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The People of Israel Are Counted

The Lord spoke to Moses in the Meeting Tent [C the Tabernacle; Ex. 25–31] in the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Sinai. This was on the first day of the second month in the second year after the Israelites left Egypt [Ex. 12:50–51; C one year later]. He said to Moses: “You and Aaron must ·count [take a census of; L lift the head of] all the ·people of Israel [community/congregation/assembly of the sons/T children of Israel] by ·families [clans] and family groups, listing the name of each ·man [male]. You and Aaron must count every man twenty years old or older who will serve in the army of Israel, and list them by their divisions [C like a military registration]. One man from each tribe, the leader of his family, will help you. These are the names of the men who will help you:

from the tribe of Reuben—Elizur son of Shedeur;

from the tribe of Simeon—Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;

from the tribe of Judah—Nahshon son of Amminadab;

from the tribe of Issachar—Nethanel son of Zuar;

from the tribe of Zebulun—Eliab son of Helon;

10 from the tribe of Ephraim son of Joseph—Elishama son of Ammihud;

from the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph—Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;

11 from the tribe of Benjamin—Abidan son of Gideoni;

12 from the tribe of Dan—Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;

13 from the tribe of Asher—Pagiel son of Ocran;

14 from the tribe of Gad—Eliasaph son of Deuel;

15 from the tribe of Naphtali—Ahira son of Enan.”

16 These were the men chosen from the ·people [community; congregation; assembly] to be leaders of their tribes, the heads of Israel’s family groups.

17 Moses and Aaron took these men ·who had been picked [L whose names had been designated] 18 and ·called [assembled] all the ·people [community; congregation; assembly] of Israel together on the first day of the second month. Then the people ·were listed [registered their genealogies] by their ·families [clans] and family groups, and all the ·men [males] who were twenty years old or older were listed by name. 19 Moses did exactly what the Lord had commanded and ·listed [enrolled] the people while they were in the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Sinai.

20 The ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Reuben, the first son born to Israel [C Jacob; Gen. 35:23; 46:8; 49:3], ·was counted [L according to their records/lineage]; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their ·families [clans] and family groups. 21 The tribe of Reuben totaled 46,500 men.

22 The ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Simeon ·was counted [L according to their records/lineage]; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their ·families [clans] and family groups. 23 The tribe of Simeon totaled 59,300 men.

24 The ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Gad ·was counted [L according to their records/lineage]; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their ·families [clans] and family groups. 25 The tribe of Gad totaled 45,650 men.

26 The ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Judah ·was counted [L according to their records/lineage]; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their ·families [clans] and family groups. 27 The tribe of Judah totaled 74,600 men.

28 The ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Issachar ·was counted [L according to their records/lineage]; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their ·families [clans] and family groups. 29 The tribe of Issachar totaled 54,400 men.

30 The ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Zebulun ·was counted [L according to their records/lineage]; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their ·families [clans] and family groups. 31 The tribe of Zebulun totaled 57,400 men.

32 The ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Ephraim, a son of Joseph, ·was counted [L according to their records/lineage]; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their ·families [clans] and family groups. 33 The tribe of Ephraim totaled 40,500 men.

34 The ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Manasseh, also a son of Joseph, ·was counted [L according to their records/lineage]; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their ·families [clans] and family groups. 35 The tribe of Manasseh totaled 32,200 men.

36 The ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Benjamin ·was counted [L according to their records/lineage]; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their ·families [clans] and family groups. 37 The tribe of Benjamin totaled 35,400 men.

38 The ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Dan ·was counted [L according to their records/lineage]; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their ·families [clans] and family groups. 39 The tribe of Dan totaled 62,700 men.

40 The ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Asher ·was counted [L according to their records/lineage]; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their ·families [clans] and family groups. 41 The tribe of Asher totaled 41,500 men.

42 The ·tribe [L sons; descendants] of Naphtali ·was counted [L according to their records/lineage]; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their ·families [clans] and family groups. 43 The tribe of Naphtali totaled 53,400 men.

44 Moses, Aaron, and the twelve leaders of Israel, one from each of the family groups, counted these men. 45 Every man of Israel twenty years old or older who was able to serve in the army was counted and listed with his family group. 46 The total number of men was 603,550.

47 The families groups from the tribe of Levi were not ·listed [counted] with the others, because 48 the Lord had told Moses: 49 “Do not count the tribe of Levi or ·include [take a census of; L lift the head of] them with the other Israelites. 50 Instead put the Levites in charge of the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle] of the ·Agreement [Treaty; Covenant; L Testimony; C the Ten Commandments were in the Ark in the Tabernacle; Ex. 25:10] and everything that is with it [Ex. 32:26–29]. They must carry the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle] and everything in it, and they must take care of it and make their camp around it. 51 Any time the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle] ·is moved [sets out], the Levites must take it down, and any time it is ·set up [pitched], the Levites must do it. Anyone else who goes near the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle] will be put to death. 52 The ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] will make their camps in separate divisions, each family near its ·flag [standard]. 53 But the Levites must make their camp around the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle] of the ·Agreement [Testimony; Treaty; Covenant; 1:50] so that I will not be angry with the ·Israelites [community/ congregation/assembly of the sons/T children of Israel]. The Levites will take care of the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle] of the ·Agreement [Testimony; Treaty; Covenant; 1:50].”

54 So the Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.

The Census of Israel

The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting(A) in the Wilderness of Sinai,(B) on the first day of the second month of the second year(C) after Israel’s departure from the land of Egypt: ‘Take a census(D) of the entire Israelite community by their clans and their ancestral families,[a] counting the names of every male one by one. You and Aaron are to register those who are twenty years old or more by their military divisions – everyone who can serve in Israel’s army.[b](E) A man from each tribe is to be with you, each one the head of his ancestral family.[c](F) These are the names of the men who are to assist you:(G)

Elizur son of Shedeur from Reuben;

Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai from Simeon;

Nahshon son of Amminadab from Judah;

Nethanel son of Zuar from Issachar;

Eliab son of Helon from Zebulun;

10 from the sons of Joseph:

Elishama son of Ammihud from Ephraim,

Gamaliel son of Pedahzur from Manasseh;

11 Abidan son of Gideoni from Benjamin;

12 Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai from Dan;

13 Pagiel son of Ochran from Asher;

14 Eliasaph son of Deuel[d] from Gad;

15 Ahira son of Enan from Naphtali.

16 These are the men called from the community; they are leaders of their ancestral tribes,(H) the heads of Israel’s clans.’(I)

17 So Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name,(J) 18 and they assembled the whole community on the first day of the second month. They recorded their ancestry by their clans and their ancestral families, counting one by one the names of those twenty years old or more, 19 just as the Lord commanded Moses. He registered them in the Wilderness of Sinai:

20 The descendants of Reuben,(K) the firstborn of Israel: according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting one by one the names of every male twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 21 those registered for the tribe of Reuben numbered 46,500.

22 The descendants of Simeon:(L) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, those registered counting one by one the names of every male twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 23 those registered for the tribe of Simeon numbered 59,300.

24 The descendants of Gad:(M) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 25 those registered for the tribe of Gad numbered 45,650.

26 The descendants of Judah:(N) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 27 those registered for the tribe of Judah numbered 74,600.

28 The descendants of Issachar:(O) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 29 those registered for the tribe of Issachar numbered 54,400.

30 The descendants of Zebulun:(P) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 31 those registered for the tribe of Zebulun numbered 57,400.

32 The descendants of Joseph:(Q)

The descendants of Ephraim:(R) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 33 those registered for the tribe of Ephraim numbered 40,500.

34 The descendants of Manasseh:(S) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 35 those registered for the tribe of Manasseh numbered 32,200.

36 The descendants of Benjamin:(T) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 37 those registered for the tribe of Benjamin numbered 35,400.

38 The descendants of Dan:(U) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 39 those registered for the tribe of Dan numbered 62,700.

40 The descendants of Asher:(V) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 41 those registered for the tribe of Asher numbered 41,500.

42 The descendants of Naphtali:(W) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 43 those registered for the tribe of Naphtali numbered 53,400.

44 These are the men Moses and Aaron registered, with the assistance of the twelve leaders of Israel; each represented his ancestral family. 45 So all the Israelites twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in Israel’s army, were registered by their ancestral families. 46 All those registered numbered 603,550.(X)

Duties of the Levites

47 But the Levites(Y) were not registered with them by their ancestral tribe. 48 For the Lord had told Moses, 49 ‘Do not register or take a census of the tribe of Levi with the other Israelites. 50 Appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, all its furnishings, and everything in it. They are to transport the tabernacle and all its articles, take care of it, and camp round it. 51 Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever it is to stop at a campsite, the Levites are to set it up. Any unauthorised(Z) person who comes near it is to be put to death.(AA)

52 ‘The Israelites are to camp by their military divisions, each man with his encampment and under his banner. 53 The Levites are to camp round the tabernacle of the testimony and watch over it, so that no wrath will fall on the Israelite community.’(AB) 54 The Israelites did everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses.(AC)

Footnotes

  1. 1:2 Lit the house of their fathers, also in vv. 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 45
  2. 1:3 Lit everyone going out to war in Israel
  3. 1:4 Lit the house of his fathers, also in v. 44
  4. 1:14 LXX, Syr read Reuel

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 came out of the land of Egypt, saying,

Take a census of all the males of the congregation of the Israelites by families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, head by head.

From twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go forth to war you and Aaron shall number, company by company.

And with you there shall be a man [to assist you] from each tribe, each being the head of his father’s house.

And these are the names of the men who shall attend you: Of Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur;

Of Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;

Of Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab;

Of Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar;

Of Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon;

10 Of the sons of Joseph: of Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud; of Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;

11 Of Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni;

12 Of Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;

13 Of Asher, Pagiel son of Ochran;

14 Of Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel;

15 Of Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan.

16 These were those chosen from the congregation, the leaders of their ancestral tribes, heads of thousands [the highest class of officers] in Israel.

17 And Moses and Aaron took these men who have been named,

18 And assembled all the congregation on the first day of the second month, and they declared their ancestry after their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names from twenty years old and upward, head by head,

19 As the Lord commanded Moses. So he numbered them in the Wilderness of Sinai.

20 The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, 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:

21 Those of the tribe of Reuben numbered 46,500.

22 Of the sons of Simeon, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, those numbered of them 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:

23 Those of the tribe of Simeon numbered 59,300.

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

25 Those of the tribe of Gad numbered 45,650.

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

27 Those of the tribe of Judah numbered 74,600.

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

29 Those of the tribe of Issachar numbered 54,400.

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

31 Those of the tribe of Zebulun numbered 57,400.

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

33 Those of the tribe of Ephraim numbered 40,500.

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

35 Those of the tribe of Manasseh numbered 32,200.

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

37 Those of the tribe of Benjamin numbered 35,400.

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

39 Those of the tribe of Dan numbered 62,700.

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

41 Those of the tribe of Asher numbered 41,500.

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

43 Those of the tribe of Naphtali numbered 53,400.

44 These were numbered by Moses and Aaron, and the leaders of Israel, twelve men, each representing his father’s house.

45 So all those numbered of the Israelites, by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and upward, able to go to war in Israel,

46 All who were numbered were 603,550.

47 But the Levites by their fathers’ tribe were not numbered with them.

48 For the Lord had said to Moses,

49 Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number in the census of the Israelites.

50 But appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the Testimony, and over all its vessels and furnishings and all things that belong to it. They shall carry the tabernacle [when journeying] and all its furnishings, and they shall minister to it and encamp around it.

51 When the tabernacle is to go forward, the Levites shall take it down, and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up. And the excluded [any not of the tribe of Levi] who approach the tabernacle shall be put to death.

52 The Israelites shall pitch their tents by their companies, every man by his own camp and every man by his own [tribal] standard.

53 But the Levites shall encamp around the tabernacle of the Testimony, that there may be no wrath upon the congregation of the Israelites; and the Levites shall keep charge of the tabernacle of the Testimony.

54 Thus did the Israelites; according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so they did.