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III. Second Census of a New Generation and Preparation to Enter the Promised Land

Chapter 26

The Second Census. 19 After the plague the Lord said to Moses and Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest: Take a census, by ancestral houses, throughout the community of the Israelites of all those of twenty years or more who are eligible for military service in Israel.(A) So on the plains of Moab along the Jordan at Jericho, Moses and Eleazar the priest enrolled them, those of twenty years or more, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

The Israelites who came out of the land of Egypt were as follows:[a]

(B)Reuben, the firstborn of Israel. The descendants of Reuben by their clans were: through Hanoch, the clan of the Hanochites; through Pallu, the clan of the Palluites; through Hezron, the clan of the Hezronites; through Carmi, the clan of the Carmites. These were the clans of the Reubenites, and those enrolled numbered forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty.

From Pallu descended Eliab. The sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram(C)—the same Dathan and Abiram, ones designated by the community, who contended with Moses and Aaron as part of Korah’s faction when they contended with the Lord. 10 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, along with Korah, as a warning. The faction was destroyed when the fire consumed two hundred and fifty men. 11 The descendants of Korah, however, did not die out.

12 The descendants of Simeon by clans were: through Nemuel,[b] the clan of the Nemuelites; through Jamin, the clan of the Jaminites; through Jachin, the clan of the Jachinites; 13 through Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites; through Shaul, the clan of the Shaulites. 14 These were the clans of the Simeonites, twenty-two thousand two hundred.

15 The descendants of Gad by clans were: through Zephon, the clan of the Zephonites; through Haggi, the clan of the Haggites; through Shuni, the clan of the Shunites; 16 through Ozni, the clan of the Oznites; through Eri, the clan of the Erites; 17 through Arod, the clan of the Arodites; through Areli, the clan of the Arelites. 18 These were the clans of the descendants of Gad, of whom there were enrolled forty thousand five hundred.

19 The sons of Judah were Er and Onan. Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.(D) 20 The descendants of Judah by their clans were: through Shelah, the clan of the Shelahites; through Perez, the clan of the Perezites; through Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites. 21 The descendants of Perez were: through Hezron, the clan of the Hezronites; through Hamul, the clan of the Hamulites. 22 These were the clans of Judah, of whom there were enrolled seventy-six thousand five hundred.

23 The descendants of Issachar by their clans were: through Tola, the clan of the Tolaites; through Puvah, the clan of the Puvahites; 24 through Jashub, the clan of the Jashubites; through Shimron, the clan of the Shimronites. 25 These were the clans of Issachar, of whom there were enrolled sixty-four thousand three hundred.

26 The descendants of Zebulun by their clans were: through Sered, the clan of the Seredites; through Elon, the clan of the Elonites; through Jahleel, the clan of the Jahleelites. 27 These were the clans of the Zebulunites, of whom there were enrolled sixty thousand five hundred.

28 The sons of Joseph were Manasseh and Ephraim. 29 The descendants of Manasseh by clans were: through Machir, the clan of the Machirites. Now Machir begot Gilead: through Gilead, the clan of the Gileadites. 30 The descendants of Gilead were: through Iezer, the clan of the Iezrites; through Helek, the clan of the Helekites; 31 through Asriel, the clan of the Asrielites; through Shechem, the clan of the Shechemites; 32 through Shemida, the clan of the Shemidaites; through Hepher, the clan of the Hepherites. 33 (E)As for Zelophehad, son of Hepher—he had no sons, but only daughters. The names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. 34 These were the clans of Manasseh, and those enrolled numbered fifty-two thousand seven hundred.

35 These were the descendants of Ephraim by their clans: through Shuthelah, the clan of the Shuthelahites; through Becher, the clan of the Becherites; through Tahan, the clan of the Tahanites. 36 These were the descendants of Shuthelah: through Eran, the clan of the Eranites. 37 These were the clans of the Ephraimites, of whom there were enrolled thirty-two thousand five hundred.

These were the descendants of Joseph by their clans.

