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Numbers 1 foretells Yeshua’s burden, the burden He tried to give up three times in the garden before His crucifixion (Matt. 26:39–44). That message is embedded in the meanings of the names of the tribes and clans, and that message becomes clear when the meanings are read together.
This book is a time consuming book. It is not a book to run through rapidly. Although the book is titled Numbers, there’s more to this book than a bunch of numbers.
This book is not in chronological order. It divided subject to subject, topic by topic. The editors of this book aren’t concerned about chronology but concerned about how each issue popped up in Israel’s early history.
We remember events and people more than we remember dates and times. That’s how we learn. That is how the book of Numbers is written as well.
“Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, every male, head by head” (Numbers 1:2 NASB)
The families are not the individual nuclear families of the tribes but the clans within the tribes.
This book is primarily about and His Son, not about Levite, Ephraimites, Greeks, Russians, etc. The names are important because God named them. It’s in the names and the meaning of their names that tell us more about God.
For example, Shedur’s name was not given to him because he was an arsonist. It was given to him to teach us something about God, through the branches of Israel’s tree. This chapter is about preparation for war, not diplomacy, planting trees, etc.
God chose these men and drafted them to prepare for war. These “noble” men were called to do this assignment. They aren’t called because they were greater than their brethren, but they were given responsibility by God. God would make them ready for the task.
We are going through these names to learn about God, not about these men. God gave these men their names even though they didn’t know it.
When God moves, they move. When God tells them to go to war, they will go to war.
Their names tell the story of our Messiah who moved to the cross when God told Him the time was at hand.
| Tribe | Meaning | Clan | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reuben | Behold a son; builder | Elizur | God is a rock |
| Shedur | Fire | ||
| Simon | God heard | Shelumiel | To be sound or complete |
| Zurishaddai | My right is the Almighty. | ||
| Judah | Hands spread out to glorify or receive from God | Nahshon | Enchanter; one learns from experience and observation (Hebrew word is used in Gen. 30:27; 1Kings 20:33, Gen. 44:15) |
| Amminadab | My kinsmen are willing. | ||
| Issachar | Here is recompense; something has to be paid | Nethanel | One who is set by God |
| Zuar | Little, insignificant, unimportant | ||
| Zebulun | Exalted one | Eliab | God is his father. |
| Helon | Strong | ||
| Joseph | God added or increased. | ||
| Ephraim | Doubled | Elishama | God heard. |
| Ammihud | My family is majestic or splendid. | ||
| Manasseh | Calling to forget your family | Gamaliel | Payment from God; to repay |
| Pedahzur | The rock is the ransom or redemption price. | ||
| Benjamin | Son of my right hand | Abidan | My father is a judge. |
| Gideoni | One who hews out a path or cuts in stone or wood | ||
| Dan | Judge | Ahiezer | My brother will help. |
| Ammishaddai | My people (kingdom) are from the Almighty. | ||
| Asher | One who goes straight | Pagiel | Event of God |
| Ochran | Trouble or disturbed | ||
| Gad | Army | Eliasaph | God gathers together. |
| Deuel | Knows God | ||
| Naphtali | I am wrestling. | Ahira | My brother is in pain, upset or unhappy. |
| Enan | Eyes to see |
“These are they who were called of the congregation, the leaders of their fathers’ tribes; they were the heads of divisions of Israel.” (Numbers 1:16 NASB)
They are being prepared for war, they are being called to take on a burden. This is the story of Yeshua’s burden.
Reader: Jeff. Speaker: Richard Agee. Summary: Tammy.