Old Testament · Law

Numbers chapter 1

Yahweh spoke to Moses in the of Sinai, in the , on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt. He said:“Take a of the entire of Israel’s descendants, by their and their families, listing every male individually by name —every man in Israel who is twenty years old or older and able to . You and Aaron are to count them, unit by unit.One man from each tribe will serve with you — each one the .These are the names of the men who will assist you: From — son of Shedeur.From — Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.From — son of Amminadab.From — Nethanel son of Zuar.From — Eliab son of Helon.From the — from : Elishama son of Ammihud; from Manasseh: Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.From — Abidan son of Gideoni.From — Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.From — Pagiel son of Ocran.From — Eliasaph son of Deuel.From — Ahira son of Enan.These were the ones from the community — leaders of their ancestral tribes, heads over the of Israel.Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name,and on the first day of the second month, they assembled the entire community. Every man — by clan and by family — each one twenty years old or older listed individually by name,exactly as Yahweh had commanded Moses. And so he counted them in the wilderness of Sinai.From the descendants of Reuben, Israel’s — their genealogical records by clan and family, counting every male individually, everyone twenty years old or older who was able to serve in the army —those counted from the tribe of Reuben: 46,500.From the descendants of Simeon — their genealogical records by clan and family, counting every male individually, everyone twenty years old or older who was able to serve in the army —those counted from the tribe of Simeon: 59,300.From the descendants of Gad — their genealogical records by clan and family, counting every male individually, everyone twenty years old or older who was able to serve in the army —those counted from the tribe of Gad: 45,650.From the descendants of Judah — their genealogical records by clan and family, counting every male individually, everyone twenty years old or older who was able to serve in the army —those counted from the tribe of Judah: 74,600.From the descendants of Issachar — their genealogical records by clan and family, counting every male individually, everyone twenty years old or older who was able to serve in the army —those counted from the tribe of Issachar: 54,400.From the descendants of Zebulun — their genealogical records by clan and family, counting every male individually, everyone twenty years old or older who was able to serve in the army —those counted from the tribe of Zebulun: 57,400.From the descendants of Joseph — from Ephraim: their genealogical records by clan and family, counting every male individually, everyone twenty years old or older who was able to serve in the army —those counted from the tribe of Ephraim: 40,500.From the descendants of — their genealogical records by clan and family, counting every male individually, everyone twenty years old or older who was able to serve in the army —those counted from the tribe of Manasseh: 32,200.From the descendants of Benjamin — their genealogical records by clan and family, counting every male individually, everyone twenty years old or older who was able to serve in the army —those counted from the tribe of Benjamin: 35,400.From the descendants of Dan — their genealogical records by clan and family, counting every male individually, everyone twenty years old or older who was able to serve in the army —those counted from the tribe of Dan: 62,700.From the descendants of Asher — their genealogical records by clan and family, counting every male individually, everyone twenty years old or older who was able to serve in the army —those counted from the tribe of Asher: 41,500.From the descendants of Naphtali — their genealogical records by clan and family, counting every male individually, everyone twenty years old or older who was able to serve in the army —those counted from the tribe of Naphtali: 53,400.These were the men counted by Moses and Aaron, along with the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his ancestral family.The total count of Israelites — every man twenty years old or older who was able to serve in Israel’s army, counted by their ancestral families —the grand total was .The , however, were not counted along with the others by their ancestral tribe.Yahweh had said to Moses:“Do not count the tribe of Levi or include them in the census with the rest of the Israelites.Instead, put the Levites in charge of the — all its equipment and everything that belongs to it. They are to carry the Dwelling and all its equipment, take care of it, and set up camp around it.Whenever the Dwelling is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever it is to be set up, the Levites are to do it. Any who comes near it must be put to death.The rest of the Israelites are to set up their tents in formation, each man with his own camp and under his own , unit by unit.But the Levites are to set up camp around the Dwelling of the Testimony, so that no falls on the Israelite community. The Levites are to over the Dwelling of the Testimony.”The Israelites did everything exactly as Yahweh had commanded Moses.