Chapter 1

1 God commandeth Moses to number the people. 5 The princes of the tribes. 17 The number of every tribe. 47 The Levites are exempted for the service of the Lord.

1. The Lord spake. Moses emphasizes the fact that the Lord spoke to him in the tabernacle, in the Wilderness of Sinai, because subsequent revelations after its erection took place there. Previous revelations had been on Mt. Sinai itself. The One who met with Moses was Jehovah. The Hebrews had now been in the wilderness nearly a year (see Ex. 19:1; Num. 10:11, 12).

The tabernacle. Literally, “the tent of the meeting” (see Num. 3:7; 4:3; Ex. 27:21; Lev. 1:1, 3). The place where God met Moses and His people.

The first day. This was one month after the erection of the tabernacle (Ex. 40:2, 17; Num. 9:1, 2).

2. Take ye the sum. The enumeration and classification of males was a wise step to ensure orderly arrangements for the encampment and for marching. That this was its purpose is suggested by the fact that the numbering was evidently completed by the 20th of the same month, the very day on which Israel set forth from the Wilderness of Sinai to journey to the Wilderness of Paran (ch. 10:11). There had been a previous enumeration, for the purpose of levying the half-shekel tax needed for the erection of the tabernacle (see Ex. 30:12; 38:26). This second numbering was less a census than an organizational procedure—a mustering of men of military age by tribes and smaller units, with a leader (Num. 1:4, 5) appointed for each tribe.

House of their fathers. Here the group is the family. The term may, however, be used for an entire tribe descended from one ancestor (ch. 17:2), or again, a division of a tribe (Num. 3:24; Ex. 6:14).

Their polls. Literally, “their skulls.” This is a term used to designate individuals.

3. Twenty years old. On arriving at this age every male in Israel became responsible for paying the Temple half shekel (Ex. 30:14) and was considered fit for the responsibilities of war.

Aaron. Aaron was to help in the numbering, though the Levites as a whole were excluded from it. Moses and Aaron represented the highest authority in the nation.

By their armies. No such rule was laid down in the former numbering (Ex. 30). This was evidently a military registration.

4. A man of every tribe. Men of authority, respect, and dignity were made responsible for assisting in this work.

5. The names. Verses 5–15 contain a list of 12 chief men, whose names recur in chs. 2, 7, and 10. Most of the names have meanings, as Elizur, “God is a rock.” Several of the names appear in the NT, some in slightly different forms. Eight of these men had names that are compounds of ХEl, a title of God, but only one of their fathers’ names (Deuel in v. 14) has ХEl in it. This sudden increase in ХEl-names suggests an increased interest in the God of their forefathers as the leaders of the Israelites looked forward to the deliverance promised by God (ХElohim) to Joseph (Gen. 50:24, 25).

8. Nethaneel. Meaning “the gift of God.” This is a name found frequently in Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah.

10.Elishama. Meaning “God hath heard.”

Gamaliel. Meaning “God is a reward,” used in (Acts 5:34).

16. Princes. This title is also given to the spies in ch. 13:2, but there translated “ruler.” These 12 persons were “called,” that is, chosen, to help Moses in carrying out the census.

Renowned. Literally, “named” or “called.” It refers to men mentioned with respect by God or fellow men.

Heads of thousands. Jethro had suggested to Moses that he take men of authority to help him in his administration (Ex. 18:17, 21);he was now commanded to take men of position, the chief commanders.

Thousands. This word probably refers to a large group such as a clan, a tribal division. It is also used of a military division. See p. 556.

The registration of God’s people under Moses has its lesson for the church today under Christ. The numbering of His children by name suggests the fact that God knows each of His children personally (2 Tim. 2:19). The divine Shepherd is acquainted with each member of His flock (John 10:3), and the book of life has an eternal meaning for each child of God (Rev. 3:5).

18. All the congregation. The number for each tribe is given (vs. 20E43). For their order of march and their arrangement in camp, see on ch. 2.

