King James Version
Numbers 26
65 verses with commentary
The Second Census of Israel
And it came to pass after the plague, that the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying,
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
After the plague, God commanded a second census—echoing the first census in chapter 1. The repetition demonstrates both divine order and generational transition. The old generation died in the wilderness as God decreed; this census counted a new generation prepared to inherit Canaan. God's purposes continue despite human failure; He always raises up new servants when old ones fall.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
XXVI.
(1) **And it came to pass after the plague . . . —**The plague probably destroyed the remnant of the generation which had come out of Egypt, and which had been numbered in the wilderness of Sinai.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**6. The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people--**That part of the desert where the Israelites now were--near the head of the gulf of Akaba--is greatly infested with venomous reptiles, of various kinds, particularly lizards, which raise themselves in the air and swing themselves from branches; and scorpions, which, being in the habit of lying in long grass, are particularly dangerous to the ba...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 26
Chapter Outline
Promises upon keeping the precepts.(1-13)
Threatenings against disobedience.(14-39)
God promises to remember those that repent.(40-46)
**Verses 1-13**
This chapter contains a general enforcement of all the laws given by Moses; by promises of reward in case of obedience, on the one hand; and threatenings of punishment for disobedience, on the other. ...
Read full commentary →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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KJV Study Commentary
Nearly forty years after the first census (ch 1), God commands a second: 'Take the sum of all the congregation... from twenty years old and upward.' This new count excluded the first generation who died in the wilderness due to unbelief (v.64-65), except Caleb and Joshua. The census demonstrated God's faithfulness despite judgment - Israel's population remained similar (601,730 vs. 603,550), showi...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(2) **Take the sum . . . —**The same command had been given to Moses and Aaron (Numbers 1:2-3). In that case a man taken out of every tribe, the head of his father’s house, was appointed to assist Moses and Aaron in taking the census. It is probable that the same arrangement was made in the present instance, though it is not recorded.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**7-9. the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned--**The severity of the scourge and the appalling extent of mortality brought them to a sense of sin, and through the intercessions of Moses, which they implored, they were miraculously healed. He was directed to make the figure of a serpent in brass, to be elevated on a pole or standard, that it might be seen at the extremities of the camp ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 26
Chapter Outline
Promises upon keeping the precepts.(1-13)
Threatenings against disobedience.(14-39)
God promises to remember those that repent.(40-46)
**Verses 1-13**
This chapter contains a general enforcement of all the laws given by Moses; by promises of reward in case of obedience, on the one hand; and threatenings of punishment for disobedience, on the other. ...
Read full commentary →And Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of Moab</strong> (עַרְבֹת מוֹאָב)—this second census occurs at the end of Israel's wilderness journey, nearly 40 years after the first census at Sinai (Numbers 1). The location <strong>by Jordan near Jericho</strong> places Israel on the threshold of conquest, poised to enter Canaan.<br><br>The census leadership transitions from Mo...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**7-9. the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned--**The severity of the scourge and the appalling extent of mortality brought them to a sense of sin, and through the intercessions of Moses, which they implored, they were miraculously healed. He was directed to make the figure of a serpent in brass, to be elevated on a pole or standard, that it might be seen at the extremities of the camp ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 26
Chapter Outline
Promises upon keeping the precepts.(1-13)
Threatenings against disobedience.(14-39)
God promises to remember those that repent.(40-46)
**Verses 1-13**
This chapter contains a general enforcement of all the laws given by Moses; by promises of reward in case of obedience, on the one hand; and threatenings of punishment for disobedience, on the other. ...
Read full commentary →Take the sum of the people, from twenty years old and upward; as the LORD commanded Moses and the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Take the sum of the people, from twenty years old and upward</strong> (מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמָעְלָה)—the census counts military-age men capable of warfare, the same criterion used in Numbers 1:3. The phrase <strong>as the LORD commanded Moses</strong> emphasizes divine initiative: God orders the census for His purposes.<br><br>The reference to <strong>the children of Israel, which wen...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(4, 5) **Take the sum of the people . . . —**The verses may be rendered thus: *From twenty years old and upward, as the Lord commanded Moses. And the children of Israel which went forth out of the land of Egypt *were these: *Reuben, the eldest son of Israel, *&c. The expression “as the Lord commanded Moses” is one of very frequent occurrence in this book. The command was given to Moses, not to the...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**7-9. the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned--**The severity of the scourge and the appalling extent of mortality brought them to a sense of sin, and through the intercessions of Moses, which they implored, they were miraculously healed. He was directed to make the figure of a serpent in brass, to be elevated on a pole or standard, that it might be seen at the extremities of the camp ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 26
Chapter Outline
Promises upon keeping the precepts.(1-13)
Threatenings against disobedience.(14-39)
God promises to remember those that repent.(40-46)
**Verses 1-13**
This chapter contains a general enforcement of all the laws given by Moses; by promises of reward in case of obedience, on the one hand; and threatenings of punishment for disobedience, on the other. ...
Read full commentary →Reuben, the eldest son of Israel: the children of Reuben; Hanoch, of whom cometh the family of the Hanochites: of Pallu, the family of the Palluites:
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Reuben, the eldest son of Israel</strong> (רְאוּבֵן בְּכוֹר יִשְׂרָאֵל)—the census begins with Reuben by birthright, though he forfeited leadership privileges through sexual sin with his father's concubine (Genesis 35:22, 49:3-4). The enumeration of <em>mishpachot</em> (families/clans) preserves tribal genealogical records essential for land inheritance.<br><br>The listing of Reubenite fam...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**10. the children of Israel set forward--**along the eastern frontier of the Edomites, encamping in various stations.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 26
Chapter Outline
Promises upon keeping the precepts.(1-13)
Threatenings against disobedience.(14-39)
God promises to remember those that repent.(40-46)
**Verses 1-13**
This chapter contains a general enforcement of all the laws given by Moses; by promises of reward in case of obedience, on the one hand; and threatenings of punishment for disobedience, on the other. ...
Read full commentary →Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites</strong>—this verse continues the Reubenite clan enumeration with meticulous genealogical precision. The Hebrew pattern (<em>mishpachat ha-Chezroni</em>, 'family of the Hezronites') adds the gentilicic suffix <em>-i</em> to form clan names, a linguistic marker of kinship identity.<br><br>This genealogical detail ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 26
Chapter Outline
Promises upon keeping the precepts.(1-13)
Threatenings against disobedience.(14-39)
God promises to remember those that repent.(40-46)
**Verses 1-13**
This chapter contains a general enforcement of all the laws given by Moses; by promises of reward in case of obedience, on the one hand; and threatenings of punishment for disobedience, on the other. ...
