Numbers 26

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. The hammageifah ('the plague') refers to the devastating epidemic at Baal Peor (Numbers 25:9) that killed 24,000. This second census takes place in the aftermath — the people must be recounted because the first generation has perished. Notably, Eleazar replaces his father Aaron (who died in Numbers 20:28) as the priestly partner in the census, marking the generational transition.

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. The idiom se'u et-rosh ('lift the head') means 'take a count/census.' The census parameters match Numbers 1:2-3 exactly: mibben esrim shanah vama'lah ('from twenty years and above'), leveit avotam ('by their ancestral households'), and kol-yotze tzava ('all going out to the army'). This deliberate mirroring invites comparison between the two generations.

Translator Notes

1. The location be'arvot Mo'av ('in the plains/steppes of Moab') al-Yarden Yerecho ('by the Jordan at Jericho') places this census at the doorstep of the Promised Land — geographically opposite to the first census at Sinai. The name arvot ('plains, arid steppes') describes the flat terrain east of the Jordan near the Dead Sea.

Translator Notes

1. The phrase ka'asher tzivvah YHVH et-Mosheh ('as the LORD commanded Moses') grounds the census in divine authority. The closing reference uvenei Yisra'el hayyotze'im me'eretz Mitzrayim ('and the Israelites who went out from the land of Egypt') transitions from instructions to the actual census list, beginning with the exodus generation's descendants.

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. The census begins with Re'uven bekhor Yisra'el ('Reuben, firstborn of Israel'), honoring the birth order despite Reuben's loss of the firstborn privileges (Genesis 49:3-4). Each son generates a mishpachah ('clan/family') with a gentilic adjective — HaChanokhi ('the Hanochite'). The clan structure tracks tribal subdivisions for military organization and land allocation.

Translator Notes

1. Chetzron and Karmi complete Reuben's four clans. These names are consistent with Genesis 46:9 and Exodus 6:14, maintaining genealogical continuity across the Torah. The gentilic forms (HaChetzroni, HaKarmi) use the standard -i suffix to denote clan membership.

Translator Notes

1. Reuben's second census total of 43,730 represents a decrease from the first census figure of 46,500 (Numbers 1:21) — a loss of 2,770. The term pequdehem ('their registered ones, their counted ones') derives from paqad ('to attend to, number, muster'). The decline may reflect the toll of wilderness judgments on this tribe.

Translator Notes

1. The singular benei Pallu ('sons of Pallu') yielding only Eli'av ('my God is father') narrows the genealogy to a single line of descent. This brevity sets up the important digression in verses 9-11 about Dathan, Abiram, and Korah — figures from this very clan.

Translator Notes

1. The parenthetical hu-Datan va'Aviram ('this is the same Dathan and Abiram') inserts a historical cross-reference into the census list. They were qeri'ei ha'edah ('the ones called/summoned by the community') — prominent leaders, not obscure figures. The ketiv-qere variant (qrw'y / qeri'ei) reflects textual transmission history. Their rebellion ba'adat-Qorach ('in the faction of Korah') is narrated in Numbers 16.

Translator Notes

1. The vivid vatiftach ha'aretz et-piha ('the earth opened its mouth') personifies the ground as an agent of divine judgment. The phrase vayyihyu lanes ('they became a sign/warning') indicates their fate served as an enduring cautionary example. The word nes here means 'warning sign' or 'signal' rather than its later sense of 'miracle.' The death of the 250 incense-burners by fire (ba'akhol ha'esh) is distinct from the ground's swallowing of Korah.

Translator Notes

1. This brief but theologically significant note — uvenei-Qorach lo-metu ('the sons of Korah did not die') — explains how Korahite clans survived to become Temple singers and psalm composers (see Psalm titles: 42, 44-49, 84-85, 87-88). God's judgment targeted the rebels, not their innocent offspring, demonstrating that guilt is not automatically inherited.

Translator Notes

1. Simeon's clan list here differs from Genesis 46:10 — Ohad is absent (perhaps absorbed into another clan), and the names show slight variations (Nemuel vs. Jemuel). The lemishpechotam ('by their clans') introduces the standard clan-listing formula that repeats for each tribe.

Translator Notes

1. Zerach and Sha'ul complete Simeon's five surviving clans (down from six in Genesis 46:10). Sha'ul is identified in Genesis 46:10 as the son of a Canaanite woman, making him unique among the tribal ancestors. The clan name haZarchi uses the standard gentilic suffix.

