for Jezer, the Jezerite clan; for Shillem, the Shillemite clan.
Commentaries
26:1 - 26:65
New Census.
At the gates of the Promised Land, with the journey nearly finished, a new census is needed for two reasons: first, to confirm that none of the first generation remains (64ff); and second, to allocate the land among the tribes (53ff).
If we compare the number counted in Sinai (603,550 in 1:46) with the census of the plains of Moab (601,730 in 51), the difference is small (only 1820 people). However, verse 62 mentions 23,000 males over one month old who, although not counted with the other Israelites, suggest that the population has grown rather than shrunk, despite the deaths recorded in the desert. This may reflect the theological purpose of the chapter: God’s faithful provision and commitment to life. Although the circumstances of the desert and Israel’s behavior could have led to their disappearance, God’s promise and faithfulness have ensured that life continued rather than diminished.
Commentaries
New Census.
At the gates of the Promised Land, with the journey nearly finished, a new census is needed for two reasons: first, to confirm that none of the first generation remains (64ff); and second, to allocate the land among the tribes (53ff).
If we compare the number counted in Sinai (603,550 in 1:46) with the census of the plains of Moab (601,730 in 51), the difference is small (only 1820 people). However, verse 62 mentions 23,000 males over one month old who, although not counted with the other Israelites, suggest that the population has grown rather than shrunk, despite the deaths recorded in the desert. This may reflect the theological purpose of the chapter: God’s faithful provision and commitment to life. Although the circumstances of the desert and Israel’s behavior could have led to their disappearance, God’s promise and faithfulness have ensured that life continued rather than diminished.