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:

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:

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

¹⁵ The descendants of Gad by their clans were:

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:

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

²³ The descendants of Issachar by their clans were:

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

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

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)

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

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

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:

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)

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:

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

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

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:

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)

Zelophehad’s Daughters^(CM)

27 The daughters of Zelophehad^(CN) son of Hepher,^(CO) the son of Gilead,^(CP) the son of Makir,^(CQ) the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. They came forward ² and stood before Moses,^(CR) Eleazar the priest, the leaders^(CS) and the whole assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting^(CT) and said, ³ “Our father died in the wilderness.^(CU) He was not among Korah’s followers, who banded together against the Lord,^(CV) but he died for his own sin and left no sons.^{(CW) 4} Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s relatives.”

⁵ So Moses brought their case^(CX) before the Lord,^{(CY) 6} and the Lord said to him, ⁷ “What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance^(CZ) among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.^(DA)

⁸ “Say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter. ⁹ If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. ¹⁰ If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. ¹¹ If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it. This is to have the force of law^(DB) for the Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.’”

Joshua to Succeed Moses

¹² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain^(DC) in the Abarim Range^(DD) and see the land^(DE) I have given the Israelites.^{(DF) 13} After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people,^(DG) as your brother Aaron^(DH) was, ¹⁴ for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin,^(DI) both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy^(DJ) before their eyes.” (These were the waters of Meribah^(DK) Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)

¹⁵ Moses said to the Lord, ¹⁶ “May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things,^(DL) appoint someone over this community ¹⁷ to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”^(DM)

¹⁸ So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership,^[f](DN) and lay your hand on him.^{(DO) 19} Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him^(DP) in their presence.^{(DQ) 20} Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.^{(DR) 21} He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring^(DS) of the Urim^(DT) before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”

²² Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. ²³ Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him,^(DU) as the Lord instructed through Moses.