Numbers, Chapter 26

Numbers Chapter 26

Verses 1-30: The Second Census

1. After the plague had ended, the LORD spoke to Moses and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying,
2. “Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their families—all those twenty years old or more who are able to serve in the army of Israel.”
3. So on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them and said,
4. “Take a census from twenty years old and upward,” as the LORD had commanded Moses. The Israelites who came out of the land of Egypt were:
5. Reuben, the firstborn of Israel. The descendants of Reuben: of Hanoch, the Hanochite clan; of Pallu, the Palluite clan;
6. of Hezron, the Hezronite clan; of Carmi, the Carmite clan.
7. These are the clans of Reuben, and those numbered were 43,730.
8. And the son of Pallu was Eliab.
9. The sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the same Dathan and Abiram, representatives of the community, who rebelled against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah when they rebelled against the LORD.
10. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire devoured the 250 men. And they served as a warning sign.
11. The line of Korah, however, did not die out.
12. The sons of Simeon by their clans were: of Nemuel, the Nemuelite clan; of Jamin, the Jaminite clan; of Jachin, the Jachinite clan;
13. of Zerah, the Zerahite clan; of Shaul, the Shaulite clan.
14. These are the clans of Simeon, numbering 22,200.
15. The children of Gad by their clans were: of Zephon, the Zephonite clan; of Haggi, the Haggite clan; of Shuni, the Shunite clan;
16. of Ozni, the Oznite clan; of Eri, the Erite clan;
17. of Arod, the Arodite clan; of Areli, the Arelite clan.
18. These are the clans of the children of Gad as numbered, 40,500.
19. The sons of Judah were Er and Onan; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.
20. The sons of Judah, by their clans, were: of Shelah, the Shelanite clan; of Perez, the Perezite clan; of Zerah, the Zerahite clan.
21. The sons of Perez were: of Hezron, the Hezronite clan; of Hamul, the Hamulite clan.
22. These are the clans of Judah, numbering 76,500.
23. The sons of Issachar by their clans were: Tola, the Tolaite clan; of Puvah, the Punite clan;
24. of Jashub, the Jashubite clan; of Shimron, the Shimronite clan.
25. These are the clans of Issachar, numbering 64,300.
26. The sons of Zebulun by their clans were: of Sered, the Seredite clan; of Elon, the Elonite clan; of Jahleel, the Jahleelite clan.
27. These are the clans of Zebulun, numbering 60,500.
28. The sons of Joseph by their clans through Manasseh and Ephraim were:
29. Of Manasseh: of Machir, the Machirite clan; Machir fathered Gilead, of Gilead, the Gileadite clan.
30. These are the sons of Gilead: of Iezer, the Iezerite clan; of Helek, the Helekite clan;
31. of Asriel, the Asrielite clan; of Shechem, the Shechemite clan;
32. of Shemida, the Shemidaite clan; of Hepher, the Hepherite clan.
33. Zelophehad, son of Hepher, had no sons, but daughters. The names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
34. These are the clans of Manasseh, and those numbered were 52,700.
35. These are the sons of Ephraim by their clans: of Shuthelah, the Shuthelahite clan; of Becher, the Becherite clan; of Tahan, the Tahanite clan.
36. These are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the Eranite clan.
37. These are the clans of the sons of Ephraim, numbering 32,500. These are the sons of Joseph by their clans.
38. The sons of Benjamin by their clans were: of Bela, the Belaite clan; of Ashbel, the Ashbelite clan; of Ahiram, the Ahiramite clan;
39. of Shupham, the Shuphamite clan; of Hupham, the Huphamite clan.
40. The sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the Ardite clan; of Naaman, the Naamite clan.
41. These are the sons of Benjamin by their clans, numbering 45,600.
42. The sons of Dan by their clans were: of Shuham, the Shuhamite clan. These are the clans of Dan by their clans.
43. All the clans of Shuham, as they were numbered, were 64,400.
44. The sons of Asher by their clans were: of Imnah, the Imnite clan; of Ishvi, the Ishvite clan; of Beriah, the Beriite clan.
45. Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the Heberite clan; of Malkiel, the Malkielite clan.
46. Asher had a daughter named Serah.
47. These are the clans of the sons of Asher, as they were numbered, 53,400.
48. The sons of Naphtali by their clans were: of Jahzeel, the Jahzeelite clan; of Guni, the Gunite clan;
49. of Jezer, the Jezerite clan; of Shillem, the Shillemite clan.
50. These are the clans of Naphtali by their clans, as they were numbered, 45,400.
51. This was the number of the Israelites, 601,730.
52. The LORD said to Moses,
53. “The land is to be allotted to them as an inheritance based on the number of names.
54. To a larger group you shall give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller inheritance; each is to receive its inheritance according to the number of those listed.
55. Be sure the land is allotted by lot. According to the names of the tribes of their ancestors, they are to inherit.
56. According to the lot, their inheritance must be divided between the larger and the smaller groups.”
57. This is the list of the Levites by their clans: of Gershon, the Gershonite clan; of Kohath, the Kohathite clan; of Merari, the Merarite clan.
58. These are the families of Levi: the Libnite clan, the Hebronite clan, the Mahlite clan, the Mushite clan, the Korahite clan. Kohath was the father of Amram.
59. The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, a descendant of Levi, who was born to the Levites in Egypt. To Amram she bore Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam.
60. To Aaron were born Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
61. But Nadab and Abihu died when they made an offering before the LORD with unauthorized fire.
62. All the male Levites a month old or more numbered 23,000. They were not included among the other Israelites because they received no inheritance among them.
63. These were the ones counted by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites in the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho.
64. Not one of them was among those counted by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai.
65. For the LORD had told those Israelites they would surely die in the wilderness, and not one of them was left, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

Interpretation: Verses 1-41 mark a significant moment in the Israelites’ journey, as they conduct a second census while camped on the plains of Moab. The detailed enumeration of each tribe and clan not only serves to organize the community for military and administrative purposes but also symbolizes a reconstitution of the people after their trials, including the rebellion associated with Korah and the plague. The mention of Zelophehad’s daughters signifies a pivotal moment in the biblical narrative concerning inheritance rights for women, reflecting a broader theme of renewal and continuity within the Israelite community. Verses 42-65 continue detailing the census of the Israelite tribes, emphasizing the organization and preparation for entering the Promised Land. The passage underscores the principle of equitable distribution of the land among the tribes, according to their sizes, and highlights the unique status of the Levites. Unlike other tribes, the Levites are not given a territorial inheritance but are counted for their sacred role in serving the Tabernacle. This section also reflects on the continuity and change within the Israelite community, noting that none of the individuals counted in the first census (except for Caleb and Joshua) survived to enter the land, symbolizing a new generation’s emergence, prepared to fulfill the covenant in a new land.