Read full commentary →These are the families of the Reubenites: and they that were numbered of them were forty and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>These are the families of the Reubenites: and they that were numbered of them were forty and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty</strong> (43,730)—this tribal total represents a decrease from the first census (46,500 in Numbers 1:21), a reduction of 2,770 men. Reuben's numerical decline may reflect divine judgment, including the Dathan and Abiram rebellion from this tribe (Numbers ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(7) **Forty and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty.**—As compared with the former census, the tribe of Reuben had decreased by 2,770. (See Numbers 1:21.) Dathan and Abiram had probably enlisted many of the tribe to which they belonged in their rebellion against Moses and Aaron. (See Numbers 26:9-10 of this chapter, and Numbers 16:1, and Note.)
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**12. pitched in the valley--**literally, the "woody brook-valley" of Zared (De 2:13; Is 15:7; Am 6:14). This torrent rises among the mountains to the east of Moab, and flowing west, empties itself into the Dead Sea. Ije-Abarim is supposed to have been its ford [Calmet].
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 26
Chapter Outline
Promises upon keeping the precepts.(1-13)
Threatenings against disobedience.(14-39)
God promises to remember those that repent.(40-46)
**Verses 1-13**
This chapter contains a general enforcement of all the laws given by Moses; by promises of reward in case of obedience, on the one hand; and threatenings of punishment for disobedience, on the other. ...
Read full commentary →And the sons of Pallu; Eliab.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the sons of Pallu; Eliab</strong>—this brief verse introduces Eliab (אֱלִיאָב, 'my God is Father'), whose sons Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram led a notorious rebellion against Moses (Numbers 16:1). The next verses (26:9-11) will detail this rebellion's catastrophic consequences.<br><br>The census's inclusion of Eliab sets up a cautionary tale embedded within genealogical record-keeping. No...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**13. pitched on the other side of Arnon--**now El-Mojib, a deep, broad, and rapid stream, dividing the dominions of the Moabites and Amorites.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 26
Chapter Outline
Promises upon keeping the precepts.(1-13)
Threatenings against disobedience.(14-39)
God promises to remember those that repent.(40-46)
**Verses 1-13**
This chapter contains a general enforcement of all the laws given by Moses; by promises of reward in case of obedience, on the one hand; and threatenings of punishment for disobedience, on the other. ...
Read full commentary →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:
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KJV Study Commentary
The specific naming of Dathan and Abiram as those who 'strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah' serves as historical memorial of rebellion's consequences. Their inclusion in this census record decades later demonstrates that infamous sin leaves lasting marks on family history. Yet the preservation of Korah's line (verse 11) shows God's grace can transcend ancestral sin. This...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**14. book of the wars of the Lord--**A fragment or passage is here quoted from a poem or history of the wars of the Israelites, principally with a view to decide the position of Arnon.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 26
Chapter Outline
Promises upon keeping the precepts.(1-13)
Threatenings against disobedience.(14-39)
God promises to remember those that repent.(40-46)
**Verses 1-13**
This chapter contains a general enforcement of all the laws given by Moses; by promises of reward in case of obedience, on the one hand; and threatenings of punishment for disobedience, on the other. ...
Read full commentary →And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men: and they became a sign.
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KJV Study Commentary
The description of how 'the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah' graphically memorializes divine judgment on rebellion. The phrase 'when that company died' emphasizes the comprehensive nature of judgment—not just leaders but all conspirators faced consequences. This census inclusion of judgment accounts served pedagogical purpose, teaching each generation that opposin...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(10) **And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah . . . —**Hebrew, *and Korah. *It would appear from this verse that Korah perished in the earthquake with Dathan and Abiram. The Samaritan Pentateuch, however, has a different reading here. It transposes the words “and Korah,” and combines them with the words”and the two hundred and fifty men”: thus—“when the fire devo...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**15. Ar--**the capital of Moab.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 26
Chapter Outline
Promises upon keeping the precepts.(1-13)
Threatenings against disobedience.(14-39)
God promises to remember those that repent.(40-46)
**Verses 1-13**
This chapter contains a general enforcement of all the laws given by Moses; by promises of reward in case of obedience, on the one hand; and threatenings of punishment for disobedience, on the other. ...
Read full commentary →Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not.
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KJV Study Commentary
The emphatic statement 'Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not' provides remarkable gospel preview—mercy triumphing over judgment. Though Korah himself faced destruction, his sons were spared and eventually became important temple musicians and worship leaders. This demonstrates that God's judgments are discriminating, not automatically generational. Personal faith can break cycles of fami...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(11) **Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not.—**See Notes on Numbers 16:27; Numbers 16:32.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**16. from thence they went to Beer--**that is, a "well." The name was probably given to it afterwards [see Jud 9:21], as it is not mentioned (Nu 33:1-56).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 26
Chapter Outline
Promises upon keeping the precepts.(1-13)
Threatenings against disobedience.(14-39)
God promises to remember those that repent.(40-46)
**Verses 1-13**
This chapter contains a general enforcement of all the laws given by Moses; by promises of reward in case of obedience, on the one hand; and threatenings of punishment for disobedience, on the other. ...
Read full commentary →The sons of Simeon after their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites: of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites: of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites:
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The sons of Simeon after their families</strong> (בְּנֵי שִׁמְעוֹן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם)—the census proceeds to Simeon, Jacob's second son. The enumeration <strong>of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites</strong> follows the same pattern as Reuben's listing. Nemuel (also called Jemuel in Genesis 46:10) heads the Simeonite clans alongside Jamin and Jachin.<br><br>Simeon's tribal fortunes had bee...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**17-18. Then Israel sang--**This beautiful little song was in accordance with the wants and feelings of travelling caravans in the East, where water is an occasion both of prayer and thanksgiving. From the princes using their official rods only, and not spades, it seems probable that this well was concealed by the brushwood or the sand, as is the case with many wells in Idumea still. The discover...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 26
Chapter Outline
Promises upon keeping the precepts.(1-13)
Threatenings against disobedience.(14-39)
God promises to remember those that repent.(40-46)
**Verses 1-13**
This chapter contains a general enforcement of all the laws given by Moses; by promises of reward in case of obedience, on the one hand; and threatenings of punishment for disobedience, on the other. ...
Read full commentary →Of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites: of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites</strong> (זֶרַח, 'rising' or 'shining')—Zerah was one of Simeon's five clan heads listed in this census. The name appears elsewhere in Scripture (Judah's son by Tamar, Genesis 38:30), showing its popularity in Israel.<br><br>The verse continues the genealogical pattern, adding Shaul and his descendants. This methodical enumeration serves legal and theol...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**17-18. Then Israel sang--**This beautiful little song was in accordance with the wants and feelings of travelling caravans in the East, where water is an occasion both of prayer and thanksgiving. From the princes using their official rods only, and not spades, it seems probable that this well was concealed by the brushwood or the sand, as is the case with many wells in Idumea still. The discover...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 26
Chapter Outline
Promises upon keeping the precepts.(1-13)
Threatenings against disobedience.(14-39)
God promises to remember those that repent.(40-46)
**Verses 1-13**
This chapter contains a general enforcement of all the laws given by Moses; by promises of reward in case of obedience, on the one hand; and threatenings of punishment for disobedience, on the other. ...
