The figure of 400,000 is a large one, and if taken literally, could point to a total population of Israel being more than two million. It is possible to take the term ’eleph, thousand,
as contingent
or unit,
in which case the number could actually be as low as 40,000. Either way, the number is very large. It does make us wonder where all these people have been earlier in the book. They were unable to become united against the Canaanites, the Midianites, the Ammonites, and the Philistines. If they had shown up earlier, they could have defeated their enemies. But now when it happens to be one of their own tribes that is out of line, they can assemble as one man.
2 And the chiefs of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, 400,000 men on foot that drew the sword.