[Back to wisebeliever.org]
[Table of Contents]
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
Numbers 1:1
INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS
This book has its name from the account it gives of the "numbers" of the children of Israel, twice taken particularly; which name it has with this Greeks and Latins, and so with the Syriac and Arabic versions; but with the Jews it is called sometimes "Vajedabber", from the first word of it, "and the Lord spake"; and sometimes "Bemidbar", from the fifth word of the first verse, "in the wilderness", and sometimes "Sepher Pikkudim"; or, as with Origen {a}, "Ammesph‚kodim", the book of musters or surveys. That it was written by Moses is not to be doubted; and is indeed suggested by our Lord himself, Joh 5:46 compared with Nu 3:14, and the references to it, in the New Testament, fully ascertain to us Christians the authenticity of it, as that of our Lord hinted at, and those of the apostle in 1Co 10:4. It contains an history of the affairs of the Israelites, and of their travel in the wilderness for the space of thirty eight years; though the principal facts it relates were done in the second year of their coming out of Egypt, and in the last of their being in the wilderness; and it is not merely historical, but gives a particular account of several laws, ceremonial and judicial, to be observed by the people of Israel, as well as has many things in it very instructive, both of a moral and evangelical nature.
INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 1
In this chapter orders are given to Moses to take the number of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upwards, Nu 1:1; and the men that were to assist in this work, one of each tribe are mentioned by name, Nu 1:4; all which was accordingly done, Nu 1:17; and the particular numbers of each tribe are recorded, as they were taken, Nu 1:20; and the sum total is given, Nu 1:45; the Levites being excepted, who were employed about the tabernacle, and so not to be employed in military service, Nu 1:47; they encamped about that, while the Israelites pitched their tents every man by his own camp and standard, Nu 1:52.
{a} Apud Euseb. Hist. Ecclesiast. l. 6. c. 25.
Ver. 1. And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai,.... Which is different from the wilderness of Sin, Ex 16:1; and had its name from the mountain so called, on which God gave the law of the decalogue, and where the Israelites had been encamped eleven months,
Ex 19:1;
in the tabernacle of the congregation; which had now been set up a whole month, and out of which the Lord had delivered to Moses the several laws recorded in the preceding book in that space of time,
Ex 40:17;
on the first [day] of the second month; the month Ijar, as the Targum of Jonathan, which answers to part of our April, and part of May, and was the second month of the ecclesiastical year, which began with Abib or Nisan:
in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt; that is, the children of Israel, who had now been a year and half a month out of it:
saying, as follows.
Numbers 1:2
Ver. 2. Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel,.... Excepting the Levites; nor were any account taken of the mixed multitude that came out of Egypt with the children of Israel, only of them; and this account was taken, partly to observe the fulfilment of the divine promise to Abraham concerning the multiplication of his seed, and partly that it might be observed, that at the end of thirty eight years from hence, when they were numbered again, there were but three left of this large number, their carcasses falling in the wilderness because of their sins; and chiefly, as Aben Ezra observes, this sum was now taken to fix their standards, and for their better and more orderly journeying and encampment; for on the twentieth of this month they set forward on their journey from hence,
Nu 10:11; the word for the order is in the plural number, take ye, being given both to Moses and Aaron, who were to take the number, and did, Nu 1:3;
after their families; into which their tribes were divided:
by the house of their fathers; for if the mother was of one tribe, and the father of another, the family was according to the tribe of the father, as Jarchi notes, a mother's family being never called a family, as Aben Ezra observes:
with the number of [their] names; of every particular person, whose name was inserted in a list or register:
every male by their poll; or head {b}; for none but males were numbered: the Lord's spiritual Israel are a numbered people, written in the book of life, placed into the hand of Christ, and exactly known by him, even by name; yea, all that belong to him are numbered, and the very airs of their heads,
{b} Mtlglgl "per capita sua", Pagninus, &c;,
Numbers 1:3
Ver. 3. From twenty years old and upwards,.... All that had entered into their twentieth year, or, as it should rather seem, who were full twenty years of age, and all that were above it without any limitation; though some limit it to fifty, and others to sixty years, when men may be reasonably excused going to war; for to know who were fit for it seems to be a principal design of this order, as follows:
all that are able to go forth to war in Israel; who being about to journey, might expect to meet with enemies, with whom they would be obliged to engage in battle; and therefore it was proper to know their strength, and whom to call out upon occasion: Aben Ezra observes, that the phrase "in Israel" excepts the mixed multitude; those were not of Israel, and so not numbered, and perhaps not to be trusted or depended upon in war; nor were they mustered and marshalled by the standards of the several tribes; in a mystical sense, those numbered may signify the valiant of Israel, the same as the young men in 1Jo 2:14; see So 3:7;
thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies; each tribe making a considerable army, See Gill on "Ex 7:4"; these people were now typical of the church of God in its militant state in the wilderness, for which they are provided, and prepared, and accoutred.