Read full commentary →These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty and two thousand and two hundred.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty and two thousand and two hundred</strong> (22,200)—this tribal total reveals catastrophic decline from 59,300 in the first census (Numbers 1:23), a loss of 37,100 men (63% decrease). Simeon becomes the smallest tribe, reduced from third largest to weakest.<br><br>The dramatic reduction likely connects to the Baal-Peor plague (Numbers 25) whe...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(14) **Twenty and two thousand and two hundred.—**This shows a decrease of 37,100 in the tribe of Simeon. Zimri, the chief offender in the matter of Baal-peor, belonged to this tribe, and, as in the case of the Reubenites, it is probable that he had led astray many of his tribe with him. It is remarkable that this is the only tribe on which, according to the present Hebrew text,[127] no blessing w...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →The children of Gad after their families: of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites: of Haggi, the family of the Haggites: of Shuni, the family of the Shunites:
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The children of Gad after their families</strong>—This second census (מִפְקָד, <em>miphqad</em>) of Gad's tribe lists seven clans descended from Jacob's seventh son, born to Zilpah (Genesis 30:11). Gad means 'fortune' or 'troop,' reflecting Leah's exclamation at his birth. The tribal structure preserves <em>mishpachah</em> (family/clan) identity through the wilderness generation—each clan ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →Of Ozni, the family of the Oznites: of Eri, the family of the Erites:
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Of Ozni, the family of the Oznites: of Eri, the family of the Erites</strong>—The continuation of Gad's seven clans, each maintaining distinct identity through <em>mishpachah</em> (family) structure. Ozni (also called Ezbon in Genesis 46:16) means 'hearing' or 'attentive,' while Eri means 'watchful'—names reflecting vigilance appropriate for a border tribe.<br><br>The repetitive formula '<...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**21-23. Israel sent messengers unto Sihon--**The rejection of their respectful and pacific message was resented--Sihon was discomfited in battle--and Israel obtained by right of conquest the whole of the Amorite dominions.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →Of Arod, the family of the Arodites: of Areli, the family of the Arelites.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Of Arod, the family of the Arodites: of Areli, the family of the Arelites</strong>—The final two Gadite clans complete the seven-fold division. Arod (also Arodi, Genesis 46:16) means 'wild donkey' or 'bronze,' while Areli means 'heroic' or 'lion of God' (אֲרְאֵלִי). These names suggest strength and fierceness appropriate for Gad's military role—Jacob's blessing prophesied 'Gad, a troop sha...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**21-23. Israel sent messengers unto Sihon--**The rejection of their respectful and pacific message was resented--Sihon was discomfited in battle--and Israel obtained by right of conquest the whole of the Amorite dominions.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →These are the families of the children of Gad according to those that were numbered of them, forty thousand and five hundred.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Forty thousand and five hundred</strong> (אַרְבָּעִים אֶלֶף וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת)—Gad's census total shows a dramatic <em>decrease</em> of 5,150 men from the first census (45,650 in Numbers 1:25). This decline likely resulted from plague judgments during the wilderness rebellions, particularly Korah's rebellion (ch. 16) and Baal-Peor's immorality (ch. 25). Only Simeon suffered a larger percenta...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
÷Numbers 26:18
(18) **Forty thousand and five hundred.—**This shows a decrease of 5,150. Reuben, Simeon, and Gad encamped together on the south of the Tabernacle (Numbers 2:10), and had probably been mutually contaminated by each other’s evil example.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**21-23. Israel sent messengers unto Sihon--**The rejection of their respectful and pacific message was resented--Sihon was discomfited in battle--and Israel obtained by right of conquest the whole of the Amorite dominions.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →The sons of Judah were Er and Onan: and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan</strong>—This parenthetical statement explains why Judah's genealogy begins with Shelah (v. 20) rather than the firstborn. Er was slain by the LORD for wickedness (Genesis 38:7), and Onan died for refusing levirate duty (Genesis 38:9-10). Both deaths preceded the Exodus by centuries, yet Moses records them to explain Judah's tribal structure.<br><br>T...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(19) **Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.—**See Genesis 38:6-10, and Note.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**24. from Arnon unto Jabbok--**now the Zurka. These rivers formed the southern and northern boundaries of his usurped territory.
**for the border of ... Ammon was strong--**a reason stated for Sihon not being able to push his invasion further.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →And the sons of Judah after their families were; of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites: of Pharez, the family of the Pharzites: of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The sons of Judah after their families</strong>—Judah's census lists three main clans: Shelanites (from Shelah, Judah's third son by Bathshua), Pharzites (from Pharez, Judah's twin son by Tamar), and Zarhites (from Zerah, Pharez's twin). The prominence of Pharez's line is theologically significant—though born of the scandalous Tamar incident (Genesis 38), Pharez became the direct ancestor ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**25. Israel dwelt in all the cities--**after exterminating the inhabitants who had been previously doomed (De 2:34).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →And the sons of Pharez were; of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The sons of Pharez were; of Hezron...of Hamul</strong>—Judah's genealogy uniquely extends to a third generation, listing Pharez's sons Hezron and Hamul. Hezron (חֶצְרוֹן, 'enclosed' or 'courtyard') became the ancestor of the Hezronites, the clan that produced Ram, Amminadab, Nahshon, Salmon, Boaz, and eventually David (Ruth 4:18-22). This makes Hezron a critical link in the messianic genea...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(21) **Of Hezron . . . —**Judah had five sons, but inasmuch as Er and Onan died childless, Hezron and Hamul were substituted in their place. (Comp. Genesis 46:12.)
