Torah Portion, Bamidbar, Numbers 1:1–4:20, Haftarah, Hosea 2:1–22
“From the whole community of Israel, record the names of all the warriors by their clans and families. List all the men twenty years old or older who are able to go to war. You and Aaron must register the troops”. Numbers 1.2-3 NLT
Our Torah Portion, Bamidbar, means “in the desert”. In the desert God spoke to Moses. Midbar, desert, and yedaber “He spoke”, are an obvious play on words using the same Hebrew root. In the desert, God spoke the Ten Commandments. Now, the Lord of Armies desired to number Israel’s warriors. Of course, God already knew the number, but He wanted His people to know their specific callings and roles.
“…every male individually, from twenty years old and above—all who are able to go to war in Israel.” Num. 1.2b-3a NKJV
The phrase, “all who go out to war” occurs some 13 times in the first chapter of the book of Numbers. This was not a general census; it was a warrior census. God did not call all to be warriors. Children and youth under twenty, women, priests, Levites, and the infirmed, were not counted for war. So how many eventually made up the army of Israel? 603,550 men. (Num.1.46)
God affirms a unique role for men even today. He also affirms unique roles for women and those called to ministry. Going to war necessitates killing. Levites and priests who serve in the Tabernacle, who carried the sacred objects, were not included with those who potentially shed blood in war. Even David the King of Israel was excluded from building the Holy Temple because he had shed blood. (I Chron. 22.8) The priests and Levites were numbered later in our Parashah, but not with “those who go to war”.
We live in a time when some elements of society devalue the role of men as protectors of the weak. As we will see, our Parashah speaks of the numbering of the heads of the men as lifting the entire congregation of Israel’s head. In a dry place, God spoke to Moses, but His word is also speaking to our generation. I am specifically writing this for those who are men and women of faith in God and the Lord Yeshua, Messiah of Israel. When we shame men from their calling, the face of our community is downcast. When we lift the heads of our warrior sons to their rightful calling before the Creator, the entire community’s head is lifted.
I. Lift their heads
“Take a census (lift the head) of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male individually.” Num. 1.2 NKJV
While most translations render Numbers 1.2 as, “Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel”, the literal meaning of the Hebrew שְׂאוּ אֶת-רֹאשׁ כָּל-עֲדַת בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל)) is “lift the head of all the congregation of the children of Israel.” Those who translate it as “take a census” are correct, but the literal meaning reveals the purpose. To lift one’s head is to raise them up for a purpose. This was not simply an elevation for the men, but for the women, the priests, and the children. All have a function in the family of God.
II. According to their Heads
“…according to the number of names, every male individually.” Numbers 1.2b NKJV
The last part of this verse uses another name for head. The beginning of the verse says to lift the “rosh” – the head. The last part uses a different word for head. – “golgolet” meaning skull. Most translations attempt to give the meaning behind the literal, saying, “every male individually”, NKJV or “every male by their polls” MEV. The Amplified translation comes closest with “every male, head by head”.
Responsibility is an individual burden. You are individually significant to the kingdom of God, and your service and contribution are as unique as the individuality of your skull.
The use of the word skull also brought stark reality to the obligations of a warrior. The Lord could have used a different, more general word for their heads. Instead, he emphasized the deadly serious nature of war. We live in a world that is obsessed with devaluing the unique role of men. Terms like “toxic masculinity” are employed to shame men, and yet God raised the heads of the men of Israel as defenders and warriors of His nation, to raise and protect the head of all the congregation of Israel.
III. Your Unique Head
“Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, nor take a census (Lift the head) of them among the children of Israel” Numbers 1.49 NKJV
“Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, saying: “Number the children of Levi by their fathers’ houses, by their families; you shall number every male from a month old and above.” Numbers 3.14-15 NKJV
If we were to simply read Num. 1.49, we might think the Levites were not counted at all. The phrase “among the children of Israel”, however, was added to mark the Levites for a specific calling. They too were numbered according to their males, but rather than twenty years and older, they were counted from one month old!
Finally, we would speak about the unique role of spiritual leaders in God’s kingdom. Levites and priests were not counted among the children of Israel. But we see in chapter three that they were counted separately. Their males were numbered not from the age of twenty, as men who go to war, but from the age of one month!
The Levites stood in place of the first-born sons of Israel. They served in the holy things in place of Israel. And except on very rare occasions, they did not take up the sword. Think of the absurdity of a Levite who might say, “I don’t fight in wars, therefore the men of Israel should be pacifist”. No we each have a unique calling. Men are called to the front lines of defending their families, yet all of us have a role to play.
Conclusion
The Hebrew language, like many others is not gender neutral. It identifies objects by masculine and feminine, and it identifies people according to gender. God created male and female for unique roles. In fact, our calling, whether as warriors or priests is as unique as our own skull!
It is true that this article has focused on the warrior role of men as protectors. But I don’t want to leave the impression that the Bible values men above women, or warriors above priests, or twenty-year olds above one-month old babies. The Bible affirms the role of women in ministry, government, and in the family. We read of Deborah, Miriam, Sarah, Rebecca, Hulda, Esther, Mary, Soleme, and Sussana. And in the Israeli military today, even women have roles. But we do not elevate others by devaluing the masculine roles of men.
What is your role in the Kingdom of God? The Lord commanded Moses to lift the head of all the congregation through numbering the men “who go out to war, twenty-years old and above”. When we honor the role of men in God’s kingdom, all the congregation is elevated. When we shame men, made in the image of God, we lower the head of our entire community of God.
Shavua Tov from Zion
