Numbers 1:29
those listed of the tribe of Issachar were 54,400.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Numbers 1:29
those listed of the tribe of Issachar were 54,400.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
While the precise number for Issachar might seem like a dry statistic, it’s a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness in multiplying His people, just as He promised Abraham. This census, taken before they entered the Promised Land, wasn't just about counting soldiers; it was a tangible demonstration of God fulfilling His covenant.
This passage is part of a census of all Israelite men able to fight, ordered by God to prepare them for conquering the Promised Land. The entire chapter meticulously lists the numbers for each tribe, with Issachar being one of the tribes counted in this grand military assembly. This census serves as a foundational step for organizing the nation and allocating land once they enter Canaan.
Why did God command this massive census right before entering the Promised Land? It wasn't just an inventory.
God's Faithfulness and Future Planning
This numbering, occurring as Israel prepared to enter Canaan, served multiple divine purposes:
The tribe of Issachar numbered over 54,000. What does this strength signify for their role in Israel?
A Significant Force for God's People
The tribe of Issachar, named after one of Leah's sons, proved to be a substantial group within the Israelite nation. Their census number of 54,400 men ready for military service indicates:
This census was vital for organizing a nation on the brink of conquering a new land. The precise numbering of each tribe, including Issachar, underscores God's detailed care and His intention to establish them as a structured people with a future.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites depart from slavery in Egypt, beginning their journey to the Promised Land.
c. 1446 BC
Wilderness of Sinai
The Israelites are encamped in the wilderness of Sinai. Here, God gives them the Law and establishes the Tabernacle.
Second year after Exodus— this verse
First National Census Ordered
God commands Moses to take a census of all the men in Israel who are able to go to war, to organize them by tribe and family for military purposes and the future division of the land.
Second year after Exodus
Tribe of Issachar Counted
The census reveals 54,400 men fit for military service from the tribe of Issachar.
c. 1406 BC
This verse lists Issachar as one of Jacob's descendants, establishing his lineage as part of God's covenant people from the very beginning.
Genesis 49:14-15Here, Jacob prophesies Issachar's character as one who 'hunkers down between the fields,' which can be seen as a foreshadowing of their strength and readiness, subtly aligning with the military census in Numbers.
1 Chronicles 7:1-5This passage reiterates the genealogical records of Issachar, confirming their significant number and highlighting their strength within Israel, paralleling the census data.
Joshua 19:17-23This describes the territory allotted to Issachar, demonstrating the practical outcome of the census, as land division was based on tribal numbers and strength.
gillNumbers 1:29: "Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred."
Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred. 54,400 men. See Gill on Numbers 1:20 .
calvinNumbers 1:1-54: "And the LORD spake unto 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 were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,"
And the Lord spake unto 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 were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,
Loquutus est autem Jehova ad Mosen in deserto Sinai, in…
While the precise number for Issachar might seem like a dry statistic, it’s a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness in multiplying His people, just as He promised Abraham. This census, taken before they entered the Promised Land, wasn't just about counting soldiers; it was a tangible demonstration of God fulfilling His covenant.
This passage is part of a census of all Israelite men able to fight, ordered by God to prepare them for conquering the Promised Land. The entire chapter meticulously lists the numbers for each tribe, with Issachar being one of the tribes counted in this grand military assembly. This census serves as a foundational step for organizing the nation and allocating land once they enter Canaan.
This passage is part of a census of all Israelite men able to fight, ordered by God to prepare them for conquering the Promised Land. The entire chapter meticulously lists the numbers for each tribe, with Issachar being one of the tribes counted in this grand military assembly. This census serves as a foundational step for organizing the nation and allocating land once they enter Canaan.
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Conquest of Canaan Begins
After 40 years of wandering, the Israelites, now organized and numbered, begin their conquest of the Promised Land under Joshua's leadership.
"those listed of the tribe of Issachar were 54,400." — While the precise number for Issachar might seem like a dry statistic, it’s a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness in multiplying His people, just as He promised Abraham. This census, taken before…