The verse names Nahshon son of Amminadab as the leader and representative counted for Judah in Israel's first census after leaving Egypt. The numbering was made at the Lord's command through Moses, counting only men twenty years old and upward able to go to war apart from Levi, totaling 603,550 men marshalled in order for entrance into Canaan. It stands as the first of the two numberings that give the book its name, to be compared with the second numbering in Numbers 26 to see how the tribes increased or decreased through the wandering. At that second numbering not one of the first except Caleb and Joshua remained alive, showing that even the greatest tokens of favor do not save when sin is cherished in the heart and that God's threatened judgments are surely fulfilled.
First Census Setting
Of Judah the man listed is Nahshon the son of Amminadab, the leader and representative counted for that tribe in Israel's first census after leaving Egypt. That census is the first of the two numberings of Israel that give the book its name, standing in its opening chapters that continue the account of Israel at Sinai. It was made by God's direction through Moses at the close of about one year in the desert.
By then the law had been proclaimed from the flaming mount, the tabernacle had been erected with the ark of God's law in its most holy place, the cloud of God's glory had taken possession of it, and God was giving bread from heaven every morning and water from the smitten rock, with the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night remaining with the camp. The numbering counted only men twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war, excluding the tribe of Levi, all females, and all under twenty, totaling 603,550 men of war. All their names were taken down and their host marshalled in complete order preparatory to marching into the land of promise, with everything indicating speedy entrance into Canaan, every man expecting an inheritance he might have had because of God's loving-kindness, presence, and willingness shown among them.
The chapter shows God's careful numbering of the people, with each tribe counted separately under appointed inspectors. The census Moses took was at the Lord's command and, unlike David's later census, was not sinful. In the connected story of the whole Bible, the numbering comes 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 sending of the quails, the sin of Miriam and Aaron, the report of the spies, and the rest of the wilderness journey onward, told in simple form for children with practical moral lessons woven in.
Comparison and Solemn Warning
Of Judah, Nahshon the son of Amminadab stands as the representative and the man counted for his tribe in Israel's first census. That chapter records the numbers of men of specified ages in each tribe at the beginning of the forty years, and it provides the starting point to be set beside the second census in Numbers 26 at the end of the forty years of wandering. The two numberings are to be compared to note how the tribes gained or lost people during the wilderness journey, showing how some decreased and others increased. That first numbering preceded the expected speedy entry into Canaan, and that generation's failure to enter the promised land shows that God's judgments against the rebels were fulfilled.
In contrast with the first numbering, at the second numbering not one man of the first numbering except Caleb and Joshua was alive, because all the others had fallen in the wilderness under God's solemn oath excluding the rebels for wickedness and open rebellion. The first numbering had been made when Israel had been in the desert about one year, after the law had been proclaimed from the flaming mount and the tabernacle had been erected with the ark of the law in the most holy place and the cloud of glory upon it, while God gave bread from heaven every morning, water from the smitten rock, and the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. It counted only men twenty years old and upward and able to go forth to war, excluding the tribe of Levi, all females, and all under twenty, totaling 603,550 men, taking down all their names and marshalling the host in complete order for speedy entrance into Canaan, with every man expecting an inheritance in the land of promise that he might have received. The first numbering therefore shows that even the strongest hope and the greatest tokens of favor, presence, and willingness to save do not save when sin is carried in the heart, that cherished sin brings inevitable ruin, and that God's threatened judgments will surely be fulfilled.
The verse names Nahshon son of Amminadab as the leader and representative counted for Judah in Israel's first census after leaving Egypt. The numbering was made at the Lord's command through Moses, counting only men twenty years old and upward able to go to war apart from Levi, totaling 603,550 men marshalled in order for entrance into Canaan. It stands as the first of the two numberings that give the book its name, to be compared with the second numbering in Numbers 26 to see how the tribes increased or decreased through the wandering. At that second numbering not one of the first except Caleb and Joshua remained alive, showing that even the greatest tokens of favor do not save when sin is cherished in the heart and that God's threatened judgments are surely fulfilled.
First Census Setting
Of Judah the man listed is Nahshon the son of Amminadab, the leader and representative counted for that tribe in Israel's first census after leaving Egypt. That census is the first of the two numberings of Israel that give the book its name, standing in its opening chapters that continue the account of Israel at Sinai. It was made by God's direction through Moses at the close of about one year in the desert.
By then the law had been proclaimed from the flaming mount, the tabernacle had been erected with the ark of God's law in its most holy place, the cloud of God's glory had taken possession of it, and God was giving bread from heaven every morning and water from the smitten rock, with the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night remaining with the camp. The numbering counted only men twenty years old and upward who were able to go forth to war, excluding the tribe of Levi, all females, and all under twenty, totaling 603,550 men of war. All their names were taken down and their host marshalled in complete order preparatory to marching into the land of promise, with everything indicating speedy entrance into Canaan, every man expecting an inheritance he might have had because of God's loving-kindness, presence, and willingness shown among them.
The chapter shows God's careful numbering of the people, with each tribe counted separately under appointed inspectors. The census Moses took was at the Lord's command and, unlike David's later census, was not sinful. In the connected story of the whole Bible, the numbering comes 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 sending of the quails, the sin of Miriam and Aaron, the report of the spies, and the rest of the wilderness journey onward, told in simple form for children with practical moral lessons woven in.
Comparison and Solemn Warning
Of Judah, Nahshon the son of Amminadab stands as the representative and the man counted for his tribe in Israel's first census. That chapter records the numbers of men of specified ages in each tribe at the beginning of the forty years, and it provides the starting point to be set beside the second census in Numbers 26 at the end of the forty years of wandering. The two numberings are to be compared to note how the tribes gained or lost people during the wilderness journey, showing how some decreased and others increased. That first numbering preceded the expected speedy entry into Canaan, and that generation's failure to enter the promised land shows that God's judgments against the rebels were fulfilled.
In contrast with the first numbering, at the second numbering not one man of the first numbering except Caleb and Joshua was alive, because all the others had fallen in the wilderness under God's solemn oath excluding the rebels for wickedness and open rebellion. The first numbering had been made when Israel had been in the desert about one year, after the law had been proclaimed from the flaming mount and the tabernacle had been erected with the ark of the law in the most holy place and the cloud of glory upon it, while God gave bread from heaven every morning, water from the smitten rock, and the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. It counted only men twenty years old and upward and able to go forth to war, excluding the tribe of Levi, all females, and all under twenty, totaling 603,550 men, taking down all their names and marshalling the host in complete order for speedy entrance into Canaan, with every man expecting an inheritance in the land of promise that he might have received. The first numbering therefore shows that even the strongest hope and the greatest tokens of favor, presence, and willingness to save do not save when sin is carried in the heart, that cherished sin brings inevitable ruin, and that God's threatened judgments will surely be fulfilled.