Numbers 1

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai in the tabernacle of the covenant, the first day of the second month, the second year of their going out of Egypt, saying:

The Lord spoke to Moses in the Tent of Meeting while they were in the Sinai desert. This was on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites had left Egypt. He told him,

2 Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel by their families, and houses, and the names of every one, as many as are of the male sex,

“Census all the Israelites according to their tribe and family. Count every man and keep a record of each individual's name.

3 From twenty years old and upwards, of all the men of Israel fit for war, and you shall number them by their troops, thou and Aaron.

Those aged twenty or older who can do military service are to be registered by you and Aaron in their Israelite army divisions.

4 And there shall be with you the princes of the tribes, and of the houses in their kindreds,

A representative from each tribe, the head of a family, must be there with you.

5 Whose names are these: Of Ruben, Elisur the son of Sedeur.

These are the names of the men who will work with you: From the tribe of Reuben, Elizur, son of Shedeur;

6 Of Simeon, Salamiel the son of Surisaddai.

from the tribe of Simeon, Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai;

7 Of Juda, Nahasson the son of Aminadab.

from the tribe of Judah, Nahshon, son of Amminadab;

8 Of Issachar, Nathanael the son of Suar.

from the tribe of Issachar, Nethanel, son of Zuar;

9 Of Zabulon, Eliab the son of Helon.

from the tribe of Zebulun, Eliab, son of Helon;

10 And of the sons of Joseph: of Ephraim, Elisama the son of Ammiud: of Manasses, Gamaliel the son of Phadassur.

from the sons of Joseph: from the tribe of Ephraim, Elishama, son of Ammihud, and from the tribe of Manasseh, Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur;

11 Of Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gedeon.

from the tribe of Benjamin, Abidan, son of Gideoni;

12 Of Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammisaddai.

from the tribe of Dan, Ahiezer, son of Ammishaddai;

13 Of Aser, Phegiel the son of Ochran.

from the tribe of Asher, Pagiel, son of Ocran;

14 Of Gad, Eliasaph the son of Duel.

from the tribe of Gad, Eliasaph, son of Deuel;

15 Of Nephtali, Ahira the son of Enan.

and from the tribe of Naphtali, Ahira, son of Enan.”

16 These are the most noble princes of the multitude by their tribes and kindreds, and the chiefs of the army of Israel:

These were the men chosen from the Israelite community. They were the leaders of their fathers' tribes; the heads of the families of Israel.

17 Whom Moses and Aaron took with all the multitude of the common people:

Moses and Aaron summoned these men who had been selected by name.

18 And assembled them on the first day of the second month, reckoning them up by the kindreds, and houses, and families, and heads, and names of every one from twenty years old and upward,

They had all the Israelites gather together on the first day of the second month, and recorded the people's genealogy according to their tribe and family, and counted up the names of all those aged twenty or older,

19 As the Lord had commanded Moses. And they were numbered in the desert of Sinai.

as the Lord had told Moses to do. Moses conducted this census in the Sinai desert.

20 Of Ruben the eldest son of Israel, by their generations and families and houses and names of every head, all that were of the male sex, from twenty years old and upward, that were able to go forth to war,

The descendants of Reuben, (he was Israel's firstborn son), men aged twenty or over, were recorded by name according to the genealogical records of their tribe and families. All those registered who could serve in the army

21 Were forty-six thousand five hundred.

from the tribe of Reuben totaled 46,500.

22 Of the sons of Simeon by their generations and families, and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names and heads of every one, all that were of the male sex, from twenty years old and upward, that were able to go forth to war,

The descendants of Simeon, men aged twenty or over, were recorded by name according to the genealogical records of their tribe and families. All those registered who could serve in the army

23 Fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

from the tribe of Simeon totaled 59,300.

24 Of the sons of Gad, by their generations and families and houses of their kindreds were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,

The descendants of Gad, men aged twenty or over, were recorded by name according to the genealogical records of their tribe and families. All those registered who could serve in the army

25 Forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.

from the tribe of Gad totaled 45,650.

26 Of the sons of Juda, by their generations and families and houses of their kindreds, by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,

The descendants of Judah, men aged twenty or older, were recorded by name according to the genealogical records of their tribe and families. All those registered who could serve in the army

27 Were reckoned up seventy-four thousand six hundred.

from the tribe of Judah, totaled 74,600.

