Introduction

‘After the plague, the LORD said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, “Take a census of the whole Israelite community by families—all those twenty years old or more who are able to serve in the army of Israel.” So on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them and said, “Take a census of the men twenty years old or more, as the LORD commanded Moses.” These were the Israelites who came out of Egypt: The descendants of Reuben, the firstborn son of Israel, were: through Hanok, the Hanokite clan; through Pallu, the Palluite clan; through Hezron, the Hezronite clan; through Karmi, the Karmite clan. These were the clans of Reuben; those numbered were 43,730. The son of Pallu was Eliab, and the sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. The same Dathan and Abiram were the community officials who rebelled against Moses and Aaron and were among Korah’s followers when they rebelled against the LORD. 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. The line of Korah, however, did not die out. The descendants of Simeon by their clans were: through Nemuel, the Nemuelite clan; through Jamin, the Jaminite clan; through Jakin, the Jakinite clan; through Zerah, the Zerahite clan; through Shaul, the Shaulite clan. These were the clans of Simeon; those numbered were 22,200. The descendants of Gad by their clans were: through Zephon, the Zephonite clan; through Haggi, the Haggite clan; through Shuni, the Shunite clan; through Ozni, the Oznite clan; through Eri, the Erite clan; through Arodi, the Arodite clan; through Areli, the Arelite clan. These were the clans of Gad; those numbered were 40,500. Er and Onan were sons of Judah, but they died in Canaan. The descendants of Judah by their clans were: through Shelah, the Shelanite clan; through Perez, the Perezite clan; through Zerah, the Zerahite clan. The descendants of Perez were: through Hezron, the Hezronite clan; through Hamul, the Hamulite clan. These were the clans of Judah; those numbered were 76,500. The descendants of Issachar by their clans were: through Tola, the Tolaite clan; through Puah, the Puite clan; through Jashub, the Jashubite clan; through Shimron, the Shimronite clan. These were the clans of Issachar; those numbered were 64,300. The descendants of Zebulun by their clans were: through Sered, the Seredite clan; through Elon, the Elonite clan; through Jahleel, the Jahleelite clan. These were the clans of Zebulun; those numbered were 60,500. The descendants of Joseph by their clans through Manasseh and Ephraim were: The descendants of Manasseh: through Makir, the Makirite clan (Makir was the father of Gilead); through Gilead, the Gileadite clan. These were the descendants of Gilead: through Iezer, the Iezerite clan; through Helek, the Helekite clan; through Asriel, the Asrielite clan; through Shechem, the Shechemite clan; through Shemida, the Shemidaite clan; through Hepher, the Hepherite clan. (Zelophehad, son of Hepher, had no sons; he had only daughters, whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah.) These were the clans of Manasseh; those numbered were 52,700. These were the descendants of Ephraim by their clans: through Shuthelah, the Shuthelahite clan; through Beker, the Bekerite clan; through Tahan, the Tahanite clan. These were the descendants of Shuthelah: through Eran, the Eranite clan. These were the clans of Ephraim; those numbered were 32,500. These were the descendants of Joseph by their clans. The descendants of Benjamin by their clans were: through Bela, the Belaite clan; through Ashbel, the Ashbelite clan; through Ahiram, the Ahiramite clan; through Shupham, the Shuphamite clan; through Hupham, the Huphamite clan. The descendants of Bela through Ard and Naaman were: through Ard, the Ardite clan; through Naaman, the Naamite clan. These were the clans of Benjamin; those numbered were 45,600. These were the descendants of Dan by their clans: through Shuham, the Shuhamite clan. These were the clans of Dan: All of them were Shuhamite clans; and those numbered were 64,400. The descendants of Asher by their clans were: through Imnah, the Imnite clan; through Ishvi, the Ishvite clan; through Beriah, the Beriite clan; and through the descendants of Beriah: through Heber, the Heberite clan; through Malkiel, the Malkielite clan. (Asher had a daughter named Serah.) These were the clans of Asher; those numbered were 53,400. The descendants of Naphtali by their clans were: through Jahzeel, the Jahzeelite clan; through Guni, the Gunite clan; through Jezer, the Jezerite clan; through Shillem, the Shillemite clan. These were the clans of Naphtali; those numbered were 45,400. The total number of the men of Israel was 601,730. The LORD said to Moses, “The land is to be allotted to them as an inheritance based on the number of names. To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one; each is to receive its inheritance according to the number of those listed. Be sure that the land is distributed by lot. What each group inherits will be according to the names for its ancestral tribe. Each inheritance is to be distributed by lot among the larger and smaller groups.” These were the Levites who were counted by their clans: through Gershon, the Gershonite clan; through Kohath, the Kohathite clan; through Merari, the Merarite clan. These also were Levite clans: the Libnite clan, the Hebronite clan, the Mahlite clan, the Mushite clan, the Korahite clan. (Kohath was the forefather of Amram; 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. Aaron was the father of Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. But Nadab and Abihu died when they made an offering before the LORD with unauthorised fire.) All the male Levites a month old or more numbered 23,000. They were not counted along with the other Israelites because they received no inheritance among them. These are the ones counted by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho. Not one of them was among those counted by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai. 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.’ Numbers 26:1-65

