MSB NUM Chapter 26

The Second Census of Israel

(Numbers 1:1–4)

After the plague [had ended], the LORD said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron the priest 2 “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, 4 “[Take a census of the men] twenty years of age or older,[fn] as the LORD has commanded Moses.”

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

The Tribe of Reuben

Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. [These were] the descendants of Reuben:

• The Hanochite clan from Hanoch,
• the Palluite clan from Pallu,
6 
• the Hezronite clan from Hezron,
• [and] the Carmite clan from Carmi.
7 

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

Now the son of Pallu was Eliab, 9 and the sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram.

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. 10 And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire consumed250 men. They serve as a warning sign. 11 However, the line of Korah did not die out.

The Tribe of Simeon

[These were] the descendants of Simeon by their clans:

• The Nemuelite clan from Nemuel,[fn]
• the Jaminite clan from Jamin,
• the Jachinite clan from Jachin,
13 
• the Zerahite clan from Zerah,[fn]
• [and] the Shaulite clan from Shaul.
14 

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

The Tribe of Gad

[These were] the descendants of Gad by their clans:

• The Zephonite clan from Zephon,
• the Haggite clan from Haggi,
• the Shunite clan from Shuni,
16 
• the Oznite clan from Ozni,
• the Erite clan from Eri,
17 
• the Arodite clan from Arod,[fn]
• [and] the Arelite clan from Areli.
18 

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

The Tribe of Judah

The sons of Judah [were] Er and Onan, but they died in the land of Canaan. 20 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.
21 
• And [these were] the descendants of Perez:
  • the Hezronite clan from Hezron
  • [and] the Hamulite clan from Hamul.
  22 

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

The Tribe of Issachar

[These were] the descendants of Issachar by their clans:

• The Tolaite clan from Tola,
• the Punite clan from Puvah,[fn]
24 
• the Jashubite clan from Jashub,[fn]
• [and] the Shimronite clan from Shimron.
25 

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

The Tribe of Zebulun

[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.
27 

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

The Tribe of Manasseh

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

[These were] the descendants of Manasseh:

• The Machirite clan from Machir, the father of Gilead,
• [and] the Gileadite clan from Gilead.
30 
• These [were] the descendants of Gilead:
  • the Iezerite clan from Iezer,[fn]
  • the Helekite clan from Helek,
  31 
  • the Asrielite clan from Asriel,
  • the Shechemite clan from Shechem,
  32 
  • the Shemidaite clan from Shemida,
  • [and] the Hepherite clan from Hepher.
  33 
  • Now Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons but only daughters. The names of [his] daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
  34 

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

The Tribe of Ephraim

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.
36 
• And the descendants of Shuthelah [were] the Eranite clan from Eran.
37 

These [were] the clans vvv of Ephraim, and their registration numbered . . . 32,500

These clans [were] the descendants of Joseph.

The Tribe of Benjamin

[These were] the descendants of Benjamin by their clans:

• The Belaite clan from Bela,
• the Ashbelite clan from Ashbel,
• the Ahiramite clan from Ahiram,
39 
• the Shuphamite clan from Shupham,[fn]
• [and] the Huphamite clan from Hupham.
40 
• And the descendants of Bela from Ard and Naaman [were] the Ardite clan [from Ard][fn] [and] the Naamite clan from Naaman.
41 

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

The Tribe of Dan

These [were] the descendants of Dan by their clans:

• The Shuhamite clan from Shuham.

These were the clans of Dan 43 All [of them] [were] Shuhamite clans, and their registration numbered . . . 64,400

The Tribe of Asher

[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.
45 
• [And these were] the descendants of Beriah:
  • the Heberite clan from Heber
  • [and] the Malchielite clan from Malchiel.
  46 
• And the name of Asher’s daughter was Serah.
47 

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

The Tribe of Naphtali

[These were] the descendants of Naphtali by their clans:

• The Jahzeelite clan from Jahzeel,
• the Gunite clan from Guni,
49 
• the Jezerite clan from Jezer,
• [and] the Shillemite clan from Shillem.
50 

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

These men of Israel numbered 601,730 [in all]

Inheritance by Lot

Then the LORD said to Moses 53 “The land is to be divided among [the tribes] as an inheritance, according to the number of names. 54 Increase the inheritance for a large [tribe] and decrease it for a small one; each [tribe] is to receive its inheritance according to the number of those registered.

Indeed, the land must be divided by lot; they shall receive their inheritance according to the names of the tribes of their fathers. 56 Each inheritance is to be divided by lot among the larger and smaller tribes.”

The Levites Numbered

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.
58 

These [were] the families of the Levites:

• The Libnite clan,
• the Hebronite clan,
• the Mahlite clan,
• the Mushite clan,
• and the Korahite clan.

Now Kohath was the father of Amram, 59 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. 60 Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar were born to Aaron 61 but Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized[fn] fire before the LORD.

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. 65 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.