Numbers 1:5

_AND THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE MEN THAT SHALL STAND WITH YOU: OF THE TRIBE OF REUBEN; ELIZUR THE SON OF SHEDEUR._ These are the names ... Each is designated by adding the name of the ancestors of his tribe, the people of which were called (Numbers 1:20; Numbers 1:22, etc.) "Beni-Reuben, Beni-Simeon," sons of Reuben, sons of Simeon, according to the custom of the Arabs still, as well as other nations which are divided into clans, as the Macs of Scotland, the Aps of Wales, and the O's and Fitz's of Ireland (Chalmers). The tribe of Joseph, consisting of two divisions, furnished two numerators. The tribe of Levi, being exempted from military service, was not represented on this occasion, though afterward when numbered for a different purpose, the princes of Levi are mentioned ...

1-43 The people were numbered to show God's faithfulness in thus increasing the seed of Jacob, that they might be the better trained for the wars and conquest of Canaan, and to ascertain their families in order to the division of the land. It is said of each tribe, that those were numbered who were able to go forth to war; they had wars before them, though now they met with no opposition. Let the believer be prepared to withstand the enemies of his soul, though all may appear to be peace....

The princes of the tribes, selected Numbers 1:4 under divine direction, were for the most part the same persons as those chosen a few months previously at the counsel of Jethro Exodus 18:21. Nahshon, prince of Judah, is mentioned in Exodus 6:23, and Elishama, in 1 Chronicles 7:26. The peers of men like these were no doubt entitled, among their fellows, to the epithet “renowned,” Numbers 1:16....

THE CENSUS OF SINAI (Numbers 1:1). EXPOSITION THE CENSUS DIVINELY COMMANDED (Numbers 1:1). NUMBERS 1:1 IN THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION—where the Lord spake with Moses "face to face" (Exodus 33:11), and where all the laws of Leviticus had been given (Leviticus 1:1). ON the first day of the second month, in the second yea

AND THESE [ARE] THE NAMES OF THE MEN THAT SHALL STAND WITH YOU,.... Be present with Moses and Aaron when numbering the people; not merely as spectators of the affair, and inspectors of the accounts, but as assistants in the work; each man in his tribe, being best acquainted with the families and houses in it; and these men were not pitched upon by Moses and Aaron, nor chosen by their respective tribes, but were appointed and named by the Lord himself, which was doing them great honour: OF [THE TRIBE] OF REUBEN: or "for Reuben" c, for the taking the number of men in this tribe; and so of all the rest, see Numbers 1:44; ELIZUR THE SON OF SHEDEUR; from Numbers 1:5 the names of those several men are given, which were very proper for Moses and Aaron to know, though of little impo

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. THE PREPARATION FOR THE JOURNEY 1. The People Numbered CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The command to number (Numbers 1:1)_ 2. The appointed helpers for the work (Numbers 1:5) 3. The congregation assembled (Numbers 1:17) 4. The twelve tribes numbered (Numbers 1:20) 5. The Levites separated unto the tabernacle service (Numbers 1:47) It was exactly one month after the erection of the tabernacle that the Lord gave the commandment to Moses to number the people. This is seen by comparing

NUMBERS 1:1 (from P, which is used uninterruptedly as far as Numbers 10:28). THE NUMBERING OF THE SECULAR TRIBES. The date of this census is about eleven months after the arrival at Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:1), and exactly a month after the erection of the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:17). The numbering, which was to proceed by _families_ (_i.e._ by clans) and by _father_-'_ s houses_ (_i.e._ by families), was to embrace all men over twenty (who might be thought capable of bearing arms). In the undertaking, Moses and Aaron were to be assisted by a representative of each of the tribes. Since the method by which a large propo

THESE ARE THE NAMES. The order here. five sons of Leah, three of Rachel, one of Bilhah, two of Zilpah, and one of Bilhah. See App-45 for other orders of the names. MEN. Hebrew, plural of _'Ish_, or _'enosh._ See App-14....

Moses is directed to number the fighting men of Israel with the help of twelve princes....

AND THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE MEN, &C.— It is observable, that the tribes are placed not in the order of their birth, but of their mothers; first, the children of Leah, then of Rachel, and, after them, those of the two hand-maids. One cannot help remarking from most of the _names_ here, how much God was in the thoughts of those who imposed them upon their children; for Elizur signifies, _my God a rock;_ Shelumiel, _God my peace;_ Zuri-shaddai, _my God all-sufficient;_ Nethaneel, _the gift of God;_ Gamaliel, _God is my reward;_ and so of the rest. _Deuel,_ mentioned in the 14th verse, is called _Reuel,_ ch. Numbers 2:14 the letters _daleth_ and _resh_ being sometimes put one for the other....