From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.
Parallel translations
- WEB from twenty years old and upward, all who are able to go out to war in Israel. You and Aaron shall count them by their divisions.
- BSB You and Aaron are to number those who are twenty years of age or older by their divisions—everyone who can serve in Israel’s army.
- NKJV from twenty years old and above—all who are able to go to war in Israel. You and Aaron shall number them by their armies.
- NASB from twenty years old and upward, whoever is able to go to war in Israel. You and Aaron shall count them by their armies.
- NLT twenty years old or older who are able to go to war. You and Aaron must register the troops,
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
The men counted are those twenty and older who are able to serve in war. The census prepares Israel as an army for the conquest of the promised land.
Overview
This was a military muster, identifying the fighting strength of the nation as it readied to march toward Canaan. Moses and Aaron, leaders in both civil and priestly spheres, oversee the count, showing the joining of authority and worship in Israel. The conquest points forward to the greater rest secured by Christ (Heb. 4:8-9).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Exod 30:14Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD.
- Num 14:29Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me,
- Num 26:2Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, throughout their fathers’ house, all that are able to go to war in Israel.
- Exod 12:17And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.
- Deut 3:18And I commanded you at that time, saying, The LORD your God hath given you this land to possess it: ye shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel, all that are meet for the war.
- Num 33:1These are the journeys of the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron.
- Deut 24:5When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.
- 2 Sam 24:9And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.
- Num 32:11Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me:
- 2 Chr 26:11–13Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king’s captains.
- 2 Chr 17:13–18And he had much business in the cities of Judah: and the men of war, mighty men of valour, were in Jerusalem.
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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 1:3 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.