1:1 Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen in deserto Sinai in tabernaculo foederis, prima die mensis secundi, anno altero egressionis eorum ex Aegypto, dicens :
*H And the Lord spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai in the tabernacle of the covenant, the first day of the second month, the second year of their going out of Egypt, saying:
Ver. 1. First day of the second month, called after the captivity, Jiar, which partly corresponds with our April. These injunctions were given from the tabernacle, (C.) in the desert, the 12th station, (H.) at the foot of Mount Sinai.
A.M. 2514, A.C. 1490.
1:2 Tollite summam universae congregationis filiorum Israel per cognationes et domos suas, et nomina singulorum, quidquid sexus est masculini
*H Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel by their families, and houses, and the names of every one, as many as are of the male sex,
Ver. 2. Houses. The families consisted of the immediate descendants of the 12 patriarchs; the houses were the subdivisions of these. The same plan of numbering the people was adopted on other occasions. Jos. viii. 16. 1 K. x. 20. — Sex, between 20 and 60 years of age. All the subjects of the Eastern kings may be called upon, if they be able to bear arms; and hence we find such immense armies in the Scripture, and in profane history. Moses numbered the people once before, (Ex. xxx. 2,) and found exactly the same number of warriors, the dead being replaced by others, during the space of seven months. Perhaps the odd numbers might not be specified, as all the totals consist of so many exact hundreds, except that of the tribe of Gad, v. 25. On the former occasion, the people were not perhaps ranged according to their tribes, which was now deemed necessary, as the army was going to begin its march under its respective leaders. C.
* Footnote
* Exodus
30 : 12
When thou shalt take the sum of the children of Israel, according to their number, every one of them shall give a price for their souls to the Lord, and there shall be no scourge among them, when they shall be reckoned.
1:3 a vigesimo anno et supra, omnium virorum fortium ex Israel, et numerabitis eos per turmas suas, tu et Aaron.
*H From twenty years old and upwards, of all the men of Israel fit for war, and you shall number them by their troops, thou and Aaron.
Ver. 3. Arms, (fortium). "Strong or brave." The psalmist (civ. 37,) says, there was not one feeble. M. — Troops. Heb. "army." Sept. "force." Their officers shall be at their head, and shall assist you in the work. Some might command 1000, others 100, and some only 50. See Ex. xiii. 18. xviii. 21. — Princes; the first-born, or most ancient, (Lyran.) the lineal descendants of the patriarchs; (Jansen) or, in fine, such as were chosen for their merit, as all were equally noble; and hence Nahasson, prince of Juda, is mentioned, though he was not a descendant of the eldest son of Juda, but of Phares; and those who were at the head of those who were numbered a little before the death of Moses, were not the descendants of these. C. xxvi. 64. In effect, we find that Moses chose for his council, able men out of all Israel. Ex. xviii. 25. Bonfrere. C.
1:4 Eruntque vobiscum principes tribuum ac domorum in cognationibus suis,
And there shall be with you the princes of the tribes, and of the houses in their kindreds,
1:5 quorum ista sunt nomina : de Ruben, Elisur, filius Sedeur ;
Whose names are these: Of Ruben, Elisur the son of Sedeur.
1:6 de Simeon, Salamiel filius Surisaddai ;
Of Simeon, Salamiel the son of Surisaddai.
1:7 de Juda, Nahasson filius Aminadab ;
Of Juda, Nahasson the son of Aminadab.
1:8 de Issachar, Nathanael filius Suar ;
Of Issachar, Nathanael the son of Suar.
1:9 de Zabulon, Eliab filius Helon ;
Of Zabulon, Eliab the son of Helon.
1:10 filiorum autem Joseph, de Ephraim, Elisama filius Ammiud ; de Manasse, Gamaliel filius Phadassur ;
And of the sons of Joseph: of Ephraim, Elisama the son of Ammiud: of Manasses, Gamaliel the son of Phadassur.
1:11 de Benjamin, Abidan filius Gedeonis ;
Of Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gedeon.
1:12 de Dan, Ahiezer filius Ammisaddai ;
Of Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammisaddai.
1:13 de Aser, Phegiel filius Ochran ;
Of Aser, Phegiel the son of Ochran.
1:14 de Gad, Eliasaph filius Duel ;
*H Of Gad, Eliasaph the son of Duel.
Ver. 14. Duel. Heb. Dehuel. But (C. ii. 14,) we find the word begins R, as the Septuagint have read, Ragouel. H.
