The First Census of Israel
(Numbers 26:1–4)
On the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses in the Tent of Meeting in the Wilderness of Sinai. He said: Exo 25:22Exo 19:1Num 10:11-12Exo 40:17Exo 40:2Lev 1:1Lev 27:34Num 9:1 “Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. Exo 30:12Exo 38:26Num 1:18Num 1:22Num 26:2-41Ch 21:1-21Ch 27:23-242Sa 24:1-3
You and Aaron are to number those who are twenty years of age or older by their divisions—everyone who can serve in Israel’s army. Exo 30:14Num 14:292Ch 26:11-132Sa 24:9Deu 24:5Deu 3:18Exo 12:17Num 26:2 And one man from each tribe, the head of each family, must be there with you. Num 1:16Exo 18:251Ch 27:1-22Deu 1:15Exo 18:21Jos 22:14Num 10:14-27Num 13:2-15
The Leaders of the Tribes
These are the names of the men who are to assist you: Num 7:30Deu 33:1-29Exo 1:2-5Gen 29:32-35Gen 30:5-20Gen 35:17-26Gen 46:8-24Gen 49:1-33
From the tribe of Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur;
from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai; Num 7:36Num 2:12
from Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab; Luk 3:321Ch 2:10-11Mat 1:2-5Num 10:14Num 2:3Num 7:12Rut 4:18Rut 4:20
from Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar; Num 7:18Num 10:15Num 2:5
from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon; Num 7:24Num 10:16Num 2:7
from the sons of Joseph: Num 7:48Num 7:541Ch 7:26-27Num 10:22-23Num 2:18Num 2:20
from Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud,
and from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;
from Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni; Num 7:60Num 10:24Num 2:22
from Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai; Num 7:66Num 10:25Num 2:25
from Asher, Pagiel son of Ocran; Num 7:72Num 10:26Num 2:27
from Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel; Num 2:14Num 7:42Num 10:20
and from Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan.” Num 7:78Num 10:27Num 2:29
These men were appointed from the congregation; they were the leaders of the tribes of their fathers, the heads of the clans of Israel. Exo 18:21Exo 18:25Num 7:2Num 26:91Ch 27:16-22Num 1:4Num 16:21Sa 22:7
The Number of Every Tribe
So Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name, Jhn 10:3Num 1:5-15Rev 7:4-17 and on the first day of the second month they assembled the whole congregation and recorded their ancestry by clans and families, counting one by one the names of those twenty years of age or older, Ezr 2:59Heb 7:3Neh 7:61Heb 7:6Num 1:1 just as the LORD had commanded Moses. 2Sa 24:1-10Num 1:2Num 26:1-2
So Moses numbered them in the Wilderness of Sinai:
From the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, according to the records of their clans and families, counting one by one the names of every male twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, Num 26:5-7Num 2:10-111Ch 5:1Gen 29:32Gen 46:9Gen 49:3-4 those registered to the tribe of Reuben numbered 46,500. Num 26:7Num 2:10-11
From the sons of Simeon, according to the records of their clans and families, counting one by one the names of every male twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, Num 26:12-14Gen 29:33Gen 34:25-30Gen 42:24Gen 46:10Gen 49:5-6Num 2:12-13 those registered to the tribe of Simeon numbered 59,300. Num 26:14Num 2:13Num 25:14Num 25:8-9
From the sons of Gad, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, Num 26:15-18Gen 30:10-11Gen 46:16Gen 49:19Num 2:14-15 those registered to the tribe of Gad numbered 45,650. Num 26:18Num 2:15
From the sons of Judah, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, Gen 29:35Num 26:19-222Sa 24:91Ch 5:22Ch 17:14-16Gen 46:12Gen 49:8-12Mat 1:2 those registered to the tribe of Judah numbered 74,600. 2Sa 24:9Num 26:222Ch 17:14-16Num 2:3-4
From the sons of Issachar, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, Gen 30:18Gen 46:13Gen 49:14-15Num 2:5-6Num 23:23-25Num 26:23-25 those registered to the tribe of Issachar numbered 54,400. Num 26:25Num 2:6
From the sons of Zebulun, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, Num 26:26-27Gen 30:20Gen 46:14Gen 49:13Num 2:7-8 those registered to the tribe of Zebulun numbered 57,400. Num 26:27Num 2:8
From the sons of Joseph: Num 26:35-37Deu 33:17Gen 30:24Gen 37:1-36Gen 39:1-23Gen 46:20Gen 48:1-22Gen 49:22-26
From the sons of Ephraim, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, those registered to the tribe of Ephraim numbered 40,500. Num 26:37Deu 33:17Gen 48:5Num 2:19
And from the sons of Manasseh, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, Num 26:28-34 those registered to the tribe of Manasseh numbered 32,200. Num 26:34Gen 48:19-20Num 2:21
From the sons of Benjamin, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, Gen 49:272Ch 17:17Gen 35:16-18Gen 44:20Gen 46:21Num 26:38-41Rev 7:8 those registered to the tribe of Benjamin numbered 35,400. Num 26:412Ch 17:17Jdg 20:44-46Num 2:23
From the sons of Dan, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, Gen 46:23Gen 30:5-6Gen 49:16-17Num 26:42-43 those registered to the tribe of Dan numbered 62,700. Num 26:43Num 2:26
From the sons of Asher, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, Gen 30:12-13Gen 46:27Gen 49:20Num 26:44-47 those registered to the tribe of Asher numbered 41,500. Num 26:47Num 2:28
From the sons of Naphtali, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, Gen 30:7-8Gen 46:24Gen 49:21Num 26:48-50 those registered to the tribe of Naphtali numbered 53,400. Num 26:50Num 2:30
These were the men numbered by Moses and Aaron, with the assistance of the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family. Num 26:64Num 1:2-16 So all the Israelites twenty years of age or older who could serve in Israel’s army were counted according to their families. And all those counted totaled 603,550. Exo 12:37Exo 38:26Num 26:51Num 2:321Ch 21:51Ki 4:202Ch 13:32Ch 17:14-19
The Exemption of the Levites
The Levites, however, were not numbered along with them by the tribe of their fathers. Num 2:33Num 3:11Ch 21:61Ch 6:1-81Num 26:57-62Num 1:3Num 1:50Num 8:1-26 For the LORD had said to Moses: “Do not number the tribe of Levi in the census with the other Israelites. Num 26:62Num 2:33 Instead, you are to appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the Testimony, all its furnishings, and everything in it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its articles, care for it, and camp around it. Exo 38:21Exo 31:18Num 4:151Ch 23:1-32Exo 32:26-29Neh 13:10-13Neh 13:22Num 20:11
Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever it is to be pitched, the Levites are to set it up. Any outsider who goes near it must be put to death. Num 3:38Num 3:101Sa 6:192Sa 6:7Num 18:22Lev 22:10-13Num 10:11Num 10:17-21
The Israelites are to camp by their divisions, each man in his own camp and under his own standard. Num 2:2Num 2:34Num 10:1-36Num 24:2 But the Levites are to camp around the tabernacle of the Testimony and watch over it, so that no wrath will fall on the congregation of Israel. So the Levites are responsible for the tabernacle of the Testimony.” Num 16:461Ch 23:32Lev 10:6Num 3:7-8Num 31:30Num 31:47Num 8:19Num 8:24-26
Thus the Israelites did everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses. Deu 12:321Sa 15:22Exo 23:21-22Exo 39:32Exo 39:43Exo 40:16Exo 40:32Mat 28:20