Add parallel Print Page Options

I. Census and Preparation for the Departure from Sinai

Chapter 1

The Census. In the second year after the Israelites’ departure from the land of Egypt, on the first day of the second month, the Lord said to Moses at the tent of meeting in the wilderness of Sinai: [a]Take a census of the whole community of the Israelites,(A) by clans and ancestral houses, registering by name each male individually. You and Aaron shall enroll in companies all the men in Israel of twenty years or more who are fit for military service.

Moses’ Assistants. With you there shall be a man from each tribe, each the head of his ancestral house. (B)These are the names of those who are to assist you:

from Reuben: Elizur, son of Shedeur;

from Simeon: Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai;

from Judah:(C) Nahshon, son of Amminadab;

from Issachar: Nethanel, son of Zuar;

from Zebulun: Eliab, son of Helon;

10 for the descendants of Joseph: from Ephraim: Elishama, son of Ammihud; and 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 Ochran;

14 from Gad: Eliasaph, son of Reuel;

15 from Naphtali: Ahira, son of Enan.

16 (D)These were the elect of the community, leaders of their ancestral tribes, heads of the clans of Israel. 17 So Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name, 18 and assembled the whole community on the first day of the second month. Every man of twenty years or more then registered individually his name and lineage according to clan and ancestral house, 19 as the Lord had commanded Moses. So he enrolled them in the wilderness of Sinai.

Count of the Twelve Tribes. 20 Of the descendants of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, registered individually by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: 21 those enrolled from the tribe of Reuben were forty-six thousand five hundred.

22 Of the descendants of Simeon, registered individually by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: 23 those enrolled from the tribe of Simeon were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

24 Of the descendants of Gad, registered by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: 25 those enrolled from the tribe of Gad were forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.

26 Of the descendants of Judah, registered by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: 27 those enrolled from the tribe of Judah were seventy-four thousand six hundred.

28 Of the descendants of Issachar, registered by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: 29 those enrolled from the tribe of Issachar were fifty-four thousand four hundred.

30 Of the descendants of Zebulun, registered by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: 31 those enrolled from the tribe of Zebulun were fifty-seven thousand four hundred.

32 Of the descendants of Joseph:

Of the descendants of Ephraim, registered by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: 33 those enrolled from the tribe of Ephraim were forty thousand five hundred.

34 Of the descendants of Manasseh, registered by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: 35 those enrolled from the tribe of Manasseh were thirty-two thousand two hundred.

36 Of the descendants of Benjamin, registered by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: 37 those enrolled from the tribe of Benjamin were thirty-five thousand four hundred.

38 Of the descendants of Dan, registered by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: 39 those enrolled from the tribe of Dan were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

40 Of the descendants of Asher, registered by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: 41 those enrolled from the tribe of Asher were forty-one thousand five hundred.

42 Of the descendants of Naphtali, registered by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: 43 those enrolled from the tribe of Naphtali were fifty-three thousand four hundred.

44 It was these who were enrolled, each according to his ancestral house, by Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel. 45 The total enrollment of the Israelites of twenty years or more, according to their ancestral houses, everyone fit for military service in Israel— 46 the total enrollment was six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty.

Levites Omitted in the Census. 47 Now the Levites were not enrolled(E) by their ancestral tribe with the others.[b] 48 For the Lord had told Moses, 49 The tribe of Levi alone you shall not enroll nor include in the census along with the other Israelites. 50 You are to give the Levites charge of the tabernacle of the covenant with all its equipment and all that belongs to it. It is they who shall carry the tabernacle with all its equipment and who shall be its ministers;(F) and they shall camp all around the tabernacle. 51 When the tabernacle is to move on, the Levites shall take it down; when the tabernacle is to be pitched, it is the Levites who shall set it up. Any unauthorized person who comes near[c] it shall be put to death.(G) 52 The other Israelites shall camp according to their companies, each in their own divisional camps,(H) 53 but the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the covenant to ensure that God’s wrath will not fall upon the Israelite community. The Levites shall keep guard over the tabernacle of the covenant.(I) 54 The Israelites complied; they did just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Chapter 2

Arrangement of the Tribes. The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: The Israelites shall camp, each in their own divisions, under the ensigns of their ancestral houses.(J) They shall camp at some distance all around the tent of meeting.

[d]Encamped on the east side, toward the sunrise, shall be the divisional camp of Judah, arranged in companies. The leader of the Judahites is Nahshon, son of Amminadab, and the enrollment of his company is seventy-four thousand six hundred. Encamped beside it is the tribe of Issachar. The leader of the Issacharites is Nethanel, son of Zuar, and the enrollment of his company is fifty-four thousand four hundred. Also the tribe of Zebulun. The leader of the Zebulunites is Eliab, son of Helon, and the enrollment of his company is fifty-seven thousand four hundred. The total enrollment of the camp of Judah by companies is one hundred and eighty-six thousand four hundred. They shall be first on the march.

