Add parallel Print Page Options

God Commands Moses to Take a Census

Yahweh spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai, in the tent of assembly, on the first of the month, in the second year after they came out[a] of the land of Egypt, saying, Take a census of[b] the entire community of the Israelites[c] according to their clans and their families,[d] according to the number of names, every male individually from twenty years old[e] and above, everyone in Israel who is able to go to war. You and Aaron must muster them[f] for their wars. A man from each tribe will be with you, each man the head of his family.[g] And these are the names of the men who will assist you:[h] from Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur; from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai; from Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab; from Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar; from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon. 10 From the descendants of Joseph: from Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud; from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. 11 From Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni; 12 from Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai; 13 from Asher, Pagiel son of Ocran; 14 from Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel; 15 and from Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan.” 16 These are the ones summoned from the community, the leaders of their ancestors’[i] tribes; they are the heads of Israel’s clans.

17 So Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name, 18 and they summoned the entire community on the first day of the second month. And they registered themselves among their clans according to their families,[j] according to the number of names from those twenty years old[k] and above individually, 19 just as Yahweh commanded Moses. And he counted them in the desert of Sinai.

20 The descendants of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families,[l] according to the number of names, every male individually from twenty years old[m] and above, everyone who is able to go to war: 21 those who were counted from the tribe of Reuben were forty-six thousand five hundred.

22 From the descendants of Simeon, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families,[n] those who were counted according to the number of their names, every individual male from twenty years old[o] and above, everyone who is able to go to war: 23 those who were counted from the tribe of Simeon were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

24 From the descendants of Gad, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families,[p] according to the number of names, from those twenty years old[q] and above, everyone who is able to go to war: 25 those who were counted from the tribe of Gad were forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.

26 From the descendants of Judah, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families,[r] according to the number of names, from those twenty years old[s] and above, everyone who is able to go to war: 27 those who were counted from the tribe of Judah were seventy-four thousand six hundred.

28 From the descendants of Issachar, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families,[t] according to the number of names, from those twenty years old[u] and above, everyone who is able to go to war: 29 those who were counted from the tribe of Issachar were fifty-four thousand four hundred.

30 From the descendants of Zebulun, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families,[v] according to the number of names, from those twenty years old[w] and above, everyone who is able to go to war: 31 those who were counted from the tribe of Zebulun were fifty-seven thousand four hundred.

32 From the descendants of Joseph: from the descendants of Ephraim, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families,[x] according to the number of names, from those twenty years old[y] and above, everyone who is able to go to war: 33 those who were counted from the tribe of Ephraim were forty thousand five hundred.

34 From the descendants of Manasseh, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families,[z] according to the number of names, from those twenty years old[aa] and above, everyone who is able to go to war: 35 those who were counted from the tribe of Manasseh were thirty-two thousand two hundred.

36 From the descendants of Benjamin, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families,[ab] according to the number of names, from those twenty years old[ac] and above, everyone who is able to go to war: 37 those who were counted from the tribe of Benjamin were thirty-five thousand four hundred.

38 From the descendants of Dan, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families,[ad] according to the number of names, from those twenty years old[ae] and above, everyone who is able to go to war: 39 those who were counted from the tribe of Dan were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

40 From the descendants of Asher, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families,[af] according to the number of names, from those twenty years old[ag] and above, everyone who is able to go to war: 41 those who were counted from the tribe of Asher were forty-one thousand five hundred.

42 From the descendants of Naphtali, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families,[ah] according to the number of names, from those twenty years old[ai] and above, everyone who is able to go to war: 43 those who were counted from the tribe of Naphtali were fifty-three thousand four hundred.

44 These are the ones counted whom Moses and Aaron mustered,[aj] with the twelve leaders of Israel, each one from his family.[ak] 45 So all those who were counted from the Israelites[al] according to their families,[am] from those twenty years old[an] and above, everyone in Israel who is able to go to war. 46 All of the ones counted were six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty. 47 The Levites from their ancestors’[ao] tribe were not mustered[ap] in their midst.

48 And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 49 “You will not muster[aq] the tribe of Levi, and you will not take a census of[ar] them in the midst of the Israelites.[as] 50 You will appoint[at] them over the tabernacle of the testimony,[au] over all its vessels, and over all that belongs to it. They will carry the tabernacle and all its vessels, and they will care for it; and they will camp around the tabernacle. 51 And when the tabernacle is set out, the Levites will take it down,[av] and when encamping the tabernacle the Levites will set it up; the stranger[aw] that approaches it will be put to death. 52 The Israelites[ax] will encamp, each in their own camp, and each by their[ay] own banner according to their divisions. 53 But the Levites will encamp around the tabernacle of the testimony,[az] and there will not be wrath on the community of the Israelites;[ba] and the Levites will keep the requirements of the tabernacle of the testimony.”[bb] 54 And the Israelites[bc] did thus; they did everything that Yahweh commanded Moses.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 1:1 Literally “of their coming out”
  2. Numbers 1:2 Literally “Lift up the head of”
  3. Numbers 1:2 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  4. Numbers 1:2 Literally “the house of their fathers”
  5. Numbers 1:3 Literally “a son of twenty years”
  6. Numbers 1:3 Or “count them,” or “summon them,” or “enroll them”
  7. Numbers 1:4 Literally “the house of his father”
  8. Numbers 1:5 Literally “stand with you”
  9. Numbers 1:16 Or “fathers’”
  10. Numbers 1:18 Literally “the house of their fathers”
  11. Numbers 1:18 Literally “a son of twenty years”
  12. Numbers 1:20 Literally “the house of their fathers”
  13. Numbers 1:20 Literally “a son of twenty years”
  14. Numbers 1:22 Literally “the house of their fathers”
  15. Numbers 1:22 Literally “a son of twenty years”
  16. Numbers 1:24 Literally “the house of their fathers”
  17. Numbers 1:24 Literally “a son of twenty years”
  18. Numbers 1:26 Literally “the house of their fathers”
  19. Numbers 1:26 Literally “a son of twenty years”
  20. Numbers 1:28 Literally “the house of their fathers”
  21. Numbers 1:28 Literally “a son of twenty years”
  22. Numbers 1:30 Literally “the house of their fathers”
  23. Numbers 1:30 Literally “a son of twenty years”
  24. Numbers 1:32 Literally “the house of their fathers”
  25. Numbers 1:32 Literally “a son of twenty years”
  26. Numbers 1:34 Literally “the house of their fathers”
  27. Numbers 1:34 Literally “a son of twenty years”
  28. Numbers 1:36 Literally “the house of their fathers”
  29. Numbers 1:36 Literally “a son of twenty years”
  30. Numbers 1:38 Literally “the house of their fathers”
  31. Numbers 1:38 Literally “a son of twenty years”
  32. Numbers 1:40 Literally “the house of their fathers”
  33. Numbers 1:40 Literally “a son of twenty years”
  34. Numbers 1:42 Literally “their fathers”
  35. Numbers 1:42 Literally “a son of twenty years”
  36. Numbers 1:44 Or “counted,” or “summoned,” or “enrolled”
  37. Numbers 1:44 Literally “the house of his fathers”
  38. Numbers 1:45 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  39. Numbers 1:45 Literally “the house of their fathers”
  40. Numbers 1:45 Literally “a son of twenty years”
  41. Numbers 1:47 Or “fathers’”
  42. Numbers 1:47 Or “counted,” or “summoned,” or “enrolled”
  43. Numbers 1:49 Or “count,” or “summon,” or “enroll”
  44. Numbers 1:49 Literally “Lift up the head of”
  45. Numbers 1:49 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  46. Numbers 1:50 Or “count,” or “summon,” or “enroll”
  47. Numbers 1:50 Other modern translations read “tabernacle of the covenant”
  48. Numbers 1:51 Literally “lower it”
  49. Numbers 1:51 Or “outsider”
  50. Numbers 1:52 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  51. Numbers 1:52 Hebrew “his” or “its”
  52. Numbers 1:53 Other modern translations read “tabernacle of the covenant”
  53. Numbers 1:53 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  54. Numbers 1:53 Other modern translations read “tabernacle of the covenant”
  55. Numbers 1:54 Literally “sons/children of Israel”

