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Boyd’s Bible Dictionary
:
(assess).
Twelve
different censuses noted in the O. T. (
Ex. 38:26
26
A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men. (Exodus 38:26)
;
Num. 1:2; 26
2
Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls; (Numbers 1:2)
2
Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, throughout their fathers' house, all that are able to go to war in Israel. (Numbers 26:2)
;
2 Sam. 24:9
9
And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men. (2 Samuel 24:9)
;
2 Chron. 2:17-18
17
And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred.
18
And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be bearers of burdens, and fourscore thousand to be hewers in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people a work. (2 Chronicles 2:17‑18)
;
1 Kings 12:21
21
And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. (1 Kings 12:21)
;
2 Chron. 13:3; 14:8; 17:14; 25:5-6; 26:13
3
And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valor. (2 Chronicles 13:3)
8
And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were mighty men of valor. (2 Chronicles 14:8)
14
And these are the numbers of them according to the house of their fathers: Of Judah, the captains of thousands; Adnah the chief, and with him mighty men of valor three hundred thousand. (2 Chronicles 17:14)
5
Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, according to the houses of their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them three hundred thousand choice men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield.
6
He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valor out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver. (2 Chronicles 25:5‑6)
13
And under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. (2 Chronicles 26:13)
;
Ezra 2:64; 8:1-14
64
The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore, (Ezra 2:64)
1
These are now the chief of their fathers, and this is the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king.
2
Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel: of the sons of David; Hattush.
3
Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah: and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males an hundred and fifty.
4
Of the sons of Pahath-moab; Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males.
5
Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males.
6
Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males.
7
And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males.
8
And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him fourscore males.
9
Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males.
10
And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with him an hundred and threescore males.
11
And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight males.
12
And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with him an hundred and ten males.
13
And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males.
14
Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males. (Ezra 8:1‑14)
). The
census
in
Luke 2:1-3
1
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
2
(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. (Luke 2:1‑3)
, was for
taxation
.
Concise Bible Dictionary
:
It was a part of
the
Mosaic
law
that when the people were numbered, everyone from twenty years old and upwards should
give
unto the
Lord
a half
shekel
as a
ransom
for
his
soul
, that
there
might
be no plague among them (
Ex. 30:11-16
11
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
12
When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.
13
This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the Lord.
14
Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the Lord.
15
The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls.
16
And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls. (Exodus 30:11‑16)
;
Ex. 38:25-26
25
And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:
26
A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men. (Exodus 38:25‑26)
). The numbering was an opportunity when
flesh
might
exalt
itself as to their numbers collectively, as well as each individual being noticed. But there was to be the recognition that it could
only
be on the ground of
redemption
that
they
could be taken into account by
Jehovah
. They must be reminded that they belonged to
God
(
Deut. 7:6
6
For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. (Deuteronomy 7:6)
), and must
pay
a ransom each one for himself.
A census of
Israel
was taken several
times
. It comprised the males from twenty years old and upwards, able to go to war.
1.
At
Sinai
in the
second
month
of the second
year
when they declared their pedigree after their families; there were 603,550 (
Ex. 38:26
26
A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men. (Exodus 38:26)
;
Num. 1:1-46
1
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,
2
Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls;
3
From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.
4
And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers.
5
And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you: of the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur.
6
Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
7
Of Judah; Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
8
Of Issachar; Nethaneel the son of Zuar.
9
Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon.
10
Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim; Elishama the son of Ammihud: of Manasseh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
11
Of Benjamin; Abidan the son of Gideoni.
12
Of Dan; Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
13
Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocran.
14
Of Gad; Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
15
Of Naphtali; Ahira the son of Enan.
16
These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.
17
And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names:
18
And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls.
19
As the Lord commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.
20
And the children of Reuben, Israel's eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
21
Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.
22
Of the children of Simeon, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, those that were numbered of them, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
23
Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.
24
Of the children of Gad, 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;
25
Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Gad, were forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty.
