Num 1:1-54
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1
Registration of Israel’s Troops
A. Preparing for the Journey (1:1—10:10)
At Mount Sinai, the Israelites received specific directions for their lifestyle in the new land God would give to them. A census was taken and the second Passover was celebrated, marking one year of freedom from slavery in Egypt. The people were now prepared to continue their journey to the Promised Land. Just as the Lord prepared the Israelites, he prepares us for our journey through life.
1. The first census of the nation
1A year after Israel’s departure from Egypt, the Lord spoke to Moses in the Tabernacle*1:1a Hebrew the Tent of Meeting. in the wilderness of Sinai. On the first day of the second month*1:1b This day in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in April or May. 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.
5“These are the tribes and the names of the leaders who will assist you:
16These are the chosen leaders of the community, the leaders of their ancestral tribes, the heads of the clans of Israel.”
17So Moses and Aaron called together these chosen leaders, 18and they assembled the whole community of Israel on that very day.*1:18 Hebrew on the first day of the second month; see 1:1. 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.
20-21This 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*1:20-21a In the Hebrew text, this sentence (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) is repeated in 1:22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42. :
44These were the men registered by Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel, all listed according to their ancestral descent. 45They were registered by families—all the men of Israel who were twenty years old or older and able to go to war. 46The total number was 603,550.
47But this total did not include the Levites. 48For the Lord had said to Moses, 49“Do not include the tribe of Levi in the registration; do not count them with the rest of the Israelites. 50Put the Levites in charge of the Tabernacle of the Covenant,*1:50 Or Tabernacle of the Testimony; also in 1:53. 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. 51Whenever 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. 52Each tribe of Israel will camp in a designated area with its own family banner. 53But 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.”
54So the Israelites did everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses.