Numbers 1:44, commentary and pictures

The verse records the outcome of Israel's first census at Sinai, taken by Moses and Aaron with twelve tribal princes, each counting his own ancestral house tribe by tribe. It numbered 603,550 men from twenty years old and upward who were able to go to war, leaving out the Levites, women, and those under twenty. This is the first of the two numberings that give the book of Numbers its name, taken after the tabernacle was built and before Israel left Sinai, with the second taken in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years later. It is to be compared with that second numbering in Numbers 26 to see which tribes gained or lost, for the total had changed little though the tribes themselves had shifted considerably. Except for Caleb and Joshua, all counted here died in the wilderness for rebellion and did not inherit the land, yet the census itself was not sinful because God commanded it, unlike David's census which was ordered without the Lord's consent in proud reliance on numbers.

The Census at Sinai

These are those that were numbered in Israel's first census, taken by Moses and Aaron together with twelve men, the princes or leaders of the tribes, each one for the house of his fathers, for his family or tribe. The numbering was done carefully tribe by tribe and by ancestral households, each tribe being numbered separately.

The count was 603,550 adult men able to go to war, namely males from twenty years old and upward. The Levites were excluded from this numbering, as were women and females and those under twenty.

This is the first of the two numberings that give the book of Numbers its name, which makes the Greek title Arithmoi, the source of the word arithmetic, fitting. Its opening chapters continue Leviticus before the journey narrative from Sinai toward Kadesh-barnea is resumed. In the order of Israel's story the numbering was taken at Sinai soon after leaving Egypt, after the building of the tabernacle and the establishing of its services and the sin of Nadab and Abihu, and before leaving Mount Sinai. The second census was taken in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years later.

The census organized the counted men for the journey toward Canaan. Each counted man could have received an inheritance in the promised land.

Comparison and Lessons

This first numbering of Israel is to be set beside the second numbering in Numbers 26, taken at the end of the wilderness journey before entry into Canaan, about forty years later. The comparison is made to note the difference in the tribes and to see how each tribe gained or lost in number during the wilderness journey. The first census counted 603,550 adult men, and compared with the later census before entry into Canaan the total had changed little. Though the total was nearly the same, the numbers of the tribes had shifted considerably. Some tribes had greatly increased, while others had decreased.

Those counted at first could have entered and inherited the promised land, yet except for Caleb and Joshua all who were counted at first died in the wilderness after rebellion and did not enter and inherit it. Their death demonstrated that God fulfilled His threatened judgment. Taking a census was not itself sinful, since these censuses were commanded by God and carried out by Moses. David's later census was sinful because he ordered it without the Lord's consent and relied proudly on the size of his forces instead of trusting God.

Because the census account counts males from twenty years old and upward, it provides a comparison for the question of whether children are included among the 144,000. The census passage, including this verse, is also an example of Scripture that spiritualist claims denounce as absurd and untrue.