Numbers 1

The first census

A year after Israel’s departure from Egypt, the Lord spoke to Moses in the Tabernacle in the wilderness of Sinai. On the first day of the second month of that year he said, ²“From the whole community of Israel, record the names of all the warriors by their clans and families. List all the men ³twenty years old or older who are able to go to war. You and Aaron must register the troops, ⁴and you will be assisted by one family leader from each tribe.

The leaders of the tribes

⁵“These are the tribes and the names of the leaders who will assist you:TribeLeaderReuben Elizur son of Shedeur ⁶Simeon Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai ⁷Judah Nahshon son of Amminadab ⁸Issachar Nethanel son of Zuar ⁹Zebulun Eliab son of Helon ¹⁰Ephraim son of Joseph Elishama son of AmmihudManasseh son of Joseph Gamaliel son of Pedahzur ¹¹Benjamin Abidan son of Gideoni ¹²Dan Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai

¹³Asher Pagiel son of Ocran ¹⁴Gad Eliasaph son of Deuel ¹⁵Naphtali Ahira son of Enan ¹⁶These are the chosen leaders of the community, the leaders of their ancestral tribes, the heads of the clans of Israel.”

The number of each tribe

¹⁷So Moses and Aaron called together these chosen leaders, ¹⁸and they assembled the whole community of Israel on that very day. All the people were registered according to their ancestry by their clans and families. The men of Israel who were twenty years old or older were listed one by one, ¹⁹just as the Lord had commanded Moses. So Moses recorded their names in the wilderness of Sinai.

²⁰-This is the number of men twenty years old or older who were able to go to war, as their names were listed in the records of their clans and families:TribeNumberReuben (Jacob’s oldest son) 46,500 ²¹-Simeon 59,300 ²²-Gad 45,650 ²³-Judah 74,600 ²⁴-Issachar 54,400 ²⁵-Zebulun 57,400 ²⁶-Ephraim son of Joseph 40,500 ²⁷-Manasseh son of Joseph 32,200

²⁸-Benjamin 35,400 ²⁹-Dan 62,700 ³⁰-Asher 41,500 ³¹-Naphtali 53,400 ³²These were the men registered by Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel, all listed according to their ancestral descent.

³³They were registered by families—all the men of Israel who were twenty years old or older and able to go to war. ³⁴The total number was 603,550. ³⁵But this total did not include the Levites.

³⁶For the Lord had said to Moses, ³⁷“Do not include the tribe of Levi in the registration; do not count them with the rest of the Israelites. ³⁸Put the Levites in charge of the Tabernacle of the Covenant, along with all its furnishings and equipment. They must carry the Tabernacle and all its furnishings as you travel, and they must take care of it and camp around it.

³⁹Whenever it is time for the Tabernacle to move, the Levites will take it down. And when it is time to stop, they will set it up again. But any unauthorized person who goes too near the Tabernacle must be put to death. ⁴⁰Each tribe of Israel will camp in a designated area with its own family banner. ⁴¹But the Levites will camp around the Tabernacle of the Covenant to protect the community of Israel from the Lord’s anger. The Levites are responsible to stand guard around the Tabernacle.” ⁴²TribeNumber Reuben (Jacob’s oldest son)46,500 22-23 Simeon59,300 24-25 Gad45,650 26-27 Judah74,600 28-29 Issachar54,400 30-31 Zebulun57,400 32-33 Ephraim son of Joseph40,500 34-35 Manasseh son of Joseph32,200 36-37 Benjamin35,400 38-39 Dan62,700 40-41 Asher41,500 42-43 Naphtali53,400 ⁴³These were the men registered by Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel, all listed according to their ancestral descent.

⁴⁴They were registered by families—all the men of Israel who were twenty years old or older and able to go to war. ⁴⁵The total number was 603,550. ⁴⁶But this total did not include the Levites.

The Levites are not counted

⁴⁷For the Lord had said to Moses, ⁴⁸“Do not include the tribe of Levi in the registration; do not count them with the rest of the Israelites. ⁴⁹Put the Levites in charge of the Tabernacle of the Covenant, along with all its furnishings and equipment. They must carry the Tabernacle and all its furnishings as you travel, and they must take care of it and camp around it.

⁵⁰Whenever it is time for the Tabernacle to move, the Levites will take it down. And when it is time to stop, they will set it up again. But any unauthorized person who goes too near the Tabernacle must be put to death. ⁵¹Each tribe of Israel will camp in a designated area with its own family banner. ⁵²But the Levites will camp around the Tabernacle of the Covenant to protect the community of Israel from the Lord’s anger. The Levites are responsible to stand guard around the Tabernacle.” ⁵³So the Israelites did everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses.