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27,299 commentary entries
The Pulpit Commentary
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:7
Nahshon—the brother-in-law of Aaron (Exodus 6:23), and ancestor of David and of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:4).
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:10
Elishama—grandfather of Joshua (1 Chronicles 7:26). All the rest are unnamed elsewhere.
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:16
Heads of thousands. Septuagint, chiliarchs; but the word is used for families (see 6:15), and, like all such words, it rapidly lost its numerical significance. HOMILETICS
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:17-46
GOD'S ARMY We have here, spiritually, the army of the living God numbered and arrayed unto the march and the victory. Consider, therefore— That it would appear, as far as we can gather from the increase in numbers, that…
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:17-46
EXPOSITION THE CENSUS TAKEN (Numbers 1:17-46).
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:17
These men. Designated by direct command of God; yet probably the same, or some of the same, selected by Moses for obvious personal and social reasons a short time before (Exodus 18:25).
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:18
On the first day of the second month. The natural meaning is that the census was completed in one day. If so, the "census papers," the pedigrees and family lists, must have been ready beforehand. Notice had in fact been…
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:19
As the Lord commanded Moses, so he numbered them. The usual note of absolute obedience to the Divine instructions; but it serves to express the fundamental difference between this numbering and David's.
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:21
Forty and six thousand and five hundred. All the numbers (save of Gad only) are in unbroken hundreds. It might have been so arranged by miracle; but such an overruling would have no assignable object, and therefore it i…
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:24
Gad. He is here ranked immediately after Reuben and Simeon, because he was placed with them in the encampment (see above, Numbers 1:5).
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:26
Judah. The immense and disproportionate increase of Judah is no doubt a difficulty in itself; but it is quite in keeping with the character assigned to him in prophecy and the part played by him in history.
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:32
Of the children of Joseph. Both are numbered as separate tribes, but Ephraim already takes precedence, not as being larger, which is not considered in this list, but according to prophecy (Genesis 48:5, Genesis 48:14).
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:38
Of the children of Dan. The enormous numerical increase in this tribe is the more remarkable because it is clearly intimated that Dan had but one son, Hushim or Shuham (Genesis 46:23; Numbers 26:42). It may, of course,…
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:44-46
THE TWO NUMBERINGS IN THE WILDERNESS The Bible abounds in statistics. The historical books, in particular, bristle with genealogies and census-tables. "Numbers" gets its name from the circumstance that it contains the t…
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:45-50
DIFFERENCES OF ADMINISTRATIONS IN THE SERVICE OF GOD The different departments of service appointed to the host of Israel and to the Levites remind us of similar diversities in national and Church life at present. I. TH…
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:46
Six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty. See Exodus 38:26. As the adult male Levites numbered about 10,000, this represents an increase of 13,000 since the exodus. Some thousands had died thro…
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:47
Not numbered among them. They were numbered (Numbers 3:39), but not among the rest; their census was taken separately, and on a different basis.
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:47-54
THE SERVANTS OF GOD We have here, spiritually, the multitude of those who are specially devoted to the service and ministry of God, whoever they may be, and whatever their labour for the body of Christ: that these have…
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:47-54
THE APPOINTMENT OF THE LEVITES TO BE THE SACRED TRIBE This is the first of a series of passages in which the law regarding the Levites is delivered. These all occur in Numbers, excepting a very few which are found in De…
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:47-54
EXPOSITION THE LEVITES (Numbers 1:47-54).
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:48
Had spoken. Rather, "spake," and so Septuagint. This was the formal command to separate, although it had been anticipated to a considerable extent. The Levites had been marked out from the others
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:51
The stranger. The word appears to mean here any unauthorized person (see Numbers 16:40). This is the first intimation given of the extreme and awful sanctity of the tabernacle, as the tent of the Divine Presence. It is,…
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:52
OUR POSITION IN THE CHURCH "And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts." I. UNITY WITHOUT UNIFORMITY. Reading the history of…
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 1:53
That there be no wrath upon the congregation—that no man, not being a Levite, intrude himself through ignorance or presumption upon the sacredness of the tabernacle, and so bring death upon himself, and displeasure upon…