Translator Notes

1. Simeon suffered the most dramatic decline of any tribe: from 59,300 (Numbers 1:23) to 22,200 — a loss of 37,100, nearly 63%. Rabbinic tradition connects this massive reduction to the Baal Peor incident, where the ringleader Zimri was a Simeonite leader (Numbers 25:14). Simeon would later be absorbed into Judah's territory (Joshua 19:1).

Translator Notes

1. Gad's clan list begins with Tzefon (called Ziphion in Genesis 46:16), a name possibly meaning 'watchman' or 'north.' Gad had seven clans — a large number reflecting the tribe's military significance (cf. Genesis 49:19, 'a raiding band shall raid him'). The gentilic HaTzefoni follows the standard pattern.

Translator Notes

1. Ozni (called Ezbon in Genesis 46:16) and Eri continue Gad's clan listings. The name Ozni may derive from ozen ('ear'), possibly meaning 'attentive.' These variant name forms between Genesis and Numbers reflect natural development in oral and scribal transmission.

Translator Notes

1. Arod (called Arodi in Genesis 46:16) and Ar'eli complete Gad's seven clans. Ar'eli may mean 'lion of God' (ari + El), though the etymology is uncertain. The slight name variations (Arodi/Arod) between Genesis and Numbers show the flexibility of Hebrew name forms.

Translator Notes

1. Gad decreased from 45,650 (Numbers 1:25) to 40,500 — a reduction of 5,150. The term lifqudehem ('according to their registered ones') uses the same counting vocabulary as verse 7. Gad would later settle east of the Jordan in the territory of Gilead (Numbers 32).

Translator Notes

1. The census pauses to note that Er and Onan — Judah's firstborn and second son — vayamot ('died') be'eretz Kena'an ('in the land of Canaan') before the descent to Egypt. Their deaths (Genesis 38:7-10) eliminated two potential clan lines. Judah's surviving clans descend from his remaining sons Shelah, Perez, and Zerah.

Translator Notes

1. Judah's three surviving sons generate three primary clans. Peretz ('breach') — born when he 'broke through' before his twin Zerah (Genesis 38:29) — becomes the dominant line through which David and the Messianic lineage descend. The clan of Shelah appears first, following birth order among the survivors.

Translator Notes

1. Perez's sub-clans Chetzron and Chamul represent a second level of genealogical depth — clans within a clan. Chetzron's line is especially important: through him come Ram, Amminadab, Nahshon (the tribal prince), and eventually David (Ruth 4:18-22). This extra genealogical layer signals Judah's growing prominence.

Translator Notes

1. Judah increased from 74,600 (Numbers 1:27) to 76,500 — a gain of 1,900. Judah remains the largest tribe in both censuses, befitting its role as the leading tribe in march order (Numbers 2:3) and Jacob's royal blessing (Genesis 49:8-12). The term 'threescore' in the KJV renders shishah veshiv'im ('six and seventy').

Translator Notes

1. Issachar's clans begin with Tola ('worm, crimson') — a name associated with the crimson dye-producing insect. Puvah (here leFuvah, with the gentilic HaPuni) shows a variant spelling from Genesis 46:13's Puvvah. The four Issachar clans remain stable between the two census lists.

Translator Notes

1. Yashuv (called Iob/Job in Genesis 46:13) and Shimron complete Issachar's four clans. The name Yashuv means 'he returns,' while Shimron may relate to shamar ('to guard/watch'). The variant Iob/Yashuv represents a more significant name change than most — possibly reflecting an alternative family tradition.

Translator Notes

1. Issachar experienced significant growth: from 54,400 (Numbers 1:29) to 64,300 — a gain of 9,900, among the largest increases. The Hebrew arba'ah veshishim elef ('four and sixty thousand') uses the typical Hebrew number order (units before tens).

Translator Notes

1. Zebulun has only three clans — the fewest among the twelve tribes (excluding Levi). Sered, Elon ('oak/terebinth'), and Yachle'el ('God waits/hopes') are consistent with Genesis 46:14. Despite having few clans, Zebulun maintained a respectable population.

Translator Notes

1. Zebulun grew from 57,400 (Numbers 1:31) to 60,500 — an increase of 3,100. The tribe maintained strong numbers despite having only three clans, suggesting robust population growth within each clan. The KJV 'threescore' renders the Hebrew shishshim ('sixty').

Translator Notes

1. Joseph's two sons Menasheh and Efrayim each constitute a full tribe — Jacob's adoption of them (Genesis 48:5) effectively gave Joseph a double portion. Here Menasheh is listed first (birth order), though Ephraim received the primary blessing (Genesis 48:14-20). Together they replace the single 'tribe of Joseph.'

Translator Notes

1. Manasseh's genealogy traces through a single line: Menasheh → Makhir → Gil'ad, then branches into six sub-clans (vv. 30-32). Makhir ('sold') was Manasseh's only son. Gil'ad ('rocky region') gives his name to the Transjordanian territory. The verb holid ('fathered, begot') marks the generational descent.

Translator Notes

1. Gilead's sub-clans begin with I'ezer (abbreviated from Avi'ezer, 'my father is help') and Chelek ('portion'). These names recur in the land allocation of Joshua 17:2, where each Gileadite clan receives its territorial portion. The I'ezerite clan is associated with Gideon's family (Judges 6:11).

Translator Notes

1. Asri'el ('God has blessed me/vow of God') and Shekhem ('shoulder, ridge') continue the Gileadite sub-clans. The name Shekhem connects this clan to the important central Canaanite city, though the relationship between the personal name and the place is debated.

Translator Notes

1. Shemida ('name has known' or 'fame') and Chefer ('pit, well') complete the six Gileadite sub-clans of Manasseh. Chefer's clan is singled out in the next verse because of the Zelophehad inheritance case — one of the Torah's most significant precedents regarding women's property rights.

Translator Notes

1. This genealogical note — lo-hayu lo vanim ki im-banot ('he had no sons, only daughters') — anticipates the landmark legal case in Numbers 27:1-11 where these five women petition for and receive inheritance rights. Their individual naming (Machlah, No'ah, Choglah, Milkah, Tirtzah) is unusual in census lists and underscores their legal significance. The name Tzelofchad may mean 'shadow of fear' or 'protection from dread.'

Translator Notes

1. Manasseh experienced the largest growth of any tribe: from 32,200 (Numbers 1:35) to 52,700 — an increase of 20,500, or nearly 64%. This dramatic rise reversed the first census pattern where Ephraim was larger. Manasseh's expansion justified its claim to extensive Transjordanian territory.

Translator Notes

1. Ephraim's three primary clans — Shutelach, Bekher ('firstborn'), and Tachan — are fewer than Manasseh's six sub-clans. The name Shutelach is of uncertain etymology; Tachan may mean 'encampment' or 'grace.' Ephraim's clan structure is simpler than Manasseh's multi-level genealogy.

Translator Notes

1. Shuthelah produces one sub-clan through Eran ('watchful'), paralleling the Perez sub-clans in Judah (v. 21). This additional genealogical layer, present only for select clans, indicates which family lines achieved sufficient size and prominence to warrant independent recognition.

Translator Notes

1. Ephraim declined from 40,500 (Numbers 1:33) to 32,500 — a loss of 8,000. Combined with Manasseh's surge, the 'house of Joseph' dynamic shifted: Manasseh (52,700) now far exceeds Ephraim (32,500), reversing Jacob's preferential blessing of Ephraim. The closing phrase elleh venei-Yosef lemishpechotam ('these are Joseph's descendants by their clans') brackets the two half-tribes as one unit.

Translator Notes

1. Benjamin lists five clans (with two sub-clans in v. 40), making seven total. Bela ('swallowing'), Ashbel, and Achiram (possibly the same as Ehi in Genesis 46:21) begin the list. Benjamin's clan names show the most variation between Genesis and Numbers of any tribe, likely reflecting clan mergers and name changes over the generations.

Translator Notes

1. Shefufam (gentilic HaShufami) and Chufam complete Benjamin's primary clans. These names correspond to Muppim and Huppim in Genesis 46:21, with significant phonetic variation. The gentilic forms normalize these variant spellings into standardized clan designations.

Translator Notes

1. Bela's sub-clans Ard and Na'aman ('pleasant, gracious') create a second genealogical tier within Benjamin, similar to Perez's sub-clans in Judah. Na'aman's name means 'pleasantness' — the same root as the later Aramean general's name (2 Kings 5). These seven total Benjaminite clans sustained a tribe that would produce Israel's first king.

