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The Second Census

26 After the plague, the Lord spoke to Moses and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest.[a] He said, “Take a census of the entire Israelite community, twenty years old and up, according to their fathers’ houses, all who are of age to serve in Israel’s army.”

Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them on the Plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho. They said, “Take a census of the men twenty years old and up, just as the Lord commanded Moses.”

These are the Israelites who came out from the land of Egypt:

Reuben was Israel’s firstborn. The male descendants[b] of Reuben were: from Hanok, the Hanokite clan; from Pallu, the Palluite clan; from Hezron, the Hezronite clan; from Karmi, the Karmite clan. These were the Reubenite clans. Those who were registered totaled 43,730.

The son of Pallu was Eliab. The sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram.[c]

(These were the same Dathan and Abiram who were chosen leaders of the community who fought against Moses and Aaron along with the followers of Korah, when they fought against the Lord. 10 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah, when his followers died and when the fire consumed the two hundred fifty men. So they became a warning sign. 11 However, the sons of Korah did not die out.)

12 The male descendants of Simeon according to their clans were: from Nemuel, the Nemuelite clan; from Jamin, the Jaminite clan; from Jakin, the Jakinite clan; 13 from Zerah, the Zerahite clan; from Shaul, the Shaulite clan. 14 These Simeonite clans totaled 22,200.

15 The male descendants of Gad according to their clans were: from Zephon, the Zephonite clan; from Haggi, the Haggite clan; from Shuni, the Shunite clan; 16 from Ozni, the Oznite clan; from Eri, the Erite clan; 17 from Arodi,[d] the Arodite clan; from Areli, the Arelite clan. 18 These clans of the descendants of Gad who were registered totaled 40,500.

19 Er and Onan were sons of Judah. Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. 20 The male descendants of Judah according to their clans were: from Shelah, the Shelanite clan; from Perez, the Perezite clan; from Zerah, the Zerahite clan. 21 The male descendants of Perez were: from Hezron, the Hezronite clan; from Hamul, the Hamulite clan. 22 These clans of Judah who were registered totaled 76,500.

23 The male descendants of Issachar according to their clans were: from Tola, the Tolaite clan; from Puah, the Puite clan;[e] 24 from Jashub, the Jashubite clan; from Shimron, the Shimronite clan. 25 These clans of Issachar who were registered totaled 64,300.

26 The male descendants of Zebulun according to their clans were: from Sered, the Seredite clan; from Elon, the Elonite clan; from Jahle’el, the Jahle’elite clan. 27 These Zebulunite clans who were registered totaled 60,500.

28 The sons of Joseph who established clans were Manasseh and Ephraim.

29 The male descendants of Manasseh were: from Makir, the Makirite clan (Makir was the father of Gilead); from Gilead, the Gileadite clan. 30 These were the male descendants of Gilead: from Iezer, the Iezerite clan; from Helek, the Helekite clan; 31 from Asriel, the Asrielite clan; from Shechem, the Shechemite clan; 32 from Shemida, the Shemidaite clan; and from Hepher, the Hepherite clan.

33 Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, only daughters. The names of Zelophehad’s daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah, and Tirzah. 34 These were the clans of Manasseh. Those who were registered totaled 52,700.

35 These were the male descendants of Ephraim according to their clans: from Shuthelah, the Shuthelahite clan; from Beker, the Bekerite clan; from Tahan, the Tahanite clan. 36 These were the male descendants of Shuthelah: from Eran, the Eranite clan. 37 These clans from the descendants of Ephraim who were registered totaled 32,500.

These were the male descendants of Joseph according to their clans.

38 The male descendants of Benjamin according to their clans were: from Bela, the Belaite clan; from Ashbel, the Ashbelite clan; from Ahiram, the Ahiramite clan; 39 from Shupham,[f] the Shuphamite clan; from Hupham, the Huphamite clan. 40 The sons of Bela were Ard and Na’aman: from Ard, the Ardite clan; from Na’aman, the Na’amanite clan. 41 These were the male descendants of Benjamin according to their clans. Those who were registered totaled 45,600.

42 These were the male descendants of Dan according to their clans: from Shuham, the Shuhamite clan. These were the clans of Dan according to their clans. 43 All the Shuhamite clans who were registered totaled 64,400.

44 The male descendants of Asher according to their clans were: from Imnah, the Imnite clan; from Ishvi, the Ishvite clan; from Beriah, the Beriite clan. 45 From the male descendants of Beriah: from Heber, the Heberite clan; from Malkiel, the Malkielite clan. 46 The name of Asher’s daughter was Serah. 47 These clans for the descendants of Asher who were registered totaled 53,400.

