1 T he Lord spoke to Moses in the Sinai desert, in the meeting tent on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt. The Lord said,

Yahweh 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 had come out of the land of Egypt, saying,

2 “ Number all the people of Israel, by their families, by those of their fathers’ houses. Write down the names of every male, head by head,

“Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, every male, one by one;

3 t wenty years old and older. You and Aaron number by their armies whoever in Israel is able to go out to war.

from twenty years old and upward, all who are able to go out to war in Israel. You and Aaron shall number them by their divisions.

4 A man from each family should be with you to help you. Each one should be the head of his father’s house.

With you there shall be a man of every tribe; everyone head of his fathers’ house.

5 T hese are the names of the men who will help you: Shedeur’s son Elizur from Reuben,

These are the names of the men who shall stand with you: Of Reuben: Elizur the son of Shedeur.

6 Z urishaddai’s son Shelumiel from Simeon,

Of Simeon: Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

7 A mminadab’s son Nahshon from Judah,

Of Judah: Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

8 Z uar’s son Nethanel from Issachar,

Of Issachar: Nethanel the son of Zuar.

9 a nd Helon’s son Eliab from Zebulun.

Of Zebulun: Eliab the son of Helon.

10 F rom the sons of Joseph there will be Ammihud’s son Elishama from Ephraim, and Pedahzur’s son Gamaliel from Manasseh.

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

11 T here will be Gideoni’s son Abidan from Benjamin,

Of Benjamin: Abidan the son of Gideoni.

12 A mmishaddai’s son Ahiezer from Dan,

Of Dan: Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

13 O chran’s son Pagiel from Asher,

Of Asher: Pagiel the son of Ochran.

14 D euel’s son Eliasaph from Gad,

Of Gad: Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

15 a nd Enan’s son Ahira from Naphtali.”

Of Naphtali: Ahira the son of Enan.”

16 T hese were the ones chosen from the people. They were the leaders of their fathers’ families, the heads of thousands in Israel.

These are those who were called of the congregation, the princes of the tribes of their fathers; they were the heads of the thousands of Israel.

17 M oses and Aaron took these men who had been chosen by name.

Moses and Aaron took these men who are mentioned by name.

18 A nd they gathered all the people together on the first day of the second month. The people gave their names by families, by their fathers’ houses, by the number of names from twenty years old and older, head by head.

They assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month; and they declared their ancestry by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, one by one.

19 T hey did just as the Lord had told Moses. So he numbered them in the desert of Sinai.

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

20 T he sons of Reuben, Israel’s first-born, were numbered by their families, by their fathers’ houses, by the number of names. Every male twenty years old and older was numbered, whoever was able to go out to war.

The children of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, one by one, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war;

21 T he number of the family of Reuben was 46, 500.

those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Reuben, were forty-six thousand five hundred.

22 T he sons of Simeon were numbered by their families, by their fathers’ houses, by the number of names. Every male twenty years old and older was numbered, whoever was able to go out to war.

Of the children of Simeon, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, those who were numbered of it, according to the number of the names, one by one, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war;

23 T he number of the family of Simeon was 59, 300.

those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

24 T he sons of Gad were numbered by their families, by their fathers’ houses, by the number of names. Every male twenty years old and older was numbered, whoever was able to go out to war.

Of the children of Gad, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war;

25 T he number of the family of Gad was 45, 650.

those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Gad, were forty-five thousand six hundred fifty.

26 T he sons of Judah were numbered by their families, by their fathers’ houses, by the number of names. Every male twenty years old and older was numbered, whoever was able to go out to war.

Of the children of Judah, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war;

27 T he number of the family of Judah was 74, 600.

those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Judah, were seventy-four thousand six hundred.

28 T he sons of Issachar were numbered by their families, by their fathers’ houses, by the number of names. Every male twenty years old and older was numbered, whoever was able to go out to war.

