These are those who were counted, whom Moses and Aaron counted, and the twelve men who were princes of Israel, each one for his fathers’ house. So all those who were counted of the children of Israel by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war in Israel— all those who were counted were six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty.
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These are those who were counted, whom Moses and Aaron counted, and the twelve men who were princes of Israel, each one for his fathers’ house. So all those who were counted of the children of Israel by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war in Israel— all those who were counted were six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty. But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not counted among them. For Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Only the tribe of Levi you shall not count, neither shall you take a census of them among the children of Israel; but appoint the Levites over the Tabernacle of the Testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; and they shall take care of it, and shall encamp around it. When the tabernacle is to move, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall set it up. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death. The children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, according to their divisions. But the Levites shall encamp around the Tabernacle of the Testimony, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel. The Levites shall be responsible for the Tabernacle of the Testimony.”
Parallel Translations
-
These are those who were counted, whom Moses and Aaron counted, and the twelve men who were princes of Israel, each one for his fathers’ house.
So all those who were counted of the children of Israel by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war in Israel—
all those who were counted were six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty.
-
These are those that were numbered, which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men: each one was for the house of his fathers.
So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel;
Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.
Show all 3 translations
-
These are those that were numbered, which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men; they were each one for his fathers' house.
And all those that were numbered of the children of Israel by their fathers' houses, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel;
even all those that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.
Cross-references (23)
- Exodus 12:37 (v46) The children of Israel traveled from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot who were men, in addition to children.
- Exodus 38:26 (v46) a beka a head, that is, half a shekel, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, for everyone who passed over to those who were counted,…
- Numbers 26:51 (v46) These are those who were counted of the children of Israel, six hundred one thousand seven hundred thirty.
- Numbers 2:32 (v46) These are those who were counted of the children of Israel by their fathers’ houses. All who were counted of the camps according to their…
- Numbers 26:64 (v44) But among these there was not a man of them who were counted by Moses and Aaron the priest, who counted the children of Israel in the…
Show all 23 cross-references
- Genesis 12:2 (v46) I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing.
- Genesis 13:16 (v46) I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can count the dust of the earth, then your offspring may also be…
- Genesis 15:5 (v46) Yahweh brought him outside, and said, “Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “So…
- Genesis 17:6 (v46) I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you.
- Genesis 22:17 (v46) that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your offspring greatly like the stars of the heavens, and like the sand which is on the…
- Genesis 26:3 (v46) Live in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you. For I will give to you, and to your offspring, all these lands, and I will…
- Genesis 28:14 (v46) Your offspring will be as the dust of the earth, and you will spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the…
- Genesis 46:3-4 (v46) He said, “I am God, the God of your father. Don’t be afraid to go down into Egypt, for there I will make of you a great nation. I will go…
- Numbers 1:2-16 (v44) “Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of…
- Numbers 23:10 (v46) Who can count the dust of Jacob, or count the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous! Let my last end be like his!”
- Deuteronomy 10:22 (v46) Your fathers went down into Egypt with seventy persons; and now Yahweh your God has made you as the stars of the sky for multitude.
- 2 Samuel 24:9 (v46) Joab gave up the sum of the counting of the people to the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the…
- 1 Kings 4:20 (v46) Judah and Israel were numerous as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry.
- 1 Chronicles 21:5 (v46) Joab gave up the sum of the census of the people to David. All those of Israel were one million one hundred thousand men who drew a sword;…
- 2 Chronicles 13:3 (v46) Abijah joined battle with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men; and Jeroboam set the battle in array…
- 2 Chronicles 17:14-19 (v46) This was the numbering of them according to their fathers’ houses: From Judah, the captains of thousands: Adnah the captain, and with him…
- Hebrews 11:11-12 (v46) By faith, even Sarah herself received power to conceive, and she bore a child when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had…
- Revelation 7:4-9 (v46) I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel: of the…
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (8 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v44 Or, full count.
