Numbers 1

¹ The LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month of the second year after they came out of the land of Egypt. He said:

² "Take a census of the whole community of Israel by their clans and families, listing every male head by name,

³ every man twenty years old or older who can serve in Israel's army. You and Aaron are to register them by their divisions.

⁴ One man from each tribe is to help you, each the head of his family.

⁵ These are the names of the men who are to assist you:
from Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur;

⁶ from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;

⁷ from Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab;

⁸ from Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar;

⁹ from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon;

¹⁰ from the sons of Joseph: from Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud; from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;

¹¹ from Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni;

¹² from Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;

¹³ from Asher, Pagiel son of Ochran;

¹⁴ from Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel;

¹⁵ from Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan.

¹⁶ These were the men appointed from the community, the leaders of their ancestral tribes, the heads of the clans of Israel.

¹⁷ Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name,

¹⁸ and on the first day of the second month they assembled the whole community. The people registered their ancestry by their clans and families, and the men twenty years old or older were listed by name, one by one,

¹⁹ as the LORD commanded Moses. So he counted them in the Wilderness of Sinai:

²⁰ From the descendants of Reuben, Israel's firstborn: every male twenty years old or older who could serve in the army was listed by name, one by one, according to the records of their clans and families.

²¹ The number from the tribe of Reuben was 46,500.

²² From the descendants of Simeon: every male twenty years old or older who could serve in the army was counted and listed by name, one by one, according to the records of their clans and families.

²³ The number from the tribe of Simeon was 59,300.

²⁴ From the descendants of Gad: every male twenty years old or older who could serve in the army was listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.

²⁵ The number from the tribe of Gad was 45,650.

²⁶ From the descendants of Judah: every male twenty years old or older who could serve in the army was listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.

²⁷ The number from the tribe of Judah was 74,600.

²⁸ From the descendants of Issachar: every male twenty years old or older who could serve in the army was listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.

²⁹ The number from the tribe of Issachar was 54,400.

³⁰ From the descendants of Zebulun: every male twenty years old or older who could serve in the army was listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.

³¹ The number from the tribe of Zebulun was 57,400.

³² From the sons of Joseph: From the descendants of Ephraim: every male twenty years old or older who could serve in the army was listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.

³³ The number from the tribe of Ephraim was 40,500.

³⁴ From the descendants of Manasseh: every male twenty years old or older who could serve in the army was listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.

³⁵ The number from the tribe of Manasseh was 32,200.

³⁶ From the descendants of Benjamin: every male twenty years old or older who could serve in the army was listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.

³⁷ The number from the tribe of Benjamin was 35,400.

³⁸ From the descendants of Dan: every male twenty years old or older who could serve in the army was listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.

³⁹ The number from the tribe of Dan was 62,700.

⁴⁰ From the descendants of Asher: every male twenty years old or older who could serve in the army was listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.

⁴¹ The number from the tribe of Asher was 41,500.

⁴² From the descendants of Naphtali: every male twenty years old or older who could serve in the army was listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families.

⁴³ The number from the tribe of Naphtali was 53,400.

⁴⁴ These were the men counted by Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel, each representing his family.

⁴⁵ So all the Israelites twenty years old or older who could serve in Israel's army were counted by their families.

⁴⁶ The total came to 603,550.

⁴⁷ The Levites, however, were not counted along with the others by their ancestral tribe.

⁴⁸ For the LORD had said to Moses:

⁴⁹ "Do not count the tribe of Levi or include them in the census of the Israelites.

⁵⁰ Instead, put the Levites in charge of the tabernacle of the covenant law, all its equipment, and everything that belongs to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its equipment, to care for it, and to camp around it.

⁵¹ Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever it is to be set up, the Levites are to do it. Anyone else who comes near it is to be put to death.

⁵² The Israelites are to set up their tents by divisions, each in their own camp under their own banner.

⁵³ The Levites, however, are to camp around the tabernacle of the covenant law so that no wrath will fall on the community of Israel. The Levites are to be responsible for the care of the tabernacle of the covenant law."

⁵⁴ The Israelites did everything just as the LORD commanded Moses.