Numbers 1:25 Study Bible: those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Gad, were forty-five thousand six hundred fifty.

◄ Numbers 1:25 ►

those registered to the tribe of Gad numbered 45,650.

those registered
The phrase "those registered" refers to the act of taking a census, which is a significant event in the context of the Israelites' journey. The Hebrew root for "registered" is "paqad," which means to count, number, or muster. This census was not merely a bureaucratic exercise but a divinely commanded task to organize the people for their journey and eventual conquest of the Promised Land. It underscores the importance of order and preparation in fulfilling God's promises.

to the tribe of Gad
The "tribe of Gad" is one of the twelve tribes of Israel, named after Gad, the seventh son of Jacob and Zilpah, Leah's maidservant. Historically, the tribe of Gad was known for its warrior spirit and bravery, as seen in the blessings of Jacob in Genesis 49:19, where Gad is described as a troop that will overcome at last. This reflects the tribe's role in the military organization of Israel and their readiness to fight for the land God promised to them.

numbered 45,650
The specific number "45,650" indicates the men of fighting age within the tribe of Gad. This precise counting highlights the importance of each individual in the collective mission of Israel. The large number signifies the strength and potential of the tribe, contributing to the overall military might of the nation. It also reflects God's blessing and fulfillment of His promise to Abraham to make his descendants as numerous as the stars. This enumeration is a testament to God's faithfulness and the unfolding of His divine plan through His chosen people.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites, tasked by God to conduct a census of the Israelite community.

2. Aaron
Moses' brother and the high priest, who assists in the census.

3. Tribe of Gad
One of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from Gad, the seventh son of Jacob and Zilpah.

4. Israelite Census
A divinely commanded enumeration of the Israelite men able to go to war, conducted in the wilderness of Sinai.

5. Wilderness of Sinai
The location where the census takes place, a significant period in Israel's journey from Egypt to the Promised Land.

Teaching Points

The Importance of Order and Organization
The census reflects God's desire for order and organization among His people. It reminds us of the importance of structure in our spiritual and communal lives.

Every Individual Counts
Each person registered in the census had a role to play. This teaches us that every believer has a unique and valuable place in the body of Christ.

Preparedness for Spiritual Battle
The census was for military purposes, highlighting the need for readiness. As Christians, we must be prepared for spiritual battles, equipped with the armor of God.

Faithfulness in Following God's Commands
The Israelites' obedience in conducting the census demonstrates the importance of following God's instructions, even when they seem mundane.

Community and Identity
The census reinforced tribal identity and community. In the church, we find our identity in Christ and our community in fellowship with other believers.

Bible Study Questions

1. What does the census of the tribe of Gad teach us about the importance of community and belonging in the church today?

2. How can we apply the principle of preparedness for battle, as seen in the census, to our spiritual lives?

3. In what ways does recognizing the value of each individual in the census challenge us to appreciate and support each member of our church community?

4. How does the order and organization seen in the Israelite camp reflect God's character, and how can we emulate this in our personal and church lives?

5. What lessons can we learn from the obedience of the Israelites in conducting the census, and how can we apply these lessons to our obedience to God's commands?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Genesis 46:16
This verse lists the sons of Gad, providing a genealogical background for the tribe.

Joshua 4:12-13
Describes the role of the tribe of Gad in crossing the Jordan and preparing for battle, showing their military readiness.

1 Chronicles 5:18
Highlights the military capabilities of the tribe of Gad, connecting to their census numbers as warriors.

Exodus 30:12
Discusses the purpose of a census in Israel, emphasizing the importance of each individual in God's plan.

Revelation 7:5
Mentions the tribe of Gad in the sealing of the 144,000, showing their continued significance in God's redemptive history.

