Numbers 1:19-5419As the Lord commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai. 20And the children of Reuben, Israel's eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 21Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred. 22Of the children of Simeon, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, those that were numbered of them, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 23Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred. 24Of the children of Gad, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 25Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Gad, were forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty. 26Of the children of Judah, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 27Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Judah, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred. 28Of the children of Issachar, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 29Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred. 30Of the children of Zebulun, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 31Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred. 32Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 33Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred. 34Of the children of Manasseh, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 35Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred. 36Of the children of Benjamin, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 37Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred. 38Of the children of Dan, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 39Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred. 40Of the children of Asher, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 41Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five hundred. 42Of the children of Naphtali, throughout their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 43Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred. 44These are those that were numbered, which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men: each one was for the house of his fathers. 45So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel; 46Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty. 47But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. 48For the Lord had spoken unto Moses, saying, 49Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel: 50But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. 51And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. 52And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts. 53But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony. 54And the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did they. (Numbers 1:19‑54)
“OF THE children of Judah, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Judah, were three score and fourteen thousand and six hundred.”
In the numbering of the men of Israel we notice that Judah was by far the more numerous tribe. Judah, Jacob’s son, had failed sadly in his lifetime. But grace rises above man’s sin and failure. Later on when Judah and his brothers were reconciled to Joseph, it was Judah who showed special kindness to Benjamin and to his poor old father, so that when Jacob blessed his sons just before he died Judah came in for special blessings.
When the numberings were completed, the sum of all those able for war was over six hundred thousand men. If we were to add to these the Levites and all the women and children, then Israel would probably number more than two million people, What a host this was! Long before God had promised Abraham that his seed should be as the sand of the sea and as the stars for multitude. And now as Moses and Aaron numbered the thousands of Israel we can see how God was fulfilling His faithful promise.
But how wonderful to think of the much vaster host of His heavenly saints, redeemed by blood, and soon to be seen in glory with Christ. Even Enoch of old, the seventh from Adam, prophesied saying, “Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands [myriads] of His saints.”
Jude 1414And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, (Jude 14). How we earnestly hope that each dear reader is numbered for heaven and will be among that vast throng in glory who will sing the praises of Him who died to bring them there!
As we read of this numbering of the tribes how precious is the thought that God has His people numbered gathered around Himself. Just as He dwelt in the midst of His people of old, so He dwells in the midst of His redeemed people now, and He takes a divine interest in all our movements, our trials and our conflicts.
“But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them.” v. 47. The Lord had said that the firstborn belonged to Him, for He had spared them that dark night in Egypt when they had taken shelter under the blood of the passover lamb, while all the firstborn of the Egyptians were slain. But now, instead of the firstborn God had taken the whole tribe of Levi to serve in their stead in the service of the tabernacle. For this reason the tribe of Levi was not numbered among the people, because they belonged to the Lord.
From twenty years old the men of the other tribes were numbered for war but the Levites must be thirty years before they were permitted to begin their service. They must be more mature, beyond the age of rashness and impulsiveness so often found in youth. In being taken for the service of the Lord in place of the firstborn, the Levites had a very special place. They are a type of believers now for the Church is seen as firstfruits, holy to the Lord.
The Levites’ place was immediately around the tabernacle, which is a pattern of the heavenly things. Thus they had a place of nearness to the Lord the other tribes did not have. We are reminded of the words of the Lord Jesus: “If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be.” John 12:2626If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor. (John 12:26). If we are going to serve Him acceptably we must be near to Him.
In this chapter then we have two types of service — those that were numbered were armed for war, while the Levites who were not numbered served the Lord in the quietness of the tabernacle, the sanctuary of His presence. Both are True of the Christian.
ML-02/11/1973