Numbers i.
Notes & Commentary:
Ver. 1. First day of the second month, called after the captivity, Jiar, which partly corresponds with our April. These injunctions were given from the tabernacle, (Calmet) in the desert, the 12th station, (Haydock) at the foot of Mount Sinai.
Ver. 2. Houses. The families consisted of the immediate descendants of the 12 patriarchs; the houses were the subdivisions of these. The same plan of numbering the people was adopted on other occasions, Josue viii. 16., and 1 Kings x. 20. — Sex, between 20 and 60 years of age. All the subjects of the Eastern kings may be called upon, if they be able to bear arms; and hence we find such immense armies in the Scripture, and in profane history. Moses numbered the people once before, (Exodus xxx. 2,) and found exactly the same number of warriors, the dead being replaced by others, during the space of seven months. Perhaps the odd numbers might not be specified, as all the totals consist of so many exact hundreds, except that of the tribe of Gad, ver. 25. On the former occasion, the people were not perhaps ranged according to their tribes, which was now deemed necessary, as the army was going to begin its march under its respective leaders. (Calmet)
Ver. 3. Arms, (fortium). “Strong or brave.” The psalmist (civ. 37,) says, there was not one feeble. (Menochius) — Troops. Hebrew, “army.” Septuagint, “force.” Their officers shall be at their head, and shall assist you in the work. Some might command 1000, others 100, and some only 50. See Exodus xiii. 18 and xviii. 21. — [Ver. 4.] Princes; the first-born, or most ancient, (Lyranus,) the lineal descendants of the patriarchs; (Jansen) or, in fine, such as were chosen for their merit, as all were equally noble; and hence Nahasson, prince of Juda, is mentioned, though he was not a descendant of the eldest son of Juda, but of Phares; and those who were at the head of those who were numbered a little before the death of Moses, were not the descendants of these, chap. xxvi. 64. In effect, we find that Moses chose for his council, able men out of all Israel, Exodus xviii. 25. (Bonfrere) (Calmet)
Ver. 14. Duel. Hebrew Dehuel. But (chap. ii. 14,) we find the word begins R, as the Septuagint have read, Ragouel. (Haydock)
Ver. 16. Army. Hebrew, “of a thousand.” The Vulgate commonly styles them tribunes. They were “people of name in the assembly,” as the Hebrew indicates. (Calmet)
Ver. 26. Juda. This tribe was the most numerous. But it is not here placed first, because the order of birth in Lia’s children is observed. Then come those of Rachel; and last of all, the children of the two handmaids, Bala and Zelpha. (Haydock)
Ver. 47. Levites. As they attended the tabernacle, like God’s peculiar servants, and were not obliged to go forth to battle, it was not necessary to number them with the rest. (Calmet) — They might, however, fight if they thought proper, as the Machabees did. See Josephus, Antiquities iii. 11 and iv. 4. (Tirinus)
Ver. 51. Stranger, even of any other tribe. (St. Augustine, q. 3.) (Worthington)
Ver. 52. Army. Hebrew, “they shall have their respective camp, and follow their own standard, with their army.” They were drawn up in four large bodies, chap. ii. 2, &c. (Calmet) — The first contained 151,450, the second 186,400, the third 108,100, and the fourth 157,600, under Reuben, Juda, Ephraim, and Dan.
Ver. 53. Watch. Lest any thing should offer any indecency to the tabernacle, and thus provoke God’s indignation. (Haydock)
Bible Text & Cross-references:
The children of Israel are numbered: the Levites are designed to serve the tabernacle.
1 And the Lord spoke to Moses *in the desert of Sinai in the tabernacle of the covenant, the first day of the second month, the second year of their going out of Egypt, saying:
2 *Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, and houses, and the names of every one, as many as are of the male sex,
3 From twenty years old and upwards, of all the men of Israel fit for war, and you shall number them by their troops, thou and Aaron.
