Numbers 26

1 After the blood of the guilty was shed, the Lord said to Moses and to Eleazar the son of Aaron, the priest:
2 Number the whole sum of the children of Israel from twenty years old and upward, by their houses and kindreds, all that are able to go forth to war.
3 Moses therefore and Eleazar the priest, being in the plains of Moab upon the Jordan over against Jericho, spoke to them that were
4 From twenty years old and upward, as the Lord had commanded: and this is the number of them:
5 Ruben the firstborn of Israel. His sons were Henoch, of whom is the family of the Henochites: and Phallu, of whom is the family of the Phalluites:
6 And Hesron, of whom is the family of the Hesronites: and Charmi, of whom is the family of the Charmites.
7 These are the families of the stock of Ruben: whose number was found to be forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty.
8 The son of Phallu was Eliab.
9 His sons, were Namuel and Dathan and Abiron. These are Dathan and Abiron the princes of the people, that rose against Moses and Aaron in the sedition of Core, when they rebelled against the Lord:
10 And the earth opening her mouth swallowed up Core, many others dying, when the fire burned two hundred and fifty men. And there was a great miracle wrought,
11 That when Core perished, his sons did not perish.
12 The sons of Simeon by their kindreds: Namuel, of him is the family of the Namuelites: Jamin, of him is the family of the Jaminites: Jachim, of him is the family of the Jachimites:
13 Zare, of him is the family of the Zarites: Saul, of him is the family of the Saulites.
14 These are the families of the stock of Simeon, of which the whole number was twenty-two thousand two hundred.
15 The sons of Gad by their kindreds: Sephon, of him is the family of the Sephonites: Aggi, of him is the family of the Aggites: Suni, of him is the family of the Sunites:
16 Ozni, of him is the family of the Oznites: Her, of him is the family of the Herites:
17 Arod, of him is the family of the Arodites: Ariel, of him is the family of the Arielites.
18 These are the families of Gad, of which the whole number was forty thousand five hundred.
19 The sons of Juda, Her and Onan, who both died in the land of Chanaan.
20 And the sons of Juda by their kindreds were: Sela, of whom is the family of the Selaites: Phares, of whom is the family of the Pharesites: Zare, of whom is the family of the Zarites.
21 Moreover the sons of Phares were: Hesron, of whom is the family of the Hesronites: and Hamul, of whom is the family of the Hamulites.
22 These are the families of Juda, of which the whole number was seventy-six thousand five hundred.
23 The sons of Issachar, by their kindreds: Thola of whom is the family of the Tholaites: Phua, of whom is the family of the Phuaites:
24 Jasub, of whom is the family of the Jasubites: Semran, of whom is the family of the Semranites.
25 These are the kindreds of Issachar, whose number was sixty-four thousand three hundred.
26 The sons of Zabulon by their kindreds: Sared, of whom is the family of the Saredites: Elon, of whom is the family of the Elonites: Jalel, of whom is the family of the Jalelites.
27 These are the kindreds of Zabulon, whose number was sixty thousand five hundred.
28 The sons of Joseph by their kindred, Manasses and Ephraim.
29 Of Manasses was born Machir, of whom is the family of the Machirites. Machir begot Galaad, of whom is the family of the Galaadites.
30 Galaad had sons: Jezer, of whom is the family of the Jezerites: and Helec, of whom is the family of the Helecites:
31 And Asriel, of whom is the family of the Asrielites: and Sechem, of whom is the family of the Sechemites:
32 And Semida, of whom is the family of the Semidaites: and Hepher, of whom is the family of the Hepherites.
33 And Hepher was the father of Salphaad, who had no sons, but only daughters, whose names are these: Maala, and Noa, and Hegla, and Melcha, and Thersa.
34 These are the families of Manasses, and the number of them fifty-two thousand seven hundred.
35 And the sons of Ephraim by their kindreds were these: Suthala, of whom is the family of the Suthalaites: Becher, of whom is the family of the Becherites: Thehen, of whom is the family of the Thehenites.
36 Now the son of Suthala was Heran, of whom is the family of the Heranites.
37 These are the kindreds of the sons of Ephraim: whose number was thirty-two thousand five hundred.
38 These are the sons of Joseph by their families. The sons of Benjamin in their kindreds: Bela, of whom is the family of the Belaites: Asbel, of whom is the family of the Asbelites: Ahiram, of whom is the family of the Ahiramites:
39 Supham, of whom is the family of the Suphamites: Hupham, of whom is the family of the Huphamites.
40 The sons of Bela: Hered, and Noeman. Of Hered, is the family of the Heredites: of Noeman, the family of the Noemanites.
41 These are the sons of Benjamin by their kindreds, whose number was forty-five thousand six hundred.
42 The sons of Dan by their kindreds: Suham, of whom is the family of the Suhamites: These are the kindreds of Dan by their families.
43 All were Suhamites, whose number was sixty-four thousand four hundred.
44 The sons of Aser by their kindreds: Jemna, of whom is the family of the Jemnaites: Jessui, of whom is the family of the Jessuites: Brie, of whom is the family of the Brieites.
45 The sons of Brie: Heber, of whom is the family of the Heberites: and Melchiel, of whom is the family of the Melchielites.
46 And the name of the daughter of Aser, was Sara.
47 These are the kindreds of the sons of Aser, and their number fifty-three thousand four hundred.
48 The sons of Nephtali by their kindreds: Jesiel, of whom is the family of the Jesielites: Guni, of whom is the family of the Gunites:
49 Jeser, of whom is the family of the Jeserites: Sellem, of whom is the family of the Sellemites.
50 These are the kindreds of the sons of Nephtali by their families: whose number was forty-five thousand four hundred.
51 This is the sum of the children of Israel, that were reckoned up, six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty.
52 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
53 To these shall the land be divided for their possessions according to the number of names.
54 To the greater number thou shalt give a greater portion, and to the fewer a less: to every one, as they have now been reckoned up, shall a possession be delivered:
55 Yet so that by lot the land be divided to the tribe and families.
56 Whatsoever shall fall by lot, that shall be taken by the more, or the fewer.
57 This also is the number of the sons of Levi by their families: Gerson, of whom is the family of the Gersonites: Caath, of whom is the family of the Caathites: Merari, of whom is the family of the Merarites.
58 These are the families of Levi: The family of Lobni, the family of Hebroni, the family of Core. Now Caath begot Amram:
59 Who had to wife Jochabed the daughter of Levi, who was born to him in Egypt. She bore to her husband Amram sons, Aaron and Moses, and Mary their sister.
60 Of Aaron were born Nadab and Abiu, and Eleazar and Ithamar:
61 Of whom Nadab and Abiu died, when they had offered the strange fire before the Lord.
62 And all that were numbered, were twenty-three thousand males from one month old and upward: for they were not reckoned up among the children of Israel, neither was a possession given to them with the rest.
63 This is the number of the children of Israel, that were enrolled by Moses and Eleazar the priest, in the plains of Moab upon the Jordan, over against Jericho.
64 Among whom there was not one of them that were numbered before by Moses and Aaron in the desert of Sinai.
65 For the Lord had foretold that they should die in the wilderness. And none remained of them, but Caleb the son of Jephone, and Josue the 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.

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 Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.