1 After the plague, YHVH said to Moses and to Elea'zar the son of Aaron, the priest,
2 "Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, by their fathers' houses, all in Israel who are able to go forth to war."
This count represents an assessment of the ideas in the consciousness. After the sojourn in the wilderness, all the ideas (the children of Israel) that had fled Egypt were passed away (except Moses) or replaced with more enlightened ideas. It is this second generation of ideas which well be found worthy to cross over to the Promised Land. This echoes the idea repeated many times in the Old Testament, that the second born shall inherit the kingdom. Our first level of consciousness is material. It is not until we come into a second, more Spiritual Consciousness that we begin to seek for spiritual truths. And only then do we have the capability to find the Kingdom of Heaven.
3 And Moses and Elea'zar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,
4 "Take a census of the people, from twenty years old and upward," as YHVH commanded Moses. The people of Israel, who came forth out of the land of Egypt, were:
5 Reuben, the firstborn of Israel; the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the family of the Ha'nochites; of Pallu, the family of the Pal'luites;
6 of Hezron, the family of the Hez'ronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.
Hanock means founded or initiated in Aramaic. Pallu means separated or distinguished. Hezron means enclosed or shut-in. And Carmi means generous and fruitful. The number 43,730 reduces down to the number 8.
7 These are the families of the Reubenites; and their number was forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty.
Rueben, which translates as behold a son, or vision of the son, means understanding or the bringing forth of vision. Now the children of Reuben are the ideas which are a result of this new vision. They are initiated or founded on wisdom gained by this vision, and are contained or enclosed in it. This wisdom is generous and fruitful and the number eight emphasizes this whole idea as it symbolizes wisdom.
8 And the sons of Pallu: Eli'ab.
9 The sons of Eli'ab: Nem'uel, Dathan, and Abi'ram. These are the Dathan and Abi'ram, chosen from the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against YHVH,
10 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, when the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men; and they became a warning.
11 Notwithstanding, the sons of Korah did not die.
12 The sons of Simeon according to their families: of Nem'uel, the family of the Nem'uelites; of Jamin, the family of the Ja'minites; of Jachin, the family of the Ja'chinites;
13 of Zerah, the family of the Zer'ahites; of Sha'ul, the family of the Sha'ulites.
Simeon is translated as hearing and obedient. Nemuel means God is spreading. Jamin means right place, productiveness and happiness. Jachin means whom God makes firm. Zerah means beginning of light and breaking forth of the sun. Lastly, Shaul means asked for and desired, it has to do with the Will. These ideas or descendants of Simeon, which are the result of hearing the word and obeying Divine Law; result in being in the right place, being productive, happy, stable, and, through the power of the Will bringing forth the Light of Illumination.
14 These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty-two thousand two hundred.
The number 22,200 reduces to 6 and symbolizes creation and sex. Here, the number six represents the creative aspect of the consciousness when it is in this enlightened place.
15 The sons of Gad according to their families: of Zephon, the family of the Ze'phonites; of Haggi, the family of the Haggites; of Shuni, the family of the Shunites;
16 of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites;
17 of Ar'od, the family of the Ar'odites; of Are'li, the family of the Are'lites.
Gad means fortunate and has to do with power. Gad was the horseman, the enforcer. The ideas which emanate from this aspect of Consciousness are Zephon, which means watchman; Haggi, which means joyous; Shumi, which means tranquility; Ozni, which means giving ear or listening to God; Arod, which means a wild ass; and Areli, which means heroic. Taken together, these ideas are those of the force or power of the consciousness which has overcome complacency, in order that it may find tranquility. It has considered the promptings of the mind and heart; it has learned to respect and take direction from God; it has the attributes of the wild ass, but obviously has them under control and is thus heroic. Finally, this level of consciousness is identified with the number nine which represents the spiritualized use of the power represented by Gad.
18 These are the families of the sons of Gad according to their number, forty thousand five hundred.
The number 40,500 reduces to 9 and symbolizes the serpentine force expressed through the highest powers of the mind.
19 The sons of Judah were Er and Onan; and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.
20 And the sons of Judah according to their families were: of Shelah, the family of the Shela'nites; of Perez, the family of the Per'ezites; of Zerah, the family of the Zer'ahites.
Judah translates as praise YHVH. The ideas which generate from this level of consciousness are Shelah, which means peace; Pharez, which means victory; Zerah which means beginning of light and breaking forth of the sun; Hezron, which means enclosed; and Hamul which means compassion. Together, we may conclude that being in a consciousness of praising God and being grateful for our blessings results in peace, victory, the opening of Illumination, the protection of the enclosure and compassion and forgiveness.