Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 1

20This was the tally of the tribe of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel—their descendants counted according to their families, according to their fathers’ houses, by the number of individual names, and according to the head count of every male 20 years old and over, all who were fit to serve in the army:   כוַיִּֽהְי֤וּ בְנֵֽי־רְאוּבֵן֙ בְּכֹ֣ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל תּֽוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֤ר שֵׁמוֹת֙ לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָ֔ם כָּל־זָכָ֗ר מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא:
21the tally of the tribe of Reuben was 46,500.   כאפְּקֻֽדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה רְאוּבֵ֑ן שִׁשָּׁ֧ה וְאַרְבָּעִ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וַֽחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת:
22This was the tally of the tribe of Simeon—their descendants counted according to their families, according to their fathers’ houses, by the number of individual names, and according to the head count of every male 20 years old and over, all who were fit to serve in the army:   כבלִבְנֵ֣י שִׁמְע֔וֹן תּֽוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם פְּקֻדָ֗יו בְּמִסְפַּ֤ר שֵׁמוֹת֙ לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָ֔ם כָּל־זָכָ֗ר מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא:
23the tally of the tribe of Simeon was 59,300.   כגפְּקֻֽדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה שִׁמְע֑וֹן תִּשְׁעָ֧ה וַֽחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וּשְׁל֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת:
24This was the tally of the tribe of Gad—their descendants counted according to their families, according to their fathers’ houses, and by the number of individual names, 20 years old and over, all who were fit to serve in the army:   כדלִבְנֵ֣י גָ֔ד תּֽוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמ֗וֹת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא:
25the tally of the tribe of Gad was 45,650.   כהפְּקֻֽדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה גָ֑ד חֲמִשָּׁ֤ה וְאַרְבָּעִים֙ אֶ֔לֶף וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת וַֽחֲמִשִּֽׁים:
26This was the tally of the tribe of Judah—their descendants counted according to their families, according to their fathers’ houses, and by the number of individual names, 20 years old and over, all who were fit to serve in the army:   כולִבְנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה תּֽוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמֹ֗ת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא:
27the tally of the tribe of Judah was 74,600.   כזפְּקֻֽדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה יְהוּדָ֑ה אַרְבָּעָ֧ה וְשִׁבְעִ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת:
28This was the tally of the tribe of Issachar—their descendants counted according to their families, according to their fathers’ houses, and by the number of individual names, 20 years old and over, all who were fit to serve in the army:   כחלִבְנֵ֣י יִשָּׂשכָ֔ר תּֽוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמֹ֗ת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא:
29the tally of the tribe of Issachar was 54,400.   כטפְּקֻֽדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה יִשָּׂשכָ֑ר אַרְבָּעָ֧ה וַֽחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת:
30This was the tally of the tribe of Zebulun—their descendants counted according to their families, according to their fathers’ houses, and by the number of individual names, 20 years old and over, all who were fit to serve in the army:   ללִבְנֵ֣י זְבוּלֻ֔ן תּֽוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמֹ֗ת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא:
31the tally of the tribe of Zebulun was 57,400.   לאפְּקֻֽדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה זְבוּלֻ֑ן שִׁבְעָ֧ה וַֽחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת:
32For the tribe of Joseph: this was the tally of the tribe of Ephraim—their descendants counted according to their families, according to their fathers’ houses, and by the number of individual names, 20 years old and over, all who were fit to serve in the army:   לבלִבְנֵ֤י יוֹסֵף֙ לִבְנֵ֣י אֶפְרַ֔יִם תּֽוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמֹ֗ת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא:
33the tally of the tribe of Ephraim was 40,500.   לגפְּקֻֽדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה אֶפְרָ֑יִם אַרְבָּעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף וַֽחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת:
