1 No dia quinze de Abril do segundo ano depois dos israelitas terem deixado o Egipto, o Senhor deu as seguintes instruções a Moisés, que se encontrava nessa ocasião no tabernáculo enquanto Israel estava acampado na península de Sinai:16 Foram estes os nomeados para a tarefa indicada.17 Nesse mesmo dia Moisés e Arão, com os chefes acima indicados, convocaram todos os homens de Israel com idade a partir de vinte anos para virem registar-se e indicar a sua tribo e família, tal como o Senhor mandara a Moisés:47 Esta relação não inclui os levitas porque o Senhor tinha dito a Moisés que isentasse os levitas dessa obrigação e não os incluísse no recenseamento; pois a sua actividade está relacionada com o tabernáculo e o seu transporte. O dever deles já é viver junto dele, e assim, quando tiver de ser deslocado, os levitas terão de o desmontar para tornar a armá-lo onde for preciso. Outra pessoa, quem quer que seja, que venha a tocar nele morrerá. Cada tribo levantará o seu acampamento em áreas separadas, com a sua bandeira própria. Mas os levitas agrupar-se-ão à volta do tabernáculo como uma parede entre o povo e a severidade de Deus santo - para os proteger da ira divina contra os pecados deles.54 Todas estas instruções do Senhor a Moisés foram postas em execução.

1 And the LORD spoke to Moses 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 had come out of the land of Egypt, saying,2 Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their poll:3 From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel; thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.4 And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers.5 And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you: Of the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur.6 Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.7 Of Judah; Nahshon the son of Amminadab.8 Of Issachar; Nethaneel the son of Zuar.9 Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon.10 Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim; Elishama the son of Ammihud; of Manasseh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.11 Of Benjamin; Abidan the son of Gideoni.12 Of Dan; Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.13 Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocran.14 Of Gad; Eliasaph the son of Deuel.15 Of Naphtali; Ahira the son of Enan.16 These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.17 And Moses and Aaron took these men who are expressed by their names:18 And they assembled all the congregation 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.19 As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.20 And 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;21 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.22 Of 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;23 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.24 Of 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;25 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Gad, were forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty.26 Of 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;27 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Judah, were seventy and four thousand and six hundred.28 Of 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;29 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.30 Of 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;31 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.32 Of 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;33 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred.34 Of 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;35 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.36 Of 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;37 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.38 Of 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;39 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Dan, were sixty and two thousand and seven hundred.40 Of 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;41 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.42 Of 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;43 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.44 These are those that were numbered, which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men: each one was for the house of his fathers.45 So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel;46 Even all they that were numbered, were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.47 But the Levites, after the tribe of their fathers, were not numbered among them.48 For the LORD had spoken to Moses, saying,49 Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel:50 But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all its vessels, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all its vessels, and they shall minister to it, and shall encamp around the tabernacle.51 And when the tabernacle moveth forward, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.52 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.53 But the Levites shall pitch around the tabernacle of testimony; that there may be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony.54 And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.