1The LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting. It was the first day of the second month, in the second year after they came out of the land of Egypt. He said,
2"Count the whole community of the children of Israel. Count them by their families and by their fathers' houses, listing the names of every male, one by one,"
3from twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go out to war. You and Aaron shall number them by their armies.
4With you there shall be a man from every tribe, each one the head of his father's house.
5These are the names of the men who shall stand with you: from the tribe of Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur;
6from Simeon, Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai;
7from Judah, Nahshon the son of Amminadab;
8from Issachar, Nethaneel the son of Zuar;
9from Zebulun, Eliab the son of Helon;
10from the children of Joseph: from Ephraim, Elishama the son of Ammihud; from Manasseh, Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur;
11from Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gideoni;
12from Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai;
13from Asher, Pagiel the son of Ocran;
14from Gad, Eliasaph the son of Deuel;
15"from Naphtali, Ahira the son of Enan."
16These were the men called from the community, the leaders of their fathers' tribes, the heads of thousands in Israel.
18and they gathered the whole community together on the first day of the second month. The people declared their family lines, by their families and by their fathers' houses, and their names were counted, from twenty years old and upward, one by one.
19So Moses numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai, just as the LORD had commanded him.
20The children of Reuben, the eldest son of Israel, were listed by their generations, by their families and by their fathers' houses. Their names were counted one by one, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war.
21Those who were numbered from the tribe of Reuben were forty-six thousand five hundred.
22The children of Simeon were listed by their generations, by their families and by their fathers' houses. Those who were numbered had their names counted one by one, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war.
23Those who were numbered from the tribe of Simeon were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.
24The children of Gad were listed by their generations, by their families and by their fathers' houses. Their names were counted, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war.
25Those who were numbered from the tribe of Gad were forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.
26The children of Judah were listed by their generations, by their families and by their fathers' houses. Their names were counted, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war.
27Those who were numbered from the tribe of Judah were seventy-four thousand six hundred.
28The children of Issachar were listed by their generations, by their families and by their fathers' houses. Their names were counted, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war.
29Those who were numbered from the tribe of Issachar were fifty-four thousand four hundred.
30The children of Zebulun were listed by their generations, by their families and by their fathers' houses. Their names were counted, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war.
31Those who were numbered from the tribe of Zebulun were fifty-seven thousand four hundred.
32The children of Joseph, that is, the children of Ephraim, were listed by their generations, by their families and by their fathers' houses. Their names were counted, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war.
33Those who were numbered from the tribe of Ephraim were forty thousand five hundred.
34The children of Manasseh were listed by their generations, by their families and by their fathers' houses. Their names were counted, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war.
35Those who were numbered from the tribe of Manasseh were thirty-two thousand two hundred.
36The children of Benjamin were listed by their generations, by their families and by their fathers' houses. Their names were counted, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war.
37Those who were numbered from the tribe of Benjamin were thirty-five thousand four hundred.
38The children of Dan were listed by their generations, by their families and by their fathers' houses. Their names were counted, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war.
39Those who were numbered from the tribe of Dan were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.
40The children of Asher were listed by their generations, by their families and by their fathers' houses. Their names were counted, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war.
41Those who were numbered from the tribe of Asher were forty-one thousand five hundred.
42The children of Naphtali were listed through their generations, by their families and by their fathers' houses. Their names were counted, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war.
43Those who were numbered from the tribe of Naphtali were fifty-three thousand four hundred.
44These are the ones who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron numbered, along with the leaders of Israel, twelve men. Each man stood for his father's house.
45So all the children of Israel were numbered by their fathers' houses, from twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who were able to go out to war.
46All those who were numbered were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty.
47But the Levites, by the tribe of their fathers, were not numbered among them.
48For the LORD had spoken to Moses, saying,
49"Only you shall not number the tribe of Levi, and you shall not count them among the children of Israel."
50Instead, you shall put the Levites in charge of the tabernacle of the testimony, and all its vessels, and everything that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its vessels. They shall serve it, and they shall camp around the tabernacle.
51When the tabernacle is to move on, the Levites shall take it down. When the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall put it up. Any stranger who comes near shall be put to death.
52The children of Israel shall pitch their tents, each man in his own camp and each man by his own flag, throughout their armies.
53"But the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that no wrath may fall on the community of the children of Israel. The Levites shall keep watch over the tabernacle of the testimony."
54The children of Israel did everything the LORD commanded Moses. That is what they did.