Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.
Numbers 1:31 records 57,400 men of the tribe of Zebulun in the first numbering of Israel at Sinai about one year after leaving Egypt, counting only males twenty years old and upward able to go to war apart from Levi, as part of 603,550 men of war marshaled in complete order tribe by tribe. It was taken by Moses at God's direction after the law was proclaimed, the tabernacle was erected and God's glory took possession of it, as a commanded census that brought no trouble and prepared the host to march into the promised land when every one numbered expected an inheritance there. Zebulun's count is to be compared with its second count of 60,500 in the plains of Moab nearly forty years later, an increase of 3,100, showing how the tribes gained or lost during the wilderness years. Though prepared to enter, the people rebelled so that apart from Caleb and Joshua those counted in this first census died in the wilderness before the second. Unlike this census taken at God's command, David's census was sin because it was taken without the Lord's consent out of pride and confidence in military strength rather than reliance on God.
Census Meaning and Setting
This is the first of the two numberings of Israel under Moses. It was taken at Sinai soon after Israel left Egypt, when they had been in the desert about one year, at the close of the first year in the wilderness and at the beginning of the forty years. It stands forty years before the second numbering in Numbers 26, which was taken in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years later and is taken again at the end of the forty years.
It records 57,400 men of the tribe of Zebulun as part of a detailed tribe-by-tribe counting, with each tribe counted separately under careful inspectors. Only males twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war were counted, excluding the tribe of Levi entirely, excluding all females and excluding all under twenty. They formed part of a total of 603,550 men of war.
The numbering was done by Moses at God's direction after the law had been proclaimed from Sinai, from the flaming mount, and after the tabernacle had been erected with the ark containing God's law placed in 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 and did not depart from it. As a census taken at God's command it brought no trouble. Its chapters continue Leviticus before the narrative that left Israel encamped at Sinai is resumed, the book taking its name from the two censuses, reflected in the Greek title Arithmoi from which comes the word arithmetic, and the numbering forms one part of the story of building the tabernacle and establishing its services after the sin of Nadab and Abihu and before leaving Mount Sinai.
God took down all their names and marshalled the host in complete and completest order preparatory to marching into the land of promise. Everything indicated speedy entrance into Canaan. Every one numbered expected an inheritance there in the land of promise, in Canaan, and might have had it after such tokens of God's lovingkindness.
Comparison and Instruction
Zebulun's earlier count of 57,400 is to be compared with its later count of 60,500 nearly forty years later, an increase of 3,100. The numbering in Numbers 1 belongs to the first numbering of Israel at the beginning of the forty years, forty years before the second numbering in Numbers 26, and it is taken again at the end of the forty years. It is one of the tribe-by-tribe census figures specifying the age group counted, and its count for Zebulun is to be compared with the later count to note the difference in the tribes and to see how the tribe gained or lost members. Comparing this census at the beginning of Israel's wandering with the one at the end shows that the tribes changed in number during the wilderness years, though the general change is noted without specifying Zebulun's particular change.
The first numbering counted 603,550 men in all, counting only men able to go forth to war and excluding the Levites, females, and those under twenty. That census marshaled Israel in preparation to enter the promised land, but the people rebelled and sinned. Of those counted then, apart from Caleb and Joshua the rest died in the wilderness before the second census, so that only Caleb and Joshua lived to witness it, fulfilling God's threatened judgment.
This was a census taken at God's command by Moses, and as a commanded census it brought no trouble. By contrast David's census was sin because it was taken without the Lord's consent, out of pride and confidence in military strength rather than reliance on God.
Numbers 1:31 records 57,400 men of the tribe of Zebulun in the first numbering of Israel at Sinai about one year after leaving Egypt, counting only males twenty years old and upward able to go to war apart from Levi, as part of 603,550 men of war marshaled in complete order tribe by tribe. It was taken by Moses at God's direction after the law was proclaimed, the tabernacle was erected and God's glory took possession of it, as a commanded census that brought no trouble and prepared the host to march into the promised land when every one numbered expected an inheritance there. Zebulun's count is to be compared with its second count of 60,500 in the plains of Moab nearly forty years later, an increase of 3,100, showing how the tribes gained or lost during the wilderness years. Though prepared to enter, the people rebelled so that apart from Caleb and Joshua those counted in this first census died in the wilderness before the second. Unlike this census taken at God's command, David's census was sin because it was taken without the Lord's consent out of pride and confidence in military strength rather than reliance on God.
Census Meaning and Setting
This is the first of the two numberings of Israel under Moses. It was taken at Sinai soon after Israel left Egypt, when they had been in the desert about one year, at the close of the first year in the wilderness and at the beginning of the forty years. It stands forty years before the second numbering in Numbers 26, which was taken in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years later and is taken again at the end of the forty years.
It records 57,400 men of the tribe of Zebulun as part of a detailed tribe-by-tribe counting, with each tribe counted separately under careful inspectors. Only males twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war were counted, excluding the tribe of Levi entirely, excluding all females and excluding all under twenty. They formed part of a total of 603,550 men of war.
The numbering was done by Moses at God's direction after the law had been proclaimed from Sinai, from the flaming mount, and after the tabernacle had been erected with the ark containing God's law placed in 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 and did not depart from it. As a census taken at God's command it brought no trouble. Its chapters continue Leviticus before the narrative that left Israel encamped at Sinai is resumed, the book taking its name from the two censuses, reflected in the Greek title Arithmoi from which comes the word arithmetic, and the numbering forms one part of the story of building the tabernacle and establishing its services after the sin of Nadab and Abihu and before leaving Mount Sinai.
God took down all their names and marshalled the host in complete and completest order preparatory to marching into the land of promise. Everything indicated speedy entrance into Canaan. Every one numbered expected an inheritance there in the land of promise, in Canaan, and might have had it after such tokens of God's lovingkindness.
Comparison and Instruction
Zebulun's earlier count of 57,400 is to be compared with its later count of 60,500 nearly forty years later, an increase of 3,100. The numbering in Numbers 1 belongs to the first numbering of Israel at the beginning of the forty years, forty years before the second numbering in Numbers 26, and it is taken again at the end of the forty years. It is one of the tribe-by-tribe census figures specifying the age group counted, and its count for Zebulun is to be compared with the later count to note the difference in the tribes and to see how the tribe gained or lost members. Comparing this census at the beginning of Israel's wandering with the one at the end shows that the tribes changed in number during the wilderness years, though the general change is noted without specifying Zebulun's particular change.
The first numbering counted 603,550 men in all, counting only men able to go forth to war and excluding the Levites, females, and those under twenty. That census marshaled Israel in preparation to enter the promised land, but the people rebelled and sinned. Of those counted then, apart from Caleb and Joshua the rest died in the wilderness before the second census, so that only Caleb and Joshua lived to witness it, fulfilling God's threatened judgment.
This was a census taken at God's command by Moses, and as a commanded census it brought no trouble. By contrast David's census was sin because it was taken without the Lord's consent, out of pride and confidence in military strength rather than reliance on God.