34This was the tally of the tribe of Manasseh—their descendants counted according to their families, according to their fathers’ houses, and by the number of individual names, 20 years old and over, all who were fit to serve in the army:   לדלִבְנֵ֣י מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה תּֽוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמ֗וֹת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא:
35the tally of the tribe of Manasseh was 32,200.   להפְּקֻֽדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה שְׁנַ֧יִם וּשְׁלשִׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וּמָאתָֽיִם:
36This was the tally of the tribe of Benjamin—their descendants counted according to their families, according to their fathers’ houses, and by the number of individual names, 20 years old and over, all who were fit to serve in the army:   לולִבְנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֔ן תּֽוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמֹ֗ת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא:
37the tally of the tribe of Benjamin was 35,400.   לזפְּקֻֽדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה בִנְיָמִ֑ן חֲמִשָּׁ֧ה וּשְׁלשִׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת:
38This was the tally of the tribe of Dan—their descendants counted according to their families, according to their fathers’ houses, and by the number of individual names, 20 years old and over, all who were fit to serve in the army:   לחלִבְנֵ֣י דָ֔ן תּֽוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמֹ֗ת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא:
39the tally of the tribe of Dan was 62,700.   לטפְּקֻֽדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה דָ֑ן שְׁנַ֧יִם וְשִׁשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וּשְׁבַ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת:
40This was the tally of the tribe of Asher—their descendants counted according to their families, according to their fathers’ houses, and by the number of individual names, 20 years old and over, all who were fit to serve in the army:   מלִבְנֵ֣י אָשֵׁ֔ר תּֽוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמֹ֗ת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא:
41the tally of the tribe of Asher was 41,500.   מאפְּקֻֽדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה אָשֵׁ֑ר אֶחָ֧ד וְאַרְבָּעִ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וַֽחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת:
42This was the tally of the tribe of Naphtali—their descendants counted according to their families, according to their fathers’ houses, and by the number of individual names, 20 years old and over, all who were fit to serve in the army:   מבבְּנֵ֣י נַפְתָּלִ֔י תּֽוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמֹ֗ת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא:
43the tally of the tribe of Naphtali was 53,400.   מגפְּקֻֽדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה נַפְתָּלִ֑י שְׁלשָׁ֧ה וַֽחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת:
44These are the tallies counted by Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel—12 men, each representing his fathers’ house.   מדאֵ֣לֶּה הַפְּקֻדִ֡ים אֲשֶׁר֩ פָּקַ֨ד משֶׁ֤ה וְאַֽהֲרֹן֙ וּנְשִׂיאֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָׂ֖ר אִ֑ישׁ אִֽישׁ־אֶחָ֥ד לְבֵֽית־אֲבֹתָ֖יו הָיֽוּ:
45These are the tallies of all the Israelites according to their fathers’ houses, 20 years old and over, all those in Israel who were fit to serve in the army:   מהוַיִּֽהְי֛וּ כָּל־פְּקוּדֵ֥י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כָּל־יֹצֵ֥א צָבָ֖א בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
46the sum of all the tallies was 603,550.   מווַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ כָּל־הַפְּקֻדִ֔ים שֵׁשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת אֶ֖לֶף וּשְׁל֣שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֑ים וַֽחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת וַֽחֲמִשִּֽׁים:
47But the Levites, according to their fathers’ tribe, were not numbered among them.   מזוְהַֽלְוִיִּ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה אֲבֹתָ֑ם לֹ֥א הָתְפָּֽקְד֖וּ בְּתוֹכָֽם:
48God spoke to Moses, saying:   מחוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָֹ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
49“However, you must neither tally the tribe of Levi nor count them among the Israelites.   מטאַ֣ךְ אֶת־מַטֵּ֤ה לֵוִי֙ לֹ֣א תִפְקֹ֔ד וְאֶת־רֹאשָׁ֖ם לֹ֣א תִשָּׂ֑א בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
אַךְ אֶת־מַטֵּה לֵוִי לֹא תִפְקֹד - However, you must neither tally the tribe of Levi - for the King’s legion is worthy to be counted separately. Another explanation: The Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that there was to be a decree upon all those counted from 20 years old and over, namely, that they die in the desert. He therefore said: “These must not be among them, for they were loyal to Me by not straying during the incident of the Golden Calf.”   אַךְ אֶת־מַטֵּה לֵוִי לֹא תִפְקֹד.  כְּדַאי הוּא לִגְיוֹן שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ לִהְיוֹת נִמְנֶה לְבַדּוֹ (תנחומא); דָּבָר אַחֵר, צָפָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁעֲתִידָה לַעֲמֹד גְּזֵרָה עַל כָּל הַנִּמְנִין מִבֶּן עֶשְֹרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה שֶׁיָּמוּתוּ בַמִּדְבָּר, אָמַר אַל יִהְיוּ אֵלּוּ בִכְלָל, לְפִי שֶׁהֵם שֶׁלִּי, שֶׁלֹּא טָעוּ בָעֵגֶל (שם; בבא בתרא קכ"א):
