N
U M B E R S
CHAP. XXVI.
This book is called Numbers, from the
numberings of the children of
Israel
, of which it gives an account. Once they were numbered at
Mount Sinai
,
in the first year after they came out of
Egypt
, which we had an account of, ch. i. and ii.. And now a second time
they were numbered in the plains of
Moab
, just before they entered
Canaan
, and of this we have an account in this chapter. We have, I.
Orders given for the doing of it, ver. 1-4. II. A register of the families and
numbers of each tribe (ver. 5-50), and the sum total, ver. 51. III. Direction
given to divide the land among them, ver. 52-56. IV. The families and numbers
of the Levites by themselves, ver. 57-62. V. Notice taken of the fulfilling of
the threatening in the death of all those that were first numbered, ver.
63-65), and to this there seems to have been a special regard in the taking
and keeping of this account.
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The
Numbering of the People.
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B.
C. 1452.
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1 And it came to pass
after the plague, that the LORD
spake unto Moses and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying,
2 Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of
Israel
, from twenty years old and
upward, throughout their fathers' house, all that are able to go to war in
Israel
. 3 And Moses and
Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of
Moab
by
Jordan
near
Jericho
, saying, 4 Take
the sum of the people, from twenty years old and upward; as the LORD
commanded Moses and the children of
Israel
, which went forth out of the
land
of
Egypt
.
Observe here, 1. That Moses did not number the people but when God commanded
him. David in his time did it without a command, and paid dearly for it. God
was
Israel
's king, and he would not have
this act of authority done but by his express orders. Moses, perhaps, by this
time, had heard of the blessing with which Balaam was constrained, sorely
against his will, to bless Israel, and particularly the notice he took of
their numbers; and he was sufficiently pleased with that general testimony
borne to this instance of their strength and honour by an adversary, though he
knew not their numbers exactly, till God now appointed him to take the sum of
them. 2. Eleazar was joined in commission with him, as Aaron had been before,
by which God honoured Eleazar before the elders of his people, and confirmed
his succession. 3. It was presently after the plague that this account was
ordered to be taken, to show that though God had in justice contended with
them by that sweeping pestilence, yet he had not made a full end, nor would he
utterly cast them off. God's
Israel
shall not be ruined, though it
be severely rebuked. 4. They were now to go by the same rule that they had
gone by in the former numbering, counting those only that were able to go
forth to war, for this was the service now before them.
5
Reuben, the eldest son of
Israel
:
the children of Reuben; Hanoch, of whom cometh 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: and they that were numbered
of them were forty and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty.
8 And the sons of Pallu; Eliab. 9 And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel,
and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were
famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the
company of Korah, when they strove against the LORD:
10 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah,
when that company died, what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men:
and they became a sign. 11 Notwithstanding the children of Korah
died not. 12 The sons of Simeon after their families: 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 and two thousand and two hundred.
15 The children of Gad after their families: 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 children of Gad according to those that were numbered of them,
forty thousand and 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
after their families were; of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites: of Pharez,
the family of the Pharzites: of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites.
21 And the sons of Pharez 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 that were numbered of them, threescore and sixteen thousand
and five hundred. 23 Of the sons of Issachar after their
families: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites: of Pua, 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 that were numbered of them, threescore
and four thousand and three hundred. 26 Of the sons of
Zebulun after their families: 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 that
were numbered of them, threescore thousand and five hundred. 28
The sons of Joseph after their families were Manasseh and
Ephraim. 29 Of the sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the
Machirites: and Machir begat
Gilead
:
of
Gilead
come 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 And of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites:
and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites: 32 And of
Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites: and of Hepher, the family of
the Hepherites. 33 And Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons,
but daughters: and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah,
and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 34 These are the
families of Manasseh, and those that were numbered of them, fifty and two
thousand and seven hundred. 35 These are the sons of
Ephraim after 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 that were numbered of them, thirty and two thousand and
five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph after their families.
38 The sons of Benjamin after their families: 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: and of Naaman,
the family of the Naamites. 41 These are the sons of
Benjamin after their families: and they that were numbered of them were
forty and five thousand and six hundred. 42 These are the
sons of Dan after their families: of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites.
These are the families of Dan after their families. 43 All
the families of the Shuhamites, according to those that were numbered of them,
were threescore and four thousand and four hundred. 44 Of
the children of Asher after their families: 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 Sarah. 47 These are
the families of the sons of Asher according to those that were numbered of
them; who were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.
48 Of the sons of Naphtali after their families: 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
they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and four
hundred. 51 These were the numbered of the children of
Israel
,
six hundred thousand and a thousand seven hundred and thirty.
