The Census of Israel

1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting^(A) in the Wilderness of Sinai,^(B) on the first day of the second month of the second year^(C) after Israel’s departure from the land of Egypt: ² “Take a census^(D) of the entire Israelite community by their clans and their ancestral families,^[a] counting the names of every male one by one. ³ You and Aaron are to register those who are twenty years old or more by their military divisions—everyone who can serve in Israel’s army.^{[b](E) 4} A man from each tribe is to be with you, each one the head of his ancestral family.^{[c](F) 5} These are the names of the men who are to assist you:^(G)

¹⁶ These are the men called from the community; they are leaders of their ancestral tribes,^(H) the heads of Israel’s clans.”^(I)

¹⁷ So Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name,^{(J) 18} and they assembled the whole community on the first day of the second month. They recorded their ancestry by their clans and their ancestral families, counting one by one the names of those twenty years old or more, ¹⁹ just as the Lord commanded Moses. He registered them in the Wilderness of Sinai:

²⁰ The descendants of Reuben,^(K) the firstborn of Israel: according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting one by one the names of every male twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, ²¹ those registered for the tribe of Reuben numbered 46,500.

²² The descendants of Simeon:^(L) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, those registered counting one by one the names of every male twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, ²³ those registered for the tribe of Simeon numbered 59,300.

²⁴ The descendants of Gad:^(M) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, ²⁵ those registered for the tribe of Gad numbered 45,650.

²⁶ The descendants of Judah:^(N) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, ²⁷ those registered for the tribe of Judah numbered 74,600.

²⁸ The descendants of Issachar:^(O) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, ²⁹ those registered for the tribe of Issachar numbered 54,400.

³⁰ The descendants of Zebulun:^(P) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, ³¹ those registered for the tribe of Zebulun numbered 57,400.

³² The descendants of Joseph:^(Q)

The descendants of Ephraim:^(R) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, ³³ those registered for the tribe of Ephraim numbered 40,500.

³⁴ The descendants of Manasseh:^(S) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, ³⁵ those registered for the tribe of Manasseh numbered 32,200.

³⁶ The descendants of Benjamin:^(T) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, ³⁷ those registered for the tribe of Benjamin numbered 35,400.

³⁸ The descendants of Dan:^(U) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, ³⁹ those registered for the tribe of Dan numbered 62,700.

⁴⁰ The descendants of Asher:^(V) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, ⁴¹ those registered for the tribe of Asher numbered 41,500.

⁴² The descendants of Naphtali:^(W) according to their family records by their clans and their ancestral families, counting the names of those twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in the army, ⁴³ those registered for the tribe of Naphtali numbered 53,400.

⁴⁴ These are the men Moses and Aaron registered, with the assistance of the twelve leaders of Israel; each represented his ancestral family. ⁴⁵ So all the Israelites twenty years old or more, everyone who could serve in Israel’s army, were registered by their ancestral families. ⁴⁶ All those registered numbered 603,550.^(X)

Duties of the Levites

⁴⁷ But the Levites^(Y) were not registered with them by their ancestral tribe. ⁴⁸ For the Lord had told Moses, ⁴⁹ “Do not register or take a census of the tribe of Levi with the other Israelites. ⁵⁰ Appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, all its furnishings, and everything in it. They are to transport the tabernacle and all its articles, take care of it, and camp around it. ⁵¹ Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever it is to stop at a campsite, the Levites are to set it up. Any unauthorized^(Z) person who comes near it is to be put to death.^(AA)

⁵² “The Israelites are to camp by their military divisions, each man with his encampment and under his banner. ⁵³ The Levites are to camp around the tabernacle of the testimony and watch over it, so that no wrath will fall on the Israelite community.”^{(AB) 54} The Israelites did everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses.^(AC)

Organization of the Camps

2 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: ² “The Israelites are to camp under their respective banners beside the flags of their ancestral families.^[e] They are to camp around the tent of meeting at a distance from it:

³ Judah’s military divisions^(AD) will camp on the east side toward the sunrise under their banner. The leader of the descendants of Judah is Nahshon^(AE) son of Amminadab. ⁴ His military division numbers 74,600. ⁵ The tribe of Issachar will camp next to it. The leader of the Issacharites is Nethanel son of Zuar. ⁶ His military division numbers 54,400. ⁷ The tribe of Zebulun will be next. The leader of the Zebulunites is Eliab son of Helon. ⁸ His military division numbers 57,400. ⁹ The total number in their military divisions who belong to Judah’s encampment is 186,400; they will move out first.

¹⁰ Reuben’s military divisions will camp on the south side under their banner. The leader of the Reubenites is Elizur son of Shedeur. ¹¹ His military division numbers 46,500. ¹² The tribe of Simeon will camp next to it. The leader of the Simeonites is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. ¹³ His military division numbers 59,300. ¹⁴ The tribe of Gad will be next. The leader of the Gadites is Eliasaph son of Deuel.^{[f] 15} His military division numbers 45,650. ¹⁶ The total number in their military divisions who belong to Reuben’s encampment is 151,450; they will move out second.

¹⁷ The tent of meeting is to move out with the Levites’ camp, which is in the middle of the camps. They are to move out just as they camp, each in his place,^[g] with their banners.

¹⁸ Ephraim’s military divisions will camp on the west side under their banner. The leader of the Ephraimites is Elishama son of Ammihud. ¹⁹ His military division numbers 40,500. ²⁰ The tribe of Manasseh will be next to it. The leader of the Manassites is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. ²¹ His military division numbers 32,200. ²² The tribe of Benjamin will be next. The leader of the Benjaminites is Abidan son of Gideoni. ²³ His military division numbers 35,400. ²⁴ The total in their military divisions who belong to Ephraim’s encampment number 108,100; they will move out third.

²⁵ Dan’s military divisions will camp on the north side under their banner. The leader of the Danites is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. ²⁶ His military division numbers 62,700. ²⁷ The tribe of Asher will camp next to it. The leader of the Asherites is Pagiel son of Ochran. ²⁸ His military division numbers 41,500. ²⁹ The tribe of Naphtali will be next. The leader of the Naphtalites is Ahira son of Enan. ³⁰ His military division numbers 53,400. ³¹ The total number who belong to Dan’s encampment is 157,600; they are to move out last, with their banners.”

³² These are the Israelites registered by their ancestral families. The total number in the camps by their military divisions is 603,550. ³³ But the Levites were not registered among the Israelites, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.^(AF)

³⁴ The Israelites did everything the Lord commanded Moses; they camped by their banners in this way and moved out the same way, each man by his clan and by his ancestral family.^[h](AG)

Psalm 64

Protection from Evildoers

For the choir director. A psalm of David.

Living by Faith

11 Now faith is the reality^[a] of what is hoped for, the proof^[b] of what is not seen.^{(A) 2} For by this our ancestors were approved.

³ By faith we understand that the universe was^[c] created by the word of God,^(B) so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.^[d]

⁴ By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith.^(C)

⁵ By faith Enoch was taken away, and so he did not experience death. He was not to be found because God took him away.^[e] For before he was taken away, he was approved as one who pleased God.^{(D) 6} Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

⁷ By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.^(E)

⁸ By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and set out for a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, even though he did not know where he was going.^{(F) 9} By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents as did Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise.^{(G) 10} For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.^(H)

¹¹ By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she^[f] considered that the one who had promised was faithful.^{(I) 12} Therefore, from one man—in fact, from one as good as dead—came offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and as innumerable as the grains of sand along the seashore.^(J)

¹³ These all died in faith, although they had not received the things that were promised. But they saw them from a distance,^(K) greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth.^{(L) 14} Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. ¹⁵ If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But they now desire a better place—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.^(M)

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac.^(N) He received the promises and yet he was offering his one and only son, ¹⁸ the one to whom it had been said, Your offspring^[g] will be traced through Isaac.^{[h](O) 19} He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead;^(P) therefore, he received him back, figuratively speaking.^[i]

²⁰ By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau^(Q) concerning things to come. ²¹ By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and he worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.^{[j](R) 22} By faith Joseph, as he was nearing the end of his life, mentioned^[k] the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions concerning his bones.^(S)

²³ By faith Moses, after he was born, was hidden by his parents for three months, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they didn’t fear the king’s edict.^{(T) 24} By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter ²⁵ and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin.^{(U) 26} For he considered reproach for the sake of Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, since he was looking ahead to the reward.^(V)

²⁷ By faith he left Egypt behind, not being afraid of the king’s anger, for Moses persevered as one who sees him who is invisible.^{(W) 28} By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites. ²⁹ By faith they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do this, they were drowned.^(X)

³⁰ By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after being marched around by the Israelites for seven days. ³¹ By faith Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed.^(Y)

³² And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah,^(Z) David, Samuel, and the prophets,^{(AA) 33} who by faith conquered kingdoms,^(AB) administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,^{(AC) 34} quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.^{(AD) 35} Women received their dead, raised to life again. Other people were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection. ³⁶ Others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment.^{(AE) 37} They were stoned,^[l](AF) they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins,^(AG) destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. ³⁸ The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

³⁹ All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, ⁴⁰ since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.^(AH)