10 The divisional camp of Reuben shall be on the south side, by companies. The leader of the Reubenites is Elizur, son of Shedeur, 11 and the enrollment of his company is forty-six thousand five hundred. 12 Encamped beside it is the tribe of Simeon. The leader of the Simeonites is Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai, 13 and the enrollment of his company is fifty-nine thousand three hundred. 14 Next is the tribe of Gad. The leader of the Gadites is Eliasaph, son of Reuel, 15 and the enrollment of his company is forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty. 16 The total enrollment of the camp of Reuben by companies is one hundred and fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty. They shall be second on the march.

17 Then the tent of meeting and the camp of the Levites shall set out in the midst of the divisions. As they camp, so also they will march, each in place, by their divisions.

18 The divisional camp of Ephraim shall be on the west side, by companies. The leader of the Ephraimites is Elishama, son of Ammihud, 19 and the enrollment of his company is forty thousand five hundred. 20 Beside it shall be the tribe of Manasseh. The leader of the Manassites is Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur, 21 and the enrollment of his company is thirty-two thousand two hundred. 22 Also the tribe of Benjamin. The leader of the Benjaminites is Abidan, son of Gideoni, 23 and the enrollment of his company is thirty-five thousand four hundred. 24 The total enrollment of the camp of Ephraim by companies is one hundred and eight thousand one hundred. They shall be third on the march.

25 The divisional camp of Dan shall be on the north side, by companies. The leader of the Danites is Ahiezer, son of Ammishaddai, 26 and the enrollment of his company is sixty-two thousand seven hundred. 27 Encamped beside it shall be the tribe of Asher. The leader of the Asherites is Pagiel, son of Ochran, 28 and the enrollment of his company is forty-one thousand five hundred. 29 Also the tribe of Naphtali. The leader of the Naphtalites is Ahira, son of Enan, 30 and the enrollment of his company is fifty-three thousand four hundred. 31 The total enrollment of the camp of Dan is one hundred and fifty-seven thousand six hundred. They shall be the last on the march, by divisions.

32 (K)These are the enrollments of the Israelites according to their ancestral houses. The total enrollment of the camps by companies is six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty. 33 The Levites, however, were not enrolled with the other Israelites, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 34 The Israelites did just as the Lord had commanded Moses; both in camp and on the march they were in their own divisions, everyone by clan and according to ancestral house.

Footnotes

  1. 1:2 All Israel was divided into tribes, each tribe into clans, and each clan into ancestral houses.
  2. 1:47 The Levites were not enrolled in this census, which was principally for military purposes, but a separate census was made of them. Cf. 3:15–16, 39.
  3. 1:51 Comes near: here and in 3:10, 38; 17:5; 18:4, 7 the Hebrew word rendered “comes near” is very nearly a technical term for someone who intrudes upon or violates a space set apart as holy and for which they have not been qualified by priesthood.
  4. 2:3–31 A similar arrangement of the tribes around the central sanctuary in the ideal Israel is given in Ez 48.

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.

The Arrangement of the Tribal Camps

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: “The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standard(CM) and holding the banners of their family.”

On the east, toward the sunrise, the divisions of the camp of Judah are to encamp under their standard. The leader of the people of Judah is Nahshon son of Amminadab.(CN) His division numbers 74,600.

The tribe of Issachar(CO) will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Issachar is Nethanel son of Zuar.(CP) His division numbers 54,400.

The tribe of Zebulun will be next. The leader of the people of Zebulun is Eliab son of Helon.(CQ) His division numbers 57,400.

All the men assigned to the camp of Judah, according to their divisions, number 186,400. They will set out first.(CR)

10 On the south(CS) will be the divisions of the camp of Reuben under their standard. The leader of the people of Reuben is Elizur son of Shedeur.(CT) 11 His division numbers 46,500.

12 The tribe of Simeon(CU) will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Simeon is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.(CV) 13 His division numbers 59,300.

14 The tribe of Gad(CW) will be next. The leader of the people of Gad is Eliasaph son of Deuel.[a](CX) 15 His division numbers 45,650.

16 All the men assigned to the camp of Reuben,(CY) according to their divisions, number 151,450. They will set out second.

17 Then the tent of meeting and the camp of the Levites(CZ) will set out in the middle of the camps. They will set out in the same order as they encamp, each in their own place under their standard.

18 On the west(DA) will be the divisions of the camp of Ephraim(DB) under their standard. The leader of the people of Ephraim is Elishama son of Ammihud.(DC) 19 His division numbers 40,500.

20 The tribe of Manasseh(DD) will be next to them. The leader of the people of Manasseh is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.(DE) 21 His division numbers 32,200.

22 The tribe of Benjamin(DF) will be next. The leader of the people of Benjamin is Abidan son of Gideoni.(DG) 23 His division numbers 35,400.

24 All the men assigned to the camp of Ephraim,(DH) according to their divisions, number 108,100. They will set out third.(DI)

25 On the north(DJ) will be the divisions of the camp of Dan under their standard.(DK) The leader of the people of Dan is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.(DL) 26 His division numbers 62,700.