This
is the register of the tribes as they were now enrolled, in the same order
that they were numbered in ch. i. Observe,
I. The account that is here kept of the families of each tribe, which must not
be understood of such as we call families, those that live in a house
together, but such as were the descendants of the several sons of the
patriarchs, by whose names, in honour of them, their posterity distinguished
themselves and one another. The families of the twelve tribes are thus
numbered:--Of Dan but one, for Dan had but one son, and yet that tribe was the
most numerous of all except
Judah
, v. 42, 43. Its
beginning was small, but its latter end greatly increased. Zebulun was divided
into three families, Ephraim into four, Issachar into four, Naphtali into
four, and Reuben into four; Judah, Simeon, and Asher, had five families
apiece, Gad and Benjamin seven apiece, and Manasseh eight. Benjamin brought
ten sons into Egypt (Gen. xlvi. 21), but three of them, it seems either died
childless or their families were extinct, for here we find seven only of those
names preserved, and that whole tribe none of the most numerous; for
Providence, in the building up of families and nations, does not tie itself to
probabilities. The barren hath borne seven, and she that hath many children
has waxed feeble, 1 Sam. ii. 5.
II. The numbers of each tribe. And here our best entertainment will be to
compare these numbers with those when they were numbered at
Mount Sinai
. The sum total was nearly the
same; they were now 1820 fewer than they were then; yet seven of the tribes
had increased in number.
Judah
had increased 1900, Issachar
9900, Zebulun 3100, Manasseh 20, 500, Benjamin 10,200, Dan 1700, and Asher
11,900. But the other five had decreased more than to balance that increase.
Reuben had decreased 2770, Simeon 37,100, Gad 5150, Ephraim 8000, and Naphtali
8000. In this account we may observe, 1. That all the three tribes that were
encamped under the standard of Judah, who was the ancestor of Christ, had
increased, for his church shall be edified and multiplied. 2. That none of the
tribes had increased so much as that of Manasseh, which in the former account
was the smallest of all the tribes, only 32,200, while here it is one of the
most considerable; and that of his brother Ephraim, which there was numerous,
is here one of the least. Jacob had crossed hands upon their heads, and had
preferred Ephraim before Manasseh, which perhaps the Ephraimites had prided
themselves too much in, and had trampled upon their brethren the Manassites;
but, when the Lord saw that Manasseh was despised, he thus multiplied him
exceedingly, for it is his glory to help the weakest, and raise up those that
are cast down. 3. That none of the tribes decreased so much as Simeon did;
from 59,300, it such to 22,200, little more than a third part of what it was.
One whole family of that tribe (namely Ohad, mentioned Exod. vi. 15) was
extinct in the wilderness. Hence Simeon is not mentioned in Moses's blessing
(Deut. xxxiii.), and the lot of that tribe in
Canaan
was inconsiderable, only a
canton out of
Judah
's lot, Josh. xix. 9. Some
conjecture that most of those 24,000 who were cut off by the plague for the
iniquity of Peor were of that tribe; for Zimri, who was a ringleader in that
iniquity, was a prince of that tribe, many of whom therefore were influenced
by his example to follow his pernicious ways.
III. In the account of the tribe of Reuben mention is made of the rebellion of
Dathan and Abiram, who were of that tribe, in confederacy with Korah a Levite,
v. 9-11. Though the story had been largely related but a few chapters
before, yet here it comes in again, as fit to be had in remembrance and
thought of by posterity, whenever they looked into their pedigree and pleased
themselves with the antiquity of their families and the glory of their
ancestors, that they might call themselves a seed of evil doers. Two things
are here said of them:-- 1. That they had been famous in the congregation,
v. 9. Probably they were remarkable for their ingenuity, activity, and
fitness for business:--That Dathan and Abiram that might have been
advanced in due time under God and Moses; but their ambitious spirits put them
upon striving against God and Moses, and when they quarrelled with the one
they quarrelled with the other. And what was the issue? 2. Those that might
have been famous were made infamous: they became a sign, v. 10.
They were made monuments of divine justice; God, in their ruin, showed himself
glorious in holiness, and so they were set up for a warning to all others, in
all ages, to take heed of treading in the steps of their pride and rebellion.
Notice is here taken of the preservation of the children of Korah (v.
11); they died not, as the children of Dathan and Abiram did, doubtless
because they kept themselves pure from the infection, and would not join, no,
not with their own father, in rebellion. If we partake not of the sins of
sinners, we shall not partake of their plagues. These sons of Korah were
afterwards, in their posterity, eminently serviceable to the church, being
employed by David as singers in the house of the Lord; hence many psalms are
said to be for the sons of Korah: and perhaps they were made to bear
his name so long after, rather than the name of any other of their ancestors,
for warning to themselves, and as an instance of the power of God, which
brought those choice fruits even out of that bitter root. The children of
families that have been stigmatized should endeavour, by their eminent
virtues, to roll away the reproach of their fathers.
52 And the LORD
spake unto Moses, saying, 53 Unto these the land shall be divided
for an inheritance according to the number of names. 54 To many
thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to few thou shalt give the less
inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be given according to those
that were numbered of him. 55 Notwithstanding the land shall be
divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they
shall inherit. 56 According to the lot shall the possession
thereof be divided between many and few.
