Sermon Central
Numbers 1:1-5:1
View Full ChapterThe Census 1The LORD spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the Desert of Sinai on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt. He said: 2“Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. 3You and Aaron are to count according to their divisions all the men in Israel who are twenty years old or more and able to serve in the army. 4One man from each tribe, each of them the head of his family, is to help you.
5These are the names of the men who are to assist you: from Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur;
6from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;
7from Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab;
8from Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar;
9from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon;
10from the sons of Joseph: from Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud; from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;
11from Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni;
12from Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;
13from Asher, Pagiel son of Okran;
14from Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel;
15from Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan.”
16These were the men appointed from the community, the leaders of their ancestral tribes. They were the heads of the clans of Israel. 17Moses and Aaron took these men whose names had been specified, 18and they called the whole community together on the first day of the second month. The people registered their ancestry by their clans and families, and the men twenty years old or more were listed by name, one by one,
19as the LORD commanded Moses. And so he counted them in the Desert of Sinai:
20From the descendants of Reuben the firstborn son of Israel: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, one by one, according to the records of their clans and families.
21The number from the tribe of Reuben was 46,500.
22From the descendants of Simeon: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were counted and listed by name, one by one, according to the records of their clans and families.
23The number from the tribe of Simeon was 59,300.
24From the descendants of Gad: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.
25The number from the tribe of Gad was 45,650.
26From the descendants of Judah: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.
27The number from the tribe of Judah was 74,600.
28From the descendants of Issachar: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.
29The number from the tribe of Issachar was 54,400.
30From the descendants of Zebulun: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.
31The number from the tribe of Zebulun was 57,400.
32From the sons of Joseph: From the descendants of Ephraim: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.
33The number from the tribe of Ephraim was 40,500.
34From the descendants of Manasseh: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.
35The number from the tribe of Manasseh was 32,200.
36From the descendants of Benjamin: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.
37The number from the tribe of Benjamin was 35,400.
38From the descendants of Dan: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.
39The number from the tribe of Dan was 62,700.
40From the descendants of Asher: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.
41The number from the tribe of Asher was 41,500.
42From the descendants of Naphtali: All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.
43The number from the tribe of Naphtali was 53,400. 44These were the men counted by Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family. 45All the Israelites twenty years old or more who were able to serve in Israel’s army were counted according to their families.
46The total number was 603,550. 47The ancestral tribe of the Levites, however, was not counted along with the others. 48The LORD had said to Moses: 49“You must not count the tribe of Levi or include them in the census of the other Israelites. 50Instead, appoint the Levites to be in charge of the tabernacle of the covenant law—over all its furnishings and everything belonging to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; they are to take care of it and encamp around it. 51Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall do it. Anyone else who approaches it is to be put to death. 52The Israelites are to set up their tents by divisions, each of them in their own camp under their standard.
53The Levites, however, are to set up their tents around the tabernacle of the covenant law so that my wrath will not fall on the Israelite community. The Levites are to be responsible for the care of the tabernacle of the covenant law.” 54The Israelites did all this just as the LORD commanded Moses.
The Arrangement of the Tribal Camps 1The LORD said to Moses and Aaron:
2“The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standard and holding the banners of their family.” 3On the east, toward the sunrise, the divisions of the camp of Judah are to encamp under their standard. The leader of the people of Judah is Nahshon son of Amminadab.
4His division numbers 74,600. 5The tribe of Issachar will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Issachar is Nethanel son of Zuar.
6His division numbers 54,400. 7The tribe of Zebulun will be next. The leader of the people of Zebulun is Eliab son of Helon.
8His division numbers 57,400.
9All the men assigned to the camp of Judah, according to their divisions, number 186,400. They will set out first. 10On the south will be the divisions of the camp of Reuben under their standard. The leader of the people of Reuben is Elizur son of Shedeur.
11His division numbers 46,500. 12The tribe of Simeon will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Simeon is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.
13His division numbers 59,300.
