Numbers 1

1

The LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying,

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 1. First day of the second month, called after the captivity, Jiar, which party corresponds with our April. These injunctions were given from the tabernacle, ( Calmet.) in the desert, the 12th station, ( Bible.) at the foot of Mount Sinai.

EXPLANATION

When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name (Hebrew “יהוה”, usually pronounced Yahweh).

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2

“Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, every male, one by one,

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 2. Houses. The families consisted of the immediate descendants of the 12 patriarchs; the houses were from the subdivisions of these. The same plan of numbering the people was adopted on other occasions. Joshua 8:16. 1 Kennicott. 10:20.—Sex, between 20 and 60 years of age. All the subjects of the Eastern kings may be called upon, if they be able to bear arms; and hence we find such immense armies in the Scripture, and in profane history. Moses numbered the people once before, (Exodus 30:2,) and found exactly the same number of warriors, the dead being replaced by others, during the space of seven months. Perhaps the odd numbers might not be specified, as all the totals consist of so many exact hundreds, except that of the tribe of Gad, verse 25. On the former occasion, the people were not perhaps ranged according to their tribes, which was now deemed necessary, as they army was going to begin its march under its respective leaders. Calmet.

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3

from twenty years old and upward, all who are able to go out to war in Israel. You and Aaron shall count them by their divisions.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 3. Arms, (fortium). “Strong or brave.” The psalmist (104:37,) says, there was not one feeble. Menochius.—Troops. Hebrew “army.” Septuagint “force.” Their officers shall be at their head, and shall assist you in the work. Some might command 1000, others 100, and some only 50. See Exodus 13:18. 18:21.—Princes; the first-born, or most ancient, (Lyran.) the lineal descendants of the patriarchs; (Jansen) or, in fine, such as were chosen for their merit, as all were equally noble; and hence Nahasson, prince of Juda, is mentioned, though he was not a descendant of the eldest son of Juda, but of Phares; and those who were at the head of those who were numbered a little before the death of Moses, were not the descendants of these. Calmet. 26:64. In effect, we find that Moses chose for his council, able men out of all Israel. Exodus 18:25. Bonfrere. Calmet.

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4

With you there shall be a man of every tribe, each one head of his fathers’ house.

5

These are the names of the men who shall stand with you: Of Reuben: Elizur the son of Shedeur.

6

Of Simeon: Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

7

Of Judah: Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

8

Of Issachar: Nethanel 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 Ochran.

14

Of Gad: Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 14. Duel. Hebrew Dehuel. But (Calmet. 2:14,) we find the word begins R, as the Septuagint have read, Ragouel. Bible.

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15

Of Naphtali: Ahira the son of Enan.”

16

These are those who were called of the congregation, the princes of the tribes of their fathers; they were the heads of the thousands of Israel.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 16. Army. Hebrew “of a thousand.” The Vulg. commonly styles them tribunes. They were “people of name in the assembly,” as the Hebrew indicates. Calmet.

EXPLANATION

or, chiefs, or, leaders

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17

Moses and Aaron took these men who are mentioned by name.

18

They assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month; and they declared their ancestry by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, one by one.

19

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

20

The children of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, one by one, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war:

21

those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Reuben, were forty-six thousand five hundred.

22

Of the children of Simeon, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, those who were counted of it, according to the number of the names, one by one, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war:

23

those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

24

Of the children of Gad, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war:

25

those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Gad, were forty-five thousand six hundred fifty.

26

Of the children of Judah, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war:

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 26. Juda. This tribe was the most numerous. But it is not here placed first, because the order of birth in Lia’s children is observed. Then come those of Rachel; and last of all, the children of the two handmaids, Bala and Zelpha. Bible.

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27

those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Judah, were seventy-four thousand six hundred.

28

Of the children of Issachar, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war:

29

those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty-four thousand four hundred.

30

Of the children of Zebulun, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war:

31

those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty-seven thousand four hundred.

32

Of the children of Joseph: of the children of Ephraim, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war:

33

those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand five hundred.

34

Of the children of Manasseh, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war:

35

those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty-two thousand two hundred.

36

Of the children of Benjamin, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war:

37

those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty-five thousand four hundred.

38

Of the children of Dan, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war:

39

those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Dan, were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

40

Of the children of Asher, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war:

41

those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Asher, were forty-one thousand five hundred.

42

Of the children of Naphtali, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war:

43

those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty-three thousand four hundred.

44

These are those who were counted, whom Moses and Aaron counted, and the twelve men who were princes of Israel, each one for his fathers’ house.

45

So all those who were counted of the children of Israel by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war in Israel—

46

all those who were counted were six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty.

47

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

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 47. Levites. As they attended the tabernacle, like God’s peculiar servants, and were not obliged to go forth to battle, it was not necessary to number them with the rest. Calmet.—They might, however, fight if they thought proper, as the Machabees did. See Josep. Ant. iii. 11. iv. 4. Tirinus.

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48

For the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

49

“Only the tribe of Levi you shall not count, neither shall you take a census of them among the children of Israel;

50

but appoint the Levites over the Tabernacle of the Testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; and they shall take care of it, and shall encamp around it.

51

When the tabernacle is to move, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall set it up. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 51. Stranger, even of any other tribe. Saint Augustine q. 3. Worthington.

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52

The children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, according to their divisions.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 52. Army. Hebrew “they shall have their respective camp, and follow their own standards, with their army.” They were drawn up in four large bodies, Calmet. 2:2, and so forth Calmet.—The first contained 151,450, the second 186,400, the third 108,100, and the fourth 157,600, under Reuben, Juda, Ephraim, and Dan.

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53

But the Levites shall encamp around the Tabernacle of the Testimony, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel. The Levites shall be responsible for the Tabernacle of the Testimony.”

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 53. Watch. Lest any thing should offer any indecency to the tabernacle, and thus provoke God’s indignation. Bible.

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54

Thus the children of Israel did. According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so they did.