26
Of the children of Judah, 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;
27
Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Judah, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.
28
Of the children of Issachar, 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;
29
Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.
30
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;
31
Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.
32
Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, 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;
33
Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred.
34
Of the children of Manasseh, 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;
35
Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.
36
Of the children of Benjamin, 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;
37
Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.
38
Of the children of Dan, 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;
39
Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.
40
Of the children of Asher, 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;
41
Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.
42
Of the children of Naphtali, throughout 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;
43
Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.
44
These are those that were numbered, which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men: each one was for the house of his fathers.
45
So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel;
46
Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty. (Numbers 1:1‑46)
) stated in round numbers as 600,000 in
Exodus 12:37
37
And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children. (Exodus 12:37)
. The
Levites
from a month old were 22,000. These were taken for
the
tabernacle
service as a redemption for the
first-born
of Israel whom God claimed; but of the latter there were 273 more than of the Levites, therefore the 273 were redeemed at 5 shekels each (
Num. 3:39-51
39
All that were numbered of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the Lord, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty and two thousand.
40
And the Lord said unto Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.
41
And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the Lord) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.
42
And Moses numbered, as the Lord commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.
43
And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen.
44
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
45
Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the Lord.
46
And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites;
47
Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:)
48
And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons.
49
And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites:
50
Of the firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:
51
And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses. (Numbers 3:39‑51)
).
2.
On the plains of
Moab
, 38 years after, when the
number
was 601,730, the numbering at that
time
being needed for the division of the land. The Levites numbered 23,000 (
Num. 26:51, 62
51
These were the numbered of the children of Israel, six hundred thousand and a thousand seven hundred and thirty. (Numbers 26:51)
62
And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three thousand, all males from a month old and upward: for they were not numbered among the children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given them among the children of Israel. (Numbers 26:62)
).
3.
By
David
, when there was no need for it, he being moved to it by
Satan
(being permitted by God,
2 Sam. 24:1
1
And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. (2 Samuel 24:1)
), and which called
down
the
judgment
of God on his pride. In
2 Samuel 24:9
9
And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men. (2 Samuel 24:9)
the number is 1,300,000; but in
1 Chronicles 21:5
5
And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword. (1 Chronicles 21:5)
it is 1,570,000. We read that
Joab
did not finish the numbering of the people “because there fell
wrath
for it against Israel” (
1 Chron. 27:24
24
Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but he finished not, because there fell wrath for it against Israel; neither was the number put in the account of the chronicles of king David. (1 Chronicles 27:24)
): so that the number in Samuel may be of those actually counted, and that in Chronicles may include an estimate of the districts not canvassed. It is added “neither was the number
put
in the account of the chronicles of king David.” If the above numbers be multiplied by 3.3 the result will give approximately the number of the population.
4.
By
Solomon
, of the strangers that were in the land: they amounted to 153,600 (
2 Chron. 2:17-18
17
And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred.
18
And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be bearers of burdens, and fourscore thousand to be hewers in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people a work. (2 Chronicles 2:17‑18)
).
5.
Of those who returned from
captivity
: there were 42,360 (
Ezra 2:64
64
The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore, (Ezra 2:64)
). In Ezra 8:1-20, 1,754 males are
also
recorded.
In the
New
Testament
the “
taxing
” under
Cyrenius
is generally held to be a census:
the word
is ἀπογραφή, an enrollment or register. Florus the Roman historian says, that a census comprised “everyone’s estate, dignity,
age
, employment, and
office
”;
this
occasion may therefore
have
been only a preliminary to taxing. The Jews were apparently allowed to conduct the census in their own way as to lineage. It has been proved that Cyrenius (Quirinius) was
twice
governor
of
Syria
, which removes
all
difficulty as to the date of the census in
Luke 2:1-5
1
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
2
(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. (Luke 2:1‑5)
. The same
Greek
word is translated “taxing” in
Acts 5:37
37
After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. (Acts 5:37)
, when
Judas
headed an insurrection.
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