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Números 26

VBL · Chapter 26/36

1Después de que la plaga terminó, el Señor le dijo a Moisés y Eleazar, hijo del sacerdote Aarón,

2“Censen a todos los israelitas por familia, todos aquellos de veinte años o más que sean elegibles para el servicio militar en el ejército de Israel”.

3Allí, en la llanura de Moab, junto al Jordán, frente a Jericó, Moisés y Eleazar el sacerdote dio la orden,

4“Censar a los hombres de veinte años o más, siguiendo las instrucciones que el Señor dio a Moisés”.

5Estos eran los descendientes de Rubén, el primogénito de Israel:

6Hezrón, antepasado de la familia hezronita; y Carmi, antepasado de la familia carmita.

7Estas fueron las familias descendientes de Rubén y fueron 43.730.

8El hijo de Falú era Eliab,

9y los hijos de Eliab eran Nemuel, Datán y Abiram. (Fueron Datán y Abiram, líderes escogidos por los israelitas, los que se unieron a la rebelión contra Moisés y Aarón con los seguidores de Coré cuando se rebelaron contra el Señor.

10La tierra se abrió y se los tragó, junto con Coré. Sus seguidores murieron cuando el fuego quemó a 250 hombres. Lo que les sucedió fue una advertencia para los israelitas.

11Pero los hijos de Coré no murieron).

12Estos fueron los descendientes de Simeón por familia:

13Zera, ancestro de la familia Zeraita; y Saul, ancestro de la familia Saulita.

14Estas eran las familias descendientes de Simeón y eran 22.200.

15Estos fueron los descendientes de Gad por familia:

16Ozni, ancestro de la familia Oznite; Eri, ancestro de la familia Erite;

17Arod, antepasado de la familia Arodita; Areli, antepasado de la familia Arelite.

18Estas eran las familias descendientes de Gad y eran 40.500.

19Los hijos de Judá que murieron en Canaán fueron Er y Onan. Estos eran los descendientes de Judá por familia:

20Sela, antepasado de la familia selaíta; Fares, antepasado de la familia faresita; Zera, antepasado de la familia zeraíta.

21Estos fueron los descendientes de Fares: Hezrón, ancestro de la familia hezronita; y Hamul, ancestro de la familia hamulita.

22Estas eran las familias descendientes de Judá y sumaban 76.500.

23Estos fueron los descendientes de Isacar por familia:

24Jasub, antepasado de la familia jasubita; y Simrón, antepasado de la familia simronita.

25Estas eran las familias descendientes de Isacar y sumaban 64.300.

26Estos eran los descendientes de Zabulón por familia:

27Estas eran las familias descendientes de Zabulón, y eran 60.500.

28Estos fueron los descendientes de José por familia a través de Manasés y Efraín:

29Los descendientes de Manasés: Maquir (era el padre de Galaad), antepasado de la familia maquirita; y Galaad, antepasado de la familia galaadita.

30Los descendientes de Galaad: Izer, antepasado de la familia Iezerita; Heled, antepasado de la familia helequita;

31Asriel, antepasado de la familia asrielita; Siquem, antepasado de la familia siquemita;

32Semida, antepasado de la familia Semidita; y Hefer, antepasado de la familia heferita.

33(Zelofehad, hijo de Hefer, no tuvo hijos, sólo hijas. Se llamaban Maala, Noa, Hogla, Milca y Tirsa).

34Estas eran las familias que descendían de Manasés, y eran 52.700.

35Estos eran los descendientes de Efraín por familia:

36El descendiente de Suthelah era Erán, ancestro de la familia eranita.

37Estas eran las familias descendientes de Efraín, y sumaban 32.500. Estas familias eran descendientes de José.

38Estos eran los descendientes de Benjamín por familia:

39Sufán, antepasado de la familia sufamita; y Hufam, antepasado de la familia hufamita.

40Los descendientes de Bela fueron Ard, ancestro de la familia de arditas; y Naamán, ancestro de la familia Naamita.

41Estas fueron las familias descendientes de Benjamín, y sumaban 45.600.

42Estos fueron los descendientes de Dan por familia:

43Todas eran familias suhamitas, y eran 64.400.

