Numbers 1

The First Census of Israel

1^*On the first day of the second month in the second year after the people of Israel left Egypt, the Lord spoke to Moses there in the Tent of his presence in the Sinai Desert. He said, ^2*“You and Aaron are to take a census of the people of Israel by clans and families. List the names of all the men ^3*twenty years old or older who are fit for military service. ^4*Ask one clan chief from each tribe to help you.” ^5–16*These are the men, leaders within their tribes, who were chosen from the community for this work:

Tribe Clan Chief

Reuben Elizur son of Shedeur;

Simeon Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;

Judah Nahshon son of Amminadab;

Issachar Nethanel son of Zuar;

Zebulun Eliab son of Helon;

Ephraim Elishama son of Ammihud;

Manasseh Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;

Benjamin Abidan son of Gideoni;

Dan Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;

Asher Pagiel son of Ochran;

Gad Eliasaph son of Deuel;

Naphtali Ahira son of Enan.

^17*With the help of these twelve men Moses and Aaron ^18*called together the whole community on the first day of the second month and registered all the people by clans and families. The names of all the men twenty years old or older were recorded and counted, ^19*as the Lord had commanded. In the Sinai Desert, Moses registered the people. ^20–46*The men twenty years old or older who were fit for military service were registered by name according to clan and family, beginning with the tribe of Reuben, Jacob’s eldest son. The totals were as follows:

Tribe

Number

Reuben

46,500

Simeon

59,300

Gad

45,650

Judah

74,600

Issachar

54,400

Zebulun

57,400

Ephraim

40,500

Manasseh

32,200

Benjamin

35,400

Dan

62,700

Asher

41,500

Naphtali

53,400

Total: 603,550

⁴⁷The Levites were not registered with the other tribes, ⁴⁸because the Lord had said to Moses, ⁴⁹“When you take a census of the men fit for military service, do not include the tribe of Levi. ⁵⁰Instead, put the Levites in charge of the Tent of my presence and all its equipment. They shall carry it and its equipment, serve in it, and set up their camp round it. ⁵¹Whenever you move your camp, the Levites shall take the Tent down and set it up again at each new camping place. Anyone else who comes near the Tent shall be put to death. ⁵²The rest of the Israelites shall set up camp, company by company, each man with his own group and under his own banner. ⁵³But the Levites shall camp round the Tent to guard it, so that no one may come near and cause my anger to strike the community of Israel.” ⁵⁴So the people of Israel did everything that the Lord had commanded Moses.