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Israel’s First Census

And 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 went out from the land of Egypt, saying: Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls, from twenty years old and upward, all who are able to go out to war in Israel. You and Aaron will number them by their armies. With you there will be a man of every tribe, each one the head of his father’s house. These are the names of the men who will 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 Okran;

14 of Gad, Eliasaph the son of Deuel;

15 of Naphtali, Ahira the son of Enan.

16 These were the renowned of the congregation, leaders of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.

17 Moses and Aaron took these men who had been mentioned by name, 18 and they assembled all the congregation on the first day of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees according to their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls. 19 As the Lord commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the Wilderness of Sinai.

20 The children of Reuben, the oldest son of Israel,

by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war, 21 those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Reuben, were forty-six thousand five hundred.

22 Of the children of Simeon,

by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, those who were numbered of them, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war, 23 those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

24 Of the children of Gad,

by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war, 25 those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Gad, were forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.

26 Of the children of Judah,

by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war, 27 those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Judah, were seventy-four thousand six hundred.

28 Of the children of Issachar,

by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war, 29 those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty-four thousand four hundred.

30 Of the children of Zebulun,

by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war, 31 those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty-seven thousand four hundred.

32 Of the children of Joseph,

namely, of the children of Ephraim,

by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war, 33 those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand five hundred.

34 Of the children of Manasseh,

by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war, 35 those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty-two thousand two hundred.

36 Of the children of Benjamin,

by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war, 37 those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty-five thousand four hundred.

38 Of the children of Dan,

by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war, 39 those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Dan, were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

40 Of the children of Asher,

by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war, 41 those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Asher, were forty-one thousand five hundred.

42 Of the children of Naphtali,

by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war, 43 those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty-three thousand four hundred.

44 These are those who were numbered, which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the leaders of Israel, being twelve men. Each one was for the house of his fathers. 45 So were all those who were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war in Israel. 46 Even all they who were numbered were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty.

47 But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. 48 For the Lord had spoken to Moses, saying: 49 Only you will not number the tribe of Levi, nor take the census of them among the children of Israel, 50 but you will appoint the Levites over the tent of the testimony, and over all its vessels, and over all things that belong to it. They will carry the tabernacle, and all its vessels, and they will minister to it, and will camp around the tabernacle. 51 When the tabernacle sets out, the Levites will take it down, and when the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites will set it up, and the foreigner that approaches will be put to death. 52 The children of Israel will pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their armies. 53 But the Levites will camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so there will be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel. And the Levites will keep the charge of the tabernacle of the testimony.

54 Thus the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses.

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.