Lesson date: 3/23/5857AA

Verses 1-4 – The journey to the Promised Land is coming to an end. Miriam is dead, as is Aharon and 24,000 people just died in a plague and YHVH tells Mosheh it is time to take a census once again. Any good military commander would want to know exactly how many combat aged troops He has at His Command. Think about it, it is not long before Mosheh himself will die and only Yehoshua and Kaleb will there to command the Army of Elohim, the Army of Yisra’el. The phrase “Take a census” we have looked at before – שְאוּ אֶת־ראֹּש – ‘seu et rosh’ – The word “ ‘sue” is from the root word “nasa” – H5375 and is in the qal imperative form so the initial “nun” drops off and is translated as “lift up”. The whole phrase is Lift up the(H853) head: Joh_3:14 “And as Mosheh lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so the Son of Aḏam has to be lifted up, To show that indeed our Head was lifted up: Eph 5:23 Because the husband is head of the wife, as also the Messiah is head of the assembly, and He is Saviour of the body.

Look at these verses from a military point of view instead of some hidden deep theological meaning. Each division (tribe) will form up in parade formation and company by company the commander of each company will walk up and down the line lifting up the head and look into the eyes of each soldier and ask their name, age and marital status. Yes, marital status is very important because if the soldier just got married he is exempted from military service for one year. No one has just built a house or planted a vineyard so those exemptions will not apply but the married exemption will. Also, if the person has “lost heart”, lost confidence, become fearful, it is better to know now so that they will not turn and run in the heat of battle and therefore lower the confidence of his kinsmen and cause them to turn in battle, then this must be learned now, before there is another battle.

Here is something people don’t think about, Mosheh and El’azar having to appoint new leaders and elders. Maybe some of them had been seduced into Ba’al worship. Now is the time to take a proven leader and place them in a leadership position after the former leaders or elder tooks the easy way and followed Ba’al. This is a period of regrouping and refitting and it is exactly what an army must do after a trial like they endured. Am I oversimplifying this? No, I don’t think so. Spiritual battles don’t leave the same physical scars a fleshly battles but it leaves a scar nonetheless and the army must have confidence in its leaders.

Remember, the census or mustering, was for those 20 years old and older. In 20 years of combat not many generals were 40 years of age. George Armstrong Custer was 39, Stonewall Jackson was 39, J.E.B. Stuart was 40 and, all of them died in combat. Why do I say this? Because of Sha’ul’s exhortation of Timothy: 1Ti 4:12 Let no one look down on your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in behaviour, in love, in spirit, in belief, in cleanliness.

2Ti 2:22 And flee from the lusts of youth, but pursue righteousness, belief, love, peace with those calling on the Master out of a clean heart.

The word used for lusts is G1939 – means concupiscence or excessive sexual desire. Based on my experience Ba’al Pe’or was the god of Vietnam. Actually, Ba’al Pe’or is the god of war or associate god of wars. Prostitutes came to be called Hookers (actually Hooker’s ladies or Hooker’s army) because they followed the army of General “Fighting Joe” Hooker around Washington D.C. as he moved to counter the actions of General Robert E. Lee.

Verse 2 – Provides us with a special word: H6635 – צבאה / צבא – tsâbâ’ / tsebâ’âh – BDB Definition:

1) that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host a) army, host

H6635 – forms part of one of YHVH’s titles – יהוה צְבָאוֹת – YHVH of Hosts (Armies) the difference in the spelling is to make the plural for Army – “oth” that you see highlighted in red.

We have talked many times about us being a counting people, i.e. we count the days of the omer so that we can be counted worthy. But Yeshu’a talks about counting the costs of being His Disciples: Luk 14:27 “And whoever does not bear his stake and come after Me is unable to be My taught one.

Luk 14:28 “For who of you, wishing to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?

Luk 14:29 “Otherwise, when he has laid the foundation, and is unable to finish it, all who see it begin to mock him, Does this part sound familiar? “Don’t you know Peter had a dream?” “It says in Revelation 1 that John was in the Lord’s Day not the Sabbath” “Don’t you know that Paul said that the law was nailed to the cross?”