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**26. Heshbon--**(So 7:4)--situated sixteen English miles north of the Arnon, and from its ruins it appears to have been a large city.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →These are the families of Judah according to those that were numbered of them, threescore and sixteen thousand and five hundred.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Threescore and sixteen thousand and five hundred</strong> (76,500)—Judah's census reveals a modest <em>increase</em> of 1,900 men from the first census (74,600 in Numbers 1:27), making Judah the largest tribe in Israel. This growth amid overall population decline demonstrates God's blessing on the royal tribe. The Hebrew <em>shiv'im ve-shishah eleph</em> (seventy-six thousand) uses the sta...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**27-30. Wherefore they that speak in proverbs--**Here is given an extract from an Amorite song exultingly anticipating an extension of their conquests to Arnon. The quotation from the poem of the Amorite bard ends at Nu 21:28. The two following verses appear to be the strains in which the Israelites expose the impotence of the usurpers.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →Of the sons of Issachar after their families: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites: of Pua, the family of the Punites:
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The sons of Issachar after their families</strong>—Issachar's census lists four clans: Tolaites (from Tola, תּוֹלָע, 'worm' or 'scarlet'), Punites (from Pua/Puah, פּוּאָה, 'splendid'), Jashubites (from Jashub, יָשׁוּב, 'he will return'), and Shimronites (v. 24). Issachar was Jacob's ninth son, born to Leah after the mandrake incident (Genesis 30:18)—his name means 'hired worker' or 'reward...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**27-30. Wherefore they that speak in proverbs--**Here is given an extract from an Amorite song exultingly anticipating an extension of their conquests to Arnon. The quotation from the poem of the Amorite bard ends at Nu 21:28. The two following verses appear to be the strains in which the Israelites expose the impotence of the usurpers.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →Of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites: of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites</strong>—The continuation of Issachar's four clans concludes with Jashub (יָשׁוּב, 'he will return' or 'he turns back') and Shimron (שִׁמְרוֹן, 'watch-height' or 'guardian'). The name Jashub appears as 'Job' in Genesis 46:13 (Hebrew יוֹב, <em>Yōḇ</em>), showing textual variations in the genealogical transmission. Shimron suggests vigilance, appropria...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**27-30. Wherefore they that speak in proverbs--**Here is given an extract from an Amorite song exultingly anticipating an extension of their conquests to Arnon. The quotation from the poem of the Amorite bard ends at Nu 21:28. The two following verses appear to be the strains in which the Israelites expose the impotence of the usurpers.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →These are the families of Issachar according to those that were numbered of them, threescore and four thousand and three hundred.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Threescore and four thousand and three hundred</strong> (64,300)—Issachar's census shows an <em>increase</em> of 9,900 men from the first census (54,400 in Numbers 1:29), the largest percentage growth of any tribe except Manasseh. This dramatic expansion (18% growth) demonstrates divine blessing on a tribe characterized by wisdom and agricultural productivity. The Hebrew counting <em>arba'...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**27-30. Wherefore they that speak in proverbs--**Here is given an extract from an Amorite song exultingly anticipating an extension of their conquests to Arnon. The quotation from the poem of the Amorite bard ends at Nu 21:28. The two following verses appear to be the strains in which the Israelites expose the impotence of the usurpers.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →Of the sons of Zebulun after their families: of Sered, the family of the Sardites: of Elon, the family of the Elonites: of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The sons of Zebulun after their families</strong>—Zebulun's census lists three clans: Seredites (from Sered, סֶרֶד, 'fear' or 'escape'), Elonites (from Elon, אֵלוֹן, 'oak' or 'terebinth'), and Jahleelites (from Jahleel, יַחְלְאֵל, 'God waits' or 'God pierces'). Zebulun was Jacob's tenth son, Leah's sixth and final son, whose name means 'dwelling' or 'honor' (Genesis 30:20). Leah hoped Jaco...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them, threescore thousand and five hundred.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Threescore thousand and five hundred</strong> (60,500)—Zebulun's census reveals an <em>increase</em> of 3,100 men from the first census (57,400 in Numbers 1:31), placing them as the sixth-largest tribe. This 5.4% growth demonstrates covenant blessing despite the wilderness rebellions that decimated other tribes. The round number (60,500) may reflect the precision of military organization—e...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →The sons of Joseph after their families were Manasseh and Ephraim.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The sons of Joseph after their families were Manasseh and Ephraim</strong> (בְּנֵי יוֹסֵף)—Joseph's tribal inheritance was uniquely divided between his two sons, fulfilling Jacob's deathbed adoption and blessing (Genesis 48:5). This gave Joseph a double portion (חֵלֶק הַבְּכוֹרָה), the birthright forfeited by Reuben, making Joseph's descendants the most numerous and powerful tribal bloc.<b...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**33. they turned and went up by the way of Bashan--**a name given to that district from the richness of the soil--now Batanea or El-Bottein--a hilly region east of the Jordan lying between the mountains of Hermon on the north and those of Gilead on the south.
**Og--**a giant, an Amoritish prince, who, having opposed the progress of the Israelites, was defeated.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →Of the sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites: and Machir begat Gilead: of Gilead come the family of the Gileadites.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Of Machir, the family of the Machirites: and Machir begat Gilead</strong>—Machir (מָכִיר, 'sold') was Manasseh's only son mentioned here, making him the clan founder. His son Gilead (גִּלְעָד, 'heap of testimony') gave his name to the entire Transjordan region that half of Manasseh would inherit (Numbers 32:39-40).<br><br>The Machirites became renowned warriors—1 Chronicles 7:14-19 notes t...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(29) **Machir begat Gilead.—**It is stated in 1Chronicles 7:14, and in the LXX. of Genesis 46:20, that Machir’s mother was an Aramitess. This may account for the name which was given to his son, *Gilead, *the border land between Syria and Canaan, and that in which Laban overtook Jacob (Genesis 31:25).
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**34-35. The Lord said unto Moses, Fear him not--**a necessary encouragement, for Og's gigantic stature (De 3:11) was calculated to inspire terror. He and all his were put to the sword.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →These are the sons of Gilead: of Jeezer, the family of the Jeezerites: of Helek, the family of the Helekites:
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The sons of Gilead: of Jeezer, the family of the Jeezerites: of Helek, the family of the Helekites</strong>—Gilead's six clan subdivisions (Jeezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Shemida, Hepher) demonstrate how covenant promises multiply through generations. Jeezer (אִיעֶזֶר, 'father of help') appears elsewhere as Abiezer, the clan of Gideon (Judges 6:11), showing how this dry genealogy conceals...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**34-35. The Lord said unto Moses, Fear him not--**a necessary encouragement, for Og's gigantic stature (De 3:11) was calculated to inspire terror. He and all his were put to the sword.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →And of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites: and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites:
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites: and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites</strong>—Asriel (אַשְׂרִיאֵל, 'vow of God' or 'upright toward God') and Shechem (שְׁכֶם, 'shoulder/ridge') carry theological weight. Asriel's name suggests covenant loyalty, while Shechem's connection to the city where Abraham first built an altar (Genesis 12:6) and where Jacob's sons committed massacre ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →And of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites: and of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites: and of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites</strong>—Shemida (שְׁמִידָע, 'name of knowing' or 'wise fame') suggests reputation built on understanding, while Hepher (חֵפֶר, 'a pit/well' or 'shame') seems less auspicious. Yet Hepher's clan produced Zelophehad, whose daughters revolutionized inheritance law (Numbers 27:1-11).<br><br>This juxtapositio...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 22 Nu 22:1-20. Balak's First Message for Balaam Refused.
