Numbers 26

Second census of the Israelite tribes

1 After the plague the LORD said to Moses and Eleazar, Aaron the priest's son:

2 Take a census of the entire Israelite community, from 20 years old and above by their households, to determine everyone in Israel who is eligible for military service.

3 Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke to the people on the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho:

4 "Take a census of those 20 years old and above as the LORD commanded Moses." The Israelites who left the land of Egypt were:

5 Reuben, Israel's oldest son. Reuben's descendants: from Hanoch, the Hanochite clan; from Pallu, the Palluite clan;

6 from Hezron, the Hezronite clan; from Carmi, the Carmite clan.

7 These are the Reubenite clans. Their enrollment was 43,730.

8 Pallu's descendants: Eliab.

9 Eliab's descendants: Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram chosen by the community who fought against Moses and Aaron with the community of Korah, when they fought against the LORD.

10 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, along with Korah, when the community died and fire devoured 250 persons. They became a warning sign.

11 But Korah's descendants didn't die.

12 Simeon's descendants according to their clans: from Nemuel, the Nemuelite clan; from Jamin, the Jaminite clan; from Jachin, the Jachinite clan;

13 from Zerah, the Zerahite clan; from Shaul, the Shaulite clan.

14 These are the Simeonite clans, 22,200.

15 Gad's descendants according to their clans: from Zephon, the Zephonite clan; from Haggi, the Haggite clan; from Shuni, the Shunite clan;

16 from Ozni, the Oznite clan; from Eri, the Erite clan;

17 from Arod, the Arodite clan; from Areli, the Arelite clan.

18 These are the Gadite clans. Their enrollment was 40,500.

19 Judah's descendants: Er and Onan. Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.

20 Judah's descendants according to their clans: from Shelah, the Shelanite clan; from Perez, the Perezite clan; from Zerah, the Zerahite clan.

21 Perez's descendants: from Hezron, the Hezronite clan; from Hamul, the Hamulite clan.

22 These are the Judahite clans. Their enrollment was 76,500.

23 Issachar's descendants according to their clans: from Tola, the Tolaite clan; from Puvah, the Punite clan;

24 from Jashub, the Jashubite clan; from Shimron, the Shimronite clan.

25 These are the Issacharite clans. Their enrollment was 64,300.

26 Zebulun's descendants according to their clans: from Sered, the Seredite clan; from Elon, the Elonite clan; from Jahleel, the Jahleelite clan.

27 These are the Zebulunite clans. Their enrollment was 60,500.

28 Joseph's descendants according to their clans: Manasseh and Ephraim.

29 Manasseh's descendants: from Machir, the Machirite clan. Machir fathered Gilead. From Gilead, the Gileadite clan.

30 These are Gilead's descendants: from Iezer, the Iezerite clan; from Helek, the Helekite clan;

31 from Asriel, the Asrielite clan; from Shechem, the Shechemite clan;

32 from Shemida, the Shemidaite clan; and from Hepher, the Hepherite clan.

33 But Zelophehad, Hepher's son, had no sons, only daughters. The names of Zelophehad's daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

34 These are the Manassehite clans. Their enrollment was 52,700.

35 These are Ephraim's descendants according to their clans: from Shuthelah, the Shuthelahite clan; from Becher, the Becherite clan; from Tahan, the Tahanite clan.

36 These are Shuthelah's descendants: from Eran, the Eranite clan.

37 These are Ephraim's descendants. Their enrollment was 32,500. These are Joseph's descendants according to their clans.

38 Benjamin's descendants according to their clans: from Bela, the Belaite clan; from Ashbel, the Ashbelite clan; from Ahiram, the Ahiramite clan;

39 from Shupham, the Shuphamite clan; from Hupham, the Huphamite clan.

40 Bela's descendants were Ard and Naaman: from Ard, the Ardite clan; from Naaman, the Naamite clan.

41 These are Benjamin's descendants according to their clans. Their enrollment was 45,600.

42 These are Dan's descendants according to their clans: from Shuham, the Shuhamite clan. These are the Danite clans according to their clans.

43 All the Shuhamite clans according to their enrollment were 64,400.

44 Asher's descendants according to their clans: from Imnah, the Imnite clan; from Ishvi, the Ishvite clan; from Beriah, the Beriite clan.

45 From Beriah's descendants: from Heber, the Heberite clan; from Malchiel, the Malchielite clan.

46 The name of Asher's daughter was Serah.

47 These are the clans of Asher's descendants. Their enrollment was 53,400.

48 Naphtali's descendants according to their clans: from Jahzeel, the Jahzeelite clan; from Guni, the Gunite clan;

49 from Jezer, the Jezerite clan; from Shillem, the Shillemite clan.

50 These are Naphtali's clans according to their clans. Their enrollment was 45,400.

51 These are the ones enrolled as Israelites: 601,730.

52 The LORD spoke to Moses:

53 The land will be apportioned to these as an inheritance according to the number of names.

54 To a large clan you will give a large inheritance, and to a small clan you will give a small inheritance. Each will be given its inheritance according to the number of its enrollment.

55 The land, however, will be apportioned by lot. They will inherit according to the names of their ancestral tribes.

56 Whether they are large or small, each tribe will inherit by means of the lot.

Second census of the Levites

57 These are the ones enrolled as Levites according to their clans: from Gershon, the Gershonite clan; from Kohath, the Kohathite clan; from Merari, the Merarite clan.

58 These are the Levite clans: the Libnite clan, the Hebronite clan, the Mahlite clan, the Mushite clan, and the Korahite clan. Now Kohath fathered Amram.

59 The name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, Levi's daughter, who was born to Levi in Egypt. She gave birth for Amram to Aaron, Moses, and Miriam their sister.

60 To Aaron were born Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

61 Nadab and Abihu died when they made an unauthorized offering to the LORD.

62 Their enrollment was 23,000, consisting of every male one month old and above. They weren't enrolled with the Israelites because no inheritance of land was given to them among the Israelites.

Summary

63 These are the ones whom Moses and Eleazar the priest enrolled. They enrolled the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho.

64 There wasn't one person among these from those enrolled by Moses and Aaron the priest when they enrolled the Israelites in the Sinai desert.

65 The LORD had said to them, "They will die in the desert." Not one of them remained, except Caleb, Jephunneh's son, and Joshua, Nun's son.

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

• [a]. 25:19 in Heb
• [b]. 26:1 in Heb
• [c]. LXX, Syr, Tg, Vulg; MT Shephupham

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.