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
And the sons H1121 of Levi; H3878 Gershon, H1648 Kohath, H6955 and Merari. H4847
And these are the names H8034 of the sons H1121 of Levi H3878 according to their generations; H8435 Gershon, H1648 and Kohath, H6955 and Merari: H4847 and the years H8141 of the life H2416 of Levi H3878 were an hundred H3967 thirty H7970 and seven H7651 years. H8141 The sons H1121 of Gershon; H1648 Libni, H3845 and Shimi, H8096 according to their families. H4940 And the sons H1121 of Kohath; H6955 Amram, H6019 and Izhar, H3324 and Hebron, H2275 and Uzziel: H5816 and the years H8141 of the life H2416 of Kohath H6955 were an hundred H3967 thirty H7970 and three H7969 years. H8141 And the sons H1121 of Merari; H4847 Mahali H4249 and Mushi: H4187 these are the families H4940 of Levi H3878 according to their generations. H8435
The sons H1121 of Levi; H3878 Gershom, H1647 Kohath, H6955 and Merari. H4847 And these be the names H8034 of the sons H1121 of Gershom; H1647 Libni, H3845 and Shimei. H8096 And the sons H1121 of Kohath H6955 were, Amram, H6019 and Izhar, H3324 and Hebron, H2275 and Uzziel. H5816 The sons H1121 of Merari; H4847 Mahli, H4249 and Mushi. H4187 And these are the families H4940 of the Levites H3881 according to their fathers. H1 Of Gershom; H1647 Libni H3845 his son, H1121 Jahath H3189 his son, H1121 Zimmah H2155 his son, H1121 Joah H3098 his son, H1121 Iddo H5714 his son, H1121 Zerah H2226 his son, H1121 Jeaterai H2979 his son. H1121 The sons H1121 of Kohath; H6955 Amminadab H5992 his son, H1121 Korah H7141 his son, H1121 Assir H617 his son, H1121 Elkanah H511 his son, H1121 and Ebiasaph H43 his son, H1121 and Assir H617 his son, H1121 Tahath H8480 his son, H1121 Uriel H222 his son, H1121 Uzziah H5818 his son, H1121 and Shaul H7586 his son. H1121 And the sons H1121 of Elkanah; H511 Amasai, H6022 and Ahimoth. H287 As for Elkanah: H511 the sons H1121 of Elkanah; H511 Zophai H6689 his son, H1121 and Nahath H5184 his son, H1121 Eliab H446 his son, H1121 Jeroham H3395 his son, H1121 Elkanah H511 his son. H1121 And the sons H1121 of Samuel; H8050 the firstborn H1060 Vashni, H2059 and Abiah. H29 The sons H1121 of Merari; H4847 Mahli, H4249 Libni H3845 his son, H1121 Shimei H8096 his son, H1121 Uzza H5798 his son, H1121 Shimea H8092 his son, H1121 Haggiah H2293 his son, H1121 Asaiah H6222 his son. H1121
These also are the generations H8435 of Aaron H175 and Moses H4872 in the day H3117 that the LORD H3068 spake H1696 with Moses H4872 in mount H2022 Sinai. H5514 And these are the names H8034 of the sons H1121 of Aaron; H175 Nadab H5070 the firstborn, H1060 and Abihu, H30 Eleazar, H499 and Ithamar. H385 These are the names H8034 of the sons H1121 of Aaron, H175 the priests H3548 which were anointed, H4886 whom he consecrated H4390 H3027 to minister in the priest's office. H3547 And Nadab H5070 and Abihu H30 died H4191 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 when they offered H7126 strange H2114 fire H784 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 in the wilderness H4057 of Sinai, H5514 and they had no children: H1121 and Eleazar H499 and Ithamar H385 ministered in the priest's office H3547 in the sight H6440 of Aaron H175 their father. H1
Command H6680 the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 that they give H5414 unto the Levites H3881 of the inheritance H5159 of their possession H272 cities H5892 to dwell in; H3427 and ye shall give H5414 also unto the Levites H3881 suburbs H4054 for the cities H5892 round about H5439 them. And the cities H5892 shall they have to dwell in; H3427 and the suburbs H4054 of them shall be for their cattle, H929 and for their goods, H7399 and for all their beasts. H2416
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Numbers 26
Commentary on Numbers 26 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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 (Ps 95:11).
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.
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].
10. the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah—rather, "the things of Korah." (See on Nu 16:35; compare Ps 106:17).
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 [Ps 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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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).
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).
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.