Numbers 1:45, commentary and pictures

Numbers 1:45 gives the completed total of the first numbering of Israel at Sinai, counting men from twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war, by the house of their fathers, tribe by tribe, carefully and under appointed inspectors. The count left out the tribe of Levi, all females, and all under twenty years old, and totaled 603,550 men organized for the anticipated journey into the promised land and its inheritance. It took place near the end of Israel's first year in the wilderness, after the law had been proclaimed, the tabernacle erected with the ark of the law and the cloud of glory upon it, with bread from heaven, water from the rock, and the pillar of cloud and fire with the camp, so that every name was enrolled and the host marshaled in order for a speedy entrance into the land of promise. It provides the baseline for the second numbering in Numbers 26 at the close of the forty years, whose total of adult men changed little while the tribes changed substantially, showing God's fulfilled judgment that only Caleb and Joshua remained alive from those first counted because the rest rebelled and were barred from entering the land. Taking a census at the Lord's command was proper, while David's later census was sinful because it was taken without the Lord's consent in trust in the size of his forces.

First Census at Sinai

The verse gives the completed total of the first of the two numberings of Israel, in which men from twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war were counted by the house of their fathers, tribe by tribe. The counting was done carefully and under appointed inspectors. The count left out the tribe of Levi, all females, and all under twenty years old. It totaled 603,550 men. Those numbered were organized for the anticipated journey into the promised land and every man expected an inheritance in Canaan.

The numbering took place at Sinai near the end of Israel's first year in the wilderness, after the law had been proclaimed from Sinai. By then the tabernacle had been erected with the ark of God's law in its most holy place, the cloud of glory had taken possession of it, God gave bread from heaven every morning and water from the smitten rock, and the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night remained with the camp. Every name was taken down and the host was marshaled in complete order to march into the land of promise. Everything pointed to a speedy entrance because of God's loving-kindness.

The verse belongs to the story of Israel in building the tabernacle and establishing its services, following the sin of Nadab and Abihu and preceding leaving Mount Sinai. The book is named Numbers for its two censuses, the one at Sinai and another in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years later, nearly forty years later, or forty years after the first. The Greek title Arithmoi, from which comes the word arithmetic, fits because of this counting. These opening chapters continue Leviticus, while beginning with chapter 9 the narrative left off in Exodus with Israel encamped at Sinai is resumed toward Kadesh-barnea, so the book is also called the Book of Journeys.

The count of fighting men implies about three million people witnessed the giving of the law at Sinai when women, children, and elderly people are also included.

Later Census and Lessons

The numbering here was the first of two censuses, and it supplies the baseline against which the second numbering in Numbers 26 is to be measured. That later census was taken nearly forty years afterward, forty years afterward, and at the close of the forty years of wandering. Comparison of the two numberings shows the difference in the tribes, tribe by tribe, in gain or loss. The total number of adult men changed little, though the numbers of the tribes changed substantially. Some tribes increased greatly while others declined, decreased, or lost.

The first census totaled 603,550 men, more than six hundred thousand men twenty years old and upward able to go forth to war by the house of their fathers. By the time of the second numbering in the wilderness only Caleb and Joshua remained alive from those first counted. The rest had died after rebelling against God, for Israel's rebellion brought God's judgment which barred and excluded them from entering the promised land. The contrast between the two numberings therefore shows that God fulfilled His threatened judgment.

Taking a census at the Lord's command was proper, whereas David's later census was sinful because he took it without the Lord's consent and trusted in the size of his forces. The count here was of males from twenty years old and upward who were able to serve in war, according to ancestral households. That pattern of counting does not establish whether children are included among the 144,000.