Numbers 1:47

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

¶ But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them.

Complete Jewish Bible:

But those who were L'vi'im, according to the clan of their fathers, were not counted in this census;

Berean Standard Bible:

The Levites, however, were not numbered along with them by the tribe of their fathers.

American Standard Version:

But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

But the Levites^{H3881} after the tribe^{H4294} of their fathers^{H1} were not numbered^{H6485} among^{H8432} them.

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for Numbers 1:47

1. **Themes:**
- **Divine Role and Separation of the Levites:** The verse reflects the unique status of the Levites within Israelite society. Unlike the other tribes, they were not conscripted into the military and were exempt from the census taken for military service. This exemption was due to their special role as servants of the Tabernacle, responsible for its maintenance and the religious ceremonies of the Israelites.
- **Priestly Duties and Responsibilities:** The Levites were set apart for the service of God, which included caring for the sanctuary, carrying the Tabernacle and its furnishings during travels, and assisting the priests (who were also Levites) in their temple duties.
- **Holiness and Sanctification:** The exclusion from the general census underscores the concept of holiness; the Levites were consecrated to God and thus were to be treated differently, maintaining a level of sanctity that was not required of the other tribes.

2. **Historical Context:**
- **The Census of Israel:** Numbers 1 describes the census taken by Moses at the command of God, a year after the Israelites had left Egypt. This census was intended to count all men eligible for military service, aged 20 and above.
- **The Time Period:** The book of Numbers covers a period of about 39 years, from the second year after the Exodus to the fortieth year, just before the Israelites entered the Promised Land.
- **The Role of the Levites:** In the Israelite society of the time, the Levites were not given an inheritance of land like the other tribes. Instead, their service in the Tabernacle was considered their inheritance, and they were supported by the tithes and offerings of the other tribes.
- **The Tabernacle:** The Tabernacle was the portable dwelling place of God, central to Israelite worship before the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem. The Levites' responsibilities were crucial to the religious life and structure of the Israelite community.

In summary, Numbers 1:47 highlights the special status of the Levites, who were not included in the military census because of their sacred duties in the service of the Tabernacle, reflecting the themes of divine calling, separation, and holiness in ancient Israelite society.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H3881
   There are 258 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: לֵוִיִּי
   Transliteration: Lêvîyîy
   Pronunciation: lay-vee-ee'
   Description: or לֵוִי; patronymically from לֵוִי; a Levite or descendant of Levi; Leviite.
   
2. Strong's Number: H4294
   There are 204 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מַטֶּה
   Transliteration: maṭṭeh
   Pronunciation: mat-teh'
   Description: or (feminine) מַטָּה; from נָטָה; a branch (as extending); figuratively, a tribe; also a rod, whether for chastising (figuratively, correction), ruling (a sceptre), throwing (a lance), or walking (a staff; figuratively, a support of life, e.g. bread); rod, staff, tribe.
   
3. Strong's Number: H1
   There are 15773 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָב
   Transliteration: ʼâb
   Pronunciation: awb
   Description: a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application; chief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.
   
4. Strong's Number: H6485
   There are 270 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: פָּקַד
   Transliteration: pâqad
   Pronunciation: paw-kad'
   Description: a primitive root; to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit, etc.; appoint, [idiom] 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, [idiom] by any means, miss, number, officer, (make) overseer, have (the) oversight, punish, reckon, (call to) remember(-brance), set (over), sum, [idiom] surely, visit, want.
   
5. Strong's Number: H8432
   There are 390 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: תָּוֶךְ
   Transliteration: tâvek
   Pronunciation: taw'-vek
   Description: from an unused root meaning to sever; a bisection, i.e. (by implication) the centre; among(-st), [idiom] between, half, [idiom] (there-, where-), in(-to), middle, mid(-night), midst (among), [idiom] out (of), [idiom] through, [idiom] with(-in).