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Numbers 1:17–46 — The Number of Every Tribe. Each verse below carries the full apparatus: the Berean Standard Bible, the vocalized original (tap any word), and a parsed breakdown of every term transcribed from the interlinear. Synthesized commentary, canonical threads, and the reading of Christ gather at the end, over the whole unit.

The Voices✦ 5 public domain

Jamieson, Fausset & BrownCommentary Critical and Explanatory1871

These were the renowned—literally, "the called" of the congregation, summoned by name; and they entered upon the survey the very day the order was given.

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The Pulpit CommentarySpence & Exell, eds.1880s

These men. Designated by direct command of God; yet probably the same, or some of the same, selected by Moses for obvious personal and social reasons a short time before

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Albert BarnesNotes on the Bible1834

The princes of the tribes, selected Numbers 1:4 under divine direction, were for the most part the same persons as those chosen a few months previously at the counsel of Jethro

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Keil & DelitzschBiblical Commentary on the Old Testament1860s

This command was carried out by Moses and Aaron. They took for this purpose the twelve heads of tribes who are pointed out (see at Leviticus 24:11 ) by name, and had the whole congregation gathered together by them and enrolled in genealogical tables.

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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges—1880s

There can be no doubt that the numbers given in chs. 1–3 and 26 are purely artificial.

The lone critical voice in this unit's sources: the Cambridge editor follows G. B. Gray in judging the totals 'purely artificial' (impossible to sustain in the Sinai peninsula, internally inconsistent). It is here verbatim to keep the record honest — every other commentator quoted (Pulpit, Gill, JFB, Henry) reads the figures as real. The synthesis does not adjudicate the dispute (see the apparatus note).

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So Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

mō·šeh wə·’a·hă·rōn ’êṯ hā·’ă·nā·šîm way·yiq·qaḥ hā·’êl·leh ’ă·šer niq·qə·ḇū bə·šê·mō·wṯ

Word by word9 · parsed

מֹשֶׁ֖הmō·šehSo MosesH4872

√ Môsheh — Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiverNounpropermasculine singular

mō·šeh (H4872) stands first; the obedience of v. 17 answers the command of vv. 1–16. Keil reads it as the hinge: “This command was carried out by Moses and Aaron.”

וְאַהֲרֹ֑ןwə·’a·hă·rōnand AaronH175

√ ʼAhărôwn — Aharon, the brother of MosesConjunctive wawNounpropermasculine singular

wə·’a·hă·rōn (H175) — Aaron is paired with Moses throughout the census; Gill notes they “took them with them to the place where the number of the people was to be taken.”

אֵ֚ת’êṯH853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

הָאֲנָשִׁ֣יםhā·’ă·nā·šîmH582

√ ʼĕnôwsh — a man in general (singly or collectively)ArticleNounmasculine plural

וַיִּקַּ֥חway·yiq·qaḥtookH3947

√ lâqach — to take (in the widest variety of applications)Conjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singular

way·yiq·qaḥ (H3947) — the plain verb of taking; the men are received, not recruited, having already been named by God in vv. 5–15.

הָאֵ֔לֶּהhā·’êl·lehthese menH428

√ ʼêl-leh — these or thoseArticlePronouncommon plural

אֲשֶׁ֥ר’ă·šerwhoH834

√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative

נִקְּב֖וּniq·qə·ḇūhad been designatedH5344

√ nâqab — to puncture, literally (to perforate, with more or less violence) or figuratively (to specify, designate, libel)VerbNifalPerfectthird person common plural

niq·qə·ḇū (H5344), Niphal perfect — the men “pointed out… by name,” as Keil renders it; JFB calls them “the called of the congregation, summoned by name.” The passive guards that the choosing was God's, not Moses'.

בְּשֵׁמֽוֹת׃bə·šê·mō·wṯby nameH8034

√ shêm — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individualityPreposition-bNounmasculine plural

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And took Moses and Aaron these men who were pierced—designated—by names.

Where the English smooths the original

נִקְּב֖וּ BSB's mild “had been designated” renders niq·qə·ḇū (H5344), a Niphal of nâqab, whose root sense is “to puncture, to perforate.” The men were not merely listed — they were pierced through, marked out by name, the same vivid verb used of boring a hole. The English flattens a strikingly physical word into bureaucratic neutrality.
בְּשֵׁמֽוֹת׃ The plural bə·šê·mō·wṯ (H8034), “by names,” is not generic. shêm is “an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality.” The census is built on named persons, not a faceless multitude — a point the literal column keeps that the smooth “by name” half-hides.
וַיִּקַּ֥ח The verb way·yiq·qaḥ (H3947, lâqach) is singular in form though both Moses and Aaron act — Hebrew often lets the verb agree with the first-named leader. BSB's “took” is faithful, but the singular-then-plural seam is invisible in English.

The Voices✦ 4 public domain

Charles EllicottCommentary for English Readers1878

Declared their pedigrees.—More literally, announced themselves as having been born —i.e., caused themselves to be enrolled.

Ellicott's literal rendering recovers the Hithpael's reflexive birth-language that BSB smooths.

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Charles EllicottCommentary for English Readers1878

The importance of this enrolment, as affording the means of tracing the genealogy of Christ, must not be overlooked.

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Jamieson, Fausset & BrownCommentary Critical and Explanatory1871

by their polls—individually, one by one.

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The Pulpit CommentarySpence & Exell, eds.1880s

The natural meaning is that the census was completed in one day. If so, the "census papers," the pedigrees and family lists, must have been ready beforehand.

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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,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

wə·’êṯ bə·’e·ḥāḏ haš·šê·nî la·ḥō·ḏeš hiq·hî·lū kāl- hā·‘ê·ḏāh way·yiṯ·yal·ḏū ‘al- miš·pə·ḥō·ṯām ’ă·ḇō·ṯām lə·ḇêṯ bə·mis·par lə·ḡul·gə·lō·ṯām šê·mō·wṯ ‘eś·rîm mib·ben šā·nāh wā·ma‘·lāh

Word by word19 · parsed

וְאֵ֨תwə·’êṯandH853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Conjunctive wawDirect object marker

bə·’e·ḥāḏ (H259) — “on the first” of the second month; the Pulpit Commentary reads the single day as proof that “the census was completed in one day” from lists prepared beforehand.

בְּאֶחָד֙bə·’e·ḥāḏon the firstH259

√ ʼechâd — properly, united, iPreposition-bNumbermasculine singular

הַשֵּׁנִ֔יhaš·šê·nîday of the secondH8145

√ shênîy — properly, double, iArticleNumberordinal masculine singular

לַחֹ֣דֶשׁla·ḥō·ḏešmonthH2320

√ chôdesh — the new moonPreposition-l, ArticleNounmasculine singular

הִקְהִ֗ילוּhiq·hî·lūthey assembledH6950

√ qâhal — to convokeVerbHifilPerfectthird person common plural

כָּל־kāl-the wholeH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

הָעֵדָ֜הhā·‘ê·ḏāhcongregationH5712

√ ʻêdâh — a stated assemblage (specifically, a concourse, or generally, a family or crowd)ArticleNounfeminine singular

hā·‘ê·ḏāh (H5712), “the congregation” — the whole assembled community, the standing term for covenant Israel gathered.

וַיִּתְיַֽלְד֥וּway·yiṯ·yal·ḏūand recorded their ancestryH3205

√ yâlad — to bear youngConjunctive wawVerbHitpaelConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine plural

way·yiṯ·yal·ḏū (H3205), Hithpael — the reflexive “declared their pedigrees,” which Keil glosses “to announce themselves as born, i.e., to have themselves entered in genealogical registers.” Ellicott flags the bearing of this for “tracing the genealogy of Christ.”

עַל־‘al-byH5921

√ ʻal — above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsPreposition

מִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖םmiš·pə·ḥō·ṯāmclansH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

אֲבֹתָ֑ם’ă·ḇō·ṯāmand familiesH1

√ ʼâb — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationNounmasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְבֵ֣יתlə·ḇêṯ. . .H1004

√ bayith — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etcPreposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

בְּמִסְפַּ֣רbə·mis·parcountingH4557

√ miçpâr — a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite (large, innumerablePreposition-bNounmasculine singular construct

לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָֽם׃lə·ḡul·gə·lō·ṯāmone by oneH1538

√ gulgôleth — a skull (as round)Preposition-lNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

lə·ḡul·gə·lō·ṯām (H1538) — “by their polls,” JFB: “individually, one by one.” The rare word gulgôleth (only twelve verses) is the Verifier's anchor for the half-shekel census echo of Exodus 38:26.

שֵׁמ֗וֹתšê·mō·wṯthe namesH8034

√ shêm — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individualityNounmasculine plural

עֶשְׂרִ֥ים‘eś·rîmof those twentyH6242

√ ʻesrîym — twentyNumbercommon plural

מִבֶּ֨ןmib·benyears of ageH1121

√ bên — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etcPreposition-mNounmasculine singular construct

שָׁנָ֛הšā·nāh. . .H8141

√ shâneh — a year (as a revolution of time)Nounfeminine singular

וָמַ֖עְלָהwā·ma‘·lāhor olderH4605

√ maʻal — properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etcConjunctive wawAdverbthird person feminine singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And on the first of the second month they assembled all the congregation, and they got themselves born—enrolled—by their clans, by their fathers' houses, by the number of names, from twenty years and upward, by their skulls.

Where the English smooths the original

וַיִּתְיַֽלְד֥וּ BSB's “recorded their ancestry” renders way·yiṯ·yal·ḏū (H3205), a Hithpael of yâlad, “to bear, to bring forth.” The reflexive force is almost untranslatable: the people caused themselves to be born into the register — Ellicott's “announced themselves as having been born.” The English idiom of record-keeping loses the strange birth-language of the Hebrew.
לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָֽם׃ BSB's “one by one” softens lə·ḡul·gə·lō·ṯām (H1538, gulgôleth), literally “by their skulls / by their polls.” This is the same rare word behind Golgotha, the place of the skull. The census counts heads — a blunt, almost grim word the English entirely conceals.
הִקְהִ֗ילוּ The verb hiq·hî·lū (H6950, qâhal), “to convoke, to assemble,” is the verb behind qâhâl, the assembly/church. BSB's “assembled” is right, but the term carries the freight of Israel-as-congregation that the LXX will render ekklēsia.

just as the LORD had commanded Moses. So Moses numbered them in the Wilderness of Sinai:

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

ka·’ă·šer Yah·weh ’eṯ- ṣiw·wāh mō·šeh way·yip̄·qə·ḏêm bə·miḏ·bar sî·nāy

Word by word8 · parsed

כַּאֲשֶׁ֛רka·’ă·šerjust asH834

√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPreposition-kPronounrelative

יְהוָ֖הYah·wehthe LORDH3068

√ Yᵉhôvâh — Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodNounpropermasculine singular

Yah·weh (H3068) — the covenant name is the subject of the command; the census proceeds on divine authority alone.

אֶת־’eṯ-H853

√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object marker

צִוָּ֥הṣiw·wāhhad commandedH6680

√ tsâvâh — (intensively) to constitute, enjoinVerbPielPerfectthird person masculine singular

ṣiw·wāh (H6680), Piel perfect — God commanded; this is the refrain of obedience. The Pulpit Commentary calls it “the usual note of absolute obedience to the Divine instructions.”

מֹשֶׁ֑הmō·šehMosesH4872

√ Môsheh — Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiverNounpropermasculine singular

וַֽיִּפְקְדֵ֖םway·yip̄·qə·ḏêmSo [Moses] numbered themH6485

√ pâqad — to visit (with friendly or hostile intent)Conjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine singularthird person masculine plural

way·yip̄·qə·ḏêm (H6485) — “so he numbered them.” JFB: the act “was not an act sinful in itself, as Moses did it by divine appointment; but David incurred guilt by doing it without the authority of God.”

בְּמִדְבַּ֥רbə·miḏ·barin the WildernessH4057

√ midbâr — a pasture (iPreposition-bNounmasculine singular construct

סִינָֽי׃פsî·nāyof SinaiH5514

√ Çîynay — Sinai, mountain of ArabiaNounproperfeminine singular

sî·nāy (H5514) — the place-name fixes the moment in salvation history, eleven months after the law was given there (Exodus 19).

Literal — word-for-word from the original

Just as Yahweh had commanded Moses, so he mustered them in the Wilderness of Sinai.

Where the English smooths the original

וַֽיִּפְקְדֵ֖ם BSB's “numbered them” renders way·yip̄·qə·ḏêm (H6485), from pâqad, “to visit, to muster, to appoint.” The word is far richer than arithmetic: God visits and musters His people. The same root will name the disastrous visitation of David's census — counting is never neutral in Scripture.
צִוָּ֥ה ṣiw·wāh (H6680, tsâvâh, Piel) is the verb of authoritative command, not request. The whole legitimacy of this census hangs on it: JFB's note draws the line — what Moses did “by divine appointment” David later did “without the authority of God.” BSB's “commanded” is exact, but the weight is theological.
בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר bə·miḏ·bar (H4057, midbâr) is rendered “Wilderness,” but the root means “pasture, a place for driving flocks.” The naming of Sinai grounds the census in a specific, barren place — Gill notes it distinguishes this counting from the later one “in the plains of Moab.”

The Voices✦ 4 public domain

Charles EllicottCommentary for English Readers1878

By their generations. —The toledoth, or generations, included the whole of the descendants of the head of the tribe ( Genesis 5:1 ; Genesis 6:9 ).

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Albert BarnesNotes on the Bible1834

Judah already takes precedence of his brethren in point of numbers (compare Genesis 49:8 note), and Ephraim of Manasseh (compare Genesis 48:19-20 ).

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John GillExposition of the Entire Bible1746–63

they were numbered according to the order in which they were to be encamped; for under Reuben's standard were Simeon and Gad, and under Judah's Issachar and Zebulun

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Matthew HenryConcise Commentary on the Whole Bible1706

The people were numbered to show God's faithfulness in thus increasing the seed of Jacob, that they might be the better trained for the wars and conquest of Canaan, and to ascertain their families in order to the division of the land.

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From the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, according to the records of their clans and families, counting one by one the names of every male twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

way·yih·yū ḇə·nê- rə·’ū·ḇên bə·ḵōr yiś·rā·’êl tō·wl·ḏō·ṯām lə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯām ’ă·ḇō·ṯām lə·ḇêṯ bə·mis·par lə·ḡul·gə·lō·ṯām šê·mō·wṯ kāl- zā·ḵār ‘eś·rîm mib·ben šā·nāh wā·ma‘·lāh kōl yō·ṣê ṣā·ḇā

Word by word21 · parsed

וַיִּהְי֤וּway·yih·yūH1961

√ hâyâh — to exist, iConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine plural

בְנֵֽי־ḇə·nê-From the sonsH1121

√ bên — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etcNounmasculine plural construct

ḇə·nê (H1121) — Reuben is counted first; Gill explains “they were numbered according to the order in which they were to be encamped.”

רְאוּבֵן֙rə·’ū·ḇênof ReubenH7205

√ Rᵉʼûwbên — Reuben, a son of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

בְּכֹ֣רbə·ḵōrthe firstbornH1060

√ bᵉkôwr — firstbornNounmasculine singular construct

bə·ḵōr (H1060), “the firstborn” — yet Barnes observes “Judah already takes precedence of his brethren in point of numbers.” The natural order yields to the prophetic one.

יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לyiś·rā·’êlof IsraelH3478

√ Yisrâʼêl — Jisrael, a symbolical name of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥םtō·wl·ḏō·ṯāmaccording to the recordsH8435

√ tôwlᵉdâh — (plural only) descent, iNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

tō·wl·ḏō·ṯām (H8435) — the toledoth formula; Keil: “those who were begotten by them,” the patriarch named as the father from whom the clans sprang. The Verifier links this word to the table of nations in Genesis 10:32.

לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖םlə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯāmof their clansH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-lNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

אֲבֹתָ֑ם’ă·ḇō·ṯāmand familiesH1

√ ʼâb — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationNounmasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְבֵ֣יתlə·ḇêṯ. . .H1004

√ bayith — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etcPreposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

בְּמִסְפַּ֤רbə·mis·parcountingH4557

√ miçpâr — a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite (large, innumerablePreposition-bNounmasculine singular construct

לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָ֔םlə·ḡul·gə·lō·ṯāmoneH1538

√ gulgôleth — a skull (as round)Preposition-lNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

שֵׁמוֹת֙šê·mō·wṯby one the namesH8034

√ shêm — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individualityNounmasculine plural

כָּל־kāl-of everyH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

זָכָ֗רzā·ḵārmaleH2145

√ zâkâr — properly, remembered, iNounmasculine singular

עֶשְׂרִ֤ים‘eś·rîmtwentyH6242

√ ʻesrîym — twentyNumbercommon plural

מִבֶּ֨ןmib·benyears of ageH1121

שָׁנָה֙šā·nāh. . .H8141

√ shâneh — a year (as a revolution of time)Nounfeminine singular

וָמַ֔עְלָהwā·ma‘·lāhor olderH4605

√ maʻal — properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etcConjunctive wawAdverbthird person feminine singular

כֹּ֖לkōlH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

יֹצֵ֥אyō·ṣêwho could serveH3318

√ yâtsâʼ — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proximVerbQalParticiplemasculine singular construct

yō·ṣê (H3318), Qal participle — “able to go forth to war”; the qualification that defines the whole census: fighting men, twenty and over.

צָבָֽא׃ṣā·ḇāin the armyH6635

√ tsâbâʼ — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially regNouncommon singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel — their generations, by their clans, by their fathers' houses, by the number of names, by their skulls, every male from twenty years and upward, all going out to the army —

Where the English smooths the original

תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם BSB's “according to the records” renders tō·wl·ḏō·ṯām (H8435, tôwlᵉdâh), the toledoth — the great structuring word of Genesis (“these are the generations of…”). It is not a filing system but a line of descent. Ellicott: it “included the whole of the descendants of the head of the tribe.” The English “records” buries a key biblical-theological term.
בְּכֹ֣ר bə·ḵōr (H1060), “firstborn” — the verse pointedly names Reuben's birthright even as the count will show Judah outstripping him. The Hebrew lets the title and the diminished number sit side by side; the irony is the text's own.
יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא BSB's “who could serve in the army” renders yō·ṣê ṣā·ḇā (H3318 + H6635), literally “going out to war / host.” tsâbâʼ is also the word for the heavenly host. The census is a mustering for war — Barnes notes the enrollment was “taken principally for military purposes.”

those registered to the tribe of Reuben numbered 46,500.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

pə·qu·ḏê·hem lə·maṭ·ṭêh rə·’ū·ḇên šiš·šāh wə·’ar·bā·‘îm ’e·lep̄ wa·ḥă·mêš mê·’ō·wṯ

Word by word8 · parsed

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖םpə·qu·ḏê·hemthose registeredH6485

√ pâqad — to visit (with friendly or hostile intent)VerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

pə·qu·ḏê·hem (H6485) — “those that were numbered of them”; the formula-noun that opens every tribal total.

לְמַטֵּ֣הlə·maṭ·ṭêhto the tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Preposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

רְאוּבֵ֑ןrə·’ū·ḇênof ReubenH7205

√ Rᵉʼûwbên — Reuben, a son of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

שִׁשָּׁ֧הšiš·šāhnumbered 46,500H8337

√ shêsh — six (as an overplus beyond five or the fingers of the hand)Numbermasculine singular

The total 46,500. The Pulpit Commentary: “All the numbers (save of Gad only) are in unbroken hundreds,” best explained not by miracle but as approximate poll-tax figures.

וְאַרְבָּעִ֛יםwə·’ar·bā·‘îm. . .H705

√ ʼarbâʻîym — fortyConjunctive wawNumbercommon plural

אֶ֖לֶף’e·lep̄. . .H505

√ ʼeleph — hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousandNumbermasculine singular

וַחֲמֵ֥שׁwa·ḥă·mêš. . .H2568

√ châmêsh — fiveConjunctive wawNumberfeminine singular construct

מֵאֽוֹת׃פmê·’ō·wṯ. . .H3967

√ mêʼâh — a hundredNumberfeminine plural

Literal — word-for-word from the original

those mustered of them, for the tribe of Reuben: six and forty thousand and five hundred.

Where the English smooths the original

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖ם BSB's “those registered” renders pə·qu·ḏê·hem (H6485), the passive participle of pâqad — “the mustered ones, the visited ones.” The recurring noun ties every tribal total back to the divine visitation verb of v. 19; “registered” is bloodless beside it.
לְמַטֵּ֣ה BSB's “to the tribe” renders lə·maṭ·ṭêh (H4294, maṭṭeh), whose root meaning is “a branch, a staff” — the rod that became the symbol of a tribe. Israel's twelve tribes are literally twelve branches/staffs; the English “tribe” loses the botanical and the regal image.
שִׁשָּׁ֧ה וְאַרְבָּעִ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף The Hebrew counts up from the unit: “six and forty thousand” (H8337 + H705 + H505), not “forty-six thousand.” BSB silently modernizes the number-order. The Pulpit Commentary flags Reuben's near-neighbor Gad as the one tribe whose total is not in “unbroken hundreds.”

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Keil & DelitzschBiblical Commentary on the Old Testament1860s

The ל before שׁמעון בּני in Numbers 1:22 , and the following names (in Numbers 1:24 , Numbers 1:26 , etc.), signifies "with regard to" (as in Isaiah 32:1 ; Psalm 17:4 , etc.).

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Jamieson, Fausset & BrownCommentary Critical and Explanatory1871

The relative increase of all, as in the two just mentioned, was owing to the special blessing of God, conformably to the prophetic declaration of the dying patriarch.

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Geneva Study BibleMarginal Notes1599

Of the children of Simeon, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, those that were numbered of them, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward

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From the sons of Simeon, according to the records of their clans and families, counting one by one the names of every male twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

liḇ·nê šim·‘ō·wn tō·wl·ḏō·ṯām lə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯām ’ă·ḇō·ṯām lə·ḇêṯ pə·qu·ḏāw bə·mis·par lə·ḡul·gə·lō·ṯām šê·mō·wṯ kāl- zā·ḵār ‘eś·rîm mib·ben šā·nāh wā·ma‘·lāh kōl yō·ṣê ṣā·ḇā

Word by word19 · parsed

לִבְנֵ֣יliḇ·nêFrom the sonsH1121

שִׁמְע֔וֹןšim·‘ō·wnof SimeonH8095

√ Shimʻôwn — Shimon, one of Jacob's sons, also the tribe descended from himNounpropermasculine singular

šim·‘ō·wn (H8095) — Simeon, numbered second, encamped with Reuben under the same standard.

תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥םtō·wl·ḏō·ṯāmaccording to the recordsH8435

√ tôwlᵉdâh — (plural only) descent, iNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖םlə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯāmof their clansH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-lNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

אֲבֹתָ֑ם’ă·ḇō·ṯāmand familiesH1

√ ʼâb — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationNounmasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְבֵ֣יתlə·ḇêṯ. . .H1004

√ bayith — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etcPreposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

פְּקֻדָ֗יוpə·qu·ḏāwvvvH6485

√ pâqad — to visit (with friendly or hostile intent)VerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine plural constructthird person masculine singular

pə·qu·ḏāw (H6485) — the singular-suffix form; Keil treats the prefixed ל (l-) on the tribe-names as meaning “with regard to” (as in Isaiah 32:1; Psalm 17:4).

