Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Gad, were forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty.
The verse records the count of the tribe of Gad in the wilderness census at forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty fighting men. It belongs to the first numbering of Israel at Sinai about a year after leaving Egypt at the beginning of the forty years in the wilderness, while the second numbering in Numbers 26 was in the plains of Moab about thirty-eight to forty years later at its close. Only men twenty years old and upward who were able to go to war were counted, with Levi left out altogether besides all women and all under twenty, for a total of six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty men of war. The numbering came after the law had been given and the tabernacle erected with the cloud of glory upon it, when God had their names taken down and the host marshaled in order tribe by tribe in preparation for marching into the promised land, with every man expecting an inheritance in Canaan. In the later census Gad numbered forty thousand five hundred, a decrease of five thousand one hundred and fifty, and that whole generation counted here, except Caleb and Joshua, afterward died in the wilderness for rebellion, showing that God fulfills His judgment and sin brings ruin, while this numbering itself was done at the Lord's command unlike David's sinful census taken without His consent.
First Census at Sinai
Those numbered of the tribe of Gad were forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty men. This was the count of Gad in the first census of Israel, taken at the opening chapters of Numbers.
That first numbering was made at Sinai about a year after leaving Egypt, at the close of the first year in the wilderness and at the beginning of the forty years of wandering. It is to be distinguished from the second numbering in Numbers 26, made in the plains of Moab about thirty-eight to forty years later at the end of the forty years. The census soon after Israel left Egypt was repeated again at the end of the forty years.
Only men twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war were counted, of a specified age for military service. The tribe of Levi was excluded altogether, and all females and all under twenty years of age were excluded. The whole number was six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty men of war.
The numbering came after the law of God had been proclaimed from the flaming mount. It came after the tabernacle had been erected and the ark containing God's law deposited in its most holy place, and after the cloud of God's glory had taken possession of the tabernacle. It came after God had given bread from heaven every morning and water from the smitten rock, and while the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night remained over the camp. God had all their names taken down and the host marshaled in complete order, carefully numbered tribe by tribe under appointed inspectors, preparatory to marching into the land of promise.
In the connected story from creation to Revelation, the numbering comes after the building of the tabernacle and the establishing of its services and after the sin of Nadab and Abihu and before leaving Mount Sinai. Everything indicated speedy entrance into Canaan, and every man numbered expected an inheritance in the promised land which he might have received because of tokens of loving-kindness given to no other people. The two censuses give the book its name, whose Greek name is Arithmoi, from which comes the word arithmetic.
Comparison and Moral Lessons
The 45,650 men of the tribe of Gad counted here, men of a specified age, are to be set beside the second numbering of Israel in Numbers 26 at the end of the forty years, about forty years after this first numbering at the beginning of the forty years of wandering. That comparison notes the difference in the tribes to show how each tribe gained or lost and how some decreased while others increased. In particular it shows how Gad's numbers and population changed during Israel's wilderness journey from the beginning of the forty years to its end. In that later census, taken about forty years afterward, Gad numbered 40,500, a decrease of 5,150 from the 45,650 counted here soon after Israel left Egypt.
This census counted men able to go to war as the people, after receiving many signs of God's favor, expected soon to enter Canaan and the promised land. That whole first-numbered generation preparing to enter, except Caleb and Joshua, afterward rebelled against God and died in the wilderness. Their fate shows that God fulfilled His judgment against them and warns that sin brings ruin and leads to ruin. The numbering here is an example of a census taken at God's command, unlike David's census, which was sinful because he ordered it without the Lord's consent and relied on the strength of his forces.
The numbering of the people belongs after the building of the tabernacle and the establishing of its services and after the sin of Nadab and Abihu and before Israel's leaving Mount Sinai. In that place it forms one episode in the connected story of the whole Bible from creation to Revelation told for children with practical moral lessons woven in.
The verse records the count of the tribe of Gad in the wilderness census at forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty fighting men. It belongs to the first numbering of Israel at Sinai about a year after leaving Egypt at the beginning of the forty years in the wilderness, while the second numbering in Numbers 26 was in the plains of Moab about thirty-eight to forty years later at its close. Only men twenty years old and upward who were able to go to war were counted, with Levi left out altogether besides all women and all under twenty, for a total of six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty men of war. The numbering came after the law had been given and the tabernacle erected with the cloud of glory upon it, when God had their names taken down and the host marshaled in order tribe by tribe in preparation for marching into the promised land, with every man expecting an inheritance in Canaan. In the later census Gad numbered forty thousand five hundred, a decrease of five thousand one hundred and fifty, and that whole generation counted here, except Caleb and Joshua, afterward died in the wilderness for rebellion, showing that God fulfills His judgment and sin brings ruin, while this numbering itself was done at the Lord's command unlike David's sinful census taken without His consent.
First Census at Sinai
Those numbered of the tribe of Gad were forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty men. This was the count of Gad in the first census of Israel, taken at the opening chapters of Numbers.
That first numbering was made at Sinai about a year after leaving Egypt, at the close of the first year in the wilderness and at the beginning of the forty years of wandering. It is to be distinguished from the second numbering in Numbers 26, made in the plains of Moab about thirty-eight to forty years later at the end of the forty years. The census soon after Israel left Egypt was repeated again at the end of the forty years.
Only men twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war were counted, of a specified age for military service. The tribe of Levi was excluded altogether, and all females and all under twenty years of age were excluded. The whole number was six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty men of war.
The numbering came after the law of God had been proclaimed from the flaming mount. It came after the tabernacle had been erected and the ark containing God's law deposited in its most holy place, and after the cloud of God's glory had taken possession of the tabernacle. It came after God had given bread from heaven every morning and water from the smitten rock, and while the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night remained over the camp. God had all their names taken down and the host marshaled in complete order, carefully numbered tribe by tribe under appointed inspectors, preparatory to marching into the land of promise.
In the connected story from creation to Revelation, the numbering comes after the building of the tabernacle and the establishing of its services and after the sin of Nadab and Abihu and before leaving Mount Sinai. Everything indicated speedy entrance into Canaan, and every man numbered expected an inheritance in the promised land which he might have received because of tokens of loving-kindness given to no other people. The two censuses give the book its name, whose Greek name is Arithmoi, from which comes the word arithmetic.
Comparison and Moral Lessons
The 45,650 men of the tribe of Gad counted here, men of a specified age, are to be set beside the second numbering of Israel in Numbers 26 at the end of the forty years, about forty years after this first numbering at the beginning of the forty years of wandering. That comparison notes the difference in the tribes to show how each tribe gained or lost and how some decreased while others increased. In particular it shows how Gad's numbers and population changed during Israel's wilderness journey from the beginning of the forty years to its end. In that later census, taken about forty years afterward, Gad numbered 40,500, a decrease of 5,150 from the 45,650 counted here soon after Israel left Egypt.
This census counted men able to go to war as the people, after receiving many signs of God's favor, expected soon to enter Canaan and the promised land. That whole first-numbered generation preparing to enter, except Caleb and Joshua, afterward rebelled against God and died in the wilderness. Their fate shows that God fulfilled His judgment against them and warns that sin brings ruin and leads to ruin. The numbering here is an example of a census taken at God's command, unlike David's census, which was sinful because he ordered it without the Lord's consent and relied on the strength of his forces.
The numbering of the people belongs after the building of the tabernacle and the establishing of its services and after the sin of Nadab and Abihu and before Israel's leaving Mount Sinai. In that place it forms one episode in the connected story of the whole Bible from creation to Revelation told for children with practical moral lessons woven in.