14The tribe of Gad will be next. The leader of the people of Gad is Eliasaph son of Deuel.
15His division numbers 45,650.
16All the men assigned to the camp of Reuben, according to their divisions, number 151,450. They will set out second.
17Then the tent of meeting and the camp of the Levites will set out in the middle of the camps. They will set out in the same order as they encamp, each in their own place under their standard. 18On the west will be the divisions of the camp of Ephraim under their standard. The leader of the people of Ephraim is Elishama son of Ammihud.
19His division numbers 40,500. 20The tribe of Manasseh will be next to them. The leader of the people of Manasseh is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.
21His division numbers 32,200. 22The tribe of Benjamin will be next. The leader of the people of Benjamin is Abidan son of Gideoni.
23His division numbers 35,400.
24All the men assigned to the camp of Ephraim, according to their divisions, number 108,100. They will set out third. 25On the north will be the divisions of the camp of Dan under their standard. The leader of the people of Dan is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.
26His division numbers 62,700. 27The tribe of Asher will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Asher is Pagiel son of Okran.
28His division numbers 41,500. 29The tribe of Naphtali will be next. The leader of the people of Naphtali is Ahira son of Enan.
30His division numbers 53,400.
31All the men assigned to the camp of Dan number 157,600. They will set out last, under their standards. 32These are the Israelites, counted according to their families. All the men in the camps, by their divisions, number 603,550.
33The Levites, however, were not counted along with the other Israelites, as the LORD commanded Moses. 34So the Israelites did everything the LORD commanded Moses; that is the way they encamped under their standards, and that is the way they set out, each of them with their clan and family.
The Levites 1This is the account of the family of Aaron and Moses at the time the LORD spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai. 2The names of the sons of Aaron were Nadab the firstborn and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 3Those were the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests.
4Nadab and Abihu, however, died before the LORD when they made an offering with unauthorized fire before him in the Desert of Sinai. They had no sons, so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.
5The LORD said to Moses,
6“Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him.
7They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community at the tent of meeting by doing the work of the tabernacle.
8They are to take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites by doing the work of the tabernacle.
9Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to him.
10Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests; anyone else who approaches the sanctuary is to be put to death.” 11The LORD also said to Moses, 12“I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine,
13for all the firstborn are mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They are to be mine. I am the LORD .” 14The LORD said to Moses in the Desert of Sinai, 15“Count the Levites by their families and clans. Count every male a month old or more.”
16So Moses counted them, as he was commanded by the word of the LORD .
17These were the names of the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
18These were the names of the Gershonite clans: Libni and Shimei.
19The Kohathite clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.
20The Merarite clans: Mahli and Mushi. These were the Levite clans, according to their families. 21To Gershon belonged the clans of the Libnites and Shimeites; these were the Gershonite clans. 22The number of all the males a month old or more who were counted was 7,500. 23The Gershonite clans were to camp on the west, behind the tabernacle. 24The leader of the families of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael. 25At the tent of meeting the Gershonites were responsible for the care of the tabernacle and tent, its coverings, the curtain at the entrance to the tent of meeting,
26the curtains of the courtyard, the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar, and the ropes—and everything related to their use.
27To Kohath belonged the clans of the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites and Uzzielites; these were the Kohathite clans.
28The number of all the males a month old or more was 8,600.
32The chief leader of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest. He was appointed over those who were responsible for the care of the sanctuary. 33To Merari belonged the clans of the Mahlites and the Mushites; these were the Merarite clans. 34The number of all the males a month old or more who were counted was 6,200. 35The leader of the families of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. 36The Merarites were appointed to take care of the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, bases, all its equipment, and everything related to their use,
37as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs and ropes.
38Moses and Aaron and his sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, in front of the tent of meeting. They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary on behalf of the Israelites. Anyone else who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.
39The total number of Levites counted at the LORD ’s command by Moses and Aaron according to their clans, including every male a month old or more, was 22,000. 40The LORD said to Moses, “Count all the firstborn Israelite males who are a month old or more and make a list of their names.
