Bilangan 31:33-34

31:33 72,000 cattle, 31:34 61,000 donkeys,

Bilangan 31:46

31:46 and 16,000 people.

Bilangan 31:44-45

31:44 36,000 cattle, 31:45 30,500 donkeys,

Bilangan 31:5

31:5 So a thousand from every tribe, twelve thousand armed for battle in all, were provided out of the thousands of Israel.

Bilangan 35:5

35:5 “You must measure ¹  from outside the wall of the town on the east 1,000 yards, ²  and on the south side 1,000 yards, and on the west side 1,000 yards, and on the north side 1,000 yards, with the town in the middle. ³  This territory must belong to them as grazing land for the towns.

Bilangan 2:19

2:19 Those numbered in his division are 40,500.

Bilangan 31:4

31:4 You must send to the battle a thousand men from every tribe throughout all the tribes of Israel.” ⁴ 

Bilangan 1:21

1:21 Those of them who were numbered ⁵  from the tribe of Reuben were 46,500. ⁶ 

Bilangan 1:23

1:23 Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Simeon were 59,300.

Bilangan 1:25

1:25 Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Gad were 45,650.

Bilangan 1:27

1:27 Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Judah were 74,600.

Bilangan 1:29

1:29 Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Issachar were 54,400.

Bilangan 1:31

1:31 Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Zebulun were 57,400.

Bilangan 1:35

1:35 Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Manasseh were 32,200.

Bilangan 1:37

1:37 Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Benjamin were 35,400.

Bilangan 1:39

1:39 Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Dan were 62,700.

Bilangan 1:41

1:41 Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Asher were 41,500.

Bilangan 1:43

1:43 Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Naphtali were 53,400.

Bilangan 1:46

1:46 And all those numbered totaled 603,550.

Bilangan 2:4

2:4 Those numbered in his division ⁷  are 74,600.

Bilangan 2:6

2:6 Those numbered in his division are 54,400.

Bilangan 2:8

2:8 Those numbered in his division are 57,400.

Bilangan 2:11

2:11 Those numbered in his division are 46,500.

Bilangan 2:13

2:13 Those numbered in his division are 59,300.

Bilangan 2:21

2:21 Those numbered in his division are 32,200.

Bilangan 2:23

2:23 Those numbered in his division are 35,400.

Bilangan 2:26

2:26 Those numbered in his division are 62,700.

Bilangan 2:28

2:28 Those numbered in his division are 41,500.

Bilangan 2:30

2:30 Those numbered in his division are 53,400.

Bilangan 25:9

25:9 Those that died in the plague were 24,000.

Bilangan 26:14

26:14 These were the families of the Simeonites, 22,200. ⁸ 

Bilangan 26:43

26:43 All the families of the Shuhahites according to those numbered of them were 64,400. ⁹ 

Bilangan 31:35

31:35 and 32,000 young women who had never had sexual intercourse with a man. ¹⁰ 

Bilangan 31:38

31:38 The cattle numbered ¹¹  36,000; the Lord’s tribute was 72.

Bilangan 31:40

31:40 The people were 16,000, of which the Lord’s tribute was 32 people. ¹² 

Bilangan 31:48

31:48 Then the officers who were over the thousands of the army, the commanders over thousands and the commanders over hundreds, approached Moses

Bilangan 31:52

31:52 All the gold of the offering they offered up to the Lord from the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds weighed 16,750 shekels. ¹³ 

Bilangan 26:7

26:7 These were the families of the Reubenites; and those numbered of them were 43,730. ¹⁴ 

Bilangan 26:22

26:22 These were the families of Judah according to those numbered of them, 76,500. ¹⁵ 

Bilangan 26:25

26:25 These were the families of Issachar, according to those numbered of them, 64,300. ¹⁶ 

Bilangan 26:34

26:34 These were the families of Manasseh; those numbered of them were 52,700. ¹⁷ 

Bilangan 26:41

26:41 These are the Benjaminites, according to their families, and according to those numbered of them, 45,600. ¹⁸ 

Bilangan 26:47

26:47 These are the families of the Asherites, according to those numbered of them, 53,400. ¹⁹ 

Bilangan 26:50-51

26:50 These were the families of Naphtali according to their families; and those numbered of them were 45,400. ²⁰ 

Total Number and Division of the Land

26:51 These were those numbered of the Israelites, 601,730. ²¹ 

Bilangan 31:43

31:43 there were 337,500 sheep from the portion belonging to the community,

Bilangan 26:18

26:18 These were the families of the Gadites according to those numbered of them, 40,500. ²² 

Bilangan 26:27

26:27 These were the families of the Zebulunites, according to those numbered of them, 60,500. ²³ 

Bilangan 31:39

31:39 The donkeys were 30,500, of which the Lord’s tribute was 61.

