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Numbers 26:2

in Numbers 26

“Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel by the houses of their fathers—all those twenty years of age or older who can serve in the army of Israel.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, by their fathers’ houses, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel.

KJV

Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, throughout their fathers’ house, all that are able to go to war in Israel.

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This verse in Numbers 26

Commentary

5 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

Take the sum of all the congregation - After thirty-eight years God commands a second census of the Israelites to be made, to preserve the distinction in families, and to regulate the tribes previously to their entry into the promised land, and to ascertain the proportion of land which should be allowed to each tribe. For though the whole was divided by lot, yet the portions were so disposed that a numerous tribe did not draw where the lots assigned small inheritances. See Num 26:53-56, and also see the note on Num 1:1.

This site's exposition

After the plague had ended

on Numbers 26:1-4

Moses and Aaron took the first census at Sinai. Moses and Eleazar take this one "on the plains of Moab", because Aaron died at Mount Hor in 20:28.

This site's exposition

Take a census of the whole congregation

Adam Clarke gives this second census three ends: to keep the families distinct, to order the tribes, and to fix each tribe's share. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown put first the proof that Abraham's seed had multiplied in spite of the judgments.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Procopius of Gaza

CATENA ON THE OCTATEUCH, ON NUMBERS 26:2 · Written before 528.

proposed

After Scripture has indicated that the people arrived at the border established by God, God again asks for a census of the men suitable for military service. For, since the fathers who had been counted previously had died, their sons are summoned for a census. …

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel,....

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

לבית אבתם [TAKE THE SUM OF THE CONGREGATION] ACCORDING TO THEIR FATHERS’ HOUSE — after their fathers’ tribes shall they reckon their descent, and not after their mothers’ (Bava Batra 109b).
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on Numbers 26:2:1, via Sefaria, Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
It was after the plague. Adonoy spoke to Moshe and Elozor, son of Aharon the kohein, saying:
Targum · Onkelos Numbers 26:1, via Sefaria, Metsudah Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009 [with Onkelos translation]

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

17 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • שְׂא֞וּlift up

    seuH5375 →656 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • רֹ֣אשׁ׀[the] head of

    roshH7218 →599 times

  • כָּל־all

    kol-H3605 →5413 times

  • עֲדַ֣ת[the] congregation of

    ʾadatH5712 →149 times

  • בְּנֵי־[the] people of

    benei-H1121 →4930 times

  • יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לIsrael

    yisraelH3478 →2507 times

  • מִבֶּ֨ןfrom a son of

    mibenH1121 →4930 times

  • עֶשְׂרִ֥יםtwenty

    ʾesrimH6242 →315 times

  • שָׁנָ֛הyear[s]

    shanahH8141 →877 times

  • וָמַ֖עְלָהand up -wards

    vama'lahH4605 →140 times

  • לְבֵ֣יתto [the] house of

    leveitH1004 →2046 times

  • אֲבֹתָ֑םancestors their

    ʾavotamH1 →1212 times

  • כָּל־every

    kol-H3605 →5413 times

  • יֹצֵ֥א[one who] goes forth

    yotze'H3318 →1067 times

  • צָבָ֖אwarfare

    tzava'H6635 →485 times

  • בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃in Israel

    beyisraelH3478 →2507 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

6 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Exodus 38:25–26The silver from those numbered among the congregation totaled 100 talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel—5 worksNumbers 1:2–3“Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one.4 worksNumbers 32:11‘Because they did not follow Me wholeheartedly, not one of the men twenty years of age or older who came out of Egypt will see the land that I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—4 worksExodus 30:11–16Then the LORD said to Moses,2 worksExodus 30:14Everyone twenty years of age or older who crosses over must give this offering to the LORD.2 worksNumbers 1:3You and Aaron are to number those who are twenty years of age or older by their divisions—everyone who can serve in Israel’s army.2 works

Where this verse is studied

About Numbers

The Brazen Serpent, Anthony van Dyck, 1618 to 1620. Public domain.
The Brazen Serpent, Anthony van Dyck, 1618 to 1620. Public domain.
Numbers: the study guide →Read Numbers 26 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Procopius of Gaza, CATENA ON THE OCTATEUCH, ON NUMBERS 26:2.

Read on in Numbers 26 →