Numbers 3:40

Numbers 3:40 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the Lord said unto Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.
• New International Version (NIV)The Lord said to Moses, “Count all the firstborn Israelite males who are a month old or more and make a list of their names.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the Lord said to Moses, "List all the firstborn males of the people of Israel, from a month old and upward, taking the number of their names.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the Lord said to Moses: “Number all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and above, and take the number of their names.

Context of Numbers 3:40

38Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, before the Tent of Meeting. They were to perform the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites; but any outsider who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death. 39The total number of Levites that Moses and Aaron counted by their clans at the LORD’s command, including all the males a month old or more, was 22,000. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Number every firstborn male of the Israelites a month old or more, and list their names. 41You are to take the Levites for Me—I am the LORD—in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites.” 42So Moses numbered all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the LORD had commanded him.

Numbers 3:40 word by word

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה פְּקֹ֨ד כָּל־בְּכֹ֤ר זָכָר֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִבֶּן־חֹ֖דֶשׁ וָמָ֑עְלָה וְשָׂ֕א אֵ֖ת מִסְפַּ֥ר שְׁמֹתָֽם׃Read the interlinear

• Then the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• Then the LORDאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
• Numberפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: listH6485
• everyכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• firstbornבְּכוֹרbekôr · firstbornH1060
• maleזָכָרzâkâr · maleH2145
• of the Israelitesבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of the Israelitesיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• a monthחֹ֫דֶשׁchôdesh · monthH2320
• oldבֵּןbên · son: agedH1121
• or moreמַ֫עַלma‛al · aboveH4605
• and listנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: countH5375
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• ·מִסְפָּרmispâr · numberH4557
• their namesשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034

Cross-references for Numbers 3:40

• Numbers 3:12“Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb. The Levites belong to Me,
• Exodus 32:26So Moses stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the LORD, come to me.” And all the Levites gathered around him.
• Psalms 87:6The LORD will record in the register of the peoples: “This one was born in Zion.” Selah
• Isaiah 4:3Whoever remains in Zion and whoever is left in Jerusalem will be called holy— all in Jerusalem who are recorded among the living—
• Luke 10:20Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
• Philippians 4:3Yes, and I ask you, my true yokefellow, to help these women who have contended at my side for the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.
• 2 Timothy 2:19Nevertheless, God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from iniquity.”
• Hebrews 12:23in joyful assembly, to the congregation of the firstborn, enrolled in heaven. You have come to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
• Revelation 3:5Like them, he who overcomes will be dressed in white. And I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His angels.
• Revelation 14:4These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They have been redeemed from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.

Commentaries on Numbers 3:40

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 40-51Verses 40-51 The number of the first-born, and that of the Levites, came near to each other. Known unto God are all his works beforehand; there is an exact proportion between them, and so it will appear, when they are compared together. The small number of first-born, over and above the number of the Levites, were to be redeemed, and the redemption-money given to Aaron. The church is called the church of the first-born, which is redeemed, not as they…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 40-51There were 273 more firstborn sons in Israel from the non-Levite tribes than there were Levite males (compare Leviticus 3:39). The Levites acted as substitutes for Israel's firstborn sons (3:41; see study note on 3:11–13). The law required a redemption price of five pieces of silver for each extra firstborn son (Numbers 3:46–48; compare Leviticus 27:6). It is unclear who paid this cost. This arrangement for special substitutes points to Christ’s role as a…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 40-5140-51. Number all the first-born of the males of the children of Israel, &c.--The principle on which the enumeration of the Levites had been made was now to be applied to the other tribes. The number of their male children, from a month old and upward, was to be reckoned, in order that a comparison might be instituted with that of the Levites, for the formal adoption of the latter as substitutes for the first-born. The Levites, amounting to twenty-two…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 3:40

• Census
• Firstborn

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Moses
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Children of Israel
• Chief
• Conclude
• Custody
• Encamp
• O

Commentaries on Numbers 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings