Numbers 1 18

Numbers 1:18 kjv

And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees 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.

Numbers 1:18 nkjv

and they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month; and they recited their ancestry by families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, each one individually.

Numbers 1:18 niv

and they called the whole community together on the first day of the second month. The people registered their ancestry by their clans and families, and the men twenty years old or more were listed by name, one by one,

Numbers 1:18 esv

and on the first day of the second month, they assembled the whole congregation together, who registered themselves by clans, by fathers' houses, according to the number of names from twenty years old and upward, head by head,

Numbers 1:18 nlt

and they assembled the whole community of Israel on that very day. All the people were registered according to their ancestry by their clans and families. The men of Israel who were twenty years old or older were listed one by one,

Numbers 1 verses

Numbers 1 18 Meaning

This verse details the specific command and execution of the census ordered by the Lord, assembling the entire Israelite congregation on the first day of the second month. Its purpose was to meticulously record the lineage of every male from twenty years old and upward, based on their families and patriarchal houses, counting each individual by head. This divine instruction ensured an accurate and orderly tabulation for military readiness and tribal organization within the camp.

Numbers 1 18 Context

Numbers chapter 1 initiates the book of Numbers, picking up shortly after the completion of the Tabernacle and the consecration of the Levitical priests (Exod 40; Lev 8-10). The Israelites have been encamped at Mount Sinai for nearly a year. This verse sets the precise time and execution of a crucial divine command given to Moses in verse 1: God instructs Moses and Aaron to take a census of all able-bodied men suitable for military service. This meticulous count served multiple purposes: to organize Israel into a structured army ready for the journey to the Promised Land, to delineate tribal responsibilities, and to establish the basis for land distribution in Canaan. It marks a shift from receiving the law to preparing for physical movement and warfare under God's leadership, underscoring God's meticulous ordering of His people.

Numbers 1 18 Word analysis

• and they assembled (וַיַּקְהִ֖לוּ, wayyaqhilu): From the root קָהַל (qahal), "to assemble," "to gather." This is a causative verb, meaning Moses and Aaron "caused to assemble" or "convened" the congregation. It denotes a deliberate, organized summoning under authority. The qahal is often used for a sacred assembly, emphasizing divine authority.
• all the congregation (כָּל־הָעֵדָה֙, kol-ha`edah): `Edah (עֵדָה) refers to the collective body or assembly of Israel, distinct from a general gathering (qahal). It signifies the formal, covenantal community of Israel, stressing unity and accountability under God's law. This entire community was involved in the registration process.
• together: Implies unity and the comprehensive nature of the assembly. No one was exempt from the command to be counted.
• on the first day of the second month: This precise temporal marker signifies exactness and divine timing. It occurred approximately one month after the Tabernacle was set up (Exod 40:17) and exactly one month before the Israelites departed from Sinai (Num 10:11). It highlights the importance of specific timing in God's plan and operations.
• and they declared their pedigrees (וַיִּתְיַחְשׂוּּ, wayyityaḥśu): From the root יָחַשׂ (yaḥaś), "to register genealogies," "to enroll oneself by pedigree." This is a reflexive verb, meaning "they caused themselves to be enrolled by descent," or "they established their genealogies." This signifies a rigorous, self-attesting process of establishing their family line, crucial for identity, inheritance, and tribal organization in Israel.
• after their families (לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם, l^emishp^eḥotam): Mishpaḥah (מִשְׁפָּחָה) denotes the immediate and extended family group or clan, a subdivision of a tribe. This highlights the hierarchical structure of Israelite society and the meticulous organization of the census.
• by the house of their fathers (לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם, l^ebet avotam): Bet av (בֵּית אָב), "father's house," refers to the basic patriarchal unit within a clan. This was the foundational level for identifying individual men and their lineage, reinforcing patriarchal authority and ensuring the precise placement of each individual within his ancestral line.
• according to the number of the names (בְּמִסְפַּר שְׁמוֹת, b^emispar sh^emot): Mispar (מִסְפַּר) means "number" or "count." This indicates an accurate, individual count by their given names, not just an estimate. It emphasizes meticulousness and divine precision in tracking each individual for accountability and purpose.
• from twenty years old and upward: This age criteria defined eligibility for military service and, consequently, communal responsibility, including participation in the camp's administration and potential inheritance of land. It marked the transition from youth to full adulthood and readiness for warfare or significant communal duty.
• by their polls (לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָם, l^egulgoletam): Gulgoleth (גֻּלְגֹּלֶת) literally means "skull" or "head." Counting "by their polls" means counting each individual "head," ensuring a strict individual enumeration rather than a collective estimate. This emphasized the individual's accountability and identity within the larger collective.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "and they assembled all the congregation together": This phrase emphasizes the collective, divinely mandated act of gathering the entire community, indicating that the census was not merely a governmental exercise but a covenantal assembly. Moses and Aaron, acting under God's direct command (Num 1:1), meticulously carried out this order.
• "on the first day of the second month": This precise date signifies not only a historical marker but also reflects God's ordered nature and timing. It immediately follows the setup of the Tabernacle and its ordinances, highlighting that divine organization and readiness are integral to God's people's life before commencing their journey to the Promised Land.
• "and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by the house of their fathers": This triple-layered identification (individual, paternal house, family/clan) highlights the exhaustive nature of the genealogical registration. It ensured that each Israelite knew his precise lineage and place within the tribal structure, which was crucial for maintaining purity, managing inheritance, and determining military roles and later, the Levitical service. It underscored a robust identity rooted in ancestral lines.
• "according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls": This phrase encapsulates the detailed and practical scope of the census. Counting by name and individual head (poll) reinforces exactness and accountability. The age restriction identifies the eligible male population for military readiness, reflecting God's direct intention for the army of Israel as they faced the challenges of the wilderness and conquest.

Numbers 1 18 Bonus section

The act of taking a census in ancient times was often linked to military strength, taxation, or national pride. In Numbers, however, this census is explicitly commanded by God for divine purposes, sharply contrasting with later instances where human-initiated censuses, such as David's (2 Sam 24), incurred God's displeasure because they lacked divine authorization and perhaps stemmed from human arrogance or distrust in God's provision. The emphasis on "pedigrees," "families," and "father's houses" reflects a divinely ordered society where identity and belonging were intricately tied to lineage. This pre-Christian emphasis on precise ancestry forms a vital backdrop to the genealogies presented in the New Testament (Matt 1, Luke 3), which establish the legitimate human lineage of Jesus Christ to fulfill messianic prophecies. The census data would not only be used for military organization but also for the subsequent allocation of tribal lands in Canaan, showing God's foresight and just distribution based on the strength and size of each tribe. The entire process at Sinai, culminating in this census, signifies the formation of a divinely constituted, organized people ready to fulfill their covenant obligations.

Numbers 1 18 Commentary

Numbers 1:18 describes the detailed and immediate execution of God's census command given to Moses and Aaron. The assembly of "all the congregation" on a specific date, the "first day of the second month," underlines the precision and seriousness with which God's instructions were to be carried out. This was not a general roll call but a meticulous registration based on established lineages—families, and ancestral houses. The purpose was to identify every male "from twenty years old and upward," the age of readiness for warfare and civic duties, counted individually "by their polls." This entire process speaks to God's profound interest in order, accountability, and the preparation of His people, not for random wandering, but for purposeful progression toward the Promised Land. The census provided the structure for tribal encampments, marching orders, and allocation of duties, demonstrating that divine promises come with divine organization. It foreshadows the careful structuring of God's people throughout history.