38 The descendants of Benjamin by their clans were: through Bela, the clan of the Belaites; through Ashbel, the clan of the Ashbelites; through Ahiram, the clan of the Ahiramites; 39 through Shupham, the clan of the Shuphamites; through Hupham, the clan of the Huphamites. 40 The sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: through Ard, the clan of the Ardites; through Naaman, the clan of the Naamites. 41 These were the descendants of Benjamin by their clans, of whom there were enrolled forty-five thousand six hundred.

42 These were the descendants of Dan by their clans: through Shuham the clan of the Shuhamites. These were the clans of Dan, 43 of whom there were enrolled sixty-four thousand four hundred.

44 The descendants of Asher by their clans were: through Imnah, the clan of the Imnites; through Ishvi, the clan of the Ishvites; through Beriah, the clan of the Beriites; 45 through Heber, the clan of the Heberites; through Malchiel, the clan of the Malchielites. 46 The name of Asher’s daughter was Serah. 47 These were the clans of the descendants of Asher, of whom there were enrolled fifty-three thousand four hundred.

48 The descendants of Naphtali by their clans were: through Jahzeel, the clan of the Jahzeelites; through Guni, the clan of the Gunites; 49 through Jezer, the clan of the Jezerites; through Shillem, the clan of the Shillemites. 50 These were the clans of Naphtali, of whom there were enrolled forty-five thousand four hundred.

51 These were the Israelites who were enrolled: six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty.

Allotment of the Land.[c] 52 The Lord said to Moses: 53 (F)Among these the land shall be divided as their heritage in keeping with the number of people named. 54 (G)To a large tribe you shall assign a large heritage, to a small tribe a small heritage, each receiving its heritage in proportion to the number enrolled in it. 55 But the land shall be divided by lot, all inheriting according to the lists of their ancestral tribes. 56 As the lot falls the heritage of each tribe, large or small, will be assigned.

Census of the Levites. 57 These were the Levites enrolled by clans: through Gershon, the clan of the Gershonites; through Kohath, the clan of the Kohathites; through Merari, the clan of the Merarites. 58 These were clans of Levi: the clan of the Libnites, the clan of the Hebronites, the clan of the Mahlites, the clan of the Mushites, the clan of the Korahites.[d]

Now Kohath begot Amram, 59 whose wife was named Jochebed. She was the daughter of Levi, born to Levi in Egypt. To Amram she bore Aaron and Moses and Miriam their sister. 60 To Aaron were born Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 61 But Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord. 62 The Levites enrolled were twenty-three thousand, every male one month or more of age.(H) They were not enrolled with the other Israelites, however, for no heritage was given them among the Israelites.

63 These, then, were those enrolled by Moses and Eleazar the priest, when they enrolled the Israelites on the plains of Moab along the Jordan at Jericho. 64 Among them there was not one of those who had been enrolled by Moses and Aaron the priest, when they enrolled the Israelites in the wilderness of Sinai. 65 (I)For the Lord had told them that they would surely die in the wilderness, and not one of them was left except Caleb, son of Jephunneh, and Joshua, son of Nun.

Footnotes

  1. 26:4 This introduction to the census seems to contradict vv. 64–65 by including those who came out of Egypt.
  2. 26:12 Nemuel: so also in 1 Chr 4:24. In Gn 46:10 and Ex 6:15, a son of Simeon with the same position in the genealogy bears the name “Jemuel”; it is uncertain which form is correct. See above, v. 9, where the name “Nemuel” occurs for a person descended from Pallu. Some speculate this name was inserted from v. 12 to provide a continuing line for Pallu.
  3. 26:52–56 The division of Canaan among the various tribes and clans and families was determined not only by the size of each group but also by lot. Perhaps the lots determined the respective locality of each tribal land and the section reserved for each clan, while the relative size of the allotted locality and section depended on the numerical strength of each group. The Israelites considered the outcome of the drawing of lots as an expression of God’s will; cf. Lv 16:8–10; Jos 14:2; 15:1; etc.; Acts 1:23–26.
  4. 26:58 Compare 3:18–20 for a different listing.

