Text -- Numbers 26:1-21 (NET)

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.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Num 26:1

¹ sn The breakdown of ch. 26 for outlining purposes will be essentially according to the tribes of Israel. The format and structure is similar to the first census, and so less comment is necessary here.

² tc The MT has also “saying.”

NET Notes: Num 26:2

¹ tn Heb “house of their fathers.”

² tn Heb “everyone who goes out in the army in Israel.”

NET Notes: Num 26:3

¹ tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity (also in v. 62).

² map For the location of Jericho see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

NET Notes: Num 26:4

¹ tn “Number the people” is added here to the text for a smooth reading.

NET Notes: Num 26:5

¹ tc The Hebrew text has no preposition here, but one has been supplied in the translation for clarity. Cf. vv. 23, 30, 31, 32.

NET Notes: Num 26:7

¹ sn The Reubenites had decreased from 46,500 to 43,730.

NET Notes: Num 26:8

¹ tc The MT has “and the sons of Pallu.”

NET Notes: Num 26:9

¹ tn Or “company” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); Heb “congregation.”

NET Notes: Num 26:13

¹ tc This is “Zohar” in Exod 6:15 and Gen 46:10.

NET Notes: Num 26:14

¹ sn Before entering Sinai the tribe numbered 59,300, the third largest. Now it was about one-third its original size.

NET Notes: Num 26:16

¹ tc The MT of Gen 46:16 reads this as “Ezbon.”

² tc The Greek version and Smr have “Ad[d]i,” probably by confusion of letters.

NET Notes: Num 26:17

¹ tc Gen 46:16 and the LXX here read “Arodi.”

NET Notes: Num 26:18

¹ sn The Gadites decreased from 45,650 to 40,500.

NET Notes: Num 26:21

¹ tc Smr and the Greek version have “Hamuel.”