1 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses H4872 in the wilderness H4057 of Sinai, H5514 in the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 on the first H259 day of the second H8145 month, H2320 in the second H8145 year H8141 after they were come out H3318 of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 saying, H559
2 Take H5375 ye the sum H7218 of all the congregation H5712 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 after their families, H4940 by the house H1004 of their fathers, H1 with the number H4557 of their names, H8034 every male H2145 by their polls; H1538
3 From twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and upward, H4605 all that are able to go forth H3318 to war H6635 in Israel: H3478 thou and Aaron H175 shall number H6485 them by their armies. H6635
4 And with you there shall be a man H376 of every H376 tribe; H4294 every one H376 head H7218 of the house H1004 of his fathers. H1
5 And these are the names H8034 of the men H582 that shall stand H5975 with you: of the tribe of Reuben; H7205 Elizur H468 the son H1121 of Shedeur. H7707
6 Of Simeon; H8095 Shelumiel H8017 the son H1121 of Zurishaddai. H6701
7 Of Judah; H3063 Nahshon H5177 the son H1121 of Amminadab. H5992
8 Of Issachar; H3485 Nethaneel H5417 the son H1121 of Zuar. H6686
9 Of Zebulun; H2074 Eliab H446 the son H1121 of Helon. H2497
10 Of the children H1121 of Joseph: H3130 of Ephraim; H669 Elishama H476 the son H1121 of Ammihud: H5989 of Manasseh; H4519 Gamaliel H1583 the son H1121 of Pedahzur. H6301
11 Of Benjamin; H1144 Abidan H27 the son H1121 of Gideoni. H1441
12 Of Dan; H1835 Ahiezer H295 the son H1121 of Ammishaddai. H5996
13 Of Asher; H836 Pagiel H6295 the son H1121 of Ocran. H5918
14 Of Gad; H1410 Eliasaph H460 the son H1121 of Deuel. H1845
15 Of Naphtali; H5321 Ahira H299 the son H1121 of Enan. H5881
16 These were the renowned H7148 of the congregation, H5712 princes H5387 of the tribes H4294 of their fathers, H1 heads H7218 of thousands H505 in H1992 Israel. H3478
17 And Moses H4872 and Aaron H175 took H3947 these men H582 which are expressed H5344 by their names: H8034
18 And they assembled H6950 all the congregation H5712 together H6950 on the first H259 day of the second H8145 month, H2320 and they declared their pedigrees H3205 after their families, H4940 by the house H1004 of their fathers, H1 according to the number H4557 of the names, H8034 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and upward, H4605 by their polls. H1538
19 As the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses, H4872 so he numbered H6485 them in the wilderness H4057 of Sinai. H5514
20 And the children H1121 of Reuben, H7205 Israel's H3478 eldest son, H1060 by their generations, H8435 after their families, H4940 by the house H1004 of their fathers, H1 according to the number H4557 of the names, H8034 by their polls, H1538 every male H2145 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and upward, H4605 all that were able to go forth H3318 to war; H6635
21 Those that were numbered H6485 of them, even of the tribe H4294 of Reuben, H7205 were forty H705 and six H8337 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred. H3967
22 Of the children H1121 of Simeon, H8095 by their generations, H8435 after their families, H4940 by the house H1004 of their fathers, H1 those that were numbered H6485 of them, according to the number H4557 of the names, H8034 by their polls, H1538 every male H2145 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and upward, H4605 all that were able to go forth H3318 to war; H6635
23 Those that were numbered H6485 of them, even of the tribe H4294 of Simeon, H8095 were fifty H2572 and nine H8672 thousand H505 and three H7969 hundred. H3967
24 Of the children H1121 of Gad, H1410 by their generations, H8435 after their families, H4940 by the house H1004 of their fathers, H1 according to the number H4557 of the names, H8034 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and upward, H4605 all that were able to go forth H3318 to war; H6635
25 Those that were numbered H6485 of them, even of the tribe H4294 of Gad, H1410 were forty H705 and five H2568 thousand H505 six H8337 hundred H3967 and fifty. H2572
26 Of the children H1121 of Judah, H3063 by their generations, H8435 after their families, H4940 by the house H1004 of their fathers, H1 according to the number H4557 of the names, H8034 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and upward, H4605 all that were able to go forth H3318 to war; H6635
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Numbers 1
Commentary on Numbers 1 Matthew Henry Commentary
An Exposition, With Practical Observations, of
The Fourth Book of Moses, Called Numbers
Chapter 1
Israel was now to be formed into a commonwealth, or rather a kingdom; for "the Lord was their King' (1 Sa. 12:12), their government a theocracy, and Moses under him was king in Jeshurun, Deu. 33:5. Now, for the right settlement of this holy state, next to the institution of good laws was necessary the institution of good order; and account therefore must be taken of the subjects of this kingdom, which is done in this chapter, where we have,
Num 1:1-16
Num 1:17-43
We have here the speedy execution of the orders given for the numbering of the people. It was begun the same day that the orders were given, The first day of the second month; compare v. 18 with v. 1. Note, When any work is to be done for God it is good to set about it quickly, while the sense of duty is strong and pressing. And, for aught that appears, it was but one day's work, for many other things were done between this and the twentieth day of this month, when they removed their camp, ch. 10:11. Joab was almost ten months numbering the people in David's time (2 Sa. 24:8); but then they were dispersed, now they lived closely together; then Satan proposed the doing of it, now God commanded it. It was the sooner and more easily done now because it had been done but a little while ago, and they needed but review the old books, with the alterations since made, which probably they had kept an account of as they occurred.
In the particulars here left upon record, we may observe,
Num 1:44-46
We have here the sum total at the foot of the account; they were in all 600,000 fighting men, and 3550 over. Some think that when this was their number some months before (Ex. 38:26) the Levites were reckoned with them, but now that tribe was separated for the service of God, yet so many more had by this time attained to the age of twenty years as that still they were the same number, to show that whatever we part with for the honour and service of God it shall certainly be made up to us one way of other. Now we see what a vast body of men they were. Let us consider,
Num 1:47-54
Care is here taken to distinguish from the rest of the tribes the tribe of Levi, which, in the matter of the golden calf, had distinguished itself, Ex. 32:26. Note, Singular services shall be recompensed with singular honours. Now,