Feb. 11 Reading: Numbers 1-2 Commentary
Below is our Numbers 1-2 commentary from our Beginning to End Bible reading program. You can find an email link at the end of this page to share your thoughts or comments with us.
Key Verse(s):
“Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male individually, from twenty years old and above—all who are able to go to war in Israel.” (Num. 1:2-3)
Introduction
The book of Numbers revolves around two basic sections – each one involving a census or counting of the people. There is one at the beginning of the book and one at the end of the book. So why count the people twice?
Well, as the people are preparing to enter the Promise Land, something happens (Num. 13-14) that has devastating consequences. It’s the ultimate rebellion by the people against God, His provision and instructions in their lives. It will leave a terrible legacy on an entire generation.
But through it all, God graciously continued to instruct and guide his people. And in the end, we will see a group of children rise up and do what their parents could not – inherit the land God promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And before they did that, their generation would be counted in the second census (Numbers 26).
Numbers 1 – The First Census of Israel
In the Wilderness of Sinai, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after leaving Egypt, God instructed Moses to take a census of the people. He said,
“Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male individually, from twenty years old and above—all who are able to go to war in Israel.” (Num. 1:2-3)
God appointed a man from every tribe to help Moses and Aaron complete the census (vv. 5-16). These were the numbers of men from each tribe, 20 years old and above, able to go to war:
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
The total amounted to 603,550 men, 20 years old and above, able to go to war (vv. 45-46).
God did not count the tribe of Levi. Instead, he gave them a special task. It is here that they are appointed to be ministers over the tabernacle and all the things that belong to it. They would carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings and maintain it while it was erected in the camp. And God positioned their dwelling to be around the tabernacle “that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel” (Num. 1:53).
Numbers 2 – Tribes and Leaders by Armies
Numbers 2 details the placement of the tribes in the camp. The tabernacle was always to be in the center of camp, signifying God’s presence at the heart of his people. Around the tabernacle lived the Levites. It was their role to maintain the tabernacle, so living in close proximity to it made their job easier. And as we already saw, this seemed to be a protective measure so that there would be no unauthorized entry into the tabernacle (Num. 1:53).
Beyond that, God placed each tribe in a geometric pattern around the tabernacle. Additionally, each tribe was appointed a leader of their army and these men are noted in this chapter. Finally, we see a specific order in which they broke camp, one after another (vv. 9, 16, 24, 31).
The place of honor was on the east side of the tabernacle, towards the rising son (v. 3). Here we find the camps of Judah, Issachar and Zebulun, totaling a 186,400 man army. Their camp broke first (v. 9).
The camp to break second lived to the south and included the tribes of Reuben, Simeon and Gad. Their male population totaled 151,400.
To the west lived the people of the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin. Their total fighting force was 108,000 men. They broke camp third.
Finally, the last group to break camp when the people moved was the tribes of Dan, Asher and Naphtali. Their position was north of the tabernacle. (Click here for a diagram of what this may have looked like.)
It’s important to notice that the four groupings of tribes produce the same total numbers of fighting men as when the tribes are numbered individually in Chap. 1 – 603,550 men (1:46).
Questions to Consider:
Everyone has a personal identity with God. You either know Him or you don’t. He either dwells inside of you or He does not. There is no middle ground.
God’s placement of the people in the camp shows His design for order and identity. They were organized by tribes around the Tabernacle, signifying God dwelling at the heart of His people. Is God at the center of your life? Does He own all of you?
What other points would you want to know about in our Numbers 1-2 commentary? Email us here with questions or comments.