Numbers 26
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1And it came to pass after the plague, that the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying,
CHAPTER 26
Nu 26:1-51. Israel Numbered.
1. after the plague--That terrible visitation had swept away the remnant of the old generation, to whom God sware in His wrath that they should not enter Canaan (Psa 95:11).
It came to pass after the plague. This plague was the last event which seriously diminished the numbers of the Israelites; perhaps it was the last event which diminished them at all, for it seems to be throughout implied that none died except through their own fault. It is often supposed that this plague carried off the last survivors of the generation condemned at Kadesh (see Num_26:64); but this is opposed to the statement in Deu_2:14, Deu_2:15, and is essentially improbable. The victims of the plague would surely be those who had joined themselves to Baal-Peor; and these again would surely be the younger, not the older, men in Israel. It is part of the moral of the story that these offenders deprived themselves, not merely of a few remaining days, but of many years of happy rest which might have been theirs.
2Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, throughout their fathers’ house, all that are able to go to war in Israel.
2. Take the sum of all the congregation--The design of this new census, after a lapse of thirty-eight years, was primarily to establish the vast multiplication of the posterity of Abraham in spite of the severe judgments inflicted upon them; secondarily, it was to preserve the distinction of families and to make arrangements, preparatory to an entrance into the promised land, for the distribution of the country according to the relative population of the tribes.
Take the sum of all the congregation. This was certainly not commanded with a view to the war against Midian, which was of no military importance, and was actually prosecuted with no more than 12,000 men (Num_31:5). A general command to "vex the Midianites" had indeed been given (Num_25:17) on the principle of just retribution (cf. 2Th_1:6), but no attempt seems to have been made to act upon it until a more specific order was issued (Num_31:2). In any case the present mustering has to do with something far more important, viz; with the approaching settlement of the people in its own territory. This is clear from the instructions given in Num_26:52-56, and from the distribution of the tribes into families. From twenty years. See on Num_1:3.
3And Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,
Spake with them, i.e; no doubt with the responsible chiefs, who must have assisted in this census, as in the previous one (Num_1:4), although the fact is not mentioned.
4Take the sum of the people, from twenty years old and upward; as the LORD commanded Moses and the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt.
Take the sum of the people. These words are not in the text, but axe borrowed from Num_26:2. Nothing is set down in the original but the brief instruction given to the census-takers—"from twenty years old and upward, as on the former occasion." And the children of Israel which went forth out of the land of Egypt. This is the punctuation of the Targums and most of the versions. The Septuagint, however, detaches these words from the previous sentence and makes them a general heading for the catalogue which follows. It may be objected to this that the people now numbered did not come out of Egypt, a full half having been born in the wilderness, but see on Num_23:22; Num_24:8.
5Reuben, the eldest son of Israel: the children of Reuben; Hanoch, of whom cometh the family of the Hanochites: of Pallu, the family of the Palluites:
The children of Reuben. The four names here registered as distinguishing families within the tribe of Reuben agree with the lists given in Gen_46:9; Exo_6:14; 1Ch_5:3.
6Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.
7These are the families of the Reubenites: and they that were numbered of them were forty and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty.
7. These are the families of the Reubenites--the principal households, which were subdivided into numerous smaller families. Reuben had suffered great diminution by Korah's conspiracy and other outbreaks [Nu 16:1].
These … the families of the Reubenites. The mustering according to families was the distinguishing feature of this census, because it was preparatory to a territorial settlement in Canaan, in which the unity of the family should be preserved as well as the unity of the tribe.
8And the sons of Pallu; Eliab.
And the sons of Pallu. This particular genealogy is added because of the special interest which attached to the fate of certain members of the family. The plural "sons" is to be explained here not from the fact (which has nothing to do with it) that several grandsons are afterwards mentioned, but from the fact that וּבְנֵי ("and the sons") was the conventional heading of a family list, and was written doom by the transcriber before he noticed that only one name followed.
9And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the LORD:
10And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men: and they became a sign.
10. the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah--rather, "the things of Korah." (See on Nu 16:35; compare Psa 106:17).
Swallowed them up together with Korah. יַתִּבְלַע אֹתָם וְאֶת־קֹרַח. Septuagint, κατέπειν αὐτοὺς καὶ Κορέ. This distinct statement, which is not modified in the Targums, seems decisive as to the fate of Korah. If indeed it were quite certain from the detailed narrative in Num_16:1-50 that Korah perished with his own company, and not with the Reubenites, then it might be deemed necessary to force this statement into accordance with that certainty; but it is nowhere stated, or even clearly implied, that he perished by fire, and therefore there is no excuse for doing violence to the obvious meaning of this verse. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were swallowed up, we are told, at the same time that Korah's company were consumed by fire; that is a clear statement, and cannot be set aside by any supposed necessity for avenging the sacri1egious ambition of Korah by the element of fire. And they became a sign. The Hebrew נֵם properly means a banner or ensign, and is unusual in this sense. It exactly corresponds, however, to the Greek σήμειον, and has no doubt the same secondary signification—a something made conspicuous in order to attract attention and enforce a warning (cf. Num_16:30, Num_16:38).
11Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not.
11. Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not--Either they were not parties to their father's crime, or they withdrew from it by timely repentance. His descendants became famous in the time of David, and are often mentioned in the Psalms [Psa 42:1; 44:1; 45:1; 46:1; 47:1; 48:1; 49:1; 84:1; 85:1; 87:1; 88:1], also in 1Ch 6:22, 38.
The children of Korah died not. The confused nature of the narrative in Num_16:1-50 is well exemplified by this statement; we should certainly have supposed from Num_16:32 that Korah's sons had perished with him, if we were not here told to the contrary. The sons of Korah are frequently mentioned among the Levites, and Samuel himself would seem to have been of them (see on 1Ch_6:22, 1Ch_6:28, 1Ch_6:33-38, and titles to Psa_42:1-11; Psa_88:1-18, &c.); it is, however, slightly doubtful whether the Kohathite Korah of 1Ch_6:22, the ancestor of Samuel, is the same as the Izharite Korah, the ancestor of Heman, in 1Ch_6:38.
12The sons of Simeon after their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites: of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites: of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites:
12. The sons of Simeon--It is supposed that this tribe had been pre-eminent in the guilt of Baal-peor and had consequently been greatly reduced in numbers.
Thus God's justice and holiness, as well as His truth and faithfulness, were strikingly displayed: His justice and holiness in the sweeping judgments that reduced the ranks of some tribes; and His truth and faithfulness in the extraordinary increase of others so that the posterity of Israel continued a numerous people.
The sons of Simeon. As in Gen_46:10; Exo_6:15, with the omission of Ohad, who may not have founded any family. In such cases it is no doubt possible that there were children, but that for some reason they failed to hold together, and became attached to other families. In 1Ch_4:24 the sons of Simeon appear as Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul. In Genesis and Exodus the first appears as Jemuel. These minute variations are only important as showing that Divine inspiration did not preserve the sacred records from errors of transcription.
13Of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites: of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.
14These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty and two thousand and two hundred.
15The children of Gad after their families: of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites: of Haggi, the family of the Haggites: of Shuni, the family of the Shunites:
The children of Gad. Cf. Gen_46:16, the only other enumeration of the sons of Gad.
16Of Ozni, the family of the Oznites: of Eri, the family of the Erites:
17Of Arod, the family of the Arodites: of Areli, the family of the Arelites.
18These are the families of the children of Gad according to those that were numbered of them, forty thousand and five hundred.
19The sons of Judah were Er and Onan: and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.
20And the sons of Judah after their families were; of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites: of Pharez, the family of the Pharzites: of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites.
The sons of Judah after their families. The Beni-Judah, or "men of Judah," according to their sub-tribal divisions, are clearly distinguished from the "sons of Judah" as individuals, two of whom are mentioned in the previous verse. Of the families of Judah, three were named after sons, two after grandsons. As the Pharzites remained a distinct family apart from the Hamulites and Hezronites, it may he supposed that Pharez had other sons not mentioned here, or in Gen_46:12, or in Chronicles Gen_2:3, Gen_2:4, Gen_2:5.
21And the sons of Pharez were; of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites.
22These are the families of Judah according to those that were numbered of them, threescore and sixteen thousand and five hundred.
23Of the sons of Issachar after their families: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites: of Pua, the family of the Punites:
The sons of Issachar. As in Gen_46:13; 1Ch_7:1, except that in Genesis we have Job instead of Jashub; the two names, however, appear to have the same meaning.
The sons of Zebulun. As in Gen_46:14.
24Of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites: of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites.
25These are the families of Issachar according to those that were numbered of them, threescore and four thousand and three hundred.
26Of the sons of Zebulun after their families: of Sered, the family of the Sardites: of Elon, the family of the Elonites: of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites.
27These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them, threescore thousand and five hundred.
28The sons of Joseph after their families were Manasseh and Ephraim.
29Of the sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites: and Machir begat Gilead: of Gilead come the family of the Gileadites.
The sons of Manasseh. There is considerable difficulty about the families of this tribe, because they are not recorded in Genesis, while the details preserved in 1Ch_7:14-17 are so obscure and fragmentary as to be extremely perplexing. According to the present enumeration there were eight families in Manasseh, one named after his son Machir, one after his grandson Gilead, and the rest after his great-grandsons. The list given in Jos_17:1, Jos_17:2 agrees with this, except that the Machirites and the Gileadites are apparently identified. It appears from the genealogy in 1Ch_7:1-40 that the mother of Machir was a stranger from Aram, the country of Laban. This may perhaps account for the fact that Machir's son received the name of Gilead, for Gilead was the border land between Aram and Canaan; it more probably explains the subsequent allotment of territory in that direction to the Machirites (Num_32:40). Gilead appears again as a proper name in Jdg_11:2.
30These are the sons of Gilead: of Jeezer, the family of the Jeezerites: of Helek, the family of the Helekites:
31And of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites: and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites:
32And of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites: and of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites.
33And Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters: and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
Zelophehad … had no sons, but daughters. This is mentioned here because the case was to come prominently before the lawgiver and the nation (cf. Num_27:1; Num_36:1; 1Ch_7:15).
34These are the families of Manasseh, and those that were numbered of them, fifty and two thousand and seven hundred.
35These are the sons of Ephraim after their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthalhites: of Becher, the family of the Bachrites: of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites.
The sons of Ephraim. These formed but four families, three named after sons, one after a grandson. In 1Ch_7:21 two other sons of Ephraim are mentioned who were killed in their father's lifetime, and a third, Beriah, who was the ancestor of Joshua. He does not seem to have founded a separate family, possibly because he was so very much younger than his brothers.
36And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the Eranites.
37These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those that were numbered of them, thirty and two thousand and five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph after their families.
38The sons of Benjamin after their families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites: of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites: of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites:
The sons of Benjamin. These formed seven families, five named after sons, two after grandsons. The list in Gen_46:21 contains three names here omitted, and the rest are much changed in form. Them is still more divergence between these and the longer genealogies found in 1Ch_7:6-12; 1Ch_8:1-5 sq. It is possible that the family of Becher (Genesis), who had nine sons (1 Chronicles), went under another name, because there was a family of Becherites in Ephraim (1Ch_8:35); and similarly the family of the Ephraimite Beriah (1 Chronicles) may have ceded its name in favour of the Asherite family of Beriites (verse 44). But it must be acknowledged that the various genealogies of Benjamin cannot be reconciled as they stand.
39Of Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites: of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites.
40And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites: and of Naaman, the family of the Naamites.
41These are the sons of Benjamin after their families: and they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and six hundred.
42These are the sons of Dan after their families: of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan after their families.
The sons of Dan. These all formed but one family, named alter Shuham (elsewhere Hushim), the only son of Dan that is mentioned. It is possible that Dan had other children, whose descendants were incorporated with the Shuhamites.
43All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those that were numbered of them, were threescore and four thousand and four hundred.
44Of the children of Asher after their families: of Jimna, the family of the Jimnites: of Jesui, the family of the Jesuites: of Beriah, the family of the Beriites.
The children of Asher. Of these three families were named after sons, two after grandsons. In Gen_46:17; 1Ch_7:30, 1Ch_7:31 a sixth name occurs, Ishuah, or Isuah. It is possible that its similarity to the following name of Isui or Ishui led to its accidental omission; but if the family continued to exist in Israel, such an omission could scarcely be overlooked.
