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Texts -- Numbers 26:1-58 (NET)

Context
A Second Census Required
26:1 After the plague the Lord said to Moses and to Eleazar son of Aaron the priest , 26:2 “Take a census of the whole community of Israelites , from twenty years old and upward , by their clans , everyone who can serve in the army of Israel .” 26:3 So Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab , by the Jordan River across from Jericho . They said , 26:4 “Number the people from twenty years old and upward , just as the Lord commanded Moses and the Israelites who went out from the land of Egypt .”
Reuben
26:5 Reuben was the firstborn of Israel . The Reubenites : from Hanoch , the family of the Hanochites ; from Pallu , the family of the Palluites ; 26:6 from Hezron , the family of the Hezronites ; from Carmi , the family of the Carmites . 26:7 These were the families of the Reubenites ; and those numbered of them were 43,730 . 26:8 Pallu’s descendant was Eliab . 26:9 Eliab’s descendants were Nemuel , Dathan , and Abiram . It was Dathan and Abiram who as leaders of the community rebelled against Moses and Aaron with the followers of Korah when they rebelled against the Lord . 26:10 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and Korah at the time that company died , when the fire consumed 250 men . So they became a warning . 26:11 But the descendants of Korah did not die .
Simeon
26:12 The Simeonites by their families : from Nemuel , the family of the Nemuelites ; from Jamin , the family of the Jaminites ; from Jakin , the family of the Jakinites ; 26:13 from Zerah , the family of the Zerahites ; and from Shaul , the family of the Shaulites . 26:14 These were the families of the Simeonites , 22,200 .
Gad
26:15 The Gadites by their families : from Zephon , the family of the Zephonites ; from Haggi , the family of the Haggites ; from Shuni , the family of the Shunites ; 26:16 from Ozni , the family of the Oznites ; from Eri , the family of the Erites ; 26:17 from Arod , the family of the Arodites , and from Areli , the family of the Arelites . 26:18 These were the families of the Gadites according to those numbered of them, 40,500 .
Judah
26:19 The descendants of Judah were Er and Onan , but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan . 26:20 And the Judahites by their families were: from Shelah , the family of the Shelahites ; from Perez , the family of the Perezites ; and from Zerah , the family of the Zerahites . 26:21 And the Perezites were: from Hezron , the family of the Hezronites ; from Hamul , the family of the Hamulites . 26:22 These were the families of Judah according to those numbered of them, 76,500 .
Issachar
26:23 The Issacharites by their families : from Tola , the family of the Tolaites ; from Puah , the family of the Puites ; 26:24 from Jashub , the family of the Jashubites ; and from Shimron , the family of the Shimronites . 26:25 These were the families of Issachar , according to those numbered of them, 64,300 .
Zebulun
26:26 The Zebulunites by their families : from Sered , the family of the Sardites ; from Elon , the family of the Elonites ; from Jahleel , the family of the Jahleelites . 26:27 These were the families of the Zebulunites , according to those numbered of them, 60,500 .
Manasseh
26:28 The descendants of Joseph by their families : Manasseh and Ephraim . 26:29 The Manassehites : from Machir , the family of the Machirites (now Machir became the father of Gilead ); from Gilead , the family of the Gileadites . 26:30 These were the Gileadites : from Iezer , the family of the Iezerites ; from Helek , the family of the Helekites ; 26:31 from Asriel , the family of the Asrielites ; from Shechem , the family of the Shechemites ; 26:32 from Shemida , the family of the Shemidaites ; from Hepher , the family of the Hepherites . 26:33 Now Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons , but only daughters ; and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah , Noah , Hoglah , Milcah , and Tirzah . 26:34 These were the families of Manasseh ; those numbered of them were 52,700 .
Ephraim
26:35 These are the Ephraimites by their families : from Shuthelah , the family of the Shuthelahites ; from Beker , the family of the Bekerites ; from Tahan , the family of the Tahanites . 26:36 Now these were the Shuthelahites : from Eran , the family of the Eranites . 26:37 These were the families of the Ephraimites , according to those numbered of them, 32,500 . These were the descendants of Joseph by their families .
Benjamin
26:38 The Benjaminites by their families : from Bela , the family of the Belaites ; from Ashbel , the family of the Ashbelites ; from Ahiram , the family of the Ahiramites ; 26:39 from Shupham , the family of the Shuphamites ; from Hupham , the family of the Huphamites . 26:40 The descendants of Bela were Ard and Naaman . From Ard, the family of the Ardites ; from Naaman , the family of the Naamanites . 26:41 These are the Benjaminites , according to their families , and according to those numbered of them, 45,600 .
Dan
26:42 These are the Danites by their families : from Shuham , the family of the Shuhamites . These were the families of Dan , according to their families . 26:43 All the families of the Shuhahites according to those numbered of them were 64,400 .
Asher
26:44 The Asherites by their families : from Imnah , the family of the Imnahites ; from Ishvi , the family of the Ishvites ; from Beriah , the family of the Beriahites . 26:45 From the Beriahites : from Heber , the family of the Heberites ; from Malkiel , the family of the Malkielites . 26:46 Now the name of the daughter of Asher was Serah . 26:47 These are the families of the Asherites , according to those numbered of them, 53,400 .
Naphtali
26:48 The Naphtalites by their families : from Jahzeel , the family of the Jahzeelites ; from Guni , the family of the Gunites ; 26:49 from Jezer , the family of the Jezerites ; from Shillem , the family of the Shillemites . 26:50 These were the families of Naphtali according to their families ; and those numbered of them were 45,400 .
Total Number and Division of the Land
26:51 These were those numbered of the Israelites , 601,730 . 26:52 Then the Lord spoke to Moses : 26:53 “To these the land must be divided as an inheritance according to the number of the names . 26:54 To a larger group you will give a larger inheritance , and to a smaller group you will give a smaller inheritance . To each one its inheritance must be given according to the number of people in it. 26:55 The land must be divided by lot ; and they will inherit in accordance with the names of their ancestral tribes . 26:56 Their inheritance must be apportioned by lot among the larger and smaller groups. 26:57 And these are the Levites who were numbered according to their families : from Gershon , the family of the Gershonites ; of Kohath , the family of the Kohathites ; from Merari , the family of the Merarites . 26:58 These are the families of the Levites : the family of the Libnites , the family of the Hebronites , the family of the Mahlites , the family of the Mushites , the family of the Korahites . Kohath became the father of Amram .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Soldiers

