Numbers 2:10-16

Context

The Tribes on the South

2:10 “On the south will be the divisions of the camp of Reuben under their standard.¹ The leader of the people of Reuben is Elizur son of Shedeur. 2:11 Those numbered in his division are 46,500. 2:12 Those who will be camping next to them are the tribe of Simeon. The leader of the people of Simeon is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. 2:13 Those numbered in his division are 59,300. 2:14 Next will be² the tribe of Gad. The leader of the people of Gad is Eliasaph son of Deuel.³ 2:15 Those numbered in his division are 45,650. 2:16 All those numbered of the camp of Reuben, according to their divisions, are 151,450. They will travel second.

Numbers 26:5-18

Context

Reuben

26:5 Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. The Reubenites: from⁴ 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 43,730.⁵ 26:8 Pallu’s descendant⁶ 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 followers⁷ 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,⁸ the family of the Zerahites; and from Shaul, the family of the Shaulites. 26:14 These were the families of the Simeonites, 22,200.⁹

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,¹⁰ the family of the Oznites; from Eri,¹¹ the family of the Erites; 26:17 from Arod,¹² 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, 40,500.¹³

[2:10] ¹tn Here and throughout the line is literally “[under] the standard of the camp of Reuben…according to their divisions.”

[2:14] ²tn The Hebrew text simply has “and the tribe of Gad.”

[2:14] ³tc The Leningrad codex, upon which BHS is based, has “Reuel” here. In reading “Deuel” the translation presented above follows many medieval Hebrew manuscripts, Smr, and the Latin Vulgate. Cf. Num 1:14.

[26:5] ⁴tc The Hebrew text has no preposition here, but one has been supplied in the translation for clarity. Cf. vv. 23, 30, 31, 32.

[26:7] ⁵sn The Reubenites had decreased from 46,500 to 43,730.

[26:8] ⁶tc The MT has “and the sons of Pallu.”

[26:9] ⁷tn Or “company” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); Heb “congregation.”

[26:13] ⁸tc This is “Zohar” in Exod 6:15 and Gen 46:10.

[26:14] ⁹sn Before entering Sinai the tribe numbered 59,300, the third largest. Now it was about one-third its original size.

[26:16] ¹⁰tc The MT of Gen 46:16 reads this as “Ezbon.”

[26:16] ¹¹tc The Greek version and Smr have “Ad[d]i,” probably by confusion of letters.

[26:17] ¹²tc Gen 46:16 and the LXX here read “Arodi.”

[26:18] ¹³sn The Gadites decreased from 45,650 to 40,500.