Beginning

1 It was on the fifteenth day of April^[a] of the second year after the Israelis left Egypt that the Lord issued the following instructions to Moses. (He was in the Tabernacle at the camp of Israel on the Sinai peninsula at the time.)

^2-15 “Take a census of all the men twenty years old and older who are able to go to war, indicating their tribe and family. You and Aaron are to direct the project, assisted by these leaders from each tribe”:

¹⁶ These were the tribal leaders elected from among the people.

^17-19 [b] On the same day Moses and Aaron and the above-named leaders summoned all the men of Israel who were twenty years old or older to come and register, each man indicating his tribe and family, as the Lord had commanded Moses. ^20-46 Here is the final tabulation:

Grand Total: 603,550

^47-49 This total does not include the Levites, for the Lord had said to Moses, “Exempt the entire tribe of Levi from the draft, and do not include their number in the census. ⁵⁰ For the Levites are assigned for the work connected with the Tabernacle and its transportation. They are to live near the Tabernacle, ⁵¹ and whenever the Tabernacle is moved, the Levites are to take it down and set it up again; anyone else touching it shall be executed. ⁵² Each tribe of Israel shall have a separate camping area with its own flag. ⁵³ The Levites’ tents shall be clustered around the Tabernacle as a wall between the people of Israel and God’s wrath—to protect them from his fierce anger against their sins.”

⁵⁴ So all these instructions of the Lord to Moses were put into effect.

2 ^1-2 The Lord gave these further instructions to Moses and Aaron: “Each tribe will have its own tent area, with its flagpole and tribal banner; and at the center of these tribal compounds will be the Tabernacle.” ^3-31 Here are the tribal locations:^[c]

So the total of all those on Judah’s side of the camp was 186,400. These three tribes led the way whenever the Israelites traveled to a new campsite.

So the total of the Reuben side of the camp was 151,450. These three tribes were next in line whenever the Israelis traveled.

Next in the line of march was the Tabernacle, with the Levites. When traveling, each tribe stayed together under its own flag, just as each was separate from the others in camp.

So the total on the Ephraim side of the camp was 108,100, and they were next in the line of march.

So the total on Dan’s side of the camp was 157,600. They brought up the rear whenever Israel traveled. ^32-33 In summary, the armies of Israel totaled 603,550 (not including the Levites, who were exempted by Jehovah’s commandment to Moses). ³⁴ So the people of Israel set up their camps, each tribe under its own banner, in the locations indicated by the Lord to Moses.