Numbers 1

This chapter details the first census of the Israelite men twenty years old and upward who were able to go to war. God commands Moses and Aaron to count all the fighting men by tribe while they are camped at Mount Sinai. The total count reveals over 600,000 men, not including the women and children. Importantly, the tribe of Levi is explicitly excluded from the military census, as they are designated for sacred service to the Tabernacle and must not take part in military duty, emphasizing their unique role.