Numbers 26: 1 – 65
He Is An Expert In The Details?
26 And it came to pass, after the plague, that the LORD spoke to Moses and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying: 2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel from twenty years old and above, by their fathers’ houses, all who are able to go to war in Israel.” 3 So Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho, saying: 4 “Take a census of the people from twenty years old and above, just as the LORD commanded Moses and the children of Israel who came out of the land of Egypt.” 5 Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. The children of Reuben were: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites; 6 of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. 7 These are the families of the Reubenites: those who were numbered of them were forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty. 8 And the son of Pallu was Eliab. 9 The sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram, representatives of the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the LORD; 10 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah when that company died, when the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men; and they became a sign. 11 Nevertheless the children of Korah did not die. 12 The sons of Simeon according to their families were: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites; 13 of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites; of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites. 14 These are the families of the Simeonites: twenty-two thousand two hundred. 15 The sons of Gad according to their families were: of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the family of the Haggites; of Shuni, the family of the Shunites; 16 of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites; 17 of Arod, the family of the Arodites; of Areli, the family of the Arelites. 18 These are the families of the sons of Gad according to those who were numbered of them: forty thousand five hundred. 19 The sons of Judah were Er and Onan; and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. 20 And the sons of Judah according to their families were: of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites; of Perez, the family of the Parzites; of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites. 21 And the sons of Perez were: of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites. 22 These are the families of Judah according to those who were numbered of them: seventy-six thousand five hundred. 23 The sons of Issachar according to their families were: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites; of Puah, the family of the Punites; 24 of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites. 25 These are the families of Issachar according to those who were numbered of them: sixty-four thousand three hundred. 26 The sons of Zebulun according to their families were: of Sered, the family of the Sardites; of Elon, the family of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites. 27 These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those who were numbered of them: sixty thousand five hundred. 28 The sons of Joseph according to their families, by Manasseh and Ephraim, were: 29 The sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites; and Machir begot Gilead; of Gilead, the family of the Gileadites. 30 These are the sons of Gilead: of Jeezer, the family of the Jeezerites; of Helek, the family of the Helekites; 31 of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites; 32 of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites; of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites. 33 Now Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters; and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 34 These are the families of Manasseh; and those who were numbered of them were fifty-two thousand seven hundred. 35 These are the sons of Ephraim according to their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthalhites; of Becher, the family of the Bachrites; of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites. 36 And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the Eranites. 37 These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those who were numbered of them: thirty-two thousand five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph according to their families. 38 The sons of Benjamin according to their families were: of Bela, the family of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites; 39 of Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites. 40 And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites; of Naaman, the family of the Naamites. 41 These are the sons of Benjamin according to their families; and those who were numbered of them were forty-five thousand six hundred. 42 These are the sons of Dan according to their families: of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan according to their families. 43 All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those who were numbered of them, were sixty-four thousand four hundred. 44 The sons of Asher according to their families were: of Jimna, the family of the Jimnites; of Jesui, the family of the Jesuites; of Beriah, the family of the Beriites. 45 Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites; of Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites. 46 And the name of the daughter of Asher was Serah. 47 These are the families of the sons of Asher according to those who were numbered of them: fifty-three thousand four hundred. 48 The sons of Naphtali according to their families were: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the family of the Gunites; 49 of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites. 50 These are the families of Naphtali according to their families; and those who were numbered of them were forty-five thousand four hundred. 51 These are those who were numbered of the children of Israel: six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty. 52 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 53 “To these the land shall be divided as an inheritance, according to the number of names. 54 To a large tribe you shall give a larger inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a smaller inheritance. Each shall be given its inheritance according to those who were numbered of them. 55 But the land shall be divided by lot; they shall inherit according to the names of the tribes of their fathers. 56 According to the lot their inheritance shall be divided between the larger and the smaller.” 57 And these are those who were numbered of the Levites according to their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites; of Merari, the family of the Merarites. 58 These are the families of the Levites: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, and the family of the Korathites. And Kohath begot Amram. 59 The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and to Amram she bore Aaron and Moses and their sister Miriam. 60 To Aaron were born Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 61 And Nadab and Abihu died when they offered profane fire before the LORD. 62 Now those who were numbered of them were twenty-three thousand, every male from a month old and above; for they were not numbered among the other children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given to them among the children of Israel. 63 These are those who were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho. 64 But among these there was not a man of those who were numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they numbered the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Sinai. 65 For the LORD had said of them, “They shall surely die in the wilderness.” So there was not left a man of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.
Is it better to be a big picture person or an expert in the details?
