Number מִסְפָּר

We are starting today with the book of Numbers. We are in chapter one with our word for today which is also the name of the book. מִסְפָּר number, quantity, counted, countable, few. It is used 134 times in the Old Testament, 14 times in our chapter. Our word is used in the sense of inventory, a detailed list of all items in one’s possession or names in a group. Ezra 1:9 And this was מִסְפָּרָ֑ם the number of them: 30 basins of gold, 1,000 basins of silver, 29 censers. Ezra 8:34 The whole was בְּמִסְפָּ֥ר counted and weighed, and the weight of everything was recorded. Nehemiah 7:7-8 מִסְפַּ֕ר The number of the men of the people of Israel: the sons of Parosh, 2,172. Our word is also used in the sense of report, a short account of some news. Judges 7:15 As soon as Gideon heard מִסְפַּ֧ר the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the Lord has given the host of Midian into your hand.” 1 Chronicles 27:24 Joab the son of Zeruiah began to count, but did not finish. Yet wrath came upon Israel for this, and הַמִּסְפָּ֔ר the number was not entered in בְּמִסְפַּ֥ר [literally in the numbering] the chronicles of King David. Job 31:37 I would give him מִסְפַּ֣ר an account of all my steps; like a prince I would approach him. Most of the uses of our word are in the sense to number, the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals. This is how our word is used 14 times in our chapter today. Numbers 1:1-4 The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, “Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by clans, by fathers' houses, according to בְּמִסְפַּ֣רthe number of names, every male, head by head. From twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go to war, you and Aaron shall list them, company by company. This first use in our chapter shows the purpose to identify who their fighting men were. If we remember the promise land God would be giving his people who require battle. This purpose is connected to all of the uses in our chapter except one. What is also interesting is the this phrase “the number of names” is also used with our word every time except one. Here are a few examples. Numbers 1:17-18 Moses and Aaron took these men who had been named, and on the first day of the second month, they assembled the whole congregation together, who registered themselves by clans, by fathers' houses, according בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר to the number of names from twenty years old and upward, head by head, as the Lord commanded Moses. So he listed them in the wilderness of Sinai. Numbers 1:20-21 The people of Reuben, Israel's firstborn, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers' houses, according to בְּמִסְפַּ֤ר the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war: those listed of the tribe of Reuben were 46,500. Each tribe is then listed with the same phrasing. I’ll close with these two uses of our word from Psalms that reminds us that everything that God creates matters to him. They are truly worth counting. Psalm 147:4-5 He determines מִ֭סְפָּר the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond מִסְפָּֽר measure.