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
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Numbers 26
Commentary on Numbers 26 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 26
This book is called Numbers, from the numberings of the children of Israel, of which it gives an account. Once they were numbered at Mount Sinai, in the first year after they came out of Egypt, which we had an account of, ch. 1 and 2. And now a second time they were numbered in the plains of Moab, just before they entered Canaan, and of this we have an account in this chapter. We have,
Num 26:1-4
Observe here,
Num 26:5-51
This is the register of the tribes as they were now enrolled, in the same order that they were numbered in ch. 1. Observe,
Num 26:52-56
If any ask why such a particular account is kept of the tribes, and families, and numbers, of the people of Israel, here is an answer for them; as they were multiplied, so they were portioned, not by common providence, but by promise; and, for the support of the honour of divine revelation, God will have the fulfilling of the promise taken notice of both in their increase and in their inheritance. When Moses had numbered the people God did not say, By these shall the land be conquered; but, taking that for granted, he tells him, Unto these shall the land be divided. "These that are now registered as the sons of Israel shall be admitted (as it were by copy of court-roll) heirs of the land of Canaan.' Now, in the distributing, or quartering, of these tribes,
Num 26:57-62
Levi was God's tribe, a tribe that was to have no inheritance with the rest in the land of Canaan, and therefore was not numbered with the rest, but by itself; so it had been numbered in the beginning of this book at Mount Sinai, and therefore came not under the sentence passed upon all that were then numbered, that none of them should enter Canaan but Caleb and Joshua; for of the Levites that were not numbered with them, nor were to go forth to war, Eleazar and Ithamar, and perhaps others who were above twenty years old then (as appears, ch. 4:16, 28), entered Canaan; and yet this tribe, now at its second numbering, had increased but 1000, and was still one of the smallest tribes. Mention is made here of the death of Nadab and Abihu for offering strange fire, as before of the sin and punishment of Korah, because these things happened to them for ensamples.
Num 26:63-65
That which is observable in this conclusion of the account is the execution of the sentence passed upon the murmurers (ch. 14:29), that not one of those who were numbered from twenty years old and upwards (and that the Levites were not, but either from a month old or from thirty years old to fifty) should enter Canaan, except Caleb and Joshua. In the muster now made particular directions, no doubt, were given to those of each tribe that were employed in taking the account, to compare these rolls with the former, and to observe whether there were any now left of those that were numbered at Mount Sinai, and it appeared that there was not one man numbered now that was numbered then except Caleb and Joshua, v. 64, 65. Herein appeared,