1Yahweh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had left Egypt. He said,
2“Take a census of the entire community of the people of Israel, by their families and by their ancestral households. Count every male, one by one,
3from twenty years old and up, everyone in Israel who is able to go to war. You and Aaron must count them by their divisions.
4With you, there must be one man from each tribe, who is the head of his ancestral household.”
5These are the names of the men who will assist you: From Reuben: Elizur, son of Shedeur.
6From Simeon: Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai.
7From Judah: Nahshon, the son of Amminadab.
8From Issachar: Nethanel, the son of Zuar.
9From Zebulun: Eliab, the son of Helon.
10From Joseph's descendants: From Ephraim, Elishama, the son of Ammihud. From Manasseh, Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur.
11From Benjamin: Abidan, the son of Gideoni.
12From Dan: Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai.
13From Asher: Pagiel, the son of Ochran.
14From Gad: Eliasaph, the son of Deuel.
15From Naphtali: Ahira, the son of Enan.
16These were the chosen leaders of the community, the chiefs of their ancestral tribes; they were the heads of the thousands of Israel.
17Moses and Aaron took these specific men.
18They gathered the whole community on the first day of the second month. They recorded everyone's family history by their clans and family groups, counting each person individually who was twenty years old or older.
19Moses counted them in the wilderness of Sinai, just as Yahweh had commanded him.
20For the descendants of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, their descendants were counted by their clans and family groups. Each male, individually, from twenty years old and up, who was able to go to war, was counted.
21From the tribe of Reuben, 46,500 were counted.
22For the descendants of Simeon, their descendants were counted by their clans and family groups. Each male, individually, from twenty years old and up, who was able to go to war, was counted.
23From the tribe of Simeon, 59,300 were counted.
24For the descendants of Gad, their descendants were counted by their clans and family groups. Each male, individually, from twenty years old and up, who was able to go to war, was counted.
25From the tribe of Gad, 45,650 were counted.
26Here are the records for the descendants of Judah, listed by their families and their fathers' households. This includes everyone twenty years old and older who was able to go to war.
27The count for the tribe of Judah was 74,600.
28Here are the records for the descendants of Issachar, listed by their families and their fathers' households. This includes everyone twenty years old and older who was able to go to war.
29The count for the tribe of Issachar was 54,400.
30Here are the records for the descendants of Zebulun, listed by their families and their fathers' households. This includes everyone twenty years old and older who was able to go to war.
31The count for the tribe of Zebulun was 57,400.
32Here are the records for the descendants of Joseph, specifically the descendants of Ephraim, listed by their families and their fathers' households. This includes everyone twenty years old and older who was able to go to war.
33The count for the tribe of Ephraim was 40,500.
34Here are the records for the descendants of Manasseh, listed by their families and their fathers' households. This includes everyone twenty years old and older who was able to go to war.
35The count for the tribe of Manasseh was 32,200.
36Here are the records for the descendants of Benjamin, listed by their families and their fathers' households. This includes everyone twenty years old and older who was able to go to war.
37The count for the tribe of Benjamin was 35,400.
38Here are the records for the descendants of Dan, listed by their families and their fathers' households. This includes everyone twenty years old and older who was able to go to war.
39The count for the tribe of Dan was 62,700.
40Here are the records for the descendants of Asher, listed by their families and their fathers' households. This includes everyone twenty years old and older who was able to go to war.
41The count for the tribe of Asher was 41,500.
42Here are the records for the descendants of Naphtali, listed by their families and their fathers' households. This includes everyone twenty years old and older who was able to go to war.
43The count for the tribe of Naphtali was 53,400.
44Moses, Aaron, and the twelve leaders of Israel (one from each father's household) counted these people.
45So the total count for the Israelites, listed by their fathers' households, was everyone twenty years old and older who was able to go to war in Israel.
46The total count was six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty people.
47However, the Levites, based on their family lines, were not included in this count.
48Because Yahweh had told Moses,
49"Do not count the tribe of Levi or include them in the census with the other people of Israel."
50"Instead, put the Levites in charge of the Tent of the Covenant, all its equipment, and everything that belongs to it. They will carry the Tent and all its equipment, take care of it, and set up camp around it."
51When the Tent of the Covenant needs to move, the Levites will take it down. When it needs to be set up, the Levites will set it up. Anyone else who comes near it will be put to death.
52The people of Israel will set up their tents, each man in his own camp and under his own banner, organized by their divisions.
53But the Levites will camp around the Tent of the Covenant to prevent any punishment from coming upon the community of Israel. The Levites will be responsible for the Tent of the Covenant."
54So the people of Israel did everything just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.