Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge, by R.A. Torrey, [ca. 1880], at sacred-texts.com
Overview
Num 1:1, God commands Moses to number the people; Num 1:5, The princes of the tribes; Num 1:17, The number of every tribe; Num 1:47, The Levites are exempted for the service of the Lord.
wilderness: Num 10:11, Num 10:12; Exo 19:1; Lev 27:34
tabernacle: Exo 25:22; Lev 1:1
on the first day: As the tabernacle was erected on the first day of the first month, in the second year of their departure from Egypt (Exo 40:17), and this happened on the first day of the second month, in the same year, it is evident that the transactions related in the preceding book must all have taken place in the space of one month, and during the time the Israelites were encamped at mount Sinai. Num 9:1, Num 10:11; Exo 40:17; Kg1 6:1
Take ye the sum: This numbering was probably intended to illustrate the Divine faithfulness in thus increasing the seed of Abraham; to prepare them to preserve due order in their march; and to distinguish the tribes and families. Num 26:2-4, Num 26:63, Num 26:64; Exo 30:12, Exo 38:26; Sa2 24:1-3; Ch1 21:1, Ch1 21:2, Ch1 27:23, Ch1 27:24
the children: Gen 49:1-3; Exo 1:1-5
after: Num 1:18, Num 1:22, 26-54; Exo 6:14-19
twenty: Num 14:29, Num 32:11; Exo 30:14
able: Num 26:2; Deu 3:18, Deu 24:5; Sa2 24:9; Ch2 17:13-18, Ch2 26:11-13
Num 1:16, 2:3-31, 7:10-83, Num 10:14-27, Num 13:2-15, Num 17:3, Num 25:4, Num 25:14, Num 34:18-28; Exo 18:25; Jos 22:14; 1Chr. 27:1-22
Elizur: Num 2:10, Num 7:30, Num 10:18; Gen 29:32-35, 30:5-20, Gen 35:17-26, 46:8-24, 49:1-33; Exo 1:2-5; Deut. 33:1-29; Rev 7:4-8
Nahshon: Num 2:3, Num 7:12, Num 10:14; Rut 4:18; Ch1 2:10, Ch1 2:11; Mat 1:2-5; Luk 3:32, Naasson
Nethaneel: Num 2:5, Num 7:18, Num 10:15
Eliab: Num 2:7, Num 7:24, Num 10:16
Elishama: Num 2:18, Num 7:48, Num 10:22; Ch1 7:26, Ch1 7:27
Gamaliel: Num 2:20, Num 7:54, Num 10:23
Abidan: Num 2:22, Num 7:60, Num 10:24
Ahiezer: Num 2:25, Num 7:66, Num 10:25
Pagiel: Num 2:27, Num 7:72, Num 10:26
Eliasaph: Num 7:42, Num 10:20, Son of Reuel, Num 2:14
Deuel: As the ד, daleth is very like the ר, resh, they might be easily mistaken for each other; and hence this person being called both Deuel and Reuel, may be easily accounted for. The Septuagint and Syriac have Reuel, in this chapter; and in Num 2:14, the Samaritan, Vulgate, and Arabic have Deuel, instead of Reuel, with which reading a vast number of manuscripts concur, and which is also supported by Num 7:42, Num 10:20. We may therefore safely conclude, the Deuel, and not Reuel, was the original reading.
Ahira: Num 2:29, Num 7:78, Num 10:27
the renowned: Keruey haâidah, literally "the called of the congregation," those who were summoned by name to attend. Num. 2:3-31, Num 7:2, 10-83, Num 10:14-27, Num 11:17, Num 16:2, Num 26:9; Jdg 6:15; Ch1 27:16-22
heads: Num 1:4; Exo 18:21, Exo 18:25; Deu 1:15; Sa1 22:7, Sa1 23:23; Mic 5:2
Num 1:5-15; Joh 10:3; Rev 7:4-17
their pedigrees: Ezr 2:59; Neh 7:61; Heb 7:3, Heb 7:6 *marg.
by the: Num 1:2
according: Num. 1:20-54
from twenty: In this census no women were reckoned, nor children, nor minors, nor strangers, nor Levites, nor old men; which, collectively, must have formed an immense multitude; the Levites alone amounted to 22,300 men.
Num 1:2, Num 26:1, Num 26:2; Sa2 24:1-10
Num 2:10, Num 2:11, Num 26:5-7; Gen 29:32, Gen 46:9, Gen 49:3, Gen 49:4; Ch1 5:1
That a comparative view may be easily taken of the state of the tribes, we will here produce them, compared with that of the second census (Num 26:1), in their decreasing proportion, beginning with the greatest and proceeding to the least.
Census Comparisons Tribes 1st Census 2nd Census 1. Judah 74,600 76,500 2. Dan 62,700 64,400 3. Simeon 59,300 22,200 4. Zebulun 57,400 60,500 5. Issachar 54,400 64,300 6. Naphtali 53,400 45,400 7. Reuben 46,500 43,730 8. Gad 45,650 40,500 9. Asher 41,500 53,400 10. Ephraim 40,500 32,500 11. Benjamin 35,400 45,600 12. Manasseh 32,200 52,700 Totals: 603,550 601,730 Thus we find Judah the most populous tribe, and Manasseh the least so; the difference between them being as great as 42,000. Jacob had given Judah the pre-eminence in his prophetic blessing; and that tribe was to have the precedency in the encampments of Israel. accordingly God had increased them more than any of their brethren. Ephraim and Manasseh, according to the same prophecy, were numbered as distinct tribes, Ephraim having the superiority, as it was foretold; and Joseph indeed appears "a fruitful bough."
Num 2:12, Num 2:13, Num 26:12-14; Gen 29:33, Gen 34:25-30, Gen 42:24, Gen 46:10, Gen 49:5, Gen 49:6
Num 2:13, Num 25:8, Num 25:9, Num 25:14, Num 26:14
The tribe of Gad marched, along with that of Simeon, under the standard of Reuben; and it seems, on that account, to have been introduced in this order. The other tribes also, are here classed together according to their encampments, and the order of their subsequent march.
Num 2:14, Num 2:15, Num 26:15-18; Gen 30:10, Gen 30:11, Gen 46:16, Gen 49:19
Num 2:3, Num 2:4, Num 26:19-22; Gen 29:35, Gen 46:12, Gen 49:8-12; Sa2 24:9; Ch1 5:2; Ch2 17:14-16
Num 2:3, Num 2:4, Num 26:22; Sa2 24:9; Ch2 17:14-16
Num 2:5, Num 2:6, Num 23:23-25; Gen 30:18, Gen 46:13, Gen 49:14, Gen 49:15
Num 2:7, Num 2:8, Num 26:26, Num 26:27; Gen 30:20, Gen 46:14, Gen 49:13
Num 2:18, Num 2:19, Num 26:35-37; Gen 30:24, 37:1-36, 39:1-23, Gen 46:20, 48:1-22; Gen 49:22-26; Deu 33:17
the tribe: Gen 48:5; Deu 33:17
were forty: Num 2:19, Num 26:37
Manasseh: Num 26:34; Gen 41:51, Gen 46:20, Gen 48:1, Gen 50:23; Deu 33:17; Jos 4:12, Jos 17:1; Ch1 7:14; Rev 7:6
Num 2:21, Num 26:34; Gen 48:19, Gen 48:20
Gen 35:16-18, Gen 44:20, Gen 46:21, Gen 49:27
Num 2:23, Num 26:41; Jdg 20:44-46; Ch2 17:17
Gen 30:5, Gen 30:6, Gen 46:23, Gen 49:16, Gen 49:17
Gen 30:12, Gen 30:13, Gen 46:27, Gen 49:20
Naphtali: Gen 30:7, Gen 30:8, Gen 46:24, Gen 49:21; Respecting the manner in which this vast multitude sprang from 75 persons, Scheuchzer has some valuable calculations, with the results of which we present the reader:
Population Growth by Generation Tribe 1st Gen 2nd Gen 3rdGen 4thGen Totals (3 and 4) 1. Judah 25 238 3,865 70,735 74,600 2. Dan 11 132 2,508 60,192 62,700 3. Simeon 39 359 3,953 55,347 59,300 4. Zebulun 20 143 2,296 55,104 57,400 5. Issachar 27 251 3,022 51,378 54,400 6. Naphtali 26 296 3,560 49,840 53,400 7. Reuben 31 215 2,583 43,917 46,500 8. Gad 67 475 3,804 41,846 45,650 9. Asher 39 310 3,192 38,308 41,500 10. Ephraim 16 160 1,928 38,572 40,500 11. Benjamin 98 885 4,425 30,975 35,400 12. Manasseh 10 134 1,610 30,590 32,200 13. Levi 8 96 1,240 21,060 22,300
What an astonishing increase from seventy persons who went down into Egypt about 215 years before, where they had latterly endured the greatest hardships! Such was the effect of God's promise, which cannot fail.
Num 2:32, Num 23:10, Num 26:51; Gen 12:2, Gen 13:16, Gen 15:5, Gen 17:6, Gen 22:17, Gen 26:3, Gen 28:14; Gen 46:3, Gen 46:4; Exo 12:37, Exo 38:26; Deu 10:22; Kg1 4:20; Sa2 24:9; Ch1 21:5; Ch2 13:3, Ch2 17:14-19; Heb 11:11, Heb 11:12; Rev 7:4-9
Num 1:3, Num 1:50, Num 2:33, 3:1-51, 4:1-49, 8:1-26, Num 26:57-62; 1Chr. 6:1-81, Ch1 21:6
thou shalt: Num 3:1-10, Num 4:15, Num 4:25-33; Exo 31:18, Exo 32:26-29, Exo 38:21; 1Chr. 23:1-32; 1Chr. 25:1-26:32; Ezr 8:25-30, Ezr 8:33, Ezr 8:34; Neh 12:8, Neh 12:22, Neh 12:47, Neh 13:5, Neh 13:10-13, Neh 13:22
the tabernacle: Num 1:53, Num 20:11; Exo 31:18, Exo 38:21; Psa 122:4
shall encamp: Num 2:17, 3:23-38, Num 10:21
the Levites: Num. 4:5-33, Num 10:11, Num 10:17-21
the stranger: Num 3:10, Num 3:38, Num 16:40, Num 18:22; Lev 22:10-13; Sa1 6:19; Sa2 6:7
Num 2:2, Num 2:34, 10:1-36, Num 24:2
shall pitch: Num 1:50, Num 3:7, Num 18:3; Ti1 4:13-16; Ti2 4:2
there be: Num 8:19, Num 16:46, Num 18:5; Lev 10:6; Sa1 6:19; Jer 5:31, Jer 23:15; Act 20:28-31
and the: Num 3:7, Num 3:8, Num 8:24-26, Num 18:3-5, Num 31:30, Num 31:47; Ch1 23:32; Ch2 13:10
Num 2:34; Exo 23:21, Exo 23:22, Exo 39:32, Exo 39:43, Exo 40:16, Exo 40:32; Deu 12:32; Sa1 15:22; Mat 28:20