The Second Census

26 After the plague(A) the Lord said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, “Take a census(B) of the whole Israelite community by families—all those twenty years old or more who are able to serve in the army(C) of Israel.” So on the plains of Moab(D) by the Jordan across from Jericho,(E) Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them and said, “Take a census of the men twenty years old or more, as the Lord commanded Moses.”

These were the Israelites who came out of Egypt:(F)

The descendants of Reuben,(G) the firstborn son of Israel, were:

through Hanok,(H) the Hanokite clan;

through Pallu,(I) the Palluite clan;

through Hezron,(J) the Hezronite clan;

through Karmi,(K) the Karmite clan.

These were the clans of Reuben; those numbered were 43,730.

The son of Pallu was Eliab, and the sons of Eliab(L) were Nemuel, Dathan and Abiram. The same Dathan and Abiram were the community(M) officials who rebelled against Moses and Aaron and were among Korah’s followers when they rebelled against the Lord.(N) 10 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them(O) along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire devoured the 250 men.(P) And they served as a warning sign.(Q) 11 The line of Korah,(R) however, did not die out.(S)

12 The descendants of Simeon by their clans were:

through Nemuel,(T) the Nemuelite clan;

through Jamin,(U) the Jaminite clan;

through Jakin, the Jakinite clan;

13 through Zerah,(V) the Zerahite clan;

through Shaul, the Shaulite clan.

14 These were the clans of Simeon;(W) those numbered were 22,200.(X)

15 The descendants of Gad by their clans were:

through Zephon,(Y) the Zephonite clan;

through Haggi, the Haggite clan;

through Shuni, the Shunite clan;

16 through Ozni, the Oznite clan;

through Eri, the Erite clan;

17 through Arodi,[a] the Arodite clan;

through Areli, the Arelite clan.

18 These were the clans of Gad;(Z) those numbered were 40,500.

19 Er(AA) and Onan(AB) were sons of Judah, but they died(AC) in Canaan.

20 The descendants of Judah by their clans were:

through Shelah,(AD) the Shelanite clan;

through Perez,(AE) the Perezite clan;

through Zerah, the Zerahite clan.(AF)

21 The descendants of Perez(AG) were:

through Hezron,(AH) the Hezronite clan;

through Hamul, the Hamulite clan.

22 These were the clans of Judah;(AI) those numbered were 76,500.

23 The descendants of Issachar by their clans were:

through Tola,(AJ) the Tolaite clan;

through Puah, the Puite[b] clan;

24 through Jashub,(AK) the Jashubite clan;

through Shimron, the Shimronite clan.

25 These were the clans of Issachar;(AL) those numbered were 64,300.

26 The descendants of Zebulun(AM) by their clans were:

through Sered, the Seredite clan;

through Elon, the Elonite clan;

through Jahleel, the Jahleelite clan.

27 These were the clans of Zebulun;(AN) those numbered were 60,500.

28 The descendants of Joseph(AO) by their clans through Manasseh and Ephraim(AP) were:

29 The descendants of Manasseh:(AQ)

through Makir,(AR) the Makirite clan (Makir was the father of Gilead(AS));

through Gilead, the Gileadite clan.

30 These were the descendants of Gilead:(AT)

through Iezer,(AU) the Iezerite clan;

through Helek, the Helekite clan;

31 through Asriel, the Asrielite clan;

through Shechem, the Shechemite clan;

32 through Shemida, the Shemidaite clan;

through Hepher, the Hepherite clan.

33 (Zelophehad(AV) son of Hepher had no sons;(AW) he had only daughters, whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah.)(AX)

34 These were the clans of Manasseh; those numbered were 52,700.(AY)

35 These were the descendants of Ephraim(AZ) by their clans:

through Shuthelah, the Shuthelahite clan;

through Beker, the Bekerite clan;

through Tahan, the Tahanite clan.

