In Pinchas we are treated to a detailed census of Israeli men over the age of nineeteen —  the army that will march into Canaan.

For example:  Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob, the sons of Reuben, the Hanokhite clan (sons of Hanokh), the Pallite clan (sons of Pallu) Hetzron’s clan the Hetzronites, and the Karmite clan (sons of Karmi.)

Next in the listing come the sons of Simon, the sons of Gad, of Judah, Issachar and Zebulon, Joseph’s sons Menasha and Ephraim, and the sons of Benjamin, Dan, Asher and Naphtali.

The census goes through all the tribes and from whom they’re descended and gives a total of 601,730 men.

The Levites are left out because they don’t fight.

Food for Thought:

Why was it important to take this census?