F. FUTURE PROSPECTS IN THE LAND (CHAPTER S 26-36). We now come to the final main section of the book. It will commence with the numbering of Israel, a sign that they were making ready for the final push, and is divided up into rededication and preparations for entering the land (Chapter s 26-32), a... [ Continue Reading ]
YAHWEH COMMANDS THE NUMBERING OF ISRAEL FOR SERVICE (NUMBERS 26:1). With the land almost in sight the armies of Israel were to be ‘numbered', that is, organised for warfare, while the Levites would be organised for service. Numbers 26:1 ‘And it came about after the plague, that Yahweh spoke to Mo... [ Continue Reading ]
MOSES AND ELEAZAR PASS ON THE COMMAND (NUMBERS 26:3). Numbers 26:3 ‘And Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,' In strict obedience Moses and Eleazar passed on the command in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho. The invas... [ Continue Reading ]
THE NUMBERING OF THE ARMY IN THEIR TRIBES AND CLANS (NUMBERS 26:5). The numbering was far more than a head count. It was a listing of the contingents to which the men belonged. Numbers 26:5 ‘Reuben, the first-born of Israel; the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, t... [ Continue Reading ]
Numbers 26:15 ‘The sons 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; of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites; of Arod, the family of the Arodites; of Areli, the family o... [ Continue Reading ]
Numbers 26:26 'The sons of Zebulun after their families: of Sered, the family of the Seredites; of Elon, the family of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites. These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them, threescore thousand and five hundr... [ Continue Reading ]
Numbers 26:42 ‘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. All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those that were numbered of them, were threescore and four thousand and four hundred.' Dan wa... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LAND TO BE DIVIDED UP BETWEEN THEM TRIBES AS AN INHERITANCE ACCORDING TO THEIR NUMBER DEPENDING ON WHETHER MORE OR FEWER (NUMBERS 26:52). Having numbered the men for war, the encouragement was now given by describing the future division of what they were fighting for, and in such a way as to es... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LAND WAS TO BE DIVIDED BY LOT AS AN INHERITANCE (NUMBERS 26:55). Dividing land by lots was an ancient practise in use in many civilisations. It was especially important in this case so that the people might know that they were receiving the land allocated to them by Yahweh, and that there was n... [ Continue Reading ]
THE NUMBERING OF THE LEVITES FOR THEIR SERVICE (NUMBERS 26:57). Once again it is significant that the Levites are numbered in ‘round thousands'. They operated through their three sub-tribes, and their clans, and were not split into ‘hundreds' (smaller units). They would not be going into battle. N... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE ARE THOSE WHO WERE NUMBERED BY MOSES AND ELEAZAR BUT AMONG THEM WAS NO ONE PREVIOUSLY NUMBERED AT SINAI (I.E. OF THOSE WHO CAME FORTH FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT) (26:62-65A). Numbers 26:63 ‘These are those who were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in... [ Continue Reading ]