Numbers 1:32
Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
Numbers 1:32 records the Sinai numbering of the family of Ephraim of the children of Joseph, counting by generations, families and households only the men from twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war. It belongs to the first numbering that gives the book of Numbers its name, taken when Israel had been in the desert about one year after the giving of the law and the setting up of the tabernacle, marshaling the host in order for a speedy entrance into Canaan where every man counted expected an inheritance. Ephraim then numbered 40,500 men of war, but nearly forty years later numbered only 32,500, a loss of 8,000 that shows how the tribes gained or lost during the wandering. That first counting came before the rebellion, and apart from Caleb and Joshua those so counted died in the wilderness and never inherited the promised land. The account thus warns that sin and rebellion bring ruin despite great favor, while Moses numbered twice at the Lord's command without trouble, unlike David who numbered from Dan to Beersheba in pride and vain confidence in his own strength.
First Census Setting
The verse belongs to the first of the two numberings of Israel that give the book of Numbers its name, the numbering at Sinai, while the second numbering took place in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years later. The title Numbers is fitting because of these numberings, corresponding to the Greek Arithmoi, from which comes the word arithmetic.
The first numbering came when Israel had been in the desert only about one year, at the close of that first year. It followed the proclamation of the law from the flaming mount, the erection of the tabernacle with the ark containing the law in its most holy place, and the taking possession of the building by the cloud of glory. By then 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. At that point God directed the numbering and Moses performed it, taking down all the names and marshaling the host in complete order preparatory to marching into the land of promise, with everything indicating speedy entrance into Canaan.
The verse records the descendants of Joseph through Ephraim, one family of Joseph, counted by generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names. It counts only males from twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war, conducted tribe by tribe with careful oversight. The reckoning excluded the tribe of Levi entirely, with all females and all under twenty left out, and contributed to the total of 603,550 men of war. The census was taken soon after Israel left Egypt as Israel prepared to enter Canaan. Every one counted expected an inheritance in the land of promise and might have had it after such tokens of loving-kindness.
Comparison With Second Census
The numbering to which this verse belongs was made forty years before the second numbering, and the two numberings stand together for comparison. The first is recorded in Numbers 1 and the second in Numbers 26 at the end of the forty years, and setting the one against the other shows the difference in the tribes. Here the descendants of Joseph through Ephraim are counted by generations, by families and by ancestral households, according to the number of the names, every male from twenty years old and upward who was able to go forth to war. Those figures give the basis for seeing how Ephraim and the other tribes gained or lost population during the forty years of wandering, for some increased greatly while others declined.
In this first census, taken soon after Israel left Egypt, Ephraim numbered 40,500 men of twenty years and older fit for war. Nearly forty years later the same tribe numbered 32,500, a decrease of 8,000.
This first census came before Israel's rebellion and its exclusion from the promised land. Those counted could have inherited the promised land, yet the later census showed that all who rebelled had died in the wilderness. Apart from Caleb and Joshua, those counted the first time had died, fulfilling God's threatened judgment.
Warning and Obedience
The numbering to which this verse belongs counted men twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war, arranged by tribe and by family, and it included the descendants of Ephraim of the line of Joseph. Every man thus enrolled stood in expectation of an inheritance in the land of promise. Yet the later numbering showed that all who rebelled against God had died in the wilderness, with only Caleb and Joshua remaining. The account therefore warns that sin and rebellion bring ruin even where there has been divine favor and the hope of entering the promised land.
Moses took such a census twice at the command of the Lord and with the Lord's consent, and no trouble followed. David's numbering of Israel from Dan to Beersheba was sinful because it was done without the Lord's consent, in the pride of his heart and in vain confidence in his own strength. He wanted to publish the number of his military men in order to appear more formidable and to intimidate his enemies, vaunting himself and leaning on the arm of flesh instead of God. His act was like that of Hezekiah in showing his treasures to the heathen ambassadors.