51 These were the numbered H6485 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 six H8337 hundred H3967 thousand H505 and a thousand H505 seven H7651 hundred H3967 and thirty. H7970
Even all they that were numbered H6485 were six H8337 hundred H3967 thousand H505 and three H7969 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred H3967 and fifty. H2572
And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 journeyed H5265 from Rameses H7486 to Succoth, H5523 about six H8337 hundred H3967 thousand H505 on foot H7273 that were men, H1397 beside H905 children. H2945
A bekah H1235 for every man, H1538 that is, half H4276 a shekel, H8255 after the shekel H8255 of the sanctuary, H6944 for every one that went H5674 to be numbered, H6485 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and upward, H4605 for six H8337 hundred H3967 thousand H505 and three H7969 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 men.
These are those which were numbered H6485 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 by the house H1004 of their fathers: H1 all those that were numbered H6485 of the camps H4264 throughout their hosts H6635 were six H8337 hundred H3967 thousand H505 and three H7969 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred H3967 and fifty. H2572
Who knoweth H3045 not in all these that the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 hath wrought H6213 this? In whose hand H3027 is the soul H5315 of every living thing, H2416 and the breath H7307 of all mankind. H376 H1320
Behold, he breaketh down, H2040 and it cannot be built again: H1129 he shutteth up H5462 a man, H376 and there can be no opening. H6605
He removeth away H5493 the speech H8193 of the trusty, H539 and taketh away H3947 the understanding H2940 of the aged. H2205 He poureth H8210 contempt H937 upon princes, H5081 and weakeneth H7503 the strength H4206 of the mighty. H650 He discovereth H1540 deep things H6013 out of darkness, H2822 and bringeth out H3318 to light H216 the shadow of death. H6757 He increaseth H7679 the nations, H1471 and destroyeth H6 them: he enlargeth H7849 the nations, H1471 and straiteneth H5148 them again.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Numbers 26
Commentary on Numbers 26 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 26
Nu 26:1-51. Israel Numbered.
1. after the plague—That terrible visitation had swept away the remnant of the old generation, to whom God sware in His wrath that they should not enter Canaan (Ps 95:11).
2. Take the sum of all the congregation—The design of this new census, after a lapse of thirty-eight years, was primarily to establish the vast multiplication of the posterity of Abraham in spite of the severe judgments inflicted upon them; secondarily, it was to preserve the distinction of families and to make arrangements, preparatory to an entrance into the promised land, for the distribution of the country according to the relative population of the tribes.
7. These are the families of the Reubenites—the principal households, which were subdivided into numerous smaller families. Reuben had suffered great diminution by Korah's conspiracy and other outbreaks [Nu 16:1].
10. the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah—rather, "the things of Korah." (See on Nu 16:35; compare Ps 106:17).
11. Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not—Either they were not parties to their father's crime, or they withdrew from it by timely repentance. His descendants became famous in the time of David, and are often mentioned in the Psalms [Ps 42:1; 44:1; 45:1; 46:1; 47:1; 48:1; 49:1; 84:1; 85:1; 87:1; 88:1], also in 1Ch 6:22, 38.
12. The sons of Simeon—It is supposed that this tribe had been pre-eminent in the guilt of Baal-peor and had consequently been greatly reduced in numbers.
Thus God's justice and holiness, as well as His truth and faithfulness, were strikingly displayed: His justice and holiness in the sweeping judgments that reduced the ranks of some tribes; and His truth and faithfulness in the extraordinary increase of others so that the posterity of Israel continued a numerous people.
53. the land shall be divided according to the number of names—The portion of each tribe was to be greater or less, according to its populousness.
54. To many thou shalt give the more inheritance—that is, to the more numerous tribes a larger allotment shall be granted.
according to those that were numbered—the number of persons twenty years old at the time of the census being made, without taking into account either the increase of those who might have attained that age, when the land should be actually distributed, or the diminution from that amount, occasioned during the war of invasion.
55. the land shall be divided by lot—The appeal to the lot did not place the matter beyond the control of God; for it is at His disposal (Pr 16:33), and He has fixed to all the bounds of their habitation. The manner in which the lot was taken has not been recorded. But it is evident that the lot was cast for determining the section of the country in which each tribe should be located—not the quantity of their possessions. In other words, when the lot had decided that a particular tribe was to be settled in the north or the south, the east or the west, the extent of territory was allocated according to the rule (Nu 26:54).
58. families of the Levites—The census of this tribe was taken separately, and on a different principle from the rest. (See Ex 6:16-19).
62. twenty and three thousand—so that there was an increase of a thousand (Nu 3:39).
males from a month old and upward—(See on Nu 3:14).
64. among these there was not a man … numbered … in the wilderness of Sinai—The statement in this verse must not be considered absolute. For, besides Caleb and Joshua, there were alive at this time Eleazar and Ithamar, and in all probability a considerable number of Levites, who had no participation in the popular defections in the wilderness. The tribe of Levi, having neither sent a spy into Canaan, nor being included in the enumeration at Sinai, must be regarded as not coming within the range of the fatal sentence; and therefore it would exhibit a spectacle not to be witnessed in the other tribes of many in their ranks above sixty years of age.