One day in midspring, during the second year after Israel's departure from Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses in the Tabernacle in the wilderness of Sinai. He said,
"Take a census of the whole community of Israel by their clans and families. List the names of all the men
twenty years old or older who are able to go to war. You and Aaron are to direct the project,
assisted by one family leader from each tribe."
These are the tribes and the names of the leaders chosen for the task: Reuben....................... Elizur son of Shedeur
Simeon................. Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai
Judah.................... Nahshon son of Amminadab
Issachar........................ Nethanel son of Zuar
Zebulun......................... Eliab son of Helon
Ephraim son of Joseph...... Elishama son of Ammihud Manasseh son of Joseph...... Gamaliel son of Pedahzur
Benjamin.................... Abidan son of Gideoni
Dan................... Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai
Asher......................... Pagiel son of Ocran
Gad......................... Eliasaph son of Deuel
Naphtali........................ Ahira son of Enan
These tribal leaders, heads of their own families, were chosen from among all the people.
Now Moses and Aaron and the chosen leaders
called together the whole community of Israel on that very day. All the people were registered according to their ancestry by their clans and families. The men of Israel twenty years old or older were registered, one by one,
just as the LORD had commanded Moses. So Moses counted the people there in the wilderness of Sinai.
This is the number of men twenty years old or older who were able to go to war, each listed according to his own clan and family: Reuben (Jacob's oldest son)...... 46,500
Simeon..................... 59,300
Gad........................ 45,650
Judah...................... 74,600
Issachar.................... 54,400
Zebulun.................... 57,400
Ephraim son of Joseph........ 40,500
Manasseh son of Joseph........ 32,200
Benjamin................... 35,400
Dan........................ 62,700
Asher...................... 41,500
Naphtali.................... 53,400
These were the men counted by Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel, all listed according to their ancestral descent.
They were counted by families--all the men of Israel who were twenty years old or older and able to go to war.
The total number was 603,550.
But this total did not include the Levites.
For the LORD had said to Moses,
"Exempt the tribe of Levi from the census; do not include them when you count the rest of the Israelites.
You must put the Levites in charge of the Tabernacle of the Covenant, along with its furnishings and equipment. They must carry the Tabernacle and its equipment as you travel, and they must care for it and camp around it.
Whenever the Tabernacle is moved, the Levites will take it down and set it up again. Anyone else who goes too near the Tabernacle will be executed.
Each tribe of Israel will have a designated camping area with its own family banner.
But the Levites will camp around the Tabernacle of the Covenant to offer the people of Israel protection from the LORD's fierce anger. The Levites are responsible to stand guard around the Tabernacle."
So the Israelites did everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.