Numbers26
New Living Translation
1After the plague had ended, the Lord said to Moses and to Eleazar son of Aaron the priest,
2“From the whole community of Israel, record the names of all the warriors by their families. List all the men twenty years old or older who are able to go to war.”
3So there on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River, across from Jericho, Moses and Eleazar the priest issued these instructions to the leaders of Israel:
4“List all the men of Israel twenty years old and older, just as the Lord commanded Moses.” This is the record of all the descendants of Israel who came out of Egypt.
5These were the clans descended from the sons of Reuben, Jacob’s oldest son: The Hanochite clan, named after their ancestor Hanoch. The Palluite clan, named after their ancestor Pallu.
6The Hezronite clan, named after their ancestor Hezron. The Carmite clan, named after their ancestor Carmi.
7These were the clans of Reuben. Their registered troops numbered 43,730.
8Pallu was the ancestor of Eliab,
9and Eliab was the father of Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. This Dathan and Abiram are the same community leaders who conspired with Korah against Moses and Aaron, rebelling against the Lord.
10But the earth opened up its mouth and swallowed them with Korah, and fire devoured 250 of their followers. This served as a warning to the entire nation of Israel.
11However, the sons of Korah did not die that day.
12These were the clans descended from the sons of Simeon: The Jemuelite clan, named after their ancestor Jemuel. The Jaminite clan, named after their ancestor Jamin. The Jakinite clan, named after their ancestor Jakin.
13The Zoharite clan, named after their ancestor Zohar. The Shaulite clan, named after their ancestor Shaul.
14These were the clans of Simeon. Their registered troops numbered 22,200.
15These were the clans descended from the sons of Gad: The Zephonite clan, named after their ancestor Zephon. The Haggite clan, named after their ancestor Haggi. The Shunite clan, named after their ancestor Shuni.
16The Oznite clan, named after their ancestor Ozni. The Erite clan, named after their ancestor Eri.
17The Arodite clan, named after their ancestor Arodi. The Arelite clan, named after their ancestor Areli.
18These were the clans of Gad. Their registered troops numbered 40,500.
19Judah had two sons, Er and Onan, who had died in the land of Canaan.
20These were the clans descended from Judah’s surviving sons: The Shelanite clan, named after their ancestor Shelah. The Perezite clan, named after their ancestor Perez. The Zerahite clan, named after their ancestor Zerah.
21These were the subclans descended from the Perezites: The Hezronites, named after their ancestor Hezron. The Hamulites, named after their ancestor Hamul.
22These were the clans of Judah. Their registered troops numbered 76,500.
23These were the clans descended from the sons of Issachar: The Tolaite clan, named after their ancestor Tola. The Puite clan, named after their ancestor Puah.
24The Jashubite clan, named after their ancestor Jashub. The Shimronite clan, named after their ancestor Shimron.
25These were the clans of Issachar. Their registered troops numbered 64,300.
26These were the clans descended from the sons of Zebulun: The Seredite clan, named after their ancestor Sered. The Elonite clan, named after their ancestor Elon. The Jahleelite clan, named after their ancestor Jahleel.
27These were the clans of Zebulun. Their registered troops numbered 60,500.
28Two clans were descended from Joseph through Manasseh and Ephraim.
29These were the clans descended from Manasseh: The Makirite clan, named after their ancestor Makir. The Gileadite clan, named after their ancestor Gilead, Makir’s son.
30These were the subclans descended from the Gileadites: The Iezerites, named after their ancestor Iezer. The Helekites, named after their ancestor Helek.
31The Asrielites, named after their ancestor Asriel. The Shechemites, named after their ancestor Shechem.
32The Shemidaites, named after their ancestor Shemida. The Hepherites, named after their ancestor Hepher.
33(One of Hepher’s descendants, Zelophehad, had no sons, but his daughters’ names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.)
34These were the clans of Manasseh. Their registered troops numbered 52,700.
35These were the clans descended from the sons of Ephraim: The Shuthelahite clan, named after their ancestor Shuthelah. The Bekerite clan, named after their ancestor Beker. The Tahanite clan, named after their ancestor Tahan.
36This was the subclan descended from the Shuthelahites: The Eranites, named after their ancestor Eran.
37These were the clans of Ephraim. Their registered troops numbered 32,500. These clans of Manasseh and Ephraim were all descendants of Joseph.
38These were the clans descended from the sons of Benjamin: The Belaite clan, named after their ancestor Bela. The Ashbelite clan, named after their ancestor Ashbel. The Ahiramite clan, named after their ancestor Ahiram.
39The Shuphamite clan, named after their ancestor Shupham. The Huphamite clan, named after their ancestor Hupham.
40These were the subclans descended from the Belaites: The Ardites, named after their ancestor Ard. The Naamites, named after their ancestor Naaman.
41These were the clans of Benjamin. Their registered troops numbered 45,600.
42These were the clans descended from the sons of Dan: The Shuhamite clan, named after their ancestor Shuham.
43These were the Shuhamite clans of Dan. Their registered troops numbered 64,400.
44These were the clans descended from the sons of Asher: The Imnite clan, named after their ancestor Imnah. The Ishvite clan, named after their ancestor Ishvi. The Beriite clan, named after their ancestor Beriah.
45These were the subclans descended from the Beriites: The Heberites, named after their ancestor Heber. The Malkielites, named after their ancestor Malkiel.
46Asher also had a daughter named Serah.
47These were the clans of Asher. Their registered troops numbered 53,400.
48These were the clans descended from the sons of Naphtali: The Jahzeelite clan, named after their ancestor Jahzeel. The Gunite clan, named after their ancestor Guni.
49The Jezerite clan, named after their ancestor Jezer. The Shillemite clan, named after their ancestor Shillem.
50These were the clans of Naphtali. Their registered troops numbered 45,400.
