The Census of Israel's Warriors

(Numbers 26:1-4)

1And the Lord spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai in the tabernacle of the covenant, the first day of the second month, the second year of their going out of Egypt, saying: 2Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel by their families, and houses, and the names of every one, as many as are of the male sex, 3From twenty years old and upwards, of all the men of Israel fit for war, and you shall number them by their troops, thou and Aaron. 4And there shall be with you the princes of the tribes, and of the houses in their kindreds,

The Princes of the Tribes

5Whose names are these: Of Ruben, Elisur the son of Sedeur. 6Of Simeon, Salamiel the son of Surisaddai. 7Of Juda, Nahasson the son of Aminadab. 8Of Issachar, Nathanael the son of Suar. 9Of Zabulon, Eliab the son of Helon. 10And of the sons of Joseph: of Ephraim, Elisama the son of Ammiud: of Manasses, Gamaliel the son of Phadassur. 11Of Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gedeon. 12Of Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammisaddai. 13Of Aser, Phegiel the son of Ochran. 14Of Gad, Eliasaph the son of Duel. 15Of Nephtali, Ahira the son of Enan. 16These are the most noble princes of the multitude by their tribes and kindreds, and the chiefs of the army of Israel:

The Number of Every Tribe

17Whom Moses and Aaron took with all the multitude of the common people: 18And assembled them on the first day of the second month, reckoning them up by the kindreds, and houses, and families, and heads, and names of every one from twenty years old and upward, 19As the Lord had commanded Moses. And they were numbered in the desert of Sinai.

20Of Ruben the eldest son of Israel, by their generations and families and houses and names of every head, all that were of the male sex, from twenty years old and upward, that were able to go forth to war, 21Were forty-six thousand five hundred.

22Of the sons of Simeon by their generations and families, and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names and heads of every one, all that were of the male sex, from twenty years old and upward, that were able to go forth to war, 23Fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

24Of the sons of Gad, by their generations and families and houses of their kindreds were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war, 25Forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.

26Of the sons of Juda, by their generations and families and houses of their kindreds, by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war, 27Were reckoned up seventy-four thousand six hundred.

28Of the sons of Issachar, by their generations and families and houses of their kindreds, by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that could go forth to war, 29Were reckoned up fifty-four thousand four hundred.

30Of the sons of Zabulon, by the generations and families and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war, 31Fifty-seven thousand four hundred.

32Of the sons of Joseph, namely, of the sons of Ephraim, by the generations and families and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war, 33Forty thousand five hundred.

34Moreover of the sons of Manasses, by the generations and families and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that could go forth to war, 35Thirty-two thousand two hundred.

36Of the sons of Benjamin, by their generations and families and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war, 37Thirty-five thousand four hundred.

38Of the sons of Dan, by their generations and families and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war, 39Sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

40Of the sons of Aser, by their generations and families and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war, 41Forty-one thousand and five hundred.

42Of the sons of Nephtali, by their generations and families and houses of their kindreds, were reckoned up by the names of every one from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war, 43Fifty-three thousand four hundred.

44These era they who were numbered by Moses and Aaron, and the twelve princes of Israel, every one by the houses of their kindreds. 45And the whole number of the children of Israel by their houses and families, from twenty years old and upward, that were able to go to war, 46Were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty men.

Levites Exempted

47But the Levites in the tribes of their families were not numbered with them. 48And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 49Number not the tribe of Levi, neither shalt thou put down the sum of them with the children of Israel: 50But appoint them over the tabernacle of the testimony, and all the vessels thereof, and whatsoever pertaineth to the ceremonies. They shall carry the tabernacle and all the furniture thereof: and they shall minister, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. 51When you are to go forward, the Levites shall take down the tabernacle: when you are to camp, they shall set it up. What stranger soever cometh to it, shall be slain. 52And the children of Israel shall camp every man by his troops and bands and army. 53But the Levites shall pitch their tents round about the tabernacle, lest there come indignation upon the multitude of the children of Israel, and they shall keep watch, and guard the tabernacle of the testimony. 54And the children of Israel did according to all things which the Lord had commanded Moses.