I’m sorry about this but I underlined “unable” as well as “count the cost”. Unable is a “fun word”. It is a compound word of G3756 – οὐ – ou – oo – a total negative. And is found with G1410 – δύναμαι – dunamai – doo’-nam-ahee – power. It is this word the Alfred B. Nobel took dunamai and named his invention Dynamite. Power. So, if you do not count the cost you are powerless to be Yeshu’a’s disciple. Ouch!

Verse 3 – Notice anything different about El’azar?

1 – Re’uḇĕn – רְאוּבֵן – Strong’s H7205 – ‘behold a son’

• Ḥanoḵ – חֲנוֹךְ – Strong’s H2585 – ‘dedicated, teach, train’
• Pallu – פַלּוּא – Strong’s H6396 – ‘distinguished’

o Eliyaḇ – אֱלִּיאָב – Strong’s H446 – ‘my El is Father/my Father is El’

▪ Nemu’ĕl – נְמוּאֵל – Strong’s H5241 – ‘day of El’

▪ Dathan – דָתָן – Strong’s H1885 – ‘belonging to a fountain’

▪ Aḇiram – אֲבִּירָם – Strong’s H48 – ‘my father is exalted’

• Ḥetsron – חֶצְרוֹן – Strong’s H2696 – ‘surrounded by a wall’
• Karmi – כַרְמִּי – Strong’s H3756 – ‘my vineyard’

The number of the registered ones of Re’uḇĕn was 43,730, as opposed to the first census being 46 500 and so we see a reduction of 2,770. Remember, it was the sons of Re’uben that rebelled with the sons of Qorah in his rebellion.

Verse 11 – All the sons of Qoraḥ did not die! Wow, isn’t this interesting. This means that not all the sons of Qorah agreed with Qorah in his rebellion.

2 – Shim’on – שִּמְעוֹן – Strong’s H8095 – ‘heard’

• Nemu’ĕl – נְמוּאֵל – Strong’s H5241 – ‘day of El’
• Yamin – יָמִּין – Strong’s H3226 – ‘right hand’
• Yaḵin – יָכִּין – Strong’s H3199 – ‘He will establish’
• Sha’ul – שָאוּל – Strong’s H7586 – ‘desired’

The number of the registered ones of Shim’on was 22,200, as opposed the first census being 59,300! This was a reduction of 37,100, and now this was the smallest tribe after the incident at Ba‘al Peʽor. We know that Zimri who was killed with the Miḏyanite woman was a son of a leader in Shim’on, and so it may just be that the majority of the 24,000 that were killed in the plague were from the tribe of Shim’on!

3 – Gaḏ – גָד – Strong’s H1410 – ‘troop’

• Tsephon – צְפוֹן – Strong’s H6827 – ‘treasure, gaze’
• Ḥaggi – חַגִּי – Strong’s H2291 – ‘festive’
• Shuni – שוּנִּי – Strong’s H7764 – ‘fortunate’
• Ozni – אָזְנִּי – Strong’s H244 – ‘my hearing’
• Ěri – עֵרִּי – Strong’s H6179 – ‘watchful’
• Aroḏ – אֲרוֹד – Strong’s H720 – ‘I will subdue/I shall roam’

The number of the registered ones of Gaḏ was 40,500, as opposed the first census being 45,650! They too had become less, by 5,150!

4 – Yehuḏah – יְהוּדָה – Strong’s H3063 – ‘praised’

• Ěr – עֵר – Strong’s H6147 – ‘awake’
• Onan – אוֹנָן – Strong’s H209 – ‘strong’
• Shĕlah – שֵלָה – Strong’s H7956 – ‘a petition’
• Perets – פֶרֶץ – Strong’s H6557 – ‘breach’

o Ḥetsron – חֶצְרוֹן – Strong’s H2696 – ‘surrounded by a wall’

o Ḥamul – חָמוּל – Strong’s H2538 – ‘spared’

• Zeraḥ – זֶרַח – Strong’s H2226 – ‘rising’

The number of the registered ones of Yehuḏah was 76,500, as opposed the first census being 7,600! That is a net increase of 1,900!

5 – Yissasḵar – יִּשָשכָר – Strong’s H3485 – ‘there is recompense’

• Tola – תוֹלָע – Strong’s H8439 – ‘crimson worm’
• Puwwah – פֻוָּה – Strong’s H6312 – ‘splendid’
• Yashuḇ – יָשוּב – Strong’s H3437 – ‘he will return’
• Shimron – שִּמְרוֹן – Strong’s H8110 – ‘watch-height’

The number of the registered ones of Yissasḵar was 64,300, as opposed the first census being 54,400! They increased by 9,900!

6 – Zeḇulun – זְבוּלוּן – Strong’s H2074 – ‘exalted’

• Sereḏ – סֵרֶד – Strong’s H5624 – ‘fear’
• Ělon – אֵילוֹן – Strong’s H356 – ‘terebinth/mighty’
• Yaḥle’ĕl – יַחְלְאֵל – Strong’s H3177 – ‘El waits’

The number of the registered ones of Zeḇulun was 60,500, as opposed the first census being 57,400! They increased by 3,100!

7 – 8 Yosĕph – יוֹסֵף – Strong’s H3130 – ‘he adds, he increases’

• 7 – Menashsheh – מְנַשֶה – Strong’s H4519 – ‘causing to forget’

o Maḵir – מָכִּיר – Strong’s H4353 – ‘sold’

▪ Gilʽaḏ – גִּלְעָד – Strong’s H1568 – ‘rocky region’

• Iyezer – אִּיעֶזֶר – Strong’s H372 – ‘no help’
• Ḥĕleq – חֵלֶק – Strong’s H2507 – ‘portion’
• Asri’ĕl – אַשְרִּיאֵל – Strong’s H844 – ‘I shall be prince of El’
• Sheḵem – שֶכֶם – Strong’s H7928 – ‘back/shoulder’
• Ḥĕpher – חֵפֶר – Strong’s H2660 – ‘a well’
• Tselophḥaḏ – צְלָפְחָד – Strong’s H6765 – ‘first born’ o Daughters of Tselophḥaḏ:

o Maḥlah – מַחְלָה – Strong’s H4244 – ‘disease’

o No’ah – נֹּעָה – Strong’s H5270 – ‘motion’

o Ḥoḡlah – חָגְלָה – Strong’s H2295 – ‘partridge’

o Milkah – מִּלְכָה – Strong’s H4435 – ‘queen’

o Tirtsah – תִּרְצָה – Strong’s H8656 – ‘favourable’

The number of the registered ones of Menashsheh was 52,700, as opposed the first census being 32,200! They had increased by 20,500!!! This is an increase of almost 40%. This should speak volumes for Menashsheh.

8 – Ephrayim – אֶפְרַיִּם – Strong’s H669 – ‘doubly fruitful’

o Shuthelaḥ – שוּתֶלַח – Strong’s H7803 – ‘noise of breaking’

▪ Ěran – עֵרָן – Strong’s H6197 – ‘watcher’

o Beḵer – בֶכֶר – Strong’s H1071 – ‘young camel’

o Taḥan – תַחַן – Strong’s H8465 – ‘camp’

The number of the registered ones of Ephrayim was 32,500, as opposed the first census being 40,500! They had decreased by 8,000! Collectively the tribe of ‘Yosĕph’ was the largest tribe with 85,200!

9 – Binyamin – בִּנְיָמִּין – Strong’s H1144 – ‘son of the right hand’

• Bela – בֶלַע – Strong’s H1106 – ‘destruction’

o Ard – אַרְ ד – Strong’s H714 – ‘I will subdue’

o Naʽaman – נַעֲמָן – Strong’s H5283 – ‘pleasantness’

• Ashbĕl – אַשְבֵל – Strong’s H788 – ‘a man in El, fire of bĕl, I will make a path’
• Aḥiram – אֲחִּירָם – Strong’s H297 – ‘my brother is exalted’

19

• Shephupham – שְפוּפָם – Strong’s H8197 – ‘serpent, serpent-like’
• Ḥupham – חוּפָם – Strong’s H2349 – ‘coast man’

The number of the registered ones of Binyamin was 45,600, as opposed the first census being 35,400! They had increased by 10,200!

