Numbers 26

1 After that the blood of (the) guilty men was shed out, the Lord said to Moses and to Eleazar, the priest, [the] son of Aaron,
2 Reckon ye all the number of the sons of Israel, from twenty years and above (from twenty years of age and older), by their houses, and their kindreds, (yea,) all (the) men that be able to go forth to battles.
3 And so Moses and Eleazar, the priest, spake in the field places of Moab, over Jordan, against Jericho, (And so Moses and Eleazar, the priest, spoke on the plains of Moab, across the Jordan River, opposite Jericho,)
4 to them that were of twenty years and above (to those who were twenty years of age and older), as the Lord commanded; of which this is the number.
5 Reuben, the first begotten of Israel (Reuben, Israel's first-born); the son of him was Hanoch, of whom came the family of Hanochites; and Pallu, of whom came the family of Palluites;
6 and Hezron, of whom came the family of Hezronites; and Carmi, of whom came the family of Carmites.
7 These were the families of the generation of Reuben, of which families (all) the number was found (to be) three and forty thousand (and) seven hundred and thirty.
8 The son of Pallu was Eliab;
9 the sons of him were Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. These were Dathan and Abiram, [the] princes of the people, that rose against Moses and Aaron, in the rebelty of Korah, when they rebelled against the Lord (These were that Dathan and Abiram, the leaders of the people, who rose up against Moses and Aaron, in the rebellion of Korah, when they rebelled against the Lord);
10 and the earth opened his mouth, and devoured Korah, and full many men died, when the fire burnt two hundred men and fifty; and a great miracle was done, (and the earth opened its mouth, and devoured Korah, and a great many died, when the fire burned up two hundred and fifty men; and a great miracle was done,)
11 that when Korah perished, his sons perished not. (that when Korah died, his sons did not die.)
12 The sons of Simeon by their kindreds; Nemuel, of him was the family of Nemuelites; Jamin, of him the family of Jaminites; Jachin, of him the family of Jachinites;
13 Zerah, of him the family of Zarhites; Shaul, of him the family of Shaulites.
14 These were the families of Simeon, of which all the number was two and twenty thousand and two hundred.
15 The sons of Gad by their kindreds; Zephon, of him the family of Zephonites; Haggi, of him the family of Haggites; Shuni, of him the family of Shunites;
16 Ozni, of him the family of Oznites; Eri, of him the family of Erites;
17 Arod, of him the family of Arodites; Areli, of him the family of Arelites.
18 These were the families of Gad, of which all the number was forty thousand and five hundred.
19 The sons of Judah were Er and Onan, which both were dead in the land of Canaan. (The sons of Judah were Er and Onan, and both of them died in the land of Canaan.)
20 And the sons of Judah were these by their kindreds; Shelah, of whom came the family of Shelanites; Pharez, of him the family of Pharzites (Perez, of him the family of Perezites); Zerah, of him the family of Zarhites.
21 Soothly the sons of Pharez were Hezron (And the sons of Perez were Hezron), of him the family of Hezronites; and Hamul, of him the family of Hamulites.
22 These were the families of Judah, of which all the number was seventy thousand and five hundred.
23 The sons of Issachar by their kindreds; Tola, of him the family of Tolaites; Pua, of him the family of Punites;
24 Jashub, of him the family of Jashubites; Shimron, of him the family of Shimronites.
25 These were the kindreds of Issachar (These were the families of Issachar), of which (all) the number was four and sixty thousand and three hundred.
26 The sons of Zebulun by their kindreds; Sered, of him the family of Sardites; Elon, of him the family of Elonites; Jahleel, of him the family of Jahleelites.
27 These were the kindreds of Zebulun (These were the families of Zebulun), of which (all) the number was sixty thousand and five hundred.
28 The sons of Joseph by their kindreds were Manasseh and Ephraim.
29 Of Manasseh was born Machir, of him the family of Machirites. Machir begat Gilead, of him, the family of Gileadites.
30 Gilead had these sons; Jeezer, of him the family of Jeezerites; and Helek, of him the family of Helekites;
31 and Asriel, of him the family of Asrielites; and Shechem, of him the family of Shechemites;
32 and Shemida, of him the family of Shemidaites; and Hepher, of him the family of Hepherites.
33 Soothly Hepher was the father of Zelophehad, that had not sons, but only daughters; of which these were the names; Mahlah, and Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.
34 These were the families of Manasseh, and (all) the number of them was two and fifty thousand and seven hundred.
35 Soothly the sons of Ephraim by their kindreds were these; Shuthelah, of him the family of Shuthalhites; Becher, of him the family of Bachrites; Tahan, of him the family of Tahanites.
