Numbers 1:2 - Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

Bible Comments

After their families. — The family or clan, mishpahah, included several fathers’ houses (see Kurtz’s Hist. of the Old Covenant, 2, pp. 8-10).

With the number of their names. — Better, according to the number of names. The reference is probably to the previous numbering recorded in Exodus 30:12. There is no corresponding clause in the account of the later numbering in Numbers 26:2.

By their polls — i.e., man by man. The word gulgoleth denotes a man’s head, or skull. Cf. Matthew 27:33.

Numbers 1:2

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;