And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you: of the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur.
Numbers 1:5 appoints Elizur the son of Shedeur to stand with Moses as the representative, leader and assistant for the tribe of Reuben in the numbering. It belongs to the first census taken at Sinai about a year after the Exodus, which counted men able to go to war apart from the Levites and numbered 603,550 in all. That numbering was done at the Lord's command, and unlike David's later census it was authorized by God and brought no trouble. It gives a count to be compared with the second census in Numbers 26, with Reuben numbering 46,500 men at first and 43,730 nearly forty years later, a decrease of 2,770. Every man then numbered expected to inherit Canaan, yet after rebellion all except Caleb and Joshua died in the wilderness, proving that God fulfills threatened judgments and warning those upon whom the ends of the world are come.
First Census at Sinai
The verse names Elizur son of Shedeur as the man appointed to stand with Moses for the tribe of Reuben, as its representative, leader and assistant in the numbering. This appointment belongs to the first census and organization of Israel's tribes at Sinai. The chapter records the numbers of men of specified ages in each tribe.
The verse belongs to the first of the book's two censuses, taken at Sinai at the beginning of the forty years in the wilderness. The second numbering was taken at the end of the forty years, in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years later, forty years afterward. The first census provides the count to be compared with the second census in Numbers 26, showing how the tribes gained or lost during the wilderness journey, with some increasing greatly and others declining.
The first numbering took place about a year after the Exodus, at the close of the first year in the wilderness and soon after leaving Egypt, as the people prepared to enter Canaan. It came after the law was proclaimed from the flaming mount, the tabernacle was erected with the ark of God's law in the most holy place and its services established, the cloud of glory took possession, bread came from heaven each morning, water was smitten from the rock, and the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night abode with the camp. It came after the sin of Nadab and Abihu and before Israel left Mount Sinai.
The numbering counted men able to go to war, excluding the Levites, females, and those under twenty. It took down every name and numbered each tribe separately under careful census inspectors, to organize and marshal the host in complete order for the journey and its expected march into the land of promise. In all 603,550 men were counted.
Comparison, Authority, and Warning
The verse belongs to Israel's first census, taken at the beginning of the forty years of wandering, which stands together with the second census in Numbers 26 taken at the end of the forty years as its point of comparison. Comparing the two numberings shows how the tribes gained or lost during the wilderness journey. Some tribes increased greatly while others declined and fell off in number.
In that first numbering, taken soon after the people left Egypt, the man named for Reuben was Elizur son of Shedeur as its associated leader, and Reuben was recorded at 46,500 men. Nearly forty years later the tribe numbered 43,730, a decrease of 2,770.
The numbering Moses took was done at the Lord's command, authorized by God, and therefore brought no trouble, unlike David's later census.
Every man thus numbered expected to inherit Canaan and might have done so, when everything indicated speedy entrance into the land of promise. They had tokens of God's lovingkindness, favor, presence, and willingness to save greater than can now be had. But after wickedness and open wanton rebellion, under God's solemn oath excluding them from the land and dooming them to die, not one save Caleb and Joshua of those first numbered remained alive, and every other fell in the wilderness. This proves that God fulfills threatened judgments and that sin carried in the heart inevitably brings ruin, as a warning to those upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Numbers 1:5 appoints Elizur the son of Shedeur to stand with Moses as the representative, leader and assistant for the tribe of Reuben in the numbering. It belongs to the first census taken at Sinai about a year after the Exodus, which counted men able to go to war apart from the Levites and numbered 603,550 in all. That numbering was done at the Lord's command, and unlike David's later census it was authorized by God and brought no trouble. It gives a count to be compared with the second census in Numbers 26, with Reuben numbering 46,500 men at first and 43,730 nearly forty years later, a decrease of 2,770. Every man then numbered expected to inherit Canaan, yet after rebellion all except Caleb and Joshua died in the wilderness, proving that God fulfills threatened judgments and warning those upon whom the ends of the world are come.
First Census at Sinai
The verse names Elizur son of Shedeur as the man appointed to stand with Moses for the tribe of Reuben, as its representative, leader and assistant in the numbering. This appointment belongs to the first census and organization of Israel's tribes at Sinai. The chapter records the numbers of men of specified ages in each tribe.
The verse belongs to the first of the book's two censuses, taken at Sinai at the beginning of the forty years in the wilderness. The second numbering was taken at the end of the forty years, in the plains of Moab thirty-eight years later, forty years afterward. The first census provides the count to be compared with the second census in Numbers 26, showing how the tribes gained or lost during the wilderness journey, with some increasing greatly and others declining.
The first numbering took place about a year after the Exodus, at the close of the first year in the wilderness and soon after leaving Egypt, as the people prepared to enter Canaan. It came after the law was proclaimed from the flaming mount, the tabernacle was erected with the ark of God's law in the most holy place and its services established, the cloud of glory took possession, bread came from heaven each morning, water was smitten from the rock, and the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night abode with the camp. It came after the sin of Nadab and Abihu and before Israel left Mount Sinai.
The numbering counted men able to go to war, excluding the Levites, females, and those under twenty. It took down every name and numbered each tribe separately under careful census inspectors, to organize and marshal the host in complete order for the journey and its expected march into the land of promise. In all 603,550 men were counted.
Comparison, Authority, and Warning
The verse belongs to Israel's first census, taken at the beginning of the forty years of wandering, which stands together with the second census in Numbers 26 taken at the end of the forty years as its point of comparison. Comparing the two numberings shows how the tribes gained or lost during the wilderness journey. Some tribes increased greatly while others declined and fell off in number.
In that first numbering, taken soon after the people left Egypt, the man named for Reuben was Elizur son of Shedeur as its associated leader, and Reuben was recorded at 46,500 men. Nearly forty years later the tribe numbered 43,730, a decrease of 2,770.
The numbering Moses took was done at the Lord's command, authorized by God, and therefore brought no trouble, unlike David's later census.
Every man thus numbered expected to inherit Canaan and might have done so, when everything indicated speedy entrance into the land of promise. They had tokens of God's lovingkindness, favor, presence, and willingness to save greater than can now be had. But after wickedness and open wanton rebellion, under God's solemn oath excluding them from the land and dooming them to die, not one save Caleb and Joshua of those first numbered remained alive, and every other fell in the wilderness. This proves that God fulfills threatened judgments and that sin carried in the heart inevitably brings ruin, as a warning to those upon whom the ends of the world are come.