44Estos eran los descendientes de Aser por familia:

45Los descendientes de Bería fueron Heber, antepasado de la familia heberita; y Malquiel, antepasado de la familia malquielita.

46El nombre de la hija de Aser era Sera.

47Estas eran las familias descendientes de Aser, y sumaban 53.400.

48Estos eran los descendientes de Neftalí por familia:

49Jezer, antepasado de la familia jezerita; y Silem, antepasado de la familia silemita.

50Estas eran las familias descendientes de Neftalí, y sumaban 45.400.

51El total de todos los contados fue de 601.730.

52El Señor le dijo a Moisés:

53“Divide la tierra que se va a poseer en función del número de los censados.

54Dale una mayor superficie de tierra a las tribus grandes, y una menor superficie a las tribus más pequeña. Cada tribu recibirá su asignación de tierra dependiendo de su número contado en el censo.

55“La tierra debe ser dividida por sorteo. Cada uno recibirá su tierra asignada en función del nombre de la tribu de su antepasado.

56Cada asignación de tierra se dividirá por sorteo entre las tribus, ya sean grandes o pequeñas”.

57Estos fueron los levitas censados por familia:

58Las siguientes fueron las familias de los levitas: la familia libnita, la familia hebronita, la familia mahlita, la familia musita y la familia coraíta. Coat era el padre de Amram,

59y el nombre de la esposa de Amram era Jocabed. Era descendiente de Levi, nacida mientras los levitas estaban en Egipto. Tuvo hijos con Amram: Aarón, Moisés y su hermana Miriam.

60Los hijos de Aarón fueron Nadab, Abiú, Eleazar e Itamar,

61pero Nadab y Abiú murieron cuando ofrecieron fuego prohibido en presencia del Señor.

62El número de los levitas censados ascendía a 23.000. Esto incluía a todos los varones de un mes o más. Sin embargo, no fueron contados con los otros israelitas, porque no se les dio ninguna asignación de tierras con los otros israelitas.

63Este es el registro de los que fueron censados por Moisés y Eleazar el sacerdote cuando contaron a los israelitas en las llanuras de Moab al lado del Jordán frente a Jericó.

64Sin embargo, no incluyeron ni uno solo que hubiera sido censado previamente por Moisés y el sacerdote Aarón cuando contaron a los israelitas en el desierto del Sinaí,

65porque el Señor les había dicho que todos morirían en el desierto. No quedó nadie excepto Caleb, hijo de Jefone, y Josué, hijo de Nun.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

After the plague and the end of the rebellious generation, God orders a second census of the children of Israel, now the generation that would actually enter the promised land. The total is similar to the first census, but almost no individual is the same, except Caleb and Joshua.

Explanation

This second census marks a symbolic and literal generational transition: of the men counted 40 years earlier, practically none survived, fulfilling exactly the judgment announced in Numbers 14, with the one notable exception of Caleb and Joshua, who had remained faithful. The total number of Israelites remains statistically similar (601,730 versus 603,550), showing that despite the generational tragedy, God faithfully preserved the nation as a whole, fulfilling His promise of multiplication to Abraham even through severe discipline. The specific mention that 'the sons of Korah did not die' (v. 11) foreshadows a note of grace in the midst of judgment, laying the groundwork for their future importance as singers in the temple.