Bilangan 3:50

3:50 From the firstborn males of the Israelites he collected the money, 1,365 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.

Bilangan 26:37

26:37 These were the families of the Ephraimites, according to those numbered of them, 32,500. ²⁴  These were the descendants of Joseph by their families.

Bilangan 1:33

1:33 Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Ephraim were 40,500.

Bilangan 2:9

2:9 All those numbered of the camp of Judah, according to their divisions, are 186,400. They will travel ²⁵  at the front.

Bilangan 2:24

2:24 All those numbered of the camp of Ephraim, according to their divisions, are 108,100. They will travel third.

Bilangan 2:31

2:31 All those numbered of the camp of Dan are 157,600. They will travel last, under their standards.”

Bilangan 35:4

35:4 The grazing lands around the towns that you will give to the Levites must extend to a distance of 500 yards ²⁶  from the town wall.

Bilangan 31:32

31:32 The spoil that remained of the plunder which the fighting men ²⁷  had gathered ²⁸  was 675,000 sheep,

Bilangan 2:16

2:16 All those numbered of the camp of Reuben, according to their divisions, are 151,450. They will travel second.

Bilangan 16:49

16:49 Now 14,700 people died in the plague, in addition to those who died in the event with Korah.

Bilangan 31:14

The Death of the Midianite Women

31:14 But Moses was furious with the officers of the army, the commanders over thousands and commanders over hundreds, who had come from service in the war.

Bilangan 31:36

31:36 The half-portion of those who went to war numbered 337,500 sheep;

Bilangan 2:32

Summary

2:32 These are the Israelites, numbered according to their families. ²⁹  All those numbered in the camps, by their divisions, are 603,550.

Bilangan 3:43

3:43 And all the firstborn males, by the number of the names from a month old and upward, totaled 22,273.

Bilangan 31:6

Campaign Against the Midianites

31:6 So Moses sent them to the war, one thousand from every tribe, with Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, who was in charge ³⁰  of the holy articles ³¹  and the signal trumpets.

Bilangan 3:39

3:39 All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered by the word ³²  of the Lord, according to their families, every male from a month old and upward, were 22,000. ³³ 

Bilangan 31:54

31:54 So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders ³⁴  of hundreds and brought it into the tent of meeting as a memorial ³⁵  for the Israelites before the Lord.

Bilangan 26:62

26:62 Those of them who were numbered were 23,000, all males from a month old and upward, for they were not numbered among the Israelites; no inheritance was given to them among the Israelites.

Bilangan 11:21

11:21 Moses said, “The people around me ³⁶  are 600,000 on foot; ³⁷  but you say, ‘I will give them meat, ³⁸  that they may eat ³⁹  for a whole month.’

Bilangan 2:15

2:15 Those numbered in his division are 45,650.

Bilangan 4:36

4:36 and those of them numbered by their families were 2,750.

Bilangan 4:40

4:40 those of them numbered by their families, by their clans, were 2,630.

Bilangan 4:44

4:44 those of them numbered by their families were 3,200.

Bilangan 4:48

4:48 those of them numbered were 8,580.

Bilangan 3:34

3:34 Those of them who were numbered, counting every male from a month old and upward, were 6,200.

Bilangan 3:22

3:22 Those of them who were numbered, counting every male from a month old and upward, were 7,500.

Bilangan 3:28

3:28 Counting every male from a month old and upward, there were 8,600. They were responsible for the care ⁴⁰  of the sanctuary.

Bilangan 7:85

7:85 Each silver platter weighed 130 shekels, and each silver sprinkling bowl weighed 70 shekels. All the silver of the vessels weighed 2,400 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.

Bilangan 10:36

10:36 And when it came to rest he would say, “Return, O Lord, to the many thousands of Israel!” ⁴¹ 

Bilangan 1:16

The Census of the Tribes

1:16 These were the ones chosen ⁴²  from the community, leaders ⁴³  of their ancestral tribes. ⁴⁴  They were the heads of the thousands ⁴⁵  of Israel.

Bilangan 10:4

10:4 “But if they blow with one trumpet, then the leaders, the heads of the thousands of Israel, must come to you. ⁴⁶ 

Bilangan 11:32

11:32 And the people stayed up ⁴⁷  all that day, all that night, and all the next day, and gathered the quail. The one who gathered the least gathered ten homers, ⁴⁸  and they spread them out ⁴⁹  for themselves all around the camp.

[35:5]  ¹ tn The verb is the Qal perfect of מָדַד (madad, “to measure”). With its vav (ו) consecutive it carries the same instructional force as the imperfect.

[35:5]  ² tn Heb “two thousand cubits” (also three more times in this verse). This would be a distance of 3,000 feet or 1,000 yards (1,350 meters).

[35:5]  ³ sn The precise nature of the layout described here is not altogether clear. V. 4 speaks of the distance from the wall as being 500 yards; v. 5, however, describes measurements of 1,000 yards. Various proposals have been made in order to harmonize vv. 4 and 5. P. J. Budd, Numbers (WBC), 376, makes the following suggestion: “It may be best to assume that the cubits of the Levitical pasture lands are cubit frontages of land – in other words on each side of the city there was a block of land with a frontage of two thousand cubits (v 5), and a depth of 1000 cubits (v 4).”

[31:4]  ⁴ sn Some commentators argue that given the size of the nation (which they reject) the small number for the army is a sign of the unrealistic character of the story. The number is a round number, but it is also a holy war, and God would give them the victory. They are beginning to learn here, and at Jericho, and later against these Midianites under Gideon, that God does not want or need a large army in order to obtain victory.

[1:21]  ⁵ tn Heb “those numbered of them.” The form is פְּקֻדֵיהֶם (pÿqudehem), the passive participle with the pronominal suffix. This indicates that the number came to 46,500, but it specifically refers to “those numbered.” This expression occurs frequently throughout the book of Numbers.

[1:21]  ⁶ sn There has been much discussion about the numbers in the Israelite wilderness experience. The immediate difficulty for even the casual reader is the enormous number of the population. If indeed there were 603,550 men twenty years of age and older who could fight, the total population of the exodus community counting women and children would have been well over a million, or even two million as calculated by some. This is not a figure that the Bible ever gives, but given the sizes of families the estimate would not be far off. This is a staggering number to have cross the Sea, drink from the oases, or assemble in the plain by Sinai. It is not a question of whether or not God could provide for such a number; it is rather a problem of logistics for a population of that size in that period of time. The problem is not with the text itself, but with the interpretation of the word אֶלֶף (’elef), traditionally translated “thousand.” The word certainly can be taken as “thousand,” and most often is. But in view of the problem of the large number here, some scholars have chosen one of the other meanings attested in literature for this word, perhaps “troop,” or “family,” or “tent group,” even though a word for “family” has already been used (see A. H. McNeile, Numbers, 7; J. Garstang, Joshua-Judges, 120; J. Bright, History of Israel, 144). Another suggestion is to take the word as a “chief” or “captain” based on Ugaritic usage (see R. E. D. Clarke, “The Large Numbers of the Old Testament,” JTVI 87 [1955]: 82-92; and J. W. Wenham, “Large Numbers in the Old Testament,” TynBul 18 [1967]: 19-53). This interpretation would reduce the size of the Israelite army to about 18,000 men from a population of about 72,000 people. That is a radical change from the traditional reading and may be too arbitrary an estimate. A more unlikely calculation following the idea of a new meaning would attempt to divide the numbers and use the first part to refer to the units and the second the measurement (e.g., 65 thousand and four hundred would become 65 units of four hundred). Another approach has been to study the numbers rhetorically, analyzing the numerical values of letters and words. But this method, known as gematria, came in much later than the biblical period (see for it G. Fohrer, Introduction to the Old Testament, 184; and A. Noordtzij, Numbers [BSC], 24). On this system the numbers for “the sons of Israel” would be 603. But the number of the people in the MT is 603,550. Another rhetorical approach is that which says the text used exaggerations in the numbers on an epic scale to make the point of God’s blessing. R. B. Allen’s view that the numbers have been magnified by a factor of ten (“Numbers,” The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, 2:688-91), which would mean the army was only 60,000 men, seems every bit as arbitrary as Wenham’s view to get down to 18,000. Moreover, such views cannot be harmonized with the instructions in the chapter for them to count every individual skull – that seems very clear. This is not the same kind of general expression one finds in “Saul has killed his thousands, David his ten thousands” (1 Sam 18:7). There one expects the bragging and the exaggerations. But in a text of numbering each male, to argue that the numbers have been inflated ten-fold to form the rhetoric of praise for the way God has blessed the nation demands a much more convincing argument than has typically been given. On the surface it seems satisfactory, but it raises a lot of questions. Everything in Exodus and Numbers attests to the fact that the Israelites were in a population explosion, that their numbers were greater than their Egyptian overlords. Pharaoh had attempted to counter their growth by killing males from the ranks. That only two midwives are named must be taken to mean that they were heads of the guilds, for two could not service a population – even of the smaller estimate given above. But even though the size had to have been great and seen as a threat, we are at a loss to know exactly how to determine it. There is clearly a problem with the word “thousand” here and in many places in the OT, as the literature will show, but the problem cannot really be solved without additional information. The suggestions proposed so far seem to be rather arbitrary attempts to reduce the number to a less-embarrassing total, one that would seem more workable in the light of contemporary populations and armies, as well as space and time for the people’s movement in the wilderness. An army of 10,000 or 20,000 men in those days would have been a large army; an army of 600,000 (albeit a people’s army, which may mean that only a portion of the males would actually fight at any time – as was true at Ai) is large even by today’s standards. But the count appears to have been literal, and the totals calculated accordingly, totals which match other passages in the text. If some formula is used to reduce the thousands in this army, then there is the problem of knowing what to do when a battle has only five thousand, or three thousand men. One can only conclude that on the basis of what we know the word should be left with the translation “thousand,” no matter what difficulties this might suggest to the reader. One should be cautious, though, in speaking of a population of two million, knowing that there are serious problems with the calculation of that number, if not with the word “thousand” itself. It is very doubtful that the population of the wilderness community was in the neighborhood of two million. Nevertheless, until a more convincing explanation of the word “thousand” or the calculation of the numbers is provided, one should retain the reading of the MT but note the difficulty with the large numbers.

