Numbers 1:20 net — And they were as follows:The descendants of Reuben, the firstborn son of Israel: According to the records of their clan…

NET Bible

"And they were as follows:The descendants of Reuben, the firstborn son of Israel: According to the records of their clans and families, all the males twenty years old or older who could serve in the army were listed by name individually."

— Numbers 1:20, NET Bible

Read in Another Translation

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Numbers 1:20 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “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;”

  • ASV

    “And the children of Reuben, Israel’s first-born, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, 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; ”

  • WEB

    “The children of Reuben, Israel's firstborn, their generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, one by one, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war;”

  • DRB

    “Of Ruben the eldest son of Israel, by their generations and families and houses and names of every head, all that were of the male sex, from twenty years old and upward, that were able to go forth to war,”

  • BBE

    “The generations of the sons of Reuben, the oldest son of Israel, were numbered by their families and their fathers' houses, every male of twenty years old and over, who was able to go to war;”

  • KJVA

    “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;”

Numbers 1 — Context

17

So Moses and Aaron took these men who had been mentioned specifically by name,

18

and they assembled the entire community together on the first day of the second month. Then the people recorded their ancestry by their clans and families, and the men who were twenty years old or older were listed by name individually,

19

just as the LORD had commanded Moses. And so he numbered them in the desert of Sinai.

20

And they were as follows:The descendants of Reuben, the firstborn son of Israel: According to the records of their clans and families, all the males twenty years old or older who could serve in the army were listed by name individually.

21

Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Reuben were 46,500.

22

From the descendants of Simeon: According to the records of their clans and families, all the males numbered of them twenty years old or older who could serve in the army were listed by name individually.

23

Those of them who were numbered from the tribe of Simeon were 59,300.

Numbers 1:20 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Numbers 1:20 say?
Numbers 1:20 in the NET Bible reads: “And they were as follows:The descendants of Reuben, the firstborn son of Israel: According to the records of their clans and families, all the males twenty years old or older who could serve in the army were listed by name individually.”
Where is Numbers 1:20 in the Bible?
Numbers 1:20 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Numbers, chapter 1, verse 20.
Who wrote Numbers?
Numbers is traditionally attributed to Moses (traditional). It was written c. 1446–1406 BC.
What is the book of Numbers about?
Numbers records Israel's forty years of wilderness wandering — two censuses (hence the name), rebellions, the failure at Kadesh-Barnea, and the slow journey to the plains of Moab. It is a sober portrait of human unbelief and God's patient faithfulness across a generation.
What are the major themes of Numbers?
Numbers explores themes including Wilderness, Faithfulness, Rebellion, Guidance, Provision. These themes shape the meaning and context of Numbers 1:20.
What translation should I read Numbers 1:20 in?
Numbers 1:20 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Numbers 1:20?
Numbers 1:20 reads (NET): “And they were as follows:The descendants of Reuben, the firstborn son of Israel: According to the records of their clans and families, all the males twenty years old or older who could serve in the army were listed by name individually.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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