American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
Numbers 26
1
And it came to pass after the plague, that the LORD spoke to Moses and to Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying,
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 25:9
2
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.
3
And Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,
Reference
4
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.
Reference
References Lord
Numbers 1:1
5
Reuben, the oldest son of Israel: the children of Reuben; Hanoch, of whom comes the family of the Hanochites: of Pallu, the family of the Palluites:
Reference
6
Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.
7
These are the families of the Reubenites: and they that were numbered of them were forty and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty.
8
And the sons of Pallu; Eliab.
9
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:
Reference
People
Parallel theme
Numbers 1:16
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.
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 16:38
2 Peter 2:6
Jeremiah 29:22
Ezekiel 14:8
Numbers 16:2
1 Samuel 2:34
Jude 1:7
11
Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 6:24
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:
Reference
13
Of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites: of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 46:10
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:
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 46:16
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.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 46:12
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.
Reference
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, three score 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:
Reference
24
Of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites: of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 46:13
25
These are the families of Issachar according to those that were numbered of them, three score 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.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 46:14
27
These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them, three score thousand and five hundred.
28
The sons of Joseph after their families were Manasseh and Ephraim.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 46:20
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.
Reference
People
30
These are the sons of Gilead: of Jeezer, the family of the Jeezerites: of Helek, the family of the Helekites:
Reference
People
31
And of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites: and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites:
People
32
And of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites: and of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites.
People
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.
Reference
People
Parallel theme
Numbers 27:1
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.
People
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:
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Chronicles 8:1
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.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Chronicles 8:3
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.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 46:23
43
All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those that were numbered of them, were three score 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.
Reference
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:
Reference
49
Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Chronicles 7:13
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.
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 1:46
52
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
53
To these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names.
Reference
54
To many you shall give the more inheritance, and to few you shall give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be given according to those that were numbered of him.
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 33:54
55
Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.
Reference
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.
Reference
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 bore to Levi in Egypt: and she bore to Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.
Reference
References Moses
Exodus 6:20
60
And to Aaron was born Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 3:2
61
And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the LORD.
Reference
References Lord
Numbers 3:4
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.
Reference
Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 10:9
Numbers 3:39
Joshua 14:3
References Israel
Numbers 1:49
Joshua 13:14
Joshua 13:33
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.
Reference
Summary of Numbers 26
The book of numbers chapter 26 contains a census of the Israelites that was conducted after the plague and just before entering the promised land. The firstborn of the children of Israel had perished in the wilderness. God therefore instructed Moses and Eleazar the priest to number the second generation that came out of Egypt. They were to take a census of all the men of Israel who were twenty years of age and upwards that could go to war. Moses and Eleazar took the census of all the sons of Israel according to their families and their tribes.
The tribe of Reuben was the first to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Reuben were the sons of Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. The total number of men counted in the tribe of Reuben was 43,730.
The tribe of Simeon was the second to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Simeon were the sons of Nemuel, Jamin, Jachin, Zerah and Shaul. The tribe of Simeon had 22,200 men. This was a great decrease from the previous census.
The tribe of Gad was the third to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Gad were the sons of Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ozni, Eri, Arod and Areli. The tribe of Gad had 40,500 men.
The tribe of Judah was the fourth to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Judah were the sons of Shelah, Pharez, Zerah, Hezron and Hamul. The tribe of Judah had 76,500 men.
The tribe of Issachar was the fifth to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Issachar were the sons of Tola, Pua, Jashub and Shimron. The tribe of Issachar had 64,300 men.
The tribe of Zebulun was the sixth to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Zebulun were the sons of Sered, Elon and Jahleel. The tribe of Zebulun had 60,500 men.
The tribe of Joseph's sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, was the seventh to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Manasseh were the sons of Machir, Gilead, Jeezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Shemida and Hepher. The tribe of Ephraim had three families namely Shuthelah, Becher and Tahan. The descendants of Shuthelah were Eran. The tribe of Manasseh had 52,700 men while the tribe of Ephraim had 32,500 men.
The tribe of Benjamin was the eighth to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Benjamin were the sons of Bela, Ashbel, Ahiram, Shupham and Hupham. The tribe of Benjamin had 45,600 men.
The tribe of Dan was the ninth to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Dan were the sons of Shuham and numbered 64,400 men.
The tribe of Asher was the tenth to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Asher were the sons of Jimna, Jesui, Beriah, Heber and Malchiel. The descendants of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel. The tribe of Asher had 53,400 men.
The tribe of Naphtali was the eleventh to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Naphtali were the sons of Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem. The tribe of Naphtali had 45,400 men.
The total number of men counted in the twelve tribes of Israel was 601,730 men who were twenty years old and upwards and could go to war.
This census was different from the one taken at the beginning of the book of Numbers. The number of men who were counted in the first census at Sinai was 603,550 men. The difference in the two numbers shows that the generation of the Exodus had perished in the wilderness as a result of the plague that befell Israel after their persistent complaining.
God then gave instructions to Moses about the distribution of the promised land. The promised land was to be divided amongst the sons of Israel according to the number of people in their respective tribes. The greater the number of people in a tribe the greater the portion that would be apportioned to them and the lesser the number of people the lesser the portion.
