Numbers 1

Numbers 1:1-16

The government of Israel was a throucry. Moses as, under God, king in Tefheran, is ordered to regulate the good order of the kingdom. 1. He is to number his subjects, ver. 1—4. 2. Persons are nominated to affil him herein, ver. 5—16. 3. The particular number of each tribe, as it was given in to Moses, ver. 17—43. 4. The sum total of all together, ver. 44—46. 5. An exception of the Levites, ver. 47—54.

AND the LORD spake unto Moses, in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation; on the first day of the second month, in the second year, after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2. ‘Take ye 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 poll. 3. From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies. 4. And with you there shall be a man of every tribe: every one head of the house of his fathers. 5. ¶ And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you: Of the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur. 6. Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 7. Of Judah; Nahthon the son of Amminadab. 8. Of Iftachar; Nehaneel the son of Zuar. 9. Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon. 10. Of the children of Joseph: Of Ephraim; Elshama the son of Ammihud: Of Manaffeh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 11. Of Benjamin; Abidin the son of Gideoni. 12. Of Dan; Ahezer the son of Ammihaddai. 13. Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocrin. 14. Of Gad; Eliafaph the son of Deuel. 15. Of Naphtali; Ahira the son of Enan. 16. ‘These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.

God, as the king, from the royal throne between the cherubims, issues his mandate for the numbering the people. A year and some days had now elapsed since their departure from Egypt; Moses and Aaron are commissioned for the task; and God informs them what persons must be registered, and the manner of their procedure.

1. All the males, above twenty years of age, that were fit for war, the Levites excepted, are to be enrolled. The church, in its militant state, must be for ever expecting enemies and prepared for battle. 2. Each particular person was registered according to the house of his fathers, that the sum of every house, every family, every tribe might be particularly known. In the Lamb’s book of life his spiritual Israel are distinctly written, and he calleth them all by their names. None of the most multitude, which followed the camp, were numbered with them. Note, ‘Tis not our being among propellers, but our being born of God, and Abraham’s children be faith, which entitles us to a place in the church of the redeemed. 3. The heads of the several tribes are appointed to affil them. They who by their station are most exalted, should be best qualified to serve the public, and most ready to employ themselves in the service.

2. ¶ And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names. 18. And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of their names, from twenty years old and upward, by their poll. 19. As the LORD commanded Moses, to be numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai. 20. And the children of Reuben, Israel’s eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, by their poll, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war: 21. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand, and five hundred. 22. ¶ Of the children of Simeon, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, those that were

numbered a Called Bod. Chap. ii, 14. c. Chron. 1000. 16.

number of them, according to the number of the names by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war: 23. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and 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 that were able to go forth to war: 25. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Gad, were forty and 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 that were able to go forth to war: 27. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Judah, were threefcore and fourteen thousand and six hundred. 28. ¶ Of the children of Ilfachar, 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 that were able to go forth to war: 29. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ilfachar, were fifty and four thousand and 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 that were able to go forth to war: 31. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and 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 that were able to go forth to war: 33. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred. 34. ¶ Of the children of Manaffeh, 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 that were able to go forth to war: 35. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Manaffeh, were thirty and two thousand and 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 that were able to go forth to war: 37. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and 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 that were able to go forth to war: 39. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Dan, were threefcore and two thousand and 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 that were able to go forth to war: 41. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five hundred. 42. ¶ Of the children of Naphali, throughout 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 that were able to go forth to war: 43. Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Naphali, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.

Numbers 1:17-43

As they were now about to march, this, I must be regimented. Order in an army is of the last importance. Those who were commanded were expeditious in their work, and in less than three weeks the review, and register, were completed. Zeal to serve God makes quick work. Every tribe gave account of the families in it; every family, of the houses; every house, the number and age of males in it. And in their numbers we see the prophecies fulfilled eminently, in Judah’s increase, in Ephraim’s furpelling Manaffeh, in Reuben, though the chief, being inferior to many others. Thus they might confirm their faith in future promises, by seeing the fulfilment of past principles.

Vol. I.

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

Numbers 1:44-46

The sum total Isaiah 603,550, and exactly the same as when they were numbered before, Read. xxviii. 26. If the Levites were then reckoned, so many of the other tribes had come of age as equalled their number; or those who died were supplied by those who were now poised their twentieth year. God’s providence continues to keep up a proportion between births and burials; and if one militant faint or minister is gone, another shall spring up in his hand. We may observe here.

1. How fully God accomplished his promise to Abraham. Against every human probability, faith waits patiently, and is surely answered at last.

2. All these, except two, died in the wilderness for their unbelief. Death, the wages of sin, makes dreadful havoc; let us fear lest we fall after the same example of unbelief.

3. When God’s Israel shall go up to possess their inheritance in glory, they shall be such a multitude as no man can number.

4. ¶ But the Levites, after the tribe of their fathers, were not numbered among them. 48. For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying, 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 testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof, and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. 51. And when the tabernacle setards forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh such, shall be put to death. 52. And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts. 53. But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony; that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony. 54. And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.

Numbers 1:47-54

The Levites being a kind of body guard to the tabernacle, must not be numbered with the host. Their office was to take down and carry in their marches the holy things; nor must any of the other tribes, on pain of death, intrude into their business. Whilst each man pitched their tents under their own standards, the Levites encamped around the tabernacle, to prevent profane intrudies, and to be ready in waiting on the service. Now (1). It must be every minister’s care to restrain the people from sin. (2). They who are called to the service of God, should have no other engagements, that they may give themselves up wholly to the work of the ministry.