11 And the Lord said to Moses in the waste land of Sinai, in the Tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they came out of the land of Egypt, 2 Take the full number of the children of Israel, by their families, and by their fathers' houses, every male by name; 3 All those of twenty years old and over, who are able to go to war in Israel, are to be numbered by you and Aaron. 4 And to give you help, take one man from every tribe, the head of his father's house. 5 These are the names of those who are to be your helpers: from Reuben, Elizur, the son of Shedeur; 6 From Simeon, Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai; 7 From Judah, Nahshon, the son of Amminadab; 8 From Issachar, Nethanel, the son of Zuar; 9 From Zebulun, Eliab, the son of Helon; 10 Of the children of Joseph: from Ephraim, Elishama, the son of Ammihud; from Manasseh, Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur, 11 From Benjamin, Abidan, the son of Gideoni; 12 From Dan, Ahiezer, the son of Ammi-shaddai; 13 From Asher, Pagiel, the son of Ochran; 14 From Gad, Eliasaph, the son of Reuel; 15 From Naphtali, Ahira, the son of Enan. 16 These are the men named out of all the people, chiefs of their fathers' houses, heads of the tribes of Israel.
17 And Moses and Aaron took these men, marked out by name; 18 And they got together all the people on the first day of the second month; and everyone made clear his family and his father's house, by the number of the names, from twenty years old and over. 19 As the Lord had given orders to Moses, so they were numbered by him in the waste place of Sinai. 20 The generations of the sons of Reuben, the oldest son of Israel, were numbered by their families and their fathers' houses, every male of twenty years old and over, who was able to go to war; 21 Forty-six thousand, five hundred of the tribe of Reuben were numbered. 22 The generations of the sons of Simeon were numbered by their families and their fathers' houses, every male of twenty years old and over, who was able to go to war; 23 Fifty-nine thousand, three hundred of the tribe of Simeon were numbered. 24 The generations of the sons of Gad were numbered by their families and their fathers' houses, every male of twenty years old and over who was able to go to war; 25 Forty-five thousand, six hundred and fifty of the tribe of Gad were numbered. 26 The generations of the sons of Judah were numbered by their families and their fathers' houses, every male of twenty years old and over who was able to go to war; 27 Seventy-four thousand, six hundred of the tribe of Judah were numbered. 28 The generations of the sons of Issachar were numbered by their families and their fathers' houses, every male of twenty years old and over who was able to go to war; 29 Fifty-four thousand, four hundred of the tribe of Issachar were numbered. 30 The generations of the sons of Zebulun were numbered by their families and their fathers' houses, every male of twenty years old and over who was able to go to war; 31 Fifty-seven thousand, four hundred of the tribe of Zebulun were numbered. 32 The generations of the sons of Joseph were numbered by their families and their fathers' houses, every male of twenty years old and over who was able to go to war; 33 Forty thousand, five hundred of the tribe of Ephraim were numbered. 34 The generations of the sons of Manasseh were numbered by their families and their fathers' houses, every male of twenty years old and over who was able to go to war; 35 Thirty-two thousand, two hundred of the tribe of Manasseh were numbered. 36 The generations of the sons of Benjamin were numbered by their families and their fathers' houses, every male of twenty years old and over who was able to go to war; 37 Thirty-five thousand, four hundred of the tribe of Benjamin were numbered. 38 The generations of the sons of Dan were numbered by their families and their fathers' houses, every male of twenty years and over who was able to go to war; 39 Sixty-two thousand, seven hundred of the tribe of Dan were numbered. 40 The generations of the sons of Asher were numbered by their families and their fathers' houses, every male of twenty years old and over who was able to go to war; 41 Forty-one thousand, five hundred of the tribe of Asher were numbered. 42 The generations of the sons of Naphtali were numbered by their families and their fathers' houses, every male of twenty years old and over who was able to go to war; 43 Fifty-three thousand, four hundred of the tribe of Naphtali were numbered.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 1:1-43
Commentary on Numbers 1:1-43
(Read Numbers 1:1-43)
The people were numbered to show God's faithfulness in thus increasing the seed of Jacob, that they might be the better trained for the wars and conquest of Canaan, and to ascertain their families in order to the division of the land. It is said of each tribe, that those were numbered who were able to go forth to war; they had wars before them, though now they met with no opposition. Let the believer be prepared to withstand the enemies of his soul, though all may appear to be peace.