The land was to be apportioned by lot. That meant that both the relative size of the tribe and God's will played a part in the distribution of the land. The Levites were not numbered with the rest of the Israelites since they did not receive an inheritance like the other tribes. They were to serve at the tabernacle alongside Aaron the priest.
After giving these instructions to Moses God reminded him that none of the people numbered in the first census at Sinai were left alive except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. This fulfilled the word of the Lord concerning the Israelites who had rebelled against Moses and had spoken against the Lord.
Therefore, the book of Numbers chapter 26 was not only a change of generation but also marked the end of Israel's wilderness sojourn. The new generation that had been counted was about to inherit the promised land. The chapter served both as a record of the number of Israelites according to their tribes and as a preparation to divide the land of Canaan.
The mention of the daughters of Zelophehad in the narrative shows that their case about the right of inheritance would become a matter of great importance. Their story would come up later on when Moses would remind the Israelites of the rights of daughters in regard to family possessions.
The chapter ended with Israel on the verge of beginning a new phase of their existence as a nation. The whole nation had spent a long time in the wilderness. However, there was a new generation that had been counted and was about to enter into the Promised land. The division of the land of Canaan was about to begin and Joshua and Caleb were the last survivors of the generation that left Egypt.
The tribe of Reuben was the first to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Reuben were the sons of Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. The total number of men counted in the tribe of Reuben was 43,730.
The tribe of Simeon was the second to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Simeon were the sons of Nemuel, Jamin, Jachin, Zerah and Shaul. The tribe of Simeon had 22,200 men. This was a great decrease from the previous census.
The tribe of Gad was the third to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Gad were the sons of Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ozni, Eri, Arod and Areli. The tribe of Gad had 40,500 men.
The tribe of Judah was the fourth to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Judah were the sons of Shelah, Pharez, Zerah, Hezron and Hamul. The tribe of Judah had 76,500 men.
The tribe of Issachar was the fifth to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Issachar were the sons of Tola, Pua, Jashub and Shimron. The tribe of Issachar had 64,300 men.
The tribe of Zebulun was the sixth to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Zebulun were the sons of Sered, Elon and Jahleel. The tribe of Zebulun had 60,500 men.
The tribe of Joseph's sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, was the seventh to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Manasseh were the sons of Machir, Gilead, Jeezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Shemida and Hepher. The tribe of Ephraim had three families namely Shuthelah, Becher and Tahan. The descendants of Shuthelah were Eran. The tribe of Manasseh had 52,700 men while the tribe of Ephraim had 32,500 men.
The tribe of Benjamin was the eighth to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Benjamin were the sons of Bela, Ashbel, Ahiram, Shupham and Hupham. The tribe of Benjamin had 45,600 men.
The tribe of Dan was the ninth to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Dan were the sons of Shuham and numbered 64,400 men.
The tribe of Asher was the tenth to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Asher were the sons of Jimna, Jesui, Beriah, Heber and Malchiel. The descendants of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel. The tribe of Asher had 53,400 men.
The tribe of Naphtali was the eleventh to be numbered. The families of the tribe of Naphtali were the sons of Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem. The tribe of Naphtali had 45,400 men.
The total number of men counted in the twelve tribes of Israel was 601,730 men who were twenty years old and upwards and could go to war.
This census was different from the one taken at the beginning of the book of Numbers. The number of men who were counted in the first census at Sinai was 603,550 men. The difference in the two numbers shows that the generation of the Exodus had perished in the wilderness as a result of the plague that befell Israel after their persistent complaining.
God then gave instructions to Moses about the distribution of the promised land. The promised land was to be divided amongst the sons of Israel according to the number of people in their respective tribes. The greater the number of people in a tribe the greater the portion that would be apportioned to them and the lesser the number of people the lesser the portion.
The land was to be apportioned by lot. That meant that both the relative size of the tribe and God's will played a part in the distribution of the land. The Levites were not numbered with the rest of the Israelites since they did not receive an inheritance like the other tribes. They were to serve at the tabernacle alongside Aaron the priest.
After giving these instructions to Moses God reminded him that none of the people numbered in the first census at Sinai were left alive except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. This fulfilled the word of the Lord concerning the Israelites who had rebelled against Moses and had spoken against the Lord.
Therefore, the book of Numbers chapter 26 was not only a change of generation but also marked the end of Israel's wilderness sojourn. The new generation that had been counted was about to inherit the promised land. The chapter served both as a record of the number of Israelites according to their tribes and as a preparation to divide the land of Canaan.
The mention of the daughters of Zelophehad in the narrative shows that their case about the right of inheritance would become a matter of great importance. Their story would come up later on when Moses would remind the Israelites of the rights of daughters in regard to family possessions.
The chapter ended with Israel on the verge of beginning a new phase of their existence as a nation. The whole nation had spent a long time in the wilderness. However, there was a new generation that had been counted and was about to enter into the Promised land. The division of the land of Canaan was about to begin and Joshua and Caleb were the last survivors of the generation that left Egypt.