Numbers 26

Israel first “began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab,” who then invited them to attend their sacrificial feasts; whereby they were drawn into the practice of idolatry, in a manner unawares. The two great temptations to idolatry, according to Bishop Patrick, were “ good victuals, and bad women.” Thus they joined themselves to Baal-peor, and, of course, turned their backs upon Jehovah, whose wrath was kindled, and who had sent a pestilence among them. Moses was commanded to “take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the sun.” But of what people? doubtless of the offenders. And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, ‘Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baal-peor.”’ Here it must be remembered, that Israel had now become a military nation, and were engaged in war.

Their magistrates and their officers were the same individuals, and ordered to inflict military execution on the offenders, in hope to stay the plague that was now raging in the camp. Alas! while Moses and the elders were weeping before the door of the tabernacle, and imploring mercy, one daring offender had the assurance to bring a Midianitish harlot into his tent, before the face of Moses, and of all Israel; which being observed by Phinehas, (the son of Eleazar,) he followed them and the plague was stayed; but not till 24,000, in the whole, had died thereby; 1000 by the sword of justice, and 23,000 by the visitation of God. Compare (1 Corinthians 10:8). As the action of Phinehas received the sanction of the Lord, it cannot require justification from us.

Some heathen legislators, indeed, allow similar impunity in shedding of blood, in such cases: and, we believe, our own law considers the act only as manslaughter. Phinehas, however, being son of the High Priest, and grandson of Aaron, acted not as a private individual, but in his official capacity. Chap. XVI. Ver. 1—65. The people again numbered, and the land divided.—The plague just mentioned having swept away the old generation of Israelites, they are again enumerated, and fall short of the number taken three years before, in the whole 1820; the decrease in some of the tribes seems to intimate, that they were deeply implicated in the several insurrections, and suffered accordingly in the plagues which followed, particularly the tribe of Simeon.

But so completely was the former generation annihilated, that we are told there was not one man of them left, save Caleb and Joshua, who were by name exempted from the fatal decree, for their fidelity. ((Numbers 14:38).) Whether the decree extended equally to the females, seems doubtful. Under the Mosaic dispensation, women were certainly under great disadvantages as to information; and as to authority, except in their little domestic circles, they were perfect ciphers. But where small privileges were conferred, the less was required of them. The advantages in their favour, under the new dispensation, are immense; but then they should remember, “ Where much is given, much also will be required.”

((Luke 11:48).) It is awful to think of so many thousands being cut off from the earth within forty years; but with us the mortality is greater. The generations of mankind are averaged at not more than about thirty years; and half the human race have been calculated to die in infancy. “‘O Sin! what hast thou done?’ But, be God, the gospel has “brought life and immortality to light!” “‘O death, where is thy sting?” and, “O grave, where is thy victory?” ((1 Timothy 1:10).; (1 Corinthians 15:55).)

Notes on the verses

Chap. XXVI. Ver. 2. Take the sum, &c.—(The plague having swept away the last of that devoted generation, which provoked the Lord to “swear in his wrath that they should not enter” Canaan; he now, after an interval of 38 years, commands another census of the Israelites to be made, to preserve the distinction of families, and to regulate the tribes previous to their weld into the promised land, as well as to ascertain the proportion of land which should be allotted 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, or the contrary.)—Bagster. _ Ver. 10. Together with Korah.—(The Samaritan text does not intimate that Korah was swallowed up, but that he was burnt, as appears to have been the fact; and the Psalmist also ((Psalms 106:17).) only mentions Dathan and Abiram as having been swallowed up.—‘’ And the earth swallowed them up, what time that company died; and the fire devoured Korah with the 250 men, who became a sign."’]—Bagster. Compare ch. xvi. 1. Ver. 11. Children of Korah.—(It seems to be intimated in ch. xvi. 27, 31, 33. that not only the men, but the sons and the little ones of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, were swallowed up by the earthquake; but the text never expressly affirms that the children of Korah ‘died not;” and their descendants were famous even in David’s time. On a close inspection, however, of ver. 27 of the abovementioned chapter, we shall find that the sons and the little ones of Dathan and Abiram alone are mentioned.

There is no mention of the children of Korah: they, therefore, probably either not consenting to their father’s crime, or speedily were preserved where he was cut off; while it appears that those of Dathan and Abiram perished with their fa- Ver. 14. Simeonites.—(The immense decrease of this tribe, no less than 37,100, renders it highly probable, that, influenced by the bad example of Zimri, the Simeonites had been peculiarly criminal in the late wickedness, and that multitudes of them had died of the plague. It is remarkable, that Moses in (Deuteronomy 33)bestows no blessing upon this tribe. Ver. 25. These are the families.—(The families, which formed the grand subdivisions of the several tribes are as follows:

