Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim; Elishama the son of Ammihud: of Manasseh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
Numbers 1:10 names the two tribes that came from Joseph, Ephraim under Elishama the son of Ammihud and Manasseh under Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, as their appointed princes in the first wilderness numbering under Moses. That numbering was made at the Lord's command with each tribe counted separately, reckoning only men twenty years old and upward who were able to go to war, leaving out Levi, all women and all under twenty, for a total of 603,550 men of war. It took place when Israel had been about a year in the wilderness, after the law had been given and the tabernacle erected with the ark and the cloud of glory over it, with bread from heaven and water from the rock and the pillar of cloud and fire, and God recorded every name and set the host in order to march speedily into Canaan for the promised inheritance. In that first census Ephraim stood at 40,500 and Manasseh at 32,200, and set against the second numbering forty years later in Numbers 26, Ephraim decreased by 8,000 while Manasseh increased by 20,500. Of all those first counted only Caleb and Joshua lived to see the second numbering, because the rest rebelled and fell in the wilderness, showing that God fulfills His threatened judgments and that sin in the midst brings ruin.
First Census Setting
Numbers 1:10 belongs to the first of the two numberings of Israel under Moses in the wilderness, the first wilderness census recorded at the opening of Numbers and set against the second numbering in Numbers 26 forty years later at the end of the forty years of wandering. It names the two tribes descended from Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, and their appointed leaders, princes and representatives in the census and organization, Elishama the son of Ammihud for Ephraim and Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur for Manasseh. The first numbering provides the point of comparison with the second to see how each tribe gained or lost members, showing how some prospered and increased while others declined and decreased.
The census was God's careful numbering, taken by Moses at the Lord's command with each tribe counted separately under appointed inspectors. Unlike David's later census it brought no trouble, because David acted without the Lord's consent and relied on the size of his forces. The chapter gives definite counts of men of a specified age, counting only men twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war, altogether excluding the tribe of Levi, excluding all females, and excluding all under twenty, for a total of 603,550 men of war.
The numbering was made when Israel had been about one year in the wilderness, after 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 and the cloud of God's glory taking possession of it, God giving bread from heaven every morning and water from the smitten rock, and the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night remaining over the camp. It belongs to the story of building the tabernacle and establishing its services, following the giving of the law and coming before leaving Mount Sinai. Everyone counted expected an inheritance in the land of promise and might have had it after such tokens of loving-kindness, and God took down all their names and marshaled their host in completest order in preparation for marching speedily into Canaan.
Second Numbering Contrast
The opening numbering stands as the point of comparison with the second numbering in Numbers 26, taken forty years later at the end of the forty years of wandering. The two records are set against each other to show how each tribe gained or lost members across the wilderness journey. Some tribes prospered while others declined, some gained population and others lost it, and some decreased while others increased. The chapter's definite counts of men of the specified age thus provide the first figure from the beginning of the forty years for measuring change by the end.
In that first census Ephraim numbered 40,500 men and Manasseh 32,200 men, under Elishama son of Ammihud for Ephraim and Gamaliel son of Pedahzur for Manasseh as the census leaders of Joseph's two tribes. Compared with the later census, Ephraim decreased by 8,000 and Manasseh increased by 20,500. This opposite movement shows how some tribes prospered and increased while others declined and decreased during the forty years of wandering.
Of all who were counted the first time, only Caleb and Joshua lived to witness the second numbering. Every other person who had rebelled against God had fallen in the wilderness. By solemn oath He excluded them from the land and doomed them to die there. The contrast impresses that God will fulfill His threatened judgments, and Israel's history warns that sin brings ruin. The terrible failure came because the people were wicked and sin was in their midst, breaking out in open, wanton rebellion against God.
Numbers 1:10 names the two tribes that came from Joseph, Ephraim under Elishama the son of Ammihud and Manasseh under Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, as their appointed princes in the first wilderness numbering under Moses. That numbering was made at the Lord's command with each tribe counted separately, reckoning only men twenty years old and upward who were able to go to war, leaving out Levi, all women and all under twenty, for a total of 603,550 men of war. It took place when Israel had been about a year in the wilderness, after the law had been given and the tabernacle erected with the ark and the cloud of glory over it, with bread from heaven and water from the rock and the pillar of cloud and fire, and God recorded every name and set the host in order to march speedily into Canaan for the promised inheritance. In that first census Ephraim stood at 40,500 and Manasseh at 32,200, and set against the second numbering forty years later in Numbers 26, Ephraim decreased by 8,000 while Manasseh increased by 20,500. Of all those first counted only Caleb and Joshua lived to see the second numbering, because the rest rebelled and fell in the wilderness, showing that God fulfills His threatened judgments and that sin in the midst brings ruin.
First Census Setting
Numbers 1:10 belongs to the first of the two numberings of Israel under Moses in the wilderness, the first wilderness census recorded at the opening of Numbers and set against the second numbering in Numbers 26 forty years later at the end of the forty years of wandering. It names the two tribes descended from Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, and their appointed leaders, princes and representatives in the census and organization, Elishama the son of Ammihud for Ephraim and Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur for Manasseh. The first numbering provides the point of comparison with the second to see how each tribe gained or lost members, showing how some prospered and increased while others declined and decreased.
The census was God's careful numbering, taken by Moses at the Lord's command with each tribe counted separately under appointed inspectors. Unlike David's later census it brought no trouble, because David acted without the Lord's consent and relied on the size of his forces. The chapter gives definite counts of men of a specified age, counting only men twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war, altogether excluding the tribe of Levi, excluding all females, and excluding all under twenty, for a total of 603,550 men of war.
The numbering was made when Israel had been about one year in the wilderness, after 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 and the cloud of God's glory taking possession of it, God giving bread from heaven every morning and water from the smitten rock, and the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night remaining over the camp. It belongs to the story of building the tabernacle and establishing its services, following the giving of the law and coming before leaving Mount Sinai. Everyone counted expected an inheritance in the land of promise and might have had it after such tokens of loving-kindness, and God took down all their names and marshaled their host in completest order in preparation for marching speedily into Canaan.
Second Numbering Contrast
The opening numbering stands as the point of comparison with the second numbering in Numbers 26, taken forty years later at the end of the forty years of wandering. The two records are set against each other to show how each tribe gained or lost members across the wilderness journey. Some tribes prospered while others declined, some gained population and others lost it, and some decreased while others increased. The chapter's definite counts of men of the specified age thus provide the first figure from the beginning of the forty years for measuring change by the end.
In that first census Ephraim numbered 40,500 men and Manasseh 32,200 men, under Elishama son of Ammihud for Ephraim and Gamaliel son of Pedahzur for Manasseh as the census leaders of Joseph's two tribes. Compared with the later census, Ephraim decreased by 8,000 and Manasseh increased by 20,500. This opposite movement shows how some tribes prospered and increased while others declined and decreased during the forty years of wandering.
Of all who were counted the first time, only Caleb and Joshua lived to witness the second numbering. Every other person who had rebelled against God had fallen in the wilderness. By solemn oath He excluded them from the land and doomed them to die there. The contrast impresses that God will fulfill His threatened judgments, and Israel's history warns that sin brings ruin. The terrible failure came because the people were wicked and sin was in their midst, breaking out in open, wanton rebellion against God.