Numbers 26

This count was only to be done at God’s behest. In this chapter, again, we see that whilst God will not overlook sin or punishment, He still had an eye for His chosen people. His promises kept coming even when many of the people had to die. Moving into Canaan would ignite war with the present occupants, but, as we are told, “God is a man of war” and does not shirk the command for Israel to war against heathen nations. Even today, though Israel is not presently under the New Testament promises, Israel has had to go to war against a wicked foe - Islamic terrorists.

Verses 1-44

1. “And it came to pass after the plague, that the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying,
2. Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, throughout their fathers' house, all that are able to go to war in Israel.
3. And Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,
4. Take the sum of the people, from twenty years old and upward; as the LORD commanded Moses and the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt.”

The deaths of Israelites who turned to Baal and sexual impropriety were a necessary prelude to the total capture of Canaan. Israel had to move in with godly strength and not illicit activity that weakens any nation, even today. God spoke to Moses and the new high priest, Eleazar (Aaron’s son). They were to call for a head-count of Israel; not all, but only males aged 20 and above who were fit for war. Levites were not part of this war-count. Thus, the people knew that they were now very close to taking the land promised by God. Moses and Eleazar complied. God brought the Hebrews out of Egypt and tyranny, and led them to freedom in their own land, taken by God from heathen, who were punished for their evils. It is a reminder for Christians that we must be holy even as He is holy, and must not fall into gross sin. By proving their holiness they will win against enemies of any kind. The modern trend is to be sweet and loving to all, even when those they treat so kindly are enemies of God and themselves. And even when beaten-down they fail to understand why… they have ignored the war-cry and the need for living according to God’s demands.

Verses 5-7

5. “Reuben, the eldest son of Israel: the children of Reuben; Hanoch, of whom cometh the family of the Hanochites: of Pallu, the family of the Palluites:
6. Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.
7. These are the families of the Reubenites: and they that were numbered of them were forty and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty.”

In the count, the Reubenites had 43,730 fighting men, all of whom must have been enervated by adrenalin, knowing that many battles were imminent.

Verses 8-11

8. “And the sons of Pallu; Eliab.
9. And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the LORD:
10. And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men: and they became a sign.
11. Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not.”

Note little reminders accompanying the count. Dathan and Abiram were two troublemakers who sided with Korah, and punished by God. God did not kill the descendants of Korah, and so they became part of the Israelite fighting force. It is small details like this that prove the authenticity of the Bible.

Verses 12-14

12. “The sons of Simeon after their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites: of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites: of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites:
13. Of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites: of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.
14. These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty and two thousand and two hundred.”

The Simeonites had 22,200 fighting men.

Verses 15-18

15. “The children of Gad after their families: of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites: of Haggi, the family of the Haggites: of Shuni, the family of the Shunites:
16. Of Ozni, the family of the Oznites: of Eri, the family of the Erites:
17. Of Arod, the family of the Arodites: of Areli, the family of the Arelites.
18. These are the families of the children of Gad according to those that were numbered of them, forty thousand and five hundred.”

Of the tribe of Gad there were 40,500 fighting men.

Verses 19-22

19. “The sons of Judah were Er and Onan: and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.
20. And the sons of Judah after their families were; of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites: of Pharez, the family of the Pharzites: of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites.
21. And the sons of Pharez were; of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites.
22. These are the families of Judah according to those that were numbered of them, threescore and sixteen thousand and five hundred.”

The tribe of Judah had 76,500 fighting men.

Verses 23-25

23. “Of the sons of Issachar after their families: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites: of Pua, the family of the Punites:
24. Of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites: of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites.
25. These are the families of Issachar according to those that were numbered of them, threescore and four thousand and three hundred.”

Issachar had 64,300 fighting men.

Verses 26&27

26. “Of the sons of Zebulun after their families: of Sered, the family of the Sardites: of Elon, the family of the Elonites: of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites.
27. These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them, threescore thousand and five hundred.”.

The tribe of Zebulun had 60,500 fighting men.

Verses 28-34

28. “The sons of Joseph after their families were Manasseh and Ephraim.
29. Of the sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites: and Machir begat Gilead: of Gilead come the family of the Gileadites.
30. These are the sons of Gilead: of Jeezer, the family of the Jeezerites: of Helek, the family of the Helekites:
31. And of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites: and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites:
32. And of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites: and of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites.
33. And Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters: and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
34. These are the families of Manasseh, and those that were numbered of them, fifty and two thousand and seven hundred.”

Joseph’s sons’ descendants came next. The fighting men of one son, Manasseh, came to 52,700.