REUBEN. 1 Arod: Arodites. 2 Hanoch: Hanochites. 3 Pallu: Palluites. 4 Hezron: Hezronites. 5 Carmi: Carmites. II. SIMEON. 1 Nemuel: Nemuelites. 2 Jamin: Jaminites. 3 Jachin: Jachinites. 4 Zerah: Zarhites. 5 Shaul: Shaulites. III. GAD. 1 Zephon: Zephonites. 2 Haggi: Haggites. 3 Shuni: Shunites. 4 Ozni: Oznites. 5 Eri: Erites. 6 Areli: Arelites. IV. JUDAH. 1 Shelah: Shelanites. 2 Pharez: Pharezites. 3 Zerah: Zarhites. 4 Hezron: Hezronites. 5 Hamul: Hamlites. V. ISSACHAR. 1 Tola: Tolaites. 2 Pua: Punites. 3 Jashub: Jashubites. 4 Shimron: Shimronites. VI. ZEBULUN. 1 Sered: Sardites. 2 Elon: Elonites. 3 Jahleel: Jahleelites. 4 Machir: Machirites. VII. MANASSEH. 1 Huphama: Huphamites. 2 Gilead: Gileadites. 3 Naaman: Naamites.

3 Jeezer: Jeezerites. VIII. DAN. 4 Helek: Helekites. 5 Shuham: Shuhamites. 6 Asriel: Asrielites. XI. ASHER. 1 Shechem: Shechemites. 2 Shemida: Shemidaites. 3 Hepher: Hepherites. 4 Shuthelah: Shuthelahites. 5 Becher: Bachrites. 6 Tahan: Tahanites. 7 Jahzeel: Jahzeelites. 8 Eran: Eranites. 9 Guni: Gunites. IX. BENJAMIN. 1 Bela: Belaites. 2 Ashbel: Ashbelites. 3 Ahiram: Ahiramites. 4 Shillem: Shillemites. 5 Shupham: Shuphamites. 6 Ardites. 7 Ar: Arites. 8 Jimna: Jimnites. 9 Jesui: Jesuites. 10 Beriah: Beriites. 11 Heber: Heberites. 12 Malchiel: Malchielites. XII. NAPHTALI. In all 57 families. —Bagster. Ver. 51. These were the numbered.—The following exhibits a comparison of the two numberings of the people, here and in the first chapter of this book: Chap.

(Numbers 26)A. M. 2514. A. M. 2553. Increase. Decrease. Reuben - 46,500 43,730 2,770 Simeon - 59,300 22,200 37,100 Gad - 45,650 40,500 5,150 Judah - 74,600 76,500 1,900 Issachar - 54,400 64,300 9,900 Zebulun - 57,400 60,500 3,100 Manasseh - 32,200 52,700 20,500 Ephraim - 40,500 32,500 8,000 Benjamin - 35,400 45,600 10,200 Dan - 62,700 64,400 1,700 Asher - 41,500 53,400 11,900 Naphtali - 53,400 45,400 8,000 603,550 601,730 59,200 61,020 Decrease upon the whole 1,820 [It should be observed, that among these there was not one of the former census, except Joshua and Caleb. (See ver. 64, 65.) Thus, though there was such an amazing increase in seven tribes, yet so great was the decrease in the other five tribes, that the balance against the present census is 1820, as

appears above.—Notwithstanding the amazing increase in some, and decrease in other tribes, the same sort of proportion is kept in their several divisions; so as to keep the division in the front the largest, and that in the rear the next.] —Bagster. Ver. 55. The land shall be divided by lot.—This appears to have been a very ancient method of dividing land. So in Homer, Ulysses is made to say of his father, “ The large domain his greedy sons divide, And each was portion’d as the lots decide.” Pope’s Odyss. xiv. 234. The Rabbins say that these lots were drawn by Eleazar, in his priestly robes, with the Urim and Thummim, and under divine direction. [This division by lot seems to have respect only to the quarter, or situation, which each tribe was to possess, and not to the quantity or extent of land, which was to be proportioned to the numbers of each tribe, according to the register now formed.

Thus, for instance, it was determined by lot which of the twelve tribes was to inherit in the south, which in the north, &c. then, in that quarter where the lot fell, a larger or smaller portion of land was assigned them, according to the goodness of the soil, and in proportion as they were more or less numerous. Thus the decreasing of any tribe in the wilderness proved the decrease of their future political importance and affluence in all succeeding ages. ‘This equal division of property was, under God, the great bulwark and strength of the Hebrew commonwealth; for property is the natural foundation of power, and hence the natural foundation of every government is laid in the distribution of the lands belonging to its members.

According to the most exact calculations, Canaan contained 14,976,000 acres; which, divided among 600,000 men, will allow of more than 21 1-2 acres to each, with a remainder of 1,976,000 acres for the princes of tribes, Levitical cities, &c.; so that there was an ample provision to enable each person, with all the advantages of that fertile country and fine climate, to live, if not in affluence, yet, in very comfortable circumstances. See Lowman’s Dissert.]—Bagster. Ver. 62. Those that were numbered, &c.—* As the Levites were not numbered from twenty years of age, they are not here included.’’— Scott.