Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 1:45
So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel;
45, 46. all they that were numberedwere six hundred thousand, &c.What an astonishing increasefrom seventy-five persons who went down to Egypt about two hundredfifteen years before [see on Ge 46:8],and who were subjected to the greatest privations and hardships! Andyet this enumeration was restricted to men from twenty years andupwards [Nu 1:3]. Includingwomen, children, and old men, together with the Levites, the wholepopulation of Israel, on the ordinary principles of computation,amounted to about 2,400,000.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel,…. Of all the tribes, excepting Levi, that is, all the sums of the number of the children of Israel; all put together made the sum total given in the next verse:
by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel; all in every tribe, family, and house, that were above twenty years of age, healthful and strong, and fit for war.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
‘So all those who were numbered of the children of Israel by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war in Israel, even all those who were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.’
So all the adult males among the children of Israel, apart from the Levites, were numbered ‘by their fathers’ houses’ in readiness for war. And their number (assessment) was ‘six hundred thousand and three thousand, five hundred and fifty’. This possibly represented 598 mighty men (or families/military officers), combined with five large units, five medium units and a fifty. Compare Exo 13:18 where marching was ‘by fives’. The general numbers all convey symbolism. By combining the 598 mighty men with the five large units we get the numbers 603. Six is twice three and therefore completeness intensified, while three is emphasising that completeness. This is a perfectly complete army. The multiples of five stress their place among the covenant people. This is the essence of the number. They are the complete covenant army. Its agreement with the amount of silver used in the Sanctuary also meant that they were represented in the Sanctuary by the silver used there. They were a sacred army and ever in Yahweh’s presence through the silver contained in the Dwellingplace, which among other things acted as an atonement for them once they had been numbered (see Introduction and Exo 30:11-16).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Reciprocal: Num 14:29 – all that were