Numbers 26 Footnotes

26:51 The overall figure of 601,730 was witness to the providence of God in preserving the population of the Israelites during the forty-year wilderness sojourn. Though a whole generation of Israelite military would die, except for Joshua and Caleb, God would raise up a complete new generation to inherit the land originally promised. On the size of the population and the view of critics, see the introduction to the book of Numbers.

26:57-62 As in the first census, the Levites were not numbered among the militia but were counted in the manner of 3:43 for the purpose of redeeming the firstborn sons of the twelve tribes, beginning at the age of one month (3:40-51). The Levites showed a net increase of about a thousand over the previous count. The genealogy of Aaron’s sons always includes Nadab and Abihu, although they died as a result of profaning the sanctuary with an unholy fire offering. This serves as a reminder that God shows no partiality in judgment.