They say that there are two types of people – the ‘big picture people’ and the ‘details people.’ The big picture people tend to be creative, strategic, and visionary… but they can also be messy, disorganized, and forgetful. On the other hand, the details people are conscientious and exacting… but can lack perspective or fail to prioritize. These two types tend to complement each other and work together very well. You’ll often find this division in partnerships and many times the CEO is a big picture person while the COO and the CFO are the details people.
But what if your role requires both strategic thinking and attention to detail? Most people are naturally more skilled at one or the other, and there are a lucky few who do both equally well. Whether you have good attention to detail or whether you can see the big picture easily and clearly is generally part of your personality. But it can also be a learned skill, if you wish to develop it. There are systems and processes that can help you override your natural tendencies when needed. Here are a couple of statements regarding the two types;
Typical of the Big Picture Thinker
•You can quickly see patterns in complex problems.
•You like to come up with new ideas and new projects.
•You have a low tolerance for busywork, tedious errands, and filling out forms.
•You are great at outlining what needs to be done, but filling in the details can feel frustrating.
Typical of the Details Thinker
•You think about things in great detail and sometimes miss the big picture.
•While you are certainly smart, others may joke that you lack common sense. I worked with a guy that people would say that he has more degrees than Carter has pills yet he doesn’t have enough common sense to park a bike.
•You would prefer to edit or tweak a plan than to come up with it from scratch.
•Highlighting study notes doesn’t work for you, because you end up highlighting everything.
•You may have a tendency to over-think things.
•You have excellent attention to detail.
Today we are going to see that our Great God Is Omniscient which says that He Is All Knowing. He knows everything. He Is able to be both One Who Is perfect in details and at the same time He knows the whole big picture.
We now come to the final main section of the book. It will commence with the numbering of Israel, a sign that they were making ready for the final push, and is divided up into rededication and preparations for entering the land (26-32), and warning and encouragement with respect to it (33-36). The first section concentrates on the mobilization and dedication of the people of Yahweh, and the punishment of those who by their behavior hinder that mobilization and dedication.
This chapter contains the numbering of the new Israel who had replaced the previous generation, followed by provisions in respect of the allocation of the land, and the numbering of the Levites. Its lesson to us today is that God numbers us for service, some to fight in the world, and some to minister in His Tabernacle, with the promise of the allocation of our reward in His heavenly kingdom. Let us therefore beware that we are not of those who die in the wilderness with their service unfulfilled.
With the land almost in sight the armies of Israel were to be ‘numbered’, that is, organized for warfare, while the Levites would be organized for service.
26 And it came to pass, after the plague, that the LORD spoke to Moses and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying: 2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel from twenty years old and above, by their fathers’ houses, all who are able to go to war in Israel.”
The plague having ceased and Yahweh having become reconciled to Israel through the action of Phinehas, Yahweh spoke to Moses and Eleazar the Priest. Eleazar has adequately stepped into his father’s shoes. With Joshua he will provide Israel with effective leadership throughout the conquest.
The command was to ‘number’ Israel, that is, assessing the forces available for warfare. These were to consist of all who were twenty years old and upwards.
3 So Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho, saying: 4 “Take a census of the people from twenty years old and above, just as the LORD commanded Moses and the children of Israel who came out of the land of Egypt.”
In strict obedience Moses and Eleazar passed on the command in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho. The invasion would soon begin.
5 Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. The children of Reuben were: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites; 6 of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. 7 These are the families of the Reubenites: those who were numbered of them were forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty.
The tribe of Reuben was listed by its four sub-tribes, the Hanochites, the Palluites, the Hezronites, and the Carmites. The total men available to be soldiers was 43, 730.
8 And the son of Pallu was Eliab. 9 The sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram, representatives of the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the LORD; 10 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah when that company died, when the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men; and they became a sign. 11 Nevertheless the children of Korah did not die.
Please notice the words, ‘They became a sign.’ They were ever a warning against rebellion, and against seeking to usurp the priesthood. It is stressed that the actual sons of Korah were not included in the rebellion.
12 The sons of Simeon according to their families were: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites; 13 of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites; of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites. 14 These are the families of the Simeonites: twenty-two thousand two hundred.
The tribe of Simeon was listed by its five sub-tribes, the Nemuelites, the Jaminites, the Jachinites, the Zerahites and the Shaulites. The count of men avail compared to the first count came only up to 22, 200. The huge drop in numbers of the Simeonites partly reflects their part in the sin of Peor when seemingly a larger portion of their leaders were executed, and a large number died in the plague. This emphasizes how much they were involved and confirms why Moses excluded their name from the list of tribes in his blessing.