4 And there shall be with you the princes of the tribes, and of the houses in their kindreds,
5 Whose names are these: Of Ruben, Elisur the son of Sedeur.
6 Of Simeon, Salamiel the son of Surisaddai.
7 Of Juda, Nahasson the son of Aminadab.
8 Of Issachar, Nathanael the son of Suar.
9 Of Zabulon, Eliab the son of Helon.
10 And of the sons of Joseph: of Ephraim, Elisama the son of Ammiud: of Manasses, Gamaliel the son of Phadassur.
11 Of Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gedeon.
12 Of Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammisaddai.
13 Of Aser, Phegiel the son of Ochran.
14 Of Gad, Eliasaph the son of Duel.
15 Of Nephthali, Ahira the son of Enan.
16 These are the most noble princes of the multitude, by their tribes and kindreds, and the chiefs of the army of Israel:
17 Whom Moses and Aaron took with all the multitude of the common people:
18 And assembled them on the first day of the second month, reckoning them up by the kindreds, and houses, and families, and heads, and names of every one from twenty years old and upward,
19 As the Lord had commanded Moses. And they were numbered in the desert of Sinai.
20 Of Ruben the eldest son of Israel, by the generations and families, and houses, and names of every head, all that were of the male sex, from twenty years old and upward, that were able to go forth to war,
21 Were forty-six thousand five hundred.
22 Of the sons of Simeon by the generations and families, and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names and heads of every one, all that were of the male sex, from twenty years old and upward, that were able to go forth to war,
23 Fifty-nine thousand three hundred.
24 Of the sons of Gad, by the generations and families, and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,
25 Forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.
26 Of the sons of Juda, by the generations and families, and houses of their kindreds, by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,
27 Were reckoned up seventy-four thousand six hundred.
28 Of the sons of Issachar, by the generations and families, and houses of their kindreds, by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that could go forth to war,
29 Were reckoned up fifty-four thousand four hundred.
30 Of the sons of Zabulon, by the generations and families, and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,
31 Fifty-seven thousand four hundred.
32 Of the sons of Joseph, namely of the sons of Ephraim, by the generations and families, and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,
33 Forty thousand five hundred.
34 Moreover of the sons of Manasses, by the generations and families, and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that could go forth to war,
35 Thirty-two thousand two hundred.
36 Of the sons of Benjamin, by the generations and families, and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,
37 Thirty-five thousand four hundred.
38 Of the sons of Dan, by the generations and families, and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,
39 Sixty-two thousand seven hundred.
40 Of the sons of Aser, by the generations and families, and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,
41 Forty-one thousand and five hundred.
42 Of the sons of Nephthali, by theigenerations and families, and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,
43 Fifty-three thousand four hundred.
44 These are they who were numbered by Moses and Aaron, and the twelve princes of Israel, every one by the houses of their kindreds.
45 And the whole number of the children of Israel, by their houses and families, from twenty years old and upward, that were able to go to war,
46 Were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty men.
47 But the Levites in the tribes of their families were not numbered with them.
48 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
49 Number not the tribe of Levi, neither shalt thou put down the sum of them with the children of Israel:
50 But appoint them over the tabernacle of the testimony, and all the vessels thereof, and whatsoever pertaineth to the ceremonies. They shall carry the tabernacle and all the furniture thereof: and they shall minister, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.
51 When you are to go forward, the Levites shall take down the tabernacle: when you are to camp, they shall set it up. What stranger soever cometh to it shall be slain.
52 And the children of Israel shall camp every man by his troops, and bands, and army.
53 But the Levites shall pitch their tents round about the tabernacle, lest there come indignation upon the multitude of the children of Israel, and they shall keep watch, and guard the tabernacle of the testimony.
54 And the children of Israel did according to all things which the Lord had commanded Moses.
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1: Year of the World 2514, Year before Christ 1490.
2: Exodus xxx. 12.