Seventh-day Adventist Bible CommentaryNumbers 26

Take the sum. A similar command had been given to Moses and Aaron in chs. 1:2 and 4:1, 2. Aaron was now dead, and his son Eleazar now shares with Moses the responsibilities of leadership. In the first census a man was appointed of each tribe, as head of his father’s house, to cooperate with Moses and Aaron in the numbering of the people. Though such arrangement is not mentioned here, a similar plan was no doubt followed. The census of the people was to be the basis for dividing up the Promised Land (ch. 26:53). As yet, the children of Israel are on the steppes of Moab (ch. 22:1). Their fathers’ house. The tribal relationship of a child based on paternal descent (see ch. 1:2).

The plains of Moab. The first census had taken place in the wilderness (ch. 1:1).

From twenty years old. The previous census had been taken 38 years before, and those numbered were now dead (v. 64).

Reuben, the eldest son. Literally, “Reuben, the first-born” (see Gen. 46:8, 9; Ex. 6:14; Num. 1:20; 1 Chron. 5:3).The four names listed in vs. 5 and 6 were distinguished families within the tribe of Reuben, and agree with the other lists in the references given.

The families. Translated “kindreds” in Ps. 22:27. They that were numbered of them. The children of Reuben are nearly 3,000 less in number than they were 38 years previously (see ch. 1:21). The considerable decrease may have been due in part to the rebellion of Dathan and Abiram, who were Reubenites (ch. 16:1).

The sons. Plural, even though there was but one son. It was the correct formula to use even though it did not fit this precise instance (see also Gen. 46:23; 1 Chron. 1:41; 2:7; and Num. 26:36).

When they strove. See ch. 16:1–11.

A sign. A reference to ch. 16:38, where it is said that the personal censers of these men became a “sign.” The meaning here of the word thus translated is that of conspicuousness, in order to attract attention and constitute a warning. The general meaning is a “standard,” or “flag.”

The children of Korah. They continued to have a good name even in David’s time, and did not perish as did the descendants of Dathan and Abiram. The Korathites, a subdivision of the Levites, constituted one of the temple choirs. Compare the inscriptions to Ps. 42, 44–49, 84, 85, 87, 88.

Sons of Simeon. Compare the lists of Gen. 46:10; Ex. 6:15. Only Ohad is here omitted, perhaps because he had no children and his family had died out. In the lists of Genesis and Exodus, Nemuel is called Jemuel, and Jarib is called Jachin; but the form Nemuel is retained in 1 Chron. 4:24. With the passing of years the spelling of some names changed slightly, a common occurrence in most languages.

Zerah. Presumably the Zohar of Gen. 46:10 and Ex. 6:15. Shaul. The son of a Canaanitish woman (Gen. 46:10).

Simeonites. A decrease of 37,100. They were given a portion of Judah’s inheritance (Joshua 19:9).

Zephon. This name appears as Ziphion in Gen. 46:16.

Ozni. In Gen. 46:16, spelled Ezbon.

Arod. Arodi in Gen. 46:16.

The children of Gad. Some 5,000 less than at the previous census (ch. 1:25).

Er and Onan died. See Gen. 38:7–10 for the account of their death.

The sons of Judah. Compare Gen. 46:12. Shelah. The son of Judah by the daughter of Shuah (Gen. 38:2–5). Pharez. Pharez and Zerah were twin sons of Judah by Tamar (Gen. 38:29, 30).

Hezron. Judah had five sons, but Er and Onan died without offspring. Hezron and Hamul take their places (Gen. 46:12).

The families of Judah. The tribe of Judah was more numerous than any other. Aside from Caleb the old generation was dead, but the new exceeded the old in number by nearly 2,000 persons (see ch. 1:27).

Tola. The names Tola and Pua are both those of dyes. “Tola” was the cochineal insect from which scarlet dye is obtained, and “Pua,” a species of madder, an herbaceous climbing plant with yellow flowers from which a dye was made. The family of Tola was most prolific, numbering 22,600 men in the time of David (1 Chron. 7:2).

Jashub. In Gen. 46:13 he is, for some reason, named Job.

The families of Issachar. Nearly 10,000 more than at the first census (ch. 1:29; 2:6).

Zebulun. There was no change in the list of families of Zebulun since they entered into Egypt (Gen. 46:14). Elon. A Zebulonite by this name is found among the judges (Judges 12:11).

Zebulunites. Their numbers had increased greatly. Their gain was over 3,000 above the first census (ch. 1:31).

Joseph. Compare Gen. 46:20.

Sons of Manasseh. In ch. 32:39 the land of Gilead is given to Machir by Moses. Here, the terms of genealogy allude to that fact. Machir had no son, so the Machirites were afterward called Gileadites as well as Machirites. Their inheritance is mentioned in Joshua 17:1, 2.

Jeezer. In Joshua 17:2 it is given as Abiezer.

Shechem. For Shechem and Shemida (v. 32) compare Joshua 17:2.

Zelophehad. Compare Num. 27:1; 36:11; Joshua 17:3.

The families of Manasseh. This tribe registered an increase of more than 20,000 (ch. 1:35). Compare the prophecy of Jacob concerning the fruitfulness of the children of Joseph (Gen. 49:22).

Ephraim. The younger brother of Manasseh is mentioned next. Ephraim held the standard under which Manasseh encamped and marched (ch. 2:18). Shuthelah. He is mentioned again in 1 Chron. 7:20. Becher. Listed in 1 Chron. 7:20 as a clan with the name Bered. Tahan. Perhaps Tohu of 1 Sam. 1:1.

The sons of Ephraim. In the previous census (ch. 1:33) they numbered 8,000 more than now.

Benjamin. This tribe, like that of Manasseh, was also under the standard of Ephraim. There were altogether seven families, of which five were named after sons, and two after grandsons. When the sons of Benjamin went into Egypt there were ten of them (Gen. 46:21), but here in Num. 26:38, 39 there are but five. Five had either died or left no offspring. Time had brought changes in the spelling of their names, and the genealogies in some places are difficult to reconcile. Bela. Bela and Ashbel are named as in Genesis. Ahiram. The Ehi of Gen. 46:21, and Aharah of 1 Chron. 8:1.

Shupham. He and his brother Hupham appear in Gen. 46:21 as Muppim and Huppim, in 1 Chron. 7:12 as Shuppim and Huppim, and in 1 Chron. 8:5 as Shephuphan and Huram.

Ard and Naaman. These two grandsons of Benjamin, the sons of Bela, became separate families in Israel. One of these grandsons was named after Ard his uncle, the youngest son of Benjamin, called Addar in 1 Chron. 8:3.

The sons of Benjamin. The record shows an increase of more than 10,000 above the previous reckoning (ch. 1:37).

Shuham. In Gen. 46:23 he is called Hushim; a variation in spelling, as is common in all languages. This is often true today with foreign names found in the United States. In the Bible such changes are by no means confined to the names of people. They may be found with trees, such as the almug of 1 Kings 10:11, 12, which is algum in 2 Chron. 2:8.

The names of cities have likewise changed, an example being Joshua’s burial place, Timnath-serah in Joshua 24:30, but Timnath-heres in Judges 2:9.

Asher. Compare Gen. 46:17, where Jesui appears as Isui.

Sarah. In Gen. 46:17 the spelling Serah is given. The Hebrew root means “princess.”

The sons of Asher. This tribe reported a sturdy growth, being nearly 12,000 more than the census of ch. 1:41.

Naphtali. The names of Naphtali’s four sons have undergone no change since the record of Gen. 46:24.

The families of Naphtali. These are 8,000 less than the census of ch. 1:43.

The children of Israel. The census shows that the people numbered but 1,820 less than the census of ch. 1:46, taken 38 years previously.

Unto these. That is, the numbered families of the preceding verses. The Levites were not included. An inheritance. The land of Canaan was to be apportioned to these families and never alienated from them. The extent of the territory received depended upon the number of persons in each tribe, and each inheritance would bear the name of the tribal ancestor.

Thou shalt give. Spoken to Moses, but not fully carried out until the whole of Canaan was taken (Joshua 13:15–23; 14:1–5). Therefore the words mean that Moses was to pass on the Lord’s command.

Divided by lot. Decision by lot is a method of going back to very ancient times. It was an established belief that the lot was decided by divine intervention, as noted in Prov. 16:33. The same method was used at times in the early church (Acts 1:23–26). According to the names. Presumably the names were placed in a common receptacle and drawn out one at a time, as lots were called. Sometimes an adjustment of territory, depending upon the number ofpersons in a tribe, was made (Joshua 19:9, 47).

Levites. The census of the Levites was taken separately, as also at the first census (ch. 1:47).

Libnites. Thought to be connected with Libnah in southern Judah. The Libnites were descendants from Libni, the eldest son of Gershon. Hebronites. Descended from Hebron, a son of Kohath (Ex. 6:18; Num. 3:19). It would seem natural to connect these people with the city called Hebron, near Libnah. Mahlites. A daughter or a family of Zelophehad is named Mahlah in v. 33, but the Mahlites and Mushites were from the two sons of Merari called Mahali and Mushi (Ex. 6:19; Num. 3:20). Korathites. See on v. 11. The Korathites are mentioned a number of times later on, in 1 Chron. 9:19 as doorkeepers, and in 2 Chron. 20:19 as choristers.

Nadab, and Abihu. See Lev. 10:1; Num. 3:4.

Were numbered. Compared with their number in the census of ch. 3:39 the count of the children of Levi showed an increase of 1,000.

Not a man of them. Compare Num. 14:23, 28, 29; Deut. 2:14, 15.

Ellen G. White

Caleb. God had promised to spare Caleb and Joshua, and allow them entrance into the land of Canaan on account of their courageous report (ch. 14:24, 30, 38). With these two men were Moses and Eleazar, as survivors of the first census, which was taken at Mount Sinai.

A generation had perished, aside from a few persons, under God’s protecting care, whom He had destined for greater things. Jehovah knows who are His (2 Tim. 2:19), ever keeping the names of His saints before Him (Ex. 33:17; Isa. 43:1) in the book of life (Rev. 3:5; Phil. 4:3). Caleb stands as a worthy example of loyalty to principle under the most adverse and trying circumstances.