Numbers 26:34-37
These are the clans of Manasseh, and those listed were 52,700. These are the sons of Ephraim according to their clans: of Shuthelah, the clan of the Shuthelahites; of Becher, the clan of the Becherites; of Tahan, the clan of the Tahanites. And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the clan of the Eranites. These are the clans of the sons of Ephraim as they were listed, 32,500. These are the sons of Joseph according to their clans.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse doesn't just record a number; it marks a significant increase in Manasseh's descendants, showing a growth of nearly 20,000 since the first census. This expansion is a powerful fulfillment of the promises made to Joseph's family about abundant offspring, even after nearly forty years in the wilderness.
Following a devastating plague that wiped out thousands, God instructs Moses and Eleazar to conduct a new census of the Israelite people. This second census, taken in the plains of Moab near the Jordan River, serves to re-establish their tribal counts and prepare for the division of the Promised Land, contrasting sharply with the first census taken at Sinai nearly forty years prior. This specific verse concludes the enumeration of Manasseh's descendants, listing their significant numbers after the period of wandering and judgment.
How can a nation bounce back after devastating judgment? Numbers 26 reveals a surprising answer.
This census, taken after a plague that wiped out many Israelites, is not just a headcount. It's a testament to God's faithfulness to His promises, even when His people falter.
God's Unwavering Plan
Despite the recent plague and the lingering memory of rebellion (like Korah's), the total number of Israelites counted is remarkably close to the original census taken at Mount Sinai. This wasn't a natural recovery; it was divine intervention. God had promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars, and He was keeping that promise, even through generations that faced His discipline.
A Sign of Hope
The census shows that while judgment is real, God's grace and His covenant promises endure. The increase in Manasseh's tribe, from 32,200 in the first census to 52,700 here, is a powerful symbol of this. It's a reminder that God's plan for His people is not easily derailed, and His faithfulness provides a solid ground for hope, even in difficult times.
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Did you know that a specific prophecy about the tribe of Joseph influences how we read this census count?
The numbers for Manasseh in this chapter are particularly significant when compared to the earlier census (Numbers 1:35). Manasseh's tribe has seen a dramatic increase of over 20,000 people.
Jacob's Prophetic Word
This growth directly fulfills a prophecy Jacob gave centuries earlier concerning his grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Jacob foretold that the younger, Ephraim, would become a greater multitude than his older brother, Manasseh (Genesis 48:19). While both tribes grew, the numbers in this chapter, and elsewhere in Joshua, show Ephraim eventually surpassing Manasseh in population. However, the significant increase in Manasseh's tribe here demonstrates God's blessing and faithfulness to the entire family of Joseph, ensuring each line received its due inheritance and population growth as promised.
God's Detailed Provision
The detailed listing of families within Manasseh underscores God's meticulous care. He wasn't just counting individuals; He was accounting for every family, ensuring that the land inheritance would be distributed fairly according to these numbers. This census, therefore, isn't just history; it's the foundation for God's promised provision.
Understand the original words
paqad · Hebrew Verb
The act of recording names in an official registry or census, demonstrating the covenantal faithfulness of God in preserving the identity and number of His people as they prepared to enter the Promised Land.
ben · Hebrew Noun
A term referring to male descendants of a common ancestor; in the context of the tribes of Israel, it denotes lineage, identity, and inheritance rights within the covenant community.
mishpachah · Hebrew Noun
A social or familial group descended from a common ancestor; in Numbers, these represent the primary sub-units of the tribes of Israel used for organizing the census, military service, and land allotment.
Ephrayim · Hebrew Noun
One of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from the son of Jacob and Rachel; characterized in Scripture as a warrior tribe, often central to the history of the early monarchy.
paqad · Hebrew Verb
The name given to the organized body of people, often used in the context of official numbering or registration for administrative, military, or religious purposes.
Yoseph · Hebrew Noun
The son of Jacob and Rachel, whose life in Egypt and role as the provider for his family established the legal basis for his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, to be numbered as tribal heads.
