John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. And his host, and those that were numbered of them , etc.] As they had been before; and, supposing these words to be the words of God, there is no necessity of rendering them in the future, as some have observed; though they seem rather to be the words of Moses, who under every tribe repeats the number, which is exactly the same as when taken; and though it was not till twenty days after that they set forward according to their order of encampment, not one of them died, which Aben Ezra observes as a very wonderful thing; [were] threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred ; the number of the tribe of Judah were 74,600; (see Numbers 1:27).
Matthew Henry Commentary
- The order of the tribes in their tents.
--The tribes were to encamp about the tabernacle, which was to be in the midst of them. It was a token of God's gracious presence. Yet the were to pitch their tents afar off, in reverence to the sanctuary. The children of Israel put themselves in their posts, without murmuring of disputing; and as it was their safety, so it was their beauty. It is our duty and interest to be contented with the place allotted to us and to endeavour to occupy it in a proper manner, without envying of murmuring; without ambition or covetousness. Thus the gospel churc ought to be compact, according to the Scripture model, every on knowing and keeping his place; and then all that wish well to the church rejoice, beholding their order, Col 2:5 _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew וצבאו6635 ופקדיהם6485 ארבעה702 ושׁבעים7657 אלף505 ושׁשׁ8337 מאות׃3967
