Bamidbar פרשׁת בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר

21 Jun 2025

Description:

Numbers-1:1-4:20

Chapter 1

n1:1-3] 1st census

Time moves on. We are now in the first day of the Second Month, in the second year of the Exodus from Egypt when G-d commands Moses to take a census of all the children of Israel. A head count of every male "according to the number of their names " בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמ֔וֹת from twenty years up.

n1:5-15] Names of head’s of “father’s” house.

N: They are not mentioned as the “heads of the houses/tribes of Israel”, instead they are the heads of their “father’s” house. It is a nice reminder that it is not your fiefdom, but rather an inheritance.

בֵית־אֲבֹתָ֖יו	Father	רֹ֥אשׁ	Head	בֶּן־	Son of
לרוּבֵ֕ן	Reuben	אֱלִיצ֖וּר	Elitzur	בֶּן־שְׁדֵיאֽוּר	Shedeur
ולְשִׁמְע֕וֹן	Simeon	שְׁלֻֽמִיאֵ֖ל	Shelumiel	בֶּן־צוּרִֽישַׁדָּֽי	Zurishaddai
זלִֽיהוּדָ֕ה	Judah	נַחְשׁ֖וֹן	Nahshon	בֶּן־עַמִּֽינָדָֽב	Amminadab
לְיִ֨שָּׂשכָ֔ר	Issachar	נְתַנְאֵ֖ל	Nethanel	בֶּן־צוּעָֽר	Zu’ar
לִזְבוּלֻ֕ן	Zebulun	אֱלִיאָ֖ב	Eliab	בֶּן־חֵלֹֽן	Helon
לִבְנֵ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף	For the children of Joseph:
לְאֶפְרַ֕יִם	Ephraim	אֱלִֽישָׁמָ֖ע	Elishama’	בֶּן־עַמִּיה֑וּד	'Ammihud
לִמְנַשֶּׁ֕ה	Manasseh	גַּמְלִיאֵ֖ל	Gamliel	בֶּן־פְּדָהצֽוּר	Pedazur
לְבִ֨נְיָמִ֔ן	Benjamin	אֲבִידָ֖ן	Abidan	בֶּן־גִּדְעֹנִֽי	Gideoni
לְדָ֕ן	Dan	אֲחִיעֶ֖זֶר	Ahi’ezer	בֶּן־עַמִּֽישַׁדָּֽי	'Ammishaddai
לְאָשֵׁ֕ר	Asher	פַּגְעִיאֵ֖ל	Pag’iel	בֶּן־עָכְרָֽן	'Ochran
לְגָ֕ד	Gad	אֶלְיָסָ֖ף	Eliasaph	בֶּן־דְּעוּאֵֽל	De’uel
לְנַ֨פְתָּלִ֔י	Naphtali	אֲחִירַ֖ע	Ahira’	בֶּן־עֵינָֽן	'Enan

Then it says: “These were the ones summoned by the congregation” — implying that these people were the acknowledged princes of the tribes. They were also the “heads of the thousands of Israel”. It seems that the tribes were themselves organised in thousands, with a head of each thousand [v16].

18. and they assembled all the congregation on the first day of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees according to their families according to their fathers' houses; according to the number of names, a head count of every male from twenty years old and upward.

יח. וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־הָֽעֵדָ֜ה הִקְהִ֗ילוּ בְּאֶחָד֙ לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י וַיִּתְיַֽלְד֥וּ עַל־מִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמ֗וֹת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֛ה וָמַ֖עְלָה לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָֽם:

n1:18] וַיִּתְיַֽלְדוּ עַל־מִשְׁפְּחֹתָם — and they declared their pedigrees. יִּתְיַֽלְדוּ in modern Hebrew now means “to behave childishly”. Whereas in biblical times it was a “recalling/remembering” of your ancestry — from whence you come.

N: In some of the men’s work that I participated in, their was a naming ceremony, in which you declared your pedigree: Yehuda ben Aaron ben Michael - Yehuda, son of Aaron, son of Michael.

Q: Did each male (of fighting age) declare their pedigree, or just the leaders mentioned here? It seems that it would have been an overwhelming task and a long one too, had each one come forward and declared their pedigree.

v1:20-46]

Now there is a repeat or summary of the men that have been counted. It is like a litany, repeated for each of the tribes (barring the Levite) with only the names and amounts differing.

The first one is slightly different as an introduction, however all the rest follow the same chant:

22: Of the tribe of ______, their descendants according to their families, according to their fathers' houses; his tally, according to the number of individual names of every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were fit to go out to the army.

כב: לִבְנֵ֣י _____ תּֽוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם פְּקֻדָ֗יו בְּמִסְפַּ֤ר שֵׁמוֹת֙ לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָ֔ם כָּל־זָכָ֗ר מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא:

23: Those counted from the tribe of ______: ______________________.

כג: פְּקֻֽדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה ______ __________________.

מַטֵּ֣ה	Children of	מִסְפַּ֤ר	count
רְאוּבֵן֙	Reuben	שִׁשָּׁ֧ה וְאַרְבָּעִ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וַֽחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת	46,500
שִׁמְע֔וֹן	Simeon	תִּשְׁעָ֧ה וַֽחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וּשְׁל֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת	59,300
גָ֔ד	Gad	חֲמִשָּׁ֤ה וְאַרְבָּעִים֙ אֶ֔לֶף וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת וַֽחֲמִשִּֽׁים	45,650
יְהוּדָ֔ה	Judah	אַרְבָּעָ֧ה וְשִׁבְעִ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת	74,600
יִשָּׂשכָ֑ר	Issachar	אַרְבָּעָ֧ה וַֽחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת	54,400
זְבוּלֻ֔ן	Zebulun	שִׁבְעָ֧ה וַֽחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת	57,400
לִבְנֵ֤י יוֹסֵף֙	Of the children of Yosef
אֶפְרָ֑יִם	Ephraim	אַרְבָּעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף וַֽחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת	40,500
מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה	Manasseh	שְׁנַ֧יִם וּשְׁלשִׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וּמָאתָֽיִם	32,200
בִנְיָמִ֑ן	Benjamin	חֲמִשָּׁ֧ה וּשְׁלשִׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת	35,400
דָ֑ן	Dan	שְׁנַ֧יִם וְשִׁשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וּשְׁבַ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת	62,700
אָשֵׁ֑ר	Asher	אֶחָ֧ד וְאַרְבָּעִ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וַֽחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת	41,500
נַפְתָּלִ֑י	Naphtali	שְׁלשָׁ֧ה וַֽחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת	53,400
כָּל־הַפְּקֻדִ֔ים	The sum	שֵׁשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת אֶ֖לֶף וּשְׁל֣שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֑ים וַֽחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת וַֽחֲמִשִּֽׁים	603,550

Q: If G-d was interested in every Jew, then why are the numbers “rounded” off to the 100’s (except for one time there being a 50)? My answer would be that the smallest “unit” was a group of 10 men, but the smallest congregation was one of 10x10…

v1:48-54] Levites to serve the Mishkan

The tribe of Levi was not numbered (לֹ֣א תִפְקֹ֔ד), but appointed "over the Tabernacle of Testimony (מִשְׁכַּ֨ן הָֽעֵדֻ֜ת); they shall carry it and they serve it (יְשָֽׁרְתֻ֑הוּ) and they shall encamp around it.[v50] They shall dismantle it, and erect it. No outsider may approach it on the pain of death ( וְהַזָּ֥ר הַקָּרֵ֖ב יוּמָֽת).[v51]

n54] וְשָֽׁמְרוּ֙ הַֽלְוִיִּ֔ם אֶת־מִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת מִשְׁכַּ֥ן הָֽעֵדֽוּת — and the Levites shall keep the charge of the Mishkan of the Testimony. This is the task that the Levites were assigned.

Chapter 2

v2:1-34] Camp details

Now the placement of the camps are detailed. However, once again it is a type of a litany, that, in fact, repeats information that we have already covered — namely, the names of the princes and their parentage, as well as the number of members (children) of the tribe.

v2:2] First, the setting:

2: The children of Israel shall encamp each man by his division with the flag staffs of their fathers' house; some distance from the Tent of Meeting they shall encamp.

ב: אִ֣ישׁ עַל־דִּגְל֤וֹ בְאֹתֹת֙ לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֔ם יַֽחֲנ֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מִנֶּ֕גֶד סָבִ֥יב לְאֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֖ד יַֽחֲנֽוּ:

n2:2

[34-Bemidbar_depth](“34-Bemidbar_depth.md#Numbers 2:2”)

I am just going to write down the new details, with the litany.

First those camping to the East:
Judah -> Issachar -> Zebulun
Total: 186,400 - they journey first

South:
Reuben -> Simeon -> Gad
Total: 151,450 - the set out second

Center:
The Tent of Meeting (אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֛ד) surrounded by the Levite camp [v17].

n2:17] כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֤ר יַֽחֲנוּ֙ כֵּ֣ן יִסָּ֔עוּ אִ֥ישׁ עַל־יָד֖וֹ לְדִגְלֵיהֶֽם — Just as they camp, so shall they travel, each man in his place, by their divisions.

West:
Ephriam -> Manasseh -> Benjamin
Total: 108,100 - set out third

North:
Dan -> Asher -> Naftali
Total: 157,600 -set out last

N: This creates order, but also a definite hierarchy. It places the priests - the descendants from Aaron - at the head. The Levites lower - they may not perform sacrifices or ceremonies, but they serve the Divine Presence by caring for His Temple.