50You must put the Levites in charge of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, over all its furnishings and over all that pertains to it. They must carry the Tabernacle and all its furnishings; they must serve in it, and they must encamp around the Tabernacle.   נוְאַתָּ֡ה הַפְקֵ֣ד אֶת־הַֽלְוִיִּם֩ עַל־מִשְׁכַּ֨ן הָֽעֵדֻ֜ת וְעַ֣ל כָּל־כֵּלָיו֘ וְעַ֣ל כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ֒ הֵ֜מָּה יִשְׂא֤וּ אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָ֔יו וְהֵ֖ם יְשָֽׁרְתֻ֑הוּ וְסָבִ֥יב לַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן יַֽחֲנֽוּ:
וְאַתָּה הַפְקֵד אֶת־הַֽלְוִיִּם - You must put the Levites in charge. הַפְקֵד here means as Onkelos translates it: מַנִּי, a term denoting appointment to a position of authority over the thing of which he is in charge, as in: וְיַפְקֵד הַמֶּלֶךְ פְּקִידִים “Let the king appoint officials.” 1   וְאַתָּה הַפְקֵד אֶת־הַֽלְוִיִּם.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "מַנִּי", לְשׁוֹן מִנּוּי שְׂרָרָה עַל דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא מְמֻנֶּה עָלָיו, כְּמוֹ "וְיַפְקֵד הַמֶּלֶךְ פְּקִידִים" (אסתר ב'):
51Whenever the Tabernacle is set to travel, the Levites must dismantle it, and whenever the Tabernacle camps, the Levites must erect it; any lay-person who approaches and tries to do this will be put to death.   נאוּבִנְסֹ֣עַ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֗ן יוֹרִ֤ידוּ אֹתוֹ֙ הַֽלְוִיִּ֔ם וּבַֽחֲנֹת֙ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן יָקִ֥ימוּ אֹת֖וֹ הַֽלְוִיִּ֑ם וְהַזָּ֥ר הַקָּרֵ֖ב יוּמָֽת:
יוֹרִידוּ אֹתוֹ - Must dismantle it. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: יְפָרְקוּן “they must dismantle.” When they were about to travel in the desert from one station to another, they would dismantle its construction and carry it wherever the cloud would rest, and camp there, whereupon they would erect it.   יוֹרִידוּ אֹתוֹ.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "יְפָרְקוּן", כְּשֶׁבָּאִין לִסַּע בַּמִּדְבָּר מִמַּסָּע לְמַסָּע הָיוּ מְפָרְקִין אוֹתוֹ מֵהֲקָמָתוֹ, וְנוֹשְׂאִין אוֹתוֹ עַד מָקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכֹּן שָׁם הֶעָנָן, וְיַחֲנוּ שָׁם וּמְקִימִין אוֹתוֹ:
וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב - Any lay-person who approaches - to perform this service of theirs.   וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב.  לַעֲבוֹדָתָם זוֹ:
יוּמָֽת - Will be put to death - by a heavenly act.   יוּמָֽת.  בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם:
52The Israelites must camp according to their tribal troops, each man by his tribe’s division, and each man by his division’s banner,   נבוְחָנ֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִ֧ישׁ עַל־מַֽחֲנֵ֛הוּ וְאִ֥ישׁ עַל־דִּגְל֖וֹ לְצִבְאֹתָֽם:
ואישׁ עַל־דִּגְלוֹ - And each man by his banner - in the way the banners are arranged in this book – three tribes to each banner.   ואישׁ עַל־דִּגְלוֹ.  כְּמוֹ שֶׁהַדְּגָלִים סְדוּרִים בְּסֵפֶר זֶה – שְׁלֹשָׁה שְׁבָטִים לְכָל דֶּגֶל:
53but the Levites must encamp around the Tabernacle of the Testimony, so that no Divine wrath be directed against the community of the Israelites. The Levites must guard the Tabernacle of the Testimony.”   נגוְהַֽלְוִיִּ֗ם יַֽחֲנ֤וּ סָבִיב֙ לְמִשְׁכַּ֣ן הָֽעֵדֻ֔ת וְלֹא־יִֽהְיֶ֣ה קֶ֔צֶף עַל־עֲדַ֖ת בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְשָֽׁמְרוּ֙ הַֽלְוִיִּ֔ם אֶת־מִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת מִשְׁכַּ֥ן הָֽעֵדֽוּת:
וְלֹא־יִֽהְיֶה קֶצֶף - So that no [Divine] wrath will be - i.e., if you do as I have commanded, ensuring that the Tabernacle be separated from the other tribes, there will be no Divine wrath; but if not – to the extent that laypersons break this boundary and venture into this service of theirs – there will be Divine wrath, which will result in punishment, as we find in the incident of Korach: כִּי יָצָא הַקֶּצֶף וגו׳ “for Divine wrath has gone forth….” 2   וְלֹא־יִֽהְיֶה קֶצֶף.  אִם תַּעֲשׂוּ כְּמִצְוֹתַי לֹא יִהְיֶה קֶצֶף, וְאִם לָאו, שֶׁיִּכָּנְסוּ זָרִים בַּעֲבוֹדָתָם זוֹ, יִהְיֶה קֶצֶף, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בְמַעֲשֵׂה קֹרַח (במדבר י"ז), כִּי יָצָא הַקֶּצֶף וְגוֹ':
54The Israelites did this; they did according to all that God had commanded Moses.   נדוַיַּֽעֲשׂ֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כְּ֠כֹ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה יְהוָֹ֛ה אֶת־משֶׁ֖ה כֵּ֥ן עָשֽׂוּ: