Numbers 1:1-16: Meaning behind the names; Moses’ first census teaches us about Yeshua’s burdensome cup

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.

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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.

Meanings of the tribe and clan names
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.