Numbers 26 13

Numbers 26:13 kjv

Of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites: of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.

Numbers 26:13 nkjv

of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites; of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.

Numbers 26:13 niv

through Zerah, the Zerahite clan; through Shaul, the Shaulite clan.

Numbers 26:13 esv

of Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the clan of the Shaulites.

Numbers 26:13 nlt

The Zoharite clan, named after their ancestor Zohar.
The Shaulite clan, named after their ancestor Shaul.

Numbers 26 verses

Numbers 26 13 Meaning

Numbers 26:13 is part of the second census recorded in the wilderness, detailing the heads of the family lines within the tribes of Israel who would inherit the land of Canaan. Specifically, this verse enumerates the familial branches stemming from two of Judah's sons, Zerah and Shaul, highlighting the generational continuity and specific divisions within the tribal structure that were essential for the forthcoming distribution of the promised land.

Numbers 26 13 Context

Numbers 26 details the second census of the Israelites, taken nearly forty years after the first census at Mount Sinai (Numbers 1). This census occurred in the plains of Moab, on the brink of entering the promised land, immediately following the judgment for Israel's idolatry and immorality with the Moabites and Midianites (Numbers 25). The primary purpose of this second count was not military readiness, as with the first, but to determine the fighting men over twenty years old who would inherit the land of Canaan. The inheritance was to be divided according to the population size of each tribe and its sub-families. Verse 13 specifically continues the enumeration of Judah's descendants, essential for land allocation. It also implicitly highlights God's continued faithfulness in preserving a new generation despite the rebellion and demise of the previous one in the wilderness.

Numbers 26 13 Word analysis

• of Zerah:

  • Original Word: זֶרַח (Zerakh).
  • Meaning: "Brightness" or "dawn."
  • Significance: Zerah was a son of Judah (Gen 38:27-30) through Tamar, a complex and challenging lineage but one preserved in God's redemptive plan. His inclusion confirms the continued propagation of the lineage of Judah, from whom kings and ultimately the Messiah would come.

• the family of the Zerahites:

  • Original Words: מִשְׁפַּחַת הַזַּרְחִי (mishpachat ha-zarhī).
  • Meaning: "the family of Zerah," or "the Zerahite clan."
  • Significance: This emphasizes the established clan (mishpachah) structure within the Israelite tribal system. These families were the fundamental units for organization, military conscription, and especially, the allocation of inherited land (Num 26:52-56). It underscores the systematic order God instituted for His people.

• of Shaul:

  • Original Word: שָׁאוּל (Sha'ul).
  • Meaning: "Asked" or "desired."
  • Significance: This Shaul is explicitly identified as the son of a Canaanite woman, born to Simeon (Gen 46:10, Exod 6:15). His mother's origin made his birth outside the strict Israelite marital customs. However, his family line is counted here among the twelve tribes without disqualification, showing God's grace and inclusive purposes within Israel's lineage, prefiguring how He often uses unconventional paths or embraces those of mixed heritage within His divine plan. This highlights that while purity was desired, God worked through humanity as it was.

• the family of the Shaulites:

  • Original Words: מִשְׁפַּחַת הַשָּׁאוּלִי (mishpachat ha-sha'ulī).
  • Meaning: "the family of Shaul," or "the Shaulite clan."
  • Significance: Similar to the Zerahites, this signifies the established and recognized clan structure. Even with Shaul's unique maternal background, his descendants are fully incorporated and recognized as a legitimate "family" unit within Simeon's tribe, underscoring the inclusiveness of the covenant community for those legitimately descended, regardless of specific ancestral irregularities.

Numbers 26 13 Bonus section

The detailed enumeration of family lines in Numbers 26:13, and indeed the entire chapter, contrasts sharply with the judgment that befell the previous generation, where nearly all those counted in the first census perished in the wilderness due to disobedience (Numbers 14:29). This second census explicitly confirms the birth and coming of age of a new generation, destined to enter the land, symbolizing divine faithfulness and the unfailing nature of God's covenant promises, even amidst human failure. The continuity of family names from Jacob's original sons, now multiplied into various "families" (clans), demonstrates the organic growth of the nation under God's watchful providence. It underscores that God fulfills His promise to "make you into a great nation" (Gen 12:2) through careful preservation and generation by generation increase, providing a solid foundation for the subsequent establishment of Israel as a settled nation.

Numbers 26 13 Commentary

Numbers 26:13, though seemingly a dry list of names, is deeply significant. It functions as a critical component of God's preparation for His people's entry into the Promised Land. This census, listing the male descendants over twenty years old by their familial units, served a pragmatic purpose: determining military strength and, crucially, forming the basis for the equitable division of tribal territories in Canaan. The precise naming of "the family of the Zerahites" and "the family of the Shaulites" reaffirms the enduring tribal structure and God's attention to detail in His divine economy. Moreover, the inclusion of Shaul's lineage, despite his mother being a Canaanite, subtlely speaks to God's grace working through various human circumstances, affirming that He maintains His covenantal promises even when human origins are not perfectly pristine, a theme echoed in the New Testament genealogies of Jesus. This verse powerfully illustrates the transition of generations under God's watchful eye, as He preserved a people to inherit what He had promised Abraham, despite the failures of the past generation. It emphasizes divine faithfulness in ensuring continuity for the realization of His grand redemptive plan.