Num. 1:1–10:10 Israel Prepares to Enter the Land. Numbers tells how Israel traveled from Mount Sinai to the Jordan Valley, the eastern border of the Promised Land. The first 10 chapters relate Israel’s preparations to enter the land.
1:1–46 This first census has two purposes: (1) to show that God’s promise of many descendants for Abraham has been fulfilled (Gen. 22:17); and (2) to count the number of men over 20 years old who could fight.
Num. 1:1 The wilderness of Sinai is the area near Mount Sinai. Israel has been encamped there since Ex. 19:1. The tent of meeting, otherwise known as the tabernacle (see Exodus 25–31; 35–40), had been completed just one month earlier (Ex. 40:2). It now served as God’s earthly dwelling, where he gave instructions to Moses.
Num. 1:3 All . . . able to go to war shows that the invasion of Canaan is about to happen.
Num. 1:20–46 The number of men between the ages of 20 and 60 comes to 603,550. This counts every man able to go to war in Israel (see vv. 45–46). When women, children, and men under 20 and over 60 are included, the total population would probably have been about 2 million, a remarkable fulfillment of God’s promises.
Num. 1:26–27 Judah is the largest tribe. Its position in the camp (2:3) and its leadership on the march (2:9) shows Judah’s importance among the tribes. David and Jesus came from this tribe.
Num. 1:47–54 The Levites, the priestly tribe, were not included in the census because they were responsible for the tabernacle, the most vital part of the whole camp. They dismantled, carried, and reassembled the tabernacle (vv. 50–51) and guarded it from intruders. Laypeople were not allowed to enter the tabernacle, so the Levites were told to execute any outsider breaking in (vv. 51–53).
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