Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.
Numbers 1:29 records the 54,400 men of the tribe of Issachar, twenty years old and upward and able to go to war, who were numbered in Israel's first census at Sinai near the end of the first year after leaving Egypt. Moses took the numbering at God's direction and command, with every name taken down and the whole host, 603,550 men of war apart from Levi, marshaled in complete order to march toward the promised inheritance. It belongs to the first of the two numberings that give the book of Numbers its name. That total is to be set beside the second numbering taken forty years later in the plains of Moab shortly before entering Canaan, when Issachar had increased by 9,900 to 64,300, showing how the tribes gained or lost. Those counted in the first census could have inherited the promised land, but through rebellion and sin judgment came and that generation died in the wilderness, except for Caleb and Joshua.
First Census Context
Those numbered of the tribe of Issachar were 54,400 men in Israel's first census at Sinai, taken soon after leaving Egypt near the end of the first year in the wilderness as Israel prepared to enter Canaan. It was the first of the two numberings of Israel under Moses, made when Israel had been in the desert about one year and the work on the way was almost accomplished. The count serves as the baseline for comparison with the second census to show how the tribes changed during the wilderness journey. It marked a generation that expected an inheritance in the land of promise which each might have had.
The numbering came after the law of God had been proclaimed from the flaming mount, the tabernacle had been erected with the ark containing God's law carried into its most holy place, and 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 of fire by night remained over the camp. It stands in the opening chapters that continue Leviticus, before the narrative that left Israel encamped at Sinai is resumed and the journey toward Kadesh-barnea is recorded. In the connected story it comes after the sin of Nadab and Abihu and before Israel's leaving Mount Sinai for the onward wilderness history toward Canaan.
Only men from twenty years old and upward able to go forth to war were counted, excluding the tribe of Levi entirely and excluding all females and all under twenty years of age. The total was 603,550 men of war including the tribe of Issachar. All their names were taken down and their host was marshaled in the completest order preparatory to marching into the land of promise, so that everything indicated their speedy entrance into Canaan. Every one of these men expected an inheritance in the land of promise after such tokens of God's loving-kindness as no other people ever witnessed.
Moses performed the numbering at God's direction and command. That census at God's command stands in contrast with David's census, which was taken without God's consent. The verse belongs to the first of the two numberings that give the book of Numbers its name, reflected in the Greek title Arithmoi meaning numbers.
Comparison and Outcome
The 54,400 of Issachar belongs to the first numbering in Numbers 1, to be compared with the second numbering in Numbers 26 at the end of the wilderness journey to note the difference in the tribes. The census gives the number for each tribe and for men of the age counted, providing a baseline at the beginning of the forty years for comparison with the numbering at the end of the forty years. That comparison shows how the tribes gained or lost, how their numbers changed during the wandering, with some increasing greatly while others declined and decreased. The second numbering was taken forty years after the first, at the close of the forty years of wandering, shortly before entering Canaan.
The second numbering was taken in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years after the first census at Sinai. The first census was taken soon after the people left Egypt, and set against the later census shortly before entering Canaan it shows Issachar increased by 9,900, to 64,300. Those counted in the first census expected and could have had an inheritance in the land of promise, but through rebellion and sin judgment came upon them. That generation died in the wilderness, with none left of it except Caleb and Joshua.
Numbers 1:29 records the 54,400 men of the tribe of Issachar, twenty years old and upward and able to go to war, who were numbered in Israel's first census at Sinai near the end of the first year after leaving Egypt. Moses took the numbering at God's direction and command, with every name taken down and the whole host, 603,550 men of war apart from Levi, marshaled in complete order to march toward the promised inheritance. It belongs to the first of the two numberings that give the book of Numbers its name. That total is to be set beside the second numbering taken forty years later in the plains of Moab shortly before entering Canaan, when Issachar had increased by 9,900 to 64,300, showing how the tribes gained or lost. Those counted in the first census could have inherited the promised land, but through rebellion and sin judgment came and that generation died in the wilderness, except for Caleb and Joshua.
First Census Context
Those numbered of the tribe of Issachar were 54,400 men in Israel's first census at Sinai, taken soon after leaving Egypt near the end of the first year in the wilderness as Israel prepared to enter Canaan. It was the first of the two numberings of Israel under Moses, made when Israel had been in the desert about one year and the work on the way was almost accomplished. The count serves as the baseline for comparison with the second census to show how the tribes changed during the wilderness journey. It marked a generation that expected an inheritance in the land of promise which each might have had.
The numbering came after the law of God had been proclaimed from the flaming mount, the tabernacle had been erected with the ark containing God's law carried into its most holy place, and 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 of fire by night remained over the camp. It stands in the opening chapters that continue Leviticus, before the narrative that left Israel encamped at Sinai is resumed and the journey toward Kadesh-barnea is recorded. In the connected story it comes after the sin of Nadab and Abihu and before Israel's leaving Mount Sinai for the onward wilderness history toward Canaan.
Only men from twenty years old and upward able to go forth to war were counted, excluding the tribe of Levi entirely and excluding all females and all under twenty years of age. The total was 603,550 men of war including the tribe of Issachar. All their names were taken down and their host was marshaled in the completest order preparatory to marching into the land of promise, so that everything indicated their speedy entrance into Canaan. Every one of these men expected an inheritance in the land of promise after such tokens of God's loving-kindness as no other people ever witnessed.
Moses performed the numbering at God's direction and command. That census at God's command stands in contrast with David's census, which was taken without God's consent. The verse belongs to the first of the two numberings that give the book of Numbers its name, reflected in the Greek title Arithmoi meaning numbers.
Comparison and Outcome
The 54,400 of Issachar belongs to the first numbering in Numbers 1, to be compared with the second numbering in Numbers 26 at the end of the wilderness journey to note the difference in the tribes. The census gives the number for each tribe and for men of the age counted, providing a baseline at the beginning of the forty years for comparison with the numbering at the end of the forty years. That comparison shows how the tribes gained or lost, how their numbers changed during the wandering, with some increasing greatly while others declined and decreased. The second numbering was taken forty years after the first, at the close of the forty years of wandering, shortly before entering Canaan.
The second numbering was taken in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years after the first census at Sinai. The first census was taken soon after the people left Egypt, and set against the later census shortly before entering Canaan it shows Issachar increased by 9,900, to 64,300. Those counted in the first census expected and could have had an inheritance in the land of promise, but through rebellion and sin judgment came upon them. That generation died in the wilderness, with none left of it except Caleb and Joshua.