Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.
The verse records that 53,400 men of the tribe of Naphtali were counted in Israel's first wilderness numbering, counting only men twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war. It belongs to the numbering commanded by God at Sinai about one year after leaving Egypt, when the 603,550 men of war were marshaled in complete order preparatory to marching into the land of promise with every man expecting an inheritance. The total stands as a baseline for comparison with the second numbering made forty years later in the plains of Moab, to see how each tribe declined or increased during the wilderness journey. For Naphtali the later count had fallen by 8,000, showing that apart from Caleb and Joshua none of those first counted remained alive because all had died in the wilderness under God's judgment.
Setting and Census Details
Numbers 1:43 belongs to Israel's first wilderness numbering at Sinai, about one year after leaving Egypt. That numbering came after the law had been proclaimed from the flaming mount, after the tabernacle had been erected with the ark containing God's law in its most holy place, and after the cloud of God's glory had taken possession of it. It came after God had given bread from heaven every morning and water from the smitten rock, while the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night remained over the camp. The verse stands in the opening chapters that continue Leviticus while Israel was still encamped at Sinai, before the narrative of the journey to Kadesh-barnea is resumed.
The book gets its name Numbers from its two censuses, answering to the Greek Arithmoi. The first was the numbering made at Sinai, and the second was made in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years later. In that first census the men numbered of the tribe of Naphtali were 53,400. The count was made soon after Israel left Egypt, at the beginning of the forty years of wandering, among the men able to go to war who were numbered in preparation for entering Canaan.
The numbering counted only men twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war. It was a numbering of men of a specified age, giving a definite count that provides a baseline for comparison with Israel's numbering at the end of the forty years. Each Israelite tribe was numbered separately under careful supervision. The tribe of Levi was excluded entirely, and all females and all under twenty years of age were excluded.
The whole number amounted to 603,550 men of war marshaled in complete order preparatory to marching into the land of promise. Everything indicated speedy entrance into Canaan. Every man numbered expected an inheritance in the land and was able to have it, since those counted were men able to go to war as Israel prepared to enter the promised land. The census was commanded by God, and unlike David's later census it was authorized by the Lord and brought no trouble.
Comparison With Second Census
The numbering in Numbers 1 came forty years before the second numbering in Numbers 26, made in the plains of Moab at the end of the forty years of wandering. The first census stood at the beginning of the forty years of wandering, and the later census stood at its close. The second numbering was made in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years after the numbering at Sinai.
The tribal totals give a definite count of men of a specified age and provide a baseline for comparison with the numbering at the end of the forty years. The count of 53,400 for Naphtali can be compared with the second census in Numbers 26 to see how the tribe's numbers changed during Israel's wilderness journey. Its number is to be compared with the later numbering to note the difference in the tribes, to see how each tribe declined or increased, gained or lost. Compared with the later census, the number for Naphtali had fallen by 8,000.
The later census showed that, apart from Caleb and Joshua, none of those counted the first time remained alive. All who had been counted had died in the wilderness, fulfilling God's judgment on the people's rebellion.
The verse records that 53,400 men of the tribe of Naphtali were counted in Israel's first wilderness numbering, counting only men twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war. It belongs to the numbering commanded by God at Sinai about one year after leaving Egypt, when the 603,550 men of war were marshaled in complete order preparatory to marching into the land of promise with every man expecting an inheritance. The total stands as a baseline for comparison with the second numbering made forty years later in the plains of Moab, to see how each tribe declined or increased during the wilderness journey. For Naphtali the later count had fallen by 8,000, showing that apart from Caleb and Joshua none of those first counted remained alive because all had died in the wilderness under God's judgment.
Setting and Census Details
Numbers 1:43 belongs to Israel's first wilderness numbering at Sinai, about one year after leaving Egypt. That numbering came after the law had been proclaimed from the flaming mount, after the tabernacle had been erected with the ark containing God's law in its most holy place, and after the cloud of God's glory had taken possession of it. It came after God had given bread from heaven every morning and water from the smitten rock, while the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night remained over the camp. The verse stands in the opening chapters that continue Leviticus while Israel was still encamped at Sinai, before the narrative of the journey to Kadesh-barnea is resumed.
The book gets its name Numbers from its two censuses, answering to the Greek Arithmoi. The first was the numbering made at Sinai, and the second was made in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years later. In that first census the men numbered of the tribe of Naphtali were 53,400. The count was made soon after Israel left Egypt, at the beginning of the forty years of wandering, among the men able to go to war who were numbered in preparation for entering Canaan.
The numbering counted only men twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war. It was a numbering of men of a specified age, giving a definite count that provides a baseline for comparison with Israel's numbering at the end of the forty years. Each Israelite tribe was numbered separately under careful supervision. The tribe of Levi was excluded entirely, and all females and all under twenty years of age were excluded.
The whole number amounted to 603,550 men of war marshaled in complete order preparatory to marching into the land of promise. Everything indicated speedy entrance into Canaan. Every man numbered expected an inheritance in the land and was able to have it, since those counted were men able to go to war as Israel prepared to enter the promised land. The census was commanded by God, and unlike David's later census it was authorized by the Lord and brought no trouble.
Comparison With Second Census
The numbering in Numbers 1 came forty years before the second numbering in Numbers 26, made in the plains of Moab at the end of the forty years of wandering. The first census stood at the beginning of the forty years of wandering, and the later census stood at its close. The second numbering was made in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years after the numbering at Sinai.
The tribal totals give a definite count of men of a specified age and provide a baseline for comparison with the numbering at the end of the forty years. The count of 53,400 for Naphtali can be compared with the second census in Numbers 26 to see how the tribe's numbers changed during Israel's wilderness journey. Its number is to be compared with the later numbering to note the difference in the tribes, to see how each tribe declined or increased, gained or lost. Compared with the later census, the number for Naphtali had fallen by 8,000.
The later census showed that, apart from Caleb and Joshua, none of those counted the first time remained alive. All who had been counted had died in the wilderness, fulfilling God's judgment on the people's rebellion.