Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 1:21
Those that were numbered of them, [even] of the tribe of Reuben, [were] forty and six thousand and five hundred.
Those that were numbered of them, [even] of the tribe of Reuben, [were] forty and six thousand and five hundred. 46,500 men.
[See comments on Nu 1:20].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
21. Those that were numbered That is, mustered or marshalled on the basis of the prior enumeration in Exo 38:26, the total of which agrees with that here given. About thirty-eight years after this census another was taken on the table-lands of Moab, east of the Jordan, just before entering into Canaan. We tabulate the results for the convenience of the reader. They eloquently portray the hardships of that wilderness-life during more than a third of a century in which the people actually decreased instead of doubling their number, as they doubtless would have done even in Egyptian servitude:
1st Cen. 2d Cen. Ch. 1. Ch. 26. 1. Judah 74,600 76,500 2. Dan 62,700 64,400 3. Simeon 59,300 22,200 4. Zebulun 57,400 60,500 5. Issachar 54,400 64,300 6. Naphtali 53,400 45,400 7. Reuben 46,500 43,730 8. Gad 45,650 40,500 9. Asher 41,500 53,400 10. Ephraim 40,500 32,500 11. Benjamin 35,400 45,600 12. Manasseh 32,200 52,700 Total 603,550 601,730 It is a corroborative proof of the correctness of this census that the totals, when arranged in the order of magnitude, correspond nearly with the order of birth of the heads of the tribes. Judah, Simeon, Dan, and Naphtali, among the six oldest, are among the six highest. The sons of Joseph Ephraim and Manasseh though each less than the average of the other tribes, because a generation later, yet, counted as one, rank second in the first census and first in the second census. Hence the prediction, Joseph shall be a fruitful bough, is fulfilled. Yet Dr. Adam Clarke sees “no very satisfactory reason for so great a difference” between Judah, of the first generation, and Manasseh, of the second. The real comparison is between Joseph’s descendants and Judah’s. There is only a difference of nineteen hundred. It will be observed that the lowest denomination of figures is neither units nor tens, except Gad, but hundreds. This is a singular coincidence in the figures of a census. It is not reasonable to suppose such an occurrence would happen in eleven enumerations out of twelve. The explanation is, that as the chief reason for this first enumeration was the military organization of the nation, fractions of hundreds the smallest military division were rejected if less than fifty, and counted as even hundreds if above fifty. Or the supernumerary units may have balanced the losses from sickness or casualties, it being the purpose of the muster to exhibit the available military strength of the Hebrews. We observe the fulfilment of two predictions as already begun in the first census: 1, That relating to the precedence of Judah, foreseen by Jacob on his dying bed two hundred years before; (Gen 49:8😉 and, 2, That relating to the superiority of Ephraim, the younger, to Manasseh, the elder, predicted by the same patriarch. Gen 48:19-20. The decline in the second census was not permanent.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
That a comparative view may be easily taken of the state of the tribes, we will here produce them, compared with that of the second census – Num 26:1, in their decreasing proportion, beginning with the greatest and proceeding to the least.
Tribe1st Census2nd Census
Judah74,600 76,500
Dan62,700 64,400
Simeon59,300 22,200
Zebulun57,400 60,500
Issachar54,400 64,300
Naphtali53,400 45,400
Reuben46,500 43,730
Gad45,650 40,500
Asher41,500 53,400
Ephraim40,500 32,500
Benjamin35,400 45,600
Manasseh32,200 52,700
Totals:603,550601,730
Thus we find Judah the most populous tribe, and Manasseh the least so; the difference between them being as great as 42,000. Jacob had given Judah the pre-eminence in his prophetic blessing; and that tribe was to have the precedency in the encampments of Israel: accordingly God had increased them more than any of their brethren. Ephraim and Manasseh, according to the same prophecy, were numbered as distinct tribes, Ephraim having the superiority, as it was foretold; and Joseph indeed appears “a fruitful bough.” Num 2:10, Num 2:11, Num 26:7
Reciprocal: Gen 46:8 – Reuben Num 3:34 – General