Numbers 2:15 — Word Study
WLCוּצְבָא֖וֹ וּפְקֻדֵיהֶ֑ם חֲמִשָּׁ֤ה וְאַרְבָּעִים֙ אֶ֔לֶף וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת וַחֲמִשִּֽׁים׃
BSAand his divisiontsâbâʼ [army, large group of people] numberspâqad [to reckon, counted] 45,650châmêsh
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וּצְבָא֖וֹ | and military group his | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| וּפְקֻדֵיהֶ֑ם | and enrolled [men] their | Conjunction, verb qal participle (passive) masculine plural common, suffix |
| חֲמִשָּׁ֤ה | [were] five | Adj |
| וְאַרְבָּעִים֙ | and forty | Conjunction |
| אֶ֔לֶף | thousand | |
| וְשֵׁ֥שׁ | and six | Conjunction |
| מֵא֖וֹת | hundred | |
| וַחֲמִשִּֽׁים׃ | and fifty | Conjunction |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | and his division numbers 45,650. |
| KJV | And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty. |
| ASV | And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty. |
| YLT | and his host, and their numbered ones, [are] five and forty thousand and six hundred and fifty. |
| WEB | His division, and those who were counted of them, were forty-five thousand six hundred fifty. |
| BBE | The number of his army was forty-five thousand, six hundred and fifty. |
Where they part company is in the details of the enumeration — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is straightforward, presenting a single main clause that conveys the count of the division.
2 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Numbers 2:15
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Census of Israel's Tribesgenerated
Numbers 2:15 records the number of men in the division of the tribe of Gad, which totals 45,650. This census is part of a larger narrative in the book of Numbers, where the Israelites are organized by tribes as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. Each tribe is counted to ensure proper military and social organization, reflecting God's order for His people.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers 1:25 | those registered to the tribe of Gad numbered 45,650. |
| 2 | Numbers 26:18 | These were the clans of Gad, and their registration numbered 40,500. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — צָבָא, tzeva'generated
The word צָבָא (*tzeva'*) refers to a military group or army, emphasizing organized groups for battle. It carries connotations of strength and authority, often used in contexts relating to warfare or divine hosts.
This noun is in the singular construct form, indicating possession, as in 'his military group.' The term appears frequently in the Hebrew Bible, often in relation to God's armies, highlighting His sovereignty and power.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb וּפְקֻדֵיהֶם (*u.fe.ku.dei.Hem*), meaning 'and their enrolled,' governs the entire clause, with a noun phrase subject and several numeral phrases providing the count.
The structure emphasizes the count of the division by placing the numbers in a clear sequence, indicating the total strength of the Gadites.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates צָבָא as αὐτοῦ (*autou*), which means 'his' or 'of him.' This choice reflects a direct rendering of the Hebrew possessive, maintaining the emphasis on the division belonging to the Gadites.
The translation of וּפְקֻדֵיהֶם as ἐπεσκεμμένοι (*epeskeummenoi*) indicates an interpretation of the action of being counted or enrolled, aligning with the Hebrew meaning of oversight or registration.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 2:15 states that the division of the tribe of Gad consists of 45,650 men. This count is part of a larger organization of the Israelite tribes as they prepare to enter the Promised Land, highlighting the importance of military readiness.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This number represents the total count of men in the division of the tribe of Gad, indicating their military strength.
The census serves to organize the Israelites for their journey and military campaigns, ensuring that each tribe is accounted for.
This verse is part of a broader account detailing the organization of the Israelite camp and their preparation for entering the Promised Land.
The term 'division' refers to a military grouping of men from the tribe of Gad, indicating their role in the Israelite army.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How does understanding the organization of the tribes help us comprehend God's plan for Israel?
- What significance does the number of men in each tribe hold for understanding their military capabilities?
- In what ways can we apply the concept of organization and readiness from this passage to our own lives?
- How does the idea of being counted or enrolled resonate with our understanding of community and belonging?
Commentators on this verse — 2 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 2:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd his host,.... That is, the host of Gad, as distinct from those of Reuben and Simeon, which together formed the camp; and those that were numbered of them, [were] forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty.
Read John Gill on Numbers 2 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryOn the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur. On the south side ... the standard of the camp of Reuben.
Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 2 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
and his division numbers 45,650.
His division, and those who were counted of them, were forty-five thousand six hundred fifty.
and his division numbers 45,650.
Those numbered in his division are 45,650.
Tyndale line
And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty.
And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty.
And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty.
And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty.
And his host and the nomber of the were fiue and fourtye thousande, sixe hundreth and fiftie.
Strictly literal
and his host, even those that were numbered of them, forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.
and his host, and their numbered ones, [are] five and forty thousand and six hundred and fifty.
and his host, and their numbered ones, [are] forty-five thousand and six hundred and fifty.
And his host, and those who were numbered of them, were forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty.
The number in his division is 45,650.
From the Latin
And the whole army of his fighting men that were numbered, were forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.
Simplified
and he has 45,650 men.
The number of his army was forty-five thousand, six hundred and fifty.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in their wording, with the Septuagint providing a direct correspondence for each Hebrew term. However, the Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly by using the word פקדיו (*paqad*), which suggests a different nuance regarding the enrolled men.
וּצְבָא֖וֹ וּפְקֻדֵיהֶ֑ם חֲמִשָּׁ֤ה וְאַרְבָּעִים֙ אֶ֔לֶף וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת וַחֲמִשִּֽׁים׃
8 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
וצבאו ופקדיו חמשׁה וארבעים אלף ושׁשׁ מאות וחמשׁים
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: פקדיו (miss)
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Numbers 2:15
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word צָבָא (*tsaba'*) primarily means 'army' or 'warfare,' encompassing organized groups for battle, divine hosts, and even celestial bodies. It can also refer to service or duty in a military context. The term appears in various forms, including צְבָאוֹת (*tsaba'ot*), which denotes the 'hosts' of the Lord, particularly in relation to God's role in warfare.
צָבָא 485 n.m. army, war, warfare
army, host
war, warfare, service
service
צְבָאוֹת, in name of י׳ as God of war, prob. first in time of warlike David (some connect with sacred ark, but ark older)
base
H6635a צָבָא army, war, warfare . army, host
. war, warfare, service
. service
H6635b צְבָאוֹת army, war, warfare . army, host
. war, warfare, service
. service
. צְבָאוֹת, in name of י׳ as God of war, prob. first in time of warlike David (some connect with sacred ark, but ark older)
6635 tsaba' tsaw-baw'
or (feminine) tsbadah {tseb-aw-aw'}; from 6633; a mass of
persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized
for war (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or
figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship):--appointed
time, (+) army, (+) battle, company, host, service, soldiers,
waiting upon, war(-fare).
see HEBREW for 06633
צָבָא (tsa.va) — army.
: army
1) that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host
1a) army, host
1a1) host (of organised army)
1a2) host (of angels)
1a3) of sun, moon, and stars
1a4) of whole creation
1b) war, warfare, service, go out to war
1c) service
צָבָא (tsa.va) — Hosts.
The Hosts (of the Lord)
Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
צָבָא (tsa.va) — army: war.
: war
1) that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host
1a) army, host
1a1) host (of organised army)
1a2) host (of angels)
1a3) of sun, moon, and stars
1a4) of whole creation
1b) war, warfare, service, go out to war
1c) service
צָבָא (tsa.va) — army: duty.
: duty
1) that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host
1a) army, host
1a1) host (of organised army)
1a2) host (of angels)
1a3) of sun, moon, and stars
1a4) of whole creation
1b) war, warfare, service, go out to war
1c) service
Conj | N-cs | Suff — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms
פָּקַד (paqad) is a Hebrew verb that encompasses a range of meanings including to attend to, visit, muster, appoint, and punish. It can imply oversight or care, as well as the act of seeking or lacking something. The word can also be used in various grammatical forms, indicating actions such as being appointed or being visited upon. The plural form פְּקוּדִים refers to musterings or expenses.
