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Numbers 26
The Message
Numbers 26
The Message
Census on the Plains of Moab
26 1-2 After the plague God said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, “Number the entire community of Israel by families—count every person who is twenty years and older who is able to serve in the army of Israel.”
3-4 Obeying God’s command, Moses and Eleazar the priest addressed them on the Plains of Moab at Jordan-Jericho: “Count off from age twenty and older.”
4-7 The People of Israel who came out of the land of Egypt:
Reuben, Israel’s firstborn. The sons of Reuben were:
Hanoch and the Hanochite clan,
Pallu and the Palluite clan,
Hezron and the Hezronite clan,
Carmi and the Carmite clan.
These made up the Reubenite clans. They numbered 43,730.
8 The son of Pallu: Eliab.
9-11 The sons of Eliab: Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. (These were the same Dathan and Abiram, community leaders from Korah’s gang, who rebelled against Moses and Aaron in the Korah Rebellion against God. The Earth opened its jaws and swallowed them along with Korah’s gang who died when the fire ate them up, all 250 of them. After all these years, they’re still a warning sign. But the line of Korah did not die out.)
12-14 The sons of Simeon by clans:
Nemuel and the Nemuelite clan,
Jamin and the Jaminite clan,
Jakin and the Jakinite clan,
Zerah and the Zerahite clan,
Shaul and the Shaulite clan.
These were the clans of Simeon. They numbered 22,200 men.
15-18 The sons of Gad by clans:
Zephon and the Zephonite clan,
Haggi and the Haggite clan,
Shuni and the Shunite clan,
Ozni and the Oznite clan,
Eri and the Erite clan,
Arodi and the Arodite clan,
Areli and the Arelite clan.
These were the clans of Gad. They numbered 40,500 men.
19-22 Er and Onan were sons of Judah who died early on in Canaan. The sons of Judah by clans:
Shelah and the Shelanite clan,
Perez and the Perezite clan,
Zerah and the Zerahite clan.
The sons of Perez:
Hezron and the Hezronite clan,
Hamul and the Hamulite clan.
These were the clans of Judah. They numbered 76,500.
23-25 The sons of Issachar by clans:
Tola and the Tolaite clan,
Puah and the Puite clan,
Jashub and the Jashubite clan,
Shimron and the Shimronite clan.
These were the clans of Issachar. They numbered 64,300.
26-27 The sons of Zebulun by clans:
Sered and the Seredite clan,
Elon and the Elonite clan,
Jahleel and the Jahleelite clan.
These were the clans of Zebulun. They numbered 60,500.
28-34 The sons of Joseph by clans through Manasseh and Ephraim. Through Manasseh:
Makir and the Makirite clan
(now Makir was the father of Gilead),
Gilead and the Gileadite clan.
The sons of Gilead:
Iezer and the Iezerite clan,
Helek and the Helekite clan,
Asriel and the Asrielite clan,
Shechem and the Shechemite clan,
Shemida and the Shemidaite clan,
Hepher and the Hepherite clan.
Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons, only daughters.
Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
These were the clans of Manasseh. They numbered 52,700.
35-37 The sons of Ephraim by clans:
Shuthelah and the Shuthelahite clan,
Beker and the Bekerite clan,
Tahan and the Tahanite clan.
The sons of Shuthelah:
Eran and the Eranite clan.
These were the clans of Ephraim. They numbered 32,500.
These are all the sons of Joseph by their clans.
38-41 The sons of Benjamin by clans:
Bela and the Belaite clan,
Ashbel and the Ashbelite clan,
Ahiram and the Ahiramite clan,
Shupham and the Shuphamite clan,
Hupham and the Huphamite clan.
The sons of Bela through Ard and Naaman:
Ard and the Ardite clan,
Naaman and the Naamite clan.
These were the clans of Benjamin. They numbered 45,600.
42-43 The sons of Dan by clan:
Shuham and the Shuhamite clan.
These are the clans of Dan, all Shuhamite clans. They numbered 64,400.
44-47 The sons of Asher by clan:
Imnah and the Imnite clan,
Ishvi and the Ishvite clan,
Beriah and the Beriite clan.
The sons of Beriah:
Heber and the Heberite clan,
Malkiel and the Malkielite clan.
Asher also had a daughter, Serah.
These were the clans of Asher. They numbered 53,400.
48-50 The sons of Naphtali by clans:
Jahzeel and the Jahzeelite clan,
Guni and the Gunite clan,
Jezer and the Jezerite clan,
Shillem and the Shillemite clan.
These were the clans of Naphtali. They numbered 45,400.
51 The total number of the People of Israel: 601,730.
* * *
52-54 God spoke to Moses: “Divide up the inheritance of the land based on population. A larger group gets a larger inheritance; a smaller group gets a smaller inheritance—each gets its inheritance based on the population count.
55-56 “Make sure that the land is assigned by lot.
“Each group’s inheritance is based on population, the number of names listed in its ancestral tribe, divided among the many and the few by lot.”
* * *
57-58 These are the numberings of the Levites by clan:
Gershon and the Gershonite clan,
Kohath and the Kohathite clan,
Merari and the Merarite clan.
The Levite clans also included:
the Libnite clan,
the Hebronite clan,
the Mahlite clan,
the Mushite clan,
the Korahite clan.
58-61 Kohath was the father of Amram. Amram’s wife was Jochebed, a descendant of Levi, born into the Levite family during the Egyptian years. Jochebed bore Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam to Amram. Aaron was the father of Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar; however, Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized sacrifice in the presence of God.
62 The numbering of Levite males one month and older came to 23,000. They hadn’t been counted in with the rest of the People of Israel because they didn’t inherit any land.
63-65 These are the ones numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, the People of Israel counted in the Plains of Moab at Jordan-Jericho. Not one of them had been among those counted by Moses and Aaron the priest in the census of the People of Israel taken in the Wilderness of Sinai. For God had said of them, “They’ll die, die in the wilderness—not one of them will be left except for Caleb son of Jephunneh, and Joshua son of Nun.”
Numbers 26
New International Version
Numbers 26
New International Version
The Second Census
26 After the plague(A) the Lord said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, 2 “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.” 3 So on the plains of Moab(D) by the Jordan across from Jericho,(E) Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them and said, 4 “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)
5 The descendants of Reuben,(G) the firstborn son of Israel, were:
through Hanok,(H) the Hanokite clan;
through Pallu,(I) the Palluite clan;
6 through Hezron,(J) the Hezronite clan;
through Karmi,(K) the Karmite clan.
7 These were the clans of Reuben; those numbered were 43,730.
8 The son of Pallu was Eliab, 9 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
- Numbers 26:17 Samaritan Pentateuch and Syriac (see also Gen. 46:16); Masoretic Text Arod
- Numbers 26:23 Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 7:1); Masoretic Text through Puvah, the Punite
- 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
- Numbers 26:40 Samaritan Pentateuch and Vulgate (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text does not have through Ard.
- Numbers 26:59 Or Jochebed, a daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi
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Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
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