1 And the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,

2 Take you the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls;

3 From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: you and Aaron shall number them by their armies.

4 And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers.

5 And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you: of the tribe 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; 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.

14 Of Gad; Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

15 Of Naphtali; Ahira the son of Enan.

16 These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.

17 And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names:

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.

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

20 And the children of Reuben, Israel's oldest 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;

21 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.

22 Of the 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;

23 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.

24 Of the 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;

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 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;

27 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Judah, were three score and fourteen thousand and six hundred.

28 Of the 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;

29 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.

30 Of the 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;

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 children of Ephraim, 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;

33 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred.

34 Of the 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;

35 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.

36 Of the children of Benjamin, 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;

37 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.

38 Of the 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;

39 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Dan, were three score and two thousand and seven hundred.

40 Of the 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;

41 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.

42 Of the 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;

43 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.

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 six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.

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

48 For the LORD had spoken to Moses, saying,

49 Only you shall not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel:

50 But you shall appoint the Levites 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 to it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.

51 And when the tabernacle sets forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death.

52 And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts.

53 But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony.

54 And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.

Num 1:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first [day] of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,

Ver. 1. In the wilderness of Sinai.] Here God held his people well nigh a year. Here they received the law, both moral and ceremonial: the moral drove them to the ceremonial, which was then Christ in figure; as it doth now drive us to Christ in truth. The ceremonial law, saith one, was their gospel. We must also pass by Sinai to Sion, unless we like rather to be carnally secured than soundly comforted. {See Trapp on " Exo 19:1"}

Num 1:2 Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of [their] names, every male by their polls;

Ver. 2. Take ye the sum.] Hence this book is named in the Greek, Numbers.

Num 1:3 From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.

Ver. 3. All that are able.] The people perceiving how many hundred thousand strong they were, might go on with more courage against their enemies. It is an ancient custom in Scotland, in cases of importance, to command the fire cross to be carried; that is, two fire brands to be set in fashion of a cross, and pitched upon the point of a spear, and proclamation is thereupon made, that all men, above sixteen years of age and under sixty, shall come into the field to advance against the common enemy. {a}

{a} Sir John Heywood, in the Life of King Edward VI.

Num 1:4 And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers.

Ver. 4. A man of every tribe.] These were men of renown. { Num 1:16} To "do worthily in Ephrata," is the way to be "famous in Bethlehem." {Rth 4:11} It is said of a great statesman, in Queen Elizabeth’s days, that he was in the number of those few that both lived and died with glory. {a}

{a} Camden’s Elisab.

Num 1:16 These [were] the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.

Ver. 16. Princes of the tribes.] These were those officers over them in Egypt, saith a Hebrew doctor, that had been beaten for them. { Exo 5:14} Now they are raised to great preferment. Sic per angusta ad augustum, per spinas ad rosas, per motum ad quietem, per crucem ad coelum contendimus.

Num 1:17 And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by [their] names:

Ver. 17. Which are expressed by their names.] And they are all excellent good names and very significant; hereby is testified to posterity that they forgat not the name of their God when they were in the iron furnace, but could say, as Psa 44:17, "All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee; though thou hast sore broken us, in the place of dragons," &c.

Num 1:18 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.

Ver. 18. And they declared their pedigrees.] Which those that could not do, { Ezr 2:62} were cut out of the roll, capite diminuti, cashiered.

Num 1:19 As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.

Ver. 19. So he numbered them.] {See Trapp on " Exo 30:12"} At every general muster they paid poll money. { Exo 30:16} Such a taxation was first granted in this kingdom to Edward III; but in the next reign proved of ill consequence; the exactors receiving from the people no less sums of curses than of coin; whereupon, also, followed the first and greatest popular insurrection that ever was seen in this kingdom. {a}

{a} Daniel’s Hist.

Num 1:47 But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them.

Ver. 47. Were not numbered.] Because, by special privilege exempted from secular and military employments, that they may wholly devote themselves to the service of the sanctuary. Peter, in like sort, must put up his sword; and Timothy "not entangle himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please Him who hath chosen him to be a soldier" of another nature. { 2Ti 2:4} But Timotheus Herulus, that warlike bishop of Alexandria, A.D. 467, was a gallant fellow in his generation. And some of Peter’s pretended successors were viri biliosi et bellicosi; cast the keys into Tiber, and took up St Paul’s sword, {a} and the imperial clothes. So have various of their dear sons done; as Philip, bishop of Beauvieu, in France, who, being taken in battle by our Richard I, in a skirmish, had his armour he was taken in sent to the Pope, with these words engraven thereon, Vide utrum filii tui tunica sit, vel non, See whether this be thy son’s coat or not.

{a} Theophilus Alexandriae Episcopus, primus inter Christiani nominis episcopos, arma tractavit. - Socrat.

Num 1:53 But the Levites shall 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.

Ver. 53. Shall pitch round about.] As the living creatures (the ministers) are between the four and twenty eiders, the congregation of the faithful, and the throne. { Rev 4:4}