Fun facts

  • This chapter also mentions for the first time the five daughters of Zelophehad (Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah), whose situation of inheritance without brothers would become the center of an important legal question resolved in chapters 27 and 36.
  • The near-identical precision between the two censuses (a difference of less than 2,000 people out of more than 600,000, over 40 years of hardship in the wilderness) is noted by commentators as a sign of God's providential faithfulness in preserving the nation despite the discipline.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Números 26:1After the plague from the previous chapter, the LORD speaks to Moses and to Eleazar — no longer to Aaron, who had already died — signaling that a new generation of leaders is now in charge.
  2. Números 26:2The order is to take a second census, counting again the men twenty years old and up who are fit for war, tribe by tribe.
  3. Números 26:3Moses and Eleazar pass this order on to the people already in the plains of Moab, near the Jordan, facing Jericho — the same place where the book ends.
  4. Números 26:4This new census follows exactly the same criteria as the first: twenty years old and up, but now applied to a nearly entirely new generation, since the previous one had died in the wilderness.
  5. Números 26:5Starting with Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, the text lists the families descended from Hanoch and Pallu.
  6. Números 26:6Continuing Reuben’s list, the families descended from Hezron and Carmi appear.
  7. Números 26:7The total for the tribe of Reuben in this second census reaches 43,730 men.
  8. Números 26:8Within Pallu’s line, the text specifically highlights his son Eliab.
  9. Números 26:9Eliab’s sons were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram — the same Dathan and Abiram who, decades earlier, led the rebellion against Moses and Aaron together with Korah.
  10. Números 26:10The text recalls their fate: swallowed by the earth along with Korah, while fire consumed the 250 men who had joined the rebellion, all of it standing as a permanent warning.
  11. Números 26:11A curious detail closes out the case: the children of Korah, unlike their father, did not die in that episode — a detail that explains why psalms attributed to the “sons of Korah” appear later in the Bible.
  12. Números 26:12The list continues with Simeon, with the families descended from Nemuel, Jamin, and Jachin.
  13. Números 26:13These are the families of Simeon in the second census, taken 38 years after the first. The tribe plunged from 59,300 to 22,200 men — the sharpest drop of all twelve, tied to the plague in the previous chapter.
  14. Números 26:14Simeon’s total plunges to 22,200 men — a drastic drop compared to the 59,300 of the first census, decades earlier.
  15. Números 26:15The tribe of Gad is counted next, with the families of Zephon, Haggi, and Shuni.
  16. Números 26:16Two more families of Gad in the second census. The tribe dropped from 45,650 to 40,500 men between one generation and the next — almost the entire generation that left Egypt had already died in the wilderness.
  17. Números 26:17Arod and Areli close out the families of Gad, a tribe that would eventually ask to stay on the other side of the Jordan, because of the good pastureland there.
  18. Números 26:18This is Gad’s total in the second census, 38 years after the first: a drop of just over 5,000 men. It is a new generation being counted — almost no one from the first census remained.
  19. Números 26:19Coming to Judah, the text quickly recalls that two of his sons, Er and Onan, had already died back in the land of Canaan, in a story told in Genesis.
  20. Números 26:20Judah’s families come from Shelah, Pharez, and Zerah; it is through the line of Pharez that the genealogy continues down to David, and later, in the Gospels, to Jesus.
  21. Números 26:21Within Pharez’s line, the families of Hezron and Hamul also appear.
  22. Números 26:22Judah’s total reaches 76,500 men, keeping its position as the largest of the twelve tribes, just as it had been in the first census.
  23. Números 26:23First families of Issachar in the second census. Unlike Gad and Simeon, this tribe grew quite a bit between generations, as the total at the end of the list will show.
  24. Números 26:24Two more families of Issachar complete the list before the total of the second census: the tribe rose from 54,400 to 64,300 men in one generation.
  25. Números 26:25Issachar grew by almost 10,000 men from the first census to the second — from 54,400 to 64,300 — one of the largest gains among the twelve tribes in this new generation.
  26. Números 26:26These three families make up the entire tribe of Zebulun in the second census — which also grew, from 57,400 to 60,500 men, over the 38 years in the wilderness.
  27. Números 26:27Zebulun totals 60,500 men in this second census, a moderate increase over the 57,400 of the first count, taken back in the wilderness of Sinai.
  28. Números 26:28Coming to the sons of Joseph, the text divides them, as always, into two separate tribes: Manasseh and Ephraim.
  29. Números 26:29Within Manasseh, the line runs through Machir, who fathered Gilead, giving rise to the family of the Gileadites.
  30. Números 26:30Jeezer and Helek open the families of Gilead, within Manasseh — the same clan that gives its name to the mountainous region east of the Jordan.
  31. Números 26:31Still within Gilead, the families of Asriel and Shechem appear.
  32. Números 26:32Hepher is the father of Zelophehad, whose five daughters — with no brothers — will ask Moses for the right to inherit land, a case that changes the law of inheritance in Israel.
  33. Números 26:33Here an important detail appears for later on: Zelophehad, son of Hepher, had no sons, only five daughters — Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah — whose case will bring about a change in the law of inheritance in chapter 27.
  34. Números 26:34Manasseh makes the most striking jump of the second census: from 32,200 men, the smallest tribe in the first count, to 52,700 — even surpassing its brother tribe, Ephraim.
  35. Números 26:35Moving on to Ephraim, the text lists the families of Shuthelah, Becher, and Tahan.
  36. Números 26:36Within the line of Shuthelah, the family of Eran also appears.
  37. Números 26:37Ephraim’s total reaches 32,500 men, closing out the two tribes descended from Joseph.
  38. Números 26:38Benjamin is counted next, with the families of Bela, Ashbel, and Ahiram.
  39. Números 26:39These families close out the list for Benjamin in the second census. The tribe grew significantly, from 35,400 to 45,600 men, between the first and second generations.
  40. Números 26:40Within the line of Bela, the sons Ard and Naaman also appear, each giving rise to his own family.
  41. Números 26:41Benjamin totals 45,600 men in the second census, an increase of more than 10,000 over the first count — part of the same turnaround that also lifted Manasseh.
  42. Números 26:42Dan is counted as a single large family, the Shuhamites, descended from Shuham.
  43. Números 26:43The total for this Shuhamite family, which represents the entire tribe of Dan, reaches 64,400 men.
  44. Números 26:44These families open the list for Asher in the second census — a tribe that grew by nearly 30 percent between the two generations, behind only Manasseh’s even bigger leap.
  45. Números 26:45Within the line of Beriah, the families of Heber and Malchiel appear.
  46. Números 26:46The text also records the name of Asher’s daughter: Sarah, a rare mention of a woman in this kind of genealogical list.
  47. Números 26:47Asher jumps from 41,500 to 53,400 men between the two censuses — a growth of nearly 30 percent, behind only Manasseh’s even bigger leap.
  48. Números 26:48These families open the list for Naphtali in the second census — one of the few tribes that shrank: from 53,400 to 45,400 men between the two generations.
  49. Números 26:49Two more families close out the list for Naphtali before the total of the second census, which shows the tribe smaller than it had been 38 years earlier.
  50. Números 26:50Naphtali ends the second census with 45,400 men, almost 8,000 fewer than in the first count — a drop with only a few families behind it.
  51. Números 26:51Adding up all the tribes, the overall total of this second census reaches 601,730 men — a number quite close to that of the first census, even though an entire generation had died along the way.
  52. Números 26:52The LORD speaks to Moses once more, now to explain how the promised land would be divided based on this new census.
  53. Números 26:53The instruction is that the land be divided as an inheritance according to the number of people in each group.
  54. Números 26:54Larger tribes would receive a larger portion of land, and smaller tribes a smaller portion, all proportional to the size of each one.
  55. Números 26:55Even so, exactly which area each tribe would receive would be decided by lot, using the names of the tribes as the reference.
  56. Números 26:56The lot would determine the exact location, but the size of the portion would still be adjusted according to the number of people in each tribe.
  57. Números 26:57The text then goes on to count the Levites separately, organized by the three clans already known: Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites.
  58. Números 26:58Among the Levites, still other specific families appear: Libnites, Hebronites, Mahlites, Mushites, and Korathites; and it is from this line, through Kohath, that Amram comes.
  59. Números 26:59Amram’s wife was named Jochebed, born to Levi back in Egypt; she was the one who gave birth to Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam.
  60. Números 26:60Nadab and Abihu would die young, offering fire that God had not authorized; only Eleazar and Ithamar would continue in the priesthood — and it is from Eleazar’s line that the future high priests would come.
  61. Números 26:61But, as already told earlier, Nadab and Abihu died offering unauthorized fire before the LORD.
  62. Números 26:62The total number of Levites counted reaches 23,000, all males from one month old and up — they are left out of the general count of Israel because they did not receive an inheritance of land like the other tribes.
  63. Números 26:63These are the numbers gathered by Moses and Eleazar in this second census, taken already in the plains of Moab, near the Jordan.
  64. Números 26:64In this second census, taken decades after the first, the text notes that none of the men counted the first time, in the wilderness of Sinai, were still alive — except Caleb and Joshua. It is the practical confirmation that the generation that rebelled and was afraid to enter Canaan really did die in the wilderness, just as had been said in chapter 14.
  65. Números 26:65This is confirmed exactly as the LORD had said: no one from that older generation survived, except Caleb and Joshua, the two spies who disagreed with the fearful report decades before.

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