Of the children of Issachar, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war;

29 T he number of the family of Issachar was 54, 400.

those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty-four thousand four hundred.

30 T he sons of Zebulun were numbered by their families, by their fathers’ houses, by the number of names. Every male twenty years old and older was numbered, whoever was able to go out to war.

Of the children of Zebulun, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war;

31 T he number of the family of Zebulun was 57, 400.

those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty-seven thousand four hundred.

32 T he sons of Joseph, the sons of Ephraim, were numbered by their families, by their fathers’ houses, by the number of names. Every male twenty years old and older was numbered, whoever was able to go out to war.

Of the children of Joseph, of the children of Ephraim, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war;

33 T he number of the family of Ephraim was 40, 500.

those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand five hundred.

34 T he sons of Manasseh were numbered by their families, by their fathers’ houses, by the number of names. Every male twenty years old and older was numbered, whoever was able to go out to war.

Of the children of Manasseh, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war;

35 T he number of the family of Manasseh was 32, 200.

those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty-two thousand two hundred.

36 T he sons of Benjamin were numbered by their families, by their fathers’ houses, by the number of names. Every male twenty years old and older was numbered, whoever was able to go out to war.

Of the children of Benjamin, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war;

37 T he number of the family of Benjamin was 35, 400.

those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty-five thousand four hundred.

38 T he sons of Dan were numbered by their families, by their fathers’ houses, by the number of names. Every male twenty years old and older was numbered, whoever was able to go out to war.

Of the children of Dan, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war;

39 T he number of the family of Dan was 62, 700.

those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Dan, were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

40 T he sons of Asher were numbered by their families, by their fathers’ houses, by the number of names. Every male twenty years old and older was numbered, whoever was able to go out to war.

Of the children of Asher, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war;

41 T he number of the family of Asher was 41, 500.

those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Asher, were forty-one thousand five hundred.

42 T he sons of Naphtali were numbered by their families, by their fathers’ houses, by the number of names. Every male twenty years old and older was numbered, whoever was able to go out to war.

Of the children of Naphtali, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war;

43 T he number of the family of Naphtali was 53, 400.

those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty-three thousand four hundred.

44 T hese were numbered by Moses and Aaron, and the leaders of Israel, twelve men, each chosen from his father’s house.

These are those who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men: they were each one for his fathers’ house.

45 A ll the men of Israel were numbered by their fathers’ houses, twenty years old and older, whoever in Israel was able to go out to war.

So all those who were numbered of the children of Israel by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war in Israel;

46 T he number of all the men was 603, 550.

even all those who were numbered were six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty.

47 B ut the Levites by their fathers’ family were not numbered with them.

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

48 F or the Lord had told Moses,

For Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

49 “ Only the family of Levi should not be numbered. Do not add their number among the sons of Israel.

“Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, neither shall you take a census of them among the children of Israel;

50 B ut have the Levites take care of the meeting tent of the Law, and all that is in it, and all that belongs to it. They will carry the meeting tent and all that goes in it. They will take care of it, and set up their tents around it.

but appoint the Levites over the Tabernacle of the Testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle, and all its furnishings; and they shall take care of it, and shall encamp around it.

51 W hen the meeting tent is to be moved, the Levites will take it down. When the meeting tent is brought to a place to stay, the Levites will set it up. If anyone else comes near, he must be put to death.

When the tabernacle is to move, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall set it up. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death.

52 T he people of Israel will set up their tents by their own groups and armies, each man by his own flag.

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

53 B ut the Levites will set up their tents around the meeting tent of the Law. Then no anger will come upon the people of Israel. The Levites must take care of the meeting tent of the Law.”

But the Levites shall encamp around the Tabernacle of the Testimony, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be responsible for the Tabernacle of the Testimony.”

54 S o the people of Israel did this. They did everything the Lord had told Moses.

Thus the children of Israel did. According to all that Yahweh commanded Moses, so they did.