1 And it came to pass after H310 the plague, H4046 that the LORD H3068 spake H559 unto Moses H4872 and unto Eleazar H499 the son H1121 of Aaron H175 the priest, H3548 saying, H559
2 Take H5375 the sum H7218 of all the congregation H5712 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and upward, H4605 throughout their fathers' H1 house, H1004 all that are able to go H3318 to war H6635 in Israel. H3478
3 And Moses H4872 and Eleazar H499 the priest H3548 spake H1696 with them in the plains H6160 of Moab H4124 by Jordan H3383 near Jericho, H3405 saying, H559
4 Take the sum of the people, from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and upward; H4605 as the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses H4872 and the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 which went forth H3318 out of the land H776 of Egypt. H4714
5 Reuben, H7205 the eldest H1060 son of Israel: H3478 the children H1121 of Reuben; H7205 Hanoch, H2585 of whom cometh the family H4940 of the Hanochites: H2599 of Pallu, H6396 the family H4940 of the Palluites: H6384
6 Of Hezron, H2696 the family H4940 of the Hezronites: H2697 of Carmi, H3756 the family H4940 of the Carmites. H3757
7 These are the families H4940 of the Reubenites: H7206 and they that were numbered H6485 of them were forty H705 and three H7969 thousand H505 and seven H7651 hundred H3967 and thirty. H7970
8 And the sons H1121 of Pallu; H6396 Eliab. H446
9 And the sons H1121 of Eliab; H446 Nemuel, H5241 and Dathan, H1885 and Abiram. H48 This is that Dathan H1885 and Abiram, H48 which were famous H7148 H7121 in the congregation, H5712 who strove H5327 against Moses H4872 and against Aaron H175 in the company H5712 of Korah, H7141 when they strove H5327 against the LORD: H3068
10 And the earth H776 opened H6605 her mouth, H6310 and swallowed them up H1104 together with Korah, H7141 when that company H5712 died, H4194 what time the fire H784 devoured H398 two hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 men: H376 and they became a sign. H5251
11 Notwithstanding the children H1121 of Korah H7141 died H4191 not.
12 The sons H1121 of Simeon H8095 after their families: H4940 of Nemuel, H5241 the family H4940 of the Nemuelites: H5242 of Jamin, H3226 the family H4940 of the Jaminites: H3228 of Jachin, H3199 the family H4940 of the Jachinites: H3200
13 Of Zerah, H2226 the family H4940 of the Zarhites: H2227 of Shaul, H7586 the family H4940 of the Shaulites. H7587
14 These are the families H4940 of the Simeonites, H8099 twenty H6242 and two H8147 thousand H505 and two hundred. H3967
15 The children H1121 of Gad H1410 after their families: H4940 of Zephon, H6827 the family H4940 of the Zephonites: H6831 of Haggi, H2291 the family H4940 of the Haggites: H2291 of Shuni, H7764 the family H4940 of the Shunites: H7765
16 Of Ozni, H244 the family H4940 of the Oznites: H244 of Eri, H6179 the family H4940 of the Erites: H6180
17 Of Arod, H720 the family H4940 of the Arodites: H722 of Areli, H692 the family H4940 of the Arelites. H692
18 These are the families H4940 of the children H1121 of Gad H1410 according to those that were numbered H6485 of them, forty H705 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred. H3967
19 The sons H1121 of Judah H3063 were Er H6147 and Onan: H209 and Er H6147 and Onan H209 died H4191 in the land H776 of Canaan. H3667
20 And the sons H1121 of Judah H3063 after their families H4940 were; of Shelah, H7956 the family H4940 of the Shelanites: H8024 of Pharez, H6557 the family H4940 of the Pharzites: H6558 of Zerah, H2226 the family H4940 of the Zarhites. H2227
21 And the sons H1121 of Pharez H6557 were; of Hezron, H2696 the family H4940 of the Hezronites: H2697 of Hamul, H2538 the family H4940 of the Hamulites. H2539
22 These are the families H4940 of Judah H3063 according to those that were numbered H6485 of them, threescore and sixteen H7657 H8337 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred. H3967
