Numbers 2:16

The total number of men in the divisions of the camp of Reuben is 151,450; they shall set out second.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — God gives Moses and the tribal heads the final marching order for the Israelite camps, specifying the exact sequence in which the divisions will depart.

The words — The Hebrew kal (all) and pekuDim (those enrolled) frame the census, indicating that the figure accounts for every registered male assigned to the camp.

The thread — This verse fixes Reuben in the second marching position, following Judah (Numbers 2:9) and preceding Ephraim (Numbers 2:24), a sequence later executed in Numbers 10:18.

Why it lands — The text requires readers to observe that divine command dictates both the precise count of the people and their physical progression, demanding exact compliance with the established order.

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

כָּֽל־kal-all הַפְּקֻדִ֞יםha./pe.ku.Dimthose/ enrolled לְמַחֲנֵ֣הle./ma.cha.Nehof/ [the] camp of רְאוּבֵ֗ןre.'u.VenReuben מְאַ֨תme.'At[were] one hundred אֶ֜לֶף'E.lefthousand וְאֶחָ֨דve./'e.Chadand/ one וַחֲמִשִּׁ֥יםva./cha.mi.Shimand/ fifty אֶ֛לֶף'E.lefthousand וְאַרְבַּע־ve./'ar.ba'-and/ four מֵא֥וֹתme.'othundred<s>וַחֲמִשִּׁ֖יםva./cha.mi.Shimand/ fifty לְצִבְאֹתָ֑םle./tziv.'o.Ta/mto/ military groups/ their וּשְׁנִיִּ֖םu./she.ni.Yimand/ second יִסָּֽעוּ׃ סyi.Sa.'uthey will set out

King James Version

All that were numbered in the camp of Reuben were an hundred thousand and fifty and one thousand and four hundred and fifty, throughout their armies. And they shall set forth in the second rank.

Cross-references

Numbers 10:18 Then the divisions of the camp of Reuben set out under their standard, with Elizur son of Shedeur in command.
Numbers 2:9 The total number of men in the divisions of the camp of Judah is 186,400; they shall set out first.
Numbers 2:24 The total number of men in the divisions of the camp of Ephraim is 108,100; they shall set out third.
Numbers 2:31 The total number of men in the camp of Dan is 157,600; they shall set out last, under their standards.”