1:15 de Nephthali, Ahira filius Enan.
Of Nephtali, Ahira the son of Enan.
1:16 Hi nobilissimi principes multitudinis per tribus et cognationes suas, et capita exercitus Israel,
*H These are the most noble princes of the multitude by their tribes and kindreds, and the chiefs of the army of Israel:
Ver. 16. Army. Heb. "of a thousand." The Vulg. commonly styles them tribunes. They were "people of name in the assembly," as the Heb. indicates. C.
1:17 quos tulerunt Moyses et Aaron cum omni vulgi multitudine :
Whom Moses and Aaron took with all the multitude of the common people:
1:18 et congregaverunt primo die mensis secundi, recensentes eos per cognationes, et domos, ac familias, et capita, et nomina singulorum a vigesimo anno et supra,
And assembled them on the first day of the second month, reckoning them up by the kindreds, and houses, and families, and heads, and names of every one from twenty years old and upward,
1:19 sicut praeceperat Dominus Moysi. Numeratique sunt in deserto Sinai.
As the Lord had commanded Moses. And they were numbered in the desert of Sinai.
1:20 De Ruben primogenito Israelis per generationes et familias ac domos suas, et nomina capitum singulorum, omne quod sexus est masculini a vigesimo anno et supra, procedentium ad bellum,
Of Ruben the eldest son of Israel, by their generations and families and houses and names of every head, all that were of the male sex, from twenty years old and upward, that were able to go forth to war,
1:21 quadraginta sex millia quingenti.
Were forty-six thousand five hundred.
1:22 De filiis Simeon per generationes et familias ac domos cognationum suarum recensiti sunt per nomina et capita singulorum, omne quod sexus est masculini a vigesimo anno et supra, procedentium ad bellum,
Of the sons of Simeon by their generations and families, and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names and heads of every one, all that were of the male sex, from twenty years old and upward, that were able to go forth to war,
1:23 quinquaginta novem millia trecenti.
Fifty-nine thousand three hundred.
1:24 De filiis Gad per generationes et familias ac domos cognationum suarum recensiti sunt per nomina singulorum a viginti annis et supra, omnes qui ad bella procederent,
Of the sons of Gad, by their generations and families and houses of their kindreds were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,
1:25 quadraginta quinque millia sexcenti quinquaginta.
Forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.
1:26 De filiis Juda per generationes et familias ac domos cognationum suarum, per nomina singulorum a vigesimo anno et supra, omnes qui poterant ad bella procedere,
*H Of the sons of Juda, by their generations and families and houses of their kindreds, by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,
Ver. 26. Juda. This tribe was the most numerous. But it is not here placed first, because the order of birth in Lia's children is observed. Then come those of Rachel; and last of all, the children of the two handmaids, Bala and Zelpha. H.
1:27 recensiti sunt septuaginta quatuor millia sexcenti.
Were reckoned up seventy-four thousand six hundred.
1:28 De filiis Issachar, per generationes et familias ac domos cognationum suarum, per nomina singulorum a vigesimo anno et supra, omnes qui ad bella procederent,
Of the sons of Issachar, by their generations and families and houses of their kindreds, by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that could go forth to war,
1:29 recensiti sunt quinquaginta quatuor millia quadringenti.
Were reckoned up fifty-four thousand four hundred.
1:30 De filiis Zabulon per generationes et familias ac domos cognationum suarum recensiti sunt per nomina singulorum a vigesimo anno et supra, omnes qui poterant ad bella procedere,
Of the sons of Zabulon, by the generations and families and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,
1:31 quinquaginta septem millia quadringenti.
Fifty-seven thousand four hundred.
1:32 De filiis Joseph, filiorum Ephraim per generationes et familias ac domos cognationum suarum recensiti sunt per nomina singulorum a vigesimo anno et supra, omnes qui poterant ad bella procedere,
Of the sons of Joseph, namely, of the sons of Ephraim, by the generations and families and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,
1:33 quadraginta millia quingenti.
Forty thousand five hundred.
1:34 Porro filiorum Manasse per generationes et familias ac domos cognationum suarum recensiti sunt per nomina singulorum a viginti annis et supra, omnes qui poterant ad bella procedere,
Moreover of the sons of Manasses, by the generations and families and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that could go forth to war,
1:35 triginta duo millia ducenti.
Thirty-two thousand two hundred.
