Numbers 1 in the early church

36 passages quote, allude to, or echo Numbers 1, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.

Verses: 1 · 2 · 3 · 5 · 7 · 16 · 20 · 44 · 45 · 46 · 47 · 49 · 50 · 51

Numbers 1 as a whole

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 1–Num:36	Canon 60 · Anonymous	allusion, high confidence	ca. 343–381
Num 1–Num:36	Canon 47 · Anonymous	allusion, high confidence	397

Numbers 1:1

On the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses in the Tent of Meeting in the Wilderness of Sinai. He said:
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 1:1	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XIV (on Num 1) · Hippolytus of Rome	allusion, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)
Num 1:1	Homilies on Numbers 1.2 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 1:1–49	Numbers, lines 1–24 · Cyprianus Gallus	allusion, high confidence	early 5th cent.
Num 1:1–46	Part 2, chapter 8 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage	allusion, high confidence	ca. 445-450

Numbers 1:2

“Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 1:2–3	On First Principles 4.3.12 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 220–230 (Rufinus's translation 398)
Num 1:2	Homilies on Leviticus 4.8 · Origen	allusion, low confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 1:2	Homilies on Numbers 1.1 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 1:2	Homilies on Numbers 15.3 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 1:2–3	Homilies on Numbers 17.4 · Origen	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Numbers 1:3

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.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 1:3	Homilies on Numbers 1.1 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 1:3	Homilies on Numbers 1.2 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 1:3	Homilies on Numbers 4.2 · Origen	quotation, medium confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 1:3	Homilies on Numbers 15.3 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 1:3	Commentary on Matthew 11.3 · Origen	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 246–248
Num 1:3	Oration 2.41 · Gregory of Nazianzus	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 362–383
Num 1:3	Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 4.2.4 · Epiphanius of Salamis	allusion, high confidence	374-377

Numbers 1:5

These are the names of the men who are to assist you: From the tribe of Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur;
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 1:5	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XIV (on Num 1) · Hippolytus of Rome	allusion, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)

Numbers 1:7

from Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab;
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 1:7	Fragments on the Song of Songs, chapter 6 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 220-254
Num 1:7	Letter 36.11 · Jerome	allusion, high confidence	ca. 370–419
Num 1:7	Exposition of Psalm 118 2.34.2 · Ambrose	allusion, high confidence	ca. 386-397

Numbers 1:16

These men were appointed from the congregation; they were the leaders of the tribes of their fathers, the heads of the clans of Israel.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 1:16	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XIV (on Num 1) · Hippolytus of Rome	allusion, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)

Numbers 1:20

From the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, according to the records of their clans and families, counting one by one the names of every male twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army,
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 1:20–46	City of God 15.13 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, medium confidence	413–426

Numbers 1:44

These were the men numbered by Moses and Aaron, with the assistance of the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 1:44	Commentary on the Song of Songs 0.85 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 240–245 (Rufinus's translation ca. 410)

Numbers 1:45

So all the Israelites twenty years of age or older who could serve in Israel’s army were counted according to their families.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 1:45	Commentary on the Song of Songs 0.85 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 240–245 (Rufinus's translation ca. 410)

Numbers 1:46

And all those counted totaled 603,550.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 1:46	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XIV (on Num 1) · Hippolytus of Rome	allusion, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)
Num 1:46	Homilies on Joshua 20.3 · Origen	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 1:46	Commentary on the Song of Songs 0.85 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 240–245 (Rufinus's translation ca. 410)
Num 1:46	The Conferences 3.7 · John Cassian	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 426–429
Num 1:46	Part 1, chapter 18 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 445-450

Numbers 1:47

The Levites, however, were not numbered along with them by the tribe of their fathers.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 1:47	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XIV (on Num 1) · Hippolytus of Rome	allusion, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)
Num 1:47	Commentary on the Song of Songs 0.86 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 240–245 (Rufinus's translation ca. 410)

Numbers 1:49

“Do not number the tribe of Levi in the census with the other Israelites.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 1:49	On the Duties of the Clergy 1.50 · Ambrose	quotation, high confidence	ca. 386–390

Numbers 1:50

Instead, you are to appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the Testimony, all its furnishings, and everything in it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its articles, care for it, and camp around it.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 1:50	On the Duties of the Clergy 1.50 · Ambrose	quotation, high confidence	ca. 386–390

Numbers 1:51

Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever it is to be pitched, the Levites are to set it up. Any outsider who goes near it must be put to death.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 1:51	On the Duties of the Clergy 1.50 · Ambrose	quotation, high confidence	ca. 386–390