The Census of Israel

1The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting† in the Wilderness of Sinai,† on the first day of the second month of the second year† after Israel’s departure from the land of Egypt: 2“Take a census† of the entire Israelite community by their clans and their ancestral families,† counting the names of every male one by one. 3You and Aaron are to register those who are twenty years old or more by their military divisions — everyone who can serve in Israel’s army.† † 4A man from each tribe is to be with you, each one the head of his ancestral family.† † 5These are the names of the men who are to assist you:†

Elizur son of Shedeur from Reuben;

6Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai from Simeon;

7Nahshon son of Amminadab from Judah;

8Nethanel son of Zuar from Issachar;

9Eliab son of Helon from Zebulun;

10from the sons of Joseph:

Elishama son of Ammihud from Ephraim,

Gamaliel son of Pedahzur from Manasseh;

11Abidan son of Gideoni from Benjamin;

12Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai from Dan;

13Pagiel son of Ochran from Asher;

14Eliasaph son of Deuel† from Gad;

15Ahira son of Enan from Naphtali.

16These are the men called from the community; they are leaders of their ancestral tribes,† the heads of Israel’s clans.”†

17So Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name,† 18and they assembled the whole community on the first day of the second month. They recorded their ancestry by their clans and their ancestral families, counting one by one the names of those twenty years old or more, 19just as the Lord commanded Moses. He registered them in the Wilderness of Sinai:

20The descendants of Reuben,† the firstborn of Israel: according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting one by one the names of every male twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 21those registered for the tribe of Reuben numbered 46,500.

22The descendants of Simeon:† according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, those registered counting one by one the names of every male twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 23those registered for the tribe of Simeon numbered 59,300.

24The descendants of Gad:† according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 25those registered for the tribe of Gad numbered 45,650.

26The descendants of Judah:† according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 27those registered for the tribe of Judah numbered 74,600.

28The descendants of Issachar:† according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 29those registered for the tribe of Issachar numbered 54,400.

30The descendants of Zebulun:† according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 31those registered for the tribe of Zebulun numbered 57,400.

32The descendants of Joseph:†

The descendants of Ephraim:† according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 33those registered for the tribe of Ephraim numbered 40,500.

34The descendants of Manasseh:† according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 35those registered for the tribe of Manasseh numbered 32,200.

36The descendants of Benjamin:† according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 37those registered for the tribe of Benjamin numbered 35,400.

38The descendants of Dan:† according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 39those registered for the tribe of Dan numbered 62,700.

40The descendants of Asher:† according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 41those registered for the tribe of Asher numbered 41,500.

42The descendants of Naphtali:† according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, 43those registered for the tribe of Naphtali numbered 53,400.

44These are the men Moses and Aaron registered, with the assistance of the twelve leaders of Israel; each represented his ancestral family. 45So all the Israelites twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in Israel’s army, were registered by their ancestral families. 46All those registered numbered 603,550.†

Duties of the Levites

47But the Levites† were not registered with them by their ancestral tribe. 48For the Lord had told Moses, 49“Do not register or take a census of the tribe of Levi with the other Israelites. 50Appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, all its furnishings, and everything in it. They are to transport the tabernacle and all its articles, take care of it, and camp around it. 51Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever it is to stop at a campsite, the Levites are to set it up. Any unauthorized† person who comes near it is to be put to death.†

52“The Israelites are to camp by their military divisions, each man with his encampment and under his banner. 53The Levites are to camp around the tabernacle of the testimony and watch over it, so that no wrath will fall on the Israelite community.”† 54The Israelites did everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses.†