פָּקַד 303 vb. attend to, visit, muster, appoint
Qal
pay attention to, observe (with care, practical interest)
attend to, in act, see to
seek (with interest, desire)
seek in vain, need, miss, lack
specif. visit, c. acc., for different purposes
c. עַל pers., visit upon
pass in review, muster (nearly = number), c. acc.
appoint
Niph.
be (sought, i.e. needed) missed, lacking
be visited (graciously)
be visited upon, עַל pers.
be appointed
Pi. (intens.) muster a host
Pu. be passed in review; be caused to miss, deprived
Hithp. be mustered
Hothp. id.
Hiph.
c. acc. pers. set (over), make overseer
c. acc. rei (implic.)
commit, entrust
deposit
Hoph.
be visited in punishment
be deposited
be made overseer
base
[פְּקוּדִים] n.pl.[m.] abstr. musterings, i.e. expenses;—cstr. Ex 38:21
ref
H6485a פָּקַד attend to, visit, muster, appoint .. . . pay attention to, observe (with care, practical interest)
. attend to, in act, see to
. seek (with interest, desire)
. seek in vain, need, miss, lack
. specif. visit, c. acc., for different purposes
. c. עַל pers., visit upon
. pass in review, muster (nearly = number), c. acc.
. appoint
. . be (sought, i.e. needed) missed, lacking
. be visited (graciously)
. be visited upon, עַל pers.
. be appointed
. (intens.) muster a host
. be passed in review; be caused to miss, deprived
. be mustered
. id.
. . c. acc. pers. set (over), make overseer
. c. acc. rei (implic.) . commit, entrust
. deposit
. . be visited in punishment
. be deposited
. be made overseer
H6485b פְּקוּדִים n. pl. [m.] abstr. musterings, i.e. expenses
6485 paqad paw-kad'
a primitive root; to visit (with friendly or hostile intent);
by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss,
deposit, etc.:--appoint, X at all, avenge, bestow, (appoint
to have the, give a) charge, commit, count, deliver to keep,
be empty, enjoin, go see, hurt, do judgment, lack, lay up,
look, make, X by any means, miss, number, officer, (make)
overseer, have (the) oversight, punish, reckon, (call to)
remember(-brance), set (over), sum, X surely, visit, want.
פָּקַד (pa.qad) — to reckon: list.
: list/count
1) to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pay attention to, observe
1a2) to attend to
1a3) to seek, look about for
1a4) to seek in vain, need, miss, lack
1a5) to visit
1a6) to visit upon, punish
1a7) to pass in review, muster, number
1a8) to appoint, assign, lay upon as a charge, deposit
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be sought, be needed, be missed, be lacking
1b2) to be visited
1b3) to be visited upon
1b4) to be appointed
1b5) to be watched over
1c) (Piel) to muster, call up
1d) (Pual) to be passed in review, be caused to miss, be called, be called to account
1e) (Hiphil)
1e1) to set over, make overseer, appoint an overseer
1e2) to commit, entrust, commit for care, deposit
1f) (Hophal)
1f1) to be visited
1f2) to be deposited
1f3) to be made overseer, be entrusted
1g) (Hithpael) numbered
Conj | V-Qal-Inf-c | Suff — Conjunction · verb qal participle (passive) masculine plural common · suffixHC/Vqsmpc/Sp3mp
חָמֵשׁ (chamesh) means 'five' in Hebrew. It serves as both a cardinal number and can indicate a multiple of five when combined with another number. The word also has an ordinal form, 'fifth.' The entries consistently define this numeral without any noted disagreement.
חָמֵשׁ, חֲמִשָּׁה 342 n.m. and f. five
base
H2568 חָמֵשׁ, חֲמִשָּׁה five
2568 chamesh khaw-maysh'
masculine chamishshah {kham-ish-shaw}; a primitive numeral;
five:--fif(-teen), fifth, five (X apiece).
חָמֵשׁ (cha.mesh) — five.
1) five
1a) five (cardinal number)
1b) a multiple of five (with another number)
1c) fifth (ordinal number)
Adj — AdjHAcbsa
fiv (chamesh; pente).