48 The male descendants of Naphtali according to their clans were: from Jahze’el, the Jahze’elite clan; from Guni, the Gunite clan; 49 from Jezer, the Jezerite clan; from Shillem, the Shillemite clan. 50 These were the clans of Naphtali according to their clans. Those who were registered totaled 45,400.

51 Those who were registered from the Israelites totaled 601,730.

52 The Lord spoke to Moses: 53 “The land is to be divided among these tribes, with the size of the possession for each tribe based on the number of names. 54 For a larger tribe, increase its possession. For a smaller tribe, decrease its possession. Each tribe is to be given its inheritance based on the total of those registered. 55 The land must be divided by lot. They will receive their possession according to the names of their father’s tribes. 56 Their possession is to be divided between the larger and the smaller tribes as the lots determine.”

57 Those who were registered from the Levites according to their clans were: from Gershon, the Gershonite clan; from Kohath, the Kohathite clan; from Merari, the Merarite clan. 58 These were the Levite clans: the Libnite clan, the Hebronite clan, the Mahlite clan, the Mushite clan, the Korahite clan.

(Kohath was the forefather[g] of Amram. 59 The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, a descendant of Levi, who was born to the Levites in Egypt. For Amram she bore Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam. 60 Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar were born to Aaron. 61 Nadab and Abihu died when they presented unauthorized fire before the Lord.)

62 Those who were registered totaled 23,000, every male a month old and up. But they were not registered with the other Israelites, because they were not given a possession[h] among the Israelites.

63 These were the men who were registered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, when they registered the Israelites on the Plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho. 64 But among them there was not even one man left from those who had been registered by Moses and Aaron the priest, when they registered the Israelites in the Wilderness of Sinai. 65 For the Lord had said about them, “They will surely die in the wilderness.” There was not even one man left from them except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 26:1 Part of English verse 26:1 is part of Hebrew verse 25:19.
  2. Numbers 26:5 Literally sons
  3. Numbers 26:9 The four generations of fathers and sons listed in verses 5-9 cover over four hundred years, so son in some cases may mean a more distant descendant.
  4. Numbers 26:17 The translation follows the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Greek and Syriac versions; the Hebrew reads Arod. Compare Genesis 46:16.
  5. Numbers 26:23 The translation follows the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Greek, Syriac, and Latin versions; the Hebrew has Puvah, the Punite. Compare 1 Chronicles 7:1.
  6. Numbers 26:39 The translation follows a few Hebrew manuscripts, the Samaritan Pentateuch, and the Greek, Syriac, and Latin versions; most Hebrew texts have Shephunham.
  7. Numbers 26:58 Literally father, but the time span from Gershon through Kohath to Amram, father of Moses, is over three hundred years. It is possible that this sentence belongs to the previous paragraph, and that it does in fact refer to an Amram, who is a son of Kohath, who is the ancestor of Moses’ father Amram. See Exodus 6:18-20.
  8. Numbers 26:62 That is, a tribal territory

Numbering the Second Generation

26 After the plague, Adonai said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron the kohen saying, “Take a headcount of the entire community of Bnei-Yisrael, sons twenty years old and upward, by their ancestral houses, all who can serve in Israel’s army.”

So Moses and Eleazar the kohen spoke with them on the Moabite plains by the Jordan across from Jericho saying, “Just as Adonai commanded Moses, a census will be taken of all men of Bnei-Yisrael who came out of Egypt, from 20 years old and upward.”

The descendants of the sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn: by Hanoch the Hanochite family, by Pallu the Palluite family, by Hezron the Hezronite family, and by Carmi the Carmite family, these Reubenite families numbered 43,730. The son of Pallu was Eliab. The sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These were the Dathan and Abiram who were community leaders who rebelled against Moses and Aaron and were among the following of Korah in their rebellion against Adonai. 10 Then the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them with Korah, whose followers died when the fire consumed the 250 men, these men serving as a warning. 11 Korah’s sons, however, did not die.

12 The sons of Simeon by their families were: by Nemuel the family of the Nemuelites, by Jamin the family of the Jaminites, by Jachin the family of the Jachinites, 13 by Zerach the family of the Zerachites, and by Shaul the family of the Shaulites. 14 These families of the Simeonites numbered 22,200.