**1. Israel ... pitched in the plains of Moab--**so called from having formerly belonged to that people, though wrested from them by Sihon. It was a dry, sunken, desert region on the east of the Jordan valley, opposite Jericho.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →And Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters: and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters: and the names of the daughters were Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah</strong> (צְלָפְחָד)—This verse's placement within dry genealogy is stunning: it disrupts male-lineage recording to memorialize five women by name. Their case (Numbers 27:1-11) challenged Moses and required direct divine judgment, establishing that coven...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**2. Balak--**that is, "empty." Terrified (De 2:25; Ex 15:15) at the approach of so vast a multitude and not daring to encounter them in the field, he resolved to secure their destruction by other means.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →These are the families of Manasseh, and those that were numbered of them, fifty and two thousand and seven hundred.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>These are the families of Manasseh, and those that were numbered of them, fifty and two thousand and seven hundred</strong> (חֲמִשִּׁים וּשְׁנַיִם אֶלֶף וּשְׁבַע מֵאוֹת)—Manasseh's census total of 52,700 represented a dramatic 64% increase from the first census (32,200 in Numbers 1:35), the largest growth of any tribe. This explosion vindicated Jacob's prophecy that Joseph's descendants wo...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →These are the sons of Ephraim after their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthalhites: of Becher, the family of the Bachrites: of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>These are the sons of Ephraim after their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthalhites: of Becher, the family of the Bachrites: of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites</strong>—Ephraim (אֶפְרַיִם, 'double fruitfulness') had three primary clans versus Manasseh's six subdivisions, suggesting more consolidated tribal structure. Shuthelah (שׁוּתֶלַח, 'crash of breakage' or 'shoot/sprou...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**4. elders of Midian--**called kings (Nu 31:8) and princes (Jos 13:21). The Midianites, a distinct people on the southern frontier of Moab, united with them as confederates against Israel, their common enemy.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the Eranites.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the Eranites</strong>—Eran (עֵרָן, 'watchful/aroused') is the only sub-clan of Ephraim detailed, suggesting special significance. As Shuthelah's son, Eran represents Joshua's direct ancestral line (1 Chronicles 7:25-27). The name 'watchful' is providentially appropriate for the clan producing Israel's military commander who would ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**5. He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam--**that is, "lord" or "devourer" of people, a famous soothsayer (Jos 13:22).
**son of Beor--**or, in the Chaldee form, Bosor--that is, "destruction."
**Pethor--**a city of Mesopotamia, situated on the Euphrates.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those that were numbered of them, thirty and two thousand and five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph after their families.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those that were numbered of them, thirty and two thousand and five hundred</strong>—Ephraim's population of 32,500 represented a stunning 20% decline from the first census (40,500 in Numbers 1:33). Yet this diminishment didn't forfeit their preeminence; they still received choice land and produced Israel's next leader. God's electi...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(37) **Thirty and two thousand and five hundred.—**This shows a decrease of 8,000. Jacob foretold that Ephraim should be greater than Manasseh (Genesis 48:19); and at the former census the number of the Ephraimites was considerably greater than that of the Manassites (Numbers 1:33; Numbers 1:35), and Ephraim was made a standard-bearer (Numbers 2:18). At the present census, however, the number of t...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**6. Come ... curse me this people--**Among the heathen an opinion prevailed that prayers for evil or curses would be heard by the unseen powers as well as prayers for good, when offered by a prophet or priest and accompanied by the use of certain rites. Many examples are found in the histories of the Greeks and Romans of whole armies being devoted to destruction, and they occur among the natives ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →The sons of Benjamin after their families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites: of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites: of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites:
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The sons of Benjamin after their families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites: of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites: of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites</strong>—Benjamin (בִּנְיָמִין, 'son of the right hand') had five primary clans, reflecting Jacob's prophetic description of Benjamin as a 'ravenous wolf' (Genesis 49:27)—fierce, numerous, and strategically positioned. Bela (בֶּלַע...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**7. the elders of Moab and ... of Midian departed with the rewards of divination--**like the fee of a fortune teller, and being a royal present, it would be something handsome.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →Of Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites: of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Of Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites: of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites</strong>—Shupham (שׁוּפָם, 'serpent' or 'bare/smooth') and Hupham (חוּפָם, 'protected/covered') appear only here and in Genesis 46:21 under variant spellings (Shephupham, Huppim). The textual variants suggest these were smaller clans or possibly merged lineages, reflecting the fluidity of tribal organization...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**8-14. Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the Lord shall speak unto me, &c.--**God usually revealed His will in visions and dreams; and Balaam's birth and residence in Mesopotamia, where the remains of patriarchal religion still lingered, account for his knowledge of the true God. His real character has long been a subject of discussion. Some, judging from his language...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-39**
After God has set the blessing before them which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient, he here sets the curse before them, the evils which would make them miserable, if they were disobedient. Two things would bring ruin. 1. A contempt of God's commandments. They that reject the precept, will come at last to renounce the covenant. 2. A contempt of his correc...
Read full commentary →And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites: and of Naaman, the family of the Naamites.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites: and of Naaman, the family of the Naamites</strong>—Bela's two sub-clans receive special mention, emphasizing his prominence as Benjamin's firstborn. Ard (אַרְדְּ, 'humpbacked/descendant') and Naaman (נַעֲמָן, 'pleasant/gracious') contrast physical limitation with beauty—together representing the fullness of human ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**8-14. Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the Lord shall speak unto me, &c.--**God usually revealed His will in visions and dreams; and Balaam's birth and residence in Mesopotamia, where the remains of patriarchal religion still lingered, account for his knowledge of the true God. His real character has long been a subject of discussion. Some, judging from his language...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 40-46**
Among the Israelites, persons were not always prosperous or afflicted according to their obedience or disobedience. But national prosperity was the effect of national obedience, and national judgments were brought on by national wickedness. Israel was under a peculiar covenant. National wickedness will end in the ruin of any people, especially where the word of God and the lig...
Read full commentary →These are the sons of Benjamin after their families: and they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and six hundred.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>These are the sons of Benjamin after their families: and they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and six hundred</strong> (אַרְבָּעִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה אֶלֶף וְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת)—Benjamin's count of 45,600 represented a massive 29% increase from the first census (35,400 in Numbers 1:37), one of the highest growth rates among all tribes. The 'son of the right hand' proved fruitfu...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**8-14. Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the Lord shall speak unto me, &c.--**God usually revealed His will in visions and dreams; and Balaam's birth and residence in Mesopotamia, where the remains of patriarchal religion still lingered, account for his knowledge of the true God. His real character has long been a subject of discussion. Some, judging from his language...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 40-46**
Among the Israelites, persons were not always prosperous or afflicted according to their obedience or disobedience. But national prosperity was the effect of national obedience, and national judgments were brought on by national wickedness. Israel was under a peculiar covenant. National wickedness will end in the ruin of any people, especially where the word of God and the lig...
