17 And Moses H4872 and Aaron H175 took H3947 these men H582 which are expressed H5344 by their names: H8034
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 Of Simeon; H8095 Shelumiel H8017 the son H1121 of Zurishaddai. H6701 Of Judah; H3063 Nahshon H5177 the son H1121 of Amminadab. H5992 Of Issachar; H3485 Nethaneel H5417 the son H1121 of Zuar. H6686 Of Zebulun; H2074 Eliab H446 the son H1121 of Helon. H2497 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 Of Benjamin; H1144 Abidan H27 the son H1121 of Gideoni. H1441 Of Dan; H1835 Ahiezer H295 the son H1121 of Ammishaddai. H5996 Of Asher; H836 Pagiel H6295 the son H1121 of Ocran. H5918 Of Gad; H1410 Eliasaph H460 the son H1121 of Deuel. H1845 Of Naphtali; H5321 Ahira H299 the son H1121 of Enan. H5881
And G2532 I heard G191 the number G706 of them which were sealed: G4972 and there were sealed G4972 an hundred G1540 and forty G5062 and four G5064 thousand G5505 of G1537 all G3956 the tribes G5443 of the children G5207 of Israel. G2474 Of G1537 the tribe G5443 of Juda G2455 were sealed G4972 twelve G1427 thousand. G5505 Of G1537 the tribe G5443 of Reuben G4502 were sealed G4972 twelve G1427 thousand. G5505 Of G1537 the tribe G5443 of Gad G1045 were sealed G4972 twelve G1427 thousand. G5505 Of G1537 the tribe G5443 of Aser G768 were sealed G4972 twelve G1427 thousand. G5505 Of G1537 the tribe G5443 of Nepthalim G3508 were sealed G4972 twelve G1427 thousand. G5505 Of G1537 the tribe G5443 of Manasses G3128 were sealed G4972 twelve G1427 thousand. G5505 Of G1537 the tribe G5443 of Simeon G4826 were sealed G4972 twelve G1427 thousand. G5505 Of G1537 the tribe G5443 of Levi G3017 were sealed G4972 twelve G1427 thousand. G5505 Of G1537 the tribe G5443 of Issachar G2466 were sealed G4972 twelve G1427 thousand. G5505 Of G1537 the tribe G5443 of Zabulon G2194 were sealed G4972 twelve G1427 thousand. G5505 Of G1537 the tribe G5443 of Joseph G2501 were sealed G4972 twelve G1427 thousand. G5505 Of G1537 the tribe G5443 of Benjamin G958 were sealed G4972 twelve G1427 thousand. G5505 After G3326 this G5023 I beheld, G1492 and, G2532 lo, G2400 a great G4183 multitude, G3793 which G3739 no man G3762 could G1410 number, G705 G846 of G1537 all G3956 nations, G1484 and G2532 kindreds, G5443 and G2532 people, G2992 and G2532 tongues, G1100 stood G2476 before G1799 the throne, G2362 and G2532 before G1799 the Lamb, G721 clothed G4016 with white G3022 robes, G4749 and G2532 palms G5404 in G1722 their G846 hands; G5495 And G2532 cried G2896 with a loud G3173 voice, G5456 saying, G3004 Salvation G4991 to our G2257 God G2316 which G3588 sitteth G2521 upon G1909 the throne, G2362 and G2532 unto the Lamb. G721 And G2532 all G3956 the angels G32 stood G2476 round about G2945 the throne, G2362 and G2532 about the elders G4245 and G2532 the four G5064 beasts, G2226 and G2532 fell G4098 before G1799 the throne G2362 on G1909 their G846 faces, G4383 and G2532 worshipped G4352 God, G2316 Saying, G3004 Amen: G281 Blessing, G2129 and G2532 glory, G1391 and G2532 wisdom, G4678 and G2532 thanksgiving, G2169 and G2532 honour, G5092 and G2532 power, G1411 and G2532 might, G2479 be unto our G2257 God G2316 for G1519 ever G165 and ever. G165 Amen. G281 And G2532 one G1520 of G1537 the elders G4245 answered, G611 saying G3004 unto me, G3427 What G5101 are G1526 these G3778 which G3588 are arrayed in G4016 white G3022 robes? G4749 and G2532 whence G4159 came they? G2064 And G2532 I said G2046 unto him, G846 Sir, G2962 thou G4771 knowest. G1492 And G2532 he said G2036 to me, G3427 These G3778 are they G1526 which came G2064 out of G1537 great G3173 tribulation, G2347 and G2532 have washed G4150 their G846 robes, G4749 and G2532 made G3021 them G4749 G846 white G3021 in G1722 the blood G129 of the Lamb. G721 Therefore G1223 G5124 are they G1526 before G1799 the throne G2362 of God, G2316 and G2532 serve G3000 him G846 day G2250 and G2532 night G3571 in G1722 his G846 temple: G3485 and G2532 he that sitteth G2521 on G1909 the throne G2362 shall dwell G4637 among G1909 them. G846 They shall hunger G3983 no G3756 more, G2089 neither G3761 thirst G1372 any more; G2089 neither G3761 G3361 shall G4098 the sun G2246 light G4098 on G1909 them, G846 nor G3761 any G3956 heat. G2738 For G3754 the Lamb G721 which G3588 is in the midst G303 G3319 of the throne G2362 shall feed G4165 them, G846 and G2532 shall lead G3594 them G846 unto G1909 living G2198 fountains G4077 of waters: G5204 and G2532 God G2316 shall wipe away G1813 all G3956 tears G1144 from G575 their G846 eyes. G3788
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Numbers 1
Commentary on Numbers 1 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 1
Nu 1:1-54. Moses Numbering the Men of War.
