seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Numbers 26:1 After the plague the Lord said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, 2 “Take a census of the whole Israelite community by families—all those twenty years old or more who are able to serve in the army of Israel.” 3 So on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them and said, 4 “Take a census of the men twenty years old or more, as the Lord commanded Moses.”
This is another one of those parts of the Bible that has long lists. This time though, they are long lists that have cool information in between. It's hard to know what to do with these kinds of passages. So.... I placed a link to the chapter right in the beginning. I would encourage everyone to read the verses. I don't want to leave out anything like I did with the blue tassels. I just figure if I were to open a great big list like that... I wouldn't read it or learn anything from it.
Now.... here's what the easy English site offers.
The Book of Numbers began with a census. This second census happened 40 years later. The purpose of both censuses was to count all the men who could be soldiers. This was very important, because the Israelites were preparing to enter the Promised Land. They had to fight the Midianites (Numbers 25:16-18). Also, they had to fight the other people who lived in the country called Canaan. So they had to have a strong army.
But there was another reason for this second census. The Israelites were entering the Promised Land to settle there. Moses had to divide the land between the tribes. So he needed to know the size of each tribe. Then he could divide the land fairly. God had ordered him to do this (Numbers 26:52-56).
Apart from two men, Caleb and Joshua, all the Israelites had died that Moses had counted in the first census. These people were young when they left the country called Egypt. But they had not been grateful to God. They had complained about him often. They had not obeyed him. They had not trusted him when he told them to go into the Promised Land the first time. They had worshipped false gods. So God had said that they would die in the desert. They would never enter the Promised Land. And this happened. Their children entered the Promised Land and received land for themselves.
We can compare the numbers in the first and the second censuses. And we can see which tribes increased and which tribes became smaller during the 40 years in the desert.
Most of the tribes increased during the 40 years. Reuben’s tribe, Gad’s tribe, Ephraim’s tribe and Simeon’s tribe became smaller. Verses 8-11 provide a possible reason why Reuben’s tribe became smaller. These verses remind us about two events when many people died (Numbers chapter 16). Also, we know a possible reason why Simeon’s tribe became smaller. Zimri was one of their leaders. Probably, because of what he had done, many of Simeon’s tribe had sinned in the same way. Therefore, many more of Simeon’s tribe than other tribes would have died because of the disease (Numbers 25:6-9). Also, Simeon’s tribe and Gad’s tribe had their camp in the south, with Reuben’s tribe. They were closest to the country called Moab. So, when the disease spread as a punishment, they would have suffered first. It stopped when Phinehas killed Zimri and Cozbi.
God wanted Moses to divide the land fairly between the tribes. There were two decisions to make:
God told Moses how to make these decisions. Firstly, bigger tribes received more land than smaller tribes. Secondly, the people had to ‘use lots’ to decide the position of each tribe’s territory. ‘To use lots’ was a method that gave an equal opportunity to everyone. The Israelites used this method often to make important decisions. We do not know how they did this. Probably, they used pieces of wood or stones. And they wrote the tribes’ names on the stones or pieces of wood. Then they put them in a jar. Then they shook the jar to see which name fell out. They believed that God, not luck, controlled the results (Proverbs 16:33).
But Levi’s tribe would not receive a share of the land. They could not join the army. Instead, they had to help the priests. So Moses counted them separately, as in the first census.
But there was another reason for this second census. The Israelites were entering the Promised Land to settle there. Moses had to divide the land between the tribes. So he needed to know the size of each tribe. Then he could divide the land fairly. God had ordered him to do this (Numbers 26:52-56).
Apart from two men, Caleb and Joshua, all the Israelites had died that Moses had counted in the first census. These people were young when they left the country called Egypt. But they had not been grateful to God. They had complained about him often. They had not obeyed him. They had not trusted him when he told them to go into the Promised Land the first time. They had worshipped false gods. So God had said that they would die in the desert. They would never enter the Promised Land. And this happened. Their children entered the Promised Land and received land for themselves.
We can compare the numbers in the first and the second censuses. And we can see which tribes increased and which tribes became smaller during the 40 years in the desert.
Most of the tribes increased during the 40 years. Reuben’s tribe, Gad’s tribe, Ephraim’s tribe and Simeon’s tribe became smaller. Verses 8-11 provide a possible reason why Reuben’s tribe became smaller. These verses remind us about two events when many people died (Numbers chapter 16). Also, we know a possible reason why Simeon’s tribe became smaller. Zimri was one of their leaders. Probably, because of what he had done, many of Simeon’s tribe had sinned in the same way. Therefore, many more of Simeon’s tribe than other tribes would have died because of the disease (Numbers 25:6-9). Also, Simeon’s tribe and Gad’s tribe had their camp in the south, with Reuben’s tribe. They were closest to the country called Moab. So, when the disease spread as a punishment, they would have suffered first. It stopped when Phinehas killed Zimri and Cozbi.
God wanted Moses to divide the land fairly between the tribes. There were two decisions to make:
1. The amount of land that each tribe received.
2. In which part of Canaan each tribe had their share of the land.
2. In which part of Canaan each tribe had their share of the land.
God told Moses how to make these decisions. Firstly, bigger tribes received more land than smaller tribes. Secondly, the people had to ‘use lots’ to decide the position of each tribe’s territory. ‘To use lots’ was a method that gave an equal opportunity to everyone. The Israelites used this method often to make important decisions. We do not know how they did this. Probably, they used pieces of wood or stones. And they wrote the tribes’ names on the stones or pieces of wood. Then they put them in a jar. Then they shook the jar to see which name fell out. They believed that God, not luck, controlled the results (Proverbs 16:33).
But Levi’s tribe would not receive a share of the land. They could not join the army. Instead, they had to help the priests. So Moses counted them separately, as in the first census.
I hope, by leaving the link to the verses, others might be encouraged to read it.... there are some reminders about what happened over the 40 years to affect the census from forty years before.
