Numbers 1
International Standard Version
A Census of Israel is Taken(A)
1 In the Sinai desert, the Lord spoke to Moses inside the Tent of Meeting on the first day of the second month of the second year after they had left the land of Egypt. He said, 2 “Take a census of the entire[a] Israeli community, numbering them by their tribes[b] and by ancestral houses. List the names of every male one-by-one, 3 from 20 years and upward. You and Aaron are to register everyone in Israel who is able to go to war, company by company. 4 One man from each tribe is to accompany you, each man being the leader of his ancestral house.
5 “Here is a list of names of the men who are to assist[c] you:
“From Reuben: Shedeur’s son Elizur. 6 From Simeon: Zurishaddai’s son Shelumiel. 7 From Judah: Amminadab’s son Nahshon. 8 From Issachar: Zuar’s son Nethanel. 9 From Zebulun: Helon’s son Eliab.
10 “From Joseph’s descendants through Ephraim: Ammihud’s son Elishama. From Manasseh: Pedahzur’s son Gamaliel. 11 From Benjamin: Gideoni’s son Abidan. 12 From Dan: Ammishaddai’s son Ahiezer. 13 From Asher: Ochran’s son Pagiel. 14 From Gad: Deuel’s son Eliasaph. 15 From Naphtali: Enan’s son Ahira.”
16 These men were appointed from within their communities, since they were leaders of their ancestral houses and heads of the tribes of Israel.
17 Moses and Aaron gathered these men who had been mentioned by name. 18 They assembled the entire community together during the second month. Then they recorded their ancestries,[d] according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as well as the names of the men[e] 20 years old and above individually,[f] 19 just as the Lord had commanded Moses. He numbered them in the Sinai desert.
Numbering the Tribes
20 The genealogies of the descendants of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 21 Those registered with the tribe of Reuben numbered 46,500.
22 The genealogies of Simeon’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 23 Those registered with the tribe of Simeon numbered 59,300.
24 The genealogies of Gad’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 25 Those registered with the tribe of Gad numbered 45,650.
26 The genealogies of Judah’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 27 Those registered with the tribe of Judah numbered 74,600.
28 The genealogies of Issachar’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 29 Those registered with the tribe of Issachar numbered 54,400.
30 The genealogies of Zebulun’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 31 Those registered with the tribe of Zebulun numbered 57,400.
32 The genealogies of Joseph’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 33 Those registered with the tribe of Joseph numbered 40,500.
34 The genealogies of Manasseh’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 35 Those registered with the tribe of Manasseh numbered 32,200.
36 The genealogies of Benjamin’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 37 Those registered with the tribe of Benjamin numbered 35,400.
38 The genealogies of Dan’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 39 Those registered with the tribe of Dan numbered 62,700.
40 The genealogies of Asher’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 41 Those registered with the tribe of Asher numbered 41,500.
42 The genealogies of Naphtali’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 43 Those registered with the family of Naphtali numbered 53,400.
44 These individuals were the ones whom Moses and Aaron registered from the twelve leaders of Israel, each person from his ancestral house. 45 Everyone was numbered from the descendants of Israel, from their ancestral houses, from all the men who were 20 years and above and who could serve in the army. 46 The total of all those who were numbered was 603,550.
Exemption of the Tribe of Levi from the Census
47 The descendants of Levi were not counted according to their ancestral houses 48 because the Lord had ordered Moses: 49 “Be sure not to number or count the tribe of Levi with the rest of the Israelis. 50 Instead, appoint the descendants of Levi over the Tent of Meeting, all the vessels, and everything in it. They are to carry the tent and all the vessels in it. They are to attend to it and camp around it. 51 Whenever the tent is ready for travel, the descendants of Levi are to take it down. When it’s time to encamp, the descendants of Levi are to set it up. Any unauthorized person[g] who approaches it is to be executed. 52 Then the Israelis are to encamp around the tent,[h] arranged according to their company and the standard of their army. 53 But the descendants of Levi are to encamp on all sides of the Tent of Meeting so that divine wrath won’t fall on the congregation of Israel.[i] The descendants of Levi are to take care of the Tent of Meeting.”
