What number verse is Numbers 1:39 in the Bible?

Numbers 1:39 is the 3,644th verse of the Bible. Counting straight through the King James canon — all 31,102 verses from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 — Numbers 1:39 sits at position 3,644.

1:381:38 1:401:40

Numbers 1:39

“The Census Results by Tribe”· Numbers 1:20–46Read in context

King James Version

Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.

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KJV (with Strong's)

Those that were numbered ^H6485 of them, even of the tribe ^H4294 of Dan ^H1835, were threescore ^H8346 and two ^H8147 thousand ^H505 and seven ^H7651 hundred ^H3967.

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Complete Jewish Bible

Consolidated into verse 38 by this translation.

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Berean Standard Bible

those registered to the tribe of Dan numbered 62,700.

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American Standard Version

those that were numbered of them, of the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.

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World English Bible Messianic

those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Dan, were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

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Geneva Bible (1599)

The nomber of the also of ye tribe of Dan was three score and two thousand and seue hudreth.

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Young's Literal Translation

their numbered ones, for the tribe of Dan, are two and sixty thousand and seven hundred.

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Translation

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Summary

Numbers 1:39 meticulously records the count of eligible fighting men from the tribe of Dan during the first divinely commanded census of Israel. Conducted at Mount Sinai, this enumeration was a precise accounting of all males aged twenty years and upward, preparing the Israelite nation for its journey through the wilderness and the impending conquest of the Promised Land. This verse, therefore, highlights God's profound attention to detail, His divine order, and His active oversight in organizing His covenant people for their sacred mission.

Context

Literary Context

Numbers 1:39 is an integral part of the comprehensive census detailed in Numbers 1. This chapter systematically lists the number of men "able to go to war" from each of the twelve tribes, following a consistent, formulaic pattern. The preceding verses, such as Numbers 1:38, establish this pattern, providing the count for Naphtali immediately before Dan. The subsequent verses, including Numbers 1:40-41, continue this enumeration for the remaining tribes, culminating in the grand total for all Israel in Numbers 1:46. This repetitive structure not only emphasizes the thoroughness and divine authority behind the census but also underscores the organized and unified nature of the nascent nation as it prepared for its wilderness journey and future conquest.

Historical & Cultural Context

The census documented in Numbers 1 took place "in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt" (Numbers 1:1). This specific timing is crucial, marking a significant transition point after the miraculous Exodus and the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, but prior to the Israelites' departure towards the Promised Land. Censuses were a common practice in the ancient Near East, often conducted for military conscription, taxation, or resource management. For Israel, however, this census served a unique, divinely ordained purpose: to assess military readiness for the conquest of Canaan, to organize the vast multitude for orderly encampment and marching, and most profoundly, to demonstrate God's unwavering faithfulness in multiplying Abraham's descendants, thereby fulfilling the covenant promise made in Genesis 22:17. The tribe of Dan, with its substantial count of 62,700, was one of the larger tribes, reflecting its considerable demographic strength and its designated position in the northern division of the camp.

Key Themes

Numbers 1:39, embedded within the census narrative, contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Numbers and the Pentateuch. A primary theme is Divine Order and Preparation, showcasing God's meticulous nature and His desire for structure and readiness among His people. The precise counting and organization of the tribes demonstrate that God is not a God of chaos but of purposeful arrangement, equipping Israel for the tasks ahead. Another significant theme is Covenant Faithfulness, as the large numbers of the tribes, including Dan, serve as tangible evidence of God fulfilling His promise to Abraham to multiply his seed into a great nation (Genesis 12:2). Furthermore, the census highlights the theme of God's Knowledge and Ownership of His People, emphasizing that each individual and tribe is known, valued, and purposed by the Lord. This detailed enumeration sets the stage for the subsequent narratives of wilderness wanderings, rebellion, and divine provision, all within the framework of God's sovereign plan for His chosen nation.