10 – Dan – דָן – Strong’s H1835 – ‘judge’

• Shuḥam – שוּחָם – Strong’s H7748 – ‘pit-digger’

The number of the registered ones of Dan was 64,400, as opposed the first census being 62,700! They had increased by 1,700!

11 – Ashĕr – אָשֵר – Strong’s H836 – ‘happy one’

• Yimna – יִּמְנָה – Strong’s H3232 – ‘right hand’
• Yishwi – יִּשְוִּי – Strong’s H3440 – ‘he resembles me’
• Beriʽah – בְרִּיעָה – Strong’s H1283 – ‘with a friend’

o Ḥeḇer – חֶבֶר – Strong’s H2268 – ‘comrade’

o Malki’ĕl – מַלְכִּיאֵל – Strong’s H4439 – ‘my King is El’

• Daughter of Ashĕr:
• Seraḥ – שֶרַח – Strong’s H8294 – ‘the prince breathed’

The number of the registered ones of Ashĕr was 53,400, as opposed the first census being 41,500! They had increased by 11,900!

12 – Naphtali – נַפְתָלִּי – Strong’s H5321 – ‘wrestling’

• Yaḥtse’ĕl – יַחְצְאֵל – Strong’s H3183 – ‘El divides’
• Guni – גוּנִּי – Strong’s H1476 – ‘my defender’
• Yĕtser – יֵצֶר – Strong’s H3337 – ‘forming’
• Shillĕm – שִּלֵּם – Strong’s H8006 – ‘repaid’

The number of the registered ones of Naphtali was 45,400, as opposed the first census being 53,400! They had decreased by 8,000!

The nation of Yisra’el had a net decrease of 1,820!!! And, remember that the Levites are counted differently, at one month of age and separately, having no inheritance in the land.

Lĕwi – לֵוִּי – Strong’s H3878 – ‘joined to’

• Gĕrshon – גֵרְשוֹן – Strong’s H1648 – ‘exile’
• Qehath – קְהָת – Strong’s H6955 – ‘assembly’

o Amram – עַמְרָם – Strong’s H6019 – ‘exalted people’ – ▪ wife – Yoḵeḇeḏ – יוֹכֶבֶד – Strong’s H3115 – ‘יהוה is esteem’

• Aharon – אַהֲרוֹן – Strong’s H175 – ‘light bringer’

o Naḏaḇ – נָדָב – Strong’s H5070 – ‘generous’

o Aḇihu – אֲבִּיהוּא – Strong’s H30 – ‘he is my father’

o El’azar – אֶלְעָזָר – Strong’s H499 – ‘El has helped/assisted’

o Ithamar – אִּיתָמָר – Strong’s H385 – ‘land/coast of palms (oasis)’

• Mosheh – משֶה – Strong’s H4872 – ‘drawn’
• Miryam – מִּרְיָם – Strong’s H4813 – ‘rebellion’
• Merari – מְרָרִּי – Strong’s H4847 – ‘bitter’

Clans of the Lěwites:

• Liḇnites – from לוּבִּים Luḇim – Strong’s H3864 – ‘empty-hearted, afflicted’ (from Gĕrshon)
• Ḥeḇronites – from – חֶבְרֹּנִּי Ḥeḇron – Strong’s H2275 – ‘association’ (from Qehath)
• Maḥlites – from – מַחְלִּי Maḥli – Strong’s H4250 – ‘my sickness’ (from Merari)
• Mushites – from – מוּשִּי Mushi – Strong’s H4188 – ‘yielding’ (from Merari)
• Qorḥites. – from – קָרְחִּי Qorḥi – Strong’s H7145 – ‘one of Qoraḥ, bald’ (from Qehath)

The Levites increased from 22,000 in the first census to 23,000 in the second census a net increase of 1,000.

Now, play with the names of the tribes and find out what you can make them mean.

Ahavah vberakhot