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The People of Israel Are Counted

The Lord spoke to Moses in the Meeting Tent in the Desert of Sinai. This was on the first day of the second month in the second year after the Israelites left Egypt. He said to Moses: “You and Aaron must count all the people of Israel by families and family groups, listing the name of each man. You and Aaron must count every man twenty years old or older who will serve in the army of Israel, and list them by their divisions. One man from each tribe, the leader of his family, will help you. These are the names of the men who will help you:

from the tribe of Reuben—Elizur son of Shedeur;

from the tribe of Simeon—Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;

from the tribe of Judah—Nahshon son of Amminadab;

from the tribe of Issachar—Nethanel son of Zuar;

from the tribe of Zebulun—Eliab son of Helon;

10 from the tribe of Ephraim son of Joseph—Elishama son of Ammihud;

from the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph—Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;

11 from the tribe of Benjamin—Abidan son of Gideoni;

12 from the tribe of Dan—Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;

13 from the tribe of Asher—Pagiel son of Ocran;

14 from the tribe of Gad—Eliasaph son of Deuel;

15 from the tribe of Naphtali—Ahira son of Enan.”

16 These were the men chosen from the people to be leaders of their tribes, the heads of Israel’s family groups.

17 Moses and Aaron took these men who had been picked 18 and called all the people of Israel together on the first day of the second month. Then the people were listed by their families and family groups, and all the men who were twenty years old or older were listed by name. 19 Moses did exactly what the Lord had commanded and listed the people while they were in the Desert of Sinai.

20 The tribe of Reuben, the first son born to Israel, was counted; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their families and family groups. 21 The tribe of Reuben totaled 46,500 men.

22 The tribe of Simeon was counted; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their families and family groups. 23 The tribe of Simeon totaled 59,300 men.

24 The tribe of Gad was counted; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their families and family groups. 25 The tribe of Gad totaled 45,650 men.

26 The tribe of Judah was counted; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their families and family groups. 27 The tribe of Judah totaled 74,600 men.

28 The tribe of Issachar was counted; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their families and family groups. 29 The tribe of Issachar totaled 54,400 men.

30 The tribe of Zebulun was counted; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their families and family groups. 31 The tribe of Zebulun totaled 57,400 men.

32 The tribe of Ephraim, a son of Joseph, was counted; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their families and family groups. 33 The tribe of Ephraim totaled 40,500 men.

34 The tribe of Manasseh, also a son of Joseph, was counted; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their families and family groups. 35 The tribe of Manasseh totaled 32,200 men.

36 The tribe of Benjamin was counted; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their families and family groups. 37 The tribe of Benjamin totaled 35,400 men.

38 The tribe of Dan was counted; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their families and family groups. 39 The tribe of Dan totaled 62,700 men.

40 The tribe of Asher was counted; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their families and family groups. 41 The tribe of Asher totaled 41,500 men.

42 The tribe of Naphtali was counted; all the men twenty years old or older who were able to serve in the army were listed by name with their families and family groups. 43 The tribe of Naphtali totaled 53,400 men.

44 Moses, Aaron, and the twelve leaders of Israel, one from each of the families, counted these men. 45 Every man of Israel twenty years old or older who was able to serve in the army was counted and listed with his family. 46 The total number of men was 603,550.

47 The families from the tribe of Levi were not listed with the others, because 48 the Lord had told Moses: 49 “Do not count the tribe of Levi or include them with the other Israelites. 50 Instead put the Levites in charge of the Holy Tent of the Agreement and everything that is with it. They must carry the Holy Tent and everything in it, and they must take care of it and make their camp around it. 51 Any time the Holy Tent is moved, the Levites must take it down, and any time it is set up, the Levites must do it. Anyone else who goes near the Holy Tent will be put to death. 52 The Israelites will make their camps in separate divisions, each family near its flag. 53 But the Levites must make their camp around the Holy Tent of the Agreement so that I will not be angry with the Israelites. The Levites will take care of the Holy Tent of the Agreement.”