Verses 35-37

35. “These are the sons of Ephraim after their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthalhites: of Becher, the family of the Bachrites: of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites.
36. And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the Eranites.
37. These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those that were numbered of them, thirty and two thousand and five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph after their families.”

The number of fighting men for Joseph’s other son, Ephraim, was 32,500.

Verses 38-41

38. “The sons of Benjamin after their families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites: of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites: of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites:
39. Of Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites: of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites.
40. And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites: and of Naaman, the family of the Naamites.
41. These are the sons of Benjamin after their families: and they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and six hundred.”

The number of Benjamite fighting men was 45,600. Of course, all these numbers were accurate at the time of counting. It is highly likely that many sons in all the tribes reached the age of 20 after the count and before they invaded Canaan.

Verses 42&43

42. “These are the sons of Dan after their families: of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan after their families.
43. All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those that were numbered of them, were threescore and four thousand and four hundred.”

The tribe of Dan had 64,400 fighting men.

Verses 44-47

44. “Of the children of Asher after their families: of Jimna, the family of the Jimnites: of Jesui, the family of the Jesuites: of Beriah, the family of the Beriites.
45. Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites: of Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites.
46. And the name of the daughter of Asher was Sarah.
47. These are the families of the sons of Asher according to those that were numbered of them; who were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.”

Asher’s tribe numbered 53,400 fighting men. Note that in this count God did not specify an upper age limit, so we do not know if there was one.

Verses 48-50

48. “Of the sons of Naphtali after their families: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites: of Guni, the family of the Gunites:
49. Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.
50. These are the families of Naphtali according to their families: and they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and four hundred.”

The Naphtali tribe count was 45,400 fighting men.

Verse 51

51. “These were the numbered of the children of Israel, six hundred thousand and a thousand seven hundred and thirty.”

The total number of Israelite fighting men was 601,730. Add women, the old, children, youths under 20, and we can see easily that the number of Israelites must have been close to 2 million or even more.

Verses 52-56

52. “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
53. Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names.
54. To many thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to few thou shalt give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be given according to those that were numbered of him.
55. Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.
56. According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between many and few.”

When the count was completed, God again spoke to Moses. The land of Canaan, when occupied by Israel, would be divided up according to number of people. Those tribes with the largest numbers would receive a larger amount of land. Those with smaller numbers would receive less. And, so as to ensure God’s will was adhered to, such division was to be done by lot: division was by guidance of God using stones. Very often modern Christians choose from options they have themselves chosen. The aim should be to ask God for options and for HIM to choose. Sadly, most of us try to influence such choices by using our own will and intelligence.

Verses 57-62

57. “And these are they that were numbered of the Levites after their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites: of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites: of Merari, the family of the Merarites.
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 Korathites. And Kohath begat Amram.
59. And the name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt: and she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.
60. And unto Aaron was born Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
61. And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the LORD.
62. And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three thousand, all males from a month old and upward: for they were not numbered among the children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given them among the children of Israel.”

The Levites were counted separately: Gershon, Kohath, Merari. The tribe was further divided by other family members: Libnite, Hebronite, Mahlite, Mushite, Korathite. Special mention is made of one branch member, Amram (‘exalted people’, of the Kohath sub-tribe and Moses’, Aaron’s and Miriam’s  father. He married a daughter of Levi, Jochebed (‘Jehovah is glory’). Aaron had four sons, but two died at the hand of God. In total there were 23,000 males from age one month and up. None of these received land for themselves, because they were specially cared for by God, for their services in and for the Tabernacle.

Amongst some this probably caused jealousy, but that is the unfortunate state of mankind. It is better to have God’s mercy and attention, than to gain in land and wealth. In the same way modern preachers and pastors should not hunger after cash and other gifts, but should give their service to God without pay if this is the circumstance (however, congregants are supposed to make sure the pastor is cared for). Like the Levites, they are not counted amongst the people in the usual sense. It is sad to witness pastors using their role as a stepping stone to what they perceive to be a grander church, with perhaps more perceived status and money! They often climb a ladder of success by ‘knowing the right people’… not something proposed by the God they serve!

Verses 63-65

63. “These are they that were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.
64. But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.
65. For the LORD had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.”

The extensive activity of counting took place under chieftains of the tribes, who themselves were supervised by Moses and Aaron (who had died a short while previously). Moses and Aaron were not included in the count, for both were denied entry into Canaan. Only Caleb and Joshua survived to enter the land, out of all the original Hebrews who left Egypt, to make Israel a nation in its own right. It was their reward from God. All the others were sons and daughters of the original Hebrews who left Egypt, for no-one who left Egypt survived. It is a sombre warning to us all, to obey God and have genuine faith, no matter what happens to us, or whatever God says.

© 16 November 2024

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