2 'Take ye up the sum of all the company of the sons of Israel by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names—every male by their polls; 3 from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host in Israel, ye do number them by their hosts, thou and Aaron; 4 and with you there is a man for a tribe, each is a head to the house of his fathers. 5 'And these 'are' the names of the men who stand with you: 'For Reuben—Elizur son of Shedeur. 6 'For Simeon—Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. 7 'For Judah—Nahshon son of Amminadab. 8 'For Issachar—Nathaneel son of Zuar. 9 'For Zebulun—Eliab son of Helon. 10 'For the sons of Joseph—for Ephraim: Elishama son of Ammihud: for Manasseh—Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. 11 'For Benjamin—Abidan son of Gideoni. 12 'For Dan—Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. 13 'For Asher—Pagiel son of Ocran. 14 'For Gad—Eliasaph son of Deuel. 15 'For Naphtali—Ahira son of Enan.' 16 These 'are' those called of the company, princes of the tribes of their fathers; they 'are' heads of the thousands of Israel.

17 And Moses taketh—Aaron also—these men, who were defined by name, 18 and all the company they assembled on the first of the second month, and they declare their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names from a son of twenty years and upward, by their polls, 19 as Jehovah hath commanded Moses; and he numbereth them in the wilderness of Sinai. 20 And the sons of Reuben, Israel's first-born—their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, by their polls, every male from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host— 21 their numbered ones, for the tribe of Reuben, are six and forty thousand and five hundred. 22 Of the sons of Simeon—their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, its numbered ones in the number of names, by their polls, every male from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host— 23 their numbered ones, for the tribe of Simeon, 'are' nine and fifty thousand and three hundred. 24 Of the sons of Gad—their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host— 25 their numbered ones, for the tribe of Gad, 'are' five and forty thousand and six hundred and fifty. 26 Of the sons of Judah—their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host— 27 their numbered ones, for the tribe of Judah, 'are' four and seventy thousand and six hundred. 28 Of the sons of Issachar—their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host— 29 their numbered ones, for the tribe of Issachar, 'are' four and fifty thousand and four hundred. 30 Of the sons of Zebulun—their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host— 31 their numbered ones, for the tribe of Zebulun, 'are' seven and fifty thousand and four hundred. 32 Of the sons of Joseph—of the sons of Ephraim—their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host— 33 their numbered ones, for the tribe of Ephraim, 'are' forty thousand and five hundred. 34 Of the sons of Manasseh—their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host— 35 their numbered ones, for the tribe of Manasseh, 'are' two and thirty thousand and two hundred. 36 Of the sons of Benjamin—their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host— 37 their numbered ones, for the tribe of Benjamin, 'are' five and thirty thousand and four hundred. 38 Of the sons of Dan—their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host— 39 their numbered ones, for the tribe of Dan, 'are' two and sixty thousand and seven hundred. 40 Of the sons of Asher—their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host— 41 their numbered ones, for the tribe of Asher, 'are' one and forty thousand and five hundred. 42 'Of' the sons of Naphtali—their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host— 43 their numbered ones, for the tribe of Naphtali, 'are' three and fifty thousand and four hundred.

44 These 'are' those numbered, whom Moses numbered—Aaron also, and the princes of Israel, twelve men—each for the house of his fathers, they have been. 45 And they are, all those numbered of the sons of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host in Israel, 46 yea, all those numbered are six hundred thousand, and three thousand, and five hundred and fifty.

The Appointment of the Levites

47 And the Levites, for the tribe of their fathers, have not numbered themselves in their midst, 48 seeing Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying, 49 'Only, the tribe of Levi thou dost not number, and their sum thou dost not take up in the midst of the sons of Israel;

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 1:2-49

Commentary on Numbers 1:1-43

(Read Numbers 1:1-43)

The people were numbered to show God's faithfulness in thus increasing the seed of Jacob, that they might be the better trained for the wars and conquest of Canaan, and to ascertain their families in order to the division of the land. It is said of each tribe, that those were numbered who were able to go forth to war; they had wars before them, though now they met with no opposition. Let the believer be prepared to withstand the enemies of his soul, though all may appear to be peace.

Commentary on Numbers 1:44-46

(Read Numbers 1:44-46)

We have here the sum total. How much was required to maintain all these in the wilderness! They were all provided for by God every day. When we observe the faithfulness of God, however unlikely the performance of his promise may appear, we may take courage as to those which yet remain to be fulfilled to the church of God.

Commentary on Numbers 1:47-54

(Read Numbers 1:47-54)

Care is here taken to distinguish the tribe of Levi, which, in the matter of the golden calf, had distinguished itself. Singular services shall be recompensed by singular honours. It was to the honour of the Levites, that to them was committed the care of the tabernacle and its treasures, in their camps and in their marches. It was for the honour of the holy things that none should see them, or touch them, but those who were called of God to the service. We all are unfit and unworthy to have fellowship with God, till called by his grace into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and so, being the spiritual seed of that great High Priest, we are made priests to our God. Great care must be taken to prevent sin, for preventing sin is preventing wrath. Being a holy tribe, they were not reckoned among other Israelites. They that minister about holy things, should neither entangle themselves, nor be entangled, in worldly affairs. And let every believer seek to do what the Lord has commanded.