1st day of the 2nd month, in 2nd year after the exodus from Egypt.
Census: For 12 tribes – males from age 20 and up; those who go out to legion in Israel.
12 tribal leaders:
Reuben: Elizur son of Shedeur
Simeon: Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai
Judah: Nachson son of Amminadab
Issachar: Nethanel son of Zuar
Zebulun: Eliab son of Helon
Joseph:
• Ephraim: Elishama son of Ammihud
• Manasseh: Gamaliel son of Pedahzur
Benjamin: Abidan son of Gideoni
Dan: Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai
Asher: Pagiel son of Ochran
Gad: Eliasaph son of Deuel
Naphtali: Ahira son of Enan
Census Totals
Reuben: 46,500
Simeon: 59,300
Gad: 45,650
Judah: 74,600
Issachar: 54,400
Zebulun: 57,400
Ephraim: 40,500
Manasseh: 32,200
Benjamin: 35,400
Dan: 62,700
Asher: 41,500
Naphtali: 53,400
Grand Total: 603,550
Levites are not counted in the census, until the redemption price is to be paid. They are in charged of carry the Tabernacle and all its utensils and they shall minister to it. They shall encamp around the Tabernacle. When the Tabernacle journeys the Levites shall take it down and when the Tabernacle encamps the Levites shall erect it and an alien who approaches shall die.
The Children of Israel shall encamp every man at his camp and every man at his banner, according to their legions. The Levites shall encamp around the Tabernacle of testimony so that there shall be no wrath upon the assembly of the children of Israel and the Levites shall safeguard the watch of the Tabernacle of the Testimony.
Arrangement of the 12 Tribes around the Tabernacle:
Traveling order:
Judah – Head of the East (front) side of the Tabernacle, followed by Issachar and Zebulun.
Reuben – Head of the South side of the Tabernacle, followed by Simeon and Gad.
Levites – all families are to travel next, along with the Tabernacle.
Ephraim – Head of the West side of the Tabernacle, followed by Manasseh and Benjamin.
Dan – Head of the North side of the Tabernacle, followed by Asher and Naphtali.
The Levites have been taken in the place of all the first born of Israel. Now Moses in allowed to take the census of the Levites. All males from the age of 1 month and up were to be counted for the census.
Moses and Aaron: encamped before the Tabernacle to the front, before the tent of Meeting to the east; Guardians of the charge of the Sanctuary, for the charge of the children of Israel; any alien who approaches shall die.
Sons of Aaron:
• Nadab – died without having children
• Abihu – died without having children
• Elazar – anointed Kohanim, was inaugurated to minister. The leader of the Levites leaders was Elazar, the assignment of the guardians of the charge of the sanctity.
o The charge of Elazar son of Aaron the Kohen is the oil of illumination, the incense spices, the meal offering of the continual offering, and the anointment oil – the charge of the entire Tabernacle and everything in it – of the Sanctuary and its utensils.
• Ithamar – anointed Kohanim, was inaugurated to minister.
• Aaron and his sons shall come and take down the Partition-curtain and cover the Ark of the Testimony with it. They shall place upon it a tachash-hide covering and spread a cloth entirely of turquoise wool over it and adjust it staves. Upon the Table of the show bread they shall spread a cloth of turquoise wool and place upon it the dishes, the spoons, the pillars, and the shelving-tubes; and the constant bread shall remain on it. They shall spread over them a cloth of scarlet wool and cover it with a cover of tachash hide, ad emplace its staves. They shall take a cloth of turquoise wool and cover the Menorah of illumination, and it’s lamps and its tongs and its spoons, and all the vessels of its oil, with which they minister to it. They shall place it and all its utensils into a cover of tachash-hide and place it on the pole. Upon the Gold Altar they shall spread a cloth of turquoise wool, and over it with a covering of tachash-hide and emplace its staves. They shall take all the utensils of service with which they serve in the Sanctuary and place them on a cloth of turquoise wool, and cover them with a covering of tachash-hide and place them on the pole. They shall clear the ash from the Altar and spread a cloth of purple wool over it, they shall place upon it all the utensils with which they minister upon it: the fire-pans, the forks, the shovels, and the basins – all the utensils of the Altar – and spread over it a covering of tachash hide, and emplace its staves.
The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
Gershon’s sons:
• Libni
• Shimei
Charge of the Gershonites – encamp behind the Tabernalce to the west. Total count 7500, there leader was Eliasaph, son of Lael. Responsibility for the Tent of Meeting was the Tabernacle, the Tent, its Cover, the Screen of the entrance of the Tent of meeting; the curtains of the Courtyard, the Screen of the entrance of the Courtyard that surrounded the Tabernacle and the Altar, and it’s ropes – for all its labor.
Kohath’s sons:
• Amram
• Izhar
• Hebron
• Uzziel
Charge of the Kohathites – encamp on the side of the Tabernacle to the south. They are the guardians of the charge of the sanctity. Total count 8600, there leader was Elizaphan son of Uzziel. There charge was the Ark, the Table, the Menorah, the Altars and the sacred utensils with which they would minister, the Partition and all its accessories.
Additional census done by Moses: Count all the sons of Kohath from 30 years of age and up until 50 years of age, everyone who comes to the legion to perform work in the Tent of Meeting.
This is the work of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting, the most holy. When the camp is to journey:
• Aaron and his sons shall finish covering the holy and all the holy utensils when the camp journeys, and then the sons of Kohath shall come to carry so that they not touch the Sanctuary and die. These are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting.
• Do not let the tribe of the Kohathite families be cut off from among of the Levites. Thus shall you do for them so that they shall live and not die: when they approach the Holy of the Holies, Aaron and his sons shall come and assign them, every man to his work and his burden. But they shall not come and look as the holy is inserted, lest they die.
Merari’s sons:
• Mahli
• Mushi
Charge of the Merarites – encamp on the side of the Tabernacle to the north. Total count 6200, there leader was Zuriel son of Abihail. The assignment of the charge of the sons of Merari was the planks of the Tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its sockets and all its utensils and all its accessories. The pillars of the Courtyard all around and their sockets, their pegs and their ropes.
Grand Total: 22,000
Moses was then to count every firstborn male of the Children of Israel from 1 month of age and up and the livestock of the Levites in place of every firstborn of the animals of the Children of Israel. Every firstborn male according to the number of their names, from one month of age and up, according to their numbers, was 22,273.
273 more firstborn of the Children of Israel and livestock than the number of the Levites and their livestock. Moses shall take 5 shekels and shall give the money to Aaron and his sons, as redemptions of the additional ones among them. The shekel is 20 geras. Total amount of shekels – 1365.