Or, full count.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On v44 We have here the sum total at the foot…
We have here the sum total at the foot of the account; they were in all 600,000 fighting men, and 3550 over. Some think that when this was their number some months before (Exo 38:26) the Levites were reckoned with them, but now that tribe was separated for the service of God, yet so many more had by this time attained to the age of twenty years as that still they were the same number, to show that whatever we part with for the honour and service of God it shall certainly be made up to us one way of other. Now we see what a vast body of men they were. Let us consider, 1. How much went to maintain all these (besides twice as many more, no question, of women and children, sick and aged, and the mixed multitude) for forty years together in the wilderness; and they were all at God's finding every day, having their food from the dew of heaven, and not from the fatness of the earth. O what a great and good housekeeper is our God, that has such numbers depending on him and receiving from him every day! 2. What work sin makes with a people; within forty years most of them would indeed have died of course for the common sin of mankind; for, when sin entered into the world, death came with it, and how great are the desolations which it makes in the earth! But, for the particular sin of unbelief and murmuring, all those that were now numbered, except two, laid their bones under their iniquity, and perished in the wilderness. 3. What a great multitude God's spiritual Israel will amount to at last; though at one time, and in one place, they seem to be but a little flock, yet when they come all together they shall be a great multitude, innumerable, Rev 7:9. And, though the church's beginning be small, its latter end shall greatly increase. A little one shall become a thousand.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv44–46 These are those that were numbered,.... Or, as the…
These are those that were numbered,.... Or, as the Targum of Jonathan, these are the sums of the numbers; namely, those before given of the several respective tribes:
which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men; for though the tribe of Levi was not numbered, yet Joseph having a double portion, his two sons are reckoned as distinct tribes; so that one out of each tribe made up the number twelve:
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each one for the house of his fathers; for the tribe he belonged to, with which it might reasonably be supposed he was best acquainted, and could more readily take the number of them.
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Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On v46 Verse 46. All they that were numbered were six…
Verse 46. All they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.] What an astonishing increase from seventy souls that went down into Egypt, Ge 46:27, about 215 years before, where latterly they had endured the greatest hardships! But God's promise cannot fail (Ge 16:5;) and who can resist his will, and bring to naught his counsel? That a comparative view may be easily taken of the state of the tribes, I shall produce them here from the first census mentioned in the first chapter of this book, in their decreasing proportion, beginning with the greatest and proceeding to the least; and in the second census, mentioned Nu 26:1-65, where the increase of some and the decrease of others may be seen in one point of view. It may be just remarked, that except in the case of Gad in this chapter, and Reuben in Nu 26:7, all the numbers are what may be called whole or round numbers, beginning with thousands, and ending with hundreds, Gad and Reuben alone ending with tens; but the Scripture generally uses round numbers, units and fractions being almost constantly disregarded.
1st census,
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ch. i.
2d census,
ch. xxvi.
1. Judah
74,600
76,500
2. Dan
62,700
64,400
3. Simeon
59,300
22,200
4. Zebulun
57,400
60,500
5. Issachar
54,400
64,300
6. Naphtali
53,400
45,400
7. Reuben
46,500
43,730
8. Gad
45,650
40,500
9. Asher
41,500
53,400
10. Ephraim
40,500
32,500
11. Benjamin
35,400
45,600
12. Manasseh
32,200
52,700
Total
603,550
601,730
Thus we find Judah, the most populous tribe, and Manasseh the least so; the difference between them being so great as 42,400, for which no very satisfactory reason can be assigned.
In the second census, mentioned Nu 26:34, Judah still has the pre-eminency; and Simeon, the third in number before, is become the least. Now we see also that the little tribe of Manasseh occupies the seventh place for number. Seven of the tribes had an increase; five a decrease. Manasseh had an increase of 20,500; Judah, 1,900; Issachar, 9,900; Zebulun, 3,100; Benjamin, 10,200; Dan, 1,700; Asher, 11,900.
On the contrary there was a decrease in Reuben of 2,770; in Simeon, 37,100; Gad, 5,150; Ephraim, 8,000; Naphtali, 8,000. Decrease in the whole, 61,020 effective men. See Clarke on Nu 26:51; but balanced with the increase, the decrease was upon the whole 1,820.
On the subject of these enumerations, and the manner in which this vast multitude sprang in about four generations from seventy-five persons, Scheuchzer has some valuable calculations, though liable to some objections, which I shall take the liberty to insert, as they tend to throw considerable light upon the subject.
"We find in the writings of Moses three enumerations of the Jewish people, that follow each other pretty closely: -
The first, which was made at their departure from Egypt, Ex 12:37, amounted to .....
600,000
One year after, to ........
603,550
On entering the land of Canaan, to .....
601,730
If we add to the number .....
603,550
that of the Levites given us in Nu 3:39, and which amounted to .....
22,000
We shall have for the sum total .....
625,550
We find the same number, on adding that of each tribe given us in detail, which is the best proof of the exactness of the calculation.
