God’s Word Translation
Numbers 3:43
43The total of all the firstborn males at least one month old was 22,273. They were listed by name.
Numbers 3:43 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen.
- New International Version (NIV)The total number of firstborn males a month old or more, listed by name, was 22,273.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And all the firstborn males, according to the number of names, from a month old and upward as listed were 22,273.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And all the firstborn males, according to the number of names from a month old and above, of those who were numbered of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.
Context of Numbers 3:43
41I am the Lord. Take the Levites for me to be substitutes for all firstborn Israelites. Also take the animals of the Levites to be substitutes for all firstborn animals of the Israelites.” 42So Moses registered all the firstborn Israelites as the Lord commanded him. The total of all the firstborn males at least one month old was 22,273. They were listed by name. 44The Lord said to Moses, 45“Take the Levites to be substitutes for all the firstborn Israelites and the animals of the Levites to be substitutes for their animals. The Levites will be mine. I am the Lord.
Read all of Numbers 3Numbers 3:43 word by word
וַיְהִי֩ כָל־בְּכ֨וֹר זָכָ֜ר בְּמִסְפַּ֥ר שֵׁמ֛וֹת מִבֶּן־חֹ֥דֶשׁ וָמַ֖עְלָה לִפְקֻדֵיהֶ֑ם שְׁנַ֤יִם וְעֶשְׂרִים֙ אֶ֔לֶף שְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה וְשִׁבְעִ֖ים וּמָאתָֽיִם׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And all the firstbornבְּכוֹרbekôr · firstbornH1060
- malesזָכָרzâkâr · maleH2145
- by the numberמִסְפָּרmispâr · numberH4557
- of namesשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- from a monthחֹ֫דֶשׁchôdesh · monthH2320
- oldבֵּןbên · son: agedH1121
- and upwardמַ֫עַלma‛al · aboveH4605
- of those that were numberedפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: listH6485
- of them, were twentyעֶשְׂרִים‛eώrîym · twentyH6242
- and twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- thousandאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
- two hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
- and threescore and thirteenשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
- and threescore and thirteenשִׁבְעִיםshib‛îym · seventyH7657
Cross-references for Numbers 3:43
Commentaries on Numbers 3:43
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 43All the first-born males - were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen - Thus we find there were 273 first-born beyond the number of the Levites. These are ordered, Numbers 3:46, to be redeemed; and the redemption price is to be five shekels each, Numbers 3:47, about 15s. And this money, amounting to 1,365 shekels, equal to 204 15s. English, he took of the first-born of Israel, Numbers 3:50. But how was this collected among 22,273…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 43This result, when compared with the number of male adults (603,550, compare Numbers 2:32), is small, the usual proportion of first-born sons to a total male population being about one in four: and the explanation offered is that the law of Exodus 13:1-2, prescribed a dedication of those only who should be firstborn “thenceforward”. On the other hand, the number is very large to be born among two millions of persons in a single year; and it must be…Read the comment
- 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 3:43
In the dictionaries
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
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