Numbers 26

And it came to pass after the plague, that the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying,

1After the sickness that killed many people ended, the LORD spoke to Moses and to Eleazar. Eleazar was the son of Aaron the priest.

2Take 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.

2God said, "Count all the people of Israel. Count the men who are twenty years old or older. List them by their families. Count every man who is able to be a soldier."

3And Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,

3So Moses and Eleazar the priest talked to the people. They were camped on the flat land of Moab, by the Jordan River, near the town of Jericho. They said,

4Take 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.

4"Count the men who are twenty years old or older." This is what the LORD had told Moses to do. These were the people of Israel who had come out of Egypt.

5Reuben, 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:

5Reuben was the oldest son of Israel. Reuben's sons started family groups. Hanoch started the Hanochite family. Pallu started the Palluite family.

6Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.

6Hezron started the Hezronite family. Carmi started the Carmite family.

7These are the families of the Reubenites: and they that were numbered of them were forty and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty.

7These were the families that came from Reuben. When they were counted, there were 43,730 men.

8And the sons of Pallu; Eliab.

8Pallu had a son named Eliab.

9And 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:

9Eliab's sons were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram were the leaders everyone knew about. They fought against Moses and Aaron. They joined Korah's group, and that group fought against the LORD.

Note"Famous" in old English meant well known, not admired. Dathan and Abiram were leaders people knew, and they turned against Moses.

10And 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.

10The ground opened up like a mouth. It swallowed them and Korah. That group died, and fire burned up 250 men. What happened to them became a warning to everyone.

11Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not.

11But Korah's own children did not die.

12The 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:

12These were the families that came from Simeon. Nemuel started the Nemuelite family. Jamin started the Jaminite family. Jachin started the Jachinite family.

13Of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites: of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.

13Zerah started the Zarhite family. Shaul started the Shaulite family.

14These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty and two thousand and two hundred.

14These were the families that came from Simeon. There were 22,200 men.

15The 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:

15These were the families that came from Gad. Zephon started the Zephonite family. Haggi started the Haggite family. Shuni started the Shunite family.

16Of Ozni, the family of the Oznites: of Eri, the family of the Erites:

16Ozni started the Oznite family. Eri started the Erite family.

17Of Arod, the family of the Arodites: of Areli, the family of the Arelites.

17Arod started the Arodite family. Areli started the Arelite family.

18These are the families of the children of Gad according to those that were numbered of them, forty thousand and five hundred.

18These were the families that came from Gad. When they were counted, there were 40,500 men.

19The sons of Judah were Er and Onan: and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.

19Judah had sons named Er and Onan. Both of them died in the land of Canaan.

20And 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.

20These were the other families that came from Judah. Shelah started the Shelanite family. Pharez started the Pharzite family. Zerah started the Zarhite family.

21And the sons of Pharez were; of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites.

21Pharez had sons too. Hezron started the Hezronite family. Hamul started the Hamulite family.

22These are the families of Judah according to those that were numbered of them, threescore and sixteen thousand and five hundred.

22These were the families that came from Judah. When they were counted, there were 76,500 men.

23Of the sons of Issachar after their families: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites: of Pua, the family of the Punites:

23These were the families that came from Issachar. Tola started the Tolaite family. Pua started the Punite family.

24Of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites: of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites.

24Jashub started the Jashubite family. Shimron started the Shimronite family.

25These are the families of Issachar according to those that were numbered of them, threescore and four thousand and three hundred.

25These were the families that came from Issachar. When they were counted, there were 64,300 men.

26Of 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.

26These were the families that came from Zebulun. Sered started the Sardite family. Elon started the Elonite family. Jahleel started the Jahleelite family.

27These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them, threescore thousand and five hundred.

27These were the families that came from Zebulun. When they were counted, there were 60,500 men.

28The sons of Joseph after their families were Manasseh and Ephraim.

28Joseph's sons were Manasseh and Ephraim. Their families are listed next.

29Of the sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites: and Machir begat Gilead: of Gilead come the family of the Gileadites.

29These were the families that came from Manasseh. Machir started the Machirite family. Machir was the father of Gilead. Gilead started the Gileadite family.

30These are the sons of Gilead: of Jeezer, the family of the Jeezerites: of Helek, the family of the Helekites:

30These were the sons of Gilead. Jeezer started the Jeezerite family. Helek started the Helekite family.

31And of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites: and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites:

31Asriel started the Asrielite family. Shechem started the Shechemite family.

