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;
Count all the people in the community of Israel, organizing them by their families and their fathers' households. Record the name of every male, counting each one individually.
God is telling Moses to take a careful census of all the Israelite men, organized by family groups.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Numbers, which chronicles the Israelites' journey through the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt, this verse marks the beginning of their preparations at Mount Sinai. God instructs Moses to conduct a census of all adult males from each tribe, organized by families and clans, to assess the nation's strength for military and administrative purposes. This was a practical step to ensure the community was structured and ready for the challenges ahead as they moved toward the Promised Land.
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