AM Bible Study Group; September 15, 2010

Numbers 26:1-65

Theme: This chapter describes the second numbering of the people of Israel before they entered the promised land.

This chapter describes for us the second numbering of the people of Israel just before the second generation entered the promised land. In this context, not only were the people about to conquer the Canaanite peoples, but they were also told that they will one day defeat the Midianites who had just brought great destruction upon them (see 25:16-18). And so, the purpose of this numbering was—in part—military (see v. 2). There was also the practical purpose of determining how the land would be apportioned to the different tribes (see vv. 52-56). But perhaps the most important purpose was to show that God had faithfully preserved the people throughout all their wanderings in the wilderness, and kept His promise to Abraham to give him a great nation (see Genesis 12: 1-3).

I. THE CENSUS COMMANDED (vv. 1-4).

Note that this census was taken “after the plague” (see 25:9-10). The numbers of the people would have, no doubt, been greater had it not been for their disobedience in uniting to the Midianites. The census was entrusted to Moses and to Aaron’s son Eleazar; and was taken “in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho”. Note that it is limited to those who were of battle-ready status (see also 1:3).

II. THE CENSUS TAKEN (vv. 5-51).

A. Note that the names of the heads of the clans of Reuben—as well as the other tribes— matches that of Genesis 46. God was showing to what degree He had remembered the various tribes and their clans. Reuben’s tribe (vv. 5-11) is mentioned first. Special recognition was made of the members of Reuben’s tribe who had sinned in the rebellion against Moses along with Korah (see chapter 16). Mention was also made of the fact that the family of Korah did not completely die off. Then followed Simeon (vv. 12-14), Gad (vv. 15-18), and Judah (vv. 19-22). In the case of Judah, special mention was made of the first two sons of Judah who were slain by the Lord (see Genesis 38). Then came Issachar (vv. 23-25), Zebulun (26-27), and Menasseh (vv. 28-34) and Ephriam (vv. 35- 37). Note here that in the case of Menasseh and Ephriam, it’s the sons of Joseph are made into two separate tribes rather than one tribe of Joseph. With Levi excluded from the census, this makes an even dozen of tribes. For Menassah, special mention was made of the daughters of Zelophehad, who had no sons. His daughters were apportioned land in chapter 27. Note that Ephriam was the smallest of tribes in the first census, but it became one of the largest by the second. Then came Benjamin (vv. 38- 41), then Dan—the second largest next to Judah (vv. 42-43), then Asher (vv. 44-47), then Naphtali (vv. 48-50).

B. A comparison of the totals from the second census with the first can be diagrammed as follows:

III. THE CENSUS APPLIED (vv. 51-56).

The total of all the people numbered was 601,730. This is less than the 603,550 of the first numbering (see 1:46). But still, the fighting force, after 40-years of wandering, had remained remarkably the same. The disobedience of the people did not alter the plan of God. Note here that the purpose of the numbering is specified with respect to the apportioning of the land.

IV. THE CENSUS LIMITED (vv. 57-62).

The tribe of Levi, because theirs was not a military purpose but one of care for the tabernacle and the worship—and also because they would not inherit a portion of the land, was numbered separately. Note that special mention was made of the loss of the sons of Aaron because of the strange fire offered in Leviticus 10. Their total—that is from a month old and above—was 23,000; as compared with the 22,273 of Numbers 3:43.

V. THE CENSUS ASSESSED (vv. 63-65).

Note that, in all of this, all the people of the former generation had died out. Only Caleb and Joshua remained alive to enter the land. Truly, God kept His promise (see 14:26-20).