Read full commentary →These are the sons of Dan after their families: of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan after their families.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites</strong>—Dan's census records only one surviving family line (שׁוּחָם), though Genesis 46:23 mentions Hushim. Either Shuham and Hushim are variant names for the same son, or other sons died without descendants. Dan's single clan grew remarkably: 64,400 men, making it the second-largest tribe. From one seed came a multitude—God's blessing doesn't depe...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**8-14. Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the Lord shall speak unto me, &c.--**God usually revealed His will in visions and dreams; and Balaam's birth and residence in Mesopotamia, where the remains of patriarchal religion still lingered, account for his knowledge of the true God. His real character has long been a subject of discussion. Some, judging from his language...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 40-46**
Among the Israelites, persons were not always prosperous or afflicted according to their obedience or disobedience. But national prosperity was the effect of national obedience, and national judgments were brought on by national wickedness. Israel was under a peculiar covenant. National wickedness will end in the ruin of any people, especially where the word of God and the lig...
Read full commentary →All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those that were numbered of them, were threescore and four thousand and four hundred.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Threescore and four thousand and four hundred</strong> (64,400)—the second-largest tribe in Israel, exceeded only by Judah's 76,500. Dan's remarkable size came from a single family, while most tribes had multiple clans. This disproportionate growth pattern reveals God's sovereign distribution of increase; He doesn't multiply uniformly but according to His purposes.<br><br>The Hebrew constr...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**8-14. Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the Lord shall speak unto me, &c.--**God usually revealed His will in visions and dreams; and Balaam's birth and residence in Mesopotamia, where the remains of patriarchal religion still lingered, account for his knowledge of the true God. His real character has long been a subject of discussion. Some, judging from his language...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 40-46**
Among the Israelites, persons were not always prosperous or afflicted according to their obedience or disobedience. But national prosperity was the effect of national obedience, and national judgments were brought on by national wickedness. Israel was under a peculiar covenant. National wickedness will end in the ruin of any people, especially where the word of God and the lig...
Read full commentary →Of the children of Asher after their families: of Jimna, the family of the Jimnites: of Jesui, the family of the Jesuites: of Beriah, the family of the Beriites.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The children of Asher after their families</strong>—Asher (אָשֵׁר, "happy/blessed") was Leah's handmaid Zilpah's son, yet his tribal blessing rivals the prestigious tribes. The listing of families—Jimna (יִמְנָה), Jesui (יִשְׁוִי), Beriah (בְּרִיעָה)—establishes inheritance rights. Each clan name carries meaning: Beriah means "in evil/trouble," perhaps commemorating birth circumstances, ye...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**8-14. Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the Lord shall speak unto me, &c.--**God usually revealed His will in visions and dreams; and Balaam's birth and residence in Mesopotamia, where the remains of patriarchal religion still lingered, account for his knowledge of the true God. His real character has long been a subject of discussion. Some, judging from his language...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 40-46**
Among the Israelites, persons were not always prosperous or afflicted according to their obedience or disobedience. But national prosperity was the effect of national obedience, and national judgments were brought on by national wickedness. Israel was under a peculiar covenant. National wickedness will end in the ruin of any people, especially where the word of God and the lig...
Read full commentary →Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites: of Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites: of Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites.</strong> This verse appears within the second wilderness census, recording the families descended from Asher through his son Beriah. While seemingly mundane, such genealogical records hold profound theological significance in Scripture. The Hebrew term <em>mishpachah</em> (מִשְׁפָּחָה...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**8-14. Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the Lord shall speak unto me, &c.--**God usually revealed His will in visions and dreams; and Balaam's birth and residence in Mesopotamia, where the remains of patriarchal religion still lingered, account for his knowledge of the true God. His real character has long been a subject of discussion. Some, judging from his language...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 40-46**
Among the Israelites, persons were not always prosperous or afflicted according to their obedience or disobedience. But national prosperity was the effect of national obedience, and national judgments were brought on by national wickedness. Israel was under a peculiar covenant. National wickedness will end in the ruin of any people, especially where the word of God and the lig...
Read full commentary →And the name of the daughter of Asher was Sarah.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The name of the daughter of Asher was Sarah</strong> (שֶׂרַח)—a striking detail in a military census of males. Serah's inclusion breaks the pattern, demanding explanation. Jewish tradition identifies her as the woman who told Jacob that Joseph lived (Genesis 46:17 lists her entering Egypt). If true, her mention here 200+ years later suggests extraordinary longevity, making her a living lin...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**8-14. Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the Lord shall speak unto me, &c.--**God usually revealed His will in visions and dreams; and Balaam's birth and residence in Mesopotamia, where the remains of patriarchal religion still lingered, account for his knowledge of the true God. His real character has long been a subject of discussion. Some, judging from his language...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 40-46**
Among the Israelites, persons were not always prosperous or afflicted according to their obedience or disobedience. But national prosperity was the effect of national obedience, and national judgments were brought on by national wickedness. Israel was under a peculiar covenant. National wickedness will end in the ruin of any people, especially where the word of God and the lig...
Read full commentary →These are the families of the sons of Asher according to those that were numbered of them; who were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Fifty and three thousand and four hundred</strong> (53,400)—Asher's tribe increased from 41,500 in the first census (Numbers 1:41), a 28.7% growth rate, the third-highest in Israel. A "happy" tribe indeed: Asher's blessing materialized in multiplication. While Simeon nearly vanished and Ephraim declined, Asher thrived in the wilderness.<br><br>The growth pattern reveals spiritual fruitfuln...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 26
Chapter Outline
Promises upon keeping the precepts.(1-13)
Threatenings against disobedience.(14-39)
God promises to remember those that repent.(40-46)
**Verses 1-13**
This chapter contains a general enforcement of all the laws given by Moses; by promises of reward in case of obedience, on the one hand; and threatenings of punishment for disobedience, on the other. ...
Read full commentary →Of the sons of Naphtali after their families: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites: of Guni, the family of the Gunites:
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The sons of Naphtali after their families</strong>—Naphtali (נַפְתָּלִי, "my wrestling") descended from Rachel's handmaid Bilhah. Rachel named him to commemorate her wrestling with Leah, yet this "wrestling" tribe produced peace. The families—Jahzeel (יַחְצְאֵל, "God divides"), Guni (גּוּנִי, "protected"), Jezer (יֵצֶר, "form/purpose"), Shillem (שִׁלֵּם, "recompense")—carry theological mea...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 26
Chapter Outline
Promises upon keeping the precepts.(1-13)
Threatenings against disobedience.(14-39)
God promises to remember those that repent.(40-46)
**Verses 1-13**
This chapter contains a general enforcement of all the laws given by Moses; by promises of reward in case of obedience, on the one hand; and threatenings of punishment for disobedience, on the other. ...
Read full commentary →Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites</strong>—the continuation of Naphtali's clans. Jezer (יֵצֶר) shares its root with <em>yetzer</em> (יֵצֶר), the Hebrew term for inclination or impulse (Genesis 6:5's "imagination" of man's heart). God "forms" (יָצַר) humanity and each family with purpose. Shillem (שִׁלֵּם) means "recompense/peace," from the roo...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 26
Chapter Outline
Promises upon keeping the precepts.(1-13)
Threatenings against disobedience.(14-39)
God promises to remember those that repent.(40-46)
**Verses 1-13**
This chapter contains a general enforcement of all the laws given by Moses; by promises of reward in case of obedience, on the one hand; and threatenings of punishment for disobedience, on the other. ...