15 The sons of Gad according to their families were: of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the family of the Haggites; of Shuni, the family of the Shunites; 16 of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites; 17 of Arod, the family of the Arodites; of Areli, the family of the Arelites. 18 These are the families of the sons of Gad according to those who were numbered of them: forty thousand five hundred.
The tribe of Gad was listed by its seven sub-tribes, the Zephonites, the Haggites, the Shunites, the Oznites, the Erites, the Arodites and the Arelites. The number of fighting age men was 40, 500.
19 The sons of Judah were Er and Onan; and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. 20 And the sons of Judah according to their families were: of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites; of Perez, the family of the Parzites; of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites. 21 And the sons of Perez were: of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites. 22 These are the families of Judah according to those who were numbered of them: seventy-six thousand five hundred.
The tribe of Judah was listed by its three sub-tribes, including two prominent clans; the Shelanites, the Perezites, split into the Hezronites and the Hamulites, and the Zerahites. Amazingly the total of fighting men from this tribe was 76, 500.
23 The sons of Issachar according to their families were: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites; of Puah, the family of the Punites; 24 of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites. 25 These are the families of Issachar according to those who were numbered of them: sixty-four thousand three hundred.
The tribe of Issachar was listed by its four sub-tribes, the Tolaites, the Punites, the Jashubites, and the Shimronites. This tribe also had a good amount of men available to be warriors at 64, 300.
26 The sons of Zebulun according to their families were: of Sered, the family of the Sardites; of Elon, the family of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites. 27 These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those who were numbered of them: sixty thousand five hundred.
The tribe of Zebulun was listed by its three sub-tribes, the Seredites, the Elonites, and the Jahleelites. This tribe was also fruitful in that their census came up to 60, 500.
28 The sons of Joseph according to their families, by Manasseh and Ephraim, were: 29 The sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites; and Machir begot Gilead; of Gilead, the family of the Gileadites. 30 These are the sons of Gilead: of Jeezer, the family of the Jeezerites; of Helek, the family of the Helekites; 31 of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites; 32 of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites; of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites. 33 Now Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters; and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 34 These are the families of Manasseh; and those who were numbered of them were fifty-two thousand seven hundred.
The tribe of Joseph was split into two tribes, those of Manasseh and Ephraim. We are here given details of the tribe of Manasseh. They were listed by their sub-tribe, the Machirites who then seemingly subdivided into the sub-tribes of the Machirites and the Gileadites, the latter dividing into the clans of the Iezerites, the Helekites, the Asrielites, the Shechemites, the Shemidaites, and the Hepherites. This tribe contributed 52, 700 fighting men.
35 These are the sons of Ephraim according to their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthalhites; of Becher, the family of the Bachrites; of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites. 36 And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the Eranites. 37 These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those who were numbered of them: thirty-two thousand five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph according to their families.
The tribe of Ephraim was listed by its three sub-tribes, the Shuthelahites, the Becherites, and the Tahanites, together with the clan of the Eranites, descended from Shuthelah. 32, 500 men were counted in this tribe.
38 The sons of Benjamin according to their families were: of Bela, the family of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites; 39 of Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites. 40 And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites; of Naaman, the family of the Naamites. 41 These are the sons of Benjamin according to their families; and those who were numbered of them were forty-five thousand six hundred.
The tribe of Benjamin was listed by its five sub-tribes, the Belaites, the Ashbelites, the Ahiramites, the Shuphamites, and the Huphamites, together with its clans of the Ardites and the Naamites.. Benjamin accounted for 45, 600 able men available to fight.
42 These are the sons of Dan according to their families: of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan according to their families. 43 All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those who were numbered of them, were sixty-four thousand four hundred.
Dan was not split into sub-tribes, the only tribe being named from a son of Dan, who is called Shuham here, but Hushim in Genesis 46.23. Dan also accounted for a good number of fighters which was 64, 400.
44 The sons of Asher according to their families were: of Jimna, the family of the Jimnites; of Jesui, the family of the Jesuites; of Beriah, the family of the Beriites. 45 Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites; of Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites. 46 And the name of the daughter of Asher was Serah. 47 These are the families of the sons of Asher according to those who were numbered of them: fifty-three thousand four hundred.
The tribe of Asher was listed by its five sub-tribes, the Imnites, the Ishvites, the Berites, the Heberites, and the Malchielites. Asher had a daughter named Serah who must have been of some importance to be mentioned. Possibly she was in line to inherit because she had no brothers as we find out in chapter 27.1-11. 53, 400 soldiers came from this tribe.