Moses Takes a Census of Israel

Yahweh spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the Desert of Sinai. It was the first day of the second month in the second year after leaving Egypt. He said, “Take a census of the whole community of Israel by families and households. List every man by name who is at least 20 years old. You and Aaron must register everyone in Israel who is eligible for military duty. List them by divisions. One man from each tribe will help you. Each of these men must be the head of a household.

“Here are the names of the men who will help you:

Elizur, son of Shedeur, from the tribe of Reuben;

Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai, from the tribe of Simeon;

Nahshon, son of Amminadab, from the tribe of Judah;

Nethanel, son of Zuar, from the tribe of Issachar;

Eliab, son of Helon, from the tribe of Zebulun;

10 Elishama, son of Ammihud, from the tribe of Ephraim;

Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur, from the tribe of Manasseh;

(Ephraim and Manasseh are Joseph’s descendants.)

11 Abidan, son of Gideoni, from the tribe of Benjamin;

12 Ahiezer, son of Ammishaddai, from the tribe of Dan;

13 Pagiel, son of Ochran, from the tribe of Asher;

14 Eliasaph, son of Deuel, from the tribe of Gad;

15 Ahira, son of Enan, from the tribe of Naphtali.”

16 These were the men chosen from the community, the leaders of their ancestors’ tribes, and heads of the divisions of Israel.

17 Moses and Aaron took the men who had been named 18 and assembled the whole community on the first day of the second month. Each man at least 20 years old provided his genealogy by family and household. Then his name was listed. 19 So Moses registered the men of Israel in the Desert of Sinai as Yahweh had commanded him.

20 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn son, listed every man by name who was at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 21 The total for the tribe of Reuben was 46,500.

22 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Simeon registered and listed every man by name who was at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 23 The total for the tribe of Simeon was 59,300.

24 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Gad listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 25 The total for the tribe of Gad was 45,650.

26 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Judah listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 27 The total for the tribe of Judah was 74,600.

28 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Issachar listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 29 The total for the tribe of Issachar was 54,400.

30 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Zebulun listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 31 The total for the tribe of Zebulun was 57,400.

32 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Joseph—those from Ephraim—listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 33 The total for the tribe of Ephraim was 40,500.

34 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Manasseh listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 35 The total for the tribe of Manasseh was 32,200.

36 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Benjamin listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 37 The total for the tribe of Benjamin was 35,400.

38 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Dan listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 39 The total for the tribe of Dan was 62,700.

40 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Asher listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 41 The total for the tribe of Asher was 41,500.

42 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Naphtali listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 43 The total for the tribe of Naphtali was 53,400.

44 Moses, Aaron, and the 12 leaders of Israel, each representing his own family, added up these totals. 45 So the Israelites were registered by households. The grand total of men who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty 46 was 603,550.

47 But the households from the tribe of Levi were not registered along with the other Israelites. 48 Yahweh had said to Moses, 49 “Don’t register the tribe of Levi or include them in the census with the other Israelites. 50 Put the Levites in charge of the tent of God’s words, including the equipment for the tent and everything else having to do with the tent. The Levites will carry the tent and all its equipment. They will take care of the tent and camp around it. 51 When the tent has to be moved, the Levites will take it down. When we camp, they will set it up. Anyone else who comes near the tent will be put to death.

52 “The other Israelites will camp with each family in its own area under its own flag. 53 The Levites will camp all around the tent of God’s words. In this way the Lord won’t be angry with the community of Israel. So the Levites will be in charge of the tent of God’s words.”

54 The Israelites did everything as Yahweh commanded Moses.