Study notes

Numbers 1

Introducing NumbersWho wrote it, when, why, and what to look for as you read

1:1

  • In the year after Israel left Egypt, the Lord often communicated his will to the people through Moses, giving them many chances to follow his divine plan.

  • God often revealed himself in the Tent of Meeting; see study note on Exodus 27:21.

  • The wilderness of Sinai was a vast, frightening, and harsh desert (Deuteronomy 1:19). This mostly empty area was where God matured Israel. The challenges of Sinai's harsh living conditions tested Israel's reliance on the Lord throughout the book of Numbers. Sinai reminded later biblical authors of the law and Israel's rebellious spirit (Psalm 106:19; Hebrews 12:25–26).

1:1–16

God chose a family leader from each tribe (except the tribe of Levi), to count Israel's men who were old enough to be soldiers.

1:1–4

The Israelites got ready to leave for the promised land by listing all troops who could join the conquest. The nation was changing from slavery to becoming a nation.

1:1–5:4 Section

The people of Israel camped at Mount Sinai for two years. God’s instructions to them while they were there are recorded in Exodus and Leviticus.

God’s instructions that are recorded in Numbers were about preparing to leave Mount Sinai. Moses, Aaron and the leaders of the 12 tribes of Israel counted the people.

First they counted the men 20 years old or older. These were men who could fight in battles. Moses counted the Levite males who were 30 to 50 years old. Moses also counted the males one month old or older in Levi’s tribe.

Then he counted the eldest sons in the other tribes. All Israelite males who were born first in their family belonged to God. The reason for this was explained in Exodus 11:1 – 13:16. This didn’t mean that God wanted the Israelites to sacrifice children. Instead, the Levite males took the place of the eldest sons from other tribes. They did this by being set apart to serve God.

Levite males from Aaron’s family line were set apart to serve God as priests. Others were responsible for taking care of the different parts of the holy tent.

The holy tent was in the centre of the Israelite camp. The tribes were arranged in order around it. First were the Levites who camped closest to the holy tent. Then came the tribe of Judah. They were the lead tribe and had the most soldiers. After that were the other Israelite tribes.

People who were considered unclean couldn’t be near the tent. They couldn’t even stay in the camp. This reminded the Israelites that God is holy and was present with them.

1:2–16

  • those who are twenty years of age or older by their divisions—everyone who can serve in Israel’s army: This registration gathered more information than the earlier census (compare Exodus 38:26).

  • These are the names of the men who are to assist you: Hebrew culture was tribal, centered around clans and families. They easily identified the tribal leaders, who appear again as a group in Numbers 7.

  • Moses and Aaron did not include the tribe of Levi in this registration because it had a special status in Israelite society (see Numbers 1:47–53; 26:51–62; Deuteronomy 18:5; 33:8–11).

1:16

These tribal leaders proved to be responsible and trustworthy by completing other important tasks.

1:17–46

The count of 603,550 shows the same number of qualified men as mentioned in Exodus 38:26. Exodus 12:37 and Numbers 11:21 give an approximate number of 600,000.

People have interpreted these numbers in different ways:

  • The numbers might show the actual size of this army (see Exodus 1:9–10).

  • The numbers might be symbolic. A later editor might have estimated, or might have misunderstood while translating.

See also study note on Exodus 12:37.

1:20–43

The second list of tribes lists Gad with Reuben and Simeon. These two tribes camped with Gad while Israel traveled.

1:47–54

The tribe of Levi did not serve in Israel's army like the other tribes. This part of Numbers explains how the Levites organized to serve in the tabernacle of the Testimony, which was their main duty.

1:50

tabernacle of the Testimony: This was a portable sanctuary. It symbolized the Lord’s presence and showed Israel’s covenant relationship with him.

1:50–53

The Levites had the job of setting up, taking down, moving, and guarding the tabernacle. They kept unauthorized people from coming too close or making it unclean. This protected the Israelites from the Lord's judgment.

Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources