Numbers 26

A New Census

1 And it happened after the plague, Yahweh said to Moses and to Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, saying,
2 "{Take a census} of the community of the {Israelites} from {those twenty years old} and above, according to {their families}, all who are able to go out to war in Israel."
3 So Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them on the desert-plateau of Moab by [the] Jordan [across from] Jericho, saying,
4 "[Take a census of the community] from {those twenty years old} and above, just as Yahweh commanded Moses." The Israelites who went out from the land of Egypt [were]:
5 Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, the descendants of Reuben: [of] Hanoch, the clan of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the clan of the Palluites;
6 of Hezron, the clan of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the clan of the Carmites.
7 These [are] the clans of the Reubenites, and the ones counted of them were forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty.
8 The children of Pallu: Eliab.
9 The children of Eliab: Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These [are the same] Dathan and Abiram who [were] appointed of the community, who rebelled against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they rebelled against Yahweh,
10 and the land opened its mouth and swallowed them with Korah, when that company died, when the fire consumed two hundred and fifty men, and they were a sign.
11 The children of Korah, however, did not die.
12 The descendants of Simeon, according to their clans: of Nemuel, the clan of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the clan of the Jaminites; of Jakin, the clan of the Jakinites;
13 of Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the clan of the Shaulites.
14 These [were] the clans of the Simeonites, twenty-two thousand two hundred.
15 The descendants of Gad according to their clans: of Zephon, the clan of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the clan of the Haggites; of Shuni, the clan of the Shunites;
16 of Ozni, the clan of the Oznites; of Eri, the clan of the Erites;
17 of Arod, the clan of the Arodites; of Areli, the clan of the Arelites;
18 These [were] the clans of the descendants of Gad according to the ones counted of them, forty thousand five hundred.
19 The sons of Judah: Er and Onan; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.
20 The descendants of Judah according to their clans [were]: of Shelah, the clan of the Shelanites; of Perez, the clan of the Perezites; of Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites.
21 The children of Perez were: of Hezron, the clan of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the clan of the Hamulites.
22 These [were] the clans of Judah according to the ones counted of them, seventy-six thousand five hundred.
23 The descendants of Issachar according to their clans: [of] Tola, the clan of the Tolaites; of Puvah, the clan of the Punites;
24 of Jashub, the clans of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the clan of the Shimronites.
25 These [were] the clans of Issachar according to the ones counted of them, sixty-four thousand three hundred.
26 The descendants of Zebulun according to their clans: of Sered, the clan of the Seredites; of Elon, the clan of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the clan of the Jahleelites.
27 These [were] the clans of the Zebulunites according to the ones counted of them, sixty thousand five hundred.
28 The descendants of Joseph according to their clans: Manasseh and Ephraim.
29 The descendants of Manasseh: of Makir, the clan of the Makirites. And Makir fathered Gilead; of Gilead, the clan of the Gileadites.
30 These [were] the descendants of Gilead: [of] Iezer, the clan of the Iezerites; of Helek, the clan of the Helekites;
31 and [of] Asriel, the clan of the Asrielites; and [of] Shechem, the clan of the Shechemites;
32 and [of] Shemida, the clan of the Shemidaites; and [of] Hepher, the clan of the Hepherites.
33 Zelophehad son of Hepher did not have sons, but only daughters; and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad [were] Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
34 These [were] the clans of Manasseh, and the ones counted of them [were] fifty-two thousand seven hundred.
35 These [were] the descendants of Ephraim according to their clans: of Shuthelah, the clan of the Shuthelahites; of Beker, the clan of the Bekerites; of Tahan, the clan of the Tahanites.
36 And these [were] the descendants of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the Eranites.
37 These [were] the clans of the descendants of Ephraim according to the ones counted of them, thirty-two thousand five hundred. These [were] the descendants of Joseph according to their clans.
38 The descendants of Benjamin according to their clans: of Bela, the clan of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the clan of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the clan of the Ahiramites;
39 of Shephupham, the clan of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the clan of the Huphamites.
40 The sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: [of Ard], the clan of the Ardites; of Naaman, the clan of the Naamites.
41 These [were] the descendants of Benjamin according to their clans. And the ones counted of them [were] forty-five thousand six hundred.
42 These [were] the descendants of Dan according to their clans: of Shuham, the clan of the Shuhamites. These [were] the clans of Dan according to their clans.
43 All the clans of the Shuhamites, according to the ones counted of them, [were] sixty-four thousand four hundred.
44 The descendants of Asher according to their clans: of Imnah, the clan of the Imnahites; of Ishvi, the clan of the Ishvites; of Beriah, the clan of the Beriahites.
45 The descendants of Beriah: of Heber, the clan of the Heberites; of Malkiel, the clan of the Malkielites.
46 The name of the daughter of Asher [was] Serah.
47 These [were] the clans of the descendants of Asher according to the ones counted of them, fifty-three thousand four hundred.
48 The descendants of Naphtali according to their clans: of Jahzeel, the clan of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the clan of the Gunites;
49 of Jezer, the clan of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the clan of the Shillemites.
50 These [were] the clans of Naphtali according to their clans, the ones counted of them, forty-five thousand four hundred.
51 These [were] the ones counted of the {Israelites}, six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty.
52 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
53 "For these the land must be divided as an inheritance according to the number of names.
54 For the larger group you must increase their inheritance, and for the smaller group you must make smaller their inheritance; each must be given {their} inheritance according to the number of the ones counted of them.
55 Surely the land will be divided by lot. They will inherit according to the names of the tribes of their ancestors.
56 {Their} inheritance must be divided according to the lot between the larger and smaller [groups]."
57 These [are] the ones counted of the Levites according to their clans: of Gershon, the clan of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the clan of the Kohathites; of Merari, the clan of the Merarites.
58 These [are] the clans of Levi: the clan of the Libnites, the clan of the Hebronites, the clan of the Mahlites, the clan of the Mushites, the clan of the Korahites. Kohath fathered Amram.
59 The name of the wife of Amram [was] Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whose [mother] bore her for Levi in Egypt; she bore to Amram: Aaron and Moses and their sister Miriam.
60 To Aaron were born Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
61 But Nadab and Abihu died when they presented strange fire {before} Yahweh.
62 The ones counted were twenty-three thousand, every male from {a month old} and above, because they were not counted in the midst of the {Israelites} since no inheritance was given to them in the midst of the {Israelites}.
63 These [were] the ones counted by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who counted the {Israelites} on the desert-plateau of Moab on [the] Jordan [across] Jericho.
64 And among these there was not a man of those counted by Moses and Aaron the priest, who counted the {Israelites} in the desert of Sinai.
65 For Yahweh said to them, "They will surely die in the desert." And not a man was left over from them, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

