Numbers 1:1-19 ▼

1 On the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt (land of bondage), the LORD {YHWH} spoke to Moses (drawn out) in the Tent of Meeting in the Wilderness of Sinai (thorny). He said:

2 “Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel (he wrestles with God) by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one.

3 You and Aaron (light bringer) are to number those who are twenty years of age or older by their divisions—everyone who can serve in Israel’s (he wrestles with God) army.

4 And one man from each tribe, the head of each family, must be there with you⁺.

5 These are the names of the men who are to assist you⁺: From the tribe of Reuben (behold a son), Elizur (my God is a rock) son of Shedeur (darter of light);

6 from Simeon (heard), Shelumiel (friend of God) son of Zurishaddai (my rock is almighty);

7 from Judah (praised), Nahshon (enchanter) son of Amminadab (my kinsman is noble);

8 from Issachar (there is recompense), Nethanel (given of God) son of Zuar (littleness);

9 from Zebulun (exalted), Eliab (God is father) son of Helon (strength);

10 from the sons of Joseph (YHWH has added): from Ephraim (doubly fruitful), Elishama (my God has heard) son of Ammihud (my kinsman is majesty), and from Manasseh (causing to forget), Gamaliel (reward of God) son of Pedahzur (the Rock has ransomed);

11 from Benjamin (son of the right hand), Abidan (my father is judge) son of Gideoni (my hewer);

12 from Dan (He has judged), Ahiezer (my brother is help) son of Ammishaddai (my kinsman is Almighty);

13 from Asher (happy), Pagiel (event of God) son of Ocran (troubled);

14 from Gad (troop), Eliasaph (God has added) son of Deuel (they know God);

15 and from Naphtali (wrestling), Ahira (my brother is evil) son of Enan (having eyes).”

16 These men were appointed from the congregation; they were the leaders of the tribes of their fathers, the heads of the clans of Israel (he wrestles with God).

17 So Moses (drawn out) and Aaron (light bringer) took these men who had been designated by name,

18 and on the first day of the second month they assembled the whole congregation and recorded their ancestry by clans and families, counting one by one the names of those twenty years of age or older,

19 just as the LORD {YHWH} had commanded Moses (drawn out). So Moses numbered them in the Wilderness of Sinai (thorny):