Numbers 26 Introduction

Structure and Formatting

4. At the plains of Moab (22:1–36:13) * A second census (26:1–65)In this chapter, Moses and Eleazar take a census of the Israelite men who are at least 20 years old and who can be soldiers. They count the Levites separately. This census shows that none of the Israelites who left Egypt are still alive except for Moses, Caleb, and Joshua.

Religious and Cultural Concepts in This Chapter

Census

In this census, Moses and Eleazar list all the Israelite men who are able to fight or, in the case of the Levites, to serve at the sacred tent. They list the men by their clans, which are subgroups within tribes. While the author uses different words in this chapter, the general format is similar to chapter 1. See how you translated the census record there.

Subclans

For every tribe, the author lists major clans that make up that tribe. In some cases, the author also lists smaller groups within those clans. These smaller groups are sometimes called subclans. Consider what terminology you might use for major groups within a tribe and the smaller groups that make up those major groups. (See: clan)

Dividing the land

In (26:53–56)[../26/53.md], Yahweh gives Moses instructions on how to divide the land up among the tribes. He indicates that larger groups should receive more land than smaller groups. He also indicates that the Israelites should cast lots to see who gets what land. Scholars debate how these two strategies work together. It seems most probable that the Israelites cast lots to see where their land would be, and then they decided on the size of the area based on the size of the tribal group. The author does not directly state whether the lots were cast for each tribe, for each clan, or for each individual. Because the census earlier in the chapter focuses on individual clans, the UST indicates that these instructions are about clans.

Lots

In [26:53–56](../26/53.md), Yahweh gives Moses instructions on how to divide up the land among the Israelites. These instructions include using lots. Using lots was a way to randomize decisions. Lots could be cast, which would mean rolling or throwing marked stones or pieces of wood to see which side would land upright. Lots could be drawn, which would mean picking marked items without looking at the marks. In this culture, people believed that the decisions, although random from a human perspective, were directed by God. Consider how you might refer to this way of making decisions, which removes human choice but leaves open divine choice. (See: lots)

The Levites

In [26:57–62](../26/57.md). Moses and Eleazar count the Levites. The author states why the Levites are counted separately. They do not receive land, so they are not counted among the rest of the Israelites in this census. Additionally, every male who is at least one month old is counted, unlike with the rest of the Israelites, who are counted if they are at least 20 years old. The placement of the Levites after the list of the rest of the Israelites shows that the Levites are set apart for God.

Translation Issues in This Chapter

Repetition and variation

Many of the entries in this list use the exact same wording. However, in some cases the wording is slightly different, with some words omitted or other words chosen instead. See the ULT for a representation of the differences. Unless the differences are significant, the UST generally models how to keep the entries similar.

Large numbers

The numbers in this chapter are all over 10,000. Consider how you would express large numbers in your language and use that form consistently in this chapter. See how you translated the large numbers in [chapter 1](../01/01.md).

Breaks in the list

In [26:8–11](../26/08.md) and [26:19](../26/19.md), the author interrupts the census list to give some details about specific people or groups within a tribe. Consider how you might introduce and format these breaks in the list.