These [are] those that were numbered of the children of Israel by the house of their fathers,.... As the number was taken by Moses and Aaron, assisted by twelve princes of the tribe, who were now constituted captains over them, as so many hosts or armies:all those that were numbered of the camp throughout their hosts: of the four camps, of Judah, Reuben, Ephraim, and Dan, throughout the respective tribes or hosts that belonged to each of them,[were] six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty; 603,550 men, which is exactly the sum total of them, as taken Nu 1:46.
It is a large number, considering in how short a time, and that great part of it a state of bondage, from seventy persons, they rose unto it; but the spiritual Israel of God, consisting of his people of all nations, is a number which no man can number, Re 7:9; besides, the number of the sealed ones, of every tribe, Nu 2:4; Now this encampment of the people of Israel was an emblem of the form and order of the spiritual Israel or church of God, under the Gospel dispensation.