54 So the Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.

The Census

The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting(A) in the Desert of Sinai(B) on the first day of the second month(C) of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt.(D) He said: “Take a census(E) of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families,(F) listing every man by name,(G) one by one. You and Aaron(H) are to count according to their divisions all the men in Israel who are twenty years old or more(I) and able to serve in the army.(J) One man from each tribe,(K) each of them the head of his family,(L) is to help you.(M) These are the names(N) of the men who are to assist you:

from Reuben,(O) Elizur son of Shedeur;(P)

from Simeon,(Q) Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;(R)

from Judah,(S) Nahshon son of Amminadab;(T)

from Issachar,(U) Nethanel son of Zuar;(V)

from Zebulun,(W) Eliab son of Helon;(X)

10 from the sons of Joseph:

from Ephraim,(Y) Elishama son of Ammihud;(Z)

from Manasseh,(AA) Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;(AB)

11 from Benjamin,(AC) Abidan son of Gideoni;(AD)

12 from Dan,(AE) Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;(AF)

13 from Asher,(AG) Pagiel son of Okran;(AH)

14 from Gad,(AI) Eliasaph son of Deuel;(AJ)

15 from Naphtali,(AK) Ahira son of Enan.(AL)

16 These were the men appointed from the community, the leaders(AM) of their ancestral tribes.(AN) They were the heads of the clans of Israel.(AO)

17 Moses and Aaron took these men whose names had been specified, 18 and they called the whole community together on the first day of the second month.(AP) The people registered their ancestry(AQ) by their clans and families,(AR) and the men twenty years old or more(AS) were listed by name, one by one, 19 as the Lord commanded Moses. And so he counted(AT) them in the Desert of Sinai:

20 From the descendants of Reuben(AU) the firstborn son(AV) of Israel:

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, one by one, according to the records of their clans and families. 21 The number from the tribe of Reuben(AW) was 46,500.

22 From the descendants of Simeon:(AX)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were counted and listed by name, one by one, according to the records of their clans and families. 23 The number from the tribe of Simeon was 59,300.(AY)

24 From the descendants of Gad:(AZ)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 25 The number from the tribe of Gad(BA) was 45,650.

26 From the descendants of Judah:(BB)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 27 The number from the tribe of Judah(BC) was 74,600.

28 From the descendants of Issachar:(BD)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 29 The number from the tribe of Issachar(BE) was 54,400.(BF)

30 From the descendants of Zebulun:(BG)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 31 The number from the tribe of Zebulun was 57,400.(BH)

32 From the sons of Joseph:(BI)

From the descendants of Ephraim:(BJ)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 33 The number from the tribe of Ephraim(BK) was 40,500.

34 From the descendants of Manasseh:(BL)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 35 The number from the tribe of Manasseh was 32,200.

36 From the descendants of Benjamin:(BM)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 37 The number from the tribe of Benjamin(BN) was 35,400.

38 From the descendants of Dan:(BO)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 39 The number from the tribe of Dan was 62,700.(BP)

40 From the descendants of Asher:(BQ)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 41 The number from the tribe of Asher(BR) was 41,500.

42 From the descendants of Naphtali:(BS)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 43 The number from the tribe of Naphtali(BT) was 53,400.(BU)

44 These were the men counted by Moses and Aaron(BV) and the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family. 45 All the Israelites twenty years old or more(BW) who were able to serve in Israel’s army were counted according to their families.(BX) 46 The total number was 603,550.(BY)

47 The ancestral tribe of the Levites,(BZ) however, was not counted(CA) along with the others. 48 The Lord had said to Moses: 49 “You must not count the tribe of Levi or include them in the census of the other Israelites. 50 Instead, appoint the Levites to be in charge of the tabernacle(CB) of the covenant law(CC)—over all its furnishings(CD) and everything belonging to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; they are to take care of it and encamp around it. 51 Whenever the tabernacle(CE) is to move,(CF) the Levites are to take it down, and whenever the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall do it.(CG) Anyone else who approaches it is to be put to death.(CH) 52 The Israelites are to set up their tents by divisions, each of them in their own camp under their standard.(CI) 53 The Levites, however, are to set up their tents around the tabernacle(CJ) of the covenant law so that my wrath will not fall(CK) on the Israelite community. The Levites are to be responsible for the care of the tabernacle of the covenant law.(CL)

54 The Israelites did all this just as the Lord commanded Moses.