23 Of the sons H1121 of Issachar H3485 after their families: H4940 of Tola, H8439 the family H4940 of the Tolaites: H8440 of Pua, H6312 the family H4940 of the Punites: H6324
24 Of Jashub, H3437 the family H4940 of the Jashubites: H3432 of Shimron, H8110 the family H4940 of the Shimronites. H8117
25 These are the families H4940 of Issachar H3485 according to those that were numbered H6485 of them, threescore H8346 and four H702 thousand H505 and three H7969 hundred. H3967
26 Of the sons H1121 of Zebulun H2074 after their families: H4940 of Sered, H5624 the family H4940 of the Sardites: H5625 of Elon, H356 the family H4940 of the Elonites: H440 of Jahleel, H3177 the family H4940 of the Jahleelites. H3178
27 These are the families H4940 of the Zebulunites H2075 according to those that were numbered H6485 of them, threescore H8346 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred. H3967
28 The sons H1121 of Joseph H3130 after their families H4940 were Manasseh H4519 and Ephraim. H669
29 Of the sons H1121 of Manasseh: H4519 of Machir, H4353 the family H4940 of the Machirites: H4354 and Machir H4353 begat H3205 Gilead: H1568 of Gilead H1568 come the family H4940 of the Gileadites. H1569
30 These are the sons H1121 of Gilead: H1568 of Jeezer, H372 the family H4940 of the Jeezerites: H373 of Helek, H2507 the family H4940 of the Helekites: H2516
31 And of Asriel, H844 the family H4940 of the Asrielites: H845 and of Shechem, H7928 the family H4940 of the Shechemites: H7930
32 And of Shemida, H8061 the family H4940 of the Shemidaites: H8062 and of Hepher, H2660 the family H4940 of the Hepherites. H2662
33 And Zelophehad H6765 the son H1121 of Hepher H2660 had no sons, H1121 but daughters: H1323 and the names H8034 of the daughters H1323 of Zelophehad H6765 were Mahlah, H4244 and Noah, H5270 Hoglah, H2295 Milcah, H4435 and Tirzah. H8656
34 These are the families H4940 of Manasseh, H4519 and those that were numbered H6485 of them, fifty H2572 and two H8147 thousand H505 and seven H7651 hundred. H3967
35 These are the sons H1121 of Ephraim H669 after their families: H4940 of Shuthelah, H7803 the family H4940 of the Shuthalhites: H8364 of Becher, H1071 the family H4940 of the Bachrites: H1076 of Tahan, H8465 the family H4940 of the Tahanites. H8470
36 And these are the sons H1121 of Shuthelah: H7803 of Eran, H6197 the family H4940 of the Eranites. H6198
37 These are the families H4940 of the sons H1121 of Ephraim H669 according to those that were numbered H6485 of them, thirty H7970 and two H8147 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred. H3967 These are the sons H1121 of Joseph H3130 after their families. H4940
38 The sons H1121 of Benjamin H1144 after their families: H4940 of Bela, H1106 the family H4940 of the Belaites: H1108 of Ashbel, H788 the family H4940 of the Ashbelites: H789 of Ahiram, H297 the family H4940 of the Ahiramites: H298
39 Of Shupham, H8197 the family H4940 of the Shuphamites: H7781 of Hupham, H2349 the family H4940 of the Huphamites. H2350
40 And the sons H1121 of Bela H1106 were Ard H714 and Naaman: H5283 of Ard, the family H4940 of the Ardites: H716 and of Naaman, H5283 the family H4940 of the Naamites. H5280
41 These are the sons H1121 of Benjamin H1144 after their families: H4940 and they that were numbered H6485 of them were forty H705 and five H2568 thousand H505 and six H8337 hundred. H3967
42 These are the sons H1121 of Dan H1835 after their families: H4940 of Shuham, H7748 the family H4940 of the Shuhamites. H7749 These are the families H4940 of Dan H1835 after their families. H4940
43 All the families H4940 of the Shuhamites, H7749 according to those that were numbered H6485 of them, were threescore H8346 and four H702 thousand H505 and four H702 hundred. H3967
