The Church Fathers on this verse

Numbers 2:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

All that were reckoned up in the camp of Ruben, were a hundred and fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty, by their troops: they shall march in the second place.

Douay-Rheims

כָּֽל־הַפְּקֻדִ֞ים לְמַחֲנֵ֣ה רְאוּבֵ֗ן מְאַ֨ת אֶ֜לֶף וְאֶחָ֨ד וַחֲמִשִּׁ֥ים אֶ֛לֶף וְאַרְבַּע־מֵא֥וֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁ֖ים לְצִבְאֹתָ֑ם וּשְׁנִיִּ֖ם יִסָּֽעוּ׃

Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

2 Church Fathers comment on this verse

Cyrill of Alexandria

5th centuryChurch Father

It is surely clear and indisputable that the firstborn hold a place of honor and are summoned prior to the second; specifically, those who belong to Christ, while those who arise from bondage become co-heirs through faith. They are, in a sense, positioned just afterward, as if they occupy a secondary status.

Ephraem the Syrian

4th centuryChurch Father

Simeon and Gad set up their camp to the south of the Tabernacle, where they numbered one hundred and fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty, and they established their camp 'vtoria.'

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.