Moses and Aaron, who were commanded to number, or rather to muster, the people, were to have with them "a man of every tribe, who was head-man of his fathers' houses," i.e., a tribe-prince, viz., to help them to carry out the mustering. Beth aboth ("fathers' houses"), in Numbers 1:2, is a technical expression for the subdivisions in which the mishpachoth, or families of the tribes, were arranged, and is applied in Numbers 1:4 according to its original usage, based upon the natural division of the tribes into mishpachoth and families, to the fathers' houses which every tribe possessed in the family of its first-born. In Numbers 1:5-15, these heads of tribes were mentioned by name, as in Numbers 2:3., Numbers 7:12., Numbers 10:14. In Numbers 1:16 they are designated as "called men of the congregation," because they were called to diets of the congregation, as representatives of the tribes, to regulate the affairs of the nation; also "princes of the tribes of their fathers," and "heads of the thousands of Israel:" "prince," from the nobility of their birth; and "heads," as chiefs of the alaphim composing the tribes. Alaphim is equivalent to mishpachoth (cf. Numbers 10:4; Joshua 22:14); because the number of heads of families in the mishpachoth of a tribe might easily amount to a thousand (see at Exodus 18:25). In a similar manner, the term "hundred" in the old German came to be used in several different senses (see Grimm, deutsche Rechts-alterthmer, p. 532).

Numbers 1:16 Parallel Commentaries

the renowned. Keruey haaidah, literally 'the called of the congregation,' those who were summoned by name to attend.

Numbers 2:3-31 And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies...

Numbers 7:2,10-83 That the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who were the princes of the tribes...

Numbers 10:14-27 In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies...

Numbers 11:17 And I will come down and talk with you there: and I will take of the spirit which is on you, and will put it on them...

Numbers 16:2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly...

Numbers 26:9 And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the congregation...

Judges 6:15 And he said to him, Oh my Lord, with which shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh...

1 Chronicles 27:16-22 Furthermore over the tribes of Israel: the ruler of the Reubenites was Eliezer the son of Zichri: of the Simeonites...

heads

Numbers 1:4 And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers.

Exodus 18:21,25 Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness...

Deuteronomy 1:15 So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands...

1 Samuel 22:7 Then Saul said to his servants that stood about him, Hear now, you Benjamites...

1 Samuel 23:23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides himself, and come you again to me with the certainty...

Micah 5:2 But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you be little among the thousands of Judah...