Numbers 1:45
So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel;
Original Language Analysis
וַיִּֽהְי֛וּ
H1961
וַיִּֽהְי֛וּ
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
1 of 15
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
כָּל
H3605
כָּל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
2 of 15
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
פְּקוּדֵ֥י
So were all those that were numbered
H6485
פְּקוּדֵ֥י
So were all those that were numbered
Strong's:
H6485
Word #:
3 of 15
to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit, etc
מִבֶּ֨ן
of the children
H1121
מִבֶּ֨ן
of the children
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
4 of 15
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
in Israel
H3478
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
in Israel
Strong's:
H3478
Word #:
5 of 15
he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
לְבֵ֣ית
by the house
H1004
לְבֵ֣ית
by the house
Strong's:
H1004
Word #:
6 of 15
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
אֲבֹתָ֑ם
of their fathers
H1
אֲבֹתָ֑ם
of their fathers
Strong's:
H1
Word #:
7 of 15
father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
מִבֶּ֨ן
of the children
H1121
מִבֶּ֨ן
of the children
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
8 of 15
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
וָמַ֔עְלָה
and upward
H4605
וָמַ֔עְלָה
and upward
Strong's:
H4605
Word #:
11 of 15
properly,the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etc
כָּל
H3605
כָּל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
12 of 15
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
יֹצֵ֥א
all that were able to go forth
H3318
יֹצֵ֥א
all that were able to go forth
Strong's:
H3318
Word #:
13 of 15
to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim
Historical Context
The census counted males twenty years and older, capable of military service (Numbers 1:3). This excluded women, children, and elderly men, meaning Israel's total population was likely 2-2.5 million people—a massive undertaking to organize and sustain in the wilderness.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's exhaustive knowledge of Israel encourage confidence in His personal knowledge of each believer today?
- What does the census's focus on military-age men teach us about the connection between covenant privilege and covenant responsibility?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
The summary of 'all those numbered of the children of Israel' emphasizes comprehensiveness in God's knowledge and care. Not one Israelite escaped God's notice or fell outside His providential ordering. This exhaustive documentation prefigures God's intimate knowledge of His people under the New Covenant, where He knows His sheep by name (John 10:3) and numbers even the hairs on their heads (Matthew 10:30). The census thus becomes a physical demonstration of God's omniscient care.