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Numbers 1:21

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Numbers 1:21 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.
Numbers 1:21 — American Standard Version

Context — Numbers 1

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
18And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month; and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by their fathers` houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls.
19As Jehovah commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.
20And the children of Reuben, Israel`s first-born, their generations, by their families, by their fathers` houses, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
21those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.
22Of the children of Simeon, their generations, by their families, by their fathers` houses, those that were numbered thereof, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
23those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.
24Of the children of Gad, their generations, by their families, by their fathers` houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Those that were numbered of them, [even] of the tribe of Reuben, [were] forty and six thousand and five hundred. 46,500 men. (See Gill on “<040120>Numbers 1:20”).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The enrollment, being taken principally for military purposes (compare Numbers 1:3, Numbers 1:20), would naturally be arranged by hundreds, fifties, etc. (cf. 2Ki 1:9, 2 Kings 1:11, 2 Kings 1:13). In eleven tribes the number enrolled consists of complete hundreds. The difference, in this respect, observable in the case of the tribe of Gad here Numbers 1:25, and of the tribe of Reuben at the later census Numbers 26:7, is probably to be accounted for by the pastoral, and consequently nomadic, habits of these tribes, which rendered it difficult to bring all their members together at once for a census. Judah already takes precedence of his brethren in point of numbers (compare Genesis 49:8…”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“That a comparative view may be easily taken of the state of the tribes, we will here produce them, compared with that of the second census ( Num 26:1), in their decreasing proportion, beginning with the greatest and proceeding to the least. Census Comparisons Tribes 1st Census 2nd Census 1. Judah 74,600 76,500 2. Dan 62,700 64,400 3. Simeon 59,300 22,200 4. Zebulun 57,400 60,500 5. Issachar 54,400 64,300 6. Naphtali 53,400 45,400 7. Reuben 46,500 43,730 8. Gad 45,650 40,500 9. Asher 41,500 53,400 10. Ephraim 40,500 32,500 11. Benjamin 35,400 45,600 12. Manasseh 32,200 52,700 Totals: 603,550 601,730 Thus we find Judah the most populous tribe, and Manasseh the least so; the difference between…”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification