UNROLL
First light over the plains of Moab: a vast camp of black goat-hair tents in ordered blocks around a small white linen court, the green line of the Jordan beyond, and far across the river Jericho's palm oasis under the western hills.

The Book of

Numbers 26

Forty years on, God counts again: a new generation, and only two faces from the old one.

65 verses≈ 9 min5 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

Tap any post to go deeper

In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–10Ready at SinaiCounted and ordered
  2. 11–14GrumblingTo Kadesh and refusal
  3. 15–21Forty yearsRebellion and mercy
  4. 22–25BalaamA curse turned to blessing
  5. 26–36A new generationReady for the landChapter 26

The Second Census of Israel

Morning on the plains of Moab: an old white-bearded man and a priest in a blue robe and white turban, seen from behind, stand before a gathering of tribal elders, the camp behind and the Jordan valley and the hills of Canaan beyond.

After the plague had ended, the LORD said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, “Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel by the houses of their fathers—all those twenty years of age or older who can serve in the army of Israel.”

So on the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho, Moses and Eleazar the priest issued the instruction, “Take a census of the men twenty years of age or older, as the LORD has commanded Moses.”

0:30

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

The count

Reuben, the firstborn

  1. Those who came out of Egypt

    And these were the Israelites who came out of the land of Egypt:

  2. Reuben, Israel’s firstborn

    Reuben was the firstborn of Israel.

  3. Down 2,770

    Reuben: 43,730

    These were the descendants of Reuben: The Hanochite clan from Hanoch, the Palluite clan from Pallu,

    the Hezronite clan from Hezron,

    and the Carmite clan from Carmi.

    These were the clans of Reuben, and their registration numbered 43,730.

  4. Pallu, Eliab and his sons

    Now the son of Pallu was Eliab, and the sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram.

  5. Dathan and Abiram rebelled

    It was Dathan and Abiram, chosen by the congregation, who rebelled against Moses and Aaron with the followers of Korah who rebelled against the LORD.

  6. Swallowed up: a warning sign

    And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire consumed 250 men. They serve as a warning sign.

  7. Korah’s line did not die out

    However, the line of Korah did not die out.

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

They serve as a warning sign.

Numbers 26:10

The Tribe of Simeon

The count

Simeon to Zebulun

  1. Down 37,100

    Simeon: 22,200

    These were the descendants of Simeon by their clans:

    The Nemuelite clan from Nemuel,

    the Jaminite clan from Jamin,

    the Jachinite clan from Jachin,

    the Zerahite clan from Zerah,

    and the Shaulite clan from Shaul.

    These were the clans of Simeon, and there were 22,200 men.

  2. Down 5,150

    Gad: 40,500

    These were the descendants of Gad by their clans:

    The Zephonite clan from Zephon,

    the Haggite clan from Haggi,

    the Shunite clan from Shuni,

    the Oznite clan from Ozni,

    the Erite clan from Eri,

    the Arodite clan from Arod,

    and the Arelite clan from Areli.

    These were the clans of Gad, and their registration numbered 40,500.

  3. Er and Onan died in Canaan

    The sons of Judah were Er and Onan, but they died in the land of Canaan.

  4. Up 1,900

    Judah: 76,500

    These were the descendants of Judah by their clans:

    The Shelanite clan from Shelah,

    the Perezite clan from Perez,

    and the Zerahite clan from Zerah.

    And these were the descendants of Perez:

    the Hezronite clan from Hezron

    and the Hamulite clan from Hamul.

    These were the clans of Judah, and their registration numbered 76,500.

  5. Up 9,900

    Issachar: 64,300

    These were the descendants of Issachar by their clans:

    The Tolaite clan from Tola,

    the Punite clan from Puvah,

    the Jashubite clan from Jashub,

    and the Shimronite clan from Shimron.

    These were the clans of Issachar, and their registration numbered 64,300.

  6. Up 3,100

    Zebulun: 60,500

    These were the descendants of Zebulun by their clans:

    The Seredite clan from Sered,

    the Elonite clan from Elon,

    and the Jahleelite clan from Jahleel.

    These were the clans of Zebulun, and their registration numbered 60,500.

Reflect

Counted by name

Clan after clan, family after family: the Hanochites, the Jaminites, the Arodites, the Shimronites. Most of these names mean nothing to us, but every one of them mattered to God, and He had every family written into the count. He knows you that way too, not as a number in a crowd but by name. What difference does it make to you today that God knows exactly who you are and where you belong? Write it down.

The Tribe of Manasseh

The count

The sons of Joseph

  1. Joseph: Manasseh and Ephraim

    The descendants of Joseph included the clans of Manasseh and Ephraim.

  2. Machir and Gilead

    These were the descendants of Manasseh:

    The Machirite clan from Machir, the father of Gilead,

    and the Gileadite clan from Gilead.

  3. Six clans of Gilead

    These were the descendants of Gilead:

    the Iezerite clan from Iezer,

    the Helekite clan from Helek,

    the Asrielite clan from Asriel,

    the Shechemite clan from Shechem,

    the Shemidaite clan from Shemida,

    and the Hepherite clan from Hepher.