THE SECOND CENSUS

In this chapter, we read about the second census, which was taken of the nation of Israel. The laws for taking the census were given in Exodus 30:12. Remember, the purpose of the first census was to establish the number of males who were eligible for war, Numbers 26:1-2 / Numbers 1:28. This census was taken to prepare Israel to occupy the Promised Land.

Notice that only those who were twenty years old and older were counted, Numbers 26:3-4.

In the first census, 38 years ago, 46,500 men from the tribe of Reuben were counted and ready for war, Numbers 1:21. Here, they counted 43,730, Numbers 26:5-7, that’s a loss of 2,770 men.

The son of Pallu was Eliab, and the sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram.

The same Dathan and Abiram were the community officials who rebelled against Moses and Aaron and were among Korah’s followers when they rebelled against the LORD, Numbers 26:9.

The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire devoured the 250 men, Numbers 16:1-50, and they served as a warning sign, Numbers 26:10. The line of Korah, however, did not die out, Numbers 26:11 / 1 Chronicles 6:22 / 1 Chronicles 6:33 / 1 Chronicles 25:5 / Psalms 42:1-11 / Psalms 44 / Psalms 45.

Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.

‘It is difficult to reconcile this place with Numbers 16:27 / Numbers 16:31-33, where it seems to be intimated that not only the men, but the wives, and the sons, and the little ones of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, were swallowed up by the earthquake, see especially Numbers 16:27, collated with Numbers 16:33. But the text here expressly says, the children of Korah died not and on a close inspection of Numbers 16:27 of the above-mentioned chapter, we shall find that the sons and the little ones of Dathan and Abiram alone are mentioned. So they get up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out and their wives, and their sons, and their little ones. Here is no mention of the children of Korah; they therefore escaped, while it appears those of Dathan and Abiram perished with their fathers, Numbers 16:30.’

In the first census, 38 years ago, there were 59,300 men from the tribe of Simeon counted and ready for war, Numbers 1:23. Here, they counted 22,200, Numbers 26:12-14. This was a huge loss of 37,100 men for this tribe.

In the first census, 38 years ago, 45,650 men from the tribe of Gad were counted and ready for war, Numbers 1:25. Here, they count 40,500, Numbers 26:15-18. This was a loss of 5,150 fighting men.

In the first census, 38 years ago, 74,600 men from the tribe of Judah were counted and ready for war, Numbers 1:27. Here, they counted 76,500, Numbers 26:20-22. This was a gain of 1,900.

