As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.
As the Lord commanded him, Moses numbered Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. The count enrolled 603,550 men twenty years old and upward who were able to go to war, with the tribe of Levi left out entirely, along with all women and all males under age, each tribe being counted separately under appointed oversight. This was the first of the two numberings that give the book its name, taken at Sinai at the beginning of the forty years, with the second taken in the plains of Moab nearly forty years later to show how each tribe had gained or lost in the wilderness while the total of adult men changed little. Every man so numbered expected an inheritance in Canaan, yet after rebellion all of that generation except Caleb and Joshua died in the wilderness, fulfilling God's threatened judgment and warning that divine favor does not make it safe to cherish sin; numbering itself was not wrong, for Moses numbered twice by God's command, while David sinned in numbering without His consent from pride in military strength.
Setting and First Census
Moses numbered Israel in the wilderness of Sinai just as the Lord had commanded him. The numbering was done at the close of the first year in the desert, after the law of God had been proclaimed from the flaming mount, the tabernacle had been erected and the ark containing God's law placed in its most holy place, the cloud of God's glory had taken possession of it, God had given bread from heaven every morning and water from the smitten rock, and the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night remained over the camp. In the order of the book, the numbering comes after the building of the tabernacle and establishing its services and the sin of Nadab and Abihu, and before Israel's departure from Mount Sinai.
The census counted 603,550 men able to go forth to war, not including the tribe of Levi at all, nor any females, nor any males under twenty years of age. The chapter gives definite counts of men of specified age by tribe. The work was carried out carefully, with each tribe counted separately under appointed inspectors.
God took down all their names and marshaled the host in complete order preparatory to marching into the land of promise, with everything indicating speedy entrance into Canaan, and every man numbered expected an inheritance there. This is the first of the two censuses that give the book of Numbers its name, and its opening chapters also record the numbering of the Levites and the duties of their families.
Second Census and Warning
The book holds two numberings, the one in the wilderness of Sinai at the beginning of the forty years of wandering and the other in the plains of Moab at the end of the forty years. The first was taken soon after leaving Egypt, the second nearly forty years later just before entering Canaan, with the interval given as thirty-eight years and as forty years before the numbering in Numbers 26. The Sinai numbering is the counterpart and baseline for the closing numbering, tribe set against tribe.
Its figures of men of specified age by tribe were recorded to be compared with the later census, showing how each tribe gained or lost during the forty years in the wilderness. Comparison of the two numberings shows the difference in the tribes, with some falling off in number and others increasing on the journey. The tribal totals changed substantially, yet the total number of adult men changed little.
Every man numbered at Sinai expected an inheritance and speedy entrance into Canaan, but through rebellion all of that generation except Caleb and Joshua died in the wilderness. The later census therefore displayed the fulfillment of the threatened judgment of God against that generation. Their failure stands as warning that favor and promises from God do not make it safe to cherish sin, for sin brings ruin.
Numbering itself was not wrong, for Moses numbered the people twice at God's command. David's numbering was sin because it was done without the Lord's consent, from pride and confidence in military strength.
As the Lord commanded him, Moses numbered Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. The count enrolled 603,550 men twenty years old and upward who were able to go to war, with the tribe of Levi left out entirely, along with all women and all males under age, each tribe being counted separately under appointed oversight. This was the first of the two numberings that give the book its name, taken at Sinai at the beginning of the forty years, with the second taken in the plains of Moab nearly forty years later to show how each tribe had gained or lost in the wilderness while the total of adult men changed little. Every man so numbered expected an inheritance in Canaan, yet after rebellion all of that generation except Caleb and Joshua died in the wilderness, fulfilling God's threatened judgment and warning that divine favor does not make it safe to cherish sin; numbering itself was not wrong, for Moses numbered twice by God's command, while David sinned in numbering without His consent from pride in military strength.
Setting and First Census
Moses numbered Israel in the wilderness of Sinai just as the Lord had commanded him. The numbering was done at the close of the first year in the desert, after the law of God had been proclaimed from the flaming mount, the tabernacle had been erected and the ark containing God's law placed in its most holy place, the cloud of God's glory had taken possession of it, God had given bread from heaven every morning and water from the smitten rock, and the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night remained over the camp. In the order of the book, the numbering comes after the building of the tabernacle and establishing its services and the sin of Nadab and Abihu, and before Israel's departure from Mount Sinai.
The census counted 603,550 men able to go forth to war, not including the tribe of Levi at all, nor any females, nor any males under twenty years of age. The chapter gives definite counts of men of specified age by tribe. The work was carried out carefully, with each tribe counted separately under appointed inspectors.
God took down all their names and marshaled the host in complete order preparatory to marching into the land of promise, with everything indicating speedy entrance into Canaan, and every man numbered expected an inheritance there. This is the first of the two censuses that give the book of Numbers its name, and its opening chapters also record the numbering of the Levites and the duties of their families.
Second Census and Warning
The book holds two numberings, the one in the wilderness of Sinai at the beginning of the forty years of wandering and the other in the plains of Moab at the end of the forty years. The first was taken soon after leaving Egypt, the second nearly forty years later just before entering Canaan, with the interval given as thirty-eight years and as forty years before the numbering in Numbers 26. The Sinai numbering is the counterpart and baseline for the closing numbering, tribe set against tribe.
Its figures of men of specified age by tribe were recorded to be compared with the later census, showing how each tribe gained or lost during the forty years in the wilderness. Comparison of the two numberings shows the difference in the tribes, with some falling off in number and others increasing on the journey. The tribal totals changed substantially, yet the total number of adult men changed little.
Every man numbered at Sinai expected an inheritance and speedy entrance into Canaan, but through rebellion all of that generation except Caleb and Joshua died in the wilderness. The later census therefore displayed the fulfillment of the threatened judgment of God against that generation. Their failure stands as warning that favor and promises from God do not make it safe to cherish sin, for sin brings ruin.
Numbering itself was not wrong, for Moses numbered the people twice at God's command. David's numbering was sin because it was done without the Lord's consent, from pride and confidence in military strength.