בְּמִסְפַּ֤רbə·mis·parcountingH4557

√ miçpâr — a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite (large, innumerablePreposition-bNounmasculine singular construct

לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָ֔םlə·ḡul·gə·lō·ṯāmone by oneH1538

√ gulgôleth — a skull (as round)Preposition-lNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

שֵׁמוֹת֙šê·mō·wṯthe namesH8034

√ shêm — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individualityNounmasculine plural

כָּל־kāl-of everyH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

זָכָ֗רzā·ḵārmaleH2145

√ zâkâr — properly, remembered, iNounmasculine singular

עֶשְׂרִ֤ים‘eś·rîmtwentyH6242

√ ʻesrîym — twentyNumbercommon plural

מִבֶּ֨ןmib·benyears of ageH1121

שָׁנָה֙šā·nāh. . .H8141

√ shâneh — a year (as a revolution of time)Nounfeminine singular

וָמַ֔עְלָהwā·ma‘·lāhor olderH4605

√ maʻal — properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etcConjunctive wawAdverbthird person feminine singular

כֹּ֖לkōlH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

יֹצֵ֥אyō·ṣêwho could serveH3318

√ yâtsâʼ — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proximVerbQalParticiplemasculine singular construct

צָבָֽא׃ṣā·ḇāin the armyH6635

√ tsâbâʼ — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially regNouncommon singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

For the sons of Simeon — their generations, by their clans, by their fathers' houses, its mustered, by the number of names, by their skulls, every male from twenty years and upward, all going out to the army —

Where the English smooths the original

פְּקֻדָ֗יו In Simeon's formula the text shifts to the singular suffix pə·qu·ḏāw (H6485), “its mustered ones” — the tribe treated as a single body. BSB renders it inside the smooth English flow; the Hebrew's collective singular (his/its numbered) is a grammatical nicety the translation absorbs.
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם lə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯām (H4940, mishpâchâh), “by their clans/families,” names the mid-level unit. Ellicott notes a mishpahah could include “two or three thousand persons” — far larger than the modern “family.”
כָּל־ זָכָ֗ר kāl- zā·ḵār (H3605 + H2145), “every male.” zâkâr is rooted in zâkar, “to remember” — the male as the one remembered, named in the line. Gill notes Simeon's formula drops “by their polls, every male,” which need not be repeated once established.

those registered to the tribe of Simeon numbered 59,300.

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Hebrew — tap a word ↓

pə·qu·ḏê·hem lə·maṭ·ṭêh šim·‘ō·wn tiš·‘āh wa·ḥă·miš·šîm ’e·lep̄ ū·šə·lōš mê·’ō·wṯ

Word by word8 · parsed

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖םpə·qu·ḏê·hemthose registeredH6485

√ pâqad — to visit (with friendly or hostile intent)VerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְמַטֵּ֣הlə·maṭ·ṭêhto the tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Preposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

שִׁמְע֑וֹןšim·‘ō·wnof SimeonH8095

√ Shimʻôwn — Shimon, one of Jacob's sons, also the tribe descended from himNounpropermasculine singular

תִּשְׁעָ֧הtiš·‘āhnumbered 59,300H8672

√ têshaʻ — nine or (ordinal) ninthNumbermasculine singular

The total 59,300. JFB ties all relative numbers to “the special blessing of God, conformably to the prophetic declaration of the dying patriarch” (Genesis 49).

וַחֲמִשִּׁ֛יםwa·ḥă·miš·šîm. . .H2572

√ chămishshîym — fiftyConjunctive wawNumbercommon plural

אֶ֖לֶף’e·lep̄. . .H505

√ ʼeleph — hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousandNumbermasculine singular

וּשְׁלֹ֥שׁū·šə·lōš. . .H7969

√ shâlôwsh — threeConjunctive wawNumberfeminine singular construct

מֵאֽוֹת׃פmê·’ō·wṯ. . .H3967

√ mêʼâh — a hundredNumberfeminine plural

From the sons of Gad, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army,

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Hebrew — tap a word ↓

liḇ·nê ḡāḏ tō·wl·ḏō·ṯām lə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯām ’ă·ḇō·ṯām lə·ḇêṯ bə·mis·par šê·mō·wṯ kōl ‘eś·rîm mib·ben šā·nāh wā·ma‘·lāh yō·ṣê ṣā·ḇā

Word by word15 · parsed

לִבְנֵ֣יliḇ·nêFrom the sonsH1121

גָ֔דḡāḏof GadH1410

√ Gâd — Gad, a son of Jacob, including his tribe and its territoryNounpropermasculine singular

ḡāḏ (H1410) — Gad completes Reuben's encampment of three; the Pulpit Commentary explains the ordering.

תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥םtō·wl·ḏō·ṯāmaccording to the recordsH8435

√ tôwlᵉdâh — (plural only) descent, iNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖םlə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯāmof their clansH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-lNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

אֲבֹתָ֑ם’ă·ḇō·ṯāmand familiesH1

√ ʼâb — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationNounmasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְבֵ֣יתlə·ḇêṯ. . .H1004

√ bayith — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etcPreposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

בְּמִסְפַּ֣רbə·mis·parcountingH4557

√ miçpâr — a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite (large, innumerablePreposition-bNounmasculine singular construct

שֵׁמ֗וֹתšê·mō·wṯthe namesH8034

√ shêm — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individualityNounmasculine plural

כֹּ֖לkōlof all thoseH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

עֶשְׂרִ֤ים‘eś·rîmtwentyH6242

√ ʻesrîym — twentyNumbercommon plural

מִבֶּ֨ןmib·benyears of ageH1121

שָׁנָה֙šā·nāh. . .H8141

√ shâneh — a year (as a revolution of time)Nounfeminine singular

וָמַ֔עְלָהwā·ma‘·lāhor olderH4605

√ maʻal — properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etcConjunctive wawAdverbthird person feminine singular

יֹצֵ֥אyō·ṣêwho could serveH3318

√ yâtsâʼ — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proximVerbQalParticiplemasculine singular construct

yō·ṣê (H3318) — the participle “who could serve”; the constant qualifier across all twelve tribes.

צָבָֽא׃ṣā·ḇāin the armyH6635

√ tsâbâʼ — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially regNouncommon singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

For the sons of Gad — their generations, by their clans, by their fathers' houses, by the number of names, from twenty years and upward, all going out to the army —

Where the English smooths the original

גָ֔ד ḡāḏ (H1410), Gad, whose name itself means “fortune / a troop.” The Pulpit Commentary notes he is “ranked immediately after Reuben and Simeon, because he was placed with them in the encampment.” The placement is by standard, not by birth-order.
שֵׁמ֗וֹת šê·mō·wṯ (H8034), “the names” — Gad's formula notably omits “by their polls, every male” and even “by their generations” in the BSB flow; the Hebrew lists shêmôwṯ (names) and moves to kōl (all). The pruning of the formula across tribes is the text's own economy.
כֹּ֖ל kōl (H3605), “of all those,” stands where other tribes read “every male.” Gill marks Gad as one of the tribes whose nomadic, pastoral habits Barnes will blame for its uniquely uneven total (the only non-round figure).

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

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Hebrew — tap a word ↓

pə·qu·ḏê·hem lə·maṭ·ṭêh ḡāḏ ḥă·miš·šāh wə·’ar·bā·‘îm ’e·lep̄ wə·šêš mê·’ō·wṯ wa·ḥă·miš·šîm

Word by word9 · parsed

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖םpə·qu·ḏê·hemthose registeredH6485

√ pâqad — to visit (with friendly or hostile intent)VerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְמַטֵּ֣הlə·maṭ·ṭêhto the tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Preposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

גָ֑דḡāḏof GadH1410

√ Gâd — Gad, a son of Jacob, including his tribe and its territoryNounpropermasculine singular

חֲמִשָּׁ֤הḥă·miš·šāhnumbered 45,650H2568

√ châmêsh — fiveNumbermasculine singular

וְאַרְבָּעִים֙wə·’ar·bā·‘îm. . .H705

√ ʼarbâʻîym — fortyConjunctive wawNumbercommon plural

אֶ֔לֶף’e·lep̄. . .H505

√ ʼeleph — hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousandNumbermasculine singular

וְשֵׁ֥שׁwə·šêš. . .H8337

√ shêsh — six (as an overplus beyond five or the fingers of the hand)Conjunctive wawNumberfeminine singular construct

מֵא֖וֹתmê·’ō·wṯ. . .H3967

√ mêʼâh — a hundredNumberfeminine plural

וַחֲמִשִּֽׁים׃פwa·ḥă·miš·šîm. . .H2572

√ chămishshîym — fiftyConjunctive wawNumbercommon plural

wa·ḥă·miš·šîm (H2572) — the anomalous “fifty.” Barnes attributes Gad's irregularity to nomadic habits that “rendered it difficult to bring all their members together at once for a census.”

From the sons of Judah, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

liḇ·nê yə·hū·ḏāh tō·wl·ḏō·ṯām lə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯām ’ă·ḇō·ṯām lə·ḇêṯ bə·mis·par šê·mōṯ kōl ‘eś·rîm mib·ben šā·nāh wā·ma‘·lāh yō·ṣê ṣā·ḇā

Word by word15 · parsed

לִבְנֵ֣יliḇ·nêFrom the sonsH1121

יְהוּדָ֔הyə·hū·ḏāhof JudahH3063

√ Yᵉhûwdâh — Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five IsraelitesNounpropermasculine singular

yə·hū·ḏāh (H3063) — Judah leads the second encampment-group and the whole march. The Pulpit Commentary frames the “disproportionate increase of Judah.”

תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥םtō·wl·ḏō·ṯāmaccording to the recordsH8435

√ tôwlᵉdâh — (plural only) descent, iNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖םlə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯāmof their clansH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-lNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

אֲבֹתָ֑ם’ă·ḇō·ṯāmand familiesH1

√ ʼâb — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationNounmasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְבֵ֣יתlə·ḇêṯ. . .H1004

√ bayith — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etcPreposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

בְּמִסְפַּ֣רbə·mis·parcountingH4557

√ miçpâr — a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite (large, innumerablePreposition-bNounmasculine singular construct

שֵׁמֹ֗תšê·mōṯthe namesH8034

√ shêm — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individualityNounmasculine plural

כֹּ֖לkōlof all thoseH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

עֶשְׂרִ֤ים‘eś·rîmtwentyH6242

√ ʻesrîym — twentyNumbercommon plural

מִבֶּ֨ןmib·benyears of ageH1121

שָׁנָה֙šā·nāh. . .H8141

√ shâneh — a year (as a revolution of time)Nounfeminine singular

וָמַ֔עְלָהwā·ma‘·lāhor olderH4605

√ maʻal — properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etcConjunctive wawAdverbthird person feminine singular

יֹצֵ֥אyō·ṣêwho could serveH3318

√ yâtsâʼ — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proximVerbQalParticiplemasculine singular construct

צָבָֽא׃ṣā·ḇāin the armyH6635

√ tsâbâʼ — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially regNouncommon singular

ṣā·ḇā (H6635) — the host; Judah's pre-eminence in numbers matches its pre-eminence in rank.

Literal — word-for-word from the original

For the sons of Judah — their generations, by their clans, by their fathers' houses, by the number of names, from twenty years and upward, all going out to the army —

Where the English smooths the original

יְהוּדָ֔ה yə·hū·ḏāh (H3063), Judah, from yâdâh, “to praise” — “thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise” (Genesis 49:8). The tribe whose name means praise is about to be shown the largest; the Hebrew name carries the prophecy the number fulfills.
שֵׁמֹ֗ת šê·mōṯ (H8034) — the spelling here (šê·mōṯ, defective) varies from the fuller šê·mō·wṯ elsewhere; a scribal/orthographic detail the English cannot show. The word remains “the names.”
צָבָֽא ṣā·ḇā (H6635), “in the army.” Judah's host is the largest and marches first; the Pulpit Commentary calls Judah's increase “in keeping with the character assigned to him in prophecy and the part played by him in history.”

those registered to the tribe of Judah numbered 74,600.

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Hebrew — tap a word ↓

pə·qu·ḏê·hem lə·maṭ·ṭêh yə·hū·ḏāh ’ar·bā·‘āh wə·šiḇ·‘îm ’e·lep̄ wə·šêš mê·’ō·wṯ

Word by word8 · parsed

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖םpə·qu·ḏê·hemthose registeredH6485

√ pâqad — to visit (with friendly or hostile intent)VerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְמַטֵּ֣הlə·maṭ·ṭêhto the tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Preposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

יְהוּדָ֑הyə·hū·ḏāhof JudahH3063

√ Yᵉhûwdâh — Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five IsraelitesNounpropermasculine singular

אַרְבָּעָ֧ה’ar·bā·‘āhnumbered 74,600H702

√ ʼarbaʻ — fourNumbermasculine singular

The total 74,600 — far the greatest. Benson: “Far more than any other tribe, in accomplishing of Jacob's prophecy, Ge 49.” Ellicott points to Genesis 49:8.

