Limitless Word
those registered to the tribe of Reuben numbered 46,500.
Numbers 1:21 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Reuben, were forty-six thousand five hundred.
  • KJV Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.
  • NKJV those who were numbered of the tribe of Reuben were forty-six thousand five hundred.
  • NASB their numbered men of the tribe of Reuben were 46,500.

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

Quick answer

Reuben's fighting men number 46,500. The first tribe's strength is recorded.

Overview

The specific total for Reuben begins the tribal tallies that demonstrate God's faithfulness in multiplying Israel from a small family into a great nation, as promised to Abraham (Gen. 15:5). The numbers also reveal the considerable military force God was preparing for the conquest. Each figure testifies to God's covenant blessing of fruitfulness.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 2

  • Num 26:7These were the clans of Reuben, and their registration numbered 43,730.
  • Num 2:10–11On the south side, the divisions of Reuben are to camp under their standard: The leader of the Reubenites is Elizur son of Shedeur,

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Numbers videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Numbers 1:21YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on NumbersMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 1:21 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.