Almost Four Decades of Numerical and Spiritual Stagnation -- Would the Israelites Ever Learn?

Numbers Chapter 26: The 2^nd Census; Dividing the Land; and No Inheritance for the Levites and the Old Generation

Numbers 26:1-65

Day 81 of “please stay home; please wear a mask; please keep six feet apart; and no you can’t go out to eat; no, you can’t get your hair cut; no, you can’t have church services in person; but feel free to get an abortion; go to a casino; and now, feel free to protest (even riot and loot) in large groups – we won’t touch you, and if we do, you’ll be out of jail in a few hours.”  Okay, you get my point. But heck, those 81 days are twice the number of years the children of Israel spent in the desert. So, I guess I can’t really complain. My wife is still with and My God isn’t leaving. I have a calmness in my heart as I learn more about God and His children, studying the book of Numbers.  Thanks for joining me.

The Passage

Verses 1-51 give us an account of the second census that took place after the plague we recently talked about. Again, this was for those 20 years old and up males by their fathers’ households (not equivalent to tribes please note). (That’s verse 2). However, the instructions that Moses and Eleazar passed on in verse 4 refers to “people” not just “sons” or males.

In verses 9-10, there is reference to those sons of Eliab (Dathan and Abiram) that had died, along with Korah, in chapter 16 after they had rebelled against Moses. But the sons of Korah were still alive. So, they were counted.

And in verse 51, we learn that the total number of the sons of Israel remaining at that time were 601,730. [Don’t worry, I counted the twelve figures given for the twelve households (again not tribes) and that total is correct.] The Levites were excluded from that number.

Verses 52-56 describe God’s way of dividing the land they were to possess by tribe, as an inheritance. The bigger the tribe, the bigger the inheritance and vice-versa.  The actual land to be selected would be done so by drawing of lots.

Verses 57-62 tell us that the Levites would not have any land as an inheritance. They were 23,000 in number, but they were numbered from a month old and up (verse 62). There are some other interesting things going on in those verses, but the main point is that they weren’t included in the second census as they weren’t getting any land. And this census seemed to be about that.

In verses 63-65, we also learn that no one who had left Egypt with Moses and counted in the first census were still around to be counted except for Caleb and Joshua.  They weren’t getting any land inheritance or any inheritance for that matter, since they had all died.

Thoughts on the Passage

I am amazed by the exactness of this chapter’s numbers. I also find it interesting that the Levites were not counted in either the first or this second census because they were not to get any land but more importantly, because they were not to go to war. They were counted separately at another time.

The author also talks about there not being any of the “old generation” who left Egypt with Moses and Aaron. Of course, Aaron, is dead at this point, and it is his son, Eleazar that works with Moses in this census. On the other hand, this census too was a military one as we see from the end of verse 2.

You can compare the gains and losses of each tribe’s men from the fiest census (38 years earlier) to the second census. For example, Reuben lost 6%, while Simeon lost 63%. Gad lost 11%; Judah on the other hand gained 3%. Issachar gained 18%, Zebulun 5%, and Manasseh had a remarkable gain of 64%. Ephraim lost 20% while Benjamin gained 29%, although Dan only gained 3%. Asher gained 29% and Naphtali lost 15%.

Overall, however, the numbers stained relatively the same, with mere loss of 1,820 men or 0.3%. Remember, Israel was supposed to grow and multiply. But during their 40 years they remained basically stagnant much like their spiritual condition.

It is the first and the second censuses that give the book of Numbers its name.

Matthew Henry would have us note that Moses did not count the people unless or until God told him to. This contrasts with David we did it on his own initiative and paid dearly for it. God was Israel’s King, not Moses and a census is an act of authority that would only be exercised at the command of the King.

With this census near the end of their journeys in the wilderness, God was saying these are those that are ‘registered’ to inherit the Promised Land and thus its land, according to their numbers. And remember, while this instruction was given to Moses, as he was not to get to the promised land, it was meant for him to pass on to Joshua. How hard that must have been for Moses.

In the last two verses of the chapter we see that the righteousness of God is fully present as none of the complainers and murmurers were left to go into the Promised Land. We also see that the Goodness of God to His people is fully evident in that God raised up another generation, as numerous, and through it, Israel’s name would not vanish. The inheritance of the Promise would still be given to their children.

Finally, Henry reminds that herein is also shown the Truth of God, in performing His promise made to Caleb and Joshua. They were to be “preserved from falling in this common ruin.” We must remember that in all of things God allows, God has perfect control of who is impacted by death and who lives. We need to be fully aware of that.

What are our takeaways here? Simply these:

1. God is our King.

2. He keeps His word and His promises.

3. He loves us more than we deserve.

4. He warns us more than we deserve.

5. The rest is indeed up to us.

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.