Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.
The verse records 35,400 men of the tribe of Benjamin, twenty years old and upward and able to go to war, counted in Israel's first wilderness census. The numbering was done by Moses at the Lord's command, and it left out the tribe of Levi, all females, and all under twenty years of age. Every man counted expected an inheritance in the promised land and stood ready to march speedily into Canaan. Set beside the second numbering forty years later, Benjamin's number had increased by 10,200. Those counted belonged to the generation that perished in the wilderness after rebellion, except for Caleb and Joshua.
First Census Meaning
Those numbered of the tribe of Benjamin were thirty-five thousand and four hundred men in Israel's first wilderness census of men able to go to war, twenty years old and upward. The census excluded the tribe of Levi altogether, excluded all females, and excluded all under twenty years of age. It counted men who could expect an inheritance in the promised land.
The numbering counted each tribe separately under careful inspectors. It took down all their names and marshaled the host in the completest order. The numbering belonged to the time when Israel had been in the desert about one year. It came after the law had been proclaimed from the mount, the tabernacle had been erected with the ark containing the law in its most holy place, and the cloud of glory had taken possession of it. Bread from heaven was given every morning, water was given from the smitten rock, and the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night remained over the camp. Benjamin's number formed part of a total of 603,550 men of war.
The census was conducted by Moses at the Lord's command. Unlike David's later census, this authorized numbering brought no trouble. The verse belongs to the first numbering of Israel at Sinai that gives the book its name, answering to the Greek title Arithmoi. It stands in the opening chapters that continue Leviticus before the narrative of Exodus, which left Israel encamped at Sinai, is resumed in chapter 9 on the way to Kadesh-barnea.
Second Numbering and Outcome
The 35,400 is Benjamin's count in the first numbering of Israel in Numbers 1, forty years before the second numbering in Numbers 26. The tribal figures of the first census are to be set beside the census at the end of the forty years to note the difference and to see how each tribe gained or lost. The second numbering was taken in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years after the first numbering at Sinai.
Setting the number at the beginning of the forty years beside the numbering of Israel at the end shows how the tribes' numbers changed during the forty years of wandering. Some tribes increased greatly, while others declined and fell off. For Benjamin, comparison with the later census shows an increase of 10,200.
The numbering was made with the host marshaled in complete order in preparation for marching into the land of promise, with everything indicating speedy entrance into Canaan. Every man numbered expected an inheritance in the land of promise which he might have had and could have entered. Those counted belonged to the generation that prepared to enter Canaan but perished in the wilderness after rebellion brought God's judgment and exclusion from the promised land, except for Caleb and Joshua.
The verse records 35,400 men of the tribe of Benjamin, twenty years old and upward and able to go to war, counted in Israel's first wilderness census. The numbering was done by Moses at the Lord's command, and it left out the tribe of Levi, all females, and all under twenty years of age. Every man counted expected an inheritance in the promised land and stood ready to march speedily into Canaan. Set beside the second numbering forty years later, Benjamin's number had increased by 10,200. Those counted belonged to the generation that perished in the wilderness after rebellion, except for Caleb and Joshua.
First Census Meaning
Those numbered of the tribe of Benjamin were thirty-five thousand and four hundred men in Israel's first wilderness census of men able to go to war, twenty years old and upward. The census excluded the tribe of Levi altogether, excluded all females, and excluded all under twenty years of age. It counted men who could expect an inheritance in the promised land.
The numbering counted each tribe separately under careful inspectors. It took down all their names and marshaled the host in the completest order. The numbering belonged to the time when Israel had been in the desert about one year. It came after the law had been proclaimed from the mount, the tabernacle had been erected with the ark containing the law in its most holy place, and the cloud of glory had taken possession of it. Bread from heaven was given every morning, water was given from the smitten rock, and the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night remained over the camp. Benjamin's number formed part of a total of 603,550 men of war.
The census was conducted by Moses at the Lord's command. Unlike David's later census, this authorized numbering brought no trouble. The verse belongs to the first numbering of Israel at Sinai that gives the book its name, answering to the Greek title Arithmoi. It stands in the opening chapters that continue Leviticus before the narrative of Exodus, which left Israel encamped at Sinai, is resumed in chapter 9 on the way to Kadesh-barnea.
Second Numbering and Outcome
The 35,400 is Benjamin's count in the first numbering of Israel in Numbers 1, forty years before the second numbering in Numbers 26. The tribal figures of the first census are to be set beside the census at the end of the forty years to note the difference and to see how each tribe gained or lost. The second numbering was taken in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years after the first numbering at Sinai.
Setting the number at the beginning of the forty years beside the numbering of Israel at the end shows how the tribes' numbers changed during the forty years of wandering. Some tribes increased greatly, while others declined and fell off. For Benjamin, comparison with the later census shows an increase of 10,200.
The numbering was made with the host marshaled in complete order in preparation for marching into the land of promise, with everything indicating speedy entrance into Canaan. Every man numbered expected an inheritance in the land of promise which he might have had and could have entered. Those counted belonged to the generation that prepared to enter Canaan but perished in the wilderness after rebellion brought God's judgment and exclusion from the promised land, except for Caleb and Joshua.