Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Numbers 1:20-39
The Numbering or Assessment of the Tribes (excluding Levi).
(For more detail on these ‘numbers' see the Book Comments in e-Sword).
The tribes were now assessed tribe by tribe in order to give a total picture, (L=sons of Leah, R=sons of Rachel, B=sons of Bilhah, Z=sons of Zilpah), commencing with Jacob's firstborn, Reuben. The order is slightly unusual. Reuben (L), Simeon (L), Gad (Z), Judah (L), Issachar (L), Zebulun (L), Ephraim (R), Manasseh (R), Benjamin (R), Dan (B), Asher (Z), Naphtali (B). While on the whole the sons of the full wives are mentioned first, Gad (born of Zilpah) replaces Levi among the sons of Leah (L) for no obvious reason except that one of the concubine tribes had to join the Leah tribes in order to make up the ‘threes' once Levi dropped out, and Gad were noted for their resilience, fierceness and righteousness for Yahweh (Genesis 49:19; Deuteronomy 33:20). The ‘sons' of Rachel (R) then follow. After them come the other sons of the concubines Bilhah (B) and Zilpah (Z), not in sequence but seen as combined
‘And the children of Reuben, Israel's first-born, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, by their heads, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war, those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.'
The ‘numbering' or ‘assessment', whatever it actually involved, was carried out methodically according to their family history (toledoth) commencing with the clan, then with the wider family groupings, then with the smaller groupings (the number of the names, compare Numbers 1:18), then with the individuals (‘the heads'). All in the tribe of Reuben were mobilised amounting to forty six 'lph (wider families/ military officers) and five ‘hundreds' (men in five military or social units) ready for war.
We note here that Reuben is named first, and declared to be ‘the firstborn of Israel', distinguishing his status (see also Numbers 26:5). Thus the sons of Rachel and the concubines were not seen as including ‘firstborns'. There was only one firstborn in the family, the firstborn of the father.
‘Of the children of Simeon, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers' houses, those that were numbered of them according to the number of the names, by their heads, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war, those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.'
A similar mobilisation took place for the tribe of Simeon, amounting to fifty nine wider families/military officers and three ‘hundreds' (men in three military or social units) ready for war.
Note again the grading downwards. Clans, fathers' houses, the number of the names, the ‘heads' (individuals).
‘Of the children of Gad, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war, those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Gad, were forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty.'
A similar mobilisation took place for the tribe of Gad, amounting to forty five wider families/military officers and six ‘hundreds' (men in six military or social units) and a ‘fifty' (a smaller military or social unit). The addition of the fifty may confirm that this is a serious ‘numbering', that while it is not a strict head count, it is not just a rough estimate. But it may be that the people would have expected that there would be this odd unit attached to one of the tribes, possibly representing the total of non-Israelite non-absorbed resident aliens combining with the army. Or it may be intended to signify covenant connection of the whole (five intensified). The fact that the Levites also contained a fifty suggests the second is nearer to the truth.
“By their clans, by their fathers” houses, according to the number of the names.' We note that at this point the ‘heads' are dropped out. The concern is with units not individuals.
‘Of the children of Judah, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war, those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Judah, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.'
A similar mobilisation took place for the tribe of Judah, amounting to seventy four families/military officers and six ‘hundreds' (men in six military units) ready for war.
‘Of the children of Issachar, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war, those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.'
A similar mobilisation took place for the tribe of Issachar, amounting to fifty four families/military officers and four ‘hundreds' (men in four military units) ready for war.
‘Of the children of Zebulun, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war, those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.'
A similar mobilisation took place for the tribe of Zebulun, amounting to fifty seven families/military officers and four ‘hundreds' (men in four military units) ready for war.
‘Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war, those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred.'
A similar mobilisation took place for the tribe of Ephraim, of Joseph, amounting to forty families/military officers and five ‘hundreds' (men in five military units) ready for war.
‘Of the children of Manasseh, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war, those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.'
A similar mobilisation took place for the tribe of Manasseh (of Joseph) amounting to thirty two families/military officers and two ‘hundreds' (men in two military units) ready for war.
‘Of the children of Benjamin, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war, those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.'
A similar mobilisation took place for the tribe of Benjamin, amounting to thirty five families/military officers and four ‘hundreds' (men in four military units) ready for war.
‘Of the children of Dan, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war, those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.'
A similar mobilisation took place for the tribe of Dan, amounting to sixty two families/military officers and seven ‘hundreds' (men in seven military units) ready for war.