The Fourth Book of Moses, called [a]Numbers

2 Moses and Aaron with the twelve princes of the tribes are commanded of the Lord to number them that are able to go to war. 49 The Levites are exempted for the service of the Lord.

The Lord spake again unto Moses in the wilderness of [b]Sinai, in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, in the first day of the [c]second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,

(A)Take ye the sum of all the Congregation of the children of Israel, after their families and households of their fathers, with the number of their names: to wit, all the males, [d]man by man:

From twenty years old and above, all that go forth to the war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them throughout their armies.

And with you shall be [e]men of every tribe, such as are the heads of the house of their fathers.

And these are the names of the men that shall [f]stand with you, of the tribe of Reuben, Elizur, the son of Shedeur:

Of Simeon, Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai:

Of Judah, Nahshon the son of Amminadab:

Of Issachar, Nethanel the son of Zuar:

Of Zebulun, Eliab, the son of Helon:

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

11 Of Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gideoni:

12 Of Dan, Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai:

13 Of Asher, Pagiel, the son of Ocran:

14 Of Gad, Eliasaph the son of Deuel:

15 Of Naphtali, Ahira the son of Enan.

16 These were famous in the Congregation, [g]princes of the tribes of their fathers, and heads over thousands in Israel.

17 ¶ Then Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names.

18 And they called all the Congregation together in the first day of the second month, who declared [h]their kindred by their families, and by the houses of their fathers according to the number of their names, from twenty years old and above, man by man.

19 As the Lord had commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.

20 So were the sons of [i]Reuben Israel’s eldest son by their generations, by their families, and by the houses of their fathers according to the number of their names, man by man, every male from twenty years old and above, as many as [j]went forth to war:

21 The number of them, I say, of the tribe of Reuben, was six and forty thousand, and five hundred.

22 Of the sons of Simeon by their generations, by their families, and by the houses of their fathers, the sum thereof by the number of their names, man by man, every male from twenty years old, and above, all that went forth to war:

23 The sum of them, I say, of the tribe of Simeon was nine and fifty thousand and three hundred.

24 ¶ Of the sons of Gad by their generations, by their families, and by the houses of their fathers, according to the number of their names, from twenty years old and above, all that went forth to war:

25 The number of them, I say, of the tribe of Gad was five and forty thousand, and six hundred and fifty.

26 ¶ Of the sons of Judah by their generations, by their families, and by the houses of their fathers, according to the number of their names, from twenty years old and above, all that went forth to war:

27 The number of them, I say, of the tribe of Judah, was three score and fourteen thousand, and six hundred.

28 ¶ Of the sons of Issachar by their generations, by their families, and by the houses of their fathers, according to the number of their names, from twenty years old and above, all that went forth to war:

29 The number of them also of the tribe of Issachar was four and fifty thousand, and four hundred.

30 ¶ Of the sons of Zebulun by their generations, by their families, and by the houses of their fathers, according to the number of their names, from twenty years old and above: all that went forth to war:

31 The number of them also of the tribe of Zebulun was seven and fifty thousand and four hundred.

32 ¶ Of the sons of Joseph, namely of the sons of Ephraim by their generations, by their families, and by the houses of their fathers, according to the number of their names, from twenty years old and above, all that went forth to war:

33 The number of them also of the tribe of Ephraim was forty thousand and five hundred.

34 ¶ Of the sons of Manasseh by their generations, by their families and by the houses of their fathers, according to the number of their names, from twenty years old and above, all that went forth to war:

35 The number of them also of the tribe of Manasseh was two and thirty thousand and two hundred.

36 Of the sons of Benjamin by their generations, by their families, and by the houses of their fathers, according to the number of their names, from twenty years old and above, all that went forth to war:

37 The number of them also of the tribe of Benjamin was five and thirty thousand and four hundred.

38 Of the sons of Dan by their generations, by their families, and by the houses of their fathers, according to the number of their names, from twenty years old and above, all that went forth to war:

39 The number of them also of the tribe of Dan was three score and two thousand, and seven hundred.

40 ¶ Of the sons of Asher by their generations, by their families, and by the houses of their fathers, according to the number of their names, from twenty years old and above, all that went forth to war:

41 The number of them also of the tribe of Asher was one and forty thousand and five hundred.

42 ¶ Of the children of Naphtali, by their generations, by their families, and by the houses of their fathers, according to the number of their names, from twenty years old and above, all that went to the war:

43 The number of them also of the tribe of Naphtali was three and fifty thousand, and four hundred.

44 These are the [k]sums which Moses, and Aaron numbered, and the Princes of Israel, the twelve men which were every one for the house of their fathers.

45 So this was all the sum of the sons of Israel, by the houses of their fathers, from twenty years old and above, all that went to the war in Israel.

46 And all they were in number six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty.

47 But the Levites, after the tribes of their fathers were not numbered among [l]them.

48 For the Lord had spoken unto Moses, and said,

49 Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel.

50 But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the Tabernacle of the Testimony, and over all the instruments thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the Tabernacle, and all the instruments thereof, and shall minister in it, and shall [m]dwell round about the Tabernacle.

51 And when the Tabernacle goeth forth, the Levites shall take it down: and when the Tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: for the [n]stranger that cometh near, shall be slain.

52 Also the children of Israel shall pitch their tents every man in his camp, and every man under his standard throughout their armies.

53 But the Levites shall pitch round about the Tabernacle of the Testimony, lest vengeance [o]come upon the Congregation of the children of Israel, and the Levites shall take the charge of the Tabernacle of the Testimony.

