וַיִּהְי֤וּ בְנֵֽי־רְאוּבֵן֙ בְּכֹ֣ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל תּוֹלְדֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֤ר שֵׁמוֹת֙ לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָ֔ם כָּל־זָכָ֗ר מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כֹּ֖ל יֹצֵ֥א צָבָֽא׃
At ang mga anak ni Ruben, ang panganay ni Israel, ang kanilang lahi ayon sa kanilang mga angkan, ayon sa sambahayan ng kanilang mga ninuno, ayon sa bilang ng mga pangalan, isa-isa ayon sa kanilang ulo, bawat lalaki mula sa dalawampung taong gulang pataas, ang lahat ng may kakayahang humayo sa hukbo —
Kli Yakar
In this way, Israel is compared to the stars, as it says about them Who brings out their host by number (Isaiah 40:26). For that counting is certainly because of their importance, as without doubt the Holy One, blessed be He, knows their number. Similarly, the counting of the children of Israel after the incident of the Golden Calf is comparable to what was said after Reuben’s sin The sons of Jacob were twelve (Genesis 35:23). So here He informs us that they were not rejected because of the deed of the Golden Calf, but all of them remained at the level worthy of being counted, which indicates that each person of Israel is watched over with individual providence. However, the counting mentioned in Numbers was because He came to rest His Divine Presence within each and every tribe, and this requires a count, because the Holy One, blessed be He, does not rest His Divine Presence on fewer than 22,000 (Yevamot 64a), as will be explained in its place, God willing. And the counting at the plains of Moab was for the purpose of dividing the land, as it says, To the larger group you shall give a larger inheritance, etc.