44 Of the children H1121 of Asher H836 after their families: H4940 of Jimna, H3232 the family H4940 of the Jimnites: H3232 of Jesui, H3440 the family H4940 of the Jesuites: H3441 of Beriah, H1283 the family H4940 of the Beriites. H1284
45 Of the sons H1121 of Beriah: H1283 of Heber, H2268 the family H4940 of the Heberites: H2277 of Malchiel, H4439 the family H4940 of the Malchielites. H4440
46 And the name H8034 of the daughter H1323 of Asher H836 was Sarah. H8294
47 These are the families H4940 of the sons H1121 of Asher H836 according to those that were numbered H6485 of them; who were fifty H2572 and three H7969 thousand H505 and four H702 hundred. H3967
48 Of the sons H1121 of Naphtali H5321 after their families: H4940 of Jahzeel, H3183 the family H4940 of the Jahzeelites: H3184 of Guni, H1476 the family H4940 of the Gunites: H1477
49 Of Jezer, H3337 the family H4940 of the Jezerites: H3340 of Shillem, H8006 the family H4940 of the Shillemites. H8016
50 These are the families H4940 of Naphtali H5321 according to their families: H4940 and they that were numbered H6485 of them were forty H705 and five H2568 thousand H505 and four H702 hundred. H3967
51 These were the numbered H6485 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 six H8337 hundred H3967 thousand H505 and a thousand H505 seven H7651 hundred H3967 and thirty. H7970
52 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559
53 Unto these the land H776 shall be divided H2505 for an inheritance H5159 according to the number H4557 of names. H8034
54 To many H7227 thou shalt give the more H7235 inheritance, H5159 and to few H4592 thou shalt give the less H4591 inheritance: H5159 to every one H376 shall his inheritance H5159 be given H5414 according H6310 to those that were numbered H6485 of him.
55 Notwithstanding the land H776 shall be divided H2505 by lot: H1486 according to the names H8034 of the tribes H4294 of their fathers H1 they shall inherit. H5157
56 According H6310 to the lot H1486 shall the possession H5159 thereof be divided H2505 between many H7227 and few. H4592
57 And these are they that were numbered H6485 of the Levites H3881 after their families: H4940 of Gershon, H1648 the family H4940 of the Gershonites: H1649 of Kohath, H6955 the family H4940 of the Kohathites: H6956 of Merari, H4847 the family H4940 of the Merarites. H4848
58 These are the families H4940 of the Levites: H3881 the family H4940 of the Libnites, H3846 the family H4940 of the Hebronites, H2276 the family H4940 of the Mahlites, H4250 the family H4940 of the Mushites, H4188 the family H4940 of the Korathites. H7145 And Kohath H6955 begat H3205 Amram. H6019
59 And the name H8034 of Amram's H6019 wife H802 was Jochebed, H3115 the daughter H1323 of Levi, H3878 whom her mother bare H3205 to Levi H3878 in Egypt: H4714 and she bare H3205 unto Amram H6019 Aaron H175 and Moses, H4872 and Miriam H4813 their sister. H269
60 And unto Aaron H175 was born H3205 Nadab, H5070 and Abihu, H30 Eleazar, H499 and Ithamar. H385
61 And Nadab H5070 and Abihu H30 died, H4191 when they offered H7126 strange H2114 fire H784 before H6440 the LORD. H3068
62 And those that were numbered H6485 of them were twenty H6242 and three H7969 thousand, H505 all males H2145 from a month H2320 old H1121 and upward: H4605 for they were not numbered H6485 among H8432 the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 because there was no inheritance H5159 given H5414 them among H8432 the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
63 These are they that were numbered H6485 by Moses H4872 and Eleazar H499 the priest, H3548 who numbered H6485 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 in the plains H6160 of Moab H4124 by Jordan H3383 near Jericho. H3405
64 But among these there was not a man H376 of them whom Moses H4872 and Aaron H175 the priest H3548 numbered, H6485 when they numbered H6485 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 in the wilderness H4057 of Sinai. H5514