In the first census, 38 years ago, 54,400 men from the tribe of Issachar were counted ready for war, Numbers 1:29. Here, they counted 64,300, Numbers 26:23-25. This was a gain of 9,900.

In the first census, 38 years ago, 57,400 men from the tribe of Zebulun were counted and ready for war, Numbers 1:31. Here, they counted 60,500, Numbers 26:26-27. This was a gain of 3,100.

In the first census, 38 years ago, 32,200 men from the tribe of Manasseh were counted and ready for war, Numbers 1:35. Here, they counted 52,700, Numbers 26:28-34. This was a huge gain of 20,500.

In the first census, 38 years ago, 40,500 men from the tribe of Ephraim were counted and ready for war, Numbers 1:33. Here, they counted 32,500, Numbers 26:35-37. This was a loss of 8,000 men.

In the first census, 38 years ago, 35,400 men from the tribe of Benjamin were counted and ready for war, Numbers 1:37. Here, they counted 45,600, Numbers 26:38-41. This was a gain of 10,200 men.

In the first census, 38 years ago, 62,700 men from the tribe of Dan were counted and ready for war, Numbers 1:39. Here, they counted 64,400, Numbers 26:42-43. This was a gain of 1,700 men.

In the first census, 38 years ago, 41,500 men from the tribe of Asher were counted and ready for war, Numbers 1:41. Here, they counted 53,400 men, Numbers 26:44-47. This was a gain of 11,900.

In the first census, 38 years ago, 53,400 men from the tribe of Naphtali were counted and ready for war, Numbers 1:43. Here, they counted 45,400 men, Numbers 26:48-50. This was a loss of 8,000.

In the first census, 38 years ago, Numbers 1:26 / Numbers 2:32, Israel counted 603,550 men ready for war, here they count 601,730 men, Numbers 26:51, which is a loss of 1,820 men.

The allocation of the land was to be according to the size of the tribes and then according to the casting of lots, Numbers 26:52-56 / Acts 1:26. The larger portions of land were probably first determined for the larger tribes, and then lots were cast for the land, Numbers 26:55 / Numbers 33:54. The casting of the lots made sure that no favouritism was practised in the distribution of the land, Proverbs 16:33.

The Levites who were counted by their clans through Gershon, the Gershonite clan, through Kohath, the Kohathite clan, through Merari, the Merarite clan, Numbers 26:57. These also were Levite clans, the Libnite clan, the Hebronite clan, the Mahlite clan, the Mushite clan, the Korahite clan, Numbers 26:58.

We are told that Kohath was the forefather of Amram, Numbers 26:58 / 1 Chronicles 6:18, and the name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, a descendant of Levi, who was born to the Levites in Egypt, Numbers 26:59 / Exodus 6:20.

To Amram, she bore Aaron, Moses and their sister Miriam, Numbers 26:60 / 1 Chronicles 6:1-3. Aaron was the father of Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Exodus 28:1, but Nadab and Abihu died when they made an offering before the LORD with unauthorised fire, Numbers 26:60-61 / Leviticus 10:1-2.

All the male Levites a month old or more numbered 23,000, Numbers 26:62. We read that no land inheritance was given to the Levites, Numbers 26:62, instead, they were allocated cities within the land, Numbers 18:20.

These are the ones counted by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, Numbers 26:63.

Remember, we are dealing with a new generation of Israelites here, and as God had said, the older generation, those who were twenty years old and over, would die in the wilderness, Numbers 14:29.

Note that God didn’t hold their forefather’s sin against them, and because of that, this new generation was ready to take possession of the Promised Land, Numbers 26:64.

Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.

‘It appears from Deuteronomy 2:14-15 that the generation numbered at the former census had perished before the host crossed the brook Zered.’

As a result of Joshua and Caleb’s faith to take the land for God the first time around, only they, from that older generation, were allowed to enter the land, Numbers 26:65 / Numbers 14:6-9 / Numbers 14:30 / Numbers 14:38.

Go To Numbers 27