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These are the names of the men who are to assist you: From the tribe of Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur;
Numbers 1:5 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB These are the names of the men who shall stand with you: Of Reuben: Elizur the son of Shedeur.
  • KJV And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you: of the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur.
  • NKJV “These are the names of the men who shall stand with you: from Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur;
  • NASB These then are the names of the men who shall stand with you: of the tribe of Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur;
  • NLT “These are the tribes and the names of the leaders who will assist you: Tribe LeaderReuben Elizur son of Shedeur

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 tribal representatives are named, beginning with Elizur of Reuben. Naming each leader shows God's care for individuals within the covenant community.

Overview

The list of named princes records real men entrusted with real responsibility, underscoring that God's purposes advance through particular people. Reuben heads the list as Jacob's firstborn, though the birthright privileges had passed to others (1 Chron. 5:1). The careful naming reflects the dignity God gives to those who serve Him.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 11

  • Num 7:30On the fourth day Elizur son of Shedeur, the leader of the Reubenites, drew near.
  • Gen 29:32–35And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”
  • Gen 30:5–20and Bilhah conceived and bore him a son.
  • Gen 35:17–26During her severe labor, the midwife said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you are having another son.”
  • Gen 49:1–33Then Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather around so that I can tell you what will happen to you in the days to come:
  • Deut 33:1–29This is the blessing that Moses the man of God pronounced upon the Israelites before his death.
  • Num 2:10On the south side, the divisions of Reuben are to camp under their standard: The leader of the Reubenites is Elizur son of Shedeur,
  • Num 10:18Then the divisions of the camp of Reuben set out under their standard, with Elizur son of Shedeur in command.
  • Rev 7:4–8And I heard the number of those who were sealed, 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel:
  • Gen 46:8–24Now these are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn.
  • Exod 1:2–5Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

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 1:5YouTube · 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 1:5 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.