Numbers 26-27 (Contemporary English Version)

Numbers 26

The Israelites Are Counted a Second Time

 ¹After the LORD had stopped the deadly disease from killing the Israelites, he said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron, ²" I want you to find out how many Israelites are in each family. And list every man twenty years and older who is able to serve in Israel's army."

    ³Israel was now camped in the hills of Moab across the Jordan River from the town of Jericho. Moses and Eleazar told them ⁴what the LORD had said about counting the men twenty years and older, just as Moses and their ancestors had done when they left Egypt. ^{[a] 5-7}There were 43,730 men from the tribe of Reuben, the oldest son of Jacob. ^[b] These men were from the clans of Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. ⁸Pallu was the father of Eliab ⁹and the grandfather of Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the same Dathan and Abiram who had been chosen by the people, but who followed Korah and rebelled against Moses, Aaron, and the LORD. ¹⁰That's when the LORD made the earth open up and swallow Dathan, Abiram, and Korah. At the same time, fire destroyed two hundred fifty men as a warning to the other Israelites. ^{[c] 11}But the Korahite clan wasn't destroyed. ^12-14There were 22,200 men from the tribe of Simeon; they were from the clans of Nemuel, Jamin, Jachin, Zerah, and Shaul.

    ^15-18There were 40,500 men from the tribe of Gad; they were from the clans of Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ozni, Eri, Arod, and Areli.

    ^19-22There were 76,500 men from the tribe of Judah; they were from the clans of Shelah, Perez, Zerah, Hezron, and Hamul. Judah's sons Er and Onan had died in Canaan. ^{[d] 23-25}There were 64,300 men from the tribe of Issachar; they were from the clans of Tola, Puvah, Jashub, and Shimron.

    ^26-27There were 60,500 men from the tribe of Zebulun; they were from the clans of Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.

    ^28-34There were 52,700 men from the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph; they were from the clan of Machir, the clan of Gilead his son, and the clans of his six grandsons: Iezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Shemida, and Hepher. Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons, but he had five daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ^{[e] 35-37}There were 32,500 men from the tribe of Ephraim son of Joseph; they were from the clans of Shuthelah, Becher, Tahan, and Eran the son of Shuthelah.

    ^38-41There were 45,600 men from the tribe of Benjamin; they were from the clans of Bela, Ashbel, Ahiram, Shephupham, Hupham, as well as from Ard and Naaman, the two sons of Bela.

    ^42-43There were 64,400 men from the tribe of Dan; they were all from the clan of Shuham.

    ^44-47There were 53,400 men from the tribe of Asher; they were from the clans of Imnah, Ishvi, and Beriah, and from the two clans of Heber and Malchiel, the sons of Beriah. Asher's daughter was Serah.

    ^48-50There were 45,400 men from the tribe of Naphtali; they were from the clans of Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.

    ⁵¹The total number of Israelite men listed was 601,730.

    ⁵²The LORD said to Moses, ⁵³" Divide the land of Canaan among these tribes, according to the number of people in each one, ⁵⁴so the larger tribes have more land than the smaller ones. ^55-56I will show you ^[f] what land to give each tribe, and they will receive as much land as they need, according to the number of people in it." ⁵⁷The tribe of Levi included the clans of the Gershonites, Kohathites, Merarites, ⁵⁸as well as the clans of Libni, Hebron, Mahli, Mushi, and Korah. Kohath the Levite was the father of Amram, ⁵⁹the husband of Levi's daughter Jochebed, who was born in Egypt. Amram and Jochebed's three children were Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. ⁶⁰Aaron was the father of Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ⁶¹But Nadab and Abihu had died when they offered fire that was unacceptable to the LORD. ^{[g] 62}In the tribe of Levi there were 23,000 men and boys at least a month old. They were not listed with the other tribes, because they would not receive any land in Canaan.

    ⁶³Moses and Eleazar counted the Israelites while they were camped in the hills of Moab across the Jordan River from Jericho. ⁶⁴None of the people that Moses and Aaron had counted in the Sinai Desert were still alive, ⁶⁵except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. The LORD had said that everyone else would die there in the desert. ^[h]

Numbers 27

The Daughters of Zelophehad Are Given Land

 ¹Zelophehad ^[i] was from the Manasseh tribe, and he had five daughters, whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ²One day his daughters went to the sacred tent, where they met with Moses, Eleazar, and some other leaders of Israel, as well as a large crowd of Israelites. The young women said:

    ³You know that our father died in the desert. But it was for something he did wrong, not for joining with Korah in rebelling against the LORD.

   Our father left no sons ⁴to carry on his family name. But why should his name die out for that reason? Give us some land like the rest of his relatives in our clan, so our father's name can live on.

    ⁵Moses asked the LORD what should be done, ⁶and the LORD answered:

    ⁷Zelophehad's daughters are right. They should each be given part of the land their father would have received.

    ⁸Tell the Israelites that when a man dies without a son, his daughter will inherit his land. ⁹If he has no daughter, his brothers will inherit the land. ¹⁰But if he has no brothers, his father's brothers will inherit the land. ¹¹And if his father has no brothers, the land must be given to his nearest relative in the clan. This is my law, and the Israelites must obey it.

   

Joshua Is Appointed Israel's Leader

(Deuteronomy 31.1-8)

 ¹²The LORD said to Moses, " One day you will go up into the Abarim Mountains, and from there you will see the land I am giving the Israelites. ¹³After you have seen it, you will die, ^[j] just like your brother Aaron, ¹⁴because both of you disobeyed me at Meribah near the town of Kadesh in the Zin Desert. When the Israelites insulted me there, you didn't believe in my holy power." ^{[k] 15}Moses replied, ¹⁶" You are the LORD God, and you know what is in everyone's heart. So I ask you to appoint a leader for Israel. ¹⁷Your people need someone to lead them into battle, or else they will be like sheep wandering around without a shepherd."

    ¹⁸The LORD answered, " Joshua son of Nun can do the job. Place your hands on him to show that he is the one to take your place. ¹⁹Then go with him and have him stand in front of Eleazar the priest and the Israelites. Appoint Joshua as their new leader ²⁰and tell them they must now obey him, just as they obey you. ²¹But Joshua must depend on Eleazar to find out from me ^[l] what I want him to do as he leads Israel into battle." ²²Moses followed the LORD's instructions and took Joshua to Eleazar and the people, ²³then he placed his hands on Joshua and appointed him Israel's leader.