Chapter 3

v3:1- ] The Kohanim

Having dealt with the tribes, and the care of the Mishkan, G-d now turns his attention on the Priests who will attend to the ceremonies required.

n3:1-3] וְאֵ֛לֶּה תּֽוֹלְדֹ֥ת אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן וּמשֶׁ֑ה — These are the descendants of Aaron and Moses

N: However only the descendants of Aaron are mentioned!

v3:2-3]

2: These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

ב: וְאֵ֛לֶּה שְׁמ֥וֹת בְּנֵי־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן הַבְּכֹ֣ר | נָדָ֑ב וַֽאֲבִיה֕וּא אֶלְעָזָ֖ר וְאִֽיתָמָֽר:

3: These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed Kohanim, whom he consecrated to serve as Kohanim.

ג: אֵ֗לֶּה שְׁמוֹת֙ בְּנֵ֣י אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן הַכֹּֽהֲנִ֖ים הַמְּשֻׁחִ֑ים אֲשֶׁר־מִלֵּ֥א יָדָ֖ם לְכַהֵֽן:

N: This could be paraphrased as "These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn; Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, the anointed kohanim, whom he consecrated to serve as kohanim.

Q: So we have a question. Why repeat it this way? Secondly, why are Nadab and Abihu mentioned, when we know they already died?

n3:4] אֵ֨שׁ זָרָ֜ה — Alien fire. Here we encounter this term as a further clue as to what the fire was that they brought to the Lord.

Now the tribe of Levi is brought to Aaron, the kohen, that they may serve him [v6].

v7]

7: They shall keep his charge and the charge of the entire community before the Tent of Meeting, to perform the service of the Mishkan.

ז: וְשָׁמְר֣וּ אֶת־מִשְׁמַרְתּ֗וֹ וְאֶת־מִשְׁמֶ֨רֶת֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד לַֽעֲבֹ֖ד אֶת־עֲבֹדַ֥ת הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן:

They will be in charge of the service, and all the vessels while Aaron and his sons will keep their kehunah (כְּהֻנָּתָ֑ם).

v12-13] First-born

Then, as we know, G-d took the Levites in place of the firstborns — whom he had sanctified for himself.

13: For all the firstborns are Mine; since the day I smote all the firstborns in the land of Egypt, I sanctified for Myself all the firstborns of Israel, both man and beast they shall become Mine, I am the Lord.

יג: כִּ֣י לִי֘ כָּל־בְּכוֹר֒ בְּיוֹם֩ הַכֹּתִ֨י כָל־בְּכ֜וֹר בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֗יִם הִקְדַּ֨שְׁתִּי לִ֤י כָל־בְּכוֹר֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מֵֽאָדָ֖ם עַד־בְּהֵמָ֑ה לִ֥י יִֽהְי֖וּ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֹֽה:

n3:14-22] פְּקֹד֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י לֵוִ֔י — Count the children of Levi, from one month up.

names of Levi’s sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
names of:

the sons of ______ according to their families were _________.

Now comes a more complex litany:

For , the ______ family and the ______ family; these are the ____ families. Their sum was made according to the number of males from the age of one month and upward; the tally amounted to___. The Gershonite families shall camp _____________. The prince of the father’s house of the ______ is ______ the son of ______. The charge of the sons of ______ in the Tent of Meeting ___________________ …

v3:23-26] Gershon - 7,500 - West, behind.
For Gershon, the Libnite family and the Shim’eite family; these are the Gershonite families.

Their sum was made according to the number of males from the age of one month and upward; the tally amounted to seven thousand, five hundred.
The Gershonite families shall camp behind the Mishkan, to the west.
The prince of the father’s house of the Gershonites is Eliasaph the son of Lael.

The charge of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting [included] the Mishkan, the Tent, its cover, and the screen for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

The hangings of the courtyard, the screen at the entrance to the courtyard, which is around the Mishkan and the altar, its ropes, as well as all the work involved.

v3:27-31] Kohath - 8,600 - South, side

For Kohath, the Amramite family, the Izharite family, the Hebronite family, and the Uzielite family; these are the families of Kohath.

The number of all males from the age of one month and upward amounted to eight thousand six hundred, the keepers of the charge of the holy.

The families of the sons of Kohath shall camp to the south side of the Mishkan.

The prince of the father’s house of the Kohathite families is Elizaphan the son of Uziel.

Their charge [included] the ark, the table, the menorah, the altars, and the holy utensils with which they would minister, and the screen and all the work involved.

v3:32] Eleazar

The prince over all the princes of the Levites shall be Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen, the appointment of all the keepers of the charge of the Holy.

v3:33-37] Merari - 6,200 - North

For Merari, the Machlite family and the Mushite family; these are the families of Merari.

