We are starting the book of Numbers. It’s not all numbers but the book does begin with a headcount of the armies of Israel. If we do not skip a day, we will finish during the first week of September. I would like to say September 2nd but I know there will be at least one chapter we split in half.

Numbers 1

The LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying:

2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls;

3 From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go to war in Israel: you and Aaron shall number them by their armies.

4 And a man of every tribe should be with you, each one the head of his family’s house. 

5 These are the names of the men that shall stand with you: of the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur.

6 Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

7 Of Judah; Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

8 Of Issachar; Nethaneel the son of Zuar.

9 Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon.

10 Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim; Elishama the son of Ammihud: of Manasseh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

11 Of Benjamin; Abidan the son of Gideoni.

12 Of Dan; Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

13 Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocran.

14 Of Gad; Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

15 Of Naphtali; Ahira the son of Enan.

16 These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.” 

17 Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by their names:

18 And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they declared their ancestry after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls.

19 As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.

20 The children of Reuben, Israel’s eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war;

21 Those that were numbered of the tribe of Reuben, were 46,500. 

22 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, all that were able to go to war;

23 Those that were numbered of the tribe of Simeon, were 59,300.

24 Of the children of Gad, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war;

25 Those that were numbered of the tribe of Gad, were 45,650.

26 Of the children of Judah, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war;

27 Those that were numbered of the tribe of Judah, were 74,600.

28 Of the children of Issachar, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war;

29 Those that were numbered of the tribe of Issachar, were 54,400. 

30 Of the children of Zebulun, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war;

31 Those that were numbered of the tribe of Zebulun, were 57,400. 

32 Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war;

33 Those that were numbered of the tribe of Ephraim, were 40,500. 

34 Of the children of Manasseh, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war;

35 Those that were numbered of the tribe of Manasseh, were 32,200.

36 Of the children of Benjamin, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war;

37 Those that were numbered of the tribe of Benjamin, were 35,400.

38 Of the children of Dan, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war;

39 Those that were numbered of the tribe of Dan, were 62,700.

40 Of the children of Asher, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war;

41 Those that were numbered of the tribe of Asher, were 41,500.

42 Of the children of Naphtali, throughout their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go to war;

43 Those that were numbered of the tribe of Naphtali, were 53,400. 

44 These are those that were numbered by Moses and Aaron, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men: each one was for the house of his fathers.

45 So all were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, that were able to go to war in Israel;

46 All that were numbered were 603,550.

47 But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them.

48 For the LORD had spoken to Moses, saying:

49 “Only you shall not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel:

50 But you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels of it, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels; and they shall minister to it, and shall encamp around the tabernacle.

51 Whenever the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death.

52 The children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their divisions. 

53 But the Levites shall pitch around the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony.”

54 And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses.

See also: Numbers 1 in ESV, HCSB, NASB and NIV via Bible Gateway.

*I discovered last night that if you click the Bible Gateway link it takes you away from this website instead of opening a new tab. I have fixed this link and will try to do that in the future.