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
Only thou shalt not number H6485 the tribe H4294 of Levi, H3878 neither take H5375 the sum H7218 of them among H8432 the children H1121 of Israel: H3478
All that were numbered H6485 of the Levites, H3881 which Moses H4872 and Aaron H175 numbered H6485 at the commandment H6310 of the LORD, H3068 throughout their families, H4940 all the males H2145 from a month H2320 old H1121 and upward, H4605 were twenty H6242 and two H8147 thousand. H505
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 And the suburbs H4054 of the cities, H5892 which ye shall give H5414 unto the Levites, H3881 shall reach from the wall H7023 of the city H5892 and outward H2351 a thousand H505 cubits H520 round about. H5439 And ye shall measure H4058 from without H2351 the city H5892 on the east H6924 side H6285 two thousand H505 cubits, H520 and on the south H5045 side H6285 two thousand H505 cubits, H520 and on the west H3220 side H6285 two thousand H505 cubits, H520 and on the north H6828 side H6285 two thousand H505 cubits; H520 and the city H5892 shall be in the midst: H8432 this shall be to them the suburbs H4054 of the cities. H5892 And among the cities H5892 which ye shall give H5414 unto the Levites H3881 there shall be six H8337 cities H5892 for refuge, H4733 which ye shall appoint H5414 for the manslayer, H7523 that he may flee H5127 thither: and to them ye shall add H5414 forty H705 and two H8147 cities. H5892 So all the cities H5892 which ye shall give H5414 to the Levites H3881 shall be forty H705 and eight H8083 cities: H5892 them shall ye give with their suburbs. H4054 And the cities H5892 which ye shall give H5414 shall be of the possession H272 of the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 from them that have many H7227 ye shall give many; H7235 but from them that have few H4592 ye shall give few: H4591 every one H376 shall give H5414 of his cities H5892 unto the Levites H3881 according H6310 to his inheritance H5159 which he inheriteth. H5157
Wherefore Levi H3878 hath no part H2506 nor inheritance H5159 with his brethren; H251 the LORD H3068 is his inheritance, H5159 according as the LORD H3068 thy God H430 promised H1696 him.
And the LORD H3068 spake H559 unto Aaron, H175 Thou shalt have no inheritance H5157 in their land, H776 neither shalt thou have any part H2506 among H8432 them: I am thy part H2506 and thine inheritance H5159 among H8432 the children H1121 of Israel. H3478 And, behold, I have given H5414 the children H1121 of Levi H3878 all the tenth H4643 in Israel H3478 for an inheritance, H5159 for H2500 their service H5656 which they serve, H5647 even the service H5656 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150 Neither must the children H1121 of Israel H3478 henceforth H5750 come nigh H7126 the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 lest they bear H5375 sin, H2399 and die. H4191 But the Levites H3881 shall do H5647 the service H5656 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 and they shall bear H5375 their iniquity: H5771 it shall be a statute H2708 for ever H5769 throughout your generations, H1755 that among H8432 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 they have H5157 no inheritance. H5159 But the tithes H4643 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 which they offer H7311 as an heave offering H8641 unto the LORD, H3068 I have given H5414 to the Levites H3881 to inherit: H5159 therefore I have said H559 unto them, Among H8432 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 they shall have H5157 no inheritance. H5159
And the Levite H3881 that is within thy gates; H8179 thou shalt not forsake H5800 him; for he hath no part H2506 nor inheritance H5159 with thee. At the end H7097 of three H7969 years H8141 thou shalt bring forth H3318 all the tithe H4643 of thine increase H8393 the same year, H8141 and shalt lay it up H3240 within thy gates: H8179 And the Levite, H3881 (because he hath no part H2506 nor inheritance H5159 with thee,) and the stranger, H1616 and the fatherless, H3490 and the widow, H490 which are within thy gates, H8179 shall come, H935 and shall eat H398 and be satisfied; H7646 that the LORD H3068 thy God H430 may bless H1288 thee in all the work H4639 of thine hand H3027 which thou doest. H6213
The priests H3548 the Levites, H3881 and all the tribe H7626 of Levi, H3878 shall have no part H2506 nor inheritance H5159 with Israel: H3478 they shall eat H398 the offerings H801 of the LORD H3068 made by fire, H801 and his inheritance. H5159 Therefore shall they have no inheritance H5159 among H7130 their brethren: H251 the LORD H3068 is their inheritance, H5159 as he hath said H1696 unto them.
For Moses H4872 had given H5414 the inheritance H5159 of two H8147 tribes H4294 and an half H2677 tribe H4294 on the other side H5676 Jordan: H3383 but unto the Levites H3881 he gave H5414 none inheritance H5159 among H8432 them.
But the Levites H3881 after the tribe H4294 of their fathers H1 were not numbered H6485 among H8432 them.
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.