1, 2. on the first day of the second month, &c.—Thirteen months had elapsed since the exodus. About one month had been occupied in the journey; and the rest of the period had been passed in encampment among the recesses of Sinai, where the transactions took place, and the laws, religious and civil, were promulgated, which are contained in the two preceding books. As the tabernacle was erected on the first day of the first month, and the order here mentioned was given on the first day of the second, some think the laws in Leviticus were all given in one month. The Israelites having been formed into a separate nation, under the special government of God as their King, it was necessary, before resuming their march towards the promised land, to put them into good order. And accordingly Moses was commissioned, along with Aaron, to take a census of the people. This census was incidentally noticed (Ex 38:26), in reference to the poll tax for the works of the tabernacle; but it is here described in detail, in order to show the relative increase and military strength of the different tribes. The enumeration was confined to those capable of bearing arms [Nu 1:3], and it was to be made with a careful distinction of the tribe, family, and household to which every individual belonged. By this rule of summation many important advantages were secured: an exact genealogical register was formed, the relative strength of each tribe was ascertained, and the reason found for arranging the order of precedence in march as well as disposing the different tribes in camp around the tabernacle. The promise of God to Abraham [Ge 22:17] was seen to be fulfilled in the extraordinary increase of his posterity, and provision made for tracing the regular descent of the Messiah.
3. Aaron shall number them by their armies—or companies. In their departure from Egypt they were divided into five grand companies (Ex 13:18), but from the sojourn in the wilderness to the passage of the Jordan, they were formed into four great divisions. The latter is here referred to.
4-16. with you there shall be a man of every tribe, &c.—The social condition of the Israelites in the wilderness bore a close resemblance to that of the nomad tribes of the East in the present day. The head of the tribe was a hereditary dignity, vested in the oldest son or some other to whom the right of primogeniture was transferred, and under whom were other inferior heads, also hereditary, among the different branches of the tribe. The Israelites being divided into twelve tribes, there were twelve chiefs appointed to assist in taking the census of the people.
5. these are the names of the men that shall stand with you, &c.—Each is designated by adding the name of the ancestors of his tribe, the people of which were called "Beni-Reuben," "Beni-Levi," sons of Reuben, sons of Levi, according to the custom of the Arabs still, as well as other nations which are divided into clans, as the Macs of Scotland, the Aps of Wales, and the O's and the Fitzes of Ireland [Chalmers].
16-18. These were the renowned—literally, "the called" of the congregation, summoned by name; and they entered upon the survey the very day the order was given.
18. by their polls—individually, one by one.
19. As the Lord commanded Moses, &c.—The numbering of the people was not an act sinful in itself, as Moses did it by divine appointment; but David incurred guilt by doing it without the authority of God. (See on 2Sa 24:10).
20-44. These are those that were numbered—In this registration the tribe of Judah appears the most numerous; and accordingly, as the pre-eminence had been assigned to it by Jacob [Ge 49:8-12], it got the precedence in all the encampments of Israel. Of the two half-tribes of Joseph, who is seen to be "a fruitful bough" [Ge 49:22], that of Ephraim was the larger, as had been predicted. The relative increase of all, as in the two just mentioned, was owing to the special blessing of God, conformably to the prophetic declaration of the dying patriarch. But the divine blessing is usually conveyed through the influence of secondary causes; and there is reason to believe that the relative populousness of the tribes would, under God, depend upon the productiveness of the respective localities assigned to them. [For tabular chart, see on Nu 26:64.]
45, 46. all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand, &c.—What an astonishing increase from seventy-five persons who went down to Egypt about two hundred fifteen years before [see on Ge 46:8], and who were subjected to the greatest privations and hardships! And yet this enumeration was restricted to men from twenty years and upwards [Nu 1:3]. Including women, children, and old men, together with the Levites, the whole population of Israel, on the ordinary principles of computation, amounted to about 2,400,000.
47-54. But the Levites … were not numbered among them—They were obliged to keep a register of their own. They were consecrated to the priestly office, which in all countries has been exempted customarily, and in Israel by the express authority of God, from military service. The custody of the things devoted to the divine service was assigned to them so exclusively, that "no stranger"—that is, no person, not even an Israelite of any other tribe, was allowed, under penalty of death, to approach these [Nu 16:40]. Hence they encamped round the tabernacle in order that there should be no manifestation of the divine displeasure among the people. Thus the numbering of the people was subservient to the separation of the Levites from those Israelites who were fit for military service, and to the practical introduction of the law respecting the first-born, for whom the tribe of Levi became a substitute [Ex 13:2; Nu 3:12].