And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names:
Moses and Aaron took the men who were appointed and expressed by name to help take a careful census of Israel tribe by tribe under designated leaders. Those counted were the men able to go to war, leaving out the tribe of Levi, the women, and males under twenty, numbering 603,550 in all, with their names recorded and the host organized in preparation for entering Canaan. This numbering was done at Sinai at the Lord's command at the beginning of the forty years in the wilderness, in the time of building the tabernacle and establishing its services, and unlike David's later census it brought no trouble. It was the first of the two numberings of the host that give the book of Numbers its name, the second being taken in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years later at the end of the wandering. Of all those counted in the first numbering not one except Caleb and Joshua lived to witness the second, because open rebellion brought God's solemn oath that they should die in the wilderness, so the later numbering stands to impress that He will fulfill His threatened judgments.
Census Setting and Details
Moses and Aaron took the men who were appointed and expressed by name to assist in carrying out the careful census of Israel. Each tribe was numbered separately under designated inspectors chosen for the work. Those numbered were the men able to go to war, with the tribe of Levi excluded, along with females and males under twenty. In all 603,550 men were counted, their names were recorded, and the host was organized in preparation for entering Canaan. The chapter gives the numbers of men of specified ages in each tribe.
This numbering took place at Sinai at the beginning of the forty years in the wilderness. It belongs to the history of building the tabernacle and establishing its services, coming after the sin of Nadab and Abihu and before Israel left Mount Sinai. This was a census Moses took at the Lord's command, and unlike David's later census, this authorized numbering brought no trouble.
First and Second Numberings
This verse belongs to the first of the two numberings of the host of Israel that give the book of Numbers its name. That first census was taken when God directed Moses to number the people, marking the beginning of the book's record of Israel's numbering. The second numbering is in its twenty-sixth chapter. It was taken in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years later, at the end of the forty years, so that the tribes are numbered again after the wilderness wandering.
Moses and Aaron took the men appointed by name to carry out this census, and the chapter gives the numbers of men of specified ages in each tribe. That first numbering is contrasted with the second numbering in Numbers 26, forty years later. Comparing them shows the differences in the tribes and how their numbers changed during the wilderness journey. The comparison reveals which tribes gained or lost, for some tribes grew greatly while others declined, with some decreasing while others increased.
Of all the men counted in the first numbering, not one except Caleb and Joshua was alive to witness the second numbering, for every other person had fallen in the wilderness. This happened because the people were wicked and sin was in their midst, breaking out in open, wanton rebellion against the God of Heaven. So He by solemn oath excluded them from the land and doomed them to die in the wilderness. The later census showed that God's threatened judgment had been fulfilled, as all who had rebelled and been counted in the first census had died in the wilderness except Caleb and Joshua, and the second numbering stands to impress the fact that God will fulfill His threatened judgments.
Moses and Aaron took the men who were appointed and expressed by name to help take a careful census of Israel tribe by tribe under designated leaders. Those counted were the men able to go to war, leaving out the tribe of Levi, the women, and males under twenty, numbering 603,550 in all, with their names recorded and the host organized in preparation for entering Canaan. This numbering was done at Sinai at the Lord's command at the beginning of the forty years in the wilderness, in the time of building the tabernacle and establishing its services, and unlike David's later census it brought no trouble. It was the first of the two numberings of the host that give the book of Numbers its name, the second being taken in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years later at the end of the wandering. Of all those counted in the first numbering not one except Caleb and Joshua lived to witness the second, because open rebellion brought God's solemn oath that they should die in the wilderness, so the later numbering stands to impress that He will fulfill His threatened judgments.
Census Setting and Details
Moses and Aaron took the men who were appointed and expressed by name to assist in carrying out the careful census of Israel. Each tribe was numbered separately under designated inspectors chosen for the work. Those numbered were the men able to go to war, with the tribe of Levi excluded, along with females and males under twenty. In all 603,550 men were counted, their names were recorded, and the host was organized in preparation for entering Canaan. The chapter gives the numbers of men of specified ages in each tribe.
This numbering took place at Sinai at the beginning of the forty years in the wilderness. It belongs to the history of building the tabernacle and establishing its services, coming after the sin of Nadab and Abihu and before Israel left Mount Sinai. This was a census Moses took at the Lord's command, and unlike David's later census, this authorized numbering brought no trouble.
First and Second Numberings
This verse belongs to the first of the two numberings of the host of Israel that give the book of Numbers its name. That first census was taken when God directed Moses to number the people, marking the beginning of the book's record of Israel's numbering. The second numbering is in its twenty-sixth chapter. It was taken in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years later, at the end of the forty years, so that the tribes are numbered again after the wilderness wandering.
Moses and Aaron took the men appointed by name to carry out this census, and the chapter gives the numbers of men of specified ages in each tribe. That first numbering is contrasted with the second numbering in Numbers 26, forty years later. Comparing them shows the differences in the tribes and how their numbers changed during the wilderness journey. The comparison reveals which tribes gained or lost, for some tribes grew greatly while others declined, with some decreasing while others increased.
Of all the men counted in the first numbering, not one except Caleb and Joshua was alive to witness the second numbering, for every other person had fallen in the wilderness. This happened because the people were wicked and sin was in their midst, breaking out in open, wanton rebellion against the God of Heaven. So He by solemn oath excluded them from the land and doomed them to die in the wilderness. The later census showed that God's threatened judgment had been fulfilled, as all who had rebelled and been counted in the first census had died in the wilderness except Caleb and Joshua, and the second numbering stands to impress the fact that God will fulfill His threatened judgments.