36 Soothly the son of Shuthelah was Eran, of him the family of Eranites.
37 These were the kindreds of the sons of Ephraim (These were the families of Ephraim), of which (all) the number was two and thirty thousand and five hundred. These were the sons of Joseph, by their families.
38 The sons of Benjamin in their kindreds (These were the families of Benjamin); Bela, of him the family of Belaites; Ashbel, of him the family of Ashbelites; Ahiram, of him the family of Ahiramites;
39 Shupham, of him the family of Shuphamites; Hupham, of him the family of Huphamites.
40 The sons of Bela, (were) Ard and Naaman; of Ard, the family of Ardites; of Naaman, the family of Naamites.
41 These were the sons of Benjamin by their kindreds (These were the families of Benjamin), of which (all) the number was five and forty thousand and six hundred.
42 The sons of Dan by their kindreds; Shuham, of him the family of Shuhamites. These were the kindreds of Dan by their families (These were the families of Dan);
43 (and) all (of them) were Shuhamites, of which (all) the number was four and sixty thousand and four hundred.
44 The sons of Asher by their kindreds (These were the families of Asher); Jimna, of him the family of Jimnites; Jesui, of him the family of Jesuites; Beriah, of him the family of Beriites.
45 The sons of Beriah; Heber, of him the family of Heberites; and Malchiel, of him the family of Malchielites.
46 Soothly the name of the daughter of Asher was Serah.
47 These were the kindreds of the sons of Asher (These were the families of Asher), and (all) the number of them was four and fifty thousand and four hundred.
48 The sons of Naphtali by their kindreds; Jahzeel, of him the family of Jahzeelites; Guni, of him the family of Gunites;
49 Jezer, of him the family of Jezerites; (and) Shillem, of him the family of Shillemites.
50 These were the kindreds of the sons of Naphtali by their families (These were the families of Naphtali), of which (all) the number was five and forty thousand and four hundred.
51 This is the sum of the sons of Israel, that were numbered (who were listed, or registered), six hundred thousand and a thousand (and) seven hundred and thirty.
52 And the Lord spake to Moses, and said,
53 The land shall be parted to these, by the number of names into their possessions; (The land shall be divided into possessions for these tribes, according to the number of names listed;)
54 thou shalt give the greater part to [the] more men, and the less(er) part to [the] fewer men; possession shall be given to all by themselves, as they be numbered now; (thou shalt give the larger part to the larger group of people, and the smaller part to the smaller group of people; a possession shall be given to each by themselves, as they now be numbered, that is, in proportion to their number;)
55 so only that (the) lot part the land to lineages and to families.
56 Whatever thing befalleth by lot, either more (men), either fewer men, take that.
57 Also this is the number of the sons of Levi by their families; Gershon, of whom is the family of Gershonites; Kohath, of him the family of Kohathites; Merari, of him the family of Merarites.
58 These were the families of Levi; the family of Libni, the family of Hebron, the family of Mahli, the family of Mushi, the family of Korah. And soothly Kohath begat Amram,
59 which had a wife, Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, which daughter was born to him in Egypt. This Jochebed engendered to her husband Amram, (his two) sons, Aaron and Moses, and Marie, the sister of them. (who had a wife, Jochebed, who was the daughter of Levi, and she was born to him in Egypt. This Jochebed bare for her husband Amram, his two sons, Aaron and Moses, and their sister, Miriam.)
60 Nadab, and Abihu, and Eleazar, and Ithamar were begotten of Aaron;
61 of which Nadab and Abihu were dead, when they had offered alien fire before the Lord. (and Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered unholy fire before the Lord.)
62 And all that were numbered of this lineage were three and twenty thousand of male kind, from a month and above, which were not numbered among the sons of Israel, neither possession was given to them with other men. (And all who were listed, or registered, in this tribe were twenty-three thousand males, from one month of age and older, but they were not listed with the other Israelites, nor was any possession given to them among the other people.)
63 This is the number of the sons of Israel, that be described of Moses and Eleazar, [the] priest, in the field places of Moab, over Jordan, against Jericho; (These were all the Israelites listed by Moses and Eleazar, the priest, on the plains of Moab, across the Jordan River, opposite Jericho;)
64 among which none of them was that were numbered before of Moses and Aaron, in the desert of Sinai; (and there was not one among them who had been registered by Moses and Aaron before, in the Sinai Desert;)
65 for the Lord before-said, that all should die in the wilderness; and none of them dwelled alive, but Caleb, Jephunneh's son, and Joshua, the son of Nun. (for the Lord had said before, that they would all die in the wilderness; and so none of them remained alive, but Caleb, Jephunneh's son, and Joshua, 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

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.