65 For the LORD H3068 had said H559 of them, They shall surely H4191 die H4191 in the wilderness. H4057 And there was not left H3498 a man H376 of them, save Caleb H3612 the son H1121 of Jephunneh, H3312 and Joshua H3091 the son H1121 of Nun. H5126
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Numbers 26
Commentary on Numbers 26 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
Mustering of Israel in the Steppes of Moab - Numbers 26
Before taking vengeance upon the Midianites, as they had been commanded, the Israelites were to be mustered as the army of Jehovah, by means of a fresh numbering, since the generation that was mustered at Sinai (ch. 1-4) had died out in the wilderness, with the sole exception of Caleb and Joshua (Numbers 26:64, Numbers 26:65). On this ground the command of God was issued, “ after the plague,”' for a fresh census and muster. For with the plague the last of those who came out of Egypt, and were not to enter Canaan, had been swept away, and thus the sentence had been completely executed. - The object of the fresh numbering, however, was not merely to muster Israel for the war with the Midianites, and in the approaching conquest of the promised land with the Canaanites also, but was intended to serve at the same time as a preparation for their settlement in Canaan, viz., for the division of the conquered land among the tribes and families of Israel. For this reason (Num 26) the families of the different tribes are enumerated here, which was not the case in ch. 1; and generally instructions are also given in Numbers 1:52 -56, with reference to the division of Canaan. - The numbering was simply extended, as before, to the male population of the age of 20 years and upwards, and was no doubt carried out, like the previous census at Sinai, by Moses and the high priest (Eleazar), with the assistance of the heads of the tribes, although the latter are not expressly mentioned here. - The names of the families correspond, - with very few exceptions, - to the grandsons and great-grandsons of Jacob mentioned in Gen 46. - With regard to the total number of the people, and the number of the different tribes.
Mustering of the Twelve Tribes. - Numbers 26:1-4. The command of God to Moses and Eleazar is the same as in Num 1, 2, and 3, except that it does not enter so much into details.
Numbers 26:3-4
“ And Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them ” ( דּבּר with the accusative, as in Genesis 37:4). The pronoun refers to “the children of Israel,” or more correctly, to the heads of the nation as the representatives of the congregation, who were to carry out the numbering. On the Arboth-Moab , see at Numbers 22:1. Only the leading point in their words is mentioned, viz., “from twenty years old and upwards” (sc., shall ye take the number of the children of Israel), since it was very simple to supply the words “take the sum” from Numbers 26:2.
(Note: This is, at all events, easier and simpler than the alterations of the text which have been suggested for the purpose of removing the difficulty. Knobel proposes to alter וידבּר into ויּדבּר , and לאמר into לפקד : “Moses and Eleazar arranged the children of Israel when they mustered them.” But הדבּיר does not mean to arrange, but simply to drive in pairs, to subjugate (Psalms 18:48, and Psalms 47:4), - an expression which, as much be immediately apparent, is altogether inapplicable to the arrangement of the people in families for the purpose of taking a census.),
- The words from “the children of Israel” in Numbers 26:4 onwards form the introduction to the enumeration of the different tribes (Numbers 26:5.), and the verb יהיוּ (were) must be supplied. “ And the children of Israel, who went forth out of Egypt, were Reuben ,” etc.
