וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי בְּאֹהֶל מֹועֵד בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי בַּשָּׁנָה הַשֵּׁנִית לְצֵאתָם מֵאֶרֶץ 1:1
מִצְרַיִם לֵאמֹר
Numb. 1:1 And the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai in the tent of meeting on the second month’s first day in the second year of their departing from the land of Egypt saying,
By this verse, as well as by Exod. 40:17, we know that the tent of meeting took less than one year to build. The events described in this chapter transpired a month after the Tabernacle was erected. Perhaps it had not yet been consecrated or Aaron and his sons anointed. We are not to know. My guess is that they already had been. I imagine the consecration and anointing took place almost immediately after the Tabernacle was erected.
שְׂאוּ אֶת־רֹאשׁ כָּל־עֲדַת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם בְּמִסְפַּר שֵׁמֹות כָּל־זָכָר לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָם 1:2
Numb. 1:2 “Take the sum of the whole congregation of the children of Israel, according to their families, according to the houses of their fathers, by count of the names of every male, by their polls,
מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה כָּל־יֹצֵא צָבָא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל תִּפְקְדוּ אֹתָם לְצִבְאֹתָם אַתָּה וְאַהֲרֹן 1:3
Numb. 1:3 from age twenty years and up, everyone of military age. You shall muster them according to their hosts, you and Aaron.”
וְאִתְּכֶם יִהְיוּ אִישׁ אִישׁ לַמַּטֶּה אִישׁ רֹאשׁ לְבֵית־אֲבֹתָיו הוּא 1:4
Numb. 1:4 “And one man to a tribe shall be with you, each one the head for the house of their fathers.”
וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמֹות הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר יַעַמְדוּ אִתְּכֶם לִרְאוּבֵן אֱלִיצוּר בֶּן־שְׁדֵיאוּר 1:5
Numb. 1:5 “And these are the names of the men who shall stand with you: For Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur;
לְשִׁמְעֹון שְׁלֻמִיאֵל בֶּן־צוּרִישַׁדָּי 1:6
Numb. 1:6 for Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;
לִיהוּדָה נַחְשֹׁון בֶּן־עַמִּינָדָב 1:7
Numb. 1:7 for Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab;
לְיִשָּׂשכָר נְתַנְאֵל בֶּן־צוּעָר 1:8
Numb. 1:8 for Issachar, Nethaneel son of Zuar;
לִזְבוּלֻן אֱלִיאָב בֶּן־חֵלֹן 1:9
Numb. 1:9 for Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon;
לִבְנֵי יֹוסֵף לְאֶפְרַיִם אֱלִישָׁמָע בֶּן־עַמִּיהוּד לִמְנַשֶּׁה גַּמְלִיאֵל בֶּן־פְּדָהצוּר 1:10
Numb. 1:10 for the sons of Joseph: For Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud; for Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;
לְבִנְיָמִן אֲבִידָן בֶּן־גִּדְעֹנִי 1:11
Numb. 1:11 for Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni;
לְדָן אֲחִיעֶזֶר בֶּן־עַמִּישַׁדָּי 1:12
Numb. 1:12 for Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;
לְאָשֵׁר פַּגְעִיאֵל בֶּן־עָכְרָן 1:13
Numb. 1:13 for Asher, Pagiel son of Ochran;
לְגָד אֶלְיָסָף בֶּן־דְּעוּאֵל 1:14
Numb. 1:14 for Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel;
לְנַפְתָּלִי אֲחִירַע בֶּן־עֵינָן 1:15
Numb. 1:15 for Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan.”
The above listed order of the tribes is according to the sons of the wives and concubines of Jacob with two notable exceptions: The five sons of Leah (excluding Levi), the grandsons (and son) of Rachel, the sons of Bilhah (inverted birth order and inserted between the two sons of Zilpah). For each mother they are named in the order of their birth except for Asher, and Gad. There is no sense to their inverted order. The birth order was Gad and Asher. And there appears to be no obvious reason why they were inserted between Dan and Naphtali (who were Bilhah’s sons).
אֵלֶּה (קְרִיאֵי) [קְרוּאֵי] הָעֵדָה נְשִׂיאֵי מַטֹּות אֲבֹותָם רָאשֵׁי אַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵם 1:16
Numb. 1:16 These were the called of the congregation, chiefs of the tribes of their fathers. They were the heads of the thousands of Israel.
There appears to be a misspelling in the second word. The correct spelling is in the brackets.
וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן אֵת הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר נִקְּבוּ בְּשֵׁמֹות 1:17
Numb. 1:17 And Moses took, with Aaron, these men who were designated by name,
וְאֵת כָּל־הָעֵדָה הִקְהִילוּ בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי וַיִּתְיַלְדוּ עַל־מִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם בְּמִסְפַּר שֵׁמֹות 1:18
מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָם
Numb. 1:18 and they assembled all the congregation on the second month’s first day and declared the pedigrees over their families, for the house of their fathers, according to the number of names from age twenty years and up by their polls. [Return to Amos 6:1]
כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה וַיִּפְקְדֵם בְּמִדְבַּר סִינָי 1:19
Numb. 1:19 As the Lord had commanded Moses, so he counted them in the wilderness of Sinai.
וַיִּהְיוּ בְנֵי־רְאוּבֵן בְּכֹר יִשְׂרָאֵל תֹּולְדֹתָם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם בְּמִסְפַּר שֵׁמֹות לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָם כָּל־זָכָר 1:20
מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה כֹּל יֹצֵא צָבָא
Numb. 1:20 And the sons of Reuben, the first born of Israel, their families’ generations belonging to the house of their fathers, in numbers of names by their polls of every male from age twenty years and up, every one of military age,
פְּקֻדֵיהֶם לְמַטֵּה רְאוּבֵן שִׁשָּׁה וְאַרְבָּעִים אֶלֶף וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאֹות 1:21
Numb. 1:21 their reckoning for the tribe of Reuben was forty-six thousand and five hundred.
לִבְנֵי שִׁמְעֹון תֹּולְדֹתָם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם פְּקֻדָיו בְּמִסְפַּר שֵׁמֹות לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָם כָּל־זָכָר מִבֶּן 1:22
עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה כֹּל יֹצֵא צָבָא
Numb. 1:22 Regarding the sons of Simeon, their families’ generations belonging to the house of their fathers, were counted of it in number of names by their polls every male from age twenty years and up, every one of military age,
פְּקֻדֵיהֶם לְמַטֵּה שִׁמְעֹון תִּשְׁעָה וַחֲמִשִּׁים אֶלֶף וּשְׁלֹשׁ מֵאֹות 1:23
Numb. 1:23 their reckoning for the tribe of Simeon was fifty-nine thousand and three hundred.
לִבְנֵי גָד תֹּולְדֹתָם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם בְּמִסְפַּר שֵׁמֹות מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה כֹּל יֹצֵא צָבָא 1:24
Numb. 1:24 Regarding the sons of Gad, their families’ generations belonging to the house of their fathers, in number of names from age twenty years and up, every one of military age,
פְּקֻדֵיהֶם לְמַטֵּה גָד חֲמִשָּׁה וְאַרְבָּעִים אֶלֶף וְשֵׁשׁ מֵאֹות וַחֲמִשִּׁים 1:25
Numb. 1:25 their reckoning for the tribe of Gad was forty-five thousand and six hundred and fifty.
לִבְנֵי יְהוּדָה תֹּולְדֹתָם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם בְּמִסְפַּר שֵׁמֹת מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה כֹּל יֹצֵא 1:26
צָבָא
Numb. 1:26 Regarding the sons of Judah, their families’ generations belonging to the house of their fathers, in number of names from age twenty years and up, every one of military age,
פְּקֻדֵיהֶם לְמַטֵּה יְהוּדָה אַרְבָּעָה וְשִׁבְעִים אֶלֶף וְשֵׁשׁ מֵאֹות 1:27
Numb. 1:27 their reckoning for the tribe of Judah was seventy-four thousand and six hundred.
לִבְנֵי יִשָּׂשכָר תֹּולְדֹתָם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם בְּמִסְפַּר שֵׁמֹת מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה כֹּל יֹצֵא 1:28
צָבָא
Numb. 1:28 Regarding the sons of Issachar, their families’ generations belonging to the house of their fathers, in number of names from age twenty years and up, every one of military age,
פְּקֻדֵיהֶם לְמַטֵּה יִשָּׂשכָר אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשִּׁים אֶלֶף וְאַרְבַּע מֵאֹות 1:29
Numb. 1:29 their reckoning for the tribe of Issachar was fifty-four thousand and four hundred.