Exposition and Analysis

Key Word Analysis

Numbered pâqad' H6485

The Hebrew verb H6485, pâqad, is more profound than a simple tallying. While it certainly encompasses the act of counting or mustering, its semantic range also includes "to visit," "to oversee," "to appoint," "to charge," or "to care for." In the context of this divine census, it implies that the enumeration was not merely a human administrative task but an act divinely initiated and meticulously overseen by God. It signifies God's active engagement with His people, knowing each individual and organizing them for His specific purposes. This "numbering" is an act of divine attention, preparation, and sovereign appointment.

Tribe maṭṭeh' H4294

The Hebrew word H4294, maṭṭeh, literally means "a branch" or "a rod," but figuratively, as used here, it signifies a "tribe." This connection between a branch and a tribe is evocative, suggesting the organic growth and extension of a family into a larger, distinct social and political unit. Each tribe was a distinct "branch" of the larger Israelite "tree," possessing its own identity, leadership, and designated place within the national structure. The enumeration of each maṭṭeh underscores the importance of tribal identity and the orderly division of the Israelite nation.

Dan Dân' H1835

The name H1835, Dân, meaning "judge" or "he has judged," refers to one of Jacob's sons and, subsequently, the powerful tribe descended from him. In the context of Numbers 1, Dan's significant numerical strength (62,700) positioned it as one of the largest tribes. Historically, the tribe of Dan would play a notable role in Israel, though sometimes marked by challenges, including the famous judge Samson (Judges 13-16) and the later establishment of idolatry in the northern kingdom (Judges 18). In this initial census, Dan is placed at the head of the northern camp division, alongside Asher and Naphtali, indicating its strategic importance and leadership role in the wilderness journey and military formation.

Verse Breakdown

"Those that were numbered of them"

This opening phrase establishes the subject of the verse, referring to the men who met the specific criteria outlined earlier in the chapter. These were males aged twenty years and upward, deemed "able to go forth to war in Israel" (Numbers 1:3). This highlights that the census was primarily for military and organizational purposes, assessing the nation's strength and readiness for the challenges of the wilderness and the impending conquest of Canaan.

"[even] of the tribe of Dan"

This clause precisely identifies the particular tribal unit whose count is being reported. The systematic enumeration of each of the twelve tribes throughout Numbers 1 emphasizes the distinct identity and contribution of each tribal "branch" to the overall national body. The KJV's inclusion of "even" serves to emphasize the specific focus on Dan, distinguishing its count within the larger national census.

"[were] threescore and two thousand and seven hundred"

This provides the exact numerical result for the tribe of Dan, stating that 62,700 men from this tribe were counted. This large and precise figure underscores Dan's considerable demographic and military strength at the time of this first census. The meticulousness of the number, down to the hundreds, reflects the divine precision and order that governed the entire census, demonstrating God's attention to every detail in the organization and deployment of His covenant people.

Literary Devices

Numbers 1:39, consistent with the entire census account in Numbers 1, employs several literary devices that enhance its meaning and impact. Repetition and formulaic language are prominent, as the precise phrasing "those that were numbered of them, [even] of the tribe of [name], [were] [number]" is reiterated for each tribe. This creates a rhythmic, authoritative tone, emphasizing the systematic and divinely ordered nature of the census. The consistent structure reinforces the idea of divine meticulousness and the orderly arrangement of God's people. Numerical precision is another key device; the exact figures, down to the hundreds, are not merely statistical data but convey a profound sense of divine accuracy, comprehensive knowledge, and sovereign control. This precision highlights God's dominion over every individual and every group within Israel. Furthermore, the entire census functions as a powerful literary motif of preparation and divine organization, setting the stage for the Israelites' arduous journey and the challenges they would face, underscoring that God equips His people for the tasks He calls them to.

Theological and Thematic Connections

Numbers 1:39, as an integral part of the broader census narrative, powerfully illustrates several core theological truths. It underscores God's meticulous nature and His divine order, demonstrating that He is not a God of chaos but of precise arrangement and intentional preparation. The census reveals God's active involvement in the lives of His people, knowing them intimately and organizing them for His purposes. Furthermore, the sheer numbers, including Dan's significant count, serve as a testament to God's unwavering covenant faithfulness, fulfilling His ancient promise to Abraham to multiply his descendants into a great nation. Each tribe, with its distinct identity and numerical strength, contributes to the corporate identity and unified purpose of Israel, highlighting that every part of God's people has value and a crucial role within the larger whole, all under God's sovereign oversight.