This second census, taken after a devastating plague and the subsequent judgment on the older generation, shows a remarkable increase in the tribe of Manasseh compared to the first census. This growth fulfills God's promise of abundant posterity to Joseph's descendants, even amidst judgment.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites leave Egypt after centuries of slavery, beginning their journey to the Promised Land.
c. 1446 BC
First Census at Sinai
The first census of Israelite men capable of military service is taken shortly after the Exodus, numbering 603,550. This census is taken before the rebellion at Kadesh-Barnea.
c. 1406 BC
Rebellion and Wilderness Wandering
Following the spies' negative report, the Israelites rebel against God's command to enter Canaan. As a result, the entire generation that left Egypt, except for Caleb and Joshua, is condemned to die in the wilderness.
c. 1405 BC
The Plague
A devastating plague strikes the Israelite camp. While the exact nature and timing are debated, it signifies divine judgment and precedes the second census.
c. 1405 BC— this verse
Second Census in Moab
God commands a second census to be taken in the plains of Moab, near the Jordan River, just before Israel enters the Promised Land. This census records the number of men for each tribe and family, excluding the Levites.
This passage contains Jacob's prophecy about Joseph's descendants, stating Joseph would be a 'fruitful bough,' which is fulfilled in the significant increase of Manasseh's tribe noted in this census.
Numbers 1:35This earlier census of Manasseh's tribe shows a much smaller number (32,200), highlighting the dramatic growth and God's faithfulness to His promises of multiplication over the 40 years in the wilderness.
Joshua 17:1-6This passage details the inheritance of Manasseh's descendants, showing how the land was divided based on these census numbers, underscoring the practical importance of the counting.
Hebrews 11:12This verse speaks of descendants as numerous as the stars, echoing the immense multiplication of the Israelites, including Manasseh's descendants, despite their wilderness journey and trials.
calvinNumbers 26:1-65: "And it came to pass after the plague, that the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying,"
And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram which were famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the Lord:
Filii autem Eliab, Nebuel, Dathan et Abiron: isti sunt Dathan et Abiron majores synagogae qui rixati sunt contra Mosen et…
bensonNumbers 26:34: "These are the families of Manasseh, and those that were numbered of them, fifty and two thousand and seven hundred."
Numbers 26:34 . Fifty-two thousand seven hundred — Whereas they were but thirty-two thousand and two hundred, in Numbers 1:35 . So that they had increased twenty thousand and five hundred, according to the promise made to Joseph’s posterity, Genesis 49:22 .
This verse doesn't just record a number; it marks a significant increase in Manasseh's descendants, showing a growth of nearly 20,000 since the first census. This expansion is a powerful fulfillment of the promises made to Joseph's family about abundant offspring, even after nearly forty years in the wilderness.
Following a devastating plague that wiped out thousands, God instructs Moses and Eleazar to conduct a new census of the Israelite people. This second census, taken in the plains of Moab near the Jordan River, serves to re-establish their tribal counts and prepare for the division of the Promised Land, contrasting sharply with the first census taken at Sinai nearly forty years prior. This specific verse concludes the enumeration of Manasseh's descendants, listing their significant numbers after the period of wandering and judgment.
Following a devastating plague that wiped out thousands, God instructs Moses and Eleazar to conduct a new census of the Israelite people. This second census, taken in the plains of Moab near the Jordan River, serves to re-establish their tribal counts and prepare for the division of the Promised Land, contrasting sharply with the first census taken at Sinai nearly forty years prior. This specific verse concludes the enumeration of Manasseh's descendants, listing their significant numbers after the period of wandering and judgment.
"These are the clans of Manasseh, and those listed were 52,700. These are the sons of Ephraim according to their clans: of Shuthelah, the clan of the Shuthelahites; of Becher, the clan of the Becherites; of Tahan, the clan of the Tahanites.…" — This verse doesn't just record a number; it marks a significant increase in Manasseh's descendants, showing a growth of nearly 20,000 since the first census. This expansion is a powerful fulfillment…
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