27 The tribe of Asher will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Asher is Pagiel son of Okran.(DM) 28 His division numbers 41,500.

29 The tribe of Naphtali(DN) will be next. The leader of the people of Naphtali is Ahira son of Enan.(DO) 30 His division numbers 53,400.

31 All the men assigned to the camp of Dan number 157,600. They will set out last,(DP) under their standards.

32 These are the Israelites, counted according to their families.(DQ) All the men in the camps, by their divisions, number 603,550.(DR) 33 The Levites, however, were not counted(DS) along with the other Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.

34 So the Israelites did everything the Lord commanded Moses; that is the way they encamped under their standards, and that is the way they set out, each of them with their clan and family.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 2:14 Many manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Samaritan Pentateuch and Vulgate (see also 1:14); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text Reuel

Psalm 70[a]

Prayer for Divine Help

For the leader; of David. For remembrance.

Graciously rescue me, God!(A)
    Come quickly to help me, Lord!(B)
Let those who seek my life
    be confused and put to shame.(C)
Let those who desire my ruin
    turn back in disgrace.
Let those who say “Aha!”(D)
    turn back in their shame.
But may all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you,
Those who long for your help
    always say, “God be glorified!”(E)
I am miserable and poor.
    God, come to me quickly!
You are my help and deliverer.
    Lord, do not delay!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 70 A lament of a poor and afflicted person (Ps 70:6) who has no resource except God, and who cries out to be saved from the enemy. The Psalm is almost identical to Ps 40:14–17.

Psalm 70[a](A)

For the director of music. Of David. A petition.

Hasten, O God, to save me;
    come quickly, Lord, to help me.(B)

May those who want to take my life(C)
    be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
    be turned back in disgrace.(D)
May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”(E)
    turn back because of their shame.
But may all who seek you(F)
    rejoice and be glad(G) in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
    “The Lord is great!”(H)

But as for me, I am poor and needy;(I)
    come quickly to me,(J) O God.
You are my help(K) and my deliverer;(L)
    Lord, do not delay.(M)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 70:1 In Hebrew texts 70:1-5 is numbered 70:2-6.

25 So when they had testified and proclaimed the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem and preached the good news to many Samaritan villages.

Philip and the Ethiopian.[a] 26 Then the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, “Get up and head south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert route.” 27 So he got up and set out. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace,[b] that is, the queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury, who had come to Jerusalem to worship,(A) 28 and was returning home. Seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 The Spirit said to Philip, “Go and join up with that chariot.” 30 [c]Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 He replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” So he invited Philip to get in and sit with him.(B) 32 This was the scripture passage he was reading:(C)

“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,
    and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
        so he opened not his mouth.
33 In (his) humiliation justice was denied him.
    Who will tell of his posterity?
        For his life is taken from the earth.”

34 Then the eunuch said to Philip in reply, “I beg you, about whom is the prophet saying this? About himself, or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth and, beginning with this scripture passage, he proclaimed Jesus to him. 36 (D)As they traveled along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water. What is to prevent my being baptized?” [37 ][d] 38 Then he ordered the chariot to stop, and Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 When they came out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but continued on his way rejoicing.(E) 40 Philip came to Azotus, and went about proclaiming the good news to all the towns until he reached Caesarea.(F)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 8:26–40 In the account of the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch, Luke adduces additional evidence to show that the spread of Christianity outside the confines of Judaism itself was in accord with the plan of God. He does not make clear whether the Ethiopian was originally a convert to Judaism or, as is more probable, a “God-fearer” (Acts 10:1), i.e., one who accepted Jewish monotheism and ethic and attended the synagogue but did not consider himself bound by other regulations such as circumcision and observance of the dietary laws. The story of his conversion to Christianity is given a strong supernatural cast by the introduction of an angel (Acts 8:26), instruction from the holy Spirit (Acts 8:29), and the strange removal of Philip from the scene (8:39).
  2. 8:27 The Candace: Candace is not a proper name here but the title of a Nubian queen.
  3. 8:30–34 Philip is brought alongside the carriage at the very moment when the Ethiopian is pondering the meaning of Is 53:7–8, a passage that Christianity, from its earliest origins, has applied to Jesus; cf. note on Acts 3:13.
  4. 8:37 The oldest and best manuscripts of Acts omit this verse, which is a Western text reading: “And Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may.’ And he said in reply, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’”

25 After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord(A) and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.(B)

Philip and the Ethiopian

26 Now an angel(C) of the Lord said to Philip,(D) “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian[a](E) eunuch,(F) an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship,(G) 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told(H) Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
    and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
    Who can speak of his descendants?
    For his life was taken from the earth.”[b](I)

34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began(J) with that very passage of Scripture(K) and told him the good news(L) about Jesus.

36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”(M) [37] [c] 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away,(N) and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns(O) until he reached Caesarea.(P)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Acts 8:27 That is, from the southern Nile region
  2. Acts 8:33 Isaiah 53:7,8 (see Septuagint)
  3. Acts 8:37 Some manuscripts include here Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The eunuch answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”