Numbers 26:42-43 Exodus 30:11-16 1 Corinthians 12:12-27

Reflection and Application

Numbers 1:39, though a seemingly simple statistical record, offers profound insights for contemporary believers. It reminds us that our God is a God of order, precision, and purposeful intent. Just as He meticulously organized ancient Israel for their journey and mission, He continues to work with intentionality in our individual lives and in the collective life of the Church. This verse encourages us to embrace divine order, understanding that structure, discipline, and preparation are not hindrances but vital facilitators for fulfilling God's will. It also profoundly emphasizes the intrinsic value of every individual within the community of faith; just as Dan's 62,700 men were vital to Israel's strength and mission, every believer contributes uniquely and indispensably to the body of Christ. Our individual gifts, talents, and callings are known, counted, and purposed by God for the collective mission. We are called to be prepared—spiritually, mentally, and practically—for the challenges and opportunities God places before us, trusting that He has equipped us for every good work and that our lives are part of His grand, meticulously planned narrative.

Questions for Reflection

How does the meticulous nature of God, as seen in this census, encourage or challenge your view of His involvement in your own life and the details of your circumstances?
In what specific ways might God be calling you or your community to greater order, discipline, and preparation for His purposes today?
How does understanding your individual "number" or unique contribution within the body of Christ motivate you to faithfully serve and embrace your role?

FAQ

Why was this census, including the count for Dan, so important to God and to Israel?

The census was supremely important for several interconnected reasons, all rooted in God's divine plan for Israel. First, it was for military preparedness, identifying all men "twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel" (Numbers 1:3) as Israel was poised to embark on a journey that would culminate in the conquest of Canaan. This was a strategic mustering of forces. Second, it was crucial for organizational structure, enabling the orderly arrangement of the vast Israelite camp, their marching order, and the assignment of responsibilities, particularly for the Levites who were counted separately for their sacred duties (Numbers 1:47-53). Third, it served as a powerful demonstration of God's covenant faithfulness, showing the miraculous multiplication of Abraham's descendants, thereby fulfilling His ancient promises to make them a great nation (Genesis 12:2). Finally, it underscored God's meticulous nature and His desire for order and precision in the lives of His people, reflecting His sovereignty over every detail of their existence and mission.

Christ-Centered Fulfillment

While Numbers 1:39 details a historical census of ancient Israel, its underlying principles find profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the New Covenant. The meticulous numbering of God's people, prepared for a journey and a spiritual inheritance, foreshadows the Church, the spiritual Israel, meticulously known and prepared by God for His eternal purposes. Just as every man of Israel was counted and had a designated place in the camp, so too does every believer in Christ have a unique and valued place in the body of Christ, known intimately by the Good Shepherd who calls His own sheep by name and leads them out (John 10:3). The census for military readiness points powerfully to the spiritual warfare in which believers are engaged, equipped not with physical weapons but with the full armor of God, enabling them to stand firm against the schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6:10-18). Ultimately, the promise of a vast multitude, exemplified by tribes like Dan, finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in the innumerable host of the redeemed from "every tribe and language and people and nation" who stand before the Lamb, having been purchased by His precious blood (Revelation 5:9). This spiritual census, far grander than any earthly count, culminates in the vision of a great multitude that no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, fulfilling God's promise of a spiritual seed far greater than any physical census could capture (Revelation 7:9-10).

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Public-domain commentary

Matthew Henry

From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Numbers 1:17–43.

1662–1714 · 27 verses

Passage under commentNumbers 1:17–43

17¶ And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names:

18And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls.

19As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.

20And the children of Reuben, Israel's eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, 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, even of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.

22Of the children of Simeon, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, those that were numbered of them, 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, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.