    [nave] SOLDIERS Military enrollment of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai, Num. 1; 2; in the plains of Moab, Num. 26. Levies of, in the ratio of one man to ten subject to duty, Judg. 20:10. Dressed in scarlet, Nah. 2:3. Cowards e...

  • Naphtali, Tribe of

    [ebd] On this tribe Jacob pronounced the patriarchal blessing, "Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words" (Gen. 49:21). It was intended thus to set forth under poetic imagery the future character and history of the tri...

  • NUMBERS, BOOK OF

    [isbe] NUMBERS, BOOK OF - num'-berz: I. TITLE AND CONTENTS 1. Title 2. Contents II. LITERARY STRUCTURE 1. Alleged Grounds of Distribution 2. Objections to Same (1) Hypothesis Unproved (2) Written Record Not Impossible (3) No Book E...

  • Manasseh

    [nave] MANASSEH 1. Son of Joseph and Asenath, Gen. 41:50, 51; 46:20; adopted by Jacob on his deathbed, Gen. 48:1, 5-20. Called Manasses, Rev. 7:6. 2. Tribe of. Descendants of Joseph. The two sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, ...

  • Manaen

    [ebd] consoler, a Christian teacher at Antioch. Nothing else is known of him beyond what is stated in Acts 13:1, where he is spoken of as having been brought up with (Gr. syntrophos; rendered in R.V. "foster brother" of) Herod, i....

  • MOSES

    [isbe] MOSES - mo'-zez, mo'-ziz (mosheh; Egyptian mes, "drawn out," "born"; Septuagint Mouse(s)). The great Hebrew national hero, leader, author, law-giver and prophet. I. LIFE 1. Son of Levi 2. Foundling Prince 3. Friend of the Pe...

  • MANASSEH (2)

    [isbe] MANASSEH (2) - 1. Son of Joseph: Following the Biblical account of Manasseh (patriarch, tribe, and territory) we find that he was the eider of Joseph's two sons by Asenath, the daughter of Poti-phera, priest of On (Gen 41:51...