Numbers 1:4
Ver. 4. And with you there shall be a man of every tribe,.... Excepting Levi, of which Moses and Aaron were, to assist in taking the account, and to see that it was an exact and perfect one:
everyone head of the house of his fathers; and prince of the tribe he belonged to, as appears from Nu 1:16 and Nu 7:2, where an account is given of the same persons as princes of the tribes that offered at the dedication of the altar, who here assisted in the taking this account; the Targum of Jonathan calls them each a prince, as Prince Elizur, &c.;
Numbers 1:5
Ver. 5. And these [are] the names of the men that shall stand with you,.... Be present with Moses and Aaron when numbering the people; not merely as spectators of the affair, and inspectors of the accounts, but as assistants in the work; each man in his tribe, being best acquainted with the families and houses in it; and these men were not pitched upon by Moses and Aaron, nor chosen by their respective tribes, but were appointed and named by the Lord himself, which was doing them great honour:
of [the tribe] of Reuben: or "for Reuben" {c}, for the taking the number of men in this tribe; and so of all the rest, see Nu 1:44;
Elizur the son of Shedeur; from Nu 1:5 the names of those several men are given, which were very proper for Moses and Aaron to know, though of little importance to us; nor the signification of their several names, given by Ainsworth and others; only, as Bishop Patrick observes, most of them show how much God was in the thoughts of those who, imposed these names on their children, several of them having in them "El" or "Eli", "God" or "my God", and "Shaddai", "Almighty" or "all-sufficient": to which may be added, that in some of them they seem to respect the Messiah, as Elizur, signifying "my God the rock"; and Shelumiel may be rendered, "God my peace"; and Zurishaddai, "my rock the Almighty", or "all-sufficient"; and Pedazhur, "the rock redeemeth": nor is there anything of any moment to be remarked, unless the order in which the several tribes are placed; and first the children of Leah, beginning with Reuben, the firstborn; and the rest, Simeon and Judah, are ranked according to their birth; Levi being omitted, because that tribe was not now numbered, and besides, Moses and Aaron were of it; and then Issachar and Zebulun; after those the children of Rachel, because of her honour and glory above the handmaids, as Aben Ezra remarks; who further observes, that it begins with Ephraim, following Jacob our father, that is, because of the blessing of Jacob, who preferred Ephraim the younger to Manasseh the elder; and here Ephraim and Manasseh are set before Benjamin, because they were in the place of Joseph; and after that the account goes on with Dan, because, he was the firstborn of the handmaids; and after him Asher, though the second son of Zilpah, is placed before Gad, the first son, because, says the same Aben Ezra, the Lord knew that he would be the head of those that encamped by the standard of Dan, and so is placed next to him; and after him Gad, who was the firstborn of Leah's handmaid; and Naphtali last of all, the second son of Bilhah: this order seems to be designed to suit with their encampments, and the form of them.
{c} Nbwarl "pro Ruben", Samar. vers. "ipsi Reuben", Montanus.
Numbers 1:6
Ver. 6. Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
See Gill on "Nu 1:5".