28 Of the sons of Issachar, by their generations and families and houses of their kindreds, by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that could go forth to war,

The descendants of Issachar, men aged twenty or older, were recorded by name according to the genealogical records of their tribe and families. All those registered who could serve in the army

29 Were reckoned up fifty-four thousand four hundred.

from the tribe of Issachar, totaled 54,400.

30 Of the sons of Zabulon, by the generations and families and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,

The descendants of Zebulun, men aged twenty or older, were recorded by name according to the genealogical records of their tribe and families. All those registered who could serve in the army

31 Fifty-seven thousand four hundred.

from the tribe of Zebulun, totaled 57,400.

32 Of the sons of Joseph, namely, of the sons of Ephraim, by the generations and families and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,

The descendants of Joseph: the descendants of Ephraim, men aged twenty or older, were recorded by name according to the genealogical records of their tribe and families. All those registered who could serve in the army

33 Forty thousand five hundred.

from the tribe of Ephraim, totaled 40,500.

34 Moreover of the sons of Manasses, by the generations and families and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that could go forth to war,

And the descendants of Manasseh, men aged twenty or older, were recorded by name according to the genealogical records of their tribe and families. All those registered who could serve in the army

35 Thirty-two thousand two hundred.

from the tribe of Manasseh, totaled 32,200.

36 Of the sons of Benjamin, by their generations and families and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,

The descendants of Benjamin, men aged twenty or older, were recorded by name according to the genealogical records of their tribe and families. All those registered who could serve in the army

37 Thirty-five thousand four hundred.

from the tribe of Benjamin, totaled 35,400.

38 Of the sons of Dan, by their generations and families and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,

The descendants of Dan, men aged twenty or older, were recorded by name according to the genealogical records of their tribe and families. All those registered who could serve in the army

39 Sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

from the tribe of Dan, totaled 62,700.

40 Of the sons of Aser, by their generations and families and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,

The descendants of Asher, men aged twenty or older, were recorded by name according to the genealogical records of their tribe and families. All those registered who could serve in the army

41 Forty-one thousand and five hundred.

from the tribe of Asher, totaled 41,500.

42 Of the sons of Nephtali, by their generations and families and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war,

The descendants of Naphtali, men aged twenty or older, were recorded by name according to the genealogical records of their tribe and families. All those registered who could serve in the army

43 Fifty-three thousand four hundred.

from the tribe of Naphtali, totaled 53,400.

44 These era they who were numbered by Moses and Aaron, and the twelve princes of Israel, every one by the houses of their kindreds.

These were the totals of the men counted and registered by Moses and Aaron, with the help of the twelve leaders of Israel, who each represented their family.

45 And the whole number of the children of Israel by their houses and families, from twenty years old and upward, that were able to go to war,

In this way all the Israelite men aged twenty or older who were able to serve in Israel's army were registered according to their families.

46 Were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty men.

The sum total of those registered was 603,550.

47 But the Levites in the tribes of their families were not numbered with them.

However, the Levites were not registered with the others according to their tribe and families.

48 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

This was because the Lord had told Moses,

49 Number not the tribe of Levi, neither shalt thou put down the sum of them with the children of Israel:

“Don't register the tribe of Levi; don't count them in the census with the other Israelites.

50 But appoint them over the tabernacle of the testimony, and all the vessels thereof, and whatsoever pertaineth to the ceremonies. They shall carry the tabernacle and all the furniture thereof: and they shall minister, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.

Put the Levites in charge of the Tabernacle and of the Testimony, as well as all its furniture and everything it contains. They are the ones responsible for carrying the Tabernacle and all its items. They are to care for it, and to make their camp around it.

51 When you are to go forward, the Levites shall take down the tabernacle: when you are to camp, they shall set it up. What stranger soever cometh to it, shall be slain.

When it's time to move the Tabernacle, the Levites shall take it down, and when it's time to make camp, the Levites shall put it up. Any outsider who goes near it must be put to death.

52 And the children of Israel shall camp every man by his troops and bands and army.

The Israelites are to make camp according to their tribal divisions, each person in their own camp under their own flag.

53 But the Levites shall pitch their tents round about the tabernacle, lest there come indignation upon the multitude of the children of Israel, and they shall keep watch, and guard the tabernacle of the testimony.

But the Levites are to set up their camp around the Tabernacle of the Testimony to stop anyone making me angry with the Israelites. The Levites are responsible for looking after the Tabernacle of the Testimony.”

54 And the children of Israel did according to all things which the Lord had commanded Moses.

The Israelites did everything that the Lord ordered Moses that they should do.