Numbers 26:43 Meaning Explained

Numbers 26:43

All the clans of the Shuhamites, as they were listed, were 64,400.

English Standard Version (ESV)

This verse highlights how even a seemingly minor clan, the Shuhamites, could number over 64,000 people, demonstrating God's incredible faithfulness in multiplying families. It underscores that population growth isn't just about numbers, but about God's sovereign blessing and purpose, a truth often overlooked when we focus solely on human effort.

What Numbers 26:43 means

This chapter concludes the second census of Israel, taken after a devastating plague. Following the judgment of God on many, Moses and Eleazar are commanded to recount the tribes and their families, determining who will receive an inheritance in the Promised Land. This specific verse records the final count for the Shuhamite families within the tribe of Dan.

Divine Providence Through Changing Numbers

It seems strange that after 40 years of wandering and immense loss, the census numbers are so similar to the original count. How can we reconcile these numbers with God's faithfulness?

This census, taken at the end of Israel's 40 years in the wilderness (Numbers 26), reveals a profound truth about God's faithfulness.

A Miraculous Preservation

Despite the rebellion and subsequent plague that wiped out 24,000, and the loss of the entire generation that refused to enter the Promised Land, the total number of Israelites was remarkably close to the initial census taken at Mount Sinai. This wasn't a mere coincidence but a testament to God's sustaining power and His commitment to His promises.

God's Grace Amidst Judgment

Calvin highlights that this near-identical number, especially after significant judgment, demonstrates God's grace. He had promised Abraham to multiply his seed as the stars of heaven. Even when His people faltered, God ensured His covenant promise remained intact, showing that His judgment is always tempered with mercy.

The Purpose of the Census

This final census served to confirm God's promises as they were about to enter the Promised Land. Henry points out that the land was to be divided by lot according to these numbers. This act reassured them that they were indeed the inheritors of the land, not a diminished or forgotten people, but a populace sustained by God's unfailing hand.

Sovereignty Over Growth and Numbers

Why do some tribes have such vastly different numbers, and what does this reveal about God's role in our increase?

The detailed census in Numbers 26, including the specific count for the Shuhamites (64,400), underscores that the growth and size of families and tribes are ultimately under God's sovereign control.

God's Direct Blessing

Wesley and Poole both emphasize that the significant differences in tribal numbers, even when comparing tribes with a different number of sons (like Dan vs. Benjamin), illustrate that increase is not merely a matter of human effort or family size. It is a direct result of 'God's blessing and good pleasure.' The large number of the Shuhamites, originating from a single son of Dan, highlights this divine initiative.

Historical context

Written: Likely around 1400-1300 BC, during Israel's wandering in the wilderness.
Author: Traditionally Moses, though scholarly debate exists. The book is part of the Torah.
Location: Written from the plains of Moab, east of the Jordan River.
Genre: Narrative with elements of census lists and genealogical records. A key feature is its structured enumeration of tribes and families.

Historical background

This detailed census, taken after a plague and just before entering the Promised Land, shows God's faithfulness in preserving His people despite their failures, ensuring they could inherit the land He promised.

c. 1446 BC
Israelites Depart Egypt
Following the Exodus from Egypt and the Passover, the Israelites began their journey toward the Promised Land.
c. 1445 BC
First Census at Sinai
The first census was taken at Mount Sinai, establishing the size of the tribes before their prolonged wanderings in the wilderness.
c. 1445 BC - c. 1405 BC
Wilderness Wandering
The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years due to their disobedience, during which time the generation that left Egypt, except for Caleb and Joshua, perished.
c. 1406 BC
Plague and Divine Judgment
A plague struck the Israelite camp, possibly related to the incident at Baal-peor, leading to significant loss of life and necessitating a new census.
c. 1406 BC

Key themes

01God's Sovereign Blessing
02Generational Census Counting
03Tribal Identity Preserved

Cross-references

Genesis 46:23

This verse lists the descendants of Dan, including his son Hushim (Shuham in Numbers), underscoring the family lineage and its place within the larger census of Israel.

Genesis 49:16-17

Jacob's prophecy about Dan as a 'viper by the wayside' shows a unique characteristic of this tribe, hinting at its distinctiveness and potential for judgment or protection that is now quantified in the census.

Joshua 19:40-48

This passage details the inheritance allotted to the tribe of Dan, providing geographical context for the people counted in the census and illustrating how the numbers directly related to land distribution.

Judges 18:1-31

The account of the Danites seeking territory highlights their migration and expansion, which is implicitly reflected in the census numbers provided for the tribe of Dan and its families.

Scholarly commentary

Numbers 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…

calvin

Numbers 26:43: "All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those that were numbered of them, were threescore and four thousand and four hundred."

26:43 Threescore and four thousand and four hundred - All from one son and family, whereas of Benjamin who had ten sons, and five families, there were only forty five thousand and six hundred, to shew that the increase of families depends singly upon God's blessing and good pleasure.
wesley

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What Numbers 26:43 means

Historical context

Written: Likely around 1400-1300 BC, during Israel's wandering in the wilderness.
Author: Traditionally Moses, though scholarly debate exists. The book is part of the Torah.
Location: Written from the plains of Moab, east of the Jordan River.
Genre: Narrative with elements of census lists and genealogical records. A key feature is its structured enumeration of tribes and families.

Historical background

c. 1446 BC

Israelites Depart Egypt

Following the Exodus from Egypt and the Passover, the Israelites began their journey toward the Promised Land.

c. 1445 BC

First Census at Sinai

The first census was taken at Mount Sinai, establishing the size of the tribes before their prolonged wanderings in the wilderness.

c. 1445 BC - c. 1405 BC

Wilderness Wandering

The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years due to their disobedience, during which time the generation that left Egypt, except for Caleb and Joshua, perished.

c. 1406 BC

Plague and Divine Judgment

A plague struck the Israelite camp, possibly related to the incident at Baal-peor, leading to significant loss of life and necessitating a new census.