Numbers 26:1-28

Census of a New Generation

1 Then it came about after the ¹plague, that the LORD spoke to Moses and to Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying,

2 "²Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel from twenty years old and upward, by their fathers' households, whoever is able to go out to war in Israel."

3 So Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them ³in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,

4 "Take a census of the people from twenty years old and upward, as the LORD has commanded Moses." Now the sons of Israel who came out of the land of Egypt were:

5 Reuben, Israel's firstborn, the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites;

6 of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.

7 These are the families of the Reubenites, and those who were numbered of them were 43,730 * * * * *.

8 The son of Pallu: Eliab.

9 The sons of Eliab: Nemuel and Dathan and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram who were ⁴called by the congregation, who contended against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the LORD,

10 and ⁵the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up along with Korah, when that company died, ⁶when the fire devoured 250 * men, so that they became a warning.

11 ⁷The sons of Korah, however, did not die.

12 The sons of Simeon according to their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites;

13 of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.

14 These are the families of the Simeonites, 22,200 * * *.

15 The sons of Gad according to their families: of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the family of the Haggites; of Shuni, the family of the Shunites;

16 of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites;

17 of Arod, the family of the Arodites; of Areli, the family of the Arelites.

18 These are the families of the sons of Gad according to those who were numbered of them, 40,500 * * *.

19 The ⁸sons of Judah were Er and Onan, but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.

20 The ⁹sons of Judah according to their families were: of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites; of Perez, the family of the Perezites; of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites.

21 The sons of Perez were: of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites.

22 These are the families of Judah according to those who were numbered of them, 76,500 * * * *.

23 The ¹⁰sons of Issachar according to their families: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites; of Puvah, the family of the Punites;

24 of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites.

25 These are the families of Issachar according to those who were numbered of them, 64,300 * * * *.

26 The ¹¹sons of Zebulun according to their families: of Sered, the family of the Seredites; of Elon, the family of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites.

27 These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those who were numbered of them, 60,500 * * *.

28 The ¹²sons of Joseph according to their families: Manasseh and Ephraim.

Numbers 26:1-28 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Cross References

• 1. Numbers 25:9
• 2. Exodus 30:11-16; Exodus 38:25, 26; Numbers 1:2
• 3. Numbers 22:1; Numbers 33:48; Numbers 35:1
• 4. Numbers 1:21
• 5. Numbers 1:16; Numbers 16:2
• 6. Numbers 16:32
• 7. Numbers 16:35, 38
• 8. Numbers 16:27, 33; Deuteronomy 24:16
• 9. Numbers 1:23
• 10. Numbers 1:25
• 11. Genesis 38:2; Genesis 46:12
• 12. Genesis 49:8; 1 Chronicles 2:3; Revelation 7:5
• 13. Numbers 1:27
• 14. Genesis 46:13; 1 Chronicles 7:1
• 15. Numbers 1:29
• 16. Genesis 46:14
• 17. Numbers 1:31
• 18. Genesis 46:20; Deuteronomy 33:16

Footnotes

• [a]. Ch 25:19 in Heb
• [b]. Ch 26:1 in Heb
• [c]. Lit "sum"
• [d]. Lit "sign"
• [e]. In Gen 46:10 and Ex 6:15, "Jemuel"
• [f]. In 1 Chr 4:24, "Jarib"
• [g]. In Gen 46:10, "Zohar"
• [h]. In Gen 46:16, "Ziphion"
• [i]. In Gen 46:16, "Ezbon"
• [j]. In Gen 46:16, "Arodi"
• [k]. In Gen 46:13, "Puvvah;" in 1 Chr 7:1, "Puah"
• [l]. In Gen 46:13, "Iob"