  • Joseph

    [nave] JOSEPH 1. Son of Jacob, Gen. 30:24. Personal appearance of, Gen. 39:6. His father's favorite child, Gen. 33:2; 37:3, 4, 35; 48:22; 1 Chr. 5:2; John 4:5. His father's partiality for, excites the jealousy of his brethren, G...

  • JUDAH, TERRITORY OF

    [isbe] JUDAH, TERRITORY OF - (yehudhah): I. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA 1. The Natural Boundaries 2. The Natural Divisions of Judah (1) The Maritime Plain (2) The Shephelah (3) The Hill Country of Judah II. THE TRIBE OF JUDAH AND ITS TERRITO...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • INHERITANCE

    [isbe] INHERITANCE - in-her'-i-tans (nahalah, "something inherited," "occupancy," "heirloom," "estate," "portion"): The word is used in its widest application in the Old Testament Scriptures, referring not only to an estate receive...

  • Genealogy

    [smith] In Hebrew the term for genealogy or pedigree is "the book of the generations;" and because the oldest histories were usually drawn up on a genealogical basis, the expression often extended to the whole history, as is the case...
    [nave] GENEALOGY, Num. 1:18; 2 Chr. 12:15; Ezra 2:59; Neh. 7:5; Heb. 7:3. Of no spiritual significance, Matt. 3:9; 1 Tim. 1:4; Tit. 3:9. From Adam to Noah, Gen. 4:16-22; 5; 1 Chr. 1:1-4; Luke 3:36-38; to Abraham, Gen. 11:10-32; ...

  • GENESIS, 3

    [isbe] GENESIS, 3 - III. The Structure of the Individual Pericopes. In this division of the article, there is always to be found (under 1) a consideration of the unity of the Biblical text and (under 2) the rejection of the customa...

  • GENEALOGY, 8 part 2

    [isbe] GENEALOGY, 8 part 2 - I. Primeval Genealogies (1 Chronicals 1:1-54). To show Israel's place among the nations; follows Genesis closely, omitting only the Cainites; boldly, skillfully compressed, as if the omitted facts were ...

  • GENEALOGY, 8 part 1

    [isbe] GENEALOGY, 8 part 1 - 8. Principal Genealogies and Lists: In the early genealogies the particular strata to which each has been assigned by reconstructive critics is here indicated by J, the Priestly Code (P), etc. The signs...

  • GENEALOGY, 1-7

    [isbe] GENEALOGY, 1-7 - je-na-al'-o-ji, jen-a-al'-o-ji: 1. Definition 2. Biblical References 3. Importance of Genealogies 4. Their Historical Value 5. Principles of Interpretation 6. Principles of Compilation 7. Sources 8. Principa...

  • Farm

    [ebd] (Matt. 22:5). Every Hebrew had a certain portion of land assigned to him as a possession (Num. 26:33-56). In Egypt the lands all belonged to the king, and the husbandmen were obliged to give him a fifth part of the produce; ...

  • DISCREPANCIES, BIBLICAL

    [isbe] DISCREPANCIES, BIBLICAL - dis-krep'-an-siz, bib'-li-kal: 1. Definition: By this term should be understood substantial disagreements in the statements of Biblical writers. Such disagreements might subsist between the, stateme...

  • Census

    [ebd] There are five instances of a census of the Jewish people having been taken. (1.) In the fourth month after the Exodus, when the people were encamped at Sinai. The number of men from twenty years old and upward was then 603,...
    [nave] CENSUS Numbering of Israel by Moses, Ex. 38:26; Num. 1; 3:14-43; 26; by David, 2 Sam. 24:1-9; 1 Chr. 21:1-8; 27:24. A poll tax to be levied at each, Ex. 30:12-16; 38:26. of citizens, Isa. 4:3. Of the Roman Empire, by Caes...

  • Abieezer

    [ebd] father of help; i.e., "helpful." (1.) The second of the three sons of Hammoleketh, the sister of Gilead. He was the grandson of Manasseh (1 Chr. 7:18). From his family Gideon sprang (Josh. 17:2; comp. Judg. 6:34; 8:2). He wa...