54 So the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses: so did they.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 1:1 So called because of the diversity and multitude of numberings which are here chiefly contained, both of men’s names and places.
  2. Numbers 1:1 In that place of the wilderness that was near to mount Sinai.
  3. Numbers 1:1 Which contained part of April, and part of May.
  4. Numbers 1:2 Hebrew, by their heads.
  5. Numbers 1:4 That is, the chiefest man of every tribe.
  6. Numbers 1:5 And assist you when ye number the people.
  7. Numbers 1:16 Or captains, and governors.
  8. Numbers 1:18 In showing every man his tribe, and his ancestors.
  9. Numbers 1:20 These are the names of the twelve tribes, as first of Reuben.
  10. Numbers 1:20 Or, as were able to bear weapons.
  11. Numbers 1:44 Or, full count.
  12. Numbers 1:47 Which were warriors, but were appointed to the use of the Tabernacle.
  13. Numbers 1:50 Hebrew, camp.
  14. Numbers 1:51 Whosoever is not of the tribe of Levi.
  15. Numbers 1:53 By not having due regard to the Tabernacle of the Lord.

The Census

The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting(A) in the Desert of Sinai(B) on the first day of the second month(C) of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt.(D) He said: “Take a census(E) of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families,(F) listing every man by name,(G) one by one. You and Aaron(H) are to count according to their divisions all the men in Israel who are twenty years old or more(I) and able to serve in the army.(J) One man from each tribe,(K) each of them the head of his family,(L) is to help you.(M) These are the names(N) of the men who are to assist you:

from Reuben,(O) Elizur son of Shedeur;(P)

from Simeon,(Q) Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;(R)

from Judah,(S) Nahshon son of Amminadab;(T)

from Issachar,(U) Nethanel son of Zuar;(V)

from Zebulun,(W) Eliab son of Helon;(X)

10 from the sons of Joseph:

from Ephraim,(Y) Elishama son of Ammihud;(Z)

from Manasseh,(AA) Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;(AB)

11 from Benjamin,(AC) Abidan son of Gideoni;(AD)

12 from Dan,(AE) Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;(AF)

13 from Asher,(AG) Pagiel son of Okran;(AH)

14 from Gad,(AI) Eliasaph son of Deuel;(AJ)

15 from Naphtali,(AK) Ahira son of Enan.(AL)

16 These were the men appointed from the community, the leaders(AM) of their ancestral tribes.(AN) They were the heads of the clans of Israel.(AO)

17 Moses and Aaron took these men whose names had been specified, 18 and they called the whole community together on the first day of the second month.(AP) The people registered their ancestry(AQ) by their clans and families,(AR) and the men twenty years old or more(AS) were listed by name, one by one, 19 as the Lord commanded Moses. And so he counted(AT) them in the Desert of Sinai:

20 From the descendants of Reuben(AU) the firstborn son(AV) of Israel:

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, one by one, according to the records of their clans and families. 21 The number from the tribe of Reuben(AW) was 46,500.

22 From the descendants of Simeon:(AX)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were counted and listed by name, one by one, according to the records of their clans and families. 23 The number from the tribe of Simeon was 59,300.(AY)

24 From the descendants of Gad:(AZ)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 25 The number from the tribe of Gad(BA) was 45,650.

26 From the descendants of Judah:(BB)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 27 The number from the tribe of Judah(BC) was 74,600.

28 From the descendants of Issachar:(BD)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 29 The number from the tribe of Issachar(BE) was 54,400.(BF)

30 From the descendants of Zebulun:(BG)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 31 The number from the tribe of Zebulun was 57,400.(BH)

32 From the sons of Joseph:(BI)

From the descendants of Ephraim:(BJ)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 33 The number from the tribe of Ephraim(BK) was 40,500.

34 From the descendants of Manasseh:(BL)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 35 The number from the tribe of Manasseh was 32,200.

36 From the descendants of Benjamin:(BM)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 37 The number from the tribe of Benjamin(BN) was 35,400.

38 From the descendants of Dan:(BO)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 39 The number from the tribe of Dan was 62,700.(BP)

40 From the descendants of Asher:(BQ)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 41 The number from the tribe of Asher(BR) was 41,500.

42 From the descendants of Naphtali:(BS)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 43 The number from the tribe of Naphtali(BT) was 53,400.(BU)

44 These were the men counted by Moses and Aaron(BV) and the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family. 45 All the Israelites twenty years old or more(BW) who were able to serve in Israel’s army were counted according to their families.(BX) 46 The total number was 603,550.(BY)

47 The ancestral tribe of the Levites,(BZ) however, was not counted(CA) along with the others. 48 The Lord had said to Moses: 49 “You must not count the tribe of Levi or include them in the census of the other Israelites. 50 Instead, appoint the Levites to be in charge of the tabernacle(CB) of the covenant law(CC)—over all its furnishings(CD) and everything belonging to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; they are to take care of it and encamp around it. 51 Whenever the tabernacle(CE) is to move,(CF) the Levites are to take it down, and whenever the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall do it.(CG) Anyone else who approaches it is to be put to death.(CH) 52 The Israelites are to set up their tents by divisions, each of them in their own camp under their standard.(CI) 53 The Levites, however, are to set up their tents around the tabernacle(CJ) of the covenant law so that my wrath will not fall(CK) on the Israelite community. The Levites are to be responsible for the care of the tabernacle of the covenant law.(CL)

54 The Israelites did all this just as the Lord commanded Moses.