וְשִׁבְעִ֛יםwə·šiḇ·‘îm. . .H7657

√ shibʻîym — seventyConjunctive wawNumbercommon plural

אֶ֖לֶף’e·lep̄. . .H505

√ ʼeleph — hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousandNumbermasculine singular

וְשֵׁ֥שׁwə·šêš. . .H8337

√ shêsh — six (as an overplus beyond five or the fingers of the hand)Conjunctive wawNumberfeminine singular construct

מֵאֽוֹת׃פmê·’ō·wṯ. . .H3967

√ mêʼâh — a hundredNumberfeminine plural

From the sons of Issachar, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army,

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Hebrew — tap a word ↓

liḇ·nê yiś·śā·š·ḵār tō·wl·ḏō·ṯām lə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯām ’ă·ḇō·ṯām lə·ḇêṯ bə·mis·par šê·mōṯ kōl ‘eś·rîm mib·ben šā·nāh wā·ma‘·lāh yō·ṣê ṣā·ḇā

Word by word15 · parsed

לִבְנֵ֣יliḇ·nêFrom the sonsH1121

יִשָּׂשכָ֔רyiś·śā·š·ḵārof IssacharH3485

√ Yissâˢkâr — Jissaskar, a son of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

yiś·śā·š·ḵār (H3485) — Issachar, fifth in the muster, second under Judah's standard.

תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥םtō·wl·ḏō·ṯāmaccording to the recordsH8435

√ tôwlᵉdâh — (plural only) descent, iNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

tō·wl·ḏō·ṯām (H8435) — the unbroken formula; JFB credits relative size to “the special blessing of God.”

לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖םlə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯāmof their clansH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-lNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

אֲבֹתָ֑ם’ă·ḇō·ṯāmand familiesH1

√ ʼâb — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationNounmasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְבֵ֣יתlə·ḇêṯ. . .H1004

√ bayith — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etcPreposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

בְּמִסְפַּ֣רbə·mis·parcountingH4557

√ miçpâr — a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite (large, innumerablePreposition-bNounmasculine singular construct

שֵׁמֹ֗תšê·mōṯthe namesH8034

√ shêm — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individualityNounmasculine plural

כֹּ֖לkōlof all thoseH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

עֶשְׂרִ֤ים‘eś·rîmtwentyH6242

√ ʻesrîym — twentyNumbercommon plural

מִבֶּ֨ןmib·benyears of ageH1121

שָׁנָה֙šā·nāh. . .H8141

√ shâneh — a year (as a revolution of time)Nounfeminine singular

וָמַ֔עְלָהwā·ma‘·lāhor olderH4605

√ maʻal — properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etcConjunctive wawAdverbthird person feminine singular

יֹצֵ֥אyō·ṣêwho could serveH3318

√ yâtsâʼ — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proximVerbQalParticiplemasculine singular construct

צָבָֽא׃ṣā·ḇāin the armyH6635

√ tsâbâʼ — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially regNouncommon singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

For the sons of Issachar — their generations, by their clans, by their fathers' houses, by the number of names, from twenty years and upward, all going out to the army —

Where the English smooths the original

יִשָּׂשכָ֔ר yiś·śā·š·ḵār (H3485), Issachar — the spelling preserves a doubled letter the Masoretes read once, an old crux of the name. The English transliteration cannot show the written-but-unread consonant; the tribe is simply Issachar, encamped under Judah's standard.
תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם tō·wl·ḏō·ṯām (H8435), the recurring toledoth, “their generations.” The formula is identical to Reuben's; the Hebrew's relentless repetition is itself the point — every tribe enrolled by the same divine pattern, none privileged in the manner of counting.

those registered to the tribe of Issachar numbered 54,400.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

pə·qu·ḏê·hem lə·maṭ·ṭêh yiś·śā·š·ḵār ’ar·bā·‘āh wa·ḥă·miš·šîm ’e·lep̄ wə·’ar·ba‘ mê·’ō·wṯ

Word by word8 · parsed

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖םpə·qu·ḏê·hemthose registeredH6485

√ pâqad — to visit (with friendly or hostile intent)VerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְמַטֵּ֣הlə·maṭ·ṭêhto the tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Preposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

יִשָּׂשכָ֑רyiś·śā·š·ḵārof IssacharH3485

√ Yissâˢkâr — Jissaskar, a son of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

אַרְבָּעָ֧ה’ar·bā·‘āhnumbered 54,400H702

√ ʼarbaʻ — fourNumbermasculine singular

The total 54,400 — a mid-range tribe whose number Barnes would explain by an enrollment “arranged by hundreds.”

וַחֲמִשִּׁ֛יםwa·ḥă·miš·šîm. . .H2572

√ chămishshîym — fiftyConjunctive wawNumbercommon plural

אֶ֖לֶף’e·lep̄. . .H505

√ ʼeleph — hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousandNumbermasculine singular

וְאַרְבַּ֥עwə·’ar·ba‘. . .H702

√ ʼarbaʻ — fourConjunctive wawNumberfeminine singular construct

מֵאֽוֹת׃פmê·’ō·wṯ. . .H3967

√ mêʼâh — a hundredNumberfeminine plural

From the sons of Zebulun, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

liḇ·nê zə·ḇū·lun tō·wl·ḏō·ṯām lə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯām ’ă·ḇō·ṯām lə·ḇêṯ bə·mis·par šê·mōṯ kōl ‘eś·rîm mib·ben šā·nāh wā·ma‘·lāh yō·ṣê ṣā·ḇā

Word by word15 · parsed

לִבְנֵ֣יliḇ·nêFrom the sonsH1121

זְבוּלֻ֔ןzə·ḇū·lunof ZebulunH2074

√ Zᵉbûwlûwn — Zebulon, a son of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

zə·ḇū·lun (H2074) — Zebulun, sixth in the muster; Henry reads the whole roll as proof of “God's faithfulness in thus increasing the seed of Jacob.”

תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥םtō·wl·ḏō·ṯāmaccording to the recordsH8435

√ tôwlᵉdâh — (plural only) descent, iNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖םlə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯāmof their clansH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-lNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

אֲבֹתָ֑ם’ă·ḇō·ṯāmand familiesH1

√ ʼâb — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationNounmasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְבֵ֣יתlə·ḇêṯ. . .H1004

√ bayith — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etcPreposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

בְּמִסְפַּ֣רbə·mis·parcountingH4557

√ miçpâr — a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite (large, innumerablePreposition-bNounmasculine singular construct

שֵׁמֹ֗תšê·mōṯthe namesH8034

√ shêm — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individualityNounmasculine plural

כֹּ֖לkōlof all thoseH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

עֶשְׂרִ֤ים‘eś·rîmtwentyH6242

√ ʻesrîym — twentyNumbercommon plural

מִבֶּ֨ןmib·benyears of ageH1121

שָׁנָה֙šā·nāh. . .H8141

√ shâneh — a year (as a revolution of time)Nounfeminine singular

וָמַ֔עְלָהwā·ma‘·lāhor olderH4605

√ maʻal — properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etcConjunctive wawAdverbthird person feminine singular

יֹצֵ֥אyō·ṣêwho could serveH3318

√ yâtsâʼ — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proximVerbQalParticiplemasculine singular construct

צָבָֽא׃ṣā·ḇāin the armyH6635

√ tsâbâʼ — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially regNouncommon singular

those registered to the tribe of Zebulun numbered 57,400.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

pə·qu·ḏê·hem lə·maṭ·ṭêh zə·ḇū·lun šiḇ·‘āh wa·ḥă·miš·šîm ’e·lep̄ wə·’ar·ba‘ mê·’ō·wṯ

Word by word8 · parsed

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖םpə·qu·ḏê·hemthose registeredH6485

√ pâqad — to visit (with friendly or hostile intent)VerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְמַטֵּ֣הlə·maṭ·ṭêhto the tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Preposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

זְבוּלֻ֑ןzə·ḇū·lunof ZebulunH2074

√ Zᵉbûwlûwn — Zebulon, a son of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

שִׁבְעָ֧הšiḇ·‘āhnumbered 57,400H7651

√ shebaʻ — seven (as the sacred full one)Numbermasculine singular

The total 57,400. Henry's refrain: the census shows God's faithfulness, however “unlikely the performance of his promise may appear.”

וַחֲמִשִּׁ֛יםwa·ḥă·miš·šîm. . .H2572

√ chămishshîym — fiftyConjunctive wawNumbercommon plural

אֶ֖לֶף’e·lep̄. . .H505

√ ʼeleph — hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousandNumbermasculine singular

וְאַרְבַּ֥עwə·’ar·ba‘. . .H702

√ ʼarbaʻ — fourConjunctive wawNumberfeminine singular construct

מֵאֽוֹת׃פmê·’ō·wṯ. . .H3967

√ mêʼâh — a hundredNumberfeminine plural

From the sons of Joseph: From the sons of Ephraim, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

liḇ·nê yō·w·sêp̄ liḇ·nê ’ep̄·ra·yim tō·wl·ḏō·ṯām lə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯām ’ă·ḇō·ṯām lə·ḇêṯ bə·mis·par šê·mōṯ kōl ‘eś·rîm mib·ben šā·nāh wā·ma‘·lāh yō·ṣê ṣā·ḇā

Word by word17 · parsed

לִבְנֵ֤יliḇ·nêFrom the sonsH1121

יוֹסֵף֙yō·w·sêp̄of JosephH3130

√ Yôwçêph — Joseph, the name of seven IsraelitesNounpropermasculine singular

yō·w·sêp̄ (H3130) — Joseph receives the firstborn's double portion through his two sons, keeping the tribal count at twelve apart from Levi.

לִבְנֵ֣יliḇ·nêFrom the sonsH1121

אֶפְרַ֔יִם’ep̄·ra·yimof EphraimH669

√ ʼEphrayim — Ephrajim, a son of JosephNounpropermasculine singular

’ep̄·ra·yim (H669) — the younger named first; the Pulpit Commentary grounds the order in Genesis 48.

תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥םtō·wl·ḏō·ṯāmaccording to the recordsH8435

√ tôwlᵉdâh — (plural only) descent, iNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖םlə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯāmof their clansH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-lNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

אֲבֹתָ֑ם’ă·ḇō·ṯāmand familiesH1

√ ʼâb — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationNounmasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְבֵ֣יתlə·ḇêṯ. . .H1004

√ bayith — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etcPreposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

בְּמִסְפַּ֣רbə·mis·parcountingH4557

√ miçpâr — a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite (large, innumerablePreposition-bNounmasculine singular construct

שֵׁמֹ֗תšê·mōṯthe namesH8034

√ shêm — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individualityNounmasculine plural

כֹּ֖לkōlof all thoseH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

עֶשְׂרִ֤ים‘eś·rîmtwentyH6242

√ ʻesrîym — twentyNumbercommon plural

מִבֶּ֨ןmib·benyears of ageH1121

שָׁנָה֙šā·nāh. . .H8141

√ shâneh — a year (as a revolution of time)Nounfeminine singular

וָמַ֔עְלָהwā·ma‘·lāhor olderH4605

√ maʻal — properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etcConjunctive wawAdverbthird person feminine singular

יֹצֵ֥אyō·ṣêwho could serveH3318

√ yâtsâʼ — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proximVerbQalParticiplemasculine singular construct

צָבָֽא׃ṣā·ḇāin the armyH6635

√ tsâbâʼ — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially regNouncommon singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

For the sons of Joseph — for the sons of Ephraim — their generations, by their clans, by their fathers' houses, by the number of names, from twenty years and upward, all going out to the army —

Where the English smooths the original

יוֹסֵף֙ yō·w·sêp̄ (H3130), Joseph — counted not as one tribe but split into Ephraim and Manasseh, so that the twelve are kept while Levi is set apart. The double-naming preserves Jacob's adoption of Joseph's two sons (Genesis 48); the Hebrew's “sons of Joseph: sons of Ephraim” embeds that history.
אֶפְרַ֔יִם ’ep̄·ra·yim (H669), Ephraim — named before the elder Manasseh. The Pulpit Commentary: Ephraim “already takes precedence, not as being larger… but according to prophecy” (Genesis 48:5,14). The word-order is the blessing made visible.

those registered to the tribe of Ephraim numbered 40,500.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

pə·qu·ḏê·hem lə·maṭ·ṭêh ’ep̄·rā·yim ’ar·bā·‘îm ’e·lep̄ wa·ḥă·mêš mê·’ō·wṯ

Word by word7 · parsed

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖םpə·qu·ḏê·hemthose registeredH6485

√ pâqad — to visit (with friendly or hostile intent)VerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְמַטֵּ֣הlə·maṭ·ṭêhto the tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Preposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

אֶפְרָ֑יִם’ep̄·rā·yimof EphraimH669

√ ʼEphrayim — Ephrajim, a son of JosephNounpropermasculine singular

אַרְבָּעִ֥ים’ar·bā·‘îmnumbered 40,500H705

√ ʼarbâʻîym — fortyNumbercommon plural

The total 40,500. Poole: “Above eight thousand more than Manasseh, towards the accomplishment of that promise, Genesis 48:20.” The historical attack from Gath (1 Chronicles 7:21-22) is named as the enemy's failed counter-stroke.