41Take the Levites for me in place of all the firstborn of the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites. I am the LORD .” 42So Moses counted all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the LORD commanded him.
43The total number of firstborn males a month old or more, listed by name, was 22,273.
44The LORD also said to Moses,
45“Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites are to be mine. I am the LORD .
46To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of the Levites,
47collect five shekels
48Give the money for the redemption of the additional Israelites to Aaron and his sons.”
49So Moses collected the redemption money from those who exceeded the number redeemed by the Levites.
50From the firstborn of the Israelites he collected silver weighing 1,365 shekels,
The Kohathites 1The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: 2“Take a census of the Kohathite branch of the Levites by their clans and families.
3Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting. 4“This is the work of the Kohathites at the tent of meeting: the care of the most holy things. 5When the camp is to move, Aaron and his sons are to go in and take down the shielding curtain and put it over the ark of the covenant law.
6Then they are to cover the curtain with a durable leather,
8They are to spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover that with the durable leather and put the poles in place. 9“They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand that is for light, together with its lamps, its wick trimmers and trays, and all its jars for the olive oil used to supply it.
10Then they are to wrap it and all its accessories in a covering of the durable leather and put it on a carrying frame.
11“Over the gold altar they are to spread a blue cloth and cover that with the durable leather and put the poles in place.
12“They are to take all the articles used for ministering in the sanctuary, wrap them in a blue cloth, cover that with the durable leather and put them on a carrying frame. 13“They are to remove the ashes from the bronze altar and spread a purple cloth over it.
14Then they are to place on it all the utensils used for ministering at the altar, including the firepans, meat forks, shovels and sprinkling bowls. Over it they are to spread a covering of the durable leather and put the poles in place.
15“After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, only then are the Kohathites to come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the tent of meeting.
16“Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, is to have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering and the anointing oil. He is to be in charge of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including its holy furnishings and articles.” 17The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 18“See that the Kohathite tribal clans are not destroyed from among the Levites. 19So that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go into the sanctuary and assign to each man his work and what he is to carry.
20But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die.”
The Gershonites 21The LORD said to Moses, 22“Take a census also of the Gershonites by their families and clans.
23Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting. 24“This is the service of the Gershonite clans in their carrying and their other work: 25They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, that is, the tent of meeting, its covering and its outer covering of durable leather, the curtains for the entrance to the tent of meeting, 26the curtains of the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar, the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard, the ropes and all the equipment used in the service of the tent. The Gershonites are to do all that needs to be done with these things. 27All their service, whether carrying or doing other work, is to be done under the direction of Aaron and his sons. You shall assign to them as their responsibility all they are to carry.
28This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the tent of meeting. Their duties are to be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest.
The Merarites 29“Count the Merarites by their clans and families. 30Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting. 31As part of all their service at the tent, they are to carry the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts and bases, 32as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, ropes, all their equipment and everything related to their use. Assign to each man the specific things he is to carry.
33This is the service of the Merarite clans as they work at the tent of meeting under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest.”
The Numbering of the Levite Clans 34Moses, Aaron and the leaders of the community counted the Kohathites by their clans and families. 35All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, 36counted by clans, were 2,750.
37This was the total of all those in the Kohathite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the LORD ’s command through Moses. 38The Gershonites were counted by their clans and families. 39All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, 40counted by their clans and families, were 2,630.
41This was the total of those in the Gershonite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the LORD ’s command. 42The Merarites were counted by their clans and families. 43All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, 44counted by their clans, were 3,200.
45This was the total of those in the Merarite clans. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the LORD ’s command through Moses. 46So Moses, Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted all the Levites by their clans and families. 47All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to do the work of serving and carrying the tent of meeting 48numbered 8,580. 49At the LORD ’s command through Moses, each was assigned his work and told what to carry. Thus they were counted, as the LORD commanded Moses.
The Purity of the Camp 1The LORD said to Moses,