Leander van Ess (1859 - GER)

1Und es geschah nach der Plage, da redete Jehova zu Mose und zu Eleasar, dem Sohne Aaron's, dem Priester, und sprach: 2Nehmet die Gesamtzahl der ganzen Gemeinde der Söhne Israels, vom zwanzigsten Jahre an, und darüber, nach ihren väterlichen Häusern, Alles, was zum Heere in Israel ausziehen kann. 3Da redeten Mose und Eleasar, der Priester, zu ihnen in den Ebenen Moabs am Jordan, Jericho gegenüber, und sprachen: 4Vom zwanzigsten Jahre an, und darüber, wie Jehova geboten hat dem Mose, und den Söhnen Israels, die aus dem Lande Aegypten ausgezogen sind. 5Ruben, der Erstgeborne Israels, die Söhne Rubens waren: Hanoch, das Geschlecht der Hanochiten; Phallu, das Geschlecht der Phalluiten; 6Hezron, das Geschlecht der Hezroniten, Karmi, das Geschlecht der Karmiten. 7Dieß sind die Geschlechter der Rubeniten, und es waren ihre Gemusterten drei und vierzig tausend sieben hundert dreißig. 8Und die Söhne Phallu's waren Eliab. 9Und die Söhne Eliabs: Nemuel, Dathan und Abiram. Diese, Dathan und Abiram, waren Berufene der Versammlung, welche gegen Mose und Aaron haderten in der Rotte Korahs, als sie gegen Jehova haderten, 10und die Erde ihren Schlund öffnete, und sie und den Korah verschlang, da die Rotte starb, und das Feuer die zwei hundert fünfzig Männer verzehrte, und sie zum Denkzeichen wurden. 11Aber die Söhne Korahs starben nicht. 12Die Söhne Simeons nach ihren Geschlechtern: Nemuel, das Geschlecht der Nemueliten; Jamin, das Geschlecht der Jaminiten; Jachin, das Geschlecht der Jachiniten; 13Serah, das Geschlecht der Serahniten; Saul, das Geschlecht der Sauliten. 14Dieß sind die Geschlechter Simeons, zwei und zwanzig tausend zwei hundert. 15Die Söhne Gads, nach ihren Geschlechtern; Zephon, das Geschlecht der Zephoniten; Haggi, das Geschlecht der Haggiten; Suni, das Geschlecht der Suniten; 16Osni, das Geschlecht der Osniten; Eri, das Geschlecht der Eriten; 17Arod, das Geschlecht der Aroditen; Areli, das Geschlecht der Areliten. 18Dieß sind die Geschlechter der Söhne Gads, an Gemusterten waren ihrer: Vierzig tausend fünf hundert. 19Die Söhne Juda's: Ger und Onan; allein Ger und Onan starben im Lande Kanaan. 20Und es waren die Söhne Juda's nach ihren Geschlechtern: Sela, das Geschlecht der Selaniten; Pherez, das Geschlecht der Phereziten; Serah, das Geschlecht der Serahiten. 21Und die Söhne Pherez waren: Hezron, das Geschlecht der Hezroniten; Hamul, das Geschlecht der Hamuliten. 22Dieß sind die Geschlechter Juda's, an Gemusterten waren ihrer: Sechs und siebenzig tausend fünf hundert. 23Die Söhne Issaschars nach ihren Geschlechtern: Thola, das Geschlecht der Tholaiten; Phua, das Geschlecht der Phuaiten; 24Jasub, das Geschlecht der Jasubiten; Simron, das Geschlecht der Simroniten. 25Dieß sind die Geschlechter Issaschars; an Gemusterten waren ihrer: Vier und sechzig tausend drei hundert. 26Die Söhne Sebulons nach ihren Geschlechtern: Sered, das Geschlecht der Serediten; Elon, das Geschlecht der Eloniten; Jahleel, das Geschlecht der Jahleeliten. 27Dieß sind die Geschlechter der Sebuloniten; an Gemusterten waren ihrer: Sechzig tausend fünf hundert. 28Die Söhne Josephs nach ihren Geschlechtern: Manasse und Ephraim. 29Die Söhne Manasse's: Machir, das Geschlecht der Machiriten. Und Machir zeugete Gilead, wovon das Geschlecht der Gileaditen. 30Dieß sind die Söhne Gileads: Hieser, das Geschlecht der Hieseriten; Helek, das Geschlecht der Helekiten; 31Asriel, das Geschlecht der Asrieliten; Sichem, das Geschlecht der Sichemiten; 32Semida, das Geschlecht der Semidaiten; Hepher , das Geschlecht der Hepheriten. 33Zelaphchad, der Sohn Hephers, hatte keine Söhne, sondern Töchter, und die Töchter Zelaphchads hießen: Mahla, und Noa, Hagla, Milka, und Thirza. 34Dieß sind die Geschlechter Manasse's und ihre Gemusterten waren: Zwei und fünfzig tausend sieben hundert. 35Dieß sind die Söhne Ephraims, nach ihren Geschlechtern: Suthelah, das Geschlecht der Suthelahiten; Becher, das Geschlecht der Becheriten; Thahan, das Geschlecht der Thahaniten. 36Und dieß sind die Söhne Suthelahs: Eran, das Geschlecht der Eraniten. 37Dieß sind die Geschlechter der Söhne Ephraims; an Gemusterten waren ihrer: Zwei und dreißig tausend fünf hundert. Dieß sind die Söhne Josephs nach ihren Geschlechtern. 38Die Söhne Benjamins nach ihren Geschlechtern: Bela, das Geschlecht der Belaiten; Asbel, das Geschlecht der Asbeliten; Ahiram, das Geschlecht der Ahiramiten; 39Supham, das Geschlecht der Suphamiten; Hupham, das Geschlecht der Huphamiten. 40Und die Söhne Bela's waren: Ard und Naeman; das Geschlecht der Arditen; Naeman, das Geschlecht der Naemaniten. 