לִבְנֵי זְבוּלֻן תֹּולְדֹתָם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם בְּמִסְפַּר שֵׁמֹת מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה כֹּל יֹצֵא 1:30
צָבָא
Numb. 1:30 Regarding the sons of Zebulun, their families’ generations belonging to the house of their fathers, in number of names from age twenty years and up, every one of military age,
פְּקֻדֵיהֶם לְמַטֵּה זְבוּלֻן שִׁבְעָה וַחֲמִשִּׁים אֶלֶף וְאַרְבַּע מֵאֹות 1:31
Numb. 1:31 their reckoning for the tribe of Zebulun was fifty-seven thousand and four hundred.
לִבְנֵי יֹוסֵף לִבְנֵי אֶפְרַיִם תֹּולְדֹתָם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם בְּמִסְפַּר שֵׁמֹת מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה 1:32
וָמַעְלָה כֹּל יֹצֵא צָבָא
Numb. 1:32 Of Joseph’s sons, regarding the sons of Ephraim, their families’ generations belonging to the house of their fathers, in number of names from age twenty years and up, every one of military age,
פְּקֻדֵיהֶם לְמַטֵּה אֶפְרָיִם אַרְבָּעִים אֶלֶף וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאֹות 1:33
Numb. 1:33 their reckoning for the tribe of Ephraim was forty thousand and five hundred;
לִבְנֵי מְנַשֶּׁה תֹּולְדֹתָם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם בְּמִסְפַּר שֵׁמֹות מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה כֹּל יֹצֵא 1:34
צָבָא
Numb. 1:34 regarding the sons of Manasseh, their families’ generations belonging to the house of their fathers, in number of names from age twenty years and up, every one of military age,
פְּקֻדֵיהֶם לְמַטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה שְׁנַיִם וּשְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף וּמָאתָיִם 1:35
Numb. 1:35 their reckoning for the tribe of Manasseh was thirty-two thousand and two hundred.
לִבְנֵי בִנְיָמִן תֹּולְדֹתָם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם בְּמִסְפַּר שֵׁמֹת מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה כֹּל יֹצֵא 1:36
צָבָא
Numb. 1:36 Regarding the sons of Benjamin, their families’ generations belonging to the house of their fathers, in number of names from age twenty years and up, every one of military age,
פְּקֻדֵיהֶם לְמַטֵּה בִנְיָמִן חֲמִשָּׁה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף וְאַרְבַּע מֵאֹות 1:37
Numb. 1:37 their reckoning for the tribe of Benjamin was thirty-five thousand and four hundred.
לִבְנֵי דָן תֹּולְדֹתָם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם בְּמִסְפַּר שֵׁמֹת מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה כֹּל יֹצֵא צָבָא 1:38
Numb. 1:38 Regarding the sons of Dan, their families’ generations belonging to the house of their fathers, in number of names from age twenty years and up, every one of military age,
פְּקֻדֵיהֶם לְמַטֵּה דָן שְׁנַיִם וְשִׁשִּׁים אֶלֶף וּשְׁבַע מֵאֹות 1:39
Numb. 1:39 their reckoning for the tribe of Dan was sixty-two thousand and seven hundred.
לִבְנֵי אָשֵׁר תֹּולְדֹתָם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם בְּמִסְפַּר שֵׁמֹת מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה כֹּל יֹצֵא 1:40
צָבָא
Numb. 1:40 Regarding the sons of Asher, their families’ generations belonging to the house of their fathers, in number of names from age twenty years and up, every one of military age,
פְּקֻדֵיהֶם לְמַטֵּה אָשֵׁר אֶחָד וְאַרְבָּעִים אֶלֶף וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאֹות 1:41
Numb. 1:41 their reckoning for the tribe of Asher was forty-one thousand and five hundred.
בְּנֵי נַפְתָּלִי תֹּולְדֹתָם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם בְּמִסְפַּר שֵׁמֹת מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה כֹּל יֹצֵא 1:42
צָבָא
Numb. 1:42 Of the sons of Naphtali, their families’ generations belonging to the house of their fathers, in number of names from age twenty years and up, every one of military age,
פְּקֻדֵיהֶם לְמַטֵּה נַפְתָּלִי שְׁלֹשָׁה וַחֲמִשִּׁים אֶלֶף וְאַרְבַּע מֵאֹות 1:43
Numb. 1:43 their reckoning for the tribe of Naphtali was fifty-three thousand and four hundred.