Sermons

The First Army of Israel, an Illustration of the Church Militant	W. Jones.	Numbers 1:20-46
The Necessity of War	H. W. Beecher.	Numbers 1:20-46

People

Aaron, Abidan, Ahiezer, Ahira, Ammihud, Amminadab, Ammishaddai, Asher, Benjamin, Dan, Deuel, Eliab, Eliasaph, Elishama, Elizur, Enan, Gad, Gamaliel, Gideoni, Helon, Israelites, Issachar, Joseph, Levi, Levites, Manasseh, Moses, Nahshon, Naphtali, Nethaneel, Ocran, Pagiel, Pedahzur, Reuben, Reuel, Shedeur, Shelumiel, Simeon, Zebulun, Zuar, Zurishaddai

Places

Egypt, Sinai

Topics

45, 650, Forty, Forty-five, Gad, Hundred, Numbered, Ones, Six, Thousand, Tribe

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Numbers 1:1-49

5249 census

Numbers 1:20-43

7266 tribes of Israel

Library

The Consolation
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received at the LORD 's hand double for all her sins. T he particulars of the great "mystery of godliness," as enumerated by the Apostle Paul, constitute the grand and inexhaustible theme of the Gospel ministry, "God manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

The Census of Israel
Thirty-eight years had passed away since the first numbering at Sinai, and the people had come to the borders of the Promised Land; for they were in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho. The time had come for another census. The wisdom which commanded the counting of Israel at the beginning of the wilderness journey, also determined to count them at the end of it. This would show that he did not value them less than in former years; it would afford proof that his word of judgment had been fulfilled …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 37: 1891

The Child-Life in Nazareth
THE stay of the Holy Family in Egypt must have been of brief duration. The cup of Herod's misdeeds, but also of his misery, was full. During the whole latter part of his life, the dread of a rival to the throne had haunted him, and he had sacrificed thousands, among them those nearest and dearest to him, to lay that ghost. [1084] And still the tyrant was not at rest. A more terrible scene is not presented in history than that of the closing days of Herod. Tormented by nameless fears; ever and again …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Genealogy According to Luke.
^C Luke III. 23-38. ^c 23 And Jesus himself [Luke has been speaking about John the Baptist, he now turns to speak of Jesus himself], when he began to teach, was about thirty years of age [the age when a Levite entered upon God's service--Num. iv. 46, 47], being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son [this may mean that Jesus was grandson of Heli, or that Joseph was counted as a son of Heli because he was his son-in-law] of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
THE ISRAELITES IN THE LAND OF CANAAN: THE JUDGES--THE PHILISTINES AND THE HEBREW KINGDOM--SAUL, DAVID, SOLOMON, THE DEFECTION OF THE TEN TRIBES--THE XXIst EGYPTIAN DYNASTY--SHESHONQ OR SHISHAK DAMASCUS. The Hebrews in the desert: their families, clans, and tribes--The Amorites and the Hebrews on the left bank of the Jordan--The conquest of Canaan and the native reaction against the Hebrews--The judges, Ehud, Deborah, Jerubbaal or Gideon and the Manassite supremacy; Abimelech, Jephihdh. The Philistines, …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 6

And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, too little to be among the thousands of Judah
"And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, too little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall come forth unto Me (one) [Pg 480] to be Ruler in Israel; and His goings forth are the times of old, the days of eternity." The close connection of this verse with what immediately precedes (Caspari is wrong in considering iv. 9-14 as an episode) is evident, not only from the [Hebrew: v] copulative, and from the analogy of the near relation of the announcement of salvation to the prophecy of disaster …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Numbers
Like the last part of Exodus, and the whole of Leviticus, the first part of Numbers, i.-x. 28--so called,[1] rather inappropriately, from the census in i., iii., (iv.), xxvi.--is unmistakably priestly in its interests and language. Beginning with a census of the men of war (i.) and the order of the camp (ii.), it devotes specific attention to the Levites, their numbers and duties (iii., iv.). Then follow laws for the exclusion of the unclean, v. 1-4, for determining the manner and amount of restitution …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

Links

Numbers 1:25 NIV
Numbers 1:25 NLT
Numbers 1:25 ESV
Numbers 1:25 NASB
Numbers 1:25 KJV

Numbers 1:25 Commentaries

Bible Hub