Numbers 26:5-11
The families of Reuben tally with Genesis 46:9; Exodus 6:14, and 1 Chronicles 5:3. The plural בּני (sons), in Numbers 26:8, where only one son is mentioned, is to be explained from the fact, that several sons of this particular son (i.e., grandsons) are mentioned afterwards. On Dathan and Abiram , see at Numbers 16:1 and Numbers 16:32. See also the remark made here in Numbers 26:10 and Numbers 26:11, viz., that those who were destroyed with the company of Korah were for a sign ( נס , here a warning); but that the sons of Korah were not destroyed along with their father.
Numbers 26:12-14
The Simeonites counted only five families, as Ohad ( Genesis 46:10) left no family. Nemuel is called Jemuel there, as yod and nun are often interchanged (cf. Ges. thes . pp. 833 and 557); and Zerach is another name of the same signification for Zohar ( Zerach , the rising of the sun; Zohar , candor , splendour).
Numbers 26:15-18
The Gadites are the same as in Genesis 46:16, except that Ozni is called Ezbon there.
Numbers 26:19-22
The sons and families of Judah agree with Genesis 46:12 (cf. Genesis 38:6.); also with 1 Chronicles 2:3-5.
Numbers 26:23-25
The families of Issachar correspond to the sons mentioned in Genesis 46:13, except that the name Job occurs there instead of Jashub . The two names have the same signification, as Job is derived from an Arabic word which signifies to return.
Numbers 26:26-27
The families of Zebulun correspond to the sons named in Genesis 46:14.
Numbers 26:28-37
The descendants of Joseph were classified in two leading families, according to his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim , who were born before the removal of Israel to Egypt, and were raised into founders of tribes in consequence of the patriarch Israel having adopted them as his own sons (Gen 48).
Numbers 26:29-34
Eight families descended from Manasseh: viz., one from his son Machir , the second from Machir's son or Manasseh's grandson Gilead , and the other six from the six sons of Gilead . The genealogical accounts in Numbers 27:1; Numbers 36:1, and Joshua 17:1., fully harmonize with this, except that Iezer (Numbers 26:30) is called Abiezer in Joshua 17:2; whereas only a part of the names mentioned here occur in the genealogical fragments in 1 Chronicles 2:21-24, and 7:14-29. In Numbers 26:33, a son of Hepher , named Zelophehad , is mentioned. He had no sons, but only daughters, whose names are given here to prepare the way for the legal regulations mentioned in Num 27 and 39, to which this fact gave rise.
Numbers 26:35-37
There were four families descended from Ephraim ; three from his sons, and one from his grandson. Of the descendants of Sutelah several links are given in 1 Chronicles 7:20.
Numbers 26:38-41
The children of Benjamin formed seven families, five of whom were founded by his sons, and two by grandsons. (On the differences which occur between the names given here and those in Genesis 46:21.) Some of the sons and grandsons of Benjamin mentioned here are also found in the genealogical fragments in 1 Chronicles 7:6-18, and 1 Chronicles 8:1.
Numbers 26:42-43
The descendants of Dan formed only one family, named from a son of Dan, who is called Shuham here, but Hushim in Genesis 46:23; though this family no doubt branched out into several smaller families, which are not named here, simply because this list contains only the leading families into which the tribes were divided.
Numbers 26:44-47
The families of Asher agree with the sons of Asher mentioned in Genesis 46:17 and 1 Chronicles 7:30, except that Ishuah is omitted here, because he founded no family.
Numbers 26:48-50
The families of Naphtali tally with the sons of Naphtali in Genesis 46:24 and 1 Chronicles 7:30.
Numbers 26:51
The total number of the persons mustered was 601,730.
Instructions concerning the Distribution of the Land. - In Numbers 26:53, Numbers 26:54, the command is given to distribute the land as an inheritance among the twelve tribes (“unto these”), according to the number of the names (Num 1:2-18), i.e., to the tribes and families that contained only a few persons, they were to make it small; to every one according to the measure of its mustered persons ( ל must be repeated before אישׁ ). In Numbers 26:55, Numbers 26:56, it is still further commanded that the distribution should take place by lot. “ According to the names on their paternal tribes shall they (the children of Israel) receive it (the land) for an inheritance .” The meaning of these words can only be, that every tribe was to receive a province of its own for an inheritance, which should be called by its name for ever. The other regulation in Numbers 26:56, “ according to the measure of the lot shall its inheritance (the inheritance of every tribe) be divided between the numerous and the small (tribe),” is no doubt to be understood as signifying, that in the division of the tribe territories, according to the comparative sizes of the different tribes, they were to adhere to that portion of land which fell to every tribe in the casting of the lots. The magnitude and limits of the possessions of the different tribes could not be determined by the lot according to the magnitude of the tribes themselves: all that could possibly be determined was the situation to be occupied by the tribe; so that R. Bechai is quite correct in observing that “ the casting of the lot took place for the more convenient distribution of the different portions, whether of better or inferior condition, that there might be no occasion for strife and covetousness,” though the motive assigned is too partial in its character. The lot was to determine the portion of every tribe, not merely to prevent all occasion for dissatisfaction and complaining, but in order that every tribe might receive with gratitude the possession that fell to its lot as the inheritance assigned it by God, the result of the lot being regarded by almost all nations as determined by God Himself (cf. Proverbs 16:33; Proverbs 18:18). On this ground not only was the lot resorted to by the Greeks and Romans in the distribution of conquered lands (see the proofs in Clericus, Rosenmüller, and Knobel ), but it is still employed in the division of lands. (For further remarks, see at Joshua 14:1.).
Mustering of the Levites. - The enumeration of the different Levitical families into which the three leading families of Levi, that were founded by his three sons Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, were divided, is not complete, but is broken off in Numbers 26:58 after the notice of five different families, for the purpose of tracing once more the descent of Moses and Aaron, the heads not of this tribe only, but of the whole nation, and also of giving the names of the sons of the latter (Numbers 26:59-61). And after this the whole is concluded with a notice of the total number of those who were mustered of the tribe of Levi (Numbers 26:62). - Of the different families mentioned, Libni belonged to Gershon (cf. Numbers 3:21), Hebroni to Kohath (Numbers 3:27), Machli and Mushi to Merari (Numbers 3:33), and Korchi , i.e., the family of Korah (according to ch. Numbers 16:1; cf. Exodus 6:21 and Exodus 6:24), to Kohath. Moses and Aaron were descendants of Kohath (see at Exodus 6:20 and Exodus 2:1). Some difficulty is caused by the relative clause, “ whom (one) had born to Levi in Egypt ” (Numbers 26:59), on account of the subject being left indefinite. It cannot be Levi's wife, as Jarchi, Abenezra, and others suppose; for Jochebed, the mother of Moses, was not a daughter of Levi in the strict sense of the word, but only a Levitess or descendant of Levi, who lived about 300 years after Levi; just as her husband Amram was not actually the son of Amram, who bore that name (Exodus 6:18), but a later descendant of this older Amram. The missing subject must be derived from the verb itself, viz., either היּלדת or אמּהּ (her mother), as in 1 Kings 1:6, another passage in which “his mother” is to be supplied (cf. Ewald , §294, b .).
Sons of Aaron: cf. Numbers 3:2 and Numbers 3:4; Exodus 6:23; Leviticus 10:1, Leviticus 10:2.
The Levites were not mustered along with the rest of the tribes of Israel, because the mustering took place with especial reference to the conquest of Canaan, and the Levites were not to receive any territory as a tribe (see at Numbers 18:20).
Concluding formula with the remark in Numbers 26:65, that the penal sentence which God had pronounced in Numbers 14:29 and Numbers 14:38 upon the generation which came out of Egypt, had been completely carried out.