שְׂא֞וּ אֶת־רֹ֣אשׁ ׀ כָּל־עֲדַ֣ת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֛ה וָמַ֖עְלָה לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם כָּל־יֹצֵ֥א צָבָ֖א בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Bilangin ninyo ang buong kapulungan ng mga anak ni Israel, mula sa dalawampung taong gulang pataas, ayon sa kanilang mga sambahayan ng ama, ang lahat ng may kakayahang humayo sa digmaan sa Israel.
Bamidbar Rabbah
“These are those who were counted of the children of Israel by their patrilineal house; all those counted of the camps according to their hosts were six hundred and three thousand, and five hundred and fifty” (Numbers 2:32).
“These are those who were counted of the children of Israel by their patrilineal house…” In ten places Israel was counted: One, upon their descent to Egypt: “With seventy people, your ancestors descended to Egypt…” (Deuteronomy 10:22). One upon their ascent: “The children of Israel traveled from Rameses to Sukot, some six hundred thousand men on foot” (Exodus 12:37). One after the deed of the calf:24The sin of the Golden Calf. “When you take a census of the children of Israel…” (Exodus 30:12). Two in the book of Numbers; once with the banners, and once with the division of the land. Two in the days of Saul: “He counted them in Tela’im” (I Samuel 15:4), “he counted them in Bazek” (I Samuel 11:8); when they were wealthy, with these lambs,25The word tela’im is also the Hebrew word for lambs. According to the midrash they were not counted in a place called Tela'im, rather they were counted by means of lambs. and when they were poor, with these pebbles.26That is the translation of bazek. One in the days of David: “Yoav gave the sum of the number [mispar] of the census [mifkad] of the people [to the king]” (II Samuel 24:9). If mispar, why mifkad; if mifkad, why mispar?27Mispar and mifkad have similar meanings. Rather, he prepared two notes, a large sum and a small sum. The small one he showed to David; the large one he did not show him.28David and the people were punished for conducting the census. Yoav though that by keeping the larger sum from David, fewer people would be harmed. That is why it wrote et mispar mifkad. One in the days of Ezra: “The entire congregation together was forty[-two] thousand [three hundred and sixty]” (Ezra 2:64). And one in the future: “The flock will pass again under the hands of one who counts” (Jeremiah 33:13).
“These are those who were counted of the children of Israel by their patrilineal house…” In ten places Israel was counted: One, upon their descent to Egypt: “With seventy people, your ancestors descended to Egypt…” (Deuteronomy 10:22). One upon their ascent: “The children of Israel traveled from Rameses to Sukot, some six hundred thousand men on foot” (Exodus 12:37). One after the deed of the calf:24The sin of the Golden Calf. “When you take a census of the children of Israel…” (Exodus 30:12). Two in the book of Numbers; once with the banners, and once with the division of the land. Two in the days of Saul: “He counted them in Tela’im” (I Samuel 15:4), “he counted them in Bazek” (I Samuel 11:8); when they were wealthy, with these lambs,25The word tela’im is also the Hebrew word for lambs. According to the midrash they were not counted in a place called Tela'im, rather they were counted by means of lambs. and when they were poor, with these pebbles.26That is the translation of bazek. One in the days of David: “Yoav gave the sum of the number [mispar] of the census [mifkad] of the people [to the king]” (II Samuel 24:9). If mispar, why mifkad; if mifkad, why mispar?27Mispar and mifkad have similar meanings. Rather, he prepared two notes, a large sum and a small sum. The small one he showed to David; the large one he did not show him.28David and the people were punished for conducting the census. Yoav though that by keeping the larger sum from David, fewer people would be harmed. That is why it wrote et mispar mifkad. One in the days of Ezra: “The entire congregation together was forty[-two] thousand [three hundred and sixty]” (Ezra 2:64). And one in the future: “The flock will pass again under the hands of one who counts” (Jeremiah 33:13).
Midrash Tanchuma
(Numb. 26:1-2:) “And it came to pass after the plague [that the Lord said unto Moses and unto Elazar ben Aaron the priest, saying,] ‘Take a census.’” Every time that they fell, they were required to be numbered.10Numb. R. 21:7. The matter is comparable to the wolf who went into the midst of the flock. The owner of the flock was obliged to count them to know how many were missing. Another interpretation (of Numb. 26:2): Why did he count them here? The matter is comparable to a shepherd to whom the householder has delivered a flock after numbering them. [After] he has fulfilled his guardianship, when he returns them, it is necessary for them to be numbered. Thus when Israel went out from Egypt the Holy One, blessed be He, delivered them to Moses after numbering [them], as stated (in Numb. 1:1-2), “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses in the Sinai desert …, ‘Take a census….’” So also, when they went out, it is written (in Exod. 12:37), “Then the Children of Israel traveled [from Ramases to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot].” Ergo, he received them with a numbering. [So when] he was about to pass away in the Plains of Moab (after completing his guardianship), he returned them with a numbering. It is therefore stated (Numb. 26:2), “Take a census.”
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
(Numb. 25:19–26:2 [26:1–2]:) AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THE PLAGUE <THAT THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES AND UNTO ELEAZAR BEN AARON THE PRIEST, SAYING:> TAKE A CENSUS. Every time that they fell, they were required to be numbered.26Tanh., Numb. 8:4; Numb. R. 21:7. <The matter> is comparable to the wolf who went into the midst of the flock. The owner of the flock was obliged to count them to know how many were missing.