Numbers 26

God Commands a New Census After the Plague

1 After the plague, the Lord told Moses and Eleazar (son of Aaron the priest).

2 “Take a census of the whole Israelite community, count all the men twenty years old and older who are able to fight.”

3 So Moses and Eleazar gathered the people on the plains of Moab, near the Jordan River across from Jericho.

4 They began counting the men, just as the Lord commanded Moses. This was the new generation of Israelites after the wilderness journey.

The Tribes & Their Numbers

The Tribe of Reuben

5 The descendants of Reuben (Israel’s firstborn) were: Hanoch (the clan of the Hanochites) Pallu (the clan of the Palluites) Hezron (the clan of the Hezronites) Carmi (the clan of the Carmites)

6 These were the clans of Reuben.

7 The total number of men was 43,730.

8 Pallu’s son was Eliab.

9 Eliab’s sons were Dathan and Abiram, the same men who rebelled with Korah against Moses and Aaron.

10 The earth opened up and swallowed them along with Korah and his followers when they challenged the Lord.

11 But Korah’s descendants did not die, they survived and had families.

The Tribe of Simeon

12 The descendants of Simeon were: Nemuel (the Nemuelite clan) Jamin (the Jaminite clan) Jakin (the Jakinite clan) Zerah (the Zerahite clan) Shaul (the Shaulite clan)

13 These were the clans of Simeon.

14 The total number of men was 22,200.

The Tribe of Gad

15 The descendants of Gad were: Zephon (the Zephonite clan) Haggi (the Haggite clan) Shuni (the Shunite clan) Ozni (the Oznite clan) Eri (the Erite clan) Arod (the Arodite clan) Areli (the Arelite clan)

16 These were the clans of Gad.

17 The total number of men was 40,500.

The Tribe of Judah

18 The descendants of Judah were: Shelah (the Shelanite clan) Perez (the Perezite clan) Zerah (the Zerahite clan)

19 Perez’s sons were: Hezron (the Hezronite clan) Hamul (the Hamulite clan)

20 These were the clans of Judah.

21 The total number of men was 76,500.

The Tribe of Issachar

22 The descendants of Issachar were: Tola (the Tolaite clan) Puvah (the Puvahite clan) Jashub (the Jashubite clan) Shimron (the Shimronite clan)

23 These were the clans of Issachar.

24 The total number of men was 64,300.

The Tribe of Zebulun

25 The descendants of Zebulun were: Sered (the Seredite clan) Elon (the Elonite clan) Jahleel (the Jahleelite clan)

26 These were the clans of Zebulun.

27 The total number of men was 60,500.

The Tribe of Manasseh (Joseph’s Son)

28 The descendants of Manasseh were: Machir (the Machirite clan)

29 Machir’s son was Gilead (the Gileadite clan).

30 Gilead’s descendants were: Iezer (the Iezerite clan) Helek (the Helekite clan) Asriel (the Asrielite clan) Shechem (the Shechemite clan) Shemida (the Shemidaite clan) Hepher (the Hepherite clan)

31 Hepher’s son Zelophehad had no sons, only daughters. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

32 These were the clans of Manasseh.

33 The total number of men was 52,700.

The Tribe of Ephraim (Joseph’s Son)

34 The descendants of Ephraim were: Shuthelah (the Shuthelahite clan) Beker (the Bekerite clan) Tahan (the Tahanite clan)

35 These were the clans of Ephraim.

36 The total number of men was 32,500.

The Tribe of Benjamin

37 The descendants of Benjamin were: Bela (the Belaite clan) Ashbel (the Ashbelite clan) Ahiram (the Ahiramite clan) Shupham (the Shuphamite clan) Hupham (the Huphamite clan)

38 These were the clans of Benjamin.

39 The total number of men was 45,600.

40 Bela’s family line also included Ard and Naaman, and each of them became the head of their own clan.

41 These families made up the clans of Benjamin and were counted together with the rest of the tribe.

The Tribe of Dan

42 The descendants of Dan came through Shuham, whose family became known as the Shuhamite clan.

43 These were the clans of Dan. The total number of men was 64,400.

The Tribe of Asher

44 The descendants of Asher were Imnah, Ishvi, and Beriah, and each family formed its own clan.

45 Beriah’s sons were Heber and Malchiel, and their families became the Heberite and Malchielite clans.

46 Asher also had a daughter named Serah.

47 These were the clans of Asher. The total number of men was 53,400.

The Tribe of Naphtali

48 The descendants of Naphtali were Jahzeel and Guni, and their families became the Jahzeelite and Gunite clans.

49 His other descendants were Jezer and Shillem, whose families became the Jezerite and Shillemite clans.

50 These were the clans of Naphtali. The total number of men was 45,400.

Final Census Count

51 The total number of men counted was 601,730.

Land Inheritance Is Determined

52 The Lord told Moses.

53 Divide the land among the tribes based on their population size.

54 The larger tribes get more land, the smaller ones get less.

55 The land must be divided by lot, with every tribe receiving its inheritance through its ancestral family line.

56 Whether a tribe is large or small, its portion will be assigned by lot according to the number of people in it.

Levites Are Counted Separately

57 The Levites were counted separately because they had no land inheritance.

58 The Levite clans included the Libnites, Hebronites, Mahlites, Mushites, and Korahites. Kohath was the ancestor of Amram.

59 Amram married Jochebed, a daughter of Levi who was born in Egypt. Their children were Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam.

60 Aaron’s sons were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

61 But Nadab and Abihu died when they brought unauthorized fire before the Lord.

62 The total number of Levite males one month and older was 23,000.

Only Two Men from the First Census Survived

63 These were the people counted by Moses and Eleazar the priest on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River, across from Jericho.

64 Not a single person counted in the first census (40 years ago) was still alive, except Joshua and Caleb.

65 The Lord had declared they would die in the wilderness, and they did. Only Joshua and Caleb survived.