Annotations upon the Holy Bible. Vol. I wherein the sacred text is inserted, and various readings annex'd, together with parallel scriptures, the more difficult terms in each verse are explained, seeming contradictions reconciled, questions and doubts resolved, and the whole text opened / by the late reverend and learned divine Mr. Matthew Poole.

CHAP. I.

1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai a 1.1, in the tabernacle b 1.2 of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,

2 * 1.3 Take ye the sum c 1.4 of all the congregation of the children of Israel d 1.5, after their families, by the house of their fathers, e 1.6, with the number of their names, every male by their poll:

3 From twenty years old and upward † 1.7 all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.

4 And with you there shall be a man of every tribe f 1.8▪ every one head of the house of his fa∣thers.

5 And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you g 1.9: of the tribe of Reuben h 1.10; Elizur the son of Shedeur.

6 Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishad∣dai.

7 Of Judah; Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

8 Of Issachar; Nethaneel the son of Zuar.

9 Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon.

10 Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim; Elishama the son of Ammihud: of Manasseh; Ga∣maliel the son of Pedahzur.

11 Of Benjamin; Abidan the son of Gideoni.

12 Of Dan; Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

13 Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocran.

14 Of Gad; Eliasaph the son of Deuel i 1.11.

15 Of Naphtali; Ahira the son of Enan.

16 These were the renowned k 1.12 of the congre∣gation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands l 1.13 in Israel.

17 And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names.

18 And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees after their fa∣milies, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their poll.

19 As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbred them in the wilderness of Sinai.

20 And the children of Reuben, Israels eldest son, by their generations m 1.14, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war.

21 Those that were numbred of them, even of the tribe of Reuben, were fourty and six thousand and five hundred.

22 Of the children of Simeon, by their gene∣rations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, those that were numbred of them, ac∣cording to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and up∣ward, all that were able to go forth to war:

23 Those that were numbred of them, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.

24 Of the children of Gad, by their generati∣ons, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war:

25 Those that were numbred of them, even of the tribe of Gad, were fourty and five thousand six hundred and fifty.

26 Of the children of Judah, by their generati∣ons, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war:

27 Those that were numbred of them, even of the tribe of Judah, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred n 1.15.

28 Of the children of Issachar, by their gene∣rations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war:

29 Those that were numbred of them, even of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thou∣sand and four hundred.

30 Of the children of Zebulun, by their gene∣rations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war:

31 Those that were numbred of them, even of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thou∣sand and four hundred.

32 Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, ac∣cording to the number of the names, from twen∣ty years old, and upward, all that were able to go forth to war:

33 Those that were numbred of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were fourty thousand and five hundred o 1.16.

34 Of the children of Manasseh, by their ge∣nerations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war:

35 Those that were numbred of them, even of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thou∣sand and two hundred.

36 Of the children of Benjamin, by their ge∣nerations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war:

37 Those that were numbred of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thou∣sand and four hundred p 1.17.

38 Of the children of Dan, by their genera∣tions, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war:

39 Those that were numbred of them, even of the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thou∣sand and seven hundred.

40 Of the children of Asher, by their gene∣rations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war:

41 Those that were numbred of them, even of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.

42 Of the children of Naphtali, throughout their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and up∣ward, all that were able to go forth to war:

43 Those that were numbred of them, even of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three thou∣sand and four hundred.

44 These are those that were numbred, which Moses and Aaron numbred, and the princes of Is∣rael, being twelve men: each one was for the house of his fathers.

45 So were all those that were numbred 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:

46 Even all they that were numbred, were * 1.18 six hundred thousand and three thousand, and five hundred and fifty.

47 But the Levites after the tribe of their fa∣thers, were not numbred among them.

48 For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying,

49 Onely thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi q 1.19, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel.

50 But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony r 1.20, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof, and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.

51 And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the ta∣bernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger s 1.21 that cometh nigh t 1.22, shall be put to death.

52 And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts.

53 But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath u 1.23 upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge x 1.24 of the ta∣bernacle of testimony.