If any ask why such a particular account is kept of the tribes, and families,
and numbers, of the people of Israel, here is an answer for them; as they were
multiplied, so they were portioned, not by common providence, but by promise;
and, for the support of the honour of divine revelation, God will have the
fulfilling of the promise taken notice of both in their increase and in their
inheritance. When Moses had numbered the people God did not say, By these
shall the land be conquered; but, taking that for granted, he tells him, Unto
these shall the land be divided. "These that are now registered as
the sons of
Israel
shall be admitted (as it were
by copy of court-roll) heirs of the
land
of
Canaan
." Now, in the
distributing, or quartering, of these tribes, 1. The general rule of equity is
here prescribed to Moses, that to many he should give more, and to few he
should give less (v. 54); yet, alas! he was so far from giving
any to others that he must not have any himself, but this direction given to
him was intended for Joshua his successor. 2. The application of this general
rule was to be determined by lot (v. 55); notwithstanding it
seems thus to be left to the prudence of their prince, yet the matter must be
finally reserved to the providence of their God, in which they must all
acquiesce, how much soever it contradicted their policies or inclination: According
to the lot shall the possession be divided. As the God of nations, so the
God of Israel in particular, reserves it to himself to appoint the bounds
of our habitation. And thus Christ, our Joshua, when he was urged to
appoint one of his disciples to his right hand, another to his left
in his kingdom, acknowledged the sovereignty of his Father in the disposal: It
is not mine to give. Joshua must not dispose of inheritances in
Canaan
according to his own mind. But
it shall be given to those for whom it is prepared of my Father.
57 And these are
they that were numbered of the Levites after 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, the family of the
Korathites. And Kohath begat Amram. 59 And the name of Amram's
wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bare to
Levi in
Egypt
: and she bare unto Amram Aaron
and Moses, and Miriam their sister. 60 And unto Aaron was born
Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 61 And Nadab and Abihu
died, when they offered strange fire before the LORD.
62 And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three thousand, all
males from a month old and upward: for they were not numbered among the
children of
Israel
, because there was no
inheritance given them among the children of
Israel
.
Levi was God's tribe, a tribe that was to have no inheritance with the rest in
the land of Canaan, and therefore was not numbered with the rest, but by
itself; so it had been numbered in the beginning of this book at Mount Sinai,
and therefore came not under the sentence passed upon all that were then
numbered, that none of them should enter Canaan but Caleb and Joshua; for of
the Levites that were not numbered with them, nor were to go forth to war,
Eleazar and Ithamar, and perhaps others who were above twenty years old then
(as appears, ch. iv. 16, 28), entered Canaan; and yet this tribe, now
at its second numbering, had increased but 1000, and was still one of the
smallest tribes. Mention is made here of the death of Nadab and Abihu for
offering strange fire, as before of the sin and punishment of Korah, because these
things happened to them for ensamples.
63 These are they
that were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children
of
Israel
in the plains of
Moab
by
Jordan
near
Jericho
. 64 But among these
there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, 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. And there was not
left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of
Nun.
That which is observable in this conclusion of the account is the execution of
the sentence passed upon the murmurers (ch. xiv. 29), that not one of
those who were numbered from twenty years old and upwards (and that the
Levites were not, but either from a month old or from thirty years old to
fifty) should enter Canaan, except Caleb and Joshua. In the muster now made
particular directions, no doubt, were given to those of each tribe that were
employed in taking the account, to compare these rolls with the former, and to
observe whether there were any now left of those that were numbered at Mount
Sinai, and it appeared that there was not one man numbered now that was
numbered then except Caleb and Joshua, v. 64, 65. Herein appeared, 1.
The righteousness of God, and his faithfulness to his threatenings, when once
the decree has gone forth. He swore in his wrath, and what he
had sworn he performed. Better all those carcasses, had they been ten times as
many, should fall to the ground, than the word of God. Though the rising
generation was mixed with the, and many of the guilty and condemned criminals
long survived the sentence, even to the last year of the forty, yet they were
cut off by some means or other before this muster was made. Those whom God has
condemned cannot escape either by losing themselves in a crowd or by the delay
of execution. 2. The goodness of God to this people, notwithstanding their
provocations. Though that murmuring race was cut off, yet God raised up
another generation, which was as numerous as they, that, though they perished,
yet the name of
Israel
might not be cut off, lest the
inheritance of the promise should be lost for want of heirs. And, though the
number fell a little short what it was at Mount Sinai, yet those now numbered
had this advantage, that they were all middle-aged men, between twenty and
sixty, in the prime of their time for service; and during the thirty-eight
years of their wandering and wasting in the wilderness they had an opportunity
of acquainting themselves with the laws and ordinances of God, having no
business, civil or military, to divert them from those sacred studies, and
having Moses and Aaron to instruct them, and God's good Spirit, Neh. ix. 20.
3. The truth of God, in performing his promise made to Caleb and Joshua. They
were to be preserved from falling in this common ruin, and they were so. The
arrows of death, though they fly in the dark, do not fly at random, even when
they fly thickest, but are directed to the mark intended, and no other. All
that are written among the living shall have their lives given them for a
prey, in the most dangerous times. Thousands may fall on their right hand, and
ten thousands on their left, but they shall escape.
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