1One day in midspring, during the second year after Israel's departure from Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses in the Tabernacle in the wilderness of Sinai. He said,
2"Take a census of the whole community of Israel by their clans and families. List the names of all the men
3twenty years old or older who are able to go to war. You and Aaron are to direct the project,
4assisted by one family leader from each tribe."
5These are the tribes and the names of the leaders chosen for the task: Reuben....................... Elizur son of Shedeur
6Simeon................. Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai
7Judah.................... Nahshon son of Amminadab
8Issachar........................ Nethanel son of Zuar
9Zebulun......................... Eliab son of Helon
10Ephraim son of Joseph...... Elishama son of Ammihud Manasseh son of Joseph...... Gamaliel son of Pedahzur
11Benjamin.................... Abidan son of Gideoni
12Dan................... Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai
13Asher......................... Pagiel son of Ocran
14Gad......................... Eliasaph son of Deuel
15Naphtali........................ Ahira son of Enan
16These tribal leaders, heads of their own families, were chosen from among all the people.
17Now Moses and Aaron and the chosen leaders
18called together the whole community of Israel on that very day. All the people were registered according to their ancestry by their clans and families. The men of Israel twenty years old or older were registered, one by one,
19just as the LORD had commanded Moses. So Moses counted the people there in the wilderness of Sinai.
20This is the number of men twenty years old or older who were able to go to war, each listed according to his own clan and family: Reuben (Jacob's oldest son)...... 46,500
21
22Simeon..................... 59,300
23
24Gad........................ 45,650
25
26Judah...................... 74,600
27
28Issachar.................... 54,400
29
30Zebulun.................... 57,400
31
32Ephraim son of Joseph........ 40,500
33
34Manasseh son of Joseph........ 32,200
35
36Benjamin................... 35,400
37
38Dan........................ 62,700
39
40Asher...................... 41,500
41
42Naphtali.................... 53,400
43
44These were the men counted by Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel, all listed according to their ancestral descent.
45They were counted by families--all the men of Israel who were twenty years old or older and able to go to war.
46The total number was 603,550.
47But this total did not include the Levites.
48For the LORD had said to Moses,
49"Exempt the tribe of Levi from the census; do not include them when you count the rest of the Israelites.
50You must put the Levites in charge of the Tabernacle of the Covenant, along with its furnishings and equipment. They must carry the Tabernacle and its equipment as you travel, and they must care for it and camp around it.
51Whenever the Tabernacle is moved, the Levites will take it down and set it up again. Anyone else who goes too near the Tabernacle will be executed.
52Each tribe of Israel will have a designated camping area with its own family banner.
53But the Levites will camp around the Tabernacle of the Covenant to offer the people of Israel protection from the LORD's fierce anger. The Levites are responsible to stand guard around the Tabernacle."
54So the Israelites did everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.