32And of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites: and of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites.

32Shemida started the Shemidaite family. Hepher started the Hepherite family.

33And 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.

33Zelophehad was the son of Hepher. He had no sons, only daughters. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

34These are the families of Manasseh, and those that were numbered of them, fifty and two thousand and seven hundred.

34These were the families that came from Manasseh. When they were counted, there were 52,700 men.

35These 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.

35These were the families that came from Ephraim. Shuthelah started the Shuthalhite family. Becher started the Bachrite family. Tahan started the Tahanite family.

36And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the Eranites.

36Shuthelah had a son too. Eran started the Eranite family.

37These 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.

37These were the families that came from Ephraim. When they were counted, there were 32,500 men. All these families came from Joseph.

38The 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:

38These were the families that came from Benjamin. Bela started the Belaite family. Ashbel started the Ashbelite family. Ahiram started the Ahiramite family.

39Of Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites: of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites.

39Shupham started the Shuphamite family. Hupham started the Huphamite family.

40And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites: and of Naaman, the family of the Naamites.

40Bela had sons named Ard and Naaman. Ard started the Ardite family. Naaman started the Naamite family.

41These are the sons of Benjamin after their families: and they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and six hundred.

41These were the families that came from Benjamin. When they were counted, there were 45,600 men.

42These are the sons of Dan after their families: of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan after their families.

42These were the families that came from Dan. Shuham started the Shuhamite family. That was the family group of Dan.

43All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those that were numbered of them, were threescore and four thousand and four hundred.

43All the Shuhamite families were counted. There were 64,400 men.

44Of 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.

44These were the families that came from Asher. Jimna started the Jimnite family. Jesui started the Jesuite family. Beriah started the Beriite family.

45Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites: of Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites.

45Beriah had sons too. Heber started the Heberite family. Malchiel started the Malchielite family.

46And the name of the daughter of Asher was Sarah.

46Asher also had a daughter. Her name was Sarah.

47These 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.

47These were the families that came from Asher. When they were counted, there were 53,400 men.

48Of the sons of Naphtali after their families: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites: of Guni, the family of the Gunites:

48These were the families that came from Naphtali. Jahzeel started the Jahzeelite family. Guni started the Gunite family.

49Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.

49Jezer started the Jezerite family. Shillem started the Shillemite family.

50These are the families of Naphtali according to their families: and they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and four hundred.

50These were the families that came from Naphtali. When they were counted, there were 45,400 men.

51These were the numbered of the children of Israel, six hundred thousand and a thousand seven hundred and thirty.

51All the men of Israel who were counted came to 601,730.

52And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

52Then the LORD spoke to Moses. He said,

53Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names.

53"The land will be split up and given to these people. Each group will get land based on how many people it has."

54To 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.

54"Give more land to a big group. Give less land to a small group. Each group gets land to match its number of people."

55Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.

55"But the land will be handed out by drawing lots. Each family group will get the land that comes to its name."

NoteDrawing lots was a way of choosing, a bit like drawing straws. Israel used it so no one could argue that a person picked the best land for himself.

56According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between many and few.

56"Big groups and small groups will both get their land this way, by lot."

57And 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.

57Now the family group of Levi was counted too. Gershon started the Gershonite family. Kohath started the Kohathite family. Merari started the Merarite family.

58These 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.

58These were the families of Levi: the Libnites, the Hebronites, the Mahlites, the Mushites, and the Korathites. Kohath was the father of Amram.

59And 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.

59Amram's wife was named Jochebed. She belonged to the family of Levi and was born in Egypt. She and Amram had three children: Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam.

60And unto Aaron was born Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

60Aaron had four sons. They were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

61And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the LORD.

61Nadab and Abihu died. They brought fire to the LORD that God had not told them to bring.

62And 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.

62The men of Levi who were counted came to 23,000. This time every boy one month old or older was counted. They were not counted with the rest of Israel. That is because they were not given land like the others.

NoteThe Levites had a special job caring for God's tent, so they were counted in a different way and did not get their own share of land.

63These 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.

63Moses and Eleazar the priest counted all these people. They did it on the flat land of Moab, by the Jordan River, near Jericho.

64But 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.

64Not one of these people had been in the first count. That first count was done long before by Moses and Aaron, in the desert near Mount Sinai.

65For 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.

65The LORD had said that those people would die in the desert. And that is what happened. Only two of them were still alive: Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.