51In summary, the registered troops of all Israel numbered 601,730.
52Then the Lord said to Moses,
53“Divide the land among the tribes, and distribute the grants of land in proportion to the tribes’ populations, as indicated by the number of names on the list.
54Give the larger tribes more land and the smaller tribes less land, each group receiving a grant in proportion to the size of its population.
55But you must assign the land by lot, and give land to each ancestral tribe according to the number of names on the list.
56Each grant of land must be assigned by lot among the larger and smaller tribal groups.”
57This is the record of the Levites who were counted according to their clans: The Gershonite clan, named after their ancestor Gershon. The Kohathite clan, named after their ancestor Kohath. The Merarite clan, named after their ancestor Merari.
58The Libnites, the Hebronites, the Mahlites, the Mushites, and the Korahites were all subclans of the Levites. Now Kohath was the ancestor of Amram,
59and Amram’s wife was named Jochebed. She also was a descendant of Levi, born among the Levites in the land of Egypt. Amram and Jochebed became the parents of Aaron, Moses, and their sister, Miriam.
60To Aaron were born Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
61But Nadab and Abihu died when they burned before the Lord the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded.
62The men from the Levite clans who were one month old or older numbered 23,000. But the Levites were not included in the registration of the rest of the people of Israel because they were not given an allotment of land when it was divided among the Israelites.
63So these are the results of the registration of the people of Israel as conducted by Moses and Eleazar the priest on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River, across from Jericho.
64Not one person on this list had been among those listed in the previous registration taken by Moses and Aaron in the wilderness of Sinai.
65For the Lord had said of them, “They will all die in the wilderness.” Not one of them survived except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Numbers 26.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Numbering of Israel in the plains of Moab. (1–51). The division of the land. (52–56). Number of the Levites. (57–62). None remaining of the first numbering. (63–65).
vv1-51
Moses did not number the people but when God commanded him. We have here the families registered, as well as the tribes. The total was nearly the same as when numbered at mount Sinai. Notice is here taken of the children of Korah; they died not, as the children of Dathan and Abiram; they seem not to have joined even their own father in rebellion. If we partake not of the sins of sinners, we shall not partake of their plagues. (Nu 26:52-56)
vv52-56
In distributing these tribes, the general rule of equity is prescribed; that to many should be given more, and to fewer less. Though it seems left to the prudence of their prince, the matter at last must be settled by the providence of God, with which all must be satisfied.
vv57-62
Levi was God's tribe; therefore it was not numbered with the rest, but alone. It came not under the sentence, that none of them should enter Canaan excepting Caleb and Joshua.
Key Words
אַחַר: properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)
מַגֵּפָה: a pestilence; by analogy, defeat
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
אֶלְעָזָר: Elazar, the name of seven Israelites
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
אַהֲרוֹן: Aharon, the brother of Moses
כֹּהֵן: literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)
נָשָׂא: to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative
רֹאשׁ: the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
Cross References
Numbers 26Details the literal opening of the earth and the fire consuming the 250 men.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Direct sequel where the daughters of Zelophehad petition Moses for their inheritance.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Direct fulfillment of God's threat that the Sinai generation would fall in the wilderness.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Refers to the immediate historical trigger of the new census, 'the plague' which swept away many.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Poetic historical remembrance of the earth opening to swallow Dathan and Abiram.
Supported by JFB
Clarifies that while Korah's house was swallowed, his actual children did not die.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Fulfillment of Zelophehad's daughters receiving their inheritance in the division of Canaan.
Supported by JFB
Restates the divine mandate to distribute the land proportionally to the size of each tribe.
Confirms that the division of land by lot was ultimately directed and determined by the Lord.
Supported by JFB
Explicit fulfillment of the divine oath that only Caleb and Joshua would enter the land.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Points to the first census at Sinai 38 years prior, showing population shifts.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Confirms the exact geographical location of this census in the plains of Moab.
Supported by Matthew Poole
References the rebellion of Korah's company in the context of inheritance rights.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Traces the lineage of Joseph's sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, back to Genesis.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Jacob's blessing on Joseph's sons, predicting their great numerical growth.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the genealogy of Manasseh, Machir, and Gilead in the Chronicles registry.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Allows comparison of Benjamin's descendants listed here with the original list in Egypt.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Compares the final total of the second census with the initial census at Mount Sinai.
Supported by JFB, Matthew Poole
Provides the structural baseline for the Levitical families numbered here in the plains of Moab.
Supported by JFB
Corroborates the parentage of Aaron, Moses, and Miriam from Amram and Jochebed.
The original account of Nadab and Abihu offering unauthorized fire before the Lord.
The divine judgment of fire that consumed Nadab and Abihu for their transgression.
Provides the earlier Levite census count, showing an increase of one thousand males.
Supported by JFB
New Testament warning highlighting how the rebellious generation was overthrown in the wilderness.
Asks with whom God was angry for forty years, identifying those whose bodies fell.
Confirms that Joshua and Caleb survived the plague and the wilderness journey.
Verifies that the fire devoured the 250 men who offered incense.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The sons of Korah survived to write and lead classic temple worship liturgy.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Explains the historical background of why Judah's sons Er and Onan died in Canaan.
Supported by JFB
Confirms the sons of Pharez as Hezron and Hamul in Judah's genealogy.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Traces Issachar's families back to the names of his sons who entered Egypt.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Traces Zebulun's families back to Sered, Elon, and Jahleel in Genesis.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Confirms Machir as the firstborn of Manasseh and father of Gilead in partition.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Traces the development of the Benjamite families from the original sons of Benjamin listed in Genesis.
Identifies Dan's sole ancestral line, called Hushim in Genesis and Shuham here.
Aligns with the earlier list of Asher's sons and his daughter Serah.