54 The Israelis observed everything that the Lord had commanded Moses, doing exactly what they were told.
Footnotes
- Numbers 1:2 Lit. census of the head of all the
- Numbers 1:2 Or families; and so throughout the book
- Numbers 1:5 Lit. to stand with
- Numbers 1:18 Or genealogies; and so throughout the book
- Numbers 1:18 Or sons of Israel; and so throughout the book
- Numbers 1:18 Lit. according to their heads; and so throughout the book
- Numbers 1:51 Lit. stranger
- Numbers 1:52 The Heb. lacks around the tent
- Numbers 1:53 Lit. sons of Israel
Numbers 1
Lexham English Bible
God Commands Moses to Take a Census
1 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, 2 “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 3 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. 4 A man from each tribe will be with you, each man the head of his family.[g] 5 And these are the names of the men who will assist you:[h] from Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur; 6 from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai; 7 from Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab; 8 from Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar; 9 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
- Numbers 1:1 Literally “of their coming out”
- Numbers 1:2 Literally “Lift up the head of”
- Numbers 1:2 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Numbers 1:2 Literally “the house of their fathers”
- Numbers 1:3 Literally “a son of twenty years”
- Numbers 1:3 Or “count them,” or “summon them,” or “enroll them”
- Numbers 1:4 Literally “the house of his father”
- Numbers 1:5 Literally “stand with you”
- Numbers 1:16 Or “fathers’”
- Numbers 1:18 Literally “the house of their fathers”
- Numbers 1:18 Literally “a son of twenty years”
- Numbers 1:20 Literally “the house of their fathers”
- Numbers 1:20 Literally “a son of twenty years”
- Numbers 1:22 Literally “the house of their fathers”
- Numbers 1:22 Literally “a son of twenty years”
- Numbers 1:24 Literally “the house of their fathers”
- Numbers 1:24 Literally “a son of twenty years”
- Numbers 1:26 Literally “the house of their fathers”
- Numbers 1:26 Literally “a son of twenty years”
- Numbers 1:28 Literally “the house of their fathers”
- Numbers 1:28 Literally “a son of twenty years”
- Numbers 1:30 Literally “the house of their fathers”
- Numbers 1:30 Literally “a son of twenty years”
- Numbers 1:32 Literally “the house of their fathers”
- Numbers 1:32 Literally “a son of twenty years”
- Numbers 1:34 Literally “the house of their fathers”
- Numbers 1:34 Literally “a son of twenty years”
- Numbers 1:36 Literally “the house of their fathers”
- Numbers 1:36 Literally “a son of twenty years”
- Numbers 1:38 Literally “the house of their fathers”
- Numbers 1:38 Literally “a son of twenty years”
- Numbers 1:40 Literally “the house of their fathers”
- Numbers 1:40 Literally “a son of twenty years”
- Numbers 1:42 Literally “their fathers”
- Numbers 1:42 Literally “a son of twenty years”
- Numbers 1:44 Or “counted,” or “summoned,” or “enrolled”
- Numbers 1:44 Literally “the house of his fathers”
- Numbers 1:45 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Numbers 1:45 Literally “the house of their fathers”
- Numbers 1:45 Literally “a son of twenty years”
- Numbers 1:47 Or “fathers’”
- Numbers 1:47 Or “counted,” or “summoned,” or “enrolled”
- Numbers 1:49 Or “count,” or “summon,” or “enroll”
- Numbers 1:49 Literally “Lift up the head of”
- Numbers 1:49 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Numbers 1:50 Or “count,” or “summon,” or “enroll”
- Numbers 1:50 Other modern translations read “tabernacle of the covenant”
- Numbers 1:51 Literally “lower it”
- Numbers 1:51 Or “outsider”
- Numbers 1:52 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Numbers 1:52 Hebrew “his” or “its”
- Numbers 1:53 Other modern translations read “tabernacle of the covenant”
- Numbers 1:53 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Numbers 1:53 Other modern translations read “tabernacle of the covenant”
- Numbers 1:54 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
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