A Prophecy of Esau and Jacob

“And now, behold, I go unto my people. Come therefore, and I will warn thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days,” Numbers 24:14;

— these Words, prophecised by Balaam, especially in regards to the house of Jacob, “in the latter days,” are prophecies for our times!

Numbers 1

¹ And the Lord spoke unto Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, — in the tabernacle of the congregation;

— which had now been set up a whole month, and out of which the Lord had delivered to Moses the several laws recorded in the preceding book in that space of time, Exodus 40:17;

² “Take ye the number of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by head count — of the children of Israel; so the stranger mixed with them were not numbered;

— the people were divided into twelve tribes, the tribes into great families, Numbers 26:5; these great families into lesser families, called the houses of their fathers, because they were distinguished one from another by their fathers;

³ from twenty years old and upward, all who are able to go forth to war in Israel. Thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies. — that are able to go forth to war; it would seem from this that none of the aged and infirm were numbered, as being unable to go to war;

⁴ And with you there shall be a man of every tribe, every one head of the house of his fathers. — and with you there shall be a man of every tribe; excepting Levi, of which Moses and Aaron were, to assist in taking the account, and to see that it was an exact and perfect one;

⁵ And these are the names of the men who shall stand with you: of the tribe of Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur; — of the tribe of Reuben: or “for Reuben” for the taking the number of men in this tribe; and so of all the rest; Elizur the son of Shedeur; from Numbers 1:5 the names of those several men are given, which were very proper for Moses and Aaron to know;

⁶ of Simeon, Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai; — and the rest, Simeon and Judah, are ranked according to their birth; Levi being omitted, because that tribe was not now numbered, and besides, Moses and Aaron were of it;

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, and of Manasseh, Gamaliel 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;

¹⁵ of Naphtali, Ahira the son of Enan.”

¹⁶ These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.

¹⁷ And Moses and Aaron took these men who are expressly named.

¹⁸ And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month; and they declared their pedigrees according to their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward by head count.

— and they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month; that is, the month Ijar, or Iyar;

¹⁹ As the Lord commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the Wilderness of Sinai. — as the Lord commanded Moses; the numbering of the people was not an act sinful in itself, as Moses did it by divine appointment; but David incurred guilt by doing it without the authority of God.

²⁰ And the children of Reuben, Israel’s eldest son, by their generations, according to their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, by head count every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war:

²¹ those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred. — Reuben: 46,500 (Septuagint 46,400)

²² Of the children of Simeon, by their generations, according to their families, by the house of their fathers, those who were numbered of them, according to the number of the names, by head count every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war:

²³ those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred. — Simeon: 59,300 (Septuagint 59,300)

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

²⁵ those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Gad, were forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty. — Gad: 45,650 (Septuagint 45,650)

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

²⁷ those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Judah, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred. — Judah: 74,600 (Septuagint 74,600)

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

²⁹ those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred. — Issachar: 54,400 (Septuagint 54,400)

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

³¹ those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred. — Zebulun: 57,400 (Septuagint 57,400)

³² Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, by their generations, according to their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war:

³³ those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred. — Ephraim: 40,500 (Septuagint 40,500)

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

³⁵ those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred. — Manasseh: 32,200 (Septuagint 32,200)

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

³⁷ those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred. — Benjamin: 35,400 (Septuagint 35,400)

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

³⁹ those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred. — Dan: 62,700 (Septuagint 62,700)

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

⁴¹ those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five hundred. — Asher: 41,500 (Septuagint 41,500)

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

⁴³ those who were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred. — Naphtali: 53,400 (Septuagint 53,400)

⁴⁴ These are those who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men; each one was for the house of his fathers.

⁴⁵ So were all those who were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war in Israel,

⁴⁶ even all those who were numbered were six hundred and three thousand and five hundred and fifty. — all those registered: 603,550; as given in Exodus 38:26; (Septuagint 603,550)

— all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand; what an astonishing increase from seventy-five persons who went down to Egypt about two hundred fifteen years before;

⁴⁷ But the Levites, according to the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. — the Levites were not to be numbered as fighting men, as they were assigned other duties on the march. These duties are stated more fully in chapters 3 and 4.

⁴⁸ For the Lord had spoken unto Moses, saying,

⁴⁹ “Only the tribe of Levi shalt thou not number, neither take the count of them among the children of Israel; — but the Levites were not numbered among them; they were obliged to keep a register of their own.

⁵⁰ but thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, 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.

— but thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony; so called from the ark in it, in which was the law of God, which was a testimony of the will of God to his people: and over all the vessels thereof; the candlestick, table: and altars;

— and shall encamp round about the tabernacle; they were a sort of camp or army of themselves, and their station was around the tabernacle, which was a kind of royal palace to God the King of kings; so that as they were the king’s legion, and to be numbered alone, as they were guards about his palace, and were placed between that and the camp of Israel.

⁵¹ And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up; and the stranger who cometh nigh shall be put to death.