Numbers 1:7
Ver. 7. Of Judah; Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
See Gill on "Nu 1:5".
Numbers 1:8
Ver. 8. Of Issachar; Nethaneel the son of Zuar.
See Gill on "Nu 1:5".
Numbers 1:9
Ver. 9. Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon. See Gill on "Nu 1:5".
Numbers 1:10
Ver. 10. Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim; Elishama the son of Ammihud: of Manasseh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
See Gill on "Nu 1:5".
Numbers 1:11
Ver. 11. Of Benjamin; Abidan the son of Gideoni.
See Gill on "Nu 1:5".
Numbers 1:12
Ver. 12. Of Dan; Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
See Gill on "Nu 1:5".
Numbers 1:13
Ver. 13. Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocran. See Gill on "Nu 1:5".
Numbers 1:14
Ver. 14. Of Gad; Eliasaph the son of Deuel. See Gill on "Nu 1:5".
Numbers 1:15
Ver. 15. Of Naphtali; Ahira the son of Enan. See Gill on "Nu 1:5".
Numbers 1:16
Ver. 16. These [were] the renowned of the congregation,.... The most famous and eminent among the people, for their birth and pedigree, or for their excellent qualities of wisdom, courage, and the like; or "the called of the congregation" {d}, whom God had called by name and selected from the rest of the congregation to the above service, whereby great honour was done them: Aben Ezra says, the sense is, that the congregation did nothing until they had called them; with which agrees the note of Jarchi,
"who were called to every business of importance in the congregation:''
princes of the tribes of their fathers; as Elizur was prince of the children of Reuben, Nu 7:30; the same is there said of the rest in their respective tribes:
heads of thousands in Israel; the congregation of Israel being divided into thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, by the advice of Jethro,
Ex 18:21; each of these divisions had a ruler over them, and thousands being the highest number, these princes were chiliarchs, rulers or heads of thousands.
{d} hdeh yayrq "convocati coetus", Montanus, Drusius; "convocati e coetu", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
Numbers 1:17
Ver. 17. And Moses and Aaron took these men,.... They doubtless sent for them, and acquainted them with the nomination of them, by the Lord himself, for such a service; and they took them with them to the place where the number of the people was to be taken:
which are expressed by [their] names: in Nu 1:16, and that as declared by the mouth of God himself.
Numbers 1:18
Ver. 18. And they assembled all the congregation together on the first [day] of the second month,.... The month Ijar, as the Targum of Jonathan, answering to part of April and May: this was done on the selfsame day the Lord spake unto Moses about this affair, Nu 1:1; so expeditious were he and Aaron in doing the will of God:
and they declared their pedigrees; either Moses and Aaron, according to Aben Ezra, who inquired when they were born, because of the computation of twenty years; and then their birth was wrote down, as he says; or rather the people declared their pedigrees, of what tribe, family, and house they were, who their parents, when born, and so, of course, how old they were; Jarchi interprets it, they brought the books of their genealogies, and witnesses to confirm the birth of everyone of them, to show their genealogy according to their tribe; nor is it at all unlikely that every family and house, or master thereof, kept a register of those born to him in it, whereby their age could be ascertained as well as pedigree:
after their famines, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of their names, from twenty years old and upwards, by their poll: that is, every tribe gave an account of the families in it, every family what houses were in it, and every house what number of males were in it, and of what age; and such were numbered who were twenty years old and upward.
Numbers 1:19
Ver. 19. As the Lord commanded Moses,.... In this Moses and David differed in numbering the people of Israel; the one did it by an express command from God, and in obedience to it; the other without one, and against his will, 1Ch 21:17;
so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai; where they now were when this order was given, Nu 1:1; and from whence they removed the twentieth day of this month, Nu 10:11; so that in less than three weeks time, perhaps much sooner, this affair was finished; and it may be, that the place of numbering them at this time is expressly observed, to distinguish it from another numbering of them, recorded in this book, which was done in the plains of Moab, Nu 26:2.
Numbers 1:20
Ver. 20. And the children of Reuben, Israel's eldest son,.... Were numbered first, and next to them those of Simeon and Gad, for 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, and under Ephraim's Manasseh and Benjamin, and under Dan's Asher and Naphtali; and according to their order were the tribes numbered:
by their generations: or "their generations", the birth, descent, and pedigree of them:
after their families, by the house of their fathers: according to the families and houses to which they belonged;
according to the number of the names by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward; their names were taken down, the number of them counted by their heads, even all the males that were above twenty years of age:
all that were able to go forth to war; which phrase, as it suggests that before this age they were not reckoned able bodied men for war, in common, though some might; so it seems to except all infirm persons, by reason of age and otherwise: now in all the other account of the numbering of the rest of the tribes, the same forms of expression are used as here, only the tribe of Simeon, which is the next, these words are left out, "by their polls, every male", which being twice observed, need not be repeated, since by these instances it might be sufficiently known that the number was taken by a poll, and only of males; so that in Nu 1:23, there is nothing material to observe, or anything different from what is in this verse, but the particular sums of each tribe numbered, which stand thus: of the tribe of Reuben 46,500; of the tribe of Simeon, 59,300; of the tribe of Gad, 45,650; of the tribe of Judah, 74,600; of the tribe of Issachar, 54,400; of the tribe of Zebulun, 57,400; of the tribe of Ephraim, 40,500; of the tribe of Manasseh, 32,200; of the tribe of Benjamin 35,400; of the tribe of Dan, 62,700; of the tribe of Asher 41,500; of the tribe of Naphtali, 53,400; in which may be observed the various increase of the tribes, agreeably to divine predictions, and according to the sovereign will and infinite wisdom of God: Reuben, the firstborn, did not excel in number, six of the tribes having more in number than he: Judah had by far the greatest increase of them all, from whom the chief ruler was to come, and even the King Messiah; and in process of time was to become a kingdom of itself; Ephraim, the younger son of Joseph, was much more fruitful than Manasseh, his elder, more than eight thousand being numbered of the former than of the latter, all which agree with Jacob's prophecies,
Ge 49:4; nor had they always the greatest number who had the most sons at their going down into Egypt; for though Simeon, who had then more sons than Reuben, had at this time a larger posterity; yet Gad, who had more than Simeon, had now fewer descendants; and Dan, who had but one son at that time, had now almost double the number of Benjamin, who then had ten sons: and it may be observed of other tribes, that their increase was not in proportion to the number of the sons of the patriarchs then; see Ge 46:8.
Numbers 1:21
Ver. 21. Those that were numbered of them, [even] of the tribe of Reuben, [were] forty and six thousand and five hundred. 46,500 men.
See Gill on "Nu 1:20".
Numbers 1:22
Ver. 22. Of the children of Simeon, by their generations,....
See Gill on "Nu 1:20".
Numbers 1:23
Ver. 23. Those that were numbered of them, [even] of the tribe of Simeon, [were] fifty and nine thousand and three hundred. 59,300 men.
See Gill on "Nu 1:20".
Numbers 1:24
Ver. 24. Of the children of Gad, by their generations,....
See Gill on "Nu 1:20".
Numbers 1:25
Ver. 25. Those that were numbered of them, [even] of the tribe of Gad,
[were] forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty. 45,650 men.
See Gill on "Nu 1:20".
Numbers 1:26
Ver. 26. Of the children of Judah, by their generations,....
See Gill on "Nu 1:20".
Numbers 1:27
Ver. 27. Those that were numbered of them, [even] of the tribe of Judah, [were] threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred. 74,600 men. See Gill on "Nu 1:20".
Numbers 1:28
Ver. 28. Of the children of Issachar, by their generations,....
See Gill on "Nu 1:20".
Numbers 1:29
Ver. 29. Those that were numbered of them, [even] of the tribe of Issachar, [were] fifty and four thousand and four hundred. 54,400 men.
See Gill on "Nu 1:20".
Numbers 1:30
Ver. 30. Of the children of Zebulun, by their generations,....