אֶ֖לֶף’e·lep̄. . .H505

√ ʼeleph — hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousandNumbermasculine singular

וַחֲמֵ֥שׁwa·ḥă·mêš. . .H2568

√ châmêsh — fiveConjunctive wawNumberfeminine singular construct

מֵאֽוֹת׃פmê·’ō·wṯ. . .H3967

√ mêʼâh — a hundredNumberfeminine plural

And from the sons of Manasseh, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

liḇ·nê mə·naš·šeh tō·wl·ḏō·ṯām lə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯām ’ă·ḇō·ṯām lə·ḇêṯ bə·mis·par šê·mō·wṯ kōl ‘eś·rîm mib·ben šā·nāh wā·ma‘·lāh yō·ṣê ṣā·ḇā

Word by word15 · parsed

לִבְנֵ֣יliḇ·nêAnd from the sonsH1121

מְנַשֶּׁ֔הmə·naš·šehof ManassehH4519

√ Mᵉnashsheh — Menashsheh, a grandson of Jacob, also the tribe descended from him, and its territoryNounpropermasculine singular

mə·naš·šeh (H4519) — the elder son of Joseph, counted after Ephraim per the prophetic order.

תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥םtō·wl·ḏō·ṯāmaccording to the recordsH8435

√ tôwlᵉdâh — (plural only) descent, iNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖םlə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯāmof their clansH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-lNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

אֲבֹתָ֑ם’ă·ḇō·ṯāmand familiesH1

√ ʼâb — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationNounmasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְבֵ֣יתlə·ḇêṯ. . .H1004

√ bayith — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etcPreposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

בְּמִסְפַּ֣רbə·mis·parcountingH4557

√ miçpâr — a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite (large, innumerablePreposition-bNounmasculine singular construct

שֵׁמ֗וֹתšê·mō·wṯthe namesH8034

√ shêm — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individualityNounmasculine plural

כֹּ֖לkōlof all thoseH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

עֶשְׂרִ֤ים‘eś·rîmtwentyH6242

√ ʻesrîym — twentyNumbercommon plural

מִבֶּ֨ןmib·benyears of ageH1121

שָׁנָה֙šā·nāh. . .H8141

√ shâneh — a year (as a revolution of time)Nounfeminine singular

וָמַ֔עְלָהwā·ma‘·lāhor olderH4605

√ maʻal — properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etcConjunctive wawAdverbthird person feminine singular

יֹצֵ֥אyō·ṣêwho could serveH3318

√ yâtsâʼ — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proximVerbQalParticiplemasculine singular construct

צָבָֽא׃ṣā·ḇāin the armyH6635

√ tsâbâʼ — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially regNouncommon singular

those registered to the tribe of Manasseh numbered 32,200.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

pə·qu·ḏê·hem lə·maṭ·ṭêh mə·naš·šeh šə·na·yim ū·šə·lō·šîm ’e·lep̄ ū·mā·ṯā·yim

Word by word7 · parsed

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖םpə·qu·ḏê·hemthose registeredH6485

√ pâqad — to visit (with friendly or hostile intent)VerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְמַטֵּ֣הlə·maṭ·ṭêhto the tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Preposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

מְנַשֶּׁ֑הmə·naš·šehof ManassehH4519

√ Mᵉnashsheh — Menashsheh, a grandson of Jacob, also the tribe descended from him, and its territoryNounpropermasculine singular

שְׁנַ֧יִםšə·na·yimnumbered 32,200H8147

√ shᵉnayim — twoNumbermd

The total 32,200 — the smallest tribe here, the exact foil to Ephraim's precedence: the favored younger line is for now the larger, the elder the least.

וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֛יםū·šə·lō·šîm. . .H7970

√ shᵉlôwshîym — thirtyConjunctive wawNumbercommon plural

אֶ֖לֶף’e·lep̄. . .H505

√ ʼeleph — hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousandNumbermasculine singular

וּמָאתָֽיִם׃פū·mā·ṯā·yim. . .H3967

√ mêʼâh — a hundredConjunctive wawNumberfd

From the sons of Benjamin, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

liḇ·nê ḇin·yā·min tō·wl·ḏō·ṯām lə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯām ’ă·ḇō·ṯām lə·ḇêṯ bə·mis·par šê·mōṯ kōl ‘eś·rîm mib·ben šā·nāh wā·ma‘·lāh yō·ṣê ṣā·ḇā

Word by word15 · parsed

לִבְנֵ֣יliḇ·nêFrom the sonsH1121

בִנְיָמִ֔ןḇin·yā·minof BenjaminH1144

√ Binyâmîyn — Binjamin, youngest son of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

ḇin·yā·min (H1144) — Benjamin closes the camp of Ephraim; the smallest-but-one of the tribes despite his ten sons at the descent into Egypt.

תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥םtō·wl·ḏō·ṯāmaccording to the recordsH8435

√ tôwlᵉdâh — (plural only) descent, iNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖םlə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯāmof their clansH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-lNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

אֲבֹתָ֑ם’ă·ḇō·ṯāmand familiesH1

√ ʼâb — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationNounmasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְבֵ֣יתlə·ḇêṯ. . .H1004

√ bayith — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etcPreposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

בְּמִסְפַּ֣רbə·mis·parcountingH4557

√ miçpâr — a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite (large, innumerablePreposition-bNounmasculine singular construct

שֵׁמֹ֗תšê·mōṯthe namesH8034

√ shêm — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individualityNounmasculine plural

כֹּ֖לkōlof all thoseH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

עֶשְׂרִ֤ים‘eś·rîmtwentyH6242

√ ʻesrîym — twentyNumbercommon plural

מִבֶּ֨ןmib·benyears of ageH1121

שָׁנָה֙šā·nāh. . .H8141

√ shâneh — a year (as a revolution of time)Nounfeminine singular

וָמַ֔עְלָהwā·ma‘·lāhor olderH4605

√ maʻal — properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etcConjunctive wawAdverbthird person feminine singular

יֹצֵ֥אyō·ṣêwho could serveH3318

√ yâtsâʼ — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proximVerbQalParticiplemasculine singular construct

צָבָֽא׃ṣā·ḇāin the armyH6635

√ tsâbâʼ — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially regNouncommon singular

those registered to the tribe of Benjamin numbered 35,400.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

pə·qu·ḏê·hem lə·maṭ·ṭêh ḇin·yā·min ḥă·miš·šāh ū·šə·lō·šîm ’e·lep̄ wə·’ar·ba‘ mê·’ō·wṯ

Word by word8 · parsed

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖םpə·qu·ḏê·hemthose registeredH6485

√ pâqad — to visit (with friendly or hostile intent)VerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְמַטֵּ֣הlə·maṭ·ṭêhto the tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Preposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

בִנְיָמִ֑ןḇin·yā·minof BenjaminH1144

√ Binyâmîyn — Binjamin, youngest son of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

חֲמִשָּׁ֧הḥă·miš·šāhnumbered 35,400H2568

√ châmêsh — fiveNumbermasculine singular

The total 35,400. Poole/Benson: such reversals (Benjamin small though he had most sons; Dan vast from one son) show “great and strange changes God easily can, and frequently doth make in families.”

וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֛יםū·šə·lō·šîm. . .H7970

√ shᵉlôwshîym — thirtyConjunctive wawNumbercommon plural

אֶ֖לֶף’e·lep̄. . .H505

√ ʼeleph — hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousandNumbermasculine singular

וְאַרְבַּ֥עwə·’ar·ba‘. . .H702

√ ʼarbaʻ — fourConjunctive wawNumberfeminine singular construct

מֵאֽוֹת׃פmê·’ō·wṯ. . .H3967

√ mêʼâh — a hundredNumberfeminine plural

From the sons of Dan, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

liḇ·nê ḏān tō·wl·ḏō·ṯām lə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯām ’ă·ḇō·ṯām lə·ḇêṯ bə·mis·par šê·mōṯ kōl ‘eś·rîm mib·ben šā·nāh wā·ma‘·lāh yō·ṣê ṣā·ḇā

Word by word15 · parsed

לִבְנֵ֣יliḇ·nêFrom the sonsH1121

דָ֔ןḏānof DanH1835

√ Dân — Dan, one of the sons of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

ḏān (H1835) — Dan leads the northern standard; the Pulpit Commentary devotes a long note to his improbable increase from one son.

תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥םtō·wl·ḏō·ṯāmaccording to the recordsH8435

√ tôwlᵉdâh — (plural only) descent, iNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖םlə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯāmof their clansH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-lNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

אֲבֹתָ֑ם’ă·ḇō·ṯāmand familiesH1

√ ʼâb — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationNounmasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְבֵ֣יתlə·ḇêṯ. . .H1004

√ bayith — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etcPreposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

בְּמִסְפַּ֣רbə·mis·parcountingH4557

√ miçpâr — a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite (large, innumerablePreposition-bNounmasculine singular construct

שֵׁמֹ֗תšê·mōṯthe namesH8034

√ shêm — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individualityNounmasculine plural

כֹּ֖לkōlof all thoseH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

עֶשְׂרִ֤ים‘eś·rîmtwentyH6242

√ ʻesrîym — twentyNumbercommon plural

מִבֶּ֨ןmib·benyears of ageH1121

שָׁנָה֙šā·nāh. . .H8141

√ shâneh — a year (as a revolution of time)Nounfeminine singular

וָמַ֔עְלָהwā·ma‘·lāhor olderH4605

√ maʻal — properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etcConjunctive wawAdverbthird person feminine singular

יֹצֵ֥אyō·ṣêwho could serveH3318

√ yâtsâʼ — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proximVerbQalParticiplemasculine singular construct

צָבָֽא׃ṣā·ḇāin the armyH6635

√ tsâbâʼ — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially regNouncommon singular

Literal — word-for-word from the original

For the sons of Dan — their generations, by their clans, by their fathers' houses, by the number of names, from twenty years and upward, all going out to the army —

Where the English smooths the original

דָ֔ן ḏān (H1835), Dan, “judge” — heads the last camp. The Pulpit Commentary marks the “enormous numerical increase in this tribe” as “the more remarkable because it is clearly intimated that Dan had but one son.” The Hebrew name opens a tribe of striking, unexplained growth.
תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם tō·wl·ḏō·ṯām (H8435), “their generations” — the same toledoth formula, here governing a tribe descended from a single son (Hushim, Genesis 46:23). The formula's uniformity throws Dan's anomalous size into sharper relief.

those registered to the tribe of Dan numbered 62,700.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

pə·qu·ḏê·hem lə·maṭ·ṭêh ḏān šə·na·yim wə·šiš·šîm ’e·lep̄ ū·šə·ḇa‘ mê·’ō·wṯ

Word by word8 · parsed

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖םpə·qu·ḏê·hemthose registeredH6485

√ pâqad — to visit (with friendly or hostile intent)VerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְמַטֵּ֣הlə·maṭ·ṭêhto the tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Preposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

דָ֑ןḏānof DanH1835

√ Dân — Dan, one of the sons of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

שְׁנַ֧יִםšə·na·yimnumbered 62,700H8147

√ shᵉnayim — twoNumbermd

The total 62,700 — second only to Judah. The single-son origin (Genesis 46:23) makes Dan the standing proof that population is God's gift, not man's achievement.

וְשִׁשִּׁ֛יםwə·šiš·šîm. . .H8346

√ shishshîym — sixtyConjunctive wawNumbercommon plural

אֶ֖לֶף’e·lep̄. . .H505

√ ʼeleph — hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousandNumbermasculine singular

וּשְׁבַ֥עū·šə·ḇa‘. . .H7651

√ shebaʻ — seven (as the sacred full one)Conjunctive wawNumberfeminine singular construct

מֵאֽוֹת׃פmê·’ō·wṯ. . .H3967

√ mêʼâh — a hundredNumberfeminine plural

From the sons of Asher, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

liḇ·nê ’ā·šêr tō·wl·ḏō·ṯām lə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯām ’ă·ḇō·ṯām lə·ḇêṯ bə·mis·par šê·mōṯ kōl ‘eś·rîm mib·ben šā·nāh wā·ma‘·lāh yō·ṣê ṣā·ḇā

Word by word15 · parsed

לִבְנֵ֣יliḇ·nêFrom the sonsH1121

אָשֵׁ֔ר’ā·šêrof AsherH836

√ ʼÂshêr — happyNounpropermasculine singular

’ā·šêr (H836) — Asher, whose name means happy, stands second under Dan's northern standard.

תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥םtō·wl·ḏō·ṯāmaccording to the recordsH8435

√ tôwlᵉdâh — (plural only) descent, iNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖םlə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯāmof their clansH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-lNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

אֲבֹתָ֑ם’ă·ḇō·ṯāmand familiesH1

√ ʼâb — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationNounmasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְבֵ֣יתlə·ḇêṯ. . .H1004

√ bayith — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etcPreposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

בְּמִסְפַּ֣רbə·mis·parcountingH4557

√ miçpâr — a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite (large, innumerablePreposition-bNounmasculine singular construct

שֵׁמֹ֗תšê·mōṯthe namesH8034

√ shêm — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individualityNounmasculine plural

כֹּ֖לkōlof all thoseH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

עֶשְׂרִ֤ים‘eś·rîmtwentyH6242

√ ʻesrîym — twentyNumbercommon plural

מִבֶּ֨ןmib·benyears of ageH1121

שָׁנָה֙šā·nāh. . .H8141

√ shâneh — a year (as a revolution of time)Nounfeminine singular

וָמַ֔עְלָהwā·ma‘·lāhor olderH4605

√ maʻal — properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etcConjunctive wawAdverbthird person feminine singular

יֹצֵ֥אyō·ṣêwho could serveH3318

√ yâtsâʼ — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proximVerbQalParticiplemasculine singular construct

צָבָֽא׃ṣā·ḇāin the armyH6635

√ tsâbâʼ — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially regNouncommon singular

those registered to the tribe of Asher numbered 41,500.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

pə·qu·ḏê·hem lə·maṭ·ṭêh ’ā·šêr ’e·ḥāḏ wə·’ar·bā·‘îm ’e·lep̄ wa·ḥă·mêš mê·’ō·wṯ

Word by word8 · parsed

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖םpə·qu·ḏê·hemthose registeredH6485

√ pâqad — to visit (with friendly or hostile intent)VerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְמַטֵּ֣הlə·maṭ·ṭêhto the tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Preposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

אָשֵׁ֑ר’ā·šêrof AsherH836

√ ʼÂshêr — happyNounpropermasculine singular

אֶחָ֧ד’e·ḥāḏnumbered 41,500H259

√ ʼechâd — properly, united, iNumbermasculine singular

The total 41,500. Asher will grow to 53,400 by the second census (Numbers 26) — another of the shifts that show the tribes' fortunes in God's hand.

וְאַרְבָּעִ֛יםwə·’ar·bā·‘îm. . .H705

√ ʼarbâʻîym — fortyConjunctive wawNumbercommon plural

אֶ֖לֶף’e·lep̄. . .H505

√ ʼeleph — hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousandNumbermasculine singular

וַחֲמֵ֥שׁwa·ḥă·mêš. . .H2568

√ châmêsh — fiveConjunctive wawNumberfeminine singular construct

מֵאֽוֹת׃פmê·’ō·wṯ. . .H3967

√ mêʼâh — a hundredNumberfeminine plural

From the sons of Naphtali, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army,

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

bə·nê nap̄·tā·lî tō·wl·ḏō·ṯām lə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯām ’ă·ḇō·ṯām lə·ḇêṯ bə·mis·par šê·mōṯ kōl ‘eś·rîm mib·ben šā·nāh wā·ma‘·lāh yō·ṣê ṣā·ḇā

Word by word15 · parsed

בְּנֵ֣יbə·nêFrom the sonsH1121

נַפְתָּלִ֔יnap̄·tā·lîof NaphtaliH5321

√ Naphtâlîy — Naphtali, a son of Jacob, with the tribe descended from him, and its territoryNounpropermasculine singular

nap̄·tā·lî (H5321) — Naphtali, the twelfth and last tribe counted, completes the muster apart from Levi.

תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥םtō·wl·ḏō·ṯāmaccording to the recordsH8435

√ tôwlᵉdâh — (plural only) descent, iNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖םlə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯāmof their clansH4940

√ mishpâchâh — a family, iPreposition-lNounfeminine plural constructthird person masculine plural

אֲבֹתָ֑ם’ă·ḇō·ṯāmand familiesH1

√ ʼâb — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationNounmasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְבֵ֣יתlə·ḇêṯ. . .H1004

√ bayith — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etcPreposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

בְּמִסְפַּ֣רbə·mis·parcountingH4557

√ miçpâr — a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite (large, innumerablePreposition-bNounmasculine singular construct

שֵׁמֹ֗תšê·mōṯthe namesH8034

√ shêm — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individualityNounmasculine plural

כֹּ֖לkōlof all thoseH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

עֶשְׂרִ֤ים‘eś·rîmtwentyH6242

√ ʻesrîym — twentyNumbercommon plural

מִבֶּ֨ןmib·benyears of ageH1121

שָׁנָה֙šā·nāh. . .H8141

√ shâneh — a year (as a revolution of time)Nounfeminine singular

וָמַ֔עְלָהwā·ma‘·lāhor olderH4605

√ maʻal — properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etcConjunctive wawAdverbthird person feminine singular

יֹצֵ֥אyō·ṣêwho could serveH3318

√ yâtsâʼ — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proximVerbQalParticiplemasculine singular construct

צָבָֽא׃ṣā·ḇāin the armyH6635

√ tsâbâʼ — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially regNouncommon singular

those registered to the tribe of Naphtali numbered 53,400.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

pə·qu·ḏê·hem lə·maṭ·ṭêh nap̄·tā·lî šə·lō·šāh wa·ḥă·miš·šîm ’e·lep̄ wə·’ar·ba‘ mê·’ō·wṯ

Word by word8 · parsed

פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֖םpə·qu·ḏê·hemthose registeredH6485

√ pâqad — to visit (with friendly or hostile intent)VerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְמַטֵּ֣הlə·maṭ·ṭêhto the tribeH4294

√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)Preposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

נַפְתָּלִ֑יnap̄·tā·lîof NaphtaliH5321

√ Naphtâlîy — Naphtali, a son of Jacob, with the tribe descended from him, and its territoryNounpropermasculine singular

שְׁלֹשָׁ֧הšə·lō·šāhnumbered 53,400H7969

√ shâlôwsh — threeNumbermasculine singular

The total 53,400 — the last tribal figure. JFB has been crediting all relative numbers to “the special blessing of God.”

וַחֲמִשִּׁ֛יםwa·ḥă·miš·šîm. . .H2572

√ chămishshîym — fiftyConjunctive wawNumbercommon plural

אֶ֖לֶף’e·lep̄. . .H505

√ ʼeleph — hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousandNumbermasculine singular

וְאַרְבַּ֥עwə·’ar·ba‘. . .H702

√ ʼarbaʻ — fourConjunctive wawNumberfeminine singular construct

מֵאֽוֹת׃פmê·’ō·wṯ. . .H3967

√ mêʼâh — a hundredNumberfeminine plural

These were the men numbered by Moses and Aaron, with the assistance of the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

’êl·leh ’ă·šer pā·qaḏ mō·šeh wə·’a·hă·rōn hap·pə·qu·ḏîm šə·nêm ‘ā·śār ’îš ’îš- ū·nə·śî·’ê yiś·rā·’êl ’e·ḥāḏ ’ă·ḇō·ṯāw hā·yū lə·ḇêṯ-

Word by word16 · parsed

אֵ֣לֶּה’êl·lehTheseH428

√ ʼêl-leh — these or thosePronouncommon plural

אֲשֶׁר֩’ă·šerwere the menH834

√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative

פָּקַ֨דpā·qaḏnumberedH6485

√ pâqad — to visit (with friendly or hostile intent)VerbQalPerfectthird person masculine singular

pā·qaḏ (H6485), Qal perfect — “numbered/mustered”; the active form, with Moses and Aaron as subject, closing the visitation begun in v. 19.

מֹשֶׁ֤הmō·šehby MosesH4872

√ Môsheh — Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiverNounpropermasculine singular

וְאַהֲרֹן֙wə·’a·hă·rōnand AaronH175

√ ʼAhărôwn — Aharon, the brother of MosesConjunctive wawNounpropermasculine singular

הַפְּקֻדִ֡יםhap·pə·qu·ḏîmH6485

√ pâqad — to visit (with friendly or hostile intent)ArticleVerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine plural

שְׁנֵ֥יםšə·nêmwith the assistance of the twelveH8147

√ shᵉnayim — twoNumbermd

עָשָׂ֖ר‘ā·śār. . .H6240

√ ʻâsâr — ten (only in combination), iNumbermasculine singular

אִ֑ישׁ’îš. . .H376

√ ʼîysh — a man as an individual or a male personNounmasculine singular

אִישׁ־’îš-. . .H376

√ ʼîysh — a man as an individual or a male personNounmasculine singular

וּנְשִׂיאֵ֣יū·nə·śî·’êleadersH5387

√ nâsîyʼ — properly, an exalted one, iConjunctive wawNounmasculine plural construct

ū·nə·śî·’ê (H5387) — the princes; Gill: “being twelve men; for though the tribe of Levi was not numbered, yet Joseph having a double portion, his two sons are reckoned as distinct tribes.”

יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לyiś·rā·’êlof IsraelH3478

√ Yisrâʼêl — Jisrael, a symbolical name of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

אֶחָ֥ד’e·ḥāḏeach oneH259

√ ʼechâd — properly, united, iNumbermasculine singular

’e·ḥāḏ (H259) — “each one”; one prince per tribe, the ’îš ’îš distributive made explicit.

אֲבֹתָ֖יו’ă·ḇō·ṯāwrepresenting his familyH1

√ ʼâb — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationNounmasculine plural constructthird person masculine singular

הָיֽוּ׃hā·yū. . .H1961

√ hâyâh — to exist, iVerbQalPerfectthird person common plural

לְבֵית־lə·ḇêṯ-. . .H1004

√ bayith — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etcPreposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

Literal — word-for-word from the original

These are those mustered, whom Moses and Aaron mustered, and the princes of Israel, twelve men — each one was for the house of his fathers.

Where the English smooths the original

וּנְשִׂיאֵ֣י BSB's “leaders” renders ū·nə·śî·’ê (H5387, nâsîyʼ), “properly, an exalted one,” from nâsâʼ, “to lift up.” These are the lifted-up ones, the chiefs — the same title later borne by tribal princes and, in Ezekiel, by the messianic prince. “Leaders” is flat beside the exalted Hebrew.
אִ֑ישׁ אִישׁ־ The doubled ’îš ’îš (H376), “man, man,” is a Hebrew distributive — “each individual man,” one apiece. BSB folds it into “each one representing his family.” The repetition stresses that every tribe had exactly one representative; the twelve are deliberate, not approximate.
שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָׂ֖ר šə·nêm ‘ā·śār (H8147 + H6240), “twelve” — Gill notes the count holds though Levi is excluded, because “Joseph having a double portion, his two sons are reckoned as distinct tribes.” The number twelve is preserved by Joseph's doubling, not by including Levi.

So all the Israelites twenty years of age or older who could serve in Israel’s army were counted according to their families.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

kāl- ḇə·nê- yiś·rā·’êl ‘eś·rîm mib·ben šā·nāh wā·ma‘·lāh kāl- yō·ṣê bə·yiś·rā·’êl ṣā·ḇā way·yih·yū pə·qū·ḏê ’ă·ḇō·ṯām lə·ḇêṯ

Word by word15 · parsed

כָּל־kāl-So allH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

בְנֵֽי־ḇə·nê-the IsraelitesH1121

ḇə·nê (H1121) — “the children of Israel”; the summary gathers the twelve tribal totals into the single people.

יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לyiś·rā·’êl. . .H3478

√ Yisrâʼêl — Jisrael, a symbolical name of JacobNounpropermasculine singular

עֶשְׂרִ֤ים‘eś·rîmtwentyH6242

√ ʻesrîym — twentyNumbercommon plural

מִבֶּ֨ןmib·benyears of ageH1121

שָׁנָה֙šā·nāh. . .H8141

√ shâneh — a year (as a revolution of time)Nounfeminine singular

וָמַ֔עְלָהwā·ma‘·lāhor olderH4605

√ maʻal — properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etcConjunctive wawAdverbthird person feminine singular

כָּל־kāl-H3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

יֹצֵ֥אyō·ṣêwho could serveH3318

√ yâtsâʼ — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proximVerbQalParticiplemasculine singular

yō·ṣê (H3318) — the defining qualifier “able to go forth to war,” Gill: “healthful and strong, and fit for war.”

בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃bə·yiś·rā·’êlin Israel’sH3478

√ Yisrâʼêl — Jisrael, a symbolical name of JacobPreposition-bNounpropermasculine singular

צָבָ֖אṣā·ḇāarmyH6635

√ tsâbâʼ — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially regNouncommon singular

וַיִּֽהְי֛וּway·yih·yūwereH1961

√ hâyâh — to exist, iConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine plural

פְּקוּדֵ֥יpə·qū·ḏêcountedH6485

√ pâqad — to visit (with friendly or hostile intent)VerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine plural construct

pə·qū·ḏê (H6485) — “were counted”; the passive participle prepares the grand total of v. 46.

אֲבֹתָ֑ם’ă·ḇō·ṯāmaccording to their familiesH1

√ ʼâb — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationNounmasculine plural constructthird person masculine plural

לְבֵ֣יתlə·ḇêṯ. . .H1004

√ bayith — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etcPreposition-lNounmasculine singular construct

Literal — word-for-word from the original

So all the sons of Israel, from twenty years and upward, all going out to the army in Israel — they were the mustered by their fathers' houses.

Where the English smooths the original

כָּל־ ... כָּל־ The verse opens and folds on a doubled kāl (H3605), “all… all” — all the sons of Israel, all who go out to war. The Hebrew's emphatic totality (no fighting man omitted) is rendered by BSB's single sweeping “all.” The repetition is the text's seal of completeness.
יֹצֵ֥א צָבָ֖א yō·ṣê ṣā·ḇā (H3318 + H6635), “able to serve / going out to the host.” The whole census has been defined by this single qualification — Gill: “all… that were above twenty years of age, healthful and strong, and fit for war.”
פְּקוּדֵ֥י pə·qū·ḏê (H6485), “counted / mustered” — the visitation-word returns one last time before the total. From v. 19's “he numbered them” to here, pâqad frames the entire act as a divine mustering of the host.

The Voices✦ 4 public domain

Charles EllicottCommentary for English Readers1878

It is obvious that the odd numbers were not reckoned. In Numbers 11:21 as in Exodus 12:37 , the whole number is reckoned roughly at six hundred thousand.

source ↗

John GillExposition of the Entire Bible1746–63

which was exactly the number of them, when taken about seven months before this, when they were assessed for defraying the expenses of the tabernacle, Exodus 38:26

source ↗

The Pulpit CommentarySpence & Exell, eds.1880s

It was evidently in the purpose of God that all who crossed the Red Sea should also enter their promised land.

source ↗

Jamieson, Fausset & BrownCommentary Critical and Explanatory1871

Including women, children, and old men, together with the Levites, the whole population of Israel, on the ordinary principles of computation, amounted to about 2,400,000.

source ↗

And all those counted totaled 603,550.

Berean Standard Bible · CC0

Hebrew — tap a word ↓

way·yih·yū kāl- hap·pə·qu·ḏîm šêš- mê·’ō·wṯ ’e·lep̄ ū·šə·lō·šeṯ ’ă·lā·p̄îm wa·ḥă·mêš mê·’ō·wṯ wa·ḥă·miš·šîm

Word by word11 · parsed

וַיִּֽהְיוּ֙way·yih·yūAndH1961

√ hâyâh — to exist, iConjunctive wawVerbQalConsecutive imperfectthird person masculine plural

כָּל־kāl-allH3605

√ kôl — properly, the wholeNounmasculine singular construct

הַפְּקֻדִ֔יםhap·pə·qu·ḏîmthose countedH6485

√ pâqad — to visit (with friendly or hostile intent)ArticleVerbQalQalPassParticiplemasculine plural

hap·pə·qu·ḏîm (H6485) — “all those counted.” Henry: “We have here the sum total.”

שֵׁשׁ־šêš-totaled 603,550H8337

√ shêsh — six (as an overplus beyond five or the fingers of the hand)Numberfeminine singular construct

The total 603,550. The Pulpit Commentary reads it covenantally: “It was evidently in the purpose of God that all who crossed the Red Sea should also enter their promised land.” Ellicott and Gill tie it to Exodus 38:26 and the rounded 600,000 of Exodus 12:37.

מֵא֥וֹתmê·’ō·wṯ. . .H3967

√ mêʼâh — a hundredNumberfeminine plural

אֶ֖לֶף’e·lep̄. . .H505

√ ʼeleph — hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousandNumbermasculine singular

וּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁתū·šə·lō·šeṯ. . .H7969

√ shâlôwsh — threeConjunctive wawNumbermasculine singular construct

אֲלָפִ֑ים’ă·lā·p̄îm. . .H505

√ ʼeleph — hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousandNumbermasculine plural

וַחֲמֵ֥שׁwa·ḥă·mêš. . .H2568

√ châmêsh — fiveConjunctive wawNumberfeminine singular construct

מֵא֖וֹתmê·’ō·wṯ. . .H3967

√ mêʼâh — a hundredNumberfeminine plural

וַחֲמִשִּֽׁים׃wa·ḥă·miš·šîm. . .H2572

√ chămishshîym — fiftyConjunctive wawNumbercommon plural

Literal — word-for-word from the original

And all the mustered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.

Where the English smooths the original

הַפְּקֻדִ֔ים hap·pə·qu·ḏîm (H6485), “those counted” — with the article, “the mustered ones,” the whole armed host gathered into one figure. The visitation-word that opened the count (v. 19) closes it; the people are, from first to last, the pᵉqudim, those whom God has visited and numbered.
שֵׁשׁ־ מֵא֥וֹת אֶ֖לֶף šêš- mê·’ō·wṯ ’e·lep̄ (H8337 + H3967 + H505), “six hundred thousand” — Ellicott: “It is obvious that the odd numbers were not reckoned,” the figure rounded to 600,000 in Exodus 12:37 and Numbers 11:21. Gill notes 603,550 is exactly the total at the half-shekel count of Exodus 38:26, seven months earlier.
וַחֲמִשִּֽׁים The trailing wa·ḥă·miš·šîm (H2572), “and fifty,” alone breaks the rounding to hundreds — the same odd fifty that came from Gad (v. 25). The Hebrew's precise 603,550 is a single tribe's anomaly preserved into the grand total.

The verse-by-verse work is done. What follows gathers the whole unit. All three layers below are machine-generated (⚙). Weigh them; they have no authority.

⚙

Grand Commentary — the unit, read whole

synthesis · verify

AI synthesis — woven from the public-domain voices above and the original text; generated and fallible.

i. The obedient census — Moses, Aaron, and the day it was done (vv. 17–19) — 17–19

The unit opens on obedience, not arithmetic. “This command was carried out by Moses and Aaron”, Keil writes; they “took for this purpose the twelve heads of tribes who are pointed out (see at Leviticus 24:11 ) by name”. The Hebrew of v. 17 is more violent than the English: the men were not merely designated but niq·qə·ḇū — pierced through, marked out (H5344, root nâqab, “to puncture”). JFB recovers the title behind it: these were “summoned by name; and they entered upon the survey the very day the order was given”. ⚙ The synthesis joins these: the calling is God's, the verb's bluntness guards it from being Moses' politics. Verse 18's strangest word is its quietest in translation. BSB's recorded their ancestry renders the reflexive Hithpael way·yiṯ·yal·ḏū (H3205, yâlad, to bear) — Ellicott: the people “announced themselves as having been born —i.e., caused themselves to be enrolled”. And the count is by their polls, JFB, “individually, one by one” — the Hebrew lə·ḡul·gə·lō·ṯām (H1538), literally by their skulls. The Pulpit Commentary judges from the single date that “the census was completed in one day”, the lists “ready beforehand”. Verse 19 supplies the theological hinge: JFB notes the numbering “was not an act sinful in itself, as Moses did it by divine appointment; but David incurred guilt by doing it without the authority of God.” ⚙ The same act — counting Israel — is righteous or ruinous entirely by its warrant; the unit's whole legitimacy rests on the command-word of v. 19.

ii. Twelve tribes by the same pattern — the formula and its variations (vv. 20–43) — 20–43

What follows is one sentence, repeated twelve times with the names changed — a deliberate liturgy of sameness. Each tribe is counted by their generations (tōwlᵉdâh, H8435, the Genesis toledoth), after their families (mishpâchâh, H4940), by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war. The uniformity is the point: no tribe is enrolled by a privileged method. Yet the numbers are anything but uniform, and the commentators read each total against the patriarchal blessings of Genesis 48–49. Ellicott on Judah's 74,600: “The superiority of Judah in point of numbers over all the other tribes deserves notice in connection with the blessing pronounced on that tribe by Jacob in Genesis 49:8”. Benson: “Far more than any other tribe, in accomplishing Jacob’s prophecy, Genesis 49.” On Ephraim's edge over Manasseh, Poole: “Above eight thousand more than Manasseh, towards the accomplishment of that promise, Genesis 48:20, which the devil in vain attempted to defeat by stirring up the men of Gath against them.” The Pulpit Commentary stands amazed at Dan, 62,700 from a single son: “The enormous numerical increase in this tribe is the more remarkable because it is clearly intimated that Dan had but one son.” And Benson draws the moral from Benjamin's smallness and Dan's vastness: “Such great and strange changes God easily can, and frequently doth make in families, 1 Samuel 2:5 . And therefore let none boast or please themselves too much in their numerous offspring.” ⚙ The synthesis reads the chapter's form and content together: the method is flat and equal because every Israelite is counted the same before God; the numbers are uneven because God's blessing, foretold to the patriarchs, is sovereign and free. JFB holds both: the increase was “owing to the special blessing of God,” though “usually conveyed through the influence of secondary causes.”

iii. The sum total — 603,550 and the faithfulness it proves (vv. 44–46) — 44–46

The twelve princes who took the count are, Gill explains, exactly twelve though Levi is excluded: “Joseph having a double portion, his two sons are reckoned as distinct tribes; so that one out of each tribe made up the number twelve.” The leaders are nᵉśîʼê (H5387), the exalted ones, the lifted-up — and the Hebrew counts them with a distributive doubling, ’îš ’îš, man by man, one apiece. Then the total: 603,550. Henry: “We have here the sum total. How much was required to maintain all these in the wilderness! They were all provided for by God every day.” JFB measures the wonder: “What an astonishing increase from seventy-five persons who went down to Egypt about two hundred fifteen years before.” Gill notes the uncanny precision — 603,550 “was exactly the number of them, when taken about seven months before this, when they were assessed for defraying the expenses of the tabernacle, Exodus 38:26”. Ellicott reminds us the figure is rounded elsewhere: “the whole number is reckoned roughly at six hundred thousand” in Exodus 12:37 and Numbers 11:21. ⚙ The synthesis hears the chapter end where Henry ends: a census is, at bottom, a confession of providence — God kept His word to Abraham (a great nation), and now He must feed them. The Pulpit Commentary turns it toward grace: “It was evidently in the purpose of God that all who crossed the Red Sea should also enter their promised land.” That hope, of course, this very generation would forfeit (Numbers 14) — making the muster-roll of fighting men a roll of those who, but for unbelief, should have inherited.

Read under Sola Scriptura — this tool’s own fallible reading (⚙)

⚙ Read under Sola Scriptura, and to be tested: this chapter is a ledger that preaches. Scripture spends thirty verses listing what a skeptic calls tedium — names, clans, round thousands — and in doing so makes two claims at once. First, that the God who promised Abraham “I will make of thee a great nation” (Genesis 12:2) keeps books, and the books balance: seventy-five souls into Egypt (so JFB), 603,550 fighting men out of it. The census is the promise audited. Second, that He counts persons, not a mass — the Hebrew insists on it, enrolling Israel lə·ḡul·gə·lō·ṯām, skull by skull, bə·šê·mō·wṯ, by names, ’îš ’îš, man by man. The same God who numbers stars (Psalm 147:4) numbers His war-host one head at a time. And the warrant matters: what Moses did by command was worship, what David did by presumption was sin (so JFB on v. 19) — the difference is never the act but the One who authorizes it. ⚙ My fallible reading: Numbers 1 is the Bible's answer to the fear that to be one of a multitude is to be forgotten. The muster of the redeemed is taken by name; not one head is uncounted. That the army so carefully numbered would die in the wilderness through unbelief (Numbers 14:29, which recalls this very “twenty years old and upward”) only sharpens the warning under which the chapter must be read — to be numbered among God's people is grace, but it is not yet the same as entering the rest.

The promise, audited: seventy-five souls in, six hundred thousand swords out — and every head counted by name.

⚙

Canonical Threads — out to the whole of Scripture

cross-refs · verify

AI-generated connections. Each carries a verification badge with a recorded basis; contested links are flagged.

By their polls / by the skull — the half-shekel census echo (Exodus 38:26; Exodus 16:16; 1 Chronicles 23:24) verbal / quotation — confirmed

The chapter's enrollment “by their polls” (v. 18) turns on a genuinely rare word: gulgôleth (H1538), a skull / a poll — the word behind Golgotha — which the Verifier finds in only twelve verses of the Hebrew Bible. That low frequency is what lifts this link above coincidence. It binds Numbers 1:18 to the half-shekel atonement-census of Exodus 38:26 (the “bekah for every man… for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward”, Exodus 38:26), to the manna gathered “by the poll” in Exodus 16:16, and to the Levite count of 1 Chronicles 23:24. ⚙ The synthesis: this is the same census, the same head-count by ransom-price, that Exodus 30:12 grounds in atonement — “that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.” Numbers 1 is the muster the half-shekel had already paid for; Gill notes the totals match exactly. Because the shared lexeme is rare and the institution is one and the same, the badge is verbal.

Exodus 38:26 · Exodus 16:16 · 1 Chronicles 23:24 · Numbers 1:18

basis: Hebrew↔Hebrew; Verifier-confirmed rare shared lexeme H1538 gulgôleth (in only 12 vv) at Numbers 1:18 ↔ Exodus 38:26 / Exodus 16:16 / 1 Chronicles 23:24 — a low-frequency word ('skull/poll') that makes the census-by-the-head a genuine verbal echo, not common vocabulary; co-occurring with H4557 miçpâr, H6242 ʻesrîym, H4605 maʻal

Their generations — the toledoth formula from the table of nations (Genesis 10:32; 1 Chronicles 7:2) structural / thematic — confirmed

Every tribe is enrolled “by their generations” — tōwlᵉdâh (H8435, in 39 vv), the structuring toledoth of Genesis. Ellicott: it “included the whole of the descendants of the head of the tribe”. The Verifier binds Numbers 1:20 to the table of nations' closing line, Genesis 10:32 (“these are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations”), and to the Chronicler's tribal registers such as 1 Chronicles 7:2, on the shared tōwlᵉdâh + mishpâchâh (H4940, family). ⚙ The synthesis: the census uses the very vocabulary by which Genesis ordered the nations and the Chronicler later re-mustered the tribes — Numbers 1 stands mid-stream in one continuous genealogical project, from Noah's sons to the post-exilic rolls. The shared words are mid-frequency, not rare, so the badge is structural/thematic, not verbal: a shared formulaic pattern, not a quotation.

Genesis 10:32 · 1 Chronicles 7:2 · Numbers 1:20

basis: Hebrew↔Hebrew; Verifier-confirmed shared lexemes H8435 tôwlᵉdâh (39 vv) + H4940 mishpâchâh (224 vv) at Numbers 1:20 ↔ Genesis 10:32 / 1 Chronicles 7:2. Both are mid-frequency formulaic words (the toledoth/clan pattern), not rare lexemes, so the link is a shared genealogical pattern — tiered structural/thematic, not verbal

603,550 — the same total as the half-shekel count (Exodus 38:26; Numbers 26) structural / thematic — confirmed

The grand total of v. 46, 603,550, is not new: Gill observes it “was exactly the number of them, when taken about seven months before this, when they were assessed for defraying the expenses of the tabernacle, Exodus 38:26”. The Verifier links Numbers 1:46 to Exodus 38:26 on the shared counting vocabulary — pâqad (H6485, to muster), châmêsh/shêsh (numbers), chămishshîym (fifty) — and the identical figure binds them by sense even where the rare gulgôleth does not recur in v. 46 itself. ⚙ The synthesis: the two passages report one and the same muster from two angles — Exodus by its ransom-price, Numbers by its tribal roll — and why the sum is identical to the man. The later census of Numbers 26, after the wilderness deaths, gives a near-equal 601,730 of a wholly different generation. Because the connecting words here are common counting terms (not a rare lexeme) and the bond is the shared total rather than a quotation, the badge is structural/thematic.

Exodus 38:26 · Numbers 26:51 · Numbers 1:46

basis: Hebrew↔Hebrew; Verifier-confirmed shared lexemes at Numbers 1:46 ↔ Exodus 38:26 are common counting words — H6485 pâqad (269 vv), H8337 shêsh (202 vv), H2568 châmêsh (272 vv), H2572 chămishshîym (141 vv) — none rare, so NOT verbal. The link is the identical total 603,550 + the shared census institution (a structural/thematic correspondence, attested by Gill)

The numbering of David — when a census becomes a sin (2 Samuel 24:1–10; 1 Chronicles 21:1) flagged — verify source

The commentators themselves raise the cross-reference: v. 19's “as the Lord commanded Moses, so he numbered them” exists to mark the contrast with David. JFB: the numbering “was not an act sinful in itself, as Moses did it by divine appointment; but David incurred guilt by doing it without the authority of God.” The Pulpit Commentary calls v. 19 “The usual note of absolute obedience to the Divine instructions; but it serves to express the fundamental difference between this numbering and David's.” ⚙ The synthesis flags this as an interpretive/thematic link, not a verbal one: 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21 share the census theme and the muster-verb pâqad, but the connection the commentators draw is a moral antithesis read across the canon, not a quotation. The provenance is the commentators' own (JFB, Pulpit, Gill), and the dependence of David's guilt on the absence of divine warrant is an inference — so the link is tiered cautiously as flagged for verification against the actual texts rather than asserted as a fixed verbal echo.

2 Samuel 24:10 · 1 Chronicles 21:1 · Numbers 1:19

basis: Thematic/moral antithesis drawn by the commentators (JFB, Pulpit, Gill), NOT a Verifier verbal link: the only common ground is the census theme + muster-verb H6485 pâqad (common, 269 vv). The claim that David's census was sinful 'without the authority of God' is the commentators' inference about 2 Sam 24 / 1 Chr 21 — flagged so a reader checks those passages directly rather than treating it as a fixed verbal cross-reference

⚙Christ in the Unittypology · verify

AI-generated reading; weigh it against the text.

The genealogy that runs to Christ — why the enrolment matters (Numbers 1:18; Matthew 1; Luke 3; Hebrews 7:14) ancient/widely-held

Ellicott, commenting on the very act of v. 18, will not let the registers pass as antiquarian: “The importance of this enrolment, as affording the means of tracing the genealogy of Christ, must not be overlooked.” The careful keeping of tribe, clan, and father's house — the apparatus this chapter establishes — is precisely what later makes it possible to say that the Messiah sprang from a named tribe. The New Testament leans on exactly such records: the genealogies of Matthew 1 and Luke 3, and the argument of Hebrews 7:14, “it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah.” ⚙ This is a structural/typological reading, not a verbal one — a cross-Testament link (Greek↔Hebrew) that cannot rest on a shared Strong's number. It rests instead on the institution: the census creates the genealogical record from which Christ's descent is afterward traced. The reading is ancient and widely held.

Numbers 1:18 · Matthew 1:1 · Luke 3:33 · Hebrews 7:14

Judah goes first, and the Lion of Judah after him (Numbers 1:26–27; Genesis 49:9–10; Revelation 5:5) ancient/widely-held

Judah is the largest tribe (74,600) and marches at the head of the camp — the precedence the commentators trace straight to prophecy. JFB: “as the pre-eminence had been assigned to it by Jacob [Ge 49:8-12], it got the precedence in all the encampments of Israel.” Ellicott reads the number itself as the fulfillment of “Thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise” (Genesis 49:8). ⚙ The Christ-reading takes the next step the commentators only gesture toward: the same blessing of Genesis 49 that makes Judah first here ends “until Shiloh come” (49:10), and the New Testament names that one “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5). The tribe set at the front of the war-host in Numbers 1 is the tribe of the King who leads His people in the end. This is a typological link across the Testaments — not a shared lexeme but a figural reading of Judah's primacy — and it is ancient and widely held, though here it is the synthesis that draws the Numbers muster forward to Revelation.

Numbers 1:26 · Numbers 1:27 · Genesis 49:9 · Revelation 5:5

Apparatus & Provenance

The biblical text is the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), public domain (CC0). Hebrew/Greek text, transliteration, morphology and Strong’s are transcribed from the Berean interlinear (CC0) + Strong’s lexicons (PD); the literal renderings, divergence notes, word notes and all synthesis are this tool’s own work (⚙) — fallible; verify them.

Named voices, quoted verbatim from public-domain works:

Albert Barnes, Notes on the Bible (1834)
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, — (1880s)
Charles Ellicott, Commentary for English Readers (1878)
Geneva Study Bible, Marginal Notes (1599)
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory (1871)
John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63)
Joseph Benson, Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1810s)
Keil & Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1860s)
Matthew Henry, Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706)
Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1685)
The Pulpit Commentary, Spence & Exell, eds. (1880s)

This unit is a census — name-lists and round thousands — and the synthesis is built up from the Hebrew head-words, since the BSB necessarily smooths a heavily formulaic original. Every commentary excerpt is a verbatim, contiguous substring of the sourced voices_raw, trimmed only at the ends to a pointed quotation; none is altered, reordered, modernized, or stitched. A few honesty notes specific to Numbers 1:17–46:

The repeated formula. Verses 20–43 are the same sentence twelve times over, and the public-domain commentaries reflect this: Matthew Henry, Albert Barnes, JFB, and Keil & Delitzsch each supply one boilerplate note that repeats verbatim across many verses. To keep the voices diverse and pointed rather than redundant, the synthesis deliberately spreads these recurring notes thinly and foregrounds the tribe-specific remarks of Ellicott, Benson, Poole, Gill, and the Pulpit Commentary where they exist. Several verses (notably the bare total-verses) carry only the formulaic voices, and those are quoted as given.

The numbers themselves. The synthesis does not adjudicate the historical-critical dispute over the size of the totals. The Cambridge Bible's long note (calling the numbers “purely artificial” and impossible for the Sinai peninsula to sustain) is surfaced verbatim as a voice on v. 17, flagged in its editorial note as the unit's lone critical voice, following G. B. Gray; it represents one critical school, while the conservative reading (Pulpit Commentary, Gill, JFB — that the figures are real and the increase miraculous-but-natural) is the majority of these voices. ⚙ The literal column and divergences report what the Hebrew says (unit-first number order, the odd fifty of Gad surviving into the grand total); they do not claim to settle whether 603,550 is to be taken as a strict head-count, an approximation (so the Pulpit Commentary's poll-tax theory), or something else. That is left open and flagged.

The half-shekel echo. The strongest cross-reference (Numbers 1:18 ↔ Exodus 38:26) rests on a genuinely rare lexeme, gulgôleth (H1538, only 12 verses), and so is tiered verbal; the matching grand total of v. 46 rests on the identical figure 603,550 but only common counting words, and so is tiered structural — the difference is recorded honestly in the two badges. The David-census contrast (v. 19) is the commentators' moral inference, not a verbal link, and is flagged accordingly.

✦ = human, public-domain source, quoted and named. ⚙ = machine synthesis, to be verified. Flagged cross-references are left visible on purpose — the verifier working in the open. “Search the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11)