5 Reuben, H7205 the eldest H1060 son of Israel: H3478 the children H1121 of Reuben; H7205 Hanoch, H2585 of whom cometh the family H4940 of the Hanochites: H2599 of Pallu, H6396 the family H4940 of the Palluites: H6384
The sons, H1121 I say, of Reuben H7205 the firstborn H1060 of Israel H3478 were, Hanoch, H2585 and Pallu, H6396 Hezron, H2696 and Carmi. H3756
And these are the names H8034 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 which came H935 into Egypt, H4714 Jacob H3290 and his sons: H1121 Reuben, H7205 Jacob's H3290 firstborn. H1060 And the sons H1121 of Reuben; H7205 Hanoch, H2585 and Phallu, H6396 and Hezron, H2696 and Carmi. H3756
Now the sons H1121 of Reuben H7205 the firstborn H1060 of Israel, H3478 (for he was the firstborn; H1060 but, forasmuch as he defiled H2490 his father's H1 bed, H3326 his birthright H1062 was given H5414 unto the sons H1121 of Joseph H3130 the son H1121 of Israel: H3478 and the genealogy is not to be reckoned H3187 after the birthright. H1062
And Leah H3812 conceived, H2029 and bare H3205 a son, H1121 and she called H7121 his name H8034 Reuben: H7205 for H3588 she said, H559 Surely H3588 the LORD H3068 hath looked H7200 upon my affliction; H6040 now therefore H3588 my husband H376 will love H157 me.
Gather yourselves together, H6908 and hear, H8085 ye sons H1121 of Jacob; H3290 and hearken H8085 unto Israel H3478 your father. H1 Reuben, H7205 thou art my firstborn, H1060 my might, H3581 and the beginning H7225 of my strength, H202 the excellency H3499 of dignity, H7613 and the excellency H3499 of power: H5794
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.