The First Census of Israel
(Numbers 26:1–4)

1On the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt (land of bondage), the LORD {YHWH} spoke to Moses (drawn out) in the Tent of Meeting in the Wilderness of Sinai (thorny). He said: 2“Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel (he wrestles with God) by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one.

3You and Aaron (light bringer) are to number those who are twenty years of age or older by their divisions—everyone who can serve in Israel’s (he wrestles with God) army. 4And one man from each tribe, the head of each family, must be there with you⁺.

The Leaders of the Tribes

5These are the names of the men who are to assist you⁺:

From the tribe of Reuben (behold a son), Elizur (my God is a rock) son of Shedeur (darter of light);

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

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

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

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

10from the sons of Joseph (YHWH has added):

from Ephraim (doubly fruitful), Elishama (my God has heard) son of Ammihud (my kinsman is majesty),

and from Manasseh (causing to forget), Gamaliel (reward of God) son of Pedahzur (the Rock has ransomed);

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Number of Every Tribe

17So Moses (drawn out) and Aaron (light bringer) took these men who had been designated by name, 18and 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, 19just as the LORD {YHWH} had commanded Moses (drawn out).

So Moses numbered them in the Wilderness of Sinai (thorny):

20From the sons of Reuben (behold a son), the firstborn of Israel (he wrestles with God), 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, 21those registered to the tribe of Reuben (behold a son) numbered 46,500.

22From the sons of Simeon (heard), 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, 23those registered to the tribe of Simeon (heard) numbered 59,300.

24From the sons of Gad (troop), 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, 25those registered to the tribe of Gad (troop) numbered 45,650.

26From the sons of Judah (praised), 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, 27those registered to the tribe of Judah (praised) numbered 74,600.

28From the sons of Issachar (there is recompense), 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, 29those registered to the tribe of Issachar (there is recompense) numbered 54,400.

30From the sons of Zebulun (exalted), 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, 31those registered to the tribe of Zebulun (exalted) numbered 57,400.

32From the sons of Joseph (YHWH has added):

From the sons of Ephraim (doubly fruitful), 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, 33those registered to the tribe of Ephraim (doubly fruitful) numbered 40,500.

34And from the sons of Manasseh (causing to forget), 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, 35those registered to the tribe of Manasseh (causing to forget) numbered 32,200.

36From the sons of Benjamin (son of the right hand), 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, 37those registered to the tribe of Benjamin (son of the right hand) numbered 35,400.

38From the sons of Dan (He has judged), 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, 39those registered to the tribe of Dan (He has judged) numbered 62,700.

40From the sons of Asher (happy), 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, 41those registered to the tribe of Asher (happy) numbered 41,500.

42From the sons of Naphtali (wrestling), 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, 43those registered to the tribe of Naphtali (wrestling) numbered 53,400.

44These were the men numbered by Moses (drawn out) and Aaron (light bringer), with the assistance of the twelve leaders of Israel (he wrestles with God), each one representing his family. 45So all the Israelites (God prevails) twenty years of age or older who could serve in Israel’s army were counted according to their families. 46And all those counted totaled 603,550.

The Exemption of the Levites

47The Levites, however, were not numbered along with them by the tribe of their fathers. 48For the LORD {YHWH} had said to Moses (drawn out): 49“Do not number the tribe of Levi (joined to) in the census with the other Israelites (God prevails). 50Instead, you are to appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the Testimony, all its furnishings, and everything in it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its articles, care for it, and camp around it.

51Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever it is to be pitched, the Levites are to set it up. Any outsider who goes near it must be put to death.

52The Israelites (God prevails) are to camp by their divisions, each man in his own camp and under his own standard. 53But the Levites are to camp around the tabernacle of the Testimony and watch over it, so that no wrath will fall on the congregation of Israel (he wrestles with God). So the Levites are responsible for the tabernacle of the Testimony.”

54Thus the Israelites (God prevails) did everything just as the LORD {YHWH} had commanded Moses (drawn out).