Bible Strands

Numbers 1:30

From the sons of Zebulun, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army,

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Moses records the names of Zebulun’s descendants for the military census as commanded by God. The text states the count includes all males aged twenty or older qualified for service.

The words — תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥/ם (tol.do.Ta/m) = genealogies/ their, and לְ/בֵ֣ית (le./Veit) = to/ [the] house of. These terms anchor the census in documented lineage and household structure rather than mere population totals.

The thread — Zebulun’s lineage appears in Genesis 46:14 and Genesis 30:20, and his clan divisions are restated in Numbers 26:26. The verse functions as a direct record within the broader census narrative.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition of how tribal identity and military obligation were tied to documented ancestry. A reader must see that the count relies on verified household records, not arbitrary totals.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

לִבְנֵ֣יli/v.Neiof/ [the] descendants ofזְבוּלֻ֔ןze.vu.LunZebulunתּוֹלְדֹתָ֥םtol.do.Ta/mgenealogies/ theirלְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖םle./mish.pe.cho.Ta/mto/ clans/ theirלְבֵ֣יתle./Veitto/ [the] house ofאֲבֹתָ֑ם'a.vo.Ta/mancestors/ theirבְּמִסְפַּ֣רbe./mis.Parby/ [the] number ofשֵׁמֹ֗תshe.Motnamesמִבֶּ֨ןmi./Benfrom/ a son ofעֶשְׂרִ֤ים'es.Rimtwentyשָׁנָה֙sha.Nahyear[s]וָמַ֔עְלָהva./Ma'.la/hand/ up/ -wardsכֹּ֖לkoleveryיֹצֵ֥אyo.Tze'[one who] goes forthצָבָֽא׃tza.Va'warfare

King James Version

Of the children of Zebulun, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

Cross-references