1:36 De filiis Benjamin per generationes et familias ac domos cognationum suarum recensiti sunt nominibus singulorum a vigesimo anno et supra, omnes qui poterant ad bella procedere,
Of the sons of Benjamin, by their generations and families and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,
1:37 triginta quinque millia quadringenti.
Thirty-five thousand four hundred.
1:38 De filiis Dan per generationes et familias ac domos cognationum suarum recensiti sunt nominibus singulorum a vigesimo anno et supra, omnes qui poterant ad bella procedere,
Of the sons of Dan, by their generations and families and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,
1:39 sexaginta duo millia septingenti.
Sixty-two thousand seven hundred.
1:40 De filiis Aser per generationes et familias ac domos cognationum suarum recensiti sunt per nomina singulorum a vigesimo anno et supra, omnes qui poterant ad bella procedere,
Of the sons of Aser, by their generations and families and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,
1:41 quadraginta millia et mille quingenti.
Forty-one thousand and five hundred.
1:42 De filiis Nephthali per generationes et familias ac domos cognationum suarum recensiti sunt nominibus singulorum a vigesimo anno et supra, omnes qui poterant ad bella procedere,
Of the sons of Nephtali, by their generations and families and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, were able to go forth to war,
1:43 quinquaginta tria millia quadringenti.
Fifty-three thousand four hundred.
1:44 Hi sunt, quos numeraverunt Moyses et Aaron, et duodecim principes Israel, singulos per domos cognationum suarum.
These are they who were numbered by Moses and Aaron, and the twelve princes of Israel, every one by the houses of their kindreds.
1:45 Fueruntque omnis numerus filiorum Israel per domos et familias suas a vigesimo anno et supra, qui poterant ad bella procedere,
And the whole number of the children of Israel by their houses and families, from twenty years old and upward, that were able to go to war,
1:46 sexcenta tria millia virorum quingenti quinquaginta.
Were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty men.
1:47 Levitae autem in tribu familiarum suarum non sunt numerati cum eis.
*H But the Levites in the tribes of their families were not numbered with them.
Ver. 47. Levites. As they attended the tabernacle, like God's peculiar servants, and were not obliged to go forth to battle, it was not necessary to number them with the rest. C. — They might, however, fight if they thought proper, as the Machabees did. See Josep. Ant. iii. 11. iv. 4. T.
1:48 Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen, dicens :
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
1:49 Tribum Levi noli numerare, neque pones summam eorum cum filiis Israel :
Number not the tribe of Levi, neither shalt thou put down the sum of them with the children of Israel:
1:50 sed constitue eos super tabernaculum testimonii et cuncta vasa ejus, et quidquid ad caeremonias pertinet. Ipsi portabunt tabernaculum et omnia utensilia ejus : et erunt in ministerio, ac per gyrum tabernaculi metabuntur.
But appoint them over the tabernacle of the testimony, and all the vessels thereof, and whatsoever pertaineth to the ceremonies. They shall carry the tabernacle and all the furniture thereof: and they shall minister, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.
1:51 Cum proficiscendum fuerit, deponent Levitae tabernaculum ; cum castrametandum, erigent. Quisquis externorum accesserit, occidetur.
*H When you are to go forward, the Levites shall take down the tabernacle: when you are to camp, they shall set it up. What stranger soever cometh to it, shall be slain.
Ver. 51. Stranger, even of any other tribe. S. Aug. q. 3. W.
1:52 Metabuntur autem castra filii Israel unusquisque per turmas et cuneos atque exercitum suum.
*H And the children of Israel shall camp every man by his troops and bands and army.
Ver. 52. Army. Heb. "they shall have their respective camp, and follow their own standard, with their army." They were drawn up in four large bodies, C. ii. 2, &c. C. — The first contained 151,450, the second 186,400, the third 108,100, and the fourth 157,600, under Reuben, Juda, Ephraim, and Dan.
1:53 Porro Levitae per gyrum tabernaculi figent tentoria, ne fiat indignatio super multitudinem filiorum Israel, et excubabunt in custodiis tabernaculi testimonii.
*H But the Levites shall pitch their tents round about the tabernacle, lest there come indignation upon the multitude of the children of Israel, and they shall keep watch, and guard the tabernacle of the testimony.
Ver. 53. Watch. Lest any thing should offer any indecency to the tabernacle, and thus provoke God's indignation. H.
1:54 Fecerunt ergo filii Israel juxta omnia quae praeceperat Dominus Moysi.
And the children of Israel did according to all things which the Lord had commanded Moses.