Read full commentary →These are the families of Naphtali according to their families: and they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and four hundred.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Forty and five thousand and four hundred</strong> (45,400)—Naphtali maintained almost exactly its first census number (53,400 in Numbers 1:43 was likely a scribal error for 45,400, or this represents an 8,000 decline). Among the dramatic population shifts—Simeon's collapse, Manasseh's explosion—Naphtali held steady. Stability is sometimes the greatest miracle.<br><br>The Hebrew phrase וּפְ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**19-20. tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more--**The divine will, as formerly declared, not being according to his desires, he hoped by a second request to bend it, as he had already bent his own conscience, to his ruling passions of pride and covetousness. The permission granted to Balaam is in accordance with the ordinary procedure of Providence. God...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 26
Chapter Outline
Promises upon keeping the precepts.(1-13)
Threatenings against disobedience.(14-39)
God promises to remember those that repent.(40-46)
**Verses 1-13**
This chapter contains a general enforcement of all the laws given by Moses; by promises of reward in case of obedience, on the one hand; and threatenings of punishment for disobedience, on the other. ...
Read full commentary →These were the numbered of the children of Israel, six hundred thousand and a thousand seven hundred and thirty.
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KJV Study Commentary
The total count was 601,730 men—slightly fewer than the 603,550 counted forty years earlier (1:46). Despite forty years of births, the number barely changed, testifying to the massive death toll from judgment. This demographic evidence confirmed God's word: that generation died in the wilderness. Numbers don't lie; God's judgments are real and measurable.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(51) **Six hundred thousand and a thousand seven hundred and thirty.—**The sum total exhibits a decrease of 1,820, as compared with the census taken at Sinai thirty-eight years previously. On this decrease Bishop Wordsworth observes as follows:—“When the Israelites were suffering persecution in Egypt they ‘multiplied exceedingly’ (Exodus 1:7; Exodus 1:20); but after their deliverance from Egypt th...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**19-20. tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more--**The divine will, as formerly declared, not being according to his desires, he hoped by a second request to bend it, as he had already bent his own conscience, to his ruling passions of pride and covetousness. The permission granted to Balaam is in accordance with the ordinary procedure of Providence. God...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 26
Chapter Outline
Promises upon keeping the precepts.(1-13)
Threatenings against disobedience.(14-39)
God promises to remember those that repent.(40-46)
**Verses 1-13**
This chapter contains a general enforcement of all the laws given by Moses; by promises of reward in case of obedience, on the one hand; and threatenings of punishment for disobedience, on the other. ...
Read full commentary →And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
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KJV Study Commentary
The LORD's instruction that the land be divided by lot according to tribal names combines divine sovereignty (the lot) with human identity (tribal names). The lot's casting acknowledged that God determined each tribe's inheritance, not human preference or power. Yet tribal identity was honored—each received according to who they were. This balance of divine sovereignty and human particularity refl...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Nu 22:21-41. The Journey.
**21. Balaam ... saddled his ass--**probably one of the white sprightly animals which persons of rank were accustomed to ride. The saddle, as usually in the East, would be nothing more than a pad or his outer cloak.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 52-56**
In distributing these tribes, the general rule of equity is prescribed; that to many should be given more, and to fewer less. Though it seems left to the prudence of their prince, the matter at last must be settled by the providence of God, with which all must be satisfied.
Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names.
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
The principle that land distribution be proportional to population—'to many thou shalt give more inheritance, to few less'—demonstrates divine justice and equity. Larger tribes received more land, smaller tribes less, ensuring adequate provision while preventing accumulation or deprivation. This proportional justice reflects God's character—He judges fairly, considering circumstances while maintai...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(53-56) **Unto these the land shall be divided . . . —**The general apportionment of the land, as regarded the relative position of each tribe, was to be decided by lot, which was commonly looked upon as the determination of God Himself, and in this instance was undoubtedly so. The extent of territory was to be determined by the number of names—i.e., of persons—in each tribe, and each inheritance ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**22. God's anger was kindled because he went--**The displeasure arose partly from his neglecting the condition on which leave was granted him--namely, to wait till the princes of Moab "came to call him" [Nu 22:20], and because, through desire for "the wages of unrighteousness" [2Pe 2:15], he entertained the secret purpose of acting in opposition to the solemn charge of God.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 52-56**
In distributing these tribes, the general rule of equity is prescribed; that to many should be given more, and to fewer less. Though it seems left to the prudence of their prince, the matter at last must be settled by the providence of God, with which all must be satisfied.
To many thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to few thou shalt give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be given according to those that were numbered of him. give the more: Heb. multiply his inheritance give the less: Heb. diminish his inheritance
View commentary (2 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
The repeated emphasis on proportional distribution—'according to those that were numbered of him shall his inheritance be given'—demonstrates that God's allocation is based on actual circumstances, not arbitrary preference. The census provided objective data for fair distribution. This teaches that God's providence operates through means, not apart from them. The Reformed doctrine of divine concur...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 52-56**
In distributing these tribes, the general rule of equity is prescribed; that to many should be given more, and to fewer less. Though it seems left to the prudence of their prince, the matter at last must be settled by the providence of God, with which all must be satisfied.
Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
The command that 'the land shall be divided by lot' establishes divine determination as primary in inheritance. Human wisdom, tribal power, and personal preference were subordinated to God's sovereign allocation. The lot ensured that each tribe received what God intended, not what they could negotiate or seize. This reflects the Reformed doctrine of election—God chooses whom He will bless, not bas...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**24. the angel of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyards--**The roads which lead through fields and vineyards are so narrow that in most parts a man could not pass a beast without care and caution. A stone or mud fence flanks each side of these roads, to prevent the soil being washed off by the rains.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 52-56**
In distributing these tribes, the general rule of equity is prescribed; that to many should be given more, and to fewer less. Though it seems left to the prudence of their prince, the matter at last must be settled by the providence of God, with which all must be satisfied.
According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between many and few.
View commentary (2 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
The summary statement—'according to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided'—combines divine sovereignty (lot) with fair distribution (according to numbers). The two principles work together: God determines the what and where (by lot), while proportionality ensures the how much (by census). This dual emphasis teaches that God's sovereignty doesn't negate justice, and justice doesn't limit ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 52-56**
In distributing these tribes, the general rule of equity is prescribed; that to many should be given more, and to fewer less. Though it seems left to the prudence of their prince, the matter at last must be settled by the providence of God, with which all must be satisfied.
And these are they that were numbered of the Levites after their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites: of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites: of Merari, the family of the Merarites.
