Numbers 1: The count of Israel's fighting men
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
In the wilderness of Sinai, Yahweh tells Moses and Aaron to count every man of Israel twenty years old and over who can go to war, tribe by tribe, with one leader from each tribe to help them. The text gives the number for each of the twelve tribes and the total, 603,550. The Levites are not counted with the others, because Yahweh puts them in charge of the tabernacle.
Who is speaking?
Yahweh speaks to Moses. God's own words are in 19 of the 54 verses: his order for the count and the names of the leaders in verses 2 to 15, and his order about the Levites in verses 49 to 53. Verses 19 and 54 say that Moses and the people did as Yahweh commanded, without quoting him again. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Yahweh 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,
In plain English: Yahweh 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. He said,
Good to know: The Hebrew name of this book is bemidbar, "in the wilderness", a word from its first verse. The name Numbers comes from the old Greek and Latin Bibles, after the counts of the people in this chapter and in chapter 26.
Good to know: Exodus says the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year (). This count begins on the first day of the second month.
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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,God speaks
In plain English: "Take a count (literally: lift up the head) of the whole community of Israel, by their clans and by their fathers' houses, listing the names, every male, one by one,
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3from 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.God speaks
In plain English: from twenty years old and over, everyone in Israel who is able to go to war. You and Aaron are to count them by their army divisions.
The Hebrew word: "Count" is paqad. The dictionary gives it as "to visit", and also "to oversee, muster, charge, care for".
How it is translated: In Numbers this Bible says "count" or a longer form ("counted") in 80 of the 90 verses that use it. In the same word is "appoint": Moses is to put the Levites in charge.
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4With you there shall be a man of every tribe, each one head of his fathers’ house.God speaks
In plain English: A man from each tribe is to be with you, each one the head of his fathers' house.
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5These are the names of the men who shall stand with you: Of Reuben: Elizur the son of Shedeur.God speaks
In plain English: These are the names of the men who are to stand with you: from Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur;
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6Of Simeon: Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.God speaks
In plain English: from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;
Good to know: Two of the leaders' fathers, Zurishaddai (verse 6) and Ammishaddai (), have names that end in Shaddai. The dictionary gives Shaddai as "the Almighty", the name in "God Almighty" in .
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7Of Judah: Nahshon the son of Amminadab.God speaks
In plain English: from Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab;
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8Of Issachar: Nethanel the son of Zuar.God speaks
In plain English: from Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar;
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9Of Zebulun: Eliab the son of Helon.God speaks
In plain English: from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon;
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10Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim: Elishama the son of Ammihud; of Manasseh: Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.God speaks
In plain English: from the sons of Joseph: from Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud, and from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;
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11Of Benjamin: Abidan the son of Gideoni.God speaks
In plain English: from Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni;
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12Of Dan: Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.God speaks
In plain English: from Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;
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13Of Asher: Pagiel the son of Ochran.God speaks
In plain English: from Asher, Pagiel son of Ochran;
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14Of Gad: Eliasaph the son of Deuel.God speaks
In plain English: from Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel;
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15Of Naphtali: Ahira the son of Enan.”God speaks
In plain English: from Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan."
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16These 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.
In plain English: These were the men called from the community, the leaders (this Bible: princes) of their fathers' tribes. They were the heads of the thousands (or: of the clans) of Israel.
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17Moses and Aaron took these men who are mentioned by name.
In plain English: Moses and Aaron took these men who had been named.
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18They 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.
In plain English: On the first day of the second month they gathered the whole community, and they recorded their family line by clans and by fathers' houses, listing the names of everyone twenty years old and over, one by one.
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19As Yahweh commanded Moses, so he counted them in the wilderness of Sinai.
In plain English: As Yahweh commanded Moses, so he counted them in the wilderness of Sinai.
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20The 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:
In plain English: The descendants of Reuben, Israel's firstborn, were listed by family line, clan and fathers' house, name by name, one by one: every male twenty years old and over who was able to go to war.
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21those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Reuben, were forty-six thousand five hundred.
In plain English: The number counted from the tribe of Reuben was 46,500.
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22Of 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:
In plain English: The descendants of Simeon were listed and counted by family line, clan and fathers' house, name by name, one by one: every male twenty years old and over who was able to go to war.
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23those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.
In plain English: The number counted from the tribe of Simeon was 59,300.
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24Of 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:
In plain English: The descendants of Gad were listed by family line, clan and fathers' house, by name: everyone twenty years old and over who was able to go to war.
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25those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Gad, were forty-five thousand six hundred fifty.
In plain English: The number counted from the tribe of Gad was 45,650.
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26Of 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:
In plain English: The descendants of Judah were listed by family line, clan and fathers' house, by name: everyone twenty years old and over who was able to go to war.
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27those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Judah, were seventy-four thousand six hundred.
In plain English: The number counted from the tribe of Judah was 74,600.
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28Of 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:
In plain English: The descendants of Issachar were listed by family line, clan and fathers' house, by name: everyone twenty years old and over who was able to go to war.
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29those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty-four thousand four hundred.
In plain English: The number counted from the tribe of Issachar was 54,400.
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30Of 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:
In plain English: The descendants of Zebulun were listed by family line, clan and fathers' house, by name: everyone twenty years old and over who was able to go to war.
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31those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty-seven thousand four hundred.
In plain English: The number counted from the tribe of Zebulun was 57,400.
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32Of 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:
In plain English: From the sons of Joseph: the descendants of Ephraim were listed by family line, clan and fathers' house, by name: everyone twenty years old and over who was able to go to war.
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33those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand five hundred.
In plain English: The number counted from the tribe of Ephraim was 40,500.
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34Of 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:
In plain English: The descendants of Manasseh were listed by family line, clan and fathers' house, by name: everyone twenty years old and over who was able to go to war.
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35those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty-two thousand two hundred.
In plain English: The number counted from the tribe of Manasseh was 32,200.
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36Of 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:
In plain English: The descendants of Benjamin were listed by family line, clan and fathers' house, by name: everyone twenty years old and over who was able to go to war.
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37those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty-five thousand four hundred.
In plain English: The number counted from the tribe of Benjamin was 35,400.
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38Of 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:
In plain English: The descendants of Dan were listed by family line, clan and fathers' house, by name: everyone twenty years old and over who was able to go to war.
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39those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Dan, were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.
In plain English: The number counted from the tribe of Dan was 62,700.
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40Of 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:
In plain English: The descendants of Asher were listed by family line, clan and fathers' house, by name: everyone twenty years old and over who was able to go to war.
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41those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Asher, were forty-one thousand five hundred.
In plain English: The number counted from the tribe of Asher was 41,500.
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42Of 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:
In plain English: The descendants of Naphtali were listed by family line, clan and fathers' house, by name: everyone twenty years old and over who was able to go to war.
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43those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty-three thousand four hundred.
In plain English: The number counted from the tribe of Naphtali was 53,400.
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44These 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.
In plain English: These are the men counted by Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel, one for each fathers' house.
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45So 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—
In plain English: So all the Israelites counted by their fathers' houses, twenty years old and over, everyone in Israel able to go to war,
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46all those who were counted were six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty.
In plain English: all those counted, came to 603,550.
The Hebrew word: "Thousand" is eleph. The dictionary gives it as "a thousand". This Bible says "thousand" or "thousands" in 385 of the 390 verses that use it. The same word can also mean a family group: in this Bible calls them "the clans of Judah", and speaks of "the heads of the thousands".
What changes: Most Bibles read the numbers in this chapter as they stand. Some readers take eleph in these lists to mean a clan or a unit of fighting men, which would make the numbers much smaller. The text does not explain.
Good to know: The same total, 603,550 men, is given for the count in , when each man paid half a shekel.
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47But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not counted among them.
In plain English: But the Levites were not counted with them by their fathers' tribe.
Good to know: The Levites are counted on their own in chapter 3, every male from a month old (), and again in chapter 4, the men from thirty to fifty years old.
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48For Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
In plain English: For Yahweh had said to Moses,
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49“Only the tribe of Levi you shall not count, neither shall you take a census of them among the children of Israel;God speaks
In plain English: "Do not count the tribe of Levi, and do not take a count of them among the Israelites.
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50but 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.God speaks
In plain English: Instead, put the Levites in charge of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, all its things, and everything that belongs to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its things. They are to look after it and camp around it.
The Hebrew word: "Testimony" is edut, which the dictionary gives as "testimony". It is the name for what Yahweh tells Moses to put into the ark in , where this Bible says "covenant".
How it is translated: In Numbers this Bible says "testimony" in 8 of the 11 verses that use the word.
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51When 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.God speaks
In plain English: When the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and when it is to be set up, the Levites are to set it up. Any outsider (this Bible: the stranger) who comes near is to be put to death.
The Hebrew word: "Stranger" is zar. The dictionary gives it as "a foreigner, strange". Here the verse gives the work to the Levites, and the word is used for anyone else who comes near. It is the same word as the "strange fire" of Nadab and Abihu in .
How it is translated: In Numbers this Bible says "stranger" in 5 of the 8 verses that use the word, and "outsider" in 1 ().
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52The children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, according to their divisions.God speaks
In plain English: The Israelites are to pitch their tents each man in his own camp, each man by his own flag (this Bible: standard), division by division.
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53But 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.”God speaks
In plain English: But the Levites are to camp around the Tabernacle of the Testimony, so that no anger (this Bible: wrath) comes on the community of Israel. The Levites are to take charge of the Tabernacle of the Testimony."
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54Thus the children of Israel did. According to all that Yahweh commanded Moses, so they did.
In plain English: The Israelites did this. They did everything Yahweh had commanded Moses.
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