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;
The descendants of Reuben, Israel's oldest son, were counted by their family groups and ancestral houses. They recorded the names of every male who was twenty years old and older—all who were able to serve in battle.
This verse describes the beginning of counting all the fighting-age men from the tribe of Reuben, Israel's firstborn son.
📚 Historical Context
This takes place during the Israelites' time in the wilderness after leaving Egypt, when God commanded Moses to take a census of all the tribes for military purposes. Reuben was Jacob's (Israel's) firstborn son, so his tribe is listed first in this military census. The counting was necessary to organize the people for their journey to the Promised Land and potential battles ahead.
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