These are those who were called of the congregation, the princes of the tribes of their fathers; they were the heads of the thousands of Israel.
Parallel translations
- KJV These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.
- BSB These men were appointed from the congregation; they were the leaders of the tribes of their fathers, the heads of the clans of Israel.
- NKJV These were chosen from the congregation, leaders of their fathers’ tribes, heads of the divisions in Israel.
- NASB These are the men who were called from the congregation, the leaders of their fathers’ tribes; they were the heads of divisions of Israel.”
- NLT These are the chosen leaders of the community, the leaders of their ancestral tribes, the heads of the clans of Israel.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
These named men are summarized as the appointed leaders and heads of Israel's clans. God's people are governed through recognized, called leadership.
Overview
The verse identifies the twelve as the 'called' representatives, chosen for their role. They are heads of the 'thousands,' the military and clan divisions of Israel. Their calling reflects how God raises up leaders to serve His people in orderly fashion, a pattern continued in the leadership of the church.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Num 7:2the princes of Israel, the heads of their fathers’ houses, offered. These were the princes of the tribes. These are they who were over those who were counted:
- Exod 18:21Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men which fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
- Exod 18:25Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
- Num 26:9The sons of Eliab: Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. These are that Dathan and Abiram, who were called by the congregation, who rebelled against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they rebelled against Yahweh,
- Num 16:2They rose up before Moses, with some of the children of Israel, two hundred fifty princes of the congregation, called to the assembly, men of renown.
- Num 1:4With you there shall be a man of every tribe; everyone head of his fathers’ house.
- 1 Chr 27:16–22Furthermore over the tribes of Israel: of the Reubenites was Eliezer the son of Zichri the ruler; of the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maacah;
- Num 7:10–83The princes gave offerings for the dedication of the altar in the day that it was anointed, even the princes gave their offerings before the altar.
- Judg 6:15He said to him, “O Lord, how shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”
- 1 Sam 22:7Saul said to his servants who stood around him, “Hear now, you Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse give everyone of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds,
- 1 Sam 23:23See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides himself, and come again to me with certainty, and I will go with you. It shall happen, if he is in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”
- Num 11:17I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit which is on you, and will put it on them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you not bear it yourself alone.
- Num 10:14–27First, the standard of the camp of the children of Judah went forward according to their armies. Nahshon the son of Amminadab was over his army.
- Deut 1:15So I took the heads of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties, and captains of tens, and officers, according to your tribes.
- Num 2:3–31Those who encamp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the standard of the camp of Judah, according to their divisions: and the prince of the children of Judah shall be Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
- Mic 5:2But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 1:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.