Censuses in the Bible

21 passages of the Berean Standard Bible, line by line, from Nave’s Topical Bible.

In the wilderness

Every man twenty and older who could serve was countedNum 1:2–3
The verses
Num 1:2–3“Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. You and Aaron are to number those who are twenty years of age or older by their divisions—everyone who can serve in Israel’s army.
Each counted man paid half a shekel, rich and poor alikeExod 30:13–15, Exod 38:26
The verses
Exod 30:13–15Everyone who crosses over to those counted must pay a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD. Everyone twenty years of age or older who crosses over must give this offering to the LORD. In making the offering to the LORD to atone for your lives, the rich shall not give more than a half shekel, nor shall the poor give less.
Exod 38:26a beka per person, that is, half a shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, from everyone twenty years of age or older who had crossed over to be numbered, a total of 603,550 men.
The first count: 603,550Num 1:46
The verses
Num 1:46And all those counted totaled 603,550.
The Levites were not counted with the other tribesNum 1:47–49
The verses
Num 1:47–49The Levites, however, were not numbered along with them by the tribe of their fathers. For the LORD had said to Moses: “Do not number the tribe of Levi in the census with the other Israelites.
Levite males a month old and up: 22,000Num 3:39
The verses
Num 3:39The total number of Levites that Moses and Aaron counted by their clans at the LORD’s command, including all the males a month old or more, was 22,000.
The second count, near the Jordan: 601,730Num 26:2, Num 26:51
The verses
Num 26:2“Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel by the houses of their fathers—all those twenty years of age or older who can serve in the army of Israel.”
Num 26:51These men of Israel numbered 601,730 in all.
None of those first counted remained except Caleb and JoshuaNum 26:64–65
The verses
Num 26:64–65Among all these, however, there was not one who had been numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Wilderness of Sinai. For the LORD had told them that they would surely die in the wilderness. Not one was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

David's census

The count took nine months and twenty days2 Sam 24:8
The verses
2 Sam 24:8At the end of nine months and twenty days, having gone through the whole land, they returned to Jerusalem.
Samuel: 800,000 in Israel and 500,000 in Judah2 Sam 24:9
The verses
2 Sam 24:9And Joab reported to the king the total number of the troops. In Israel there were 800,000 men of valor who drew the sword, and in Judah there were 500,000.
Chronicles: 1,100,000 in Israel and 470,000 in Judah1 Chr 21:5
The verses
1 Chr 21:5And Joab reported to David the total number of the troops. In all Israel there were 1,100,000 men who drew the sword, including 470,000 in Judah.
Joab left out Levi and Benjamin1 Chr 21:6
The verses
1 Chr 21:6But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the count, because the king’s command was detestable to him.
After the count, David's conscience was stricken2 Sam 24:10
The verses
2 Sam 24:10After David had numbered the troops, his conscience was stricken and he said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O LORD, I beg You to take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.”
The number was not entered in King David's chronicles1 Chr 27:24
The verses
1 Chr 27:24Joab son of Zeruiah began to count the men but did not finish. For because of this census wrath came upon Israel, and the number was not entered in the Book of the Chronicles of King David.

Other counts

Levites thirty and older: 38,0001 Chr 23:3
The verses
1 Chr 23:3The Levites thirty years of age or older were counted, and the total number of men was 38,000.
Solomon counted 153,600 foreigners in the land2 Chr 2:17
The verses
2 Chr 2:17Solomon numbered all the foreign men in the land of Israel following the census his father David had conducted, and there were found to be 153,600 in all.
The returning exiles numbered 42,360Ezra 2:64
The verses
Ezra 2:64The whole assembly numbered 42,360,
Augustus ordered a census; Quirinius was governor of SyriaLuke 2:1–2
The verses
Luke 2:1–2Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole empire. This was the first census to take place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem to registerLuke 2:3–5
The verses
Luke 2:3–5And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, since he was from the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child.
Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the censusActs 5:37
The verses
Acts 5:37After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and drew away people after him. He too perished, and all his followers were scattered.

Sources

From Nave’s Topical Bible (Orville J. Nave, 1896; public domain): subjects chosen, lines shortened and put into modern words, lines of interpretation left out; each verse checked.

Berean Standard Bible · Public domain