NUM 3

Numbers 3:40

WEB

Yahweh said to Moses, “Count all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.

BSB

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Number every firstborn male of the Israelites a month old or more, and list their names.

KJV

¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.

Matthew Henry

Verses 40–51

Numbers 3:40–51

Here is the exchange made of the Levites for the first-born. 1. The first-born were numbered from a month old, Num 3:42, Num 3:43. Those certainly were not reckoned who, though first-born, had become heads of families themselves, but those only that were under age; and the learned bishop Patrick is decidedly of opinion that none were numbered but those only that were born since their coming out of Egypt, when the first-born were sanctified, Exo 13:2. If there were 22,000 first-born males, we may suppose as many females, and all these brought forth in the first year after they came out of Egypt, we must hence infer that in the last year of their servitude, even when it was in the greatest extremity, there were abundance of marriages made among the Israelites; they were not discouraged by the present distress, but married in faith, expecting that God would shortly visit them with mercy, and that their children, though born in bondage, should live in liberty and honour. And it was a token of good to them, an evidence that they were blessed of the Lord, that they were not only kept alive, but greatly increased, in a barren wilderness. 2. The number of the first-born, and that of the Levites, by a special providence, came pretty near to each other; thus, when he divided the nations, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel, Deu 32:8. Known unto God are all his works beforehand, and there is an exact proportion between them, and so it will appear when they come to be compared. The Levites' cattle are said to be taken instead of the firstlings of the cattle of the children of Israel, that is, the Levites, with all their possessions, were devoted to God instead of the first-born and all theirs; for, when we give ourselves to God, all we have passes as appurtenances with the premises. 3. The small number of first-born which exceeded the number of the Levites (273 in all) were to be redeemed, at five shekels apiece, and the redemption-money given to Aaron; for it would not do well to have them added to the Levites. It is probable that in the exchange they began with the eldest of the first-born, and so downward, so that those were to be redeemed with money who were the 273 youngest of the first-born; more likely so than either that it was determined by lot or that the money was paid out of the public stock. The church is called the church of the first-born, which is redeemed, not as these were, with silver and gold, but, being devoted by sin to the justice of God, is ransomed with the precious blood of the Son of God.

Cross-references: Num 3:42 · Num 3:43 · Exod 13:2 · Deut 32:8

Hebrew interlinear

H559

אָמַרʼâmar/aw-mar'/

v — say

Derivation: a primitive root;

to say (used with great latitude)

KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, × expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.

אָמַר

vb — utter

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

1. Say

2. Say in the heart (= think)

3. Promise

4. Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

H3068

יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/

n-pr — Existent, Jeho-vah

Derivation: from 1961;

(the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God

KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

יהוה

n.pr.dei — God

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

I. יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

II.

1. יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

2. the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

3. יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

H413

אֵלʼêl/ale/

prep — near, with, among, to

Derivation: (but only used in the shortened constructive form אֶל ); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e.

near, with or among; often in general, to

KJV: about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, × hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).

אֶל

prep — motion to

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).

1. of motion to or unto a person or place

2. Where the limit is actually entered, into

3. Of direction towards anything

4. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

5. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

6. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

7. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

8. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

9. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

H4872

מֹשֶׁהMôsheh/mo-sheh'/

n-pr-m — Mosheh

Derivation: from 4871; drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued;

Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver

KJV: Moses.

מֹשֶׁה

n.pr.m — Moses

מֹשֶׁה 767 n.pr.m. Moses, the great Hebrew leader, prophet and lawgiver

H6485

פָּקַדpâqad/paw-kad'/

v n-m — visit, oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit

Derivation: a primitive root;

to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit, etc.

KJV: appoint, × at all, avenge, bestow, (appoint to have the, give a) charge, commit, count, deliver to keep, be empty, enjoin, go see, hurt, do judgment, lack, lay up, look, make, × by any means, miss, number, officer, (make) overseer, have (the) oversight, punish, reckon, (call to) remember(-brance), set (over), sum, × surely, visit, want.

פָּקַד

vb — attend to

פָּקַד 303 vb. attend to, visit, muster, appoint

Qal

A.

1.

a. pay attention to, observe (with care, practical interest)

b. attend to, in act, see to

c. seek (with interest, desire)

d. seek in vain, need, miss, lack

2. specif. visit, c. acc., for different purposes

3. c. עַל pers., visit upon

4. pass in review, muster (nearly = number), c. acc.

B. appoint

Niph.

1. be (sought, i.e. needed) missed, lacking

2. be visited (graciously)

3. be visited upon, עַל pers.

4. be appointed

Pi. (intens.) muster a host

Pu. be passed in review; be caused to miss, deprived

Hithp. be mustered

Hothp. id.

Hiph.

1. c. acc. pers. set (over), make overseer

2. c. acc. rei (implic.)

a. commit, entrust

b. deposit

Hoph.

