Then the Lord said to Moses, “Count every firstborn male of the sons of Israel from a month old and upward, and make a list of their names.
Parallel translations
- WEB Yahweh said to Moses, “Count all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.
- KJV And the LORD said unto Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.
- BSB Then the LORD said to Moses, “Number every firstborn male of the Israelites a month old or more, and list their names.
- NKJV Then the Lord said to Moses: “Number all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and above, and take the number of their names.
- NLT Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now count all the firstborn sons in Israel who are one month old or older, and make a list of their names.
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
God told Moses to count all Israel's firstborn males a month old and upward. This census would be matched against the Levites.
Overview
The Lord commanded a count of the firstborn sons of all Israel to compare with the Levite total. This numbering set up the divine exchange in which Levites stood in for the firstborn. The careful accounting reflects God's exact claim on every firstborn that belonged to Him by right of redemption.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Num 3:15“Count the children of Levi by their fathers’ houses, by their families. You shall count every male from a month old and upward.”
- 2 Tim 2:19However God’s firm foundation stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.”
- Phil 4:3Yes, I beg you also, true partner, help these women, for they labored with me in the Good News, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
- Rev 14:4These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed by Jesus from among men, the first fruits to God and to the Lamb.
- Rev 3:5He who overcomes will be arrayed in white garments, and I will in no way blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
- Luke 10:20Nevertheless, don’t rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
- Num 3:45“Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock; and the Levites shall be mine. I am Yahweh.
- Num 3:12“Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn who open the womb among the children of Israel; and the Levites shall be mine:
- Heb 12:23to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,
- Ps 87:6Yahweh will count, when he writes up the peoples, “This one was born there.” Selah.
- Exod 32:26–29then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on Yahweh’s side, come to me!” All the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.
- Isa 4:3It will happen, that he who is left in Zion, and he who remains in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even everyone who is written among the living in Jerusalem;
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 3:40 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.