This order of the tribes from v. 1:20 to v. 1:43 is a bit different from the earlier order in vss. 1:5 to 1:15. Again Gad is out of order. This time his tribe appears after Simeon. And Asher is still inserted between Dan and Naphtali. It also would appear that the numbers given for the tribes seem to be rounded to the nearest fifty. It’s virtually certain that the Hebrews knew nothing about rounding, though, so these numbers must be estimates.
The total number of men of fighting age in all the tribes was 603,950 (as noted in v. 1:46 below). If we include reasonable estimates of those older and younger, and the women, there must have been at least one and half million people in the congregation. As mentioned below, the sons pf Levi,. the Levites as well as the sons of Aaron, were not counted
אֵלֶּה הַפְּקֻדִים אֲשֶׁר פָּקַד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן וּנְשִׂיאֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר אִישׁ אִישׁ־אֶחָד לְבֵית־אֲבֹתָיו 1:44
הָיוּ
Numb. 1:44 These are the reckoned whom Moses counted, as well as Aaron; and the chiefs of Israel were twelve men; they were, each one, of the house of his father.
וַיִּהְיוּ כָּל־פְּקוּדֵי בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה כָּל־יֹצֵא צָבָא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל 1:45
Numb. 1:45 So all of the sons of Israel of the house of their fathers from age twenty years and up, every one of military age in Israel, were counted.
וַיִּהְיוּ כָּל־הַפְּקֻדִים שֵׁשׁ־מֵאֹות אֶלֶף וּשְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאֹות וַחֲמִשִּׁים 1:46
Numb. Numb. 1:46 And all the counted were six hundred and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.
וְהַלְוִיִּם לְמַטֵּה אֲבֹתָם לֹא הָתְפָּקְדוּ בְּתֹוכָם 1:47
Numb. 1:47 But the Levites belonging to the tribe of their fathers were not counted among them,
It doesn’t say here, but the sons of Aaron weren’t counted either (see v. 1:49 below). There were probably at least forty or more thousand who weren’t counted (besides the women, children, and elders).
וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר 1:48
Numb. 1:48 as the Lord had spoken to Moses saying,
אַךְ אֶת־מַטֵּה לֵוִי לֹא תִפְקֹד וְאֶת־רֹאשָׁם לֹא תִשָּׂא בְּתֹוךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל 1:49
Numb. 1:49 “Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, and their sum you shall not include among the children of Israel.”
וְאַתָּה הַפְקֵד אֶת־הַלְוִיִּם עַל־מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת וְעַל כָּל־כֵּלָיו וְעַל כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לֹו הֵמָּה יִשְׂאוּ אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּן ּ 1:50
וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָיו וְהֵם יְשָׁרְתֻהוּ וְסָבִיב לַמִּשְׁכָּן יַחֲנוּ
Numb. 1:50 “And you appoint the Levites over the Tabernacle of the testimony and over all its furniture and over all that is for it. They shall carry the Tabernacle and all its articles, and they shall minister to it, and they shall camp surrounding the Tabernacle.”
וּבִנְסֹעַ הַמִּשְׁכָּן יֹורִידוּ אֹתֹו הַלְוִיִּם וּבַחֲנֹת הַמִּשְׁכָּן יָקִימוּ אֹתֹו הַלְוִיִּם וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב יוּמָת 1:51
Numb. 1:51 “And on the pulling up of the Tabernacle, the Levites shall take it down, and on the pitching of the Tabernacle, the Levites shall erect it, but the stranger who might be coming close shall die.”
וְחָנוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִישׁ עַל־מַחֲנֵהוּ וְאִישׁ עַל־דִּגְלֹו לְצִבְאֹתָם 1:52
Numb. 1:52 “And the children of Israel shall camp, each by his place of encampment and each by his standard, according to their hosts.”
וְהַלְוִיִּם יַחֲנוּ סָבִיב לְמִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה קֶצֶף עַל־עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְשָׁמְרוּ הַלְוִיִּם אֶת־ 1:53
מִשְׁמֶרֶת מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדוּת
Numb. 1:53 “And the Levites shall camp surrounding the Tabernacle of the testimony, and the Levites shall guard the Tabernacle of the testimony, so there will be no wrath against the congregation of the children of Israel.”
וַיַּעֲשׂוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה כֵּן עָשׂוּ 1:54
Numb. 1:54 Thus did the children of Israel. According to all that the Lord had commanded Moses, so they did.
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