  4. Zelophehad: five daughters

    Now Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons but only daughters. The names of his daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

  5. Up 20,500

    Manasseh: 52,700

    These were the clans of Manasseh, and their registration numbered 52,700.

  6. Ephraim’s clans

    These were the descendants of Ephraim by their clans:

    The Shuthelahite clan from Shuthelah,

    the Becherite clan from Becher,

    and the Tahanite clan from Tahan.

    And the descendants of Shuthelah were the Eranite clan from Eran.

  7. Down 8,000

    Ephraim: 32,500

    These were the clans of Ephraim, and their registration numbered 32,500. These clans were the descendants of Joseph.

Late afternoon in the camp: five young sisters in plain wool dresses and head cloths stand together at the door of a black goat-hair tent, the eldest with her hand on the tent pole.

The Tribe of Benjamin

The count

Benjamin to Naphtali

  1. Up 10,200

    Benjamin: 45,600

    These were the descendants of Benjamin by their clans:

    The Belaite clan from Bela,

    the Ashbelite clan from Ashbel,

    the Ahiramite clan from Ahiram,

    the Shuphamite clan from Shupham,

    and the Huphamite clan from Hupham.

    And the descendants of Bela from Ard and Naaman were the Ardite clan from Ard and the Naamite clan from Naaman.

    These were the clans of Benjamin, and their registration numbered 45,600.

  2. Up 1,700

    Dan: 64,400, one clan

    These were the descendants of Dan by their clans:

    The Shuhamite clan from Shuham.

    These were the clans of Dan.

    All of them were Shuhamite clans, and their registration numbered 64,400.

  3. Asher’s clans

    These were the descendants of Asher by their clans:

    The Imnite clan from Imnah,

    the Ishvite clan from Ishvi,

    and the Beriite clan from Beriah.

    And these were the descendants of Beriah:

    the Heberite clan from Heber

    and the Malchielite clan from Malchiel.

  4. Asher’s daughter Serah

    And the name of Asher’s daughter was Serah.

  5. Up 11,900

    Asher: 53,400

    These were the clans of Asher, and their registration numbered 53,400.

  6. Down 8,000

    Naphtali: 45,400

    These were the descendants of Naphtali by their clans:

    The Jahzeelite clan from Jahzeel,

    the Gunite clan from Guni,

    the Jezerite clan from Jezer,

    and the Shillemite clan from Shillem.

    These were the clans of Naphtali, and their registration numbered 45,400.

  7. Down 1,820

    All Israel: 601,730

    These men of Israel numbered 601,730 in all.

Two counts, two generations

At Sinai603,550 counted (1:46)In thewildernessthey would surely die(65)On the plainsof Moab601,730 counted (51)Not one leftbut twoCaleb and Joshua (65)Heirs of thelanddivided by lot (55)God kept Hiswordboth warning andpromise

Whiteboard

Two counts forty years apart, almost the same size: 603,550 men at Sinai (1:46) and 601,730 on the plains of Moab. In between, a whole generation died in the wilderness, just as God had said at Kadesh (14:29). And just as He had also said, He brought their children to the edge of the land (14:31). Of every man counted at Sinai, only Caleb and Joshua were counted again.

Question

Quick question

Most tribes were close to their size at Sinai. A few grew, and a few shrank.

Which tribe fell most between the two counts?

Inheritance by Lot

God

The Levites Numbered

Dusk: Levite men in plain linen tunics, seen from behind, stand in a quiet line along the white linen hangings of the tabernacle court, the low dark tent rising behind them.

The count

The Levites

  1. Gershon, Kohath, Merari

    Now these were the Levites numbered by their clans:

    The Gershonite clan from Gershon,

    the Kohathite clan from Kohath,

    and the Merarite clan from Merari.

  2. Five Levite families

    These were the families of the Levites: The Libnite clan, the Hebronite clan, the Mahlite clan, the Mushite clan, and the Korahite clan.

  3. Amram and Jochebed’s children

    Now Kohath was the father of Amram,

    and Amram’s wife was named Jochebed. She was also a daughter of Levi, born to Levi in Egypt. To Amram she bore Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam.

  4. Aaron’s four sons

    Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar were born to Aaron,

  5. Nadab and Abihu died

    but Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD.

  6. Up 1,000

    Levites: 23,000, no land

    The registration of the Levites totaled 23,000, every male a month old or more; they were not numbered among the other Israelites, because no inheritance was given to them among the Israelites.

Only Caleb and Joshua Remain

These were the ones numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho.

Among all these, however, there was not one who had been numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Wilderness of Sinai.

For the LORD had told them that they would surely die in the wilderness. Not one was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

Numbers 26:65

Pray

Faithful to the end

Of a whole generation, only two men walked out of the wilderness and on toward the land: Caleb and Joshua, who trusted God when everyone else would not. Ask God for that kind of faith, one that keeps following Him wholeheartedly when the crowd turns back. Then pray for the next generation around you, your children, your church’s young people, someone you are helping to grow, that they would trust Him and go in.

You’ve experienced

Numbers 26

0 of 36 chapters read

A verse to carry with you

For the LORD had told them that they would surely die in the wilderness. Not one was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

Numbers 26:65

or swipe left