Numbers 1 - Prayer Tents

Numbers 1

New Living Translation

Registration of Israel’s Troops

1A year after Israel's departure from Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses in the Tabernacle[1] in the wilderness of Sinai. On the first day of the second month[2] 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: Tribe Leader Reuben Elizur son of Shedeur

6Simeon Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai

7Judah Nahshon son of Amminadab

8Issachar Nethanel son of Zuar

9Zebulun Eliab son of Helon

10Ephraim son of Joseph Elishama son of Ammihud Manasseh son of Joseph Gamaliel son of Pedahzur

11Benjamin Abidan son of Gideoni

12Dan Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai

13Asher Pagiel son of Ocran

14Gad Eliasaph son of Deuel

15Naphtali Ahira son of Enan

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[3]. 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.

20This 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[4]:

21Tribe Number Reuben (Jacob's[5] oldest son) 46,500

22Simeon

2359,300

24Gad

2545,650

26Judah

2774,600

28Issachar

2954,400

30Zebulun

3157,400

32Ephraim son of Joseph

3340,500

34Manasseh son of Joseph

3532,200

36Benjamin

3735,400

38Dan

3962,700

40Asher

4141,500

42Naphtali

4353,400

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[6], 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.

[1] Numbers 1:1Hebrew the Tent of Meeting
[2] Numbers 1:1This day in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in April or May
[3] Numbers 1:18Hebrew on the first day of the second month; see 1.1
[4] Numbers 1:20In 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
[5] Numbers 1:21Hebrew Israel's. The names "Jacob" and "Israel" are often interchanged throughout the Old Testament, referring sometimes to the individual patriarch and sometimes to the nation
[6] Numbers 1:50Or Tabernacle of the Testimony; also in 1.53