Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred.
The verse records that 40,500 men of the tribe of Ephraim were counted in Israel's first census at Sinai, the first of the two numberings that give the book of Numbers its name. That numbering counted only males twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war, for a total of 603,550 men, marshaled in complete order as a vast host ready to march into the land of promise. It provides the baseline at the beginning of the forty years of wandering for comparing with the second numbering in Numbers 26 at the end of the forty years, to note how the tribes gained or lost members. By that later count Ephraim had fallen by 8,000, when only Joshua and Caleb of the first generation remained alive, showing that God had carried out His judgment on the rebellious generation and warning that sin leads to ruin.
First Census at Sinai
Those numbered of the tribe of Ephraim were forty thousand and five hundred men in Israel's first census. The count was of men of the specified age taken soon after Israel left Egypt at the beginning of the forty years of wandering. The verse belongs to the numbering of Israel at Sinai, the first of the two censuses that give the book of Numbers its name.
The numbering was commanded by God at the close of the first year in the desert, after the law had been proclaimed from the flaming mount, the tabernacle had been erected with the ark of God's law in its most holy place and the cloud of glory upon it, God had given bread from heaven every morning and water from the smitten rock, and the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night remained over the camp. The census counted only males twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war, leaving out all females, all under twenty, and the whole tribe of Levi, for a total of 603,550 men of war. God's people were carefully counted tribe by tribe under appointed census inspectors, with every man's name taken down. The numbering marshaled the people in complete order as a vast host ready to march into the land of promise, each one expecting an inheritance in Canaan that he might have received, so that their speedy entrance then seemed near.
Ephraim had its place under the traditional ox standard in Israel's camp arrangement. The opening chapters to which the verse belongs continue Leviticus, and beginning with chapter 9 the Exodus narrative left with Israel encamped at Sinai is resumed on the way to Kadesh-barnea; the name Numbers is fitting, as shown by the Greek Arithmoi, from which comes the word arithmetic. The census was taken by Moses at the Lord's command, in contrast with David's later census, which was sinful because he took it without the Lord's consent and trusted in the size of his forces.
Second Census and Warning
The count of 40,500 for Ephraim stands at the beginning of the forty years of wandering as the baseline for comparison with the second numbering in Numbers 26 at the end of the forty years, to note how the tribes gained or lost members. The first census is to be set beside the numbering at the end of the forty years, with its definite numbers for men of a specified age compared with the later census to see the difference in the tribes. The second numbering was made in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years after the numbering at Sinai. The first numbering was made forty years before the second numbering in Numbers 26.
Ephraim's number had fallen by 8,000 by the later census taken after Israel left Egypt. Comparing the two counts shows how the tribes' numbers changed during the wilderness years and the wilderness journey, with some tribes increasing greatly while others declined and fell off. The later count followed the wilderness years when only Joshua and Caleb of the first generation remained alive, showing that God had carried out His judgment on the rebellious generation. That first generation counted had strong hopes of entering the promised land as the people prepared to enter Canaan, but after they rebelled against God all except Caleb and Joshua died in the wilderness. Their fate shows that God carried out His threatened judgment and warns that sin leads to ruin.
The verse records that 40,500 men of the tribe of Ephraim were counted in Israel's first census at Sinai, the first of the two numberings that give the book of Numbers its name. That numbering counted only males twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war, for a total of 603,550 men, marshaled in complete order as a vast host ready to march into the land of promise. It provides the baseline at the beginning of the forty years of wandering for comparing with the second numbering in Numbers 26 at the end of the forty years, to note how the tribes gained or lost members. By that later count Ephraim had fallen by 8,000, when only Joshua and Caleb of the first generation remained alive, showing that God had carried out His judgment on the rebellious generation and warning that sin leads to ruin.
First Census at Sinai
Those numbered of the tribe of Ephraim were forty thousand and five hundred men in Israel's first census. The count was of men of the specified age taken soon after Israel left Egypt at the beginning of the forty years of wandering. The verse belongs to the numbering of Israel at Sinai, the first of the two censuses that give the book of Numbers its name.
The numbering was commanded by God at the close of the first year in the desert, after the law had been proclaimed from the flaming mount, the tabernacle had been erected with the ark of God's law in its most holy place and the cloud of glory upon it, God had given bread from heaven every morning and water from the smitten rock, and the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night remained over the camp. The census counted only males twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war, leaving out all females, all under twenty, and the whole tribe of Levi, for a total of 603,550 men of war. God's people were carefully counted tribe by tribe under appointed census inspectors, with every man's name taken down. The numbering marshaled the people in complete order as a vast host ready to march into the land of promise, each one expecting an inheritance in Canaan that he might have received, so that their speedy entrance then seemed near.
Ephraim had its place under the traditional ox standard in Israel's camp arrangement. The opening chapters to which the verse belongs continue Leviticus, and beginning with chapter 9 the Exodus narrative left with Israel encamped at Sinai is resumed on the way to Kadesh-barnea; the name Numbers is fitting, as shown by the Greek Arithmoi, from which comes the word arithmetic. The census was taken by Moses at the Lord's command, in contrast with David's later census, which was sinful because he took it without the Lord's consent and trusted in the size of his forces.
Second Census and Warning
The count of 40,500 for Ephraim stands at the beginning of the forty years of wandering as the baseline for comparison with the second numbering in Numbers 26 at the end of the forty years, to note how the tribes gained or lost members. The first census is to be set beside the numbering at the end of the forty years, with its definite numbers for men of a specified age compared with the later census to see the difference in the tribes. The second numbering was made in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years after the numbering at Sinai. The first numbering was made forty years before the second numbering in Numbers 26.
Ephraim's number had fallen by 8,000 by the later census taken after Israel left Egypt. Comparing the two counts shows how the tribes' numbers changed during the wilderness years and the wilderness journey, with some tribes increasing greatly while others declined and fell off. The later count followed the wilderness years when only Joshua and Caleb of the first generation remained alive, showing that God had carried out His judgment on the rebellious generation. That first generation counted had strong hopes of entering the promised land as the people prepared to enter Canaan, but after they rebelled against God all except Caleb and Joshua died in the wilderness. Their fate shows that God carried out His threatened judgment and warns that sin leads to ruin.