Numbers 26 Commentary

Chapter 26

Numbering of Israel in the plains of Moab. (1-51) The division of the land. (52-56) Number of the Levites. (57-62) None remaining of the first numbering. (63-65)

Verses 1-51 Moses did not number the people but when God commanded him. We have here the families registered, as well as the tribes. The total was nearly the same as when numbered at mount Sinai. Notice is here taken of the children of Korah; they died not, as the children of Dathan and Abiram; they seem not to have joined even their own father in rebellion. If we partake not of the sins of sinners, we shall not partake of their plagues.

Verses 52-56 In distributing these tribes, the general rule of equity is prescribed; that to many should be given more, and to fewer less. Though it seems left to the prudence of their prince, the matter at last must be settled by the providence of God, with which all must be satisfied.

Verses 57-62 Levi was God's tribe; therefore it was not numbered with the rest, but alone. It came not under the sentence, that none of them should enter Canaan excepting Caleb and Joshua.

Verses 63-65 The execution of the sentence passed on the murmurers, chap. 14:29 , is observable. There was not one man numbered now, who was numbered then, but Caleb and Joshua. Here appeared the righteousness of God, and his faithfulness to his threatenings. Especially observe the truth of God, in performing his promise to Caleb and Joshua. Death makes awful havoc of the human species, and causes surprising changes in families and nations; yet all is appointed in perfect wisdom, justice, and truth, by the Lord himself. This should stir us up to think upon the hateful nature of sin, the cause of all these devastations. We should renew our repentance, seek forgiveness, value the salvation of Christ, remember how frail we are, prepare for the summons of death, and fill up our days in serving our generation according to the will of God.

Footnotes 109

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 26

In this chapter an order is given to number the people of Israel a second time, Nu 26:1-4 and the account begins with Reuben, the firstborn, and the families that sprung from him, and the number of them, Nu 26:5-7 and Dathan and Abiram being of this tribe, the affair of them and Korah is afresh related, Nu 26:8-11, then the tribe of Simeon, its families and number, Nu 26:12-14, next the tribe of Gad, and their families and number, Nu 26:15-18, after that the tribe of Judah, its families and number, Nu 26:19-22 then follows the tribe of Issachar, its families and number, Nu 26:23-25, next to that the tribe of Zebulun, its families and number, Nu 26:26,27 then the sons of Joseph, and first Manasseh, his families and number, Nu 26:28-34 and then the tribe of Ephraim, its families and number, Nu 26:35-37, after that the tribe of Benjamin, its families and number, Nu 26:38-41 next the tribe of Dan, its families and number, Nu 26:42,43 and which is followed by the tribe of Asher, its families and number, Nu 26:44-47, and the muster is closed with the tribe of Naphtali, its families and number, Nu 26:48-50, and the sum total of all the numbers is given, Nu 26:51 and then follows another order to divide the land of Canaan by lot, when conquered, to the several tribes, according to their names and number, Nu 26:52-56 and an account is given of the number of the Levites and their families, their number being taken not with the other tribes, but by themselves, and which is summed up, Nu 26:57-62 and the chapter is concluded with observing, that it appeared upon this numbering of the people, that there were but two persons living of those that were first numbered among the children of Israel, Nu 26:63-65.

Numbers 26 Commentaries

Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.