See NUMBER.
אַרְבָּעִים (arba`iym) simply means 'forty' in Hebrew. It is a multiple of the number 702 and is consistently defined across various lexicons. There are no significant disagreements among the entries regarding its meaning.
אַרְבָּעִים a forty
base
H705 אַרְבָּעִים a forty
705 'arba`iym ar-baw-eem'
multiple of 702; forty:---forty.
see HEBREW for 0702
אַרְבָּעִים (ar.ba.im) — forty.
forty
HC/Acmpa — ConjunctionHC/Acmpa
אֶ֫לֶף (eleph) means 'thousand' in Hebrew. It can refer to the numeral itself or denote a company or clan, particularly a group of men under one leader. The word is built from the concept of a thousand, and it is associated with the ox's head, which is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
אֶ֫לֶף n.m. thousand
base
H505 אֶ֫לֶף thousand
505 'eleph eh'-lef
prop, the same as 504; hence (the ox's head being the first
letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral)
a thousand:--thousand.
see HEBREW for 0504
אֶ֫לֶף (e.leph) — thousand.
: thousand
1) a thousand
1a) as numeral
2) a thousand, company
2a) as a company of men under one leader, troops
אֶ֫לֶף (e.leph) — thousand: clan.
: clan
1) a thousand
1a) as numeral
2) a thousand, company
2a) as a company of men under one leader, troops
HAcbsa — HAcbsa
thou'-zand ('eleph; chilioi).
See NUMBER.
The Hebrew word שֵׁשׁ, transliterated as shesh, means 'six' and can function as both a cardinal and ordinal number, indicating the sixth position. It is a primitive number that signifies an excess beyond five, as noted in the entries. The Aramaic equivalent is שֵׁת (shet).
שֵׁשׁ, שִׁשָּׁה 216 n.m. et f. six
base
H8337 שֵׁשׁ, שִׁשָּׁה six
8337 shesh shaysh
masculine shishshah {shish-shaw'}; a primitive number; six
(as an overplus (see 7797) beyond five or the fingers of the
hand); as ord. sixth:--six((-teen, -teenth)), sixth.
see HEBREW for 07797
שֵׁשׁ (shesh) — six.
1) six
1a) six (cardinal number)
1b) sixth (ordinal number)
1c) in combination with other numbers
Aramaic equivalent: shet (שֵׁת "six" H8353)
HC/Acbsc — ConjunctionHC/Acbsc
מֵאָה (me'ah) means 'hundred' in Hebrew. It can refer to a simple number, a component of a larger number, or a fraction representing one one-hundredth. The entries consistently describe its use as a numeral without significant disagreement.
מֵאָה 583 n.f. hundred
as simple number
as part of larger number
a hundredth part
base
H3967 מֵאָה hundred . as simple number
. as part of larger number
. a hundredth part
3967 me'ah may-aw'
or metyah {may-yaw'}; properly, a primitive numeral; a
hundred; also as a multiplicative and a
fraction:--hundred((-fold), -th), + sixscore.
מֵאָה (me.ah) — hundred.
1) hundred
1a) as simple number
1b) as part of larger number
1c) as a fraction-one one-hundredth (1/100)
Aramaic equivalent: me.ah (מְאָה "hundred" H3969)
HAcfpa — HAcfpa
hun'-dred (me'-ah; hekaton).
See NUMBER.
חֲמִשִּׁים (chamishshiym) means 'fifty' and is a cardinal number. It can also refer to a multiple of fifty or the ordinal number 'fiftieth.' The entries consistently define it as a numerical term without significant variation.
חֲמִשִּׁים 164 n.pl. (a) fifty
base
H2572 חֲמִשִּׁים (a) fifty
2572 chamishshiym kham-ish-sheem'
multiple of 2568; fifty:--fifty.
see HEBREW for 02568
חֲמִשִּׁים (cha.mish.shim) — fifty.
1) fifty
1a) fifty (cardinal number)
1b) a multiple of fifty (with other numbers)
1c) fiftieth (ordinal number)
HC/Acmpa — ConjunctionHC/Acmpa