The sons of Naphtali. As in Gen_46:24; 1Ch_7:13.
45Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites: of Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites.
46And the name of the daughter of Asher was Sarah.
47These are the families of the sons of Asher according to those that were numbered of them; who were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.
48Of the sons of Naphtali after their families: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites: of Guni, the family of the Gunites:
49Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.
50These are the families of Naphtali according to their families: and they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and four hundred.
51These were the numbered of the children of Israel, six hundred thousand and a thousand seven hundred and thirty.
These were the numbered of the children of Israel. The results of this census as compared with the former may be tabulated thus:—
Tribe
No. of families.
First Census
Second Census
Decrease
Increase
Reuben.
4
46,500
43,730
6%
Simeon.
5
59,300
22,200
63%
Gad.
7
45,650]
40,500
11%
Judah.
5
74,600
76,500
2.5%
Issachar.
4
54,400
64,300
18%
Zebulun.
3
57,400
60,500
5.5%
Ephraim.
4
40,500
32,500
20%
Manasseh.
8
32,200
52,700
63%
Benjamin.
7
35,400
45,600
29%
Dan.
1
62,700]
64,400
2.5%
Asher.
5
41,500
53,400
28%
Naphtali.
4
53,400
45,400
15%
Total
603,550
601,730
It is evident that the numbers were taken by centuries, as before, although an odd thirty appears now in the return for Reuben, as an odd fifty appeared then in the return for Gad. It has been proposed to explain this on the ground of their both being pastoral tribes; but if the members of these tribes were more scattered than the rest, it would be just in their case that we should expect to find round numbers. The one fact which these figures establish in a startling way is, that while the nation as a whole remained heady stationary in point of numbers, the various tribes show a most unexpected variation. Manasseh, e.g; has increased his population 63 per cent. in spite of the fact that there is not one man left of sixty years of age, while Simeon has decreased in the same proportion. There is indeed little difficulty in accounting for diminishing numbers amidst so many hardships, and after so many plagues. The fact that Zimri belonged to the tribe of Simeon, and that this tribe was omitted soon after from the blessing of Moses (Deu_33:1-29), may easily lead to the conclusion that Simeon was more than any other tribe involved in the sin of Baal-Peor and the punishment which followed. But when we compare, e. g; the twin tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, concerning whom nothing distinctive is either stated or hinted, whether bad or good; and when we find that the one has decreased 20 percent and the other increased 63 percent during the same interval, and under the same general circumstances, we cannot even guess at the causes which must have been at work to produce so striking a difference. It is evident that each tribe had its own history apart from the general history of the nation—a history which had the most important results for its own members, but of which we know almost nothing. It is observable, however, that all the tribes under the leadership of Judah increased, whilst all those in the camp of Reuben decreased.
52And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
53Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names.
53. the land shall be divided according to the number of names--The portion of each tribe was to be greater or less, according to its populousness.
According to the number of the names. The intention clearly was that the extent of the territory assigned to each tribe, and called by its name (Num_26:55, b), should be regulated according to its numbers at the discretion of the rulers.
54To many thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to few thou shalt give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be given according to those that were numbered of him.
54. To many thou shalt give the more inheritance--that is, to the more numerous tribes a larger allotment shall be granted.
according to those that were numbered--the number of persons twenty years old at the time of the census being made, without taking into account either the increase of those who might have attained that age, when the land should be actually distributed, or the diminution from that amount, occasioned during the war of invasion.
55Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.
55. the land shall be divided by lot--The appeal to the lot did not place the matter beyond the control of God; for it is at His disposal (Pr 16:33), and He has fixed to all the bounds of their habitation. The manner in which the lot was taken has not been recorded. But it is evident that the lot was cast for determining the section of the country in which each tribe should be located--not the quantity of their possessions. In other words, when the lot had decided that a particular tribe was to be settled in the north or the south, the east or the west, the extent of territory was allocated according to the rule (Nu 26:54).
Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot. This can only be reconciled with the preceding order by assuming that the lot was to determine the situation of the territory, the actual boundaries being left to the discretion of the rulers. Recourse was had as far as possible to the lot in order to refer the matter directly to God, of whose will and gift they held the land (cf. Pro_16:33; Act_1:26). The lot would also remove any suspicion that the more numerous tribes, such as Judah or Dan, were unfairly favoured (Num_26:56).
56According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between many and few.
57And these are they that were numbered of the Levites after their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites: of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites: of Merari, the family of the Merarites.
58These are the families of the Levites: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korathites. And Kohath begat Amram.
58. families of the Levites--The census of this tribe was taken separately, and on a different principle from the rest. (See Ex 6:16-19).
These are the families of the Levites. The three Levitical sub-tribes have been named in the preceding verse, and the present enumeration of families is an independent one. The Libnites were Gershonites (Num_3:21), the Hebronites and Korathites (or Korahites) were Kohathites (Num_3:19; Num_16:1), the Mahlites and Mushites were Merarites (Num_3:33). Two other families, the Shimites (Num_3:21) and the Uzzielites (Num_3:27; 1Ch_26:23, and cf. Exo_6:22; 1Ch_24:24, 1Ch_24:25), are omitted here, perhaps because the list is imperfect (see, however, the note on Num_26:62).
59And the name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt: and she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.
Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt. Rather, "whom she (אֹתָהּ) bare." The missing subject is usually supplied, as in the A.V; and there certainly seems no more difficulty in doing so here than in 1Ki_1:6. Some critics take "Atha" as a proper name—"whom Atha bare;" others render "who was born;" this, however, like the Septuagint, ἣ ἔτεκε τούτους τῷ Λευὶ, requires a change of reading. Perhaps the text is imperfect. The statement here made, whatever difficulties it creates, is in entire agreement with Exo_6:20; 1Ch_23:6, 1Ch_23:12, 1Ch_23:13, and other passages. If two Amrams, the later of whom lived some 200 years after the earlier, have been confused (as we seem driven to believe), the confusion is consistently maintained through all the extant records (see the note on 1Ch_3:1-24 :28).
60And unto Aaron was born Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
61And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the LORD.
62And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three thousand, all males from a month old and upward: for they were not numbered among the children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given them among the children of Israel.
62. twenty and three thousand--so that there was an increase of a thousand (Nu 3:39).
males from a month old and upward--(See on Nu 3:14).
Those that were numbered of them. We have here again a round number (23,000), showing an increase of 1000 since the former census. It is evident that the males of Levi were not counted by anything less than hundreds, and probable that they were counted by thousands (see note on Num_3:29). The smallness of the increase in a tribe which was excepted from the general doom at Kadesh, and which in other ways was so favourably situated, seems to point to some considerable losses. It is possible that portions of the tribe suffered severely for their share in the rebellion of Korah; if so, the families of the Shimites and of the Uzzielites may have been so much reduced as to be merged in the remaining families.
63These are they that were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.
64But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.
64. among these there was not a man ... numbered ... in the wilderness of Sinai--The statement in this verse must not be considered absolute. For, besides Caleb and Joshua, there were alive at this time Eleazar and Ithamar, and in all probability a considerable number of Levites, who had no participation in the popular defections in the wilderness. The tribe of Levi, having neither sent a spy into Canaan, nor being included in the enumeration at Sinai, must be regarded as not coming within the range of the fatal sentence; and therefore it would exhibit a spectacle not to be witnessed in the other tribes of many in their ranks above sixty years of age. Tribes Chap. 1 Chap. 26 Increase Decrease Reuben 46,500 43,730 -- 2,770 Simeon 59,300 22,200 -- 37,100 Gad 45,650 40,500 -- 5,150 Judah 74,600 76,500 1,900 -- Issachar 54,400 64,300 9,900 -- Zebulun 57,400 60,500 3,100 -- Ephraim 40,500 32,500 -- 8,000 Manasseh 32,200 52,700 20,500 -- Benjamin 35,400 45,600 10,200 -- Dan 62,700 64,400 1,700 -- Asher 41,500 53,400 11,900 -- Naphtali 53,400 45,400 -- 8,000 Total 603,550 601,730 59,200 61,020 Total decrease 1,820
65For the LORD had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
There was not left a man of them. This had been known to be practically the case before they left the wilderness, properly so called (Deu_2:14, Deu_2:15), but it was now ascertained for certain. For the necessary exceptions to the statement see note on Num_14:24.
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