24Of the children of Gad, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

25Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Gad, were forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty.

26Of the children of Judah, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

27Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Judah, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.

28Of the children of Issachar, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

29Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.

30Of the children of Zebulun, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

31Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.

32Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

33Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred.

34Of the children of Manasseh, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

35Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.

36Of the children of Benjamin, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

37Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.

38Of the children of Dan, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

39Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.

40Of the children of Asher, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

41Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.

42Of the children of Naphtali, throughout their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

43Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.

We have here the speedy execution of the orders given for the numbering of the people. It was begun the same day that the orders were given, The first day of the second month; compare Num 1:18 with Num 1:1. Note, When any work is to be done for God it is good to set about it quickly, while the sense of duty is strong and pressing. And, for aught that appears, it was but one day's work, for many other things were done between this and the twentieth day of this month, when they removed their camp, Num 10:11. Joab was almost ten months numbering the people in David's time (Sa2 24:8); but then they were dispersed, now they lived closely together; then Satan proposed the doing of it, now God commanded it. It was the sooner and more easily done now because it had been done but a little while ago, and they needed but review the old books, with the alterations since made, which probably they had kept an account of as they occurred.

In the particulars here left upon record, we may observe, 1. That the numbers are registered in words at length (as I may say), and not in figures; to every one of the twelve tribes it is repeated, for the greater ceremony and solemnity of the account, that they were numbered by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, to show that every tribe took and gave in the account by the same rule and in the same method, though so many hands were employed in it, setting down the genealogy first, to show that their family descended from Israel, then the families themselves in their order, then dividing each family into the houses, or subordinate families, that branched from it, and under these the names of the particular persons, according to the rules of heraldry. Thus every man might know who were his relations or next of kin, on which some laws we have already met with did depend: besides that the nearer any are to us in relation the more ready we should be to do them good. 2. That they all end with hundreds, only Gad with fifty (Num 1:25), but none of the numbers descend to units or tens. Some think it was a special providence that ordered all the tribes just at this time to be even numbers, and no odd or broken numbers among them, to show them that there was something more than ordinary designed in their increase, there being this uncommon in the circumstance of it. It is rather probable that Moses having some time before appointed rulers of hundreds, and rulers of fifties (Exo 18:25), they numbered the people by their respective rulers, which would bring the numbers to even hundreds or fifties. 3. That Judah is the must numerous of them all, more than double to Benjamin and Manasseh, and almost 12,000 more than any other tribe, v. 27. It was Judah whom his brethren must praise because from him Messiah the Prince was to descend; but, because that was a thing at a distance, God did in many ways honour that tribe in the mean time, particularly by the great increase of it, for his sake who was to spring out of Judah (Heb 7:14) in the fulness of time. Judah was to lead the van through the wilderness, and therefore was furnished accordingly with greater strength than any other tribe. 4. Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, are numbered as distinct tribes, and both together made up almost as many as Judah; this was in pursuance of Jacob's adoption of them, by which they were equalled with their uncles Reuben and Simeon, Gen 48:5. It was also the effect of the blessing of Joseph, who was to be a fruitful bough, Gen 49:22. And Ephraim the younger is put first, and is more numerous than Manasseh, for Jacob had crossed hands, and foreseen ten thousands of Ephraim and thousands of Manasseh. The fulfilling of this confirms our faith in the spirit of prophecy with which the patriarchs were endued. 5. When they came down into Egypt Dan had but one son (Gen 46:23), and so his tribe was but one family, Num 26:42. Benjamin had then ten sons (Gen 46:21), yet now the tribe of Dan is almost double in number to that of Benjamin. Note, The increasing and diminishing of families do not always go by probabilities. Some are multiplied greatly, and again are diminished, while others that were poor have families made them like a flock, Psa 107:38, Psa 107:39, Psa 107:41; and see Job 12:23. 6. It is said of each of the tribes that those were numbered who were able to go forth to war, to remind them that they had wars before them, though now they were in peace and met with no opposition. Let not him that girdeth on the harness boast as though he had put it off.

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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.

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