Keraia
Numbers 1

Numbers 1:33

The Number of Every Tribe · Numbers 1:17–46
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Translations

Modern
…those registered to the tribe of Ephraim numbered 40,500.
Traditional
Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred.
Literal
…those numbered of the tribe of Ephraim were forty thousand and five hundred.
Latin
…quadraginta millia quingenti.

Original

Hebrew
English
…those registered to the tribe of Ephraim numbered 40,500.

Notes

Numbers 1:20–43

The second list of tribes lists Gad with Reuben and Simeon. These two tribes camped with Gad while Israel traveled.

Numbers 1:17–46

The count of 603,550 shows the same number of qualified men as mentioned in Exodus 38:26. Exodus 12:37 and Numbers 11:21 give an approximate number of 600,000.

People have interpreted these numbers in different ways:

  • The numbers might show the actual size of this army (see Exodus 1:9–10).

  • The numbers might be symbolic. A later editor might have estimated, or might have misunderstood while translating.

See also study note on Exodus 12:37.

People

Ephraim: Second son of Joseph, and a tribe of Israel

Glossary

Deuteronomy, Book of Ephraim, Tribe of Genealogy Numbers, Book of

Topics

Ephraim: A Tribe of Israel: Numbered at Mount Sinai and in Plains of Moab Israel: Number of, at Sinai, by Tribes Journey of Israel Through The Desert: To Mount Sinai: Second Numbering of the People Tribe of Ephraim: Strength of, on Leaving Egypt