"I think I shall afford the reader some degree of pleasure by presenting him, in this place, the number of each tribe separately, beginning at their earliest ancestors. We shall see, by this means, how faithfully God fulfilled the promise he had made to Abraham, as well as the great utility of the mathematics for the right understanding of the Holy Scriptures. I shall begin with a Genealogical Table of that family which God so wonderfully blessed; and to it I shall afterward add each separate tribe, following the calculation of Reyher, (Math. Mos., p. 222.) And we shall see that the fourth generation, taken with the third, produces the very number mentioned in the text.
Children of JACOB by LEAH. Ge 46:15.
REUBEN
Hanoch
Phallu
Hezron
Carmi
46,500. Nu 1:21.
SIMEON
Jemuel
Jamin
Ohad
Jachin
Zohar
Shaul
59,300. Nu 1:23.
LEVI
Gershon
Libni
Shemei
7,500. Nu 3:22.
Kohath
Amram
Izehar
Hebron
Uzziel
8,600. Nu 3:26.
Merari
Mahli
Mushi
6,200. Nu 3:34.
JUDAH
Shelah
Pharez
Zerah
Hesron
Hamul
74,600. Nu 1:27.
ISSACHAR
Tola
Phuvah
Job
Shimron
54,400. Nu 1:29.
ZEBULUN
Sered
Elon
Jahleel
57,400. Nu 1:31.
DINAH
Children of JACOB by ZILPAH. Ge 46:18.
GAD
Zilphion
Haggai
Shuni
Ezbon
Eri
Arodi
Areil
45,650. Nu 1:25.
ASHER
Jimnah
Isuah
Isui
Beriah
Heber
Malchiel
41,500. Nu 1:41.
Children of JACOB by RACHEL. Ge 46:22.
JOSEPH
Manasseh
Ephraim
32,200
40,500
BENJAMIN
Belah
Becher
Ashbel
Gerah
Naaman
Ehi
Rosh
Muppim
Huppim
Ard
35,400. Nu 1:37.
Children of JACOB by BILHAH. Ge 46:25.
DAN
Hushim
62,700. Nu 1:39.
NAPHTALI
Jahzeel
Guni
Jezer
Shillem
53,400. Nu 1:43.
I. - REUBEN 46,500
"Let us now descend to the particular enumeration of each tribe. REUBEN had four sons: now if we suppose that one of these four sons had seven, and that each of the other three had eight, we shall find the number 31 for the first Egyptian generation. If we afterward suppose that each of these 31 sons had five sons, the second generation will amount to 155, which, multiplied by 15, will produce 2,325 for the third generation; and these, multiplied by 19, will make 44,175 for the fourth; so that the third, together with the fourth, will make 46,500. We shall have the same product if the given sum, 46,500, be divided by the most probable number of children, for example, by the number 19; we shall then have 2,447 for the third generation; which sum being deducted from the sum total, there will remain 44,053 for the fourth generation, which is exactly the number that is produced in multiplying 2,440 of the third generation by 18, and the other 7 by 19. If we wish to make the same calculation with respect to the preceding generations, i. e., divide them by the most probable number of children, we shall have the following sums: -
Sons of Reuben .........
4
I. Generation ..........
31
II. Ditto ...............
215
III. Ditto ...............
2,583
IV. Ditto ...............
43,917
Amount of generations III and IV ...
46,500
II. - SIMEON 59,300
"SIMEON had six sons. Let us suppose that each of the three first had six children, and each of the three others seven, we shall have thirty-nine for the first generation. If we multiply 31 of this number by 9, and 8 by 10, we shall have for the second generation 359; of which number, if we multiply 355 by 11, and 4 by 12, the third generation will give us 3,953. Let us then multiply 3,948 of these by 14, and 5 of them by 15, and we shall have for the fourth 55,347. The third and fourth, added together, will make 59,300.
III. - LEVI 22,300
"Gershon, Levi's eldest son, had two children: let us give to one of these 16 children, and to the other 17, and we shall have 33 for the second generation; 28 of which, multiplied by 15, and 5 by 16, will produce 500 for the third. Multiply each by 14, and these will produce 7,000; and the third and fourth together, 7,500.
"Kohath, Levi's second son, had four sons, which form the first line. Give to one of them 10 sons, and 11 to each of the other three, for the second generation there will be 43. Multiply them by 10, there will be 430 for the third; these, multiplied by 19 for the fourth, will produce the number of 8,170. The third and fourth added together make 8,600.
"Merari, the third son of Levi, had two sons. Give 10 children to each of them, there will then be 20 for the second generation. Now if we say that 10 of these 20 had each 15 sons, and each of the others 16, we shall have 310, which, multiplied by 19, will give us 5,890 for the fourth; and the two last together, 6,200. This may be seen by the following example: -
Gershonites
Kohathites
Merarites
I. Generation ..
2
4
2
II. Ditto ...
33
43
20
III. Ditto ...
500
430
310
IV. Ditto ...
7,000
8,170
5,890
"Amount of generations III. and IV.: Gershonites, 7,500; Kohathites, 8,600; and Merarites, 6,200 - total number of Levites, 22,300.
IV. - JUDAH 74,600
"The sons of Judah were Shelah, Pharez, and Zerah. His grandsons by Pharez were Hezron and Hamul. Hezron had two sons. Suppose each of them had six children, which will make 12 for the first generation; to eight of whom allow eight children, and nine to each of the others, and there will be 100 for the second generation. To 92 of these then give 18 children, and 19 to the eight others; this will produce for the third generation 1,808. If we then suppose that 1,800 of these had each 18 children, and that each of the other eight had 19, the fourth generation will be 32,552, which, added to the product of the third, will make the descendants of Hezron amount to 34,360.
"Hamul had two sons, who, multiplied by 10, produce the number of 20 for the second generation: these, multiplied by 20, will make 400 for the third, and these again by 25 will produce 10,000 for the fourth. And thus the two last generations will amount together to the number of 10,400.
"If we allow five sons to Shelah, and six to Zerah, we shall have 11 for the first generation. To three of whom allow 10 children and 11 to the other eight, this will give us 118 for the second. To 113 of these give 14, and 15 to the other five, and 1,657 will be produced for the third. Give 17 to 1,643, and 18 to the 14 remaining, and for the fourth there will be 28,183. The third and fourth added together will produce the number of 29,840.
"According to this calculation, all these generations will amount to the following numbers: -
Hezronites ...............
34,360
Hamulites ...............
10,400
Shelanites and Zarhites ...
29,840
74,600
V. - ISSACHAR 54,400
"ISSACHAR had five sons. Suppose that three of them had each five children, and the other two, six, we shall have 27 for the first generation. If we then imagine that of these 19 had each nine sons, and each of the other eight 10, the second generation will be 251. Now 241 of these, multiplied by 12, will produce 2,892, and the 10 others, multiplied by 13, will make 130; consequently the third generation will amount to 3,022. If 3,018 of these had each 17 sons, and each of the other four had 18, the fourth generation will be 51,378; the third and fourth generations, then, will produce a number of 54,400.
VI. - ZEBULUN 57,400
"Zebulun had three sons. If we suppose that two of them had in all fourteen children, and the third, six, here will be 20 for the first generation. The second will produce 143, on multiplying 17 by 7, and 3 by 8. If we multiply 135 by 16, and 8 by 17, the third will amount to 2,296. By multiplying the third by 24, the fourth will give us 55,104. The two last will produce, together, 57,400.
VII. - GAD 45,650
"Gad had seven sons.
I. Generation: multiply 3 by 9, and 4 by 10, there will be .....
67
II. Ditto multiply 61 by 7, and 6 by 8 .....
475
III. Ditto multiply 471 by 8, and 4 by 9 ....
3,804
IV. Ditto multiply 3,802 by 11, and 2 by 12 ..
41,846
Amount of generations III and IV ....
45,650
VIII. - ASHER 41,500
"The sons of Asher, Jimnah, Ishua, and Isui, multiplied by 8, produce for the
I. Generation ...............
24
II. Ditto multiply 24 by 8 .....
192
III. Ditto multiply 182 by 11, and 10 by 12 ..
2,122
IV. Ditto multiply 2,118 by 12, and 4 by 13 ..
25,468
Amount of generations III and IV ....
27,590
"Heber and Malchiel were sons of Beriah. Now these two sons multiplied by 5, give us for
I. Generation ...............
10
II. Ditto multiply 10 by 11 .....
110
III. Ditto multiply by 9 .....
990
IV. Ditto multiply by 12 .....
11,880
Amount of generations III and IV .....
12,870
"Another son of Beriah had in the
I. Generation ...............
1
II. Ditto multiply by 8 .....
8
III. Ditto multiply by 10 .....
80
IV. Ditto multiply by 12 .....
960
Amount of generations III and IV ..
1,040
All these generations added together amount to ..
41,500
IX.-JOSEPH
MANASSEH 32,200
I. Generation ...............
10
II. Ditto multiply 6 by 13, and 4 by 14 .....
134
III. Ditto multiply 132 by 12, and 2 by 13 ....
1,610
IV. Ditto multiply by 19 .....
30,590
Amount of generations III and IV .....
32,200
EPHRAIM 40,500
I. Generation ...............
16
II. Ditto multiply by 10 .....
160
III. Ditto multiply 152 by 12, and 8 by 13 ....
1,928
IV. Ditto multiply 1,916 by 20, and 12 by 21 .
38,572
Amount of generations III and IV .....
40,500
X. - BENJAMIN 35,400
"He had 10 sons; two of whom, multiplied by 9, and the other 8 by 10, will give for the
I. Generation ...............
98
II. Ditto multiply 95 by 9, and 3 by 10 .....
885
III. Ditto multiply by 5 .....
4,425
IV. Ditto multiply by 7 .....
30,975
Amount of generations III and IV .....
35,400
XI. - DAN 62,700
I. Generation ...............
11
II. Ditto multiply by 12 .....
132
III. Ditto multiply by 19 .....
2,508
IV. Ditto multiply by 24 .....
60,192
Amount of generations III and IV .....
62,700
XII. - NAPHTALI 53,400
"He had 4 sons, the half of whom, multiplied by 7, and the other half by 6, give us for the
I. Generation ...............
26
II. Ditto multiply 16 by 11, and 10 by 12 ....
296
III. Ditto multiply 288 by 12, and 8 by 13 ....
3,560
IV. Ditto multiply by 14 .....
49,840
Amount of generations III and IV .....
53,400
Total number of all the tribes
I. Reuben .....
46,500
II. Simeon .....
59,300
III. Levi .....
22,300
IV. Judah .....
74,600
V. Issachar .....
54,400
VI. Zebulun .....
57,400
VII. Gad .....
45,650
VIII. Asher .....
41,500
IX. Manasseh .....
32,200
Ephraim .....
40,500
X. Benjamin .....
35,400
XI. Dan .....
62,700
XII. Naphtali .....
53,400
Total
625,850
"And indeed, without counting the Levites, the number of the Israelites (Nu 1:46) amounts to ..
603,550
The Levites (Nu 3:39) amount to .....
22,300
The whole number together, as above ....
625,850"
In the above calculations, Scheuchzer and Reyher take for granted,
1. That from the going down to Egypt to the exodus there were four generations.
2. That the first two generations had died in Egypt.
3. That the promise of God in multiplying them as the stars of heaven, had taken place particularly in the two last generations.
4. That these two last generations alone form the aggregate sums given in the sacred text.
5. That their method of accounting for this aggregate through the four generations, is not only perfectly natural and mathematical, but strictly accordant with the promises made by God to them, as the sum of each tribe sufficiently proves.
6. That the whole account shows the truth of the Divine promise, the great accuracy of the Jewish lawgiver, and a proof of the inspiration of the sacred writings.
But even to these calculations and deductions there may be objections, e. g. "Scheuchzer gives to 2,508 families of Dan, 24 male children, each above the age of 20: we may fairly allow an equal number of females, and add 5 more under 20, See the note at "Ex 12:37", and we have 53 children on the average through all the families of a tribe; whilst to 4,425 families of Benjamin are allotted 7 males aged 20, and adding 7 females at 5 children, we have 19 children in each family; a tolerable number; but apparently more reasonable than the other." - ANON.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v45 all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand,…
all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand, &c.--What an astonishing increase from seventy-five persons who went down to Egypt about two hundred fifteen years before [see on Gen 46:8], and who were subjected to the greatest privations and hardships! And yet this enumeration was restricted to men from twenty years and upwards [Num 1:3]. Including women, children, and old men, together with the Levites, the whole population of Israel, on the ordinary principles of computation, amounted to about 2,400,000.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On v46 (46) Six hundred thousand and three thousand and five…
(46) Six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.—It is obvious that the odd numbers were not reckoned. In Num_11:21 as in Exo_12:37, the whole number is reckoned roughly at six hundred thousand.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv44–46 HOMILIES BY W. BINNIE Vers. 44-46. The two numberings…
HOMILIES BY W. BINNIE Vers. 44-46. The two numberings in the wilderness.
The Bible abounds in statistics. The historical books, in particular, bristle with genealogies and census-tables. "Numbers" gets its name from the circumstance that it contains the tabulated results of two distinct numberings. The statistical chapters are commonly passed over in the consecutive reading of the Scripture, in the family, and in the Church. The wine of the kingdom does not flow from them freely; all the rather ought care to be taken to read and expound them occasionally. All Scripture is profitable; and the statistical chapters, hard and barren as they look, are no exception.