Questions

  • The number of adults over twenty years of age who left Egypt is stated in Exodus 12:37, at about six hundred thousand. Allowing the normal proportion of children to such a host we may infer that the total number was probably ...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • Abram asked God to strengthen his faith. In response Yahweh promised to give the patriarch innumerable descendants. This led Abram to request some further assurance that God would indeed do what He promised. God graciously ob...
  • Jacob blessed all 12 of his sons and foretold what would become of each of them and their descendants. He disqualified Reuben, Simeon, and Levi from leadership and gave that blessing to Judah. He granted the double portion to...
  • The directions regarding the tabernacle opened with instructions concerning contributions for its construction (25:1-9). They close with this directive that every Israelite 20 years or older was to pay a flat fee of half a sh...
  • The title the Jews used in their Hebrew Old Testament for this book comes from the fifth word in the book in the Hebrew text, bemidbar: "in the wilderness."This is, of course, appropriate since the Israelites spent most of th...
  • When the book opens the Israelites were in the second month of the second year after they departed from Egypt (1:1). In chapters 7-10 we read things that happened in the nation before that. These things happened when Moses fi...
  • To formulate a statement that summarizes the teaching of this book it will be helpful to identify some of the major revelations in Numbers. These constitute the unique values of the book.The first major value of Numbers is th...
  • I. Experiences of the older generation in the wilderness chs. 1-25A. Preparations for entering the Promised Land from the south chs. 1-101. The first census and the organization of the people chs. 1-42. Commands and rituals t...
  • The first 10 chapters in Numbers describe Israel's preparation for entering the land.". . . just as the way from Goshen to Sinai was a preparation of the chosen people for their reception into the covenant with God, so the wa...
  • "As the laws increase and the constraints grow, the people seem less willing or less capable of following them. At this point in the narrative we see that the whole order of the priesthood is thrown open to direct confrontati...
  • Before going into battle against the Midianites as God commanded (25:18), the Lord directed Moses to take another census of the Israelites. Evidently the 24,000 who died in the recent plague (25:9) were the last of the genera...
  • "Just as the censuses of chs. 1, 3, and 4 led to a flurry of preparations for departure from Sinai, so the second censuses in ch. 26 lead to preparations for departure from the plains of Moab and entry into the land of Canaan...
  • The previous chapter dealt with the general borders of the land and its tribal boundaries. This one gives regulations concerning special towns in the land.285According to the plan of revelation established previously in Numbe...
  • Having received his marching orders from Yahweh, Joshua prepared to mobilize the nation.1:10-11 Joshua expected to be able to cross the Jordan within three days."The Jordan River wanders about two hundred miles to cover the s...
  • Eleazar the high priest, Joshua, and the heads of the tribes took the leadership in dividing this portion of the land (v. 1). These men determined the division of the land by casting lots (v. 2; 18:6). Apparently the casting ...
  • Tola (meaning "worm"in Hebrew) "arose to save Israel"from the tribe of Issachar sometime after Abimelech died. One of Issachar's sons was also named Tola (Gen. 46:13; Num. 26:23; 1 Chron. 7:1-2). The writer did not record how...
  • The phrase "from Dan to Beersheba"(v. 1) became a common expression during the united monarchy indicating the whole of Israel. Gilead refers to the part of Israel east of the Jordan River. The Mizpah referred to here (v. 1) w...
  • Chapter 21 records the fulfillment of God's second personal promise to David, namely, that He would appoint a place where Israel could dwell securely (17:9). This was a promise of peace for Israel, but as the verses following...
  • In Book 1 we saw that all the psalms except 1, 2, 10, and 33 claimed David as their writer. It is likely that he wrote these four as well even though they do not bear his name. In Book 2 the titles identify David as the write...
  • The sailors interrogated Jonah about his reasons for travelling on their ship, but it was his failure to live consistently with his convictions that amazed them.1:7 It appears to have been common among the heathen to cast lot...
  • The writer turned from positive admonition to negative warning to highlight the seriousness of departing from the Lord."Between the imperatives of vv. 22-25 and 32, 35, the author describes, more fully than in 2:2f.; 6:4-6, t...
  • The scene continues to be on earth.7:1 The phrase "after this"(Gr. meta touto) indicates that what follows is a new vision (cf. 4:1). The general chronological progression of the visions suggests that the events John saw now ...
  • The revelation of Satan's activity, which the song of the martyrs (vv. 10-12) interrupted, now resumes.12:13 Satan will concentrate his vengeance on Israelites during the Great Tribulation, under the sovereign control of God,...
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