— and the stranger that cometh nigh; to meddle with or touch the above things, to assist in taking down or setting up the tabernacle, or bearing any of the vessels;

— shall be put to death; either the sanhedrim or court of judicature shall condemn and put him to death, as the same writer observes; or he shall die by the hand of heaven, 

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. — and every man by his own standard throughout their hosts; there were four standards, and three tribes to each standard, which were placed east, west, north, and south of the tabernacle;

⁵³ But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel; and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony.”

— that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel; that is, from the Lord, should any of them approach too near, or meddle with and touch what they had nothing to do with, or go where they should not; such wrath as came upon Uzzah for his error and transgression before observed;

⁵⁴ And the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses; so did they. — so they did; which is repeated to show how readily, punctually, and perfectly they observed the command of God with respect to this affair.

Numbers 2

¹ And the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying: — and the Lord spake unto Moses, and unto Aaron; probably after the number of the children of Israel was taken,

— and when the congregation of Israel with the tabernacle were about to set forward on their journey; and therefore directions are here given for their orderly and regular proceeding in taking up and down with the tabernacle, in what form and manner they should both encamp and march;

² “Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch his tent by his own standard, with the ensign of their father’s house. Far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.

— far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch; that is, at a reverential distance. The place of every tribe is successively and specifically described because each had a certain part assigned both in the order of march and the disposition of the encampment;

³ And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall those of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies; and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah.”

— Judah; this tribe was in the first post, and in their marches led the van, not only because it was the most numerous, but they have the sceptre; the Lion of the tribe of Judah;

— one of a series of JUDAH FIRST (1) Movement of the Camp, Numbers 2:3; (2) Judah’s First Day to present Offering, Numbers 7:12; (3) Judah first to cross the Jordan River, Jewish Malbim writing

⁴ And his host and those who were numbered of them were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.

⁵ “And those who pitch next unto him shall be the tribe of Issachar; and Nethaneel the son of Zuar shall be captain of the children of Issachar.”

⁶ And his host and those who were numbered thereof were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.

⁷ “Then the tribe of Zebulun: and Eliab the son of Helon shall be captain of the children of Zebulun.”

⁸ And his host and those who were numbered thereof were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.

⁹ All who were numbered in the camp of Judah were a hundred thousand and fourscore thousand and six thousand and four hundred, throughout their armies. “These shall first set forth.

¹⁰ “On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their armies; and the captain of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur.” — on the south side the standard of the camp of Reuben; the description given of the position of Reuben and his attendant tribes on the south;

¹¹ And his host and those who were numbered thereof were forty and six thousand and five hundred.

¹² “And those who pitch by him shall be the tribe of Simeon; and the captain of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.”

¹³ And his host and those who were numbered of them were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.

¹⁴ “Then the tribe of Gad: and the captain of the sons of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of Reuel.”

¹⁵ And his host and those who were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty.

¹⁶ All who were numbered in the camp of Reuben were a hundred thousand and fifty and one thousand and four hundred and fifty, throughout their armies. “And they shall set forth in the second rank.

¹⁷ “Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall go forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp. As they encamp, so shall they go forward, every man in his place by their standards.

¹⁸ “On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their armies; and the captain of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud.”

¹⁹ And his host and those who were numbered of them were forty thousand and five hundred.

²⁰ “And by him shall be the tribe of Manasseh; and the captain of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.”

²¹ And his host and those who were numbered of them were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.

²² “Then the tribe of Benjamin: and the captain of the sons of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni.”

²³ And his host and those who were numbered of them were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.

²⁴ All who were numbered of the camp of Ephraim were a hundred thousand and eight thousand and a hundred, throughout their armies. “And they shall go forward in the third rank.

²⁵ “The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side by their armies; and the captain of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.”

— the standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side by their armies; to the left of the tabernacle as encamped, and so was the left wing of the grand army; it consisted of the tribes of Dan, Asher, and Naphtali;

²⁶ And his host and those who were numbered of them were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.

²⁷ “And those who encamp by him shall be the tribe of Asher; and the captain of the children of Asher shall be Pagiel the son of Ocran.”

²⁸ And his host and those who were numbered of them were forty and one thousand and five hundred.

²⁹ “Then the tribe of Naphtali: and the captain of the children of Naphtali shall be Ahira the son of Enan.”

³⁰ And his host and those who were numbered of them were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.

³¹ All those who were numbered in the camp of Dan were a hundred thousand and fifty and seven thousand and six hundred. “They shall go hindmost with their standards.”

³² These are those who were numbered of the children of Israel by the house of their fathers; all those who were numbered of the camps throughout their hosts were six hundred and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.

³³ But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel, as the Lord commanded Moses. — but the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel; at this time, not among the Israelites, but by themselves, they being a camp of themselves;

³⁴ And the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses: so they camped by their standards, and so they went forward, every one by their families, according to the house of their fathers.

— so they pitched by their standards; every tribe, and every person in the tribe, as they were ranked, pitched by the standard to which they belonged: and so they set forward.

~ by Joel on February 5, 2024.

Posted in Books of Moses