The Census

The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the Desert of Sinai on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt. He said:

“Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one.

You and Aaron are to count according to their divisions all the men in Israel who are twenty years old or more and able to serve in the army.

One man from each tribe, each of them the head of his family, is to help you.

from Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar;

These were the men appointed from the community, the leaders of their ancestral tribes. They were the heads of the clans of Israel.

From the descendants of Reuben the firstborn son 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.

From the descendants of Issachar: 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.

The number from the tribe of Issachar was 54,400.

These were the men counted by Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family.

All the Israelites twenty years old or more who were able to serve in Israel’s army were counted according to their families.

“You must not count the tribe of Levi or include them in the census of the other Israelites.

Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall do it. Anyone else who approaches it is to be put to death.

The Israelites are to set up their tents by divisions, each of them in their own camp under their standard.

The Levites, however, are to set up their tents around the tabernacle of the covenant law so that my wrath will not fall on the Israelite community. The Levites are to be responsible for the care of the tabernacle of the covenant law.”

The Israelites did all this just as the Lord commanded Moses.

“The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standard 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.

The tribe of Issachar will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Issachar is Nethanel son of Zuar.

The tribe of Zebulun will be next. The leader of the people of Zebulun is Eliab son of Helon.

On the south will be the divisions of the camp of Reuben under their standard. The leader of the people of Reuben is Elizur son of Shedeur.

The tribe of Simeon will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Simeon is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.

The tribe of Gad will be next. The leader of the people of Gad is Eliasaph son of Deuel.

On the west will be the divisions of the camp of Ephraim under their standard. The leader of the people of Ephraim is Elishama son of Ammihud.

The tribe of Manasseh will be next to them. The leader of the people of Manasseh is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.