Numbers 1:1 kjv
And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,
Numbers 1:1 nkjv
Now the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle 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:
Numbers 1:1 niv
The LORD spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the Desert of Sinai on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt. He said:
Numbers 1:1 esv
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 had come out of the land of Egypt, saying,
Numbers 1:1 nlt
A year after Israel's departure from Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses in the Tabernacle in the wilderness of Sinai. On the first day of the second month of that year he said,
Numbers 1 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 19:1 | "In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out...they came to the Wilderness of Sinai." | Location of law-giving. |
| Exod 40:17 | "On the first day of the first month, in the second year, the tabernacle was erected." | Precedes Num 1:1; tabernacle completion. |
| Exod 40:34 | "Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle." | God's dwelling and presence in Tabernacle. |
| Lev 1:1 | "The LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting..." | God's speaking location after Tabernacle. |
| Deut 1:1-2 | "These are the words that Moses spoke...eleven days’ journey from Horeb (Sinai)..." | Retrospective on wilderness journey/timing. |
| Num 7:1 | "On the day Moses finished setting up the tabernacle...the LORD spoke to him." | Reinforces Moses' role and divine instruction from Tabernacle. |
| Neh 9:14 | "...You made known to them Your holy sabbath...and gave them commandments, statutes, and a law by Moses Your servant." | God speaking through Moses in wilderness. |
| John 1:17 | "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." | Moses' role as law-giver by divine revelation. |
| Heb 3:7-19 | "Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, 'Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me, as in the day of trial in the wilderness...'" | References Israel's time in the wilderness and disobedience. |
| Heb 8:5 | "who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle..." | Divine instruction for Tabernacle design/use. |
| 2 Tim 3:16 | "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness..." | Implies the divine origin of all scripture, including Numbers. |
| Num 9:1 | "The LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt..." | Further instructions issued earlier in the timeline of the second year. |
| Gen 12:7 | "Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, 'To your offspring I will give this land.' So he built there an altar to the LORD..." | God's direct revelation to His chosen servants. |
| Exod 3:4 | "When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush..." | God's initiation of communication with Moses. |
| Num 9:5 | "And they kept the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month... in the Wilderness of Sinai." | Confirms events and precise timing in Sinai. |
| Isa 6:1 | "...I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple." | Manifestation of God's presence, reminiscent of Tabernacle glory. |
| Exo 29:42 | "It shall be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the doorway of the tent of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet with you to speak to you." | Establishes the Tent of Meeting as God's designated place of communication. |
| Psa 29:4 | "The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic." | Reinforces the power and authority of God's spoken word. |
| Josh 22:9 | "The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned from the sons of Israel, from Shiloh which is in the land of Canaan, to the land of Gilead..." | Reflects the result of the wilderness journey and land distribution outlined in Numbers. |
| Jer 7:22 | "For when I brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to them or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices, but this command I gave them..." | God's continued engagement and commands from the wilderness onwards. |
| 1 Cor 10:1-5 | "For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea... But with most of them God was not pleased, for they were laid low in the wilderness." | Spiritual lessons drawn from Israel's wilderness experience. |
| Num 10:11-12 | "In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle of the testimony. And the sons of Israel set out on their journeys..." | Immediately follows the instructions given in Num 1:1, marking the start of their journey. |
Numbers 1 verses
Numbers 1 1 Meaning
Numbers 1:1 begins the book by establishing the divine authority, location, time, and recipient of the commands that follow. It describes the precise moment Yahweh, the covenant God, communicated to Moses in the Tent of Meeting within the Wilderness of Sinai, indicating Israel's preparation for their onward journey after the Tabernacle's completion and consecration. The verse sets the stage for a period of organization, census-taking, and further divine instruction essential for the holiness and order of the camp of Israel as they proceeded from Sinai.
Numbers 1 1 Context
Numbers 1:1 marks a crucial transition within the Pentateuchal narrative. Having received the Law at Mount Sinai (Exodus), and after constructing and consecrating the Tabernacle and its priesthood (Leviticus), the people of Israel are now poised to depart for the Promised Land. The preceding books focus on establishing covenant relationship and holiness. Numbers begins with organization for holy living in a transient state. This verse pinpoints the exact temporal and spatial setting: almost a year after the Exodus, Israel is still encamped at the foot of Mount Sinai, prepared for the journey. The "Tent of Meeting" had just been consecrated a month prior, signaling a new era of direct divine communication and presence amongst the people in their designated dwelling. This context highlights God's ongoing provision, order, and direct leadership over His chosen people as they prepare for a difficult, faith-testing journey. The divine command for a census, introduced after this verse, underlines a theological emphasis on order, readiness, and the identity of each tribal unit within the collective.
Numbers 1 1 Word analysis
- And (וַיְדַבֵּר - Vay'daber): The opening "and" (waw-consecutive) links this passage directly to the preceding narrative in Exodus and Leviticus, indicating continuity in God's ongoing relationship and instruction to Israel. It connects the divine revelation given in Numbers to the completion of the Tabernacle and its consecration, establishing that God now speaks from His dwelling place among His people.