Their tally according to the number of males from the age of one month and upward was six thousand two hundred.

The prince of the father’s house of the Merarite families is Zuriel the son of Abihail; they shall camp on the north side of the Mishkan.

The appointment of the charge of the sons of Merari [included] the planks of the Mishkan, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets, all its utensils, and all the work involved. Also the pillars of the surrounding courtyard, their sockets, their stakes, and their ropes.

Camping in front of the Mishkan, in front of the Tent of Meeting to the east were Moses, Aaron and his sons, the keepers of the charge of the Sanctuary as a trust for the children of Israel [v38].

22,000 Levites [v39]

v3:40-] Count firstborn males

v3:40] All males

40: The Lord said to Moses: Count every firstborn male aged one month and upward of the children of Israel, and take the number of their names.

מ: וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָֹ֜ה אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה פְּקֹ֨ד כָּל־בְּכֹ֤ר זָכָר֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִבֶּן־חֹ֖דֶשׁ וָמָ֑עְלָה וְשָׂ֕א אֵ֖ת מִסְפַּ֥ר שְׁמֹתָֽם:

v3:41] Levites instead of firstborn

41: And you shall take the Levites for Me I am the Lord instead of all firstborns among the children of Israel. And [take] the Levites' animals instead of all the firstborn animals of the children of Israel.

מא: וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֙ אֶת־הַֽלְוִיִּ֥ם לִי֙ אֲנִ֣י יְהוָֹ֔ה תַּ֥חַת כָּל־בְּכֹ֖ר בִּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְאֵת֙ בֶּֽהֱמַ֣ת הַֽלְוִיִּ֔ם תַּ֣חַת כָּל־בְּכ֔וֹר בְּבֶֽהֱמַ֖ת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:

Moses did as he was told [v42], and the total was 22,273. These 273 “excess souls” required redemption [v46] at 5 shekels (of the Holy shekel). 1 shekel = 20 gerahs.

Note: This is one of the view times that a census total is exact.

v3:46-47] Excess souls

46: As for the two hundred and seventy-three of the children of Israel who required redemption, who are in excess of the Levites,

מו: וְאֵת֙ פְּדוּיֵ֣י הַשְּׁלשָׁ֔ה וְהַשִּׁבְעִ֖ים וְהַמָּאתָ֑יִם הָעֹֽדְפִים֙ עַל־הַֽלְוִיִּ֔ם מִבְּכ֖וֹר בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:

47: you shall take five shekels per head, according to the holy shekel, by which the shekel is twenty gerahs.

מז: וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֗ חֲמֵ֧שֶׁת חֲמֵ֛שֶׁת שְׁקָלִ֖ים לַגֻּלְגֹּ֑לֶת בְּשֶׁ֤קֶל הַקֹּ֨דֶשׁ֙ תִּקָּ֔ח עֶשְׂרִ֥ים גֵּרָ֖ה הַשָּֽׁקֶל:

This money, 1,364 shekels, was redeemed by Aaron and his sons [v51].

Note: And another exact amount — this time regarding shekels.

Chapter 4

v4:1-3] Count Kohath

Now we count the sons of Kohath,[v2]
from 30-50, which is all those that still do service in the Tent of Meeting (אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד) [v3] — the Holy of Holies (קֹ֖דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִֽׁים) [v4].

v4:4-20] Tent of Meeting service

v4:4] Kohath

4: The following is the service of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting-the Holy of Holies.

ד: זֹ֛את עֲבֹדַ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־קְהָ֖ת בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד קֹ֖דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִֽׁים:

v4:5-15] Aaron and his sons cover up the ark and its utensils, when the camp is about to travel.

v4:16] Charge of Eleazar

16: The charge of Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen: oil for lighting, the incense of spices, the continual [daily] meal offering, and the anointing oil; the charge for the entire Mishkan and all that is in it, of the Holy and its furnishings.

טז: וּפְקֻדַּ֞ת אֶלְעָזָ֣ר | בֶּן־אַֽהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֗ן שֶׁ֤מֶן הַמָּאוֹר֙ וּקְטֹ֣רֶת הַסַּמִּ֔ים וּמִנְחַ֥ת הַתָּמִ֖יד וְשֶׁ֣מֶן הַמִּשְׁחָ֑ה פְּקֻדַּ֗ת כָּל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־בּ֔וֹ בְּקֹ֖דֶשׁ וּבְכֵלָֽיו:

v4:20] Final word:

20: They shall not come in to see when the holy [vessels] are being wrapped up, lest they die.

כ: וְלֹֽא־יָבֹ֧אוּ לִרְא֛וֹת כְּבַלַּ֥ע אֶת־הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ וָמֵֽתוּ:

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