1 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first of the second month, in the second year of their going out of the land of Egypt, saying:
2 `Take ye up the sum of all the company of the sons of Israel by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names -- every male by their polls;
3 from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host in Israel, ye do number them by their hosts, thou and Aaron;
4 and with you there is a man for a tribe, each is a head to the house of his fathers.
5 `And these `are' the names of the men who stand with you: `For Reuben -- Elizur son of Shedeur.
6 `For Simeon -- Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.
7 `For Judah -- Nahshon son of Amminadab.
8 `For Issachar -- Nathaneel son of Zuar.
9 `For Zebulun -- Eliab son of Helon.
10 `For the sons of Joseph -- for Ephraim: Elishama son of Ammihud: for Manasseh -- Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.
11 `For Benjamin -- Abidan son of Gideoni.
12 `For Dan -- Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.
13 `For Asher -- Pagiel son of Ocran.
14 `For Gad -- Eliasaph son of Deuel.
15 `For Naphtali -- Ahira son of Enan.'
16 These `are' those called of the company, princes of the tribes of their fathers; they `are' heads of the thousands of Israel.
17 And Moses taketh -- Aaron also -- these men, who were defined by name,
18 and all the company they assembled on the first of the second month, and they declare their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names from a son of twenty years and upward, by their polls,
19 as Jehovah hath commanded Moses; and he numbereth them in the wilderness of Sinai.
20 And the sons of Reuben, Israel's first-born -- their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, by their polls, every male from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host --
21 their numbered ones, for the tribe of Reuben, are six and forty thousand and five hundred.
22 Of the sons of Simeon -- their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, its numbered ones in the number of names, by their polls, every male from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host --
23 their numbered ones, for the tribe of Simeon, `are' nine and fifty thousand and three hundred.
24 Of the sons of Gad -- their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host --
25 their numbered ones, for the tribe of Gad, `are' five and forty thousand and six hundred and fifty.
26 Of the sons of Judah -- their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host --
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,