46. Numbered. The number of men of military age is put at 603,550. This total is exactly the same as that given in Ex. 38:26, but in Num. 11:21 and Ex. 12:37 the round number 600,000 appears.

47. The Levites. The Levites were exempt from military service; hence they were not numbered with the tribal forces. Levi was a tribe devoted especially to the service of God (v. 50) in place of the first-born (ch. 3:12). There were 12 tribes besides Levi, because Jacob had adopted Ephraim and Manasseh, the two sons of Joseph (Gen. 48:5, 6); consequently, instead of one tribe of Joseph, there were two separate tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. A separate command from Jehovah was given in respect to the Levites (Num. 1:48–50). Their duties were to be of a different nature, and are stated more fully in chs. 3 and 4.

50. Tabernacle of testimony. “Testimony” refers to the Ten Commandments. It is found 61 times in the OT. When it is used in connection with the ark, the veil, Aaron’s rod, an individual, or the congregation as a whole, the emphasis and importance lie with the Ten Commandments (see on Ex. 25:16). The high honor of the ark was not due to anything inherent within that piece of furniture itself, but to the fact that it was the resting place of the two tables of stone inscribed with the Ten Commandments. The word “testimony” is occasionally translated “witness” (Num. 17:7, 8; 2 Chron. 24:6). The words “witness” and “testimony” (Ex. 25:16; 38:21; 40:3) are suggestive of the fact that the Ten Commandments speak of the moral and ethical nature of Jehovah’s character, and that He looks for the same characteristics to be manifested in His people.

Minister. The word thus translated is used in Numbers for the sacred service of the Levites only. The meaning of the word is always honorable, and refers also to the holy ministrations of angels (Heb. 1:14). In its various forms it is used of certain kinds of secular service of special importance or responsibility, of Joshua the personal servant of Moses (Ex. 24:13; 33:11), and of the personal ministry of Elisha for Elijah (1 Kings 19:21).

51. The stranger. That is, a non-Levite, one who had no authority to approach the sanctuary, a Jew—not necessarily a foreigner, but one not included in the immediate context (cf. Deut. 25:5; Hosea 5:7; Ex. 29:33).

52. Standard. From the verb “to look,” “to behold,” “to lift up a banner.” The noun therefore suggests something conspicuous, distinguished, or exalted. It may be applied to any sign or mark, such as a prophetic sign (Ex. 3:12), a miracle (Joshua 24:17), a memorial (Joshua 4:6), or to the heavenly bodies as signs (Gen. 1:14; Jer. 10:2). Some suggest that the word “company” would give better sense here than “standard” (see Num. 2:3, 10, 18, 25).

The Jews have a tradition that Reuben’s standard had the figure of a man, that of Judah a lion, the standard of Ephraim an ox, and that of Dan the figure of an eagle.

53. No wrath. That is, for the violation of the sanctity of the tabernacle, which was the dwelling place of God among His people. In the NT the individual Christian is God’s holy sanctuary (1 Cor. 6:19), as also is the church as a whole (1 Cor. 3:16, 17). In both of these texts the word translated “temple” is the one that applies to the holy and most holy places, exclusive of all other buildings adjacent to it in the Temple area.

The word translated “wrath” is from a root allied to the Syriac and Arabic that means “to break off,” “to snap off.” Thenoun, masculine, is “splinter,” a piece broken off. So the wrath of God here involves the idea of severing from the church one who has sinned concerning God’s holy things. The Levites were stationed round about the tabernacle to prevent any unauthorized person from entering the sacred precincts of God’s dwelling place.

Outside the priestly cordon the laity of Israel pitched their tents according to a divinely given plan. God was in their midst. His unapproachableness was stressed. Only designated persons of particular office could draw near to Him. This was strictly observed. The Christian ideal is disclosed by Paul in Heb. 4:16, wherein he exhorts the Christian to come “boldly unto the throne of grace,” into the very presence of Jehovah.

Ellen G. White comments

50  3T 345

51   SR 156; 3T 345

52   SR 157

53   3T 345