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I For one thing, these chapters serve admirably to ANCHOR THE RELIGION OF THE BIBLE ON THE FIRM GROUND OF HISTORY. The Lord Jesus was not a mythical character, not a mere play of glorious colour on a bank of unsubstantial vapour. He was the son of a daughter of David"s house. His genealogy is extant; and a long chain of family registers, imbedded in the historical books of the Old Testament, afford the means of verifying it. The sacred writers are never afraid to descend from the region of moral and religious disquisition into the region of exact numbers, which can be sifted and weighed in the light of our modern statistical science. The importance of all this can hardly be exaggerated, especially for an age like the present, which so confidently calls in question the historical verity of the Scriptures. To come to these census chapters in Numbers. The critics laugh at the idea that a nation of two millions and more were led out of Egypt by Moses and sojourned in the wilderness for forty years. Objections formidable enough are brought forward; but the objectors have to face the fact that the history, besides giving the round numbers, explain how they were made up. What is more; the details are found, on examination by men expert in statistics, to have such an air of reality that the ablest commentator (Knobel) of the Critical School, can think of no more feasible explanation than to suggest that some Levite must have laid his hands on the report of some real census, taken in a later age, and inserted it here in the Pentateuch. How writings so dishonestly compiled should have reached the high moral elevation of the Pentateuch, the critic has omitted to explain. He is certainly right in taking the chapters in Numbers for veritable census-tables.
II NOR IS IT ONLY IN THIS GENERAL VIEW OF THEM THAT THESE STATISTICAL CHAPTERS ARE INSTRUCTIVE, The facts recorded (like all the authentic facts of God"s providential government of men) are very suggestive.
1. Observe how unequally the several tribes have multiplied. Compare Judah and his 74, 600 with Benjamin and his 35, 400. All family histories and national histories are full of similar inequalities. There are great nations (France, Spain) in which the population is stationary or receding; others, similarly situated, in which there is steady increase (Germany, Russia). In the course of two or three centuries, facts like these must powerfully affect the history of the world. What hopes with regard to the future are excited by observing that, as a rule, it is the Protestant nations that are multiplying, and replenishing the earth, and subduing it!
2. How the blessing delivered by Jacob bears fruit after he has gone; in Ge 49, two sons Judah and Joseph are honoured above the rest.
(a) To Judah is assigned the primacy of honour and power forfeited by Reuben, the firstborn (verses 8-12). How the fulfillment of this comes to light in the census at Sinai! His tribe outnumbers all the others save one; his tents occupy the place of honour in the camp, being pitched towards the rising of the sun; his standard (the lion of the tribe of Judah) leads the van in the march; in the captain of his best, Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, we recognize the ancestor of our Lord.
(b) Joseph, the best-beloved of the twelve, was to be a fruitful vine, a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches run over the wall. His two sons were to become each a several tribe, "as Reuben and Simeon they shall be mine". (Gen_48:5, 6 49:22-26) This also is exactly accomplished; not only are Ephraim and Manasseh reckoned as two tribes, but each takes rank with the other tribes in respect both to honour and numbers. Contemplating these facts in the light of Jacob"s blessing, we can perceive a moral purpose in them; Joseph and Judah were the two who excelled in godliness and magnanimity. The faithful God keepeth covenant to a thousand generations. (comp. Psa_103:17)
3. How a family, which at one time promised well; may catch a blight and fade away. Mark the story of Simeon; at Sinai he was one of the most populous of the tribes; thirty-eight years later he is much the smallest. From nearly 60, 000 he has shriveled into about 22, 000. (comp. 1Ch_4:27) This downward course went on after the conquest. Simeon"s allotted inheritance was next to that of the tribe of Judah; and ere many generations passed he seems to have been absorbed by his more energetic and prosperous brother. The statistics of the Bible, being the digested statement of facts in the Divine government of families and nations, are mines where those who choose to dig find much silver. "The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. B.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v44 So all the men of Israel ... were counted…
So all the men of Israel ... were counted in each of their families
The phrase "were counted" can be stated in active form. This long phrase is repeated multiple times in the census. See how you translated it in Numbers 1:20. AT: "So they counted all the men of Israel ... in each of their families" (See: Active or Passive)
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603,550 men
"six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty men" (See: Numbers)
translationWords
Moses
Aaron
twelve tribes of Israel
Israel
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.