Numbers 26

1 And it came to pass after the plague, that the Lord spoke to Moses and Eleazar the priest, saying,
2 Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, according to the houses of their lineage, every one that goes forth to battle in Israel.
3 And Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke in Araboth of Moab at the Jordan by Jericho, saying,
4 from twenty years old and upward as the Lord commanded Moses. And the sons of Israel that came out of Egypt :
5 Ruben the first-born of Israel: and the sons of Ruben, Enoch, and the family of Enoch; to Phallu belongs the family of the Phalluites.
6 To Asron, the family of Asroni: to Charmi, the family of Charmi.
7 These the families of Ruben; and their numbering was forty-three thousand and seven hundred and thirty.
8 And the sons of Phallu Eliab, —
9 and the sons of Eliab, Namuel, and Dathan, and Abiron: these renowned men of the congregation; these are they that rose up against Moses and Aaron in the gathering of Core, in the rebellion against the Lord.
10 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up them and Core, when their assembly perished, when the fire devoured the two hundred and fifty, and they were made a sign.
11 But the sons of Core died not.
12 And the sons of Symeon:—the family of the sons of Symeon: to Namuel, the family of the Namuelites; to Jamin the family of the Jaminites; to Jachin the family of the Jachinites.
13 To Zara the family of the Zaraites; to Saul the family of the Saulites.
14 These the families of Symeon according to their numbering, two and twenty thousand and two hundred.
15 And the sons of Juda, Er and Aunan; and Er and Aunan died in the land of Chanaan.
16 And these were the sons of Juda, according to their families: to Selom the family of the Selonites; to Phares, the family of the Pharesites; to Zara, the family of the Zaraites.
17 And the sons of Phares were, to Asron, the family of the Asronites; to Jamun, the family of the Jamunites.
18 These the families of Juda according to their numbering, seventy-six thousand and five hundred.
19 And the sons of Issachar according to their families: to Thola, the family of the Tholaites; to Phua, the family of the Phuaites.
20 To Jasub, the family of the Jasubites; to Samram, the family of the Samramites.
21 These the families of Issachar according to their numbering, sixty-four thousand and four hundred.
22 The sons of Zabulon according to their families: to Sared, the family of the Saredites; to Allon, the family of the Allonites; to Allel, the family of the Allelites.
23 These the families of Zabulon according to their numbering, sixty thousand and five hundred.
24 The sons of Gad according to their families: to Saphon, the family of the Saphonites; to Angi, the family of the Angites; to Suni, the family of the Sunites;
25 to Azeni, the family of the Azenites; to Addi, the family of the Addites:
26 to Aroadi, the family of the Aroadites; to Ariel, the family of the Arielites.
27 These the families of the children of Gad according to their numbering, forty-four thousand and five hundred.
28 The sons of Aser according to their families; to Jamin, the family of the Jaminites; to Jesu, the family of the Jesusites; to Baria, the family of the Bariaites.
29 To Chober, the family of the Choberites; to Melchiel, the family of the Melchielites.
30 And the name of the daughter of Aser, Sara.
31 These the families of Aser according to their numbering, forty-three thousand and four hundred.
32 The sons of Joseph according to their families, Manasse and Ephraim.
33 The sons of Manasse. To Machir the family of the Machirites; and Machir begot Galaad: to Galaad, the family of the Galaadites.
34 And these the sons of Galaad; to Achiezer, the family of the Achiezerites; to Cheleg, the family of the Chelegites.
35 To Esriel, the family of the Esrielites; to Sychem, the family of the Sychemites.
36 To Symaer, the family of the Symaerites; and to Opher, the family of the Opherites.
37 And to Salpaad the son of Opher there were no sons, but daughters: and these the names of the daughters of Salpaad; Mala, and Nua, and Egla, and Melcha, and Thersa.
38 These the families of Manasse according to their numbering, fifty-two thousand and seven hundred.
39 And these the children of Ephraim; to Suthala, the family of the Suthalanites; to Tanach, the family of the Tanachites.
40 These the sons of Suthala; to Eden, the family of the Edenites.
41 These the families of Ephraim according to their numbering, thirty-two thousand and five hundred: these the families of the children of Joseph according to their families.
42 The sons of Benjamin according to their families; to Bale, the family of the Balites; to Asyber, the family of the Asyberites; to Jachiran, the family of the Jachiranites.
43 To Sophan, the family of the Sophanites.
44 And the sons of Bale were Adar and Noeman; to Adar, the family of the Adarites; and to Noeman, the family of the Noemanites.
45 These the sons of Benjamin by their families according to their numbering, thirty-five thousand and five hundred.
46 And the sons of Dan according to their families; to Same, the family of the Sameites; these the families of Dan according to their families.
47 All the families of Samei according to their numbering, sixty-four thousand and four hundred.
48 The sons of Nephthali according to their families; to Asiel, the family of the Asielites; to Gauni, the family of the Gaunites.
49 To Jeser, the family of the Jeserites; to Sellem, the family of the Sellemites.
50 These the families of Nephthali, according to their numbering, forty thousand and three hundred.
51 This the numbering of the children of Israel, six hundred and one thousand and seven hundred and thirty.
52 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
53 To these the land shall be divided, so that they may inherit according to the number of the names.
54 To the greater number thou shalt give the greater inheritance, and to the less number thou shalt give the less inheritance: to each one, as they have been numbered, shall their inheritance be given.
55 The land shall be divided to the names by lot, they shall inherit according to the tribes of their families.
56 Thou shalt divide their inheritance by lot between the many and the few.
57 And the sons of Levi according to their families; to Gedson, the family of the Gedsonites; to Caath, the family of the Caathites; to Merari, the family of the Merarites.
58 These the families of the sons of Levi; the family of the Lobenites, the family of the Chebronites, the family of the Coreites, and the family of the Musites; and Caath begot Amram.
59 And the name of his wife Jochabed, daughter of Levi, who bore these to Levi in Egypt, and she bore to Amram, Aaron and Moses, and Mariam their sister.
60 And to Aaron were born both Nadab and Abiud, and Eleazar, and Ithamar.
61 And Nadab and Abiud died when they offered strange fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sina.
62 And there were according to their numbering, twenty-three thousand, every male from a month old and upward; for they were not numbered among the children of Israel, because they have no inheritance in the midst of the children of Israel.
63 And this the numbering of Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in Araboth of Moab, at Jordan by Jericho.
64 And among these there was not a man numbered by Moses and Aaron, whom, the children of Israel, they numbered in the wilderness of Sinai.
65 For the Lord said to them, They shall surely die in the wilderness; and there was not left even one of them, except Chaleb the son of Jephonne, and Joshua the of Naue.

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 6

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

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.