41Dieß sind die Söhne Benjamins nach ihren Geschlechtern, und ihre Gemusterten waren: Fünf und vierzig tausend sechs hundert. 42Dieß sind die Söhne Dans nach ihren Geschlechtern: Suham, das Geschlecht der Suhamiten. Dieß sind die Geschlechter Dans nach ihren Geschlechtern. 43Alle Geschlechter der Suhamiten betrugen nach ihren Gemusterten vier und sechzig tausend vier hundert. 44Die Söhne Assers nach ihren Geschlechtern: Jimna, das Geschlecht der Jimnaiten; Jiswi, das Geschlecht der Jiswiten; Beria, das Geschlecht der Beriiten. 45Die Söhne Beria's waren: Heber, das Geschlecht der Hebriten; Malkiel, das Geschlecht der Makieliten. 46Und der Name der Tochter Assers war Sarah. 47Dieß sind die Geschlechter der Söhne Assers; an Gemusterten waren ihrer: Drei und fünfzig tausend vier hundert. 48Die Söhne Naphtali's nach ihren Geschlechtern: Jahziel, das Geschlecht der Jahzieliten; Guni, das Geschlecht der Guniten; 49Jezer, das Geschlecht der Jezeriten; Sillem, das Geschlecht der Sillemiten. 50Dieß sind die Geschlechter Naphtali's, nach ihren Geschlechtern, und ihre Gemusterten waren: Fünf und vierzig tausend vier hundert. 51Dieß sind die Gemusterten der Söhne Israels: Sechsmal hunder tausend ein tausend sieben hundert und dreißig.  52Und Jehova redete zu Mose und sprach: 53Unter diese soll das Land vertheilt werden zum Erbeigenthum nach der Zahl der Namen. 54Vielen gebe Viel zum Erbeigenthum; und Wenigen Wenig zum Erbeigenthum; Jedem soll nach dem Verhältnisse der Gemusterten sein Erbeigenthum gegeben werden. 55Jedoch durch das Loos theile man das Land aus, nach den Namen ihrer väterlichen Stämme sollen sie es zum Eigenthum erhalten. 56Durch das Loos soll es als ihr Erbeigenthum vertheilt werden zwischen den Vielen und den Wenigen. 57Und dieß sind die Gemusterten der Leviten nach ihren Geschlechtern: Gerson, das Geschlecht der Gersoniten; Kehath, das Geschlecht der Kehathiten; Merari, das Geschlecht der Merariten. 58Dieß sind die Geschlechter Levi's: Das Geschlecht der Libniten, das Geschlecht der Hebroniten, das Geschlecht der Mahliten, das Geschlecht der Musiten, das Geschlecht der Korahiten. Und Kehath zeugete Amram. 59Und das Weib Amrams hieß Jochebed, eine Tochter Levi's, die dem Levi in Aegypten geboren worden war. Und sie gebar dem Amram Aaron und Mose, und Mirjam, ihre Schwester. 60Und dem Aaron wurden Nadab und Abihu, Eleasar und Ithamar geboren. 61Und Nadab und Abihu starben; weil sie fremdes Feuer vor Jehova brachten.. 62Und es waren ihre Gemusterten: Drei und zwanzig tausend alle Männlichen, vom Kinde eines Monates an, und darüber; denn sie waren nicht mitgemustert unter den Söhnen Israels; weil ihnen kein Erbeigenthum gegeben wurde unter den Söhnen Israels. 63Dieß sind die von Mose und Eleasar, dem Priester, Gemusterten, welche die Söhne Israels musterten in den Ebenen Moabs, am Jordan, Jericho gegenüber. 64Unter diesen aber war Keiner von denen, die Mose und Aaron, der Priester, gemustert hatten, als sie die Söhne Israels in der Wüste Sinai musterten. 65Denn Jehova hatte von ihnen gesagt: Sie sollen in der Wüste sterben, und kein Mann soll von ihnen übrig bleiben, außer Kaleb, der Sohn Jephunne's, und Josua, der Sohn Nuns.


Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary
 1   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   This is the register of the tribes as they were now enrolled, in the same order that they were numbered in ch. 1. 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 46:21), 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, 1Sam 2:5.
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 6:15) was extinct in the wilderness. Hence Simeon is not mentioned in Moses's blessing (Deu. 33), and the lot of that tribe in Canaan was inconsiderable, only a canton out of Judah's lot, Josh 19:9. 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, Num 26:9-Num 26:11. 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, Num 26:9. 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, Num 26:10. 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 (Num 26:11); 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   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 (Num 26:54); 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   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, Josh 4:16, 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   That which is observable in this conclusion of the account is the execution of the sentence passed upon the murmurers (Num 14:29), 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, Num 26:64, Num 26:65. 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 9:20. 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.