15 The sons of Gad by their families were: by Zephon the family of the Zephonites, by Haggi the family of the Haggites, by Shuni the family of the Shunites, 16 by Ozni the family of the Oznites, by Eri the family of the Erites, 17 by Arod the family of the Arodites, by Areli the family of the Arelites. 18 The sons of Gad numbered 40,500.

19 Er and Onan were sons of Judah but had died in the land of Canaan. 20 The sons of Judah by their families were: by Shelah the Shelanite family, by Perez the Perezite family, by Zerach the Zerachite family. 21 The sons of Perez: by Hezron the Hezronite family, by Hamul the Hamulite family. 22 These were the sons of Judah. They numbered 76,500.

23 The sons of Issachar by their families were: Tola and the family of the Tolaites, by Puvah the Punite family, 24 by Jashub the Jashubite family, by Shimron the Shimronite family. 25 These were the families of Issachar. They numbered 64,300.

26 The sons of Zebulun by their families were: by Sered the family of the Seredites, by Elon the family of the Elonites, by Jahleel the family of the Jahleelites. 27 These were the Zebulunite families. They numbered 60,500.

28 The sons of Joseph by their families were Manasseh and Ephraim. 29 The sons of Manasseh were: by Machir the family of the Machirites (Machir fathered Gilead.), by Gilead the family of the Gileadites. 30 The sons of Gilead were: by Iezer the family of the Iezerites, by Helek the Helekite family, 31 By Asriel the Asrielite family, by Shechem the Shechemite family, 32 by Shemida the Shemidaite family, by Hepher the Hepherite family. 33 Hepher’s son Zelophehad had no sons, only daughters. The names of Zelophehad’s daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 34 These were the families of Manasseh. They numbered 52,700.

35 These were the sons of Ephraim by their families: of Shuthelah the Shuthelahite family, of Becher the Bechrite family, of Tahan the Tahanite family. 36 These were the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran the Eranite family. 37 These were the families of the sons of Ephraim. These numbered 32,500. These were the sons of Joseph by their families.

38 The sons of Benjamin by their families were: by Bela the Belaite family, by Ashbel the Ashbelite family, by Ahiram the Ahiramite family, 39 by Shephupham the Shuphamite family, by Hupham the Huphamite family. 40 The sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman. By Ard was the family of the Ardites, by Naaman the family of the Naamanites. 41 These were the sons of Benjamin. They numbered 45,600.

42 These were the sons of Dan by their families: by Shuham the Shuhamite family. These were the families of Dan by family. 43 They were all Shuhamite families, and, they numbered 64,400.

44 The sons of Asher by their families were: by Imnah the Imnite family, by Ishvi the Ishvite family, by Beriah the Beriite family. 45 Through the sons of Beriah: by Heber the Heberite family, by Malchiel the Malchielite family. 46 The name of Asher’s daughter was Serah. 47 These were the families of Asher’s sons. They numbered 53,400.

48 The sons of Naphtali by their families were: by Jahzeel the Jahzeelite family, by Guni the Gunite family, 49 By Jezer the Jezrite family, by Shillem the Shillemite family. 50 These were the families of Naphtali by their families. They numbered 45,400.

51 These sons of Israel totaled 601,730.

52 Adonai then spoke to Moses saying, 53 “The land is to be divided to these as an inheritance according to the number of names. 54 For the larger, you are to make his inheritance larger, and to the smaller you are to make his inheritance smaller. Each is to receive his inheritance in proportion to his population. 55 Certainly the land is to be divided by lot. They will inherit it according to the names of their ancestral tribes. 56 The division of the inheritance of larger and smaller tribes is to be decided by the lot.”

57 These were the numbers of the Levites by their families: by Gershon the Gershonite family, by Kohath the Kohathite family, by Merari the Merarite family. 58 These were the families of Levi: the Libnite family, the Hebronite family, the Machlite family, the Mushite family and the Korahite family. Kohath fathered Amram. 59 Amram’s wife’s name was Jochebed daughter of Levi, who was born to the Levites in Egypt. She gave birth for Amram, Aaron and Moses, as well as Miriam their sister. 60 Aaron was the father of Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 61 However, Nadab and Abihu died when they offered sacrifices with unauthorized fire before Adonai. 62 The male Levites a month old and upward totaled 23,000, though they were not included among Bnei-Yisrael, since He did not give them an inheritance among Bnei-Yisrael.

63 These were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the kohen when they counted Bnei-Yisrael on the plains of Moab across from Jericho. 64 Not one of them was among those counted by Moses and Aaron the kohen when they counted Bnei-Yisrael in the Sinai wilderness, 65 because Adonai had said they would surely die in the wilderness. Not one of them was left, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.