Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.
Those that were numbered of the tribe of Asher were forty-one thousand five hundred men twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war, counted in Israel's first wilderness census after leaving Egypt. The numbering was done at Sinai at the Lord's command by Moses after the tabernacle was erected, and the numbered host of six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty men of war was marshaled in complete order preparatory to marching into the land of promise which every one of them might have inherited. It belongs to the first of the two numberings that give the book its name, taken forty years before the second numbering in the plains of Moab at the end of the wandering. Compared with that later census Asher had risen to fifty-three thousand four hundred, an increase of eleven thousand nine hundred, while the rebellious generation that had expected to enter Canaan died in the wilderness and was kept from the land except for Caleb and Joshua. The census Moses took was authorized because it was done at the Lord's command, unlike David's later census which was sinful because ordered without the Lord's consent, and the figures of this first chapter were attacked as absurd by a spirit speaking through a medium.
First Census Context
Those numbered of the tribe of Asher were 41,500 men, counted in Israel's first wilderness census after leaving Egypt, at the beginning of the forty years of wandering. That census was taken by age, counting only men twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war, and excluding the tribe of Levi, all females, and all under twenty. Their names were taken down.
The numbering took place at Sinai about a year after the people entered the wilderness, at the close of the first year, directed by God and performed by Moses. It followed the proclamation of the law from the mount, the erection of the tabernacle with the ark containing God's law in its most holy place, and the cloud of glory taking possession of it. God had given bread every morning and water from the smitten rock, and the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night remained over the camp.
The numbered host was marshaled in complete order preparatory to marching into the land of promise, indicating speedy entrance into Canaan. The whole numbered force totaled 603,550 men of war. Every one of them expected an inheritance in the land and might have had it.
Comparison with Second Census
This verse belongs to the first of the two numberings of Israel that give the book its name, the census in Numbers 1 taken at Sinai at the beginning of the forty years of wilderness wandering. That first numbering was made forty years before the second numbering in Numbers 26, taken in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years later at the end of the wandering. Its 41,500 men counted from the tribe of Asher, counted by age among those able to go to war, provides the tribal total for that first census. That total is to be compared with the later numbering to note the difference, showing how Asher's numbers changed and how the tribes gained or lost during the wilderness journey.
Compared with the later census in Numbers 26, Asher's number had risen to 53,400, an increase of 11,900 over about forty years. The first census took place about a year after the people entered the wilderness, while they expected to enter Canaan and prepared to enter the promised land. The later census showed that God's judgment had fallen on that rebellious generation, which died in the wilderness and was kept from the land. Except for Caleb and Joshua, none of those counted the first time remained alive.
Divine Authority and Attack
The numbering that found forty-one thousand five hundred men of Asher was taken by Moses at the Lord's command, and for that reason it was authorized by God. By contrast, the later census ordered by David was sinful, because he commanded it of himself without the consent of the Lord. The figures stated in the opening census chapter, including Asher's total, were attacked as absurd by a spirit speaking through a medium.
Those that were numbered of the tribe of Asher were forty-one thousand five hundred men twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war, counted in Israel's first wilderness census after leaving Egypt. The numbering was done at Sinai at the Lord's command by Moses after the tabernacle was erected, and the numbered host of six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty men of war was marshaled in complete order preparatory to marching into the land of promise which every one of them might have inherited. It belongs to the first of the two numberings that give the book its name, taken forty years before the second numbering in the plains of Moab at the end of the wandering. Compared with that later census Asher had risen to fifty-three thousand four hundred, an increase of eleven thousand nine hundred, while the rebellious generation that had expected to enter Canaan died in the wilderness and was kept from the land except for Caleb and Joshua. The census Moses took was authorized because it was done at the Lord's command, unlike David's later census which was sinful because ordered without the Lord's consent, and the figures of this first chapter were attacked as absurd by a spirit speaking through a medium.
First Census Context
Those numbered of the tribe of Asher were 41,500 men, counted in Israel's first wilderness census after leaving Egypt, at the beginning of the forty years of wandering. That census was taken by age, counting only men twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war, and excluding the tribe of Levi, all females, and all under twenty. Their names were taken down.
The numbering took place at Sinai about a year after the people entered the wilderness, at the close of the first year, directed by God and performed by Moses. It followed the proclamation of the law from the mount, the erection of the tabernacle with the ark containing God's law in its most holy place, and the cloud of glory taking possession of it. God had given bread every morning and water from the smitten rock, and the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night remained over the camp.
The numbered host was marshaled in complete order preparatory to marching into the land of promise, indicating speedy entrance into Canaan. The whole numbered force totaled 603,550 men of war. Every one of them expected an inheritance in the land and might have had it.
Comparison with Second Census
This verse belongs to the first of the two numberings of Israel that give the book its name, the census in Numbers 1 taken at Sinai at the beginning of the forty years of wilderness wandering. That first numbering was made forty years before the second numbering in Numbers 26, taken in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years later at the end of the wandering. Its 41,500 men counted from the tribe of Asher, counted by age among those able to go to war, provides the tribal total for that first census. That total is to be compared with the later numbering to note the difference, showing how Asher's numbers changed and how the tribes gained or lost during the wilderness journey.
Compared with the later census in Numbers 26, Asher's number had risen to 53,400, an increase of 11,900 over about forty years. The first census took place about a year after the people entered the wilderness, while they expected to enter Canaan and prepared to enter the promised land. The later census showed that God's judgment had fallen on that rebellious generation, which died in the wilderness and was kept from the land. Except for Caleb and Joshua, none of those counted the first time remained alive.
Divine Authority and Attack
The numbering that found forty-one thousand five hundred men of Asher was taken by Moses at the Lord's command, and for that reason it was authorized by God. By contrast, the later census ordered by David was sinful, because he commanded it of himself without the consent of the Lord. The figures stated in the opening census chapter, including Asher's total, were attacked as absurd by a spirit speaking through a medium.