[2:4]  ⁷ tc The expression “and his divisions and those numbered of them” is somewhat tautological. The words are synonyms used for statistical purposes, and so neither should be simply deleted.

[26:14]  ⁸ sn Before entering Sinai the tribe numbered 59,300, the third largest. Now it was about one-third its original size.

[26:43]  ⁹ sn The Danites increased from 62,700 to 64,400.

[31:35]  ¹⁰ sn Here again we encounter one of the difficulties of the book, the use of the large numbers. Only twelve thousand soldiers fought the Midianites, but they brought back this amount of plunder, including 32,000 girls. Until a solution for numbers in the book can be found, or the current translation confirmed, one must remain cautious in interpretation.

[31:38]  ¹¹ tn The word “numbered” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[31:40]  ¹² tn Heb “soul.”

[31:52]  ¹³ sn Or about 420 imperial pounds.

[26:7]  ¹⁴ sn The Reubenites had decreased from 46,500 to 43,730.

[26:22]  ¹⁵ sn The Judahites increased from 74,600 to 76,500.

[26:25]  ¹⁶ sn The Issacharites increased from 54,400 to 64,300.

[26:34]  ¹⁷ sn The Manassehites increased from 32,200 to 52,700.

[26:41]  ¹⁸ sn The Benjaminites increased from 35,400 to 45,600. The Greek version has here 35,500.

[26:47]  ¹⁹ sn The Asherites increased from 41,500 to 53,400.

[26:50]  ²⁰ sn The Naphtalites decreased from 53,400 to 45,400.

[26:51]  ²¹ sn This number shows only a slightly smaller total in the second census; the first was 603,550.

[26:18]  ²² sn The Gadites decreased from 45,650 to 40,500.

[26:27]  ²³ sn The Zebulunites showed a slight increase from 57,400 to 60,500.

[26:37]  ²⁴ sn This is a significant reduction from the first count of 40,500.

[2:9]  ²⁵ tn The verb is נָסָע (nasa’): “to journey, travel, set out,” and here, “to move camp.” Judah will go first, or, literally, at the head of the nation, when they begin to travel.

[35:4]  ²⁶ tn Heb “one thousand cubits.” The standard cubit in the OT is assumed by most authorities to be about eighteen inches (45 cm) in length, so this would be a distance of 1,500 feet or 500 yards (675 meters).

[31:32]  ²⁷ tn Heb “people.”

[31:32]  ²⁸ tn Heb “had plundered.”

[2:32]  ²⁹ tn Heb “the house of their fathers.” So also in v. 34.

[31:6]  ³⁰ tn The Hebrew text uses the idiom that these “were in his hand,” meaning that he had the responsibility over them.

[31:6]  ³¹ sn It is not clear what articles from the sanctuary were included. Tg. Ps.-J. adds (interpretively) “the Urim and Thummim.”

[3:39]  ³² tn Here again the Hebrew has “at the mouth of,” meaning in accordance with what the Lord said. So also in v. 51.

[3:39]  ³³ tn The total is a rounded off number; it does not duplicate the precise total of 22,300. Some modern scholars try to explain it by positing an error in v. 28, suggesting that “six” should be read as “three” (שֵׁשׁ [shesh] as שָׁלֹשׁ [shalosh]).

[31:54]  ³⁴ tn The Hebrew text does not repeat the word “commanders” here, but it is implied.

[31:54]  ³⁵ tn The purpose of the offering was to remind the Lord to remember Israel. But it would also be an encouragement for Israel as they remembered the great victory.

[11:21]  ³⁶ tn Heb “the people who I am in their midst,” i.e., among whom I am.

[11:21]  ³⁷ tn The Hebrew sentence stresses the number. The sentence begins “600,000….”

[11:21]  ³⁸ tn The word order places the object first here: “Meat I will give them.” This adds to the contrast between the number and the statement of the Lord.

[11:21]  ³⁹ tn The verb is the perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive, carrying the sequence from the preceding imperfect tense. However, this verb may be subordinated to the preceding to express a purpose clause.

[3:28]  ⁴⁰ tn The construction here is a little different. The Hebrew text uses the participle in construct plural: שֹׁמְרֵי (shomÿrey, literally “keepers of”). The form specifies the duties of the 8,600 Kohathites. The genitive that follows this participle is the cognate מִשְׁמֶרֶת (mishmeret) that has been used before. So the expression indicates that they were responsible for the care of this part of the cult center. There is no reason to delete one of the forms (as does J. A. Paterson, Numbers, 42), for the repetition stresses the central importance of their work.

[10:36]  ⁴¹ sn These two formulaic prayers were offered by Moses at the beginning and at the end of the journeys. They prayed for the Lord to fight ahead of the nation when it was on the move, and to protect them when they camped. The theme of the first is found in Ps 68:1. The prayers reflect the true mentality of holy war, that it was the Lord who fought for Israel and defended her. The prayers have been included in the prayer book for synagogue services.

[1:16]  ⁴² tc The form has a Kethib-Qere problem, but the sentence calls for the Qere, the passive participle in the construct – “the called of….” These men were God’s choice, and not Moses’, or their own choice. He announced who they would be, and then named them. So they were truly “called” (קָרָא, qara’). The other reading is probably due to a copyist’s error.

[1:16]  ⁴³ tn The word is נָשִׂיא (nasi’, “exalted one, prince, leader”). Cf. KJV, ASV, NAB “princes.” These were men apparently revered or respected in their tribes, and so the clear choice to assist Moses with the leadership. See further, E. A. Speiser, “Background and Function of the Biblical na„sÃþá,” CBQ 25 (1963): 111-17.

[1:16]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “exalted ones of the tribes of their fathers.” The earlier group of elders was chosen by Moses at the advice of his father-in-law. This group represents the few leaders of the tribes that were chosen by God, a more literate group apparently, who were the forerunners of the שֹׁטְּרִים (shottÿrim).

[1:16]  ⁴⁵ tc The Hebrew text has אַלְפֵי (’alfey, “thousands of”). There is some question over this reading in the MT, however. The community groups that have these leaders were larger tribes, but there is little certainty about the size of the divisions.

[10:4]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “they shall assemble themselves.”

[11:32]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “rose up, stood up.”

[11:32]  ⁴⁸ sn This is about two thousand liters.

[11:32]  ⁴⁹ tn The verb (a preterite) is followed by the infinitive absolute of the same root, to emphasize the action of spreading out the quail. Although it is hard to translate the expression, it indicates that they spread these quail out all over the area. The vision of them spread all over was evidence of God’s abundant provision for their needs.