48 The sons of Naphtali according to their families were: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the family of the Gunites; 49 of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites. 50 These are the families of Naphtali according to their families; and those who were numbered of them were forty-five thousand four hundred.
The tribe of Naphtali was listed by its four sub-tribes, the Jahzeelites, the Gunites, the Jezerites, and the Shillemites. Naphtali produced 45,400 fighters.
51 These are those who were numbered of the children of Israel: six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty.
So the total ‘numbered’ for war amounted to 601, 730 soldiers available to serve in the Lord’s army.
Having numbered the men for war, the encouragement was now given by describing the future division of what they were fighting for, and in such a way as to establish it as a certainty.
52 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 53 “To these the land shall be divided as an inheritance, according to the number of names.
Again we are reminded that what we read are the words of Yahweh as given to Moses. While Eleazar was involved in the preparing of men for war, the division of the land was in the hands of the supreme leader.
To those tribes and clans now numbered the land was to be divided up for an inheritance in accordance with the number of names. This may signify the names of the clans as given above.
54 To a large tribe you shall give a larger inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a smaller inheritance. Each shall be given its inheritance according to those who were numbered of them.
The more numerous tribes would receive the larger inheritance, the less numerous the lesser inheritance. The inheritance would depend on the size of each tribe, sub-tribe and clan. Thus the numbering was not only so as to prepare the men for war, but also in order later to assist in the dividing of the land.
55 But the land shall be divided by lot; they shall inherit according to the names of the tribes of their fathers.
So the land was to be divided by lot, which would be decided by Yahweh (Proverbs 16.33), according to the number of their clans and their size. That is what the inheritance would be based on. The lot in mind was probably the Urim and Thummim.
56 According to the lot their inheritance shall be divided between the larger and the smaller.”
For during the use of the lot the number of families in each tribe and clan would be kept in mind. The larger clans would receive the more, the smaller clans the less.
57 And these are those who were numbered of the Levites according to their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites; of Merari, the family of the Merarites. 58 These are the families of the Levites: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, and the family of the Korathites. And Kohath begot Amram. 59 The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and to Amram she bore Aaron and Moses and their sister Miriam.
The sub-tribes of Levi were the Gershonites, the Kohathites and the Merarites. Further clans split of comprising the Libnites, the Hebronites, the Mahlites, the Mushites and the Korahites. We can see now why it was emphasised that the sons of Korah still lived.
The birth of Aaron and Moses, together with Miriam their sister, was now categorized. They were descended from Kohath, through Amram, whose wife was Yo-chebed.
60 To Aaron were born Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 61 And Nadab and Abihu died when they offered profane fire before the LORD.
Again attention is drawn to those who failed in Israel. Nadab and Abihu rebelled against Yahweh’s will and died. But also included are those who succeeded, and lived. Their future would speak for itself.
62 Now those who were numbered of them were twenty-three thousand, every male from a month old and above; for they were not numbered among the other children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given to them among the children of Israel.
The servants of the Holy Lord Yahweh young enough to serve was 23, 000.
63 These are those who were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho.
In verses 3-4 Moses and Eleazar commanded the numbering of all who were twenty years old and upwards ‘in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho’ (verse 3). Now we learn that their task was completed ‘in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho’, ready for crossing the Jordan when the command came from Yahweh.
64 But among these there was not a man of those who were numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they numbered the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Sinai.
But while the original numbering had been commanded concerning ‘ the children of Israel who came forth from the land of Egypt’ (verse 4), among those who were numbered this time there was not a man present of those who had been previously numbered. Apart from Moses, Caleb and Joshua no one was left who had been in Egypt or who had been numbered at Sinai. Yahweh’s judgment had been complete.
65 For the LORD had said of them, “They shall surely die in the wilderness.” So there was not left a man of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.
For they had all died in the wilderness as Yahweh had threatened. Yahweh’s word of judgment had been fulfilled. For it is not only God’s promises which are fulfilled, but also His warnings.
The suggestion may well be that the plague mentioned in verse 1 had finally resulted in the death of all who had remained alive of those who had been previously numbered. Now none was left alive apart from Caleb and Joshua.
It is a sad thought that those who were at Sinai had been numbered with such hopes. But sin and unbelief had found them out, and they never attained the promised rest. That was not a question of their eternal destiny, but of what could have been theirs in this life. Instead of enjoying forty years in the land of milk and honey they had endured forty years in the barren wilderness. We too need to beware, lest having been numbered by the Lord; we fail to achieve what He desires for us or to enter His true rest (Hebrews 3.7-4.11) by being unresponsive to Him. What fools we are if we forfeit both our present and future rewards for the passing pleasures of this life. Amen
