Numbers 3 42

Numbers 3:42 kjv

And Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.

Numbers 3:42 nkjv

So Moses numbered all the firstborn among the children of Israel, as the LORD commanded him.

Numbers 3:42 niv

So Moses counted all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the LORD commanded him.

Numbers 3:42 esv

So Moses listed all the firstborn among the people of Israel, as the LORD commanded him.

Numbers 3:42 nlt

So Moses counted the firstborn sons of the people of Israel, just as the LORD had commanded.

Numbers 3 verses

Numbers 3 42 Meaning

Numbers 3:42 indicates that Moses conducted a precise enumeration of all the firstborn male children among the Israelites, performing this census exactly as Yahweh, the God of Israel, had instructed him. This act was a crucial preparatory step in God's plan for the Levites to replace the firstborn in the service of the tabernacle and as a perpetual acknowledgment of God's salvation at the Exodus.

Numbers 3 42 Context

Numbers chapter 3 details the specific instructions regarding the tribe of Levi, distinguishing them from the rest of the Israelite tribes. Following God's declaration that all Israelite firstborn belonged to Him because He spared them during the tenth plague in Egypt (Num 3:13), this chapter outlines a plan for the Levites to serve as a substitute. This particular verse describes Moses carrying out the divine directive to count the very Israelite firstborn sons who were consecrated to God. The immediate verses after Numbers 3:42 reveal the precise total number of these firstborn (22,273) and set the stage for their direct redemption through the Levites, who totaled 22,000. Historically, this act solidifies the memory of God's covenant loyalty and Israel's unique status, demonstrating God's sovereign right and provision for sacred service through a dedicated group, acknowledging His saving power during the Exodus. It stands in subtle contrast to surrounding pagan cultures that might offer actual firstborn to their deities, asserting Yahweh's claim on firstborn while providing for their redemption, not sacrifice.

Numbers 3 42 Word analysis

• So Moses counted: The Hebrew verb is vayyipqod (וַיִּפְקֹ֣ד), from the root paqad (פָּקַד). While "counted" is accurate here, paqad has a broader range of meanings including "to number," "to muster," "to inspect," "to visit," "to attend to," or "to appoint." In this context, it signifies a formal and official registration or census, indicating a divinely sanctioned act of surveying or mustering, rather than just a casual tally. This precision reflects God's meticulous nature in His covenant dealings.
• as the LORD commanded him: The phrase ka'asher tzivvah Adonai oto (כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּ֣ה יְהוָ֑ה אֹת֔וֹ). "LORD" translates the Hebrew YHWH (יְהוָה), the covenant name of God, emphasizing that this command originates from the one true, personal God of Israel. Tzivvah (צִוָּה) means "commanded," denoting an authoritative, binding instruction. This highlights Moses' faithfulness as a leader who diligently executed divine will without deviation or personal initiative. It reinforces the theological principle that the entirety of the Mosaic Law and the organization of Israel's worship derived from direct divine authority.
• all the firstborn: The Hebrew kol habbeḵor (כָּל־הַבְּכֹר֙). Kol (כָּל־) means "all" or "every," emphasizing the comprehensive nature of the count—no one was excluded from this divine claim. Bekhor (בְּכוֹר֙) refers to the first male offspring, specifically the first son. The firstborn held a position of privilege and responsibility in ancient Near Eastern societies, including a double portion of inheritance and often family leadership. God's claim on Israel's firstborn (Exod 13:2) was a direct result of His Passover redemption, where the firstborn of Egypt were struck, but Israel's firstborn were spared and consequently became consecrated to God.
• among the children of Israel: The Hebrew mibbeni Yiśraʾel (מִבְּנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל). This designates the entire nation of Israel, emphasizing that the command and the subsequent action applied to the covenant community as a whole, not just a subset. It reinforces the national scope of God's redemptive work and His ongoing covenant relationship with the descendants of Jacob.

Words-group analysis:

• "So Moses counted, as the LORD commanded him": This phrase underscores the unwavering obedience of Moses and the absolute authority of God. It's not a mere procedural step, but an act performed under divine mandate. The precise language confirms that this was not Moses’ initiative or human reasoning, but a direct fulfillment of God’s specific instructions. This highlights Moses' exemplary role as God's servant, embodying submission to divine will. It further stresses the sacred nature of the census, being ordered and overseen by the ultimate authority.
• "all the firstborn among the children of Israel": This combination highlights God's comprehensive and specific claim on His people. "All" stresses the universality of the divine ownership, meaning every family within Israel was affected by this decree concerning the firstborn. It refers to the special consecration of the firstborn in memory of the Passover liberation (Exod 13:2, 13:14-16). This census was thus a physical manifestation of a profound theological reality: God's salvation secures a unique and permanent claim on those He redeems, specifically the first and best, signifying a call to dedicated service or its redemption.

Numbers 3 42 Bonus section

• The numbering of the firstborn (22,273 in Num 3:43) against the total of the Levites (22,000 in Num 3:39) reveals a surplus of 273 Israelite firstborn. This exact number required a specific monetary redemption payment of five shekels per head (Num 3:46-48), underscoring that redemption is not always simply through a one-for-one substitution but may involve additional payment where a full physical substitution is not precisely matched.
• This act reinforces the deep theological truth that divine claims—such as the consecration of the firstborn—are serious and binding. While God often provides a means of redemption or substitution, the initial claim remains firm, teaching that what God sets apart, He owns.
• The numbering and subsequent redemption process within Numbers 3 highlight God's justice and His commitment to establishing a dedicated priesthood. The Levites were chosen as a tribe for perpetual sacred service, an office derived from this divine claim over the firstborn.

Numbers 3 42 Commentary

Numbers 3:42 records Moses' faithful execution of a pivotal divine command: the census of all Israelite firstborn males. This was no arbitrary demographic survey, but a divinely ordained action integral to the ongoing revelation of God's covenant with Israel and the specific function of the Levites. Having claimed every Israelite firstborn as His own due to their preservation during the final plague in Egypt (Exod 13:1-2), God then established a mechanism for their redemption—the substitution of the Levites (Num 3:12). This verse serves as the administrative bridge, the necessary headcount, enabling this substitution to occur precisely. It speaks volumes about God's orderly nature, His expectation of complete obedience, and His meticulous attention to detail in establishing the system of worship and service in the tabernacle. The very act of counting affirms God's ownership and establishes the basis for the subsequent sacrificial exchange, prefiguring the ultimate substitutionary atonement found in Christ.