54 And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Where now they had been a full year or near it, as may be gathered by comparing this place with Exod. 19. 1. and 40. 17. and other places.
• b 1.2

  From the mercy-seat.
• * 1.3

  Exod. 30. 12.
• c 1.4

  This is not the same muster with that Exod. 38. 26. as plainly appears because that was before the building of the Ta∣bernacle, which was built and setup on the first day of the first moneth, Exod. 40. 2. but this was after it, to wit, on the first day of the se∣cond moneth, as is said ver. 1. And they were for differing ends, that was to tax them for the charges of the Tabernacle, but this was for other ends, partly that the great number of the people might be known to the praise of Gods faithfulness in making good his promises of multiplying them, and to their own com∣fort and encouragement, partly for the better ordering of their camp and march, for they were now beginning their journey, and partly that this account might be compared with the other in the close of the book, where we read that not one of all this vast number, except Caleb and Ioshua, were left alive, which was an evident discovery of the mischievous nature of sin, by which so vast a company were destroyed, and a fair warning to all future generations to take heed of rebelling against the Lord for which their ancestours had been so dreadfully plagued even to extirpation. It is true the sums and numbers agree in this and that computation, which is not strange, because there was not much time between the two numbrings and no eminent sin among the people in that interval, whereby God was provoked to diminish their numbers. Some conceive, that in that num∣ber, Exod. 30. and 38. the Levites were included, which are here excepted ver. 47. and that in that interval of time there were grown up as many more men of those years as there were Levites of the same age.
• d 1.5

  So the strangers mixed with them were not numbred.
• e 1.6

  The people were divided into twelve Tribes, the Tribes into great Families Num. 26. 5. these great Families into lesser Families called the houses of their fathers, be∣cause they were distinguished one from another by their fathers.
• † 1.7

  Heb. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that goith 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪
• f 1.8

  To inspect the work, that it might be faithfully and impar∣tially done.
• g 1.9

  To wit, with Moses and Aaron, who were the chief mana∣gers of the work.
• h 1.10

  The Tribes are here numbred according to the order or quality of their birth, first the children of Leah, then of Rachel, and then of the handmaids.
• i 1.11

  Called Reuel, Numb. 2. 14. the Hebrew letters Daleth and Resh being very like and oft changed.
• k 1.12

  Heb. the named or called, to wit, by Moses and by Gods appointment, to manage this affair and others as there was oc∣casion. Compare Numb. 16. 2. and 26. 9.
• l 1.13

  See Exod. 18. 21. Numb. 10. 4.
• m 1.14

  Heb. to wit, their generations, i. e. the persons begotten of Reubens immediate Children, who are here subdivided into fa∣milies, and they into houses, and they into particular per∣sons.
• n 1.15

  Far more than any other tribe, in accomplishing of Iacobs prophecy, Gen. 49.
• o 1.16

  Above 8000 more than Manasseh, towards the accomplish∣ment of that promise Gen. 48. 20. which the Devil in vam attempted to defeat by stirring up the men of Gath against them, i Chron. 7. 21, 22.
• p 1.17

  The smallest number except one, though Benjamin had more immediate children than any of his brethren, Gen. 46. 21. whereas Dan had but one immediate son, Gen. 46. 23. yet now his number is the biggest but one of all the Tribes, and is almost double to that of Benjamin. Such great and strange changes God easily can, and frequently doth, make in families, 1 Sam 2. 5. And therefore let none boast or please them∣selves too much in their numerous off-spring.
• * 1.18

  Exod. 38▪ 26. See Exod. 12. 37. chap. 26. •…•…1▪
• q 1.19

  Because they were not generally to go out to war, which was the thing principally eyed in this muster, ver. 3, 20, 45. but were to attend upon the service of the Tabernacle, and therefore are reserved to another distinct muster, Numb. 3. 15. and 4. 2. &c. And least this should be thought to be de∣signed and done through Moses his ambition to give his own Tribe the preeminence, he assures them it was done by Gods express command.
• r 1.20

  So called here and Exod. 38. 21. because it was made chiefly for the sake of the Ark of the Testimony, 2 Sam. 7. 2. which is oft called the Testimony, as hath been observed before.
• s 1.21

  The stranger elsewhere is one of another Nation, here one of another Tribe, one no Levite.
• t 1.22

  So as to do the offices mentioned ver. 50.
• u 1.23

  To wit, from God, who is very tender of his worship, and will not suffer the profaners of it to go unpunished, whose wrath is called simply Wrath by way of eminency, as the most terrible kind of wrath.
• x 1.24

  (i. e.) Shall suffer no stranger to approach through curiosity or any other motive.