Numbers Chapter 1

Census of Israel’s Troops

¹ On the first day, second month, second year after they left Egypt, the LORD told Moses at Sinai in the Tent of Meeting, 

² “Take a census by families. Count the men ³ 20 years old and up that can go to war. You and Aaron count them by armies. ⁴ To help you, appoint one man from each tribe as head of his ancestor’s house. ⁵ They’ll stand with you:

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 Joseph’s son Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud;

                         from Joseph’s son 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 Ochran;

                        ¹⁴ from Gad,                             Eliasaph son of Deuel;

                        ¹⁵ from Naphtali,                     Ahira son of Enan.

                  ¹⁶Those are the appointed leaders by tribes, the heads of clans in Israel.”       

Num 1:1-16

            ¹⁷ Moses and Aaron took the men God had designated ¹⁸ and gathered the community on the first day, second month. [ ¹⁹ ]

            ²⁰ The count came out as follows:

                        ²¹ 46,500 from Reuben, Israel’s firstborn;

                        ^22-23 59,300 from Simeon,

                        ^24-25 45,650 from Gad,

                        ^26-27 74,600 from Judah,

                        ^28-29 54,400 from Issachar,

                        ^30-31 57,400 from Zebulun,

                        ^32-33 40,500 from Ephraim,

                        ^34-35 32,300 from Manasseh,

                        ^36-37 35,400 from Benjamin,

                        ^38-39 62,700 from Dan

                        ^40-41 41,500 from Asher,

                        ^42-43 53,400 from Naphtali,

^44-46 The total was 603,550.                                                                                             

Num 1:17-46

            ⁴⁷ They didn’t count the Levites in the military census. ⁴⁸ The LORD told Moses,

                  ⁴⁹“Don’t count the Levites. ⁵⁰ Put them in charge of the Tabernacle and everything associated with it. They’ll transport it and its furnishings, take care of it, and camp around it. ⁵¹ When it sets out, they’ll dismantle it. When it camps, they’ll assemble it. Execute any layman that comes near. ⁵² The Israelites will camp in groups by their standard in their armies. ⁵³ But the Levites will camp around the Tabernacle so there won’t be any wrath on the Israelites. [^54a]

Israel did everything the LORD commanded Moses.

Num 1:47-54