- the LORD (יְהוָה - Yahweh): Refers to God's covenant name, emphasized throughout the Pentateuch. It signifies God's personal, unchanging, and redemptive relationship with Israel, distinguished from other deities. This reinforces the authoritative, specific, and relational nature of the divine communication.
- spoke (וַיְדַבֵּר - vay'daber): Indicates direct, authoritative verbal communication from God. It highlights Moses' role as God's chosen intermediary and prophet, the exclusive channel for God's revealed will to Israel. This sets the tone for a book filled with direct divine commands.
- to Moses (אֶל-מֹשֶׁה - el-Mosheh): Moses is consistently presented as God's designated leader and mediator. His unique access to God, speaking "face to face," underscores the divine authority behind the ensuing commands and regulations.
- in the wilderness (בְּמִדְבַּר - bemidbar): The setting of the wilderness emphasizes God's providence, testing, and revelation outside established civilization. It is a place of dependence on God and formative experiences for the nation of Israel. The entire book of Numbers is essentially "In the Wilderness."
- of Sinai (סִינַי - Sinai): A crucial theological and geographical location where Israel received the Law, established the covenant, and constructed the Tabernacle. Its mention roots the subsequent narrative in this foundational period of divine instruction and formation.
- in the Tent of Meeting (בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד - b'ohel Mo'ed): This is the Tabernacle, the portable sanctuary where God manifested His presence and met with Moses. Its designation as the "Tent of Meeting" underscores its primary function as the focal point for divine-human communion, particularly where God's will is revealed to His people. This highlights God's immediate and central presence among His people, having just "dwelt" among them in the completed Tabernacle.
- on the first day (בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ - b'echad lachodesh): Pinpoints a precise moment in time, showing divine meticulousness and order. The numbering of days and months reflects a structured divine timeline.
- of the second month (הַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי - hachodesh hashení): Specifies the exact month. This comes a month after the Tabernacle was completed and dedicated (Exod 40:17), establishing a clear chronological sequence within God's dealings with Israel.
- in the second year (בַּשָּׁנָה הַשֵּׁנִית - bashanah hashenít): Provides a specific historical anchor for the entire narrative that follows, tying it to the larger timeline of Israel's journey from Egypt to Canaan. This emphasizes the historicity of the divine commands.
- after they had come out (לֵצֵאתָם - le'tze'tam): References the pivotal event of the Exodus from Egypt, the act of redemption that serves as the foundation for God's covenant with Israel. It connects the current divine command back to the initial redemptive act, reaffirming God's consistent purpose for His people.
- of the land of Egypt (מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם - me'eretz Mitzráyim): Identifies the place of Israel's bondage from which they were miraculously delivered by Yahweh. This phrase roots the narrative in Israel's foundational redemptive history.
Words-group analysis:
- "And the LORD spoke to Moses": Establishes divine revelation as the source of all the commands and narratives in the book of Numbers. It highlights God's active involvement in the daily lives and organization of His people.
- "in the wilderness of Sinai": Identifies the physical and theological setting. The wilderness is a place of trial, provision, and divine presence; Sinai is the covenant mountain where Israel received its identity as God's chosen nation. This phrase ties the narrative to the formative period of Israel's spiritual development.
- "in the Tent of Meeting": Specifies the precise sacred space from which God communicates. It emphasizes that God's presence, made manifest in the Tabernacle, is central to His interaction with Israel and the giving of His Law.
- "on the first day of the second month in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt": Provides an exceptionally precise and significant timestamp. This chronological detail anchors the subsequent events within Israel's historical journey, placing the commands of Numbers a little over a year after the Exodus, after the tabernacle was fully set up, signifying a critical point for Israel's transition from encampment to journey.
Numbers 1 1 Bonus section
The precise dating in Numbers 1:1 serves as a critical chronological marker. It follows the timeline of Exodus (redemption) and Leviticus (holiness), placing the book of Numbers approximately one month after the Tabernacle's completion (Exod 40:17) and three weeks after the anointing of the priests and completion of the inaugural sacrifices (Lev 8-9). This indicates God’s logical progression for Israel: first redemption, then establishment of worship and laws of holiness, and then the organization for holy living and movement. The Tabernacle, only just finished and indwelt by God's glory, becomes the sacred "headquarters" for divine commands, solidifying its role as the center of Israel's spiritual and physical life. This detail highlights God’s perfect timing in equipping His people before instructing them to move forward into an uncertain wilderness journey.
Numbers 1 1 Commentary
Numbers 1:1, though brief, serves as the divine portal into the book. It immediately grounds the subsequent events in the unchallengeable authority of "the LORD" (Yahweh), the covenant-keeping God. The verse is remarkably precise in its dating and geographical location, setting the stage approximately one month after the dedication of the Tabernacle. This chronological precision indicates the divine ordering of all events in Israel's history. The revelation takes place "in the Tent of Meeting," emphasizing that God is now present among His people, and this sacred space is the primary nexus for His ongoing communication. This divine communication, channeled "to Moses," signifies that the book's laws and narratives are not human inventions but God's direct instruction to prepare His holy nation for disciplined life and organized movement towards the Promised Land. The immediate context following this verse is a command for a census, a pragmatic step necessary for an organized encampment and effective movement in the wilderness. The precise timing means God does not instruct them for movement until after their worship and legal frameworks are established.