View commentary (2 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
<strong>These are they that were numbered of the Levites after their families</strong>—the Levites (לְוִיִּם) receive separate census treatment. While other tribes numbered fighting men 20+, Levites counted all males from one month old (v. 62). Gershon (גֵּרְשׁוֹן, "exile/stranger"), Kohath (קְהָת, "assembly"), and Merari (מְרָרִי, "bitter")—the three divisions—organized tabernacle service.<br><br...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 57-62**
Levi was God's tribe; therefore it was not numbered with the rest, but alone. It came not under the sentence, that none of them should enter Canaan excepting Caleb and Joshua.
These are the families of the Levites: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korathites. And Kohath begat Amram.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites</strong>—these are sub-clans of the three main divisions, showing detailed organization. Libnites (לִבְנִי, from "white/pure") handled tabernacle purification; Hebronites (חֶבְרוֹן, "association/fellowship") maintained community. The Mushites (מוּשִׁי, possibly "drawn out," like Moses) and Korathites (not identical to Korah's rebels,...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 57-62**
Levi was God's tribe; therefore it was not numbered with the rest, but alone. It came not under the sentence, that none of them should enter Canaan excepting Caleb and Joshua.
And the name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt: and she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi</strong>—this staggering detail means Moses's mother was Levi's daughter, making her Amram's aunt (Exodus 6:20). Such unions were later forbidden (Leviticus 18:12), but before Sinai, they preserved Levitical purity. Jochebed (יוֹכֶבֶד, "YHWH is glory") bore the name of God—rare for pre-Mosaic times.<br><br><strong>And she bare unt...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(59) **Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi . . . —**Or, *who was born to Levi, *&c. There is a similar omission of the subject of the verb in 1Kings 1:6. Some writers have supposed that Jochebed was the granddaughter, or possibly even some more remote descendant of Levi, and that Amram, the father of Moses, was not the same as Amram, the son of Kohath. (See Keil, “On the P...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**28. the Lord opened the mouth of the ass--**to utter, like a parrot, articulate sounds, without understanding them. That this was a visionary scene is a notion which seems inadmissible, because of the improbability of a vision being described as an actual occurrence in the middle of a plain history. Besides, the opening of the ass's mouth must have been an external act, and that, with the manife...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 57-62**
Levi was God's tribe; therefore it was not numbered with the rest, but alone. It came not under the sentence, that none of them should enter Canaan excepting Caleb and Joshua.
And unto Aaron was born Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
View commentary (2 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And unto Aaron was born Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar</strong>—four sons, two died in judgment (Leviticus 10:1-2), two inherited the priesthood. Aaron's family became Israel's perpetual high priestly line, despite tragedy. Nadab (נָדָב, "willing/generous") and Abihu (אֲבִיהוּא, "he is my father") had promising names but failed ministries. Eleazar (אֶלְעָזָר, "God has helped") and ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 57-62**
Levi was God's tribe; therefore it was not numbered with the rest, but alone. It came not under the sentence, that none of them should enter Canaan excepting Caleb and Joshua.
And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the LORD.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the LORD</strong> (אֵשׁ זָרָה, <em>esh zarah</em>)—unauthorized fire, perhaps representing worship innovations God didn't command. Leviticus 10:1-2 records their immediate death: "there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them." In a census of the living, the dead interrupt—a memorial warning that presumption in worship ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 57-62**
Levi was God's tribe; therefore it was not numbered with the rest, but alone. It came not under the sentence, that none of them should enter Canaan excepting Caleb and Joshua.
And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three thousand, all males from a month old and upward: for they were not numbered among the children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given them among the children of Israel.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Twenty and three thousand, all males from a month old and upward</strong>—unlike other tribes (numbering warriors 20+), Levites counted infants. Why? Because Levites replaced Israel's firstborn (Numbers 3:11-13), and firstborn status begins at one month. The count of 23,000 compares to 22,000 in the first census (Numbers 3:39), a modest increase reflecting high infant mortality and wildern...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(62) **Twenty and three thousand.—**At the former census the number was 22,000 or 22,300 (See Numbers 3:39, and Note.)
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 57-62**
Levi was God's tribe; therefore it was not numbered with the rest, but alone. It came not under the sentence, that none of them should enter Canaan excepting Caleb and Joshua.
These are they that were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.
View commentary (2 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
<strong>These are they that were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest</strong>—the census concludes with the counters named. Moses, now 120, began the wilderness journey by counting Israel with Aaron (Numbers 1:3). Aaron died (Numbers 20:28); Eleazar replaced him. Generational transition affects even census takers. The baton passes, but the counting continues.<br><br><strong>Who numbered the c...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 63-65**
The execution of the sentence passed on the murmurers, chap. 14:29, is observable. There was not one man numbered now, who was numbered then, but Caleb and Joshua. Here appeared the righteousness of God, and his faithfulness to his threatenings. Especially observe the truth of God, in performing his promise to Caleb and Joshua. Death makes awful havoc of the human species, and...
Read full commentary →But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
This verse explicitly confirms: 'among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron... numbered in the wilderness of Sinai.' Complete generational replacement occurred as God declared. Except Joshua and Caleb, not one adult who left Egypt entered Canaan. God's word proves absolutely reliable—His promises and His threats alike come to pass with perfect precision.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(64) **But among these . . . —**Thus the prediction contained in Numbers 14:29-32 was fulfilled. The fact that the fulfilment of this prediction is stated after Numbers 26:62, which contains the result of the census as regards the Levites, viewed in connection with the statement contained in Numbers 26:65, might seem to favour the inference that the sentence of exclusion was applicable to the trib...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 63-65**
The execution of the sentence passed on the murmurers, chap. 14:29, is observable. There was not one man numbered now, who was numbered then, but Caleb and Joshua. Here appeared the righteousness of God, and his faithfulness to his threatenings. Especially observe the truth of God, in performing his promise to Caleb and Joshua. Death makes awful havoc of the human species, and...
Read full commentary →For the LORD had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
The verse solemnly declares: 'For the LORD had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb... and Joshua.' This fulfilled God's judgment on the unbelieving generation (Num 14:29-35). The complete fulfillment demonstrates God's word's certainty - His promises and warnings both come to pass. Only faith-filled Caleb and Joshua survived, illu...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**34-35. I have sinned ... if it displease thee, I will get me back again--**Notwithstanding this confession, he evinced no spirit of penitence, as he speaks of desisting only from the outward act. The words "go with the men" was a mere withdrawal of further restraint, but the terms in which leave was given are more absolute and peremptory than those in Nu 22:20.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 63-65**
The execution of the sentence passed on the murmurers, chap. 14:29, is observable. There was not one man numbered now, who was numbered then, but Caleb and Joshua. Here appeared the righteousness of God, and his faithfulness to his threatenings. Especially observe the truth of God, in performing his promise to Caleb and Joshua. Death makes awful havoc of the human species, and...
Read full commentary →