of God. 47-54 Care is here taken to distinguish the tribe of Levi, which, in the matter of the golden calf, had distinguished itself. Singular services shall be recompensed by singular honours. It was to the honour of the Levites, that to them was committed the care of the tabernacle and its treasures, in their camps and in their marches. It was for the honour of the holy things that none should see them, or touch them, but those who were called of God to the service. We all are unfit and unworthy to have fellowship with God, till called by his grace into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and so, being the spiritual seed of that great High Priest, we are made priests to our God. Great care must be taken to prevent sin, for preventing sin is preventing wrath. Being a holy tribe, they were not reckoned among other Israelites. They that minister about holy things, should neither entangle themselves, nor be entangled, in worldly affairs. And let every believer seek to do what the Lord has commanded.