Numbers 1:17

“And Moses and Aaron took these men, etc.] They doubtless sent for them, and acquainted them with the nomination of them, by the Lord himself, for such a service; and they took them with them to the place where the number of the people was to be taken: which are expressed by [their] names: in (<040116>Numbers 1:16), and that as declared by the mouth of God himself.”

“1:17-46 The tabulation yields the same number of qualified men (603,550) as mentioned in Exod 38:26. Exodus 12:37 and Num 11:21 give an approximate number of 600,000. These numbers have been interpreted in different ways. They might reflect the literal size of this army (cp. Exod 1:9-10); alternatively, the figures might be symbolic, projected backward from a later period, or simply misunderstood in translation. See also study note on Exod 12:37.”

“Num 1:5-15; Joh 10:3; Rev 7:4-17 Numbers 1:18”

“This command was carried out by Moses and Aaron. They took for this purpose the twelve heads of tribes who are pointed out (see at Lev 24:11) by name, and had the whole congregation gathered together by them and enrolled in genealogical tables. התילּד, to announce themselves as born, i.e., to have themselves entered in genealogical registers (books of generations). This entry is called a פּקד, mustering, in Num 1:19, etc. In vv. 20-43 the number is given of those who were mustered of all the different tribes, and in Num 1:44-47 the total of the whole nation, with the exception of the tribe of Levi. "Their generations" ( Num 1:20, Num 1:22, Num 1:24, etc.), i.e., those who were begotten by…”