36 These were the descendants of Shuthelah:

through Eran, the Eranite clan.

37 These were the clans of Ephraim;(BA) those numbered were 32,500.

These were the descendants of Joseph by their clans.

38 The descendants of Benjamin(BB) by their clans were:

through Bela, the Belaite clan;

through Ashbel, the Ashbelite clan;

through Ahiram, the Ahiramite clan;

39 through Shupham,[c] the Shuphamite clan;

through Hupham, the Huphamite clan.

40 The descendants of Bela through Ard(BC) and Naaman were:

through Ard,[d] the Ardite clan;

through Naaman, the Naamite clan.

41 These were the clans of Benjamin;(BD) those numbered were 45,600.

42 These were the descendants of Dan(BE) by their clans:(BF)

through Shuham,(BG) the Shuhamite clan.

These were the clans of Dan: 43 All of them were Shuhamite clans; and those numbered were 64,400.

44 The descendants of Asher(BH) by their clans were:

through Imnah, the Imnite clan;

through Ishvi, the Ishvite clan;

through Beriah, the Beriite clan;

45 and through the descendants of Beriah:

through Heber, the Heberite clan;

through Malkiel, the Malkielite clan.

46 (Asher had a daughter named Serah.)

47 These were the clans of Asher;(BI) those numbered were 53,400.

48 The descendants of Naphtali(BJ) by their clans were:

through Jahzeel, the Jahzeelite clan;

through Guni, the Gunite clan;

49 through Jezer, the Jezerite clan;

through Shillem, the Shillemite clan.

50 These were the clans of Naphtali;(BK) those numbered were 45,400.(BL)

51 The total number of the men of Israel was 601,730.(BM)

52 The Lord said to Moses, 53 “The land is to be allotted to them as an inheritance based on the number of names.(BN) 54 To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one; each is to receive its inheritance according to the number(BO) of those listed.(BP) 55 Be sure that the land is distributed by lot.(BQ) What each group inherits will be according to the names for its ancestral tribe. 56 Each inheritance is to be distributed by lot among the larger and smaller groups.”

57 These were the Levites(BR) who were counted by their clans:

through Gershon, the Gershonite clan;

through Kohath, the Kohathite clan;

through Merari, the Merarite clan.

58 These also were Levite clans:

the Libnite clan,

the Hebronite clan,

the Mahlite clan,

the Mushite clan,

the Korahite clan.

(Kohath was the forefather of Amram;(BS) 59 the name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed,(BT) a descendant of Levi, who was born to the Levites[e] in Egypt. To Amram she bore Aaron, Moses(BU) and their sister(BV) Miriam.(BW) 60 Aaron was the father of Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.(BX) 61 But Nadab and Abihu(BY) died when they made an offering before the Lord with unauthorized fire.)(BZ)

62 All the male Levites a month old or more numbered 23,000.(CA) They were not counted(CB) along with the other Israelites because they received no inheritance(CC) among them.(CD)

63 These are the ones counted(CE) by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites on the plains of Moab(CF) by the Jordan across from Jericho.(CG) 64 Not one of them was among those counted(CH) by Moses and Aaron(CI) the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai. 65 For the Lord had told those Israelites they would surely die in the wilderness,(CJ) and not one of them was left except Caleb(CK) son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.(CL)

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 26:17 Samaritan Pentateuch and Syriac (see also Gen. 46:16); Masoretic Text Arod
  2. Numbers 26:23 Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 7:1); Masoretic Text through Puvah, the Punite
  3. Numbers 26:39 A few manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Samaritan Pentateuch, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text Shephupham
  4. Numbers 26:40 Samaritan Pentateuch and Vulgate (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text does not have through Ard.
  5. Numbers 26:59 Or Jochebed, a daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi

26 And it came to pass after the plague, that the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying,

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.

And Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,

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.

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:

Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.

These are the families of the Reubenites: and they that were numbered of them were forty and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty.

And the sons of Pallu; Eliab.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.