Translator Notes

1. Benjamin grew from 35,400 (Numbers 1:37) to 45,600 — an increase of 10,200, the second-largest gain after Manasseh. This growth is especially notable given Benjamin's small initial size. The tribe's expansion foreshadowed its later disproportionate influence in Israel's history, producing King Saul and the apostle Paul.

Translator Notes

1. Dan has only a single clan — Shucham (called Hushim in Genesis 46:23). Despite this remarkably simple genealogical structure, Dan was one of the largest tribes (v. 43). The repetitive phrasing elleh mishpechot Dan lemishpechotam ('these are Dan's clans by their families') fills the space where other tribes list multiple clans.

Translator Notes

1. Dan grew slightly from 62,700 (Numbers 1:39) to 64,400 — an increase of 1,700. Despite having only one clan, Dan was the second-largest tribe (after Judah's 76,500). The phrase kol-mishpechot haShuchami ('all the clans of the Shuhamites') uses the plural even though only one clan name is given, possibly indicating internal sub-divisions not formally listed.

Translator Notes

1. Asher's three primary clans — Yimnah ('prosperity, right hand'), Yishvi ('equal, level'), and Beri'ah ('in evil/misfortune' or 'excellence') — are supplemented by Beriah's sub-clans in verse 45. A fourth son, Ishuah, listed in Genesis 46:17, is absent here — his line may have died out or been absorbed into another clan.

Translator Notes

1. Beriah's sub-clans Chever ('companion, associate') and Malki'el ('my king is God') add depth to Asher's genealogy. Malki'el is a theophoric name expressing devotion to God as king — one of several such names in the census. These five total Asherite clans (three primary plus two sub-clans) sustained a mid-sized tribe.

Translator Notes

1. This brief note — veshem bat-Asher Serach — is remarkable: Serah is one of very few women named in a census list. She also appears in Genesis 46:17, suggesting she held a uniquely honored position in tribal memory. Rabbinic tradition attributes extraordinary longevity and wisdom to her. Her presence in a military census list is striking and unexplained in the text.

Translator Notes

1. Asher grew from 41,500 (Numbers 1:41) to 53,400 — a substantial increase of 11,900. This makes Asher one of the fastest-growing tribes, consistent with Moses' later blessing that Asher would be 'most blessed of sons' and would 'dip his foot in oil' (Deuteronomy 33:24).

Translator Notes

1. Naphtali's four clans begin with Yachtze'el ('God apportions') and Guni ('my protector' or 'painted/colored'). These names are consistent with Genesis 46:24. Naphtali's territory would later occupy the fertile Galilee region — the area where much of Jesus' ministry would take place centuries later.

Translator Notes

1. Yetzer ('form, inclination') and Shillem ('recompense, repayment') complete Naphtali's four clans. The name Shillem shares the root sh-l-m with shalom and shelamim, connecting to concepts of completion and wholeness. Naphtali's compact four-clan structure mirrors Issachar's.

Translator Notes

1. Naphtali decreased from 53,400 (Numbers 1:43) to 45,400 — a loss of 8,000. This significant decline parallels Ephraim's reduction. The phrase chamishshah ve'arba'im elef ('forty-five thousand') concludes the tribal census proper before the grand total in verse 51.

Translator Notes

1. The grand total of 601,730 is remarkably close to the first census total of 603,550 (Numbers 1:46) — a net decrease of only 1,820 despite the massive losses to plague, war, and divine judgment. The Hebrew shesh-me'ot elef va'elef sheva me'ot usheloshim ('six hundred thousand and a thousand, seven hundred and thirty') expresses the figure in a distinctive compound form. The near-stability of the overall population amid dramatic individual tribal shifts demonstrates divine faithfulness to the patriarchal promise of numerous descendants.

Translator Notes

1. The divine speech formula transitions from the census enumeration to its practical purpose — land allocation. The census was not merely demographic record-keeping but the basis for dividing the inheritance of the Promised Land among the tribes.

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. The verb techalek ('shall be divided/apportioned') from chalaq ('to divide, distribute') establishes the census-to-land connection. The phrase bemispar shemot ('by the number of names') means each person counted represents a claim on the land. The nachalah ('inheritance') is not mere property but a covenantal grant — permanent tribal territory within the Promised Land.

Translator Notes

1. The principle is proportional allocation: larav tarbeh nachalato ('for the many, increase its inheritance') and lam'at tam'it nachalato ('for the few, reduce its inheritance'). The verbs tarbeh and tam'it ('increase' and 'decrease') create a balanced pair. This ensures demographic fairness — larger tribes receive more land to support their population, smaller tribes less.

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. The akh ('however, only') introduces a qualification: despite the proportional principle, the actual location of each tribe's allotment is determined begoral ('by lot'). The goral ('lot') introduces a divine element — God controls the outcome (Proverbs 16:33). This creates a dual system: lot determines where; population size determines how much. The phrase lishemot mattot-avotam ('according to the names of their ancestral tribes') maintains tribal cohesion.

Translator Notes

1. The phrase al-pi haGoral ('according to the mouth/decision of the lot') personifies the lot as having a 'mouth' — it speaks God's will. The final bein rav lim'at ('between many and few') reaffirms that both large and small tribes participate in the same lot-based system. This concludes the land-allocation legislation triggered by the census.

Translator Notes

1. The Levites receive a separate census because they receive no territorial inheritance (v. 62). The three primary Levitical divisions — Gershon, Qehat, and Merari — trace to Levi's three sons (Genesis 46:11). Each had distinct tabernacle responsibilities: Gershonites handled the tent fabrics, Kohathites the sacred furniture, and Merarites the structural framework.

Translator Notes

1. Five Levitical sub-clans are listed without being assigned to their parent divisions — HaLibni (from Gershon), HaChevroni and HaQorchi (from Kohath), HaMachli and HaMushi (from Merari). The genealogical note uQehat holid et-Amram ('Kohath fathered Amram') transitions to the priestly lineage. This bridges from tribal census to priestly succession.

Translator Notes

1. Yokheved ('YHVH is glory') is remarkable as the first person in the Torah with a name containing the divine name element Yo-. She is identified as bat-Levi ('a daughter of Levi'), meaning a descendant of the tribe. The phrase asher yaldah otah leLevi beMitzrayim ('who was born to Levi in Egypt') locates her birth in Egypt. She bore Israel's three most important leaders: Aharon (priest), Mosheh (prophet/lawgiver), and Miryam (prophetess).

Translator Notes

1. Aaron's four sons are listed in birth order: Nadav ('generous'), Avihu ('he is my father'), El'azar ('God has helped'), and Itamar ('palm coast'). The passive vayyivvaled ('were born') emphasizes the divine gift of progeny. The first two will be noted as dead in the next verse, leaving the priestly line to continue through the latter two.

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. The phrase behaqqrivam esh-zarah ('when they brought near foreign/strange fire') refers to the catastrophic incident of Leviticus 10:1-2. The esh zarah ('unauthorized/alien fire') violated the prescribed method of offering. Their death lifnei YHVH ('before the LORD') — in the very sanctuary where God's presence dwelled — made it a paradigmatic warning about sacred boundaries.

Translator Notes

1. The Levites totaled 23,000, up from 22,000 at the first census (Numbers 3:39) — a modest gain of 1,000. Two key differences from the tribal census: (1) they were counted mibben-chodesh vama'lah ('from one month old and above') rather than twenty years, and (2) they received no nachalah ('inheritance') because God Himself was their inheritance (Numbers 18:20). The phrase lo hotpaqdu betokh benei-Yisra'el ('they were not counted among the Israelites') explains their separate enumeration.

Translator Notes

1. The concluding formula mirrors the opening (v. 3), creating an inclusio — paqdu et-benei Yisra'el be'arvot Mo'av ('they counted the Israelites in the plains of Moab'). Moses and Eleazar jointly conducted this census, as Aaron had jointly conducted the first with Moses (Numbers 1:3). The geographic marker al Yarden Yerecho ('by the Jordan at Jericho') emphasizes proximity to the Promised Land.

Translator Notes

1. The devastating verdict: uve'elleh lo-hayah ish ('among these there was not a man') from the first census. The juxtaposition of the two census locations — bemidbar Sinai ('in the wilderness of Sinai') versus be'arvot Mo'av (v. 63) — spans the entire wilderness period. An entire generation vanished between these two counts, fulfilling God's judgment in Numbers 14:29.

Translator Notes

1. The chapter closes with the two exceptions: Kalev ben-Yefunneh and Yehoshua bin-Nun — the only faithful spies (Numbers 14:6-9). The infinitive absolute mot yamuthu ('dying they shall die') intensified the death decree. The verb notar ('remained, survived') emphasizes that literally no one else from the Sinai census lived to reach this point. These two men bridge the generations, embodying the reward of covenant faithfulness amid universal judgment.