1. be visited in punishment

2. be deposited

3. be made overseer

פְּקוּדִים

n.pl.[m.] abstr — musterings

[פְּקוּדִים] n.pl.[m.] abstr. musterings, i.e. expenses;—cstr. Ex 38:21

H3605

כֹּלkôl/kole/

n-m — whole, all, any, every

Derivation: or (Jeremiah 33:8) כּוֹל; from 3634;

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).

כֹּל

n.m — the whole

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

1. with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

2. Absolutely:

a. without the art., all things, all

b. with the art. הַכֹּל

(a). where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

(b). in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

H1060

בְּכוֹרbᵉkôwr/bek-ore'/

n-m — first-born, chief

Derivation: from 1069;

first-born; hence, chief

KJV: eldest (son), firstborn(-ling).

בְּכוֹר

n.m — first-born

בְּכוֹר 122 n.m. first-born

1. men and women

2. animals

3. figurative

H2145

זָכָרzâkâr/zaw-kawr'/

n-m — remembered, male

Derivation: from 2142;

properly, remembered, i.e. a male (of man or animals, as being the most noteworthy sex)

KJV: × him, male, man(child, -kind).

זָכָר

n.m — male

זָכָר n.m. & adj. male

I. subst. male, offspring of men and animals

II. adj. sg. male (only human beings)

H1121

בֵּןbên/bane/

n-m — son

Derivation: from 1129;

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)

KJV: afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ( ) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, (young) bullock, (young) calf, × came up in, child, colt, × common, × corn, daughter, × of first, firstborn, foal, very fruitful, postage, × in, kid, lamb, ( ) man, meet, mighty, nephew, old, ( ) people, rebel, robber, × servant born, × soldier, son, spark, steward, stranger, × surely, them of, tumultuous one, valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

בֵּן

n.m — son

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

1. son, male child, born of a woman

2. children (male and female)

3. youth, young men

4. the young of animals

5. of plant shoots

6. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

7.

a. member of a guild, order or class

b. of animals son of (the) herd

8. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

9. n. relat. of age

בְּנוֹ

n.pr.m — his son

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

H3478

יִשְׂרָאֵלYisrâʼêl/yis-raw-ale'/

n-pr-m — he will rule as God, Jisraël

Derivation: from 8280 and 410;

he will rule as God; Jisraël, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

KJV: Israel.

יִשְׂרָאֵל

n.pr.m — Israel

יִשְׂרָאֵל 2507 n.pr.m. et gent. Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth)

1. n.pr.m. second name of Jacob

2. n.pr.gent. name of Hebrew nation

H2320

חֹדֶשׁchôdesh/kho'-desh/

n-m — new, month

Derivation: from 2318;

the new moon; by implication, a month

KJV: month(-ly), new moon.

חֹ֫דֶשׁ

n.m — newness

חֹ֫דֶשׁ 282 n.m. (newness), new moon, month

H4605

מַעַלmaʻal/mah'al/

adv — upper part, upward, above, overhead, from the top

Derivation: from 5927;

properly,the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etc.

KJV: above, exceeding(-ly), forward, on (× very) high, over, up(-on, -ward), very.

מַ֫עַל

subst — higher part

מַ֫עַל 140 subst., higher part, only in adv. and prep. phrases, above, upward

H5375

נָשָׂאnâsâʼ/naw-saw'/

v — lift

Derivation: or נָסָה; (Psalm 4:6 [7]), a primitive root;

to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative

KJV: accept, advance, arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable ( man), lade, lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, × needs, obtain, pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare, stir up, swear, take (away, up), × utterly, wear, yield.

נָשָׂא

vb — lift

נָשָׂא 656 vb. lift, carry, take

Qal

1. lift, lift up

2. Bear, carry

3. Take, take away

Niph.

1. be lifted up

2. refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment

3. be borne, carried

4. be taken away, carried off

Pi.

1. lift up = exalt

2. fig. = desire, long

3. carry, bear continuously

4. take, take away

Hithp. lift oneself up

Hiph.

1. cause one to bear iniquity

2. appar. cause to bring, have brought

H853

אֵתʼêth/ayth/

prt — self, even, namely

Derivation: apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity;

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

KJV: [as such unrepresented in English].

אֵת

mark of the accusative

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

H4557

מִסְפָּרmiçpâr/mis-pawr'/

n-m — number, innumerable, few, narration

Derivation: from 5608;

a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite (large, innumerable; small, a few); also (abstractly) narration

KJV: abundance, account, × all, × few, (in-) finite, (certain) number(-ed), tale, telling, time.

מִסְפָּר

n.m — number

מִסְפָּר 133 n.m. number, tale

H8034

שֵׁםshêm/shame/

n-m — appellation, honor, authority, character

Derivation: a primitive word [perhaps rather from 7760 through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare 8064];

an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character

KJV: base, (in-) fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.

שֵׁם

n.m — name

שֵׁם 864 n.m. name (√ unknown)

1. of river, beasts, city, i.e. exact designation of it

2.

a. usu. of pers.

b. = reputation

c. esp. as giving a man a kind of posthumous life, esp. in his sons

3. name, as designation of God

4. of false gods, use forbidden

5. = memorial, monument

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