Bible Strands
Numbers 1:4
And one man from each tribe, the head of each family, must be there with you.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — God instructs Moses to conduct a military census of Israelite men aged twenty and older, directing that each tribe must provide a specific family leader to assist in the count.
The words — The Hebrew יִהְי֔וּ (yih.Yu) establishes future existence ("they will be"), while רֹאשׁ (rosh) literally denotes "head," identifying the required participant as the chief of each household unit.
The thread — This requirement for tribal representation reappears in Numbers 1:16, where these designated men are confirmed as the heads of their fathers' tribes, and aligns with the administrative structure outlined in Exodus 18:21 and 18:25.
Why it lands — The text mandates organized participation from each tribal lineage to execute the census, requiring readers to recognize how communal accountability is structured through designated family leaders.
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
King James Version
And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers.
Cross-references
- Numbers 1:16 These men were appointed from the congregation; they were the leaders of the tribes of their fathers, the heads of the clans of Israel.
- Exodus 18:25 So Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
- Exodus 18:21 Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
- Numbers 2:3 On the east side, toward the sunrise, the divisions of Judah are to camp under their standard: The leader of the Judahites is Nahshon son of Amminadab,
- Numbers 7:10 When the altar was anointed, the leaders approached with their offerings for its dedication and presented them before the altar.
- Numbers 10:14 First, the divisions of the camp of Judah set out under their standard, with Nahshon son of Amminadab in command.
- Numbers 13:2 “Send out for yourself men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each of their fathers’ tribes send one man who is a leader among them.”
- Numbers 17:3 and write Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi, because there must be one staff for the head of each tribe.
- Numbers 25:4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that His fierce anger may turn away from Israel.”
- Numbers 25:14 The name of the Israelite who was slain with the Midianite woman was Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a Simeonite family.