Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 26:5
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:
5 51. The twelve secular tribes are numbered, the sacred tribe of Levi being omitted. The names are based upon Gen 46:8-27, but with the addition of Ephraim and Manasseh, who, having been born in Egypt, could not be reckoned in Gen. among those who went down into Egypt.
The total number at the first census, thirty-eight years before (ch. 1) was 603,550; now it is 601,730. The order of the tribes is the same, except that Manasseh ( Num 26:29-34) precedes Ephraim ( Num 26:35-37). Reuben, Simeon, Gad, Ephraim and Naphtali have decreased in numbers, while the other seven have increased. The impossibility of the figures is shewn in note on Num 1:46.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Following The tribes are mentioned in the same order as in the earlier census Num. 1, except that Manasseh here precedes Ephraim; probably as being now the larger tribe.
The following table shows the numbers of the tribes at each census; at Sinai, and in the Plains of Moab:
| | At Sinai | Plains of Moab |
| Reuben | 46,500 | 43,730 |
| Simeon | 9,300 | 22,200 |
| Gad | 45,650 | 40,500 |
| Judah | 74,600 | 76,500 |
| Issachar | 54,400 | 64,300 |
| Zebulun | 57,400 | 60,500 |
| Ephraim | 40,500 | 32,500 |
| Manasseh | 32,200 | 52,700 |
| Benjamin | 35,400 | 45,600 |
| Dan | 62,700 | 64,400 |
| Asher | 41,500 | 53,400 |
| Naphtali | 53,400 | 45,400 |
| Totals | 603, 550 | 601, 730 |
Seven of the tribes, of which three are tribes belonging to the camp of Judah, show an increase of numbers; and five, among whom are the three belonging to the camp of Reuben, show a decrease. The greatest increase of any one tribe is in Manasseh. The most remarkable decrease is in Simeon, which now shows less than half its former strength. To this tribe Zimri, the chief offender in the recent transgression, belonged Num 25:14. Probably his tribesmen generally had followed his example, and had accordingly suffered most severely in the plague. In the parting blessing of Moses, uttered at no great interval from this date, the tribe of Simeon alone is omitted.
The families of all the tribes, excluding the Levites, number 57. The ancestral heads after whom these families are named correspond nearly with the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Jacob, enumerated in Gen 46:8 ff. Both lists consist mainly of grandchildren of Jacob, both contain also the same two grandchildren of Judah, and the same two grandchildren of Asher. The document in Genesis should be regarded as a list, not of those who went down in their own persons with Jacob into Egypt, but of those whose names were transmitted to their posterity at the date of the Exodus as the heads of Israelite houses, and wire may thus be reckoned the early ancestors of the people.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Reuben, the eldest son of Israel,…. the number of his tribe is taken first on that account; there were four families that descended from him, the Hanochite, Palluite, Hesronite, and Carmite, and the number of men from twenty years old and upwards, fit for war, were 43,730; so that, since the last numbering, this tribe was decreased 2770; which may in part be accounted for by the families of Dathan and Abiram being cut off for their rebellion, who were this tribe, and whose affair is briefly related in the following verses, and it may be to point out this unto us.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
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, Num 26:42; Num 26:43. 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.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Verses 5-7:
A distinguishing feature of this census was the enrollment according to families. The reason for this: it was in preparation for the assigning the territory of Palestine to the various tribes. Family unity as well as tribal unity was to be preserved.
The descendants of Reuben numbers 43,730. The earlier census listed 46,500, a decline of 2,770.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
5-9. Reuben, the eldest son By Leah. Gen 29:32. The enumeration of the grandsons of Jacob in this chapter is important, since these are the basis of the tribal divisions, just as the tribes sprang from his sons. Hanoch, dedicated, is, in Hebrew, the same as Enoch, a name belonging to two other persons. There is no good reason for this twofold orthography. Nothing more is known of this Enoch. Pallu, eminent, spelled Phallu in Gen 46:9, is identified by Josephus with Peleth in Num 16:1. See note. Of Hezron and Carmi nothing is known.
The families of the Reubenites tally with Gen 46:9; Exo 6:14, and 1Ch 5:3. In Num 26:8 the word “sons” occurs where only one is mentioned, because the writer had in mind the grandsons named in Num 26:9.
Nemuel Day of God The record is interrupted expressly to admit a statement respecting his younger brothers,
Dathan and Abiram See Num 16:1-33, notes.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Numbering of the Army in Their Tribes and Clans ( Num 26:5-51 ).
The numbering was far more than a head count. It was a listing of the contingents to which the men belonged.
Num 26:5-7
‘Reuben, the first-born of Israel; the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites; of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. These are the families of the Reubenites; and they that were numbered of them were forty and three ’eleph and seven hundred and thirty.’
The tribe of Reuben was listed by its four sub-tribes, the Hanochites, the Palluites, the Hezronites, and the Carmites. As we have seen earlier this ‘numbering’ could signify forty three leaders/champions, seven ‘hundreds’ and a thirty. The number thirty signifies completeness. (Or forty three wider families).
Num 26:8-11
‘And the sons of Pallu: Eliab. And the sons of Eliab: Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. These are that Dathan and Abiram, who were called of the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against Yahweh, and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, together with Korah when that company died, at the time when the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men, and they became a sign. Notwithstanding, the sons of Korah died not.’
This informative second section does not occur with all the tribes. It provides additional information looking back to earlier in the record. Here the reminder is given of the Reubenites Dathan and Abiram who had gained the support of many in Israel (or it could signify ‘who were described as members of the congregation’) who strove against Moses and Aaron as adherents of ‘the company of Korah’. But they also thereby strove against Yahweh and were swallowed up when the earth ‘opened its mouth’.
“Together with Korah” is ambiguous. It may refer to him as striving with them against Yahweh, or it may refer to him being swallowed up with them. Either he was swallowed up with them or he died with ‘the two hundred and fifty’. Thus it could rather be saying that they ‘strove against Yahweh — together with Korah when ‘the company of Korah’ (which also included the two hundred and fifty – Num 16:6) died.’ We are never in fact specifically told how Korah died, only (here) that he did so.
“They became a sign.” They were ever a warning against rebellion, and against seeking to usurp the priesthood. Note that it is stressed that the actual sons of Korah were not included in the rebellion.
Num 26:12-14
‘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; of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites. These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty and two thousand and two hundred.’
The tribe of Simeon was listed by its five sub-tribes, the Nemuelites, the Jaminites, the Jachinites, the Zerahites and the Shaulites. Again this ‘numbering’ could signify twenty two leaders/champions, and two ‘hundreds’. (Or twenty two wider families). The huge drop in numbers of the Simeonites partly reflects their part in the sin of Peor when seemingly a larger portion of their leaders were executed, and a large number died in the plague. This emphasises how much they were involved and confirms why Moses excluded their name from the list of tribes in his blessing.
Compare Gen 46:10. It would seem that Ohad left no family. Nemuel is called Jemuel there, as yod and nun are often interchanged. Zerah is a name with the same meaning as Zohar (Zerah signifies the rising of the sun; Zohar signifies splendour, and the transposition of consonants is often deliberate).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
I detain not the Reader through this whole relation, but to remark to him, with what particular emphasis reference is again had to the sin of Dathan and Abiram. Surely the HOLY GHOST intended by it to teach the Church, that the surest way to keep alive in the soul the preciousness of the LORD JESUS, is to keep alive a sense of sin, from which alone his great salvation can deliver us. I only add another observation on all these verses, and that is to remark from the numbers altogether, that GOD’S threatenings were minutely fulfilled. The people were not increased during the forty years; for the numbers are nearly the same as when taken at mount Sinai. And the whole of that race which came out of Egypt, excepting those whom the LORD had promised to reserve, were dead. Compare Num 1:46 , with the account here. I think it probable that Moses wrote the 90th Psalm upon this occasion. And what could be more suited to the purpose? See Psa 90 throughout.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Reuben. Compare Gen 46:8. Exo 6:14. The order is the same as in Num 1:20, except that Ephraim and Manasseh are reversed. See App-45.
family. See note on “house”, Num 26:2, and throughout the chapter.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the eldest: Gen 29:32, Gen 49:2, Gen 49:3, 1Ch 5:1, thy children, Gen 46:8, Gen 46:9, Exo 6:14, 1Ch 5:3
Reciprocal: Num 1:20 – General Num 10:18 – the camp Num 32:1 – the children 1Ch 2:1 – Reuben