Numbers 3:34

Authorized King James Version

And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
וּפְקֻֽדֵיהֶם֙
And those that were numbered
to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit, etc
#2
בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר
of them according to the number
a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite (large, innumerable; small, a few); also (abstractly) narration
#3
כָּל
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
#4
זָכָ֔ר
of all the males
properly, remembered, i.e., a male (of man or animals, as being the most noteworthy sex)
#5
מִבֶּן
old
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
#6
חֹ֖דֶשׁ
from a month
the new moon; by implication, a month
#7
וָמָ֑עְלָה
and upward
properly,the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etc
#8
שֵׁ֥שֶׁת
were six
six (as an overplus beyond five or the fingers of the hand); as ordinal, sixth
#9
אֲלָפִ֖ים
thousand
hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand
#10
וּמָאתָֽיִם׃
and two hundred
a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

The historical context of the biblical period relevant to this book's composition provides crucial background for understanding this verse. The historical and cultural milieu of the biblical world informed the author's theological expression and the audience's understanding. The the cultural context of the biblical world would have shaped how the original audience understood divine revelation. Archaeological and historical evidence reveals Archaeological discoveries continue to illuminate the historical context of biblical texts.

Questions for Reflection

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