Numbers 1:1, commentary and pictures

The LORD spoke to Moses in the tabernacle in the wilderness of Sinai on the first day of the second month in the second year after coming out of Egypt, commanding the first numbering of Israel. The census counted by name only males twenty years old and upward able to go forth to war, excluding Levi entirely, totaling 603,550 men marshaled in order for entrance into Canaan. It was the first of two numberings under Moses, the second coming nearly forty years afterward before entering Canaan, and these censuses give the book of Numbers its name. Moses numbered at the Lord's command, so it was authorized by God, unlike David's later census without the Lord's consent in reliance on numbers and military strength. Of all those first numbered, not one except Caleb and Joshua lived to the second numbering, because wanton rebellion led God by oath to exclude them from the land and leave them to die in the wilderness, warning that sin brings ruin even to those with great tokens of favor and hope of the promised land.

Time, Place, and Numbering

The numbering dates to the first day of the second month in the second year after coming out of Egypt, about one year in the wilderness, and its place was the wilderness of Sinai in the tabernacle of the congregation. It begins the account of the first census, taken after coming out of Egypt and compared with the later census in chapter 26 taken nearly forty years afterward just before entering Canaan. The first numbering was made about a year after leaving Egypt.

By that time the law had been proclaimed from the flaming mount, the tabernacle had been erected with the ark containing God's law deposited in its most holy place, the cloud of God's glory had taken possession of it, bread from heaven had been given every morning and water from the smitten rock, and the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night had not departed from the camp. In the story of Israel the numbering stands after the giving of the law, after the building of the tabernacle and the establishing of its services and the sin of Nadab and Abihu, and before leaving Mount Sinai for the journey from Sinai toward the entrance of Canaan.

The verse opens the account whose early chapters also record the numbering of Levi and the assignment of duties to Levi's families, together with tribal leaders, the order and arrangement of the camp, the duties of priests and Levites, the redemption of the firstborn, and worship ceremonies. Numbers 1 gives the numbers of men of specified ages in the tribes. The first five chapters concern the numbering of Israel and these matters of camp order and service.

The census counted by name only males twenty years old and upward able to go forth to war, excluding the tribe of Levi entirely as well as all females and all under twenty, totaling 603,550 men of war. It commonly counted males of a specified age, with women and children also present besides those counted. God carefully counted the people tribe by tribe under census inspectors, providing a detailed record.

Every name was taken down and the host was marshaled in complete order and arrangement of the camp preparatory to marching into the land of promise. The work of the journey then seemed almost accomplished, with everything indicating speedy entrance into Canaan. Every man numbered expected an inheritance in the land of promise and might have received it because of unmatched tokens of God's loving-kindness, presence, and willingness to save given to no other people.

First and Second Numberings

This verse opens the first of the two numberings of Israel under Moses, and those two censuses give the book of Numbers its name and title. The second numbering stands in chapter 26, taken nearly forty years afterward just before entering Canaan. The first numbering stood at the beginning of the forty years of wandering and the second near the end. They thus provide two records to be set against each other.

Comparing the first numbering with the numbering near the end shows how each tribe gained or lost. Some tribes increased and prospered while others decreased and declined in size, with some tribes decreasing in number and others increasing. Of all those numbered the first time, not one man except Caleb and Joshua was alive to witness the second numbering. Every other person counted the first time had fallen and died in the wilderness.

The failure came because the people were wicked, with sin in their midst breaking out in open, wanton rebellion against God. By solemn oath He therefore excluded them from the land and doomed them to die in the wilderness. The second numbering thus impresses the fact that God will fulfill His threatened judgments, demonstrating that He fulfilled His threatened judgment. The account warns that sin brings ruin even to people who have received great tokens of God's presence and favor and who hope to enter the promised land.

Divine Authority and Lessons

The numbering was undertaken at the Lord's command in the wilderness of Sinai, and therefore carried divine authorization. It stands in contrast to David's later census, which was sinful because he ordered it without the Lord's consent. David's fault lay in relying on the numbers of the people and on military strength.

The numbering after the coming out